Open Mic Nights

Who here does Open Mic nights? Whether it be with instruments, comedy, what have you
Do you think they are a good way to introduce yourself as a musician?
Any tips you can share through experience?

I'm a bit new to the scene, but if there's anything I've learned. It's that you HAVE to HAVE to HAVE to stick around after your performance. This is where the networking begins, you talk to other performers, or just audience members, and you get feedback, possible fan base, and maybe even a friend. What I saw some performers do was pass out business cards to a site of theirs with music. So I started to mimic that

http://restlessbloom.webs.com

 

You can also try posting videos on youtube or something. I know some people have gotten a decent following just by doing that alone.

 

I do stand up comedy at open mics. I do have business cards to network. Print your website that has music samples onto the cards.Just be consistent with performing and you should gain some exposure.. maybe people you meet will know of other places you can perform.

 

Btw cat you should link your site, since it's not another forum site it should be fine

 

My band did some open mic nights after we had got some of our originals to a finished point! We feel it was worth it, because it lead to us becoming one of the clubs go to bands for opening slots.

 

I fondly remember open-mic nights. Great fun. There are a number of us on the music scene around here who all remember those nights...watching each other play...building our confidence each week...getting better. It's been 20 years or more. We were just a bunch of kids with guitars who were looking for a stage.

 

Ive played lead for a buddy when he did an open mic a few times. It was ok. I play mainly for my own amusement....dont go outta my way to perform

 

I've done open stage stuff, playing the guitar and singing, as well as dancing (not while playing and singing!! lol). The times I've done it with an instrument, I found it a horrible experience, because I was disappointed with my performance big time. Nerves!

Dancing is something else, it was always a big hit and a great source of satisfaction.

 

I think one great thing about open mic nights is that people have a chance to play in front of an audience and learn to confront the nerves. I think we were all nervous back when I used to play open mic nights and I think we knew we were improving but I doubt if any of us really knew how much those nights would eventually help us later because I doubt if any of us even considered where we would be today. We just played as if it was the most significant time we had ever been on a stage. And I think it's kind of funny how different musicians have different opinions about nerves. Some say that you never really get over them and if you do...you must not have the passion anymore. Others seem to not be affected by nerves most of the time. I just think everyone is different.

 

I've found open mic to be a good time to learn and experiment before you perform for real.

 

I go to watch open mic nights. I think it's a great idea, the bands around here play regularly and some get recognised, events come up and they get asked to play (plus it looks like fun). The last group I seen were a blues group and the one guy was awesome on the harmonica, so chatted to him after and he gave me his card to his youtube site, so that is worth a look into.

 

my name is mike and I am open to playing music for free . also openly and freely i'll
play whatever I feel like and most often thinking of nothing in particular until they set me
up on the stage . one time a bar owner yelled at me mad about my music . his apology
came years later . Yes! I am quite entitled to be open mike .

 

I think open mics are still performing "for real". I know in retrospect it's more of a test run and learning experience but it doesn't feel like it when you're doing it. Even today....I would take an open mic night seriously if I played one. You're putting yourself out there. It's a stage. But yeah...a great learning opportunity.

 

Was listening to Fruition and didnt think you had a singer so I started singing hymns, then the vocalist came in and killed it.

Bravado!

You all make music beautifully together!

 

Thank you, all performances are 'for real'

I played an open mic once, long after I was a fairly seasoned performer, but my partner wasn't. We were performing as a blues duo at a small club in Tucson, him on vocals and harmonica and me on acoustic slide guitar. (We covered Muddy waters, Howlin wolf, John lee hooker and such)

Opening the first tune with a harmonica solo, he brought the harp to his lips with the house sm57 cupped in his hand and the volume was so loud and distorted it dang near took out the front window! lol He turned to me with the most horrified look in his eyes, it was Ernies first time on stage. In less than a second, I turned to the PA mixer directly behind where I was sitting, It was one of those super old school kustom mixers like an amp head with all the knobs on the face. I quickly identified the channel that mic was on and turned it down to a suitable level without so much as missing a beat on my guitar. The rest of the performance came off without a hitch and we recieve as much applause as the 10 or 12 patrons, the bartender and the waitress could muster! LOL Good times

 

Supposed to play lead for a buddy this week at some open mics

 

I like open mic and try to go to as many as I can. It gives me a chance to meet and network with musicians, to play with peeps I dont know and to hear peeps I dont know. And there is normally a good jam in the making.

 

Lots of open mics in my area. I play one on Wednesday nights at a bar of mostly college kids. They're all young enough to be my grand kids, so I feel like a dinosaur....but they like my music. I play one at another bar of the older set every last Thursday of the month. It's kinda red neck, but they like my tunes too. I've played another six or seven around here, and there's still another six or seven I haven't played. Guess I need to get out more. I've played a few paying gigs, but most places want a full band. And finding other people to play with is like finding dinosaur teeth. They are usually too young, or I'm too old. And finding anyone that plays what I play is hard too. Lot of country and metal around here. I play hippie stuff, like Umphrey's McGee, Widespread Panic, Drive By Truckers, Van Morrison, The Hazies, Dire Straits, Dave Matthews, G3, The Band, Bruce Hornsby, Bruce Cockburn, Little Feat, and Screamin Cheetah Wheelies. I Don't like playing classic rock, songs that everybody has heard a million times. But that's what bars want bands to play. I also play a bunch of my own tunes. I need to put music to about a half dozen I've written lately. Procrastination should be my middle name.

 

Went to the open mic at the Green Frog last night, first time. Turns out the host is a friend of mine from a few years ago. Good time.

 

I saw a great bumper sticker on a guitar case last night at the open mic. It said, "Laugh at your problems, everybody else does."