Next subject: Open mic host expectations (what's expected of the host)

[MikeBmusic]

I don't offer online sign-ups, but regular attendees can message me to let me know they are coming and to put them on the list - I do, but they do not get preferential slots over those who show up early at the venue to sign up, they just get on the list. The big difference is no set time slots. Is this preferential treatment? Yes, but it is limited to those who regularly come (and support) the open mic. The person who shows up late every time and orders a glass of water is not going to get an early time slot!
I tell people who can't help arriving late (every time, due to schedules) to message me - this also ensures they've 'friended' me on facebook, and that means I can send them invitations to FB events (future open mics).

[JackB1]

I like this idea. Smart.

Originally Posted by MikeBmusic

I don't offer online sign-ups, but regular attendees can message me to let me know they are coming and to put them on the list - I do, but they do not get preferential slots over those who show up early at the venue to sign up, they just get on the list. The big difference is no set time slots. Is this preferential treatment? Yes, but it is limited to those who regularly come (and support) the open mic. The person who shows up late every time and orders a glass of water is not going to get an early time slot!
I tell people who can't help arriving late (every time, due to schedules) to message me - this also ensures they've 'friended' me on facebook, and that means I can send them invitations to FB events (future open mics).

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by MikeBmusic

I don't offer online sign-ups, but regular attendees can message me to let me know they are coming and to put them on the list - I do, but they do not get preferential slots over those who show up early at the venue to sign up, they just get on the list. The big difference is no set time slots. Is this preferential treatment? Yes, but it is limited to those who regularly come (and support) the open mic. The person who shows up late every time and orders a glass of water is not going to get an early time slot!
I tell people who can't help arriving late (every time, due to schedules) to message me - this also ensures they've 'friended' me on facebook, and that means I can send them invitations to FB events (future open mics).

I think that is a reasonable compromise
I have to admit for the 6 or 7 years I have only been attending one OM .Which may be of the longest running most well attended OM's in the country.

And they have changed now, but they used to scatter pre selected slots to those who had participated in more than 100 performances, then everybody else would put their name in the hat 1/2 hour before start time and draw for remaining slots.
Now it is all draw in the summer ( outside ) and first come first serve in the winter (indoors).. Summer may see 30 to 40 musicians and a crowd of 100 to 200 and winter is usually 15 to 20 musicians and a crowd of 50 to 70

[sbmackie]

Venue is on, has it's own sound system, owner is keen and supplying mic's stands, cords, monitors, board, amps, bass amp, etc. I'm bringing a back up ampd and small mixing board, and a DI box. That's it. Participants will have to bring there own effects.
Sign ups. Limiting it to 12, as we only have 3 hours max. Still discussing on-line vs in person. May take the first 6 on-line, rest can sign up at door. Sign up 's stop at T-30, names drawn at t-20, first performer at launch time. No pre-event sign ups unless you contact me first and promise to buy lots of stuff from the venue owner (sic).
Acoustic only, any instrument, percussion limited to hand stuff, trios max, 3 tune/15 minute max.
Venue has coffee, whiskey's, and wines, deserts, evening gnoshes. https://coppercoinwoodstock.com/
The intention is community building first and foremost. May 30th is the date. Venue has a social media person who is working with owner and myself for getting the word out.
If your in the ATL area and are keen, IM me.
Scott

[MikeBmusic]

Good luck, Scott. I would think twice about the 12-person limit. What happens if you get 14 people showing up before the sign-up time - tell the two who hang back to put their names on the list they are out of luck? (bad karma) Or if you decide to have up to 6 people sign up online and then 10 more show up in person?
Does the venue close at the 3 hour time, or remain open after that?
Some leeway to run over time should be allowed (start earlier?) You can do something like the 3 song/15 minute for the first 10, everyone after that will get 1 song or what time allows (depending on how many people sign up).
At the open mics I go to that do the 'draw the name' they take people right until the start time, then draw the names a few minutes before. If you show up after that, you get put on the end of the list. By the number of people, the host knows how long it should go, so can specify '2 songs' (or whatever) right at that point.
At my open mic, I say the first 12 sign-ups get 3 songs - because I've never had 12 people @ 3 songs each run longer than 2-1/2 hours (never had a problem with 'jammers', but if they did come, I'd shut them down after 2 long songs). I've had up to 17 sign-ups, and limited the last ones to 2 songs, and run a little late - but the place is open much later. By the 3 hour mark (10:30, weeknight), there are seldom a lot of audience left anyway.

[sbmackie]

Mike,
Good stuff. I will take the limiting number on board. I'm being optimistic anyway.
I also like accepting late comers, and tagging them on with the possibility of a limit on their stage time.
The venue closes at 9 on weeknights. So, three hours is an absolute max. 6 is an early start for many in the ATL area due drive times. Best I can do.

Cheers
Scott

[JackB1]

I have yet to see an open mic in the area that had problems due to too many folks showing up

Originally Posted by sbmackie

Mike,
Good stuff. I will take the limiting number on board. I'm being optimistic anyway.
I also like accepting late comers, and tagging them on with the possibility of a limit on their stage time.
The venue closes at 9 on weeknights. So, three hours is an absolute max. 6 is an early start for many in the ATL area due drive times. Best I can do.

Cheers
Scott

[MikeBmusic]

Originally Posted by JackB1

I have yet to see an open mic in the area that had problems due to too many folks showing up

Happens at the popular ones around here. Some are ONLY sign-up online/via email ahead of time.
You also get the people who show up an hour after start time, and when told they may only get 1 or 2 songs, and be on at the end, decide not to stay around.

[pjmacd]

Just to add another perspective, here's how we do it at the Lake County (IL) Folk Club. For background, the club usually has 3 events per month. All are on Sunday evening deliberately. The reason for this is that it's often easier to get performing artists to come on a Sunday when they're between gigs that usually have performing dates on another day of the week, and our club is a chance for them to make some money and acquire new listeners on a day when they would normally not have a gig. This also negates some of the effects of travel time in large cities that others have mentioned in this thread. The 3 events per month are:

1. Open Stage - 2nd Sunday
2. Concert - 3rd Sunday
3. Song Circle - 4th Sunday

To drill in on the Open Stage:

1. It's understood that the performances are done with acoustic instruments only. The only exceptions we've had are keyboards and electric bass guitars.

2. The club provides 4 mic stands, 2 vocal mics and 2 instrument mics. We also have 2 inputs on our mixer that are high-Z, allowing for folks to plug in their instruments. We have extra DI boxes (2 passive and 1 active) if needed. Our new sound system consists of a digital Mackie 16-channel mixer and an HK Audio Lucas Nano 608i amp with subwoofer and two pole-mounted speakers. Myself and another gentleman handle the sound mixing and levels, and we have another 3 volunteers who are tremendously helpful with set-up and tear-down. The room is provided by the local historical society in their museum, in a meeting room that comfortably seats 50 people. Periodically we make a donation to the historical society in thanks for their cooperation.

3. Sign-ups: we have always done this on paper on the night of the open stage. I had not even thought of doing this online until I read some of the comments in this thread. Performances start at 7:00 pm, and sign-up starts at 6:30. There is always a lineup at 6:30 when a volunteer flips over the clipboard for people to sign up. For several years, we have adhered to the 2-song/10 minute format. Up until about a year ago, we were able to have a "lightning round" where folks could do a 3rd song if they wished, and at that time we would have 8-10 people sign up. Recently, however, 12-15 people have been signing up, and we have had to curtail the lightning round. We have now capped the sign-up sheet at 15 performers - anyone who shows up after the 15th sign-up is gently and politely told that they are welcome to come earlier next month. We try to stop as close to 9:00 pm as possible. We ask for a $3 donation from performers and listeners alike. No one seems to find this arduous.

4. Food and drink: the venue does not provide any. Volunteers make coffee and hot water for tea, as well as bringing some prepackaged snacks. We ask for a food donation.

5. Performers coming and leaving: we are fortunate that those who perform early usually stay to hear the other performers. We recognize that some folks have to start work early the next day, but many of us (like me) are retired old fogies and can sleep in Monday morning.

6. Performer ages: recently, our performers have ranged in age from teenagers to octogenarians. They have played songs from recent pop to some of the oldest known songs in existence. All instrumental and vocal skill levels are encouraged and applauded. You won't find a more receptive audience than at open mics, including ours.

If I have missed addressing any of the points in this thread, please let me know. You can find out more about our club at thelakecountyfolkclub.org .

[sbmackie]

Well, I've got a full house and a wait list. Hope I don't stuff it up to much.

[pjmacd]

Scott, the best of good luck to you and your new venue. Let us know how it goes.

[JackB1]

Good luck Scott. I'm sure it will be great. Great to see you got so much interest.

Originally Posted by sbmackie

Well, I've got a full house and a wait list. Hope I don't stuff it up to much.

[sbmackie]

Event filled up quickly with on line sign ups primary and walk in's on standby basis. Had a couple walk ins; everyone showed, so no dice, but they were happy and will sign up on line next time. Venue owner happy, will do again.
Lesson's learned: If you are not standing in the on deck circle with ALL your bandmates, go back to in the hole and bring next up to bat. If a performer shows up and has their own amp, head, and a bunch of effects...probably not so much in terms of time management. I thought I'd made that clear in the advertisement by saying 'if you have a favorite pedal board that is plug and play". He was very, very good though. Go minimalist on PA/Amps etc.

Getting great feedback about the good and not so good, that being the last guy didn't get to play (my fault, he get's his choice of slot next time and he was happy) and simplify the PA. For me, enforce the 10 minutes to play rule, regardless of my sympathies for enterprising high school students or enthusiatic heavy metal guitarists.
As a performer for me: my three tunes were 9 minutes or so, but with some instroductory patter I ran to 15. Which is to long as it pushed us back 5 minutes from the start (the first performer was at 630, I started at 620). S next time I'll start at 6:10, play a couple, do my patter and get the first act up to be ready for a downbeat at 6:30.
That being said: It was fun, some community was built, the venue owner was happy, and we will do it again.

[JackB1]

Sounds great Scott! Glad you had so much interest on the first night. Try and talk the owner into doing it weekly. It's hard to build any momentum when it's once a month IMO. Also, just tell folks they have a certain amount of time INCLUDING set up, tuning up, etc. so they can bring whatever pedals, amps they want, but inform them that the clock is ticking. So instead of a 10 minutes "to play rule". Maybe make it 12 minutes including setup. That way folks will learn to be ready to go for next time. You call their name and the clock starts ticking (use a timer on your phone to make it easy).

Originally Posted by sbmackie

Event filled up quickly with on line sign ups primary and walk in's on standby basis. Had a couple walk ins; everyone showed, so no dice, but they were happy and will sign up on line next time. Venue owner happy, will do again.
Lesson's learned: If you are not standing in the on deck circle with ALL your bandmates, go back to in the hole and bring next up to bat. If a performer shows up and has their own amp, head, and a bunch of effects...probably not so much in terms of time management. I thought I'd made that clear in the advertisement by saying 'if you have a favorite pedal board that is plug and play". He was very, very good though. Go minimalist on PA/Amps etc.

Getting great feedback about the good and not so good, that being the last guy didn't get to play (my fault, he get's his choice of slot next time and he was happy) and simplify the PA. For me, enforce the 10 minutes to play rule, regardless of my sympathies for enterprising high school students or enthusiatic heavy metal guitarists.
As a performer for me: my three tunes were 9 minutes or so, but with some instroductory patter I ran to 15. Which is to long as it pushed us back 5 minutes from the start (the first performer was at 630, I started at 620). S next time I'll start at 6:10, play a couple, do my patter and get the first act up to be ready for a downbeat at 6:30.
That being said: It was fun, some community was built, the venue owner was happy, and we will do it again.

[sbmackie]

Jack
My time and brain space won't permit weekly. So, monthly at this point.