Open mike
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
An open mike is a live show where audience members may perform at the microphone. Usually the performers sign up for a time slot with the host or master of ceremonies. A typical time slot is 3 songs or 15 minutes.
Open mikes commonly fall into three categories:
- Comedy
- Music
- Poetry and spoken word
Contents |
[edit] Comedy Open Mikes
Comedy Open mic nights are usually held at comedy clubs but can also be at most any venue with a stage. It gives the up and coming comedian a chance to break into the comedy world. It also gives a vetran of the craft an oppertunity to work out new matierial and get it ready for more important performances. In an average open mic night a comedian will get 3-5 minutes to work out their matierial.
[edit] Musical Open Mikes
These shows provide a wonderful opportunity for people to gain experience performing to a live audience without having to go through the process of getting normal music gigs, which is very difficult to do without experience of live performance.
Open Mikes have been gaining in popularity in recent times, providing a much needed outlet for singer-songwriters. Prior to their popularity, the only outlet generally were folk clubs, which were not always friendly towards creators of new music, preferring traditional music. They also suggested that music performed by a acoustic musicians or a solos artist in this manner would necessarily be folk music, a misconception that still commonly exists today. Some organisers have chosen the title "Acoustic Night" or "Acoustic Club" in an attempt to indicate an event run broadly on the lines of a folk club, but with a much wider range of musical styles.
Now Open Mikes have become popular, there is a much better opportunity for a singer-songwriter to gain exposure and experience for their songs.
Unfortunately, many open mikes are not well organised, and musical standards can be variable. They can also be very frustrating, sometimes with performers hanging about for hours hoping to get a slot and then being told that there is no time for them to play. Some are more cliques than open affairs. Some are used by the host or organiser as a platform for themselves, playing many songs themselves and leaving very little time for others. It is very important that an Open Mike be well run for it to flourish.
There are also problems with the attitudes of audiences and musicians. It is very common to find performers who talk through everyone else's sets, not paying attention to them, play their songs and then immediately leave afterwards. This is not really in the spirit of an Open Mike, where performers should be providing support for each other, although it is not so much a problem where non-musicians make up the majority of the audience.
[edit] Other Notes
"Open Mike" is also often spelled 'Open Mic'. Either is correct.
"Open Mike" is also often used to refer to events that could more properly be named 'Open Stage' where there is no amplification.
- "Open mike" also refers to Open Mike with Mike Bullard, a Canadian comedy series.
[edit] External links
- OpenMikes.org - Music, comedy, and poetry open mike listings in the United States and Canada
- Mike, Dammit - Essay on the "mike" vs. "mic" debate
- Dictionary.com entry for open mikepl:Open mike
