Open mike comments/rants
 

I'm not saying I'm the best singer or player but I do OK.

Open mikes seem to be the same no matter where they are.

I went to a new one last night expecting something different. Disappointed again.

Poorly attended, 3 musicians 2 others having dinner. No time or song limit.

The question I have is: Why is the biggest time hog the hardest one to listen to? Pitch, rhythm, chord changes, melody all their own.

Grumpy old man rant over for now.

Disheartening, isn't it. I don't partake anymore. Even private song circles can be like that sometimes.

Some cats play and leave. If I play early, I stay to hear the other players. I run some open mics. I like to create a supportive atmosphere for all who attend.

If only we were all like that.

I rarely go to any anymore I still hope the new ones will be different.

I wish you could come to one of mine.

I've met so many cats that I gig with now at open mics back in the day. I encourage people to stay and meet other players. I even announce that type of stuff.

I've hooked great guitarists up with singers who don't play and they started gigging together. I hooked this amazing girl up with a guitar teacher and she is killing the solo scene now. She even runs some of her own open mics.

I don't even play at the open mic that I run. I stopped bringing a guitar a long time ago. I want people to feel welcome and encouraged. It's up to the host to cultivate that.

There are average weeks, but there are also AMAZING weeks. I have beginners and pros alike at my open mic. I tell folks two songs or ten minutes unless I give a nod for a third song. Nobody is up there monopolizing the mic.

I tell then up front that I'll fade them out if need be. I do it in a semi joking and supportive way before they start... "Man, don't make me come up there and start pulling faders... ;) The trick is to let them know in advance and be upbeat about it. )

I usually address the crowd as a whole with that. Once they've been once, they know. I follow up with, "You're all talented. I want everybody to experience everybody else. I want you to meet new friends, find new band mates, collaborate, and support each other when you all start gigging, or are already gigging. THIS is where our community starts. Cultivate it!"

Anybody can set up a mic and plug in a speaker. We should be creating a SCENE! Even if you're in the audience. I even say stuff like, "Who here doesn't like to talk about music? Guitars? Meet somebody, just be respectful of the players while they're performing...'

Every once in a while, you'll get an open-mic-primma-donna, but they get their 10 minutes like everybody else.

*I always give that third song nod, as long as they don't stretch their songs too long. It makes people feel appreciated,... and it SHOULD because I appreciate them!

I've met so may great people and incredible musicians at open mics. They can me absolutely magical gatherings if everyone has a mutual respect for one another. I love that whole scene.

Because he gets no other gigs and this is his only chance to perform in a safe environment.

I'm being asked to attend an OM again. And I will. When I get around to it. Maybe. In this area musicians kind of have groups. The people in the groups know each other and play similar material along with being in the same age neighborhood. Most have performed in bands at times. The way this particular group does things is everyone gets three songs. It's loose so there can be time trading. People play with each other at times. Then after everyone has had their stage time it usually gets to be a type of jam. It all can be terrible at times with moments of greatness while being okay over all. There are some musicians I love to have play with me.

There's another one that is held on Thursday afternoons that is great for people without much performance time, if any. It's about 18 people and they sit on stage while they take turns going to the mic and playing a song. The people waiting play along some times. The skill level is beginner and that's what I like about it though I probably won't play there. Though I might next year once I fully retire and have time to waist.

Yours would be the very rare exception. I check out open mikes all over the country when we travel. I have never come across one like yours.

Having been to open mic's all over the country, except for the deep south
I would say there certainly is a significant number of poorly run ones, but I would also not say that a viable thriving "scene" as The Kid is describing is "the rare exception". I would very off hand guess decent ones are at the 30 to 40 % mark. Now one problem with traveling is you may not have time to sift through the 10 venues to get to the three or four decent ones .

Now back to your OP an open mic that has three people is almost assuredly going to be a dud and the lack "time or song limit" is a blatant flashing red light. :D

But honestly I have been some pretty good open mics from NYC to Upstate NY to Nashville to California to Oregon
But probably the one of the very best ones was actually my HomeTown open mic for almost 30 years, which is the Jackson Hole Hootenanny. Well attended , audience usually between 50 and 100, often booked full of so many performers you get one song on the first rotation and only play a second song if you stick around and all have played at least one .

I tend NOT to go to "open mics" as the soud system is usually too loud and poorly Eq'd, but here in the UK we have different types of music clubs and/or meetings :

1. Folk Clubs, some of which book guests and allow short floor-spots, usually one or two numbers. They also often have :

2."Sing-arounds" where generally we sit around tables and take turns singing one number. This may involve others "joining in" or you may be able to sing by yourself, and/or invite one or two others to play a lead break or some such.

In more traditional clubs (and there are many) it is all about singing the same old traditional songs in multiple harmonies.

3. Jam sessions where everyone plays at once and no-one listens much. This is often blues, bluegrass or old time.

4. Acoustic Music Clubs (like mine) (with or without p.a. depending on whether the room is private or not.
My methodology is that I very rarely book guests, but I ask performers to arrive 20-30 minutes before the music starts (with my band and I) to book in, and I then determine who goes on when, to make a show. I give them 15 minutes - during which they can lay one piece or four numbers - but that's IT. (I don't pull them off but I tell them that they've denied someone else playing time and they usually do better the next time.

I start at 8 and finish at 11 and can comfortably fit in nine "acts" plus my two sets, but I've never turned anyone away, and have had far more and put them all on (maybe reducing their time to ten minutes). I provide a single large condenser mic, no plugging in, and the audiences listen quietly.

Imposing a time limit rather than number of songs encourages people to"rehearse" their slot.

I don't charge entry, but I encourage all to make a contribution - most do, some don't. It's worked for a number of years now, and I've had to move venues six times.

I read threads like this and feel so fortunate to have all the wonderful open mics around me. I actually prefer them because I can see a bunch of good musicians all on one night. Even the ones that aren't good, it's fun to see them grow every two weeks. Plus, the ones that have a rough couple weeks, it's good to see them have a beak.

I love it when Gaylord has a good day between chemo and can make it out, even if he can't remember lyrics. I'm happy to see Marilyn get a break from fighting with the insurance company due to the house fire. I'll ask Mary about her flooded basement that I helped bale out a couple weeks ago. I always learn something new from Randy. I'll bring a lyrics sheet so bill can sing along with my latest original. Chris is hands down the best harmonica player I've ever seen so I'll always talk to him and his parents. Allen is one of the best crowd handlers I've ever seen. When he plays, everyone is tapping / singing along. Clint 3 gets better each time he shows up. He can sing but needs confidence. His wife always gives good performance advice to me. What went well, what I should work on. Jill and Georgia can't wait to hear my latest song. The owner of the restaurant wants to hear that one song I wrote a few years ago....

You get the point.... :)

I've run a bunch over the years, so I know a lot of "open mic-ers," as well as a ton of cats that gig all over. I love that you get all types of players and styles.

I have been to a ton of poorly run open mics as well. They generally don't last. I have some friends that do amazing jobs with theirs. A host that knows how to run sound is a MUST if there isn't a dedicated sound person. Decent equipment always helps too.

The one I run at Canalside, the ops guys set up the PA for me, and I just bring my dog and a QSC Touchmix 16 to mix from my ipad. strangely enough though. It keeps me from having to tell people that they can't play my guitar.

These wont embed.

https://imgur.com/a/VE1wUQ9


https://imgur.com/a/gHt4n3D

Nobody wants to go first. Nobody wants to go last. Everybody wants to play during primetime. There's always someone with an open mic emergency that HAS to play at a specific time. There's always some type of drama,...That's the toughest part about running open mics for me, but I try to always handle it gracefully.

Before I stopped bringing my guitar, I had already stopped letting people play my guitar shortly after some dude tried to beat it like a red headed stepchild. I actually stopped him mid song. He was pissed, but at least he didn't punch a hole in my top.

Back then, I'd have too many people expecting to play my guitar. One guy said to me, "But it's an open mic!"

My reply, "The mic is wide open. The guitar,... not so much. Gotta bring our own or ask another player, my man..."

Someone else would always oblige and lend a guitar. People all wanting to play at the same time is the worst that I really have to deal with. That's why there's a list though.

As far as lengthy setups (drum sets / whole bands / etc ) go:

If you can set up before the open mic starts and not be in my way, and can leave it until the short (15 min) break,... then you're welcome to do so.

I always leave a short break. If we need to fit someone in, we do. Otherwise, people are encouraged to get up, meet somebody new, and buy food and drinks.

Some of the most fun times I've had playing have been open mics. In particular, there was one in Raleigh that catered to jazz standards at a coffee shop called Loco Lu's. I was new to jazz (still am) but they welcomed and encouraged me (at that time, I was exclusively a bass player). It was a 1.5 hr drive for me but well worth it, since absolutely nothing was happening locally.

All good things must come to an end, however. Loco Lu's closed and, to date, I haven't found a gathering with quite the same vibe. One started up here in my own town and was picking up steam and then... the venue closed this past October. There hasn't been another one to start up since, mostly because possible venues are few and far between when you live in a remote rural area.

Perhaps, in another thread, I'll ask how to get one up and running. There have already been some great suggestions in this thread about how to properly run one (and thanks for that!).