After accompanying a client to two Open Mics in four nights a week ago in Los Angeles, I realized that it might be old hat to me – having done so previously with another client in Tampa – but that there are likely folks out there who’ve never once attended such.
So, you’ve decided to be brave and finally get out of your house to take your talent to a stage. You’ve heard of Open Mic, but you’ve never actually been to one. So that you don’t show up and get caught off guard, here’s a list of information you’ll want to be aware of. Note that not all of these apply at every Open Mic, but it’s better to be prepared than get caught off guard and potentially walk away frustrated.
Listed in no particular order…
1) Covers vs. Originals – You don’t play an instrument and you don’t write original music. So, can you still go to an Open Mic or should you just hit a local restaurant that has a Karaoke Night? Like other entries on this list, it will vary as to whether you can do cover songs or not. Contact the host in advance (the host is either the venue or the person running the Open Mic) and ask if they allow cover songs. Keep in mind that something billed as a Writers Night is exactly that – songwriters doing their own original songs. Don’t contact the host and ask if you can do cover songs. You can’t.
2) Equipment – Of course there will be a p.a. (microphone and speakers) there for everyone to use. However, if you’re “just” singing cover songs, you’ll want to contact the host in advance to ask what format they prefer tracks to be in. Meaning, can you just play the accompaniment track on your phone and bring a cable with you to connect it to their sound board? If so, what type of jack will they need to connect into their board? There are a lot of different sizes and types out there, so don’t assume that it’s universal and that they will (or that they must) accommodate the only cable you have. If you’re going to play an instrument, bring all the cords and cables you’d bring to a regular gig. The host will have a board for you to plug into.
3) Pay to Play?! – It’s not always free to participate in an Open Mic?! Not always, no. My client and I went to a venue in the greater Los Angeles area that requires each participant to pay (seven dollars) (and purchase a beverage). You can’t try to get around that either. When you pay the cashier, they give you the slip of paper that goes into the host’s basket for when names are drawn for the order of who will perform first, second, third, and so on. So, without that, you don’t get to be placed into the rotation. Most Open Mics are free although some might have a derivation of the above scenario, meaning, it doesn’t cost to perform but they do ask you to order something (food, drink).
4) Arrival time/Signing up – Most Open Mics will list what time the performances start AND what time sign-up begins. For example, they might have the first performer go on at 8:00, but sign-ups might start at 7:00 or 7:30. Don’t plan to arrive right when the first performance is or you’ll end up way down the list due to others who signed up well before you got there. Some Open Mics are run as whoever signed up first performs first, and whoever signed up second performs second, and so on, but others do a random draw and announce the order of who will perform when.
5) No guarantees – Despite being diligent with number 4 above, no, there is no guarantee that you’ll get to perform. Some places have such a huge turnout that they can’t fit everybody in within the allotted time frame. Know that going in so that you’re not making a scene and being a complainer when you get shut out.
6) Length of Performance – This could vary anywhere from one or two songs to ten minutes to 20 minutes. It’s better to go in having too many songs you’re prepared to do than not enough.
7) Etiquette – Applaud for everyone, smile, be pleasant, don’t talk or get up while someone is singing, and certainly don’t let on that you didn’t think someone wasn’t qualified to be performing. As tempting as it might be, please make every effort to stay off your phone too. It’s basically applying the Golden Rule in the form of whatever you would want from the audience when you’re doing your performance.
8) The Host is More than That – Don’t look at someone as “just the sound guy.” Chances are he or she is a musician/performer and likely will even get up and perform themselves at some point. They also know tons of people from hosting the Open Mic every week. So, they’re a good person to know, period, not to mention who they might know and be able to connect you with. I also had a client that one Open Mic host really took a liking to and, as a result, was able to get “you could do one more song” or “come back next week and you can be the feature” favors from.
9) Expect the Unexpected – Some people will get up and do comedy while others will do poetry or spoken word. And the venues can be traditional, eclectic, somewhere in between, or somewhere way outside the box. Be open-minded and roll with it. To quote a line from P. Diddy’s character in the movie, “Made,” with Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau, “Act like you been here before.”
10) Make Sure it’s Really Happening – There are websites out there dedicated to Open Mic listings, however, they might be old and outdated. Check for a Facebook page that has a current date showing that the event really is still running and will be taking place when you think it’s supposed to be. Better yet, make a phone call to the venue or host. If you get everything ready, drive there, park, and head inside only to find out, “No, it’s on a different night now,” or, “We stopped doing Open Mic three months ago,” you’re going to be highly upset.
The one recurring theme you should’ve noticed throughout the above list is that it’s never a bad idea to make contact ahead of time. And what you should already know from reading this blog every week and listening to “Now Hear This Entertainment” is that, of course, you never know who might be in the crowd.
What have your experiences been with an Open Mic? What did I leave out? Talk about this blog in our Facebook group!
Bruce
1 July 2019
By: Bruce Wawrzyniak