The EM Poll

Not Just for Folk Singers

Mar 14, 2008 2:33 PM, By Emile Menasche

           

OPEN MIC NIGHTS LET MUSICIANS OF ALL TYPES HONE THEIR PERFORMANCE SKILLS AND MAKE VALUABLE CONTACTS.

Sam Shaber, who recently released her fourth album, Eighty Numbered Streets, used open mics to gain valuable performing experience.

Photo: Kelsey Edwards

Getting Up, and Gettin' Down

The most obvious benefit of hitting an open mic is the experience it provides. For a new artist, it's a chance to get up in front of a crowd and play without having to go through the booking and gigging process. Because you're not required to bring a crowd (as you would to a conventional gig), you can focus solely on developing your performance chops.

“We're all rock stars in our bedroom,” Shaber says. “But then when you actually stand up in front of people and your legs lock, or your fingers are shaking and they won't behave, or you can't breathe very well all of a sudden because you body's malfunctioning — it's sort of the beginning of the learning process if you want to be a performer.”

Sonntag notes that, in addition to having a relatively big audience, you can find a sympathetic one, as well. “The audience will help you settle down if you're nervous,” he says. “but you want to have a professional attitude. Be ready.”

Extra Seasoning

Open mics aren't just for newcomers. Seasoned performers and writers also use them as a forum for testing new material and developing arrangements. The latter is particularly useful in today's more accessible and affordable recording environment. In the past, songs were developed live before being recorded; now, however, many artists write and arrange in the studio, recording their songs before ever playing them for an audience. If you've just spent months building arrangements in a recording studio, an open mic gives you the opportunity to strip your songs down to the bare essentials and reconstruct them for live performance. You can work through the same song over a number of open mics or try different songs as you develop or refine your set list.

“It's great to try out a new song if you don't really want to risk it at your own gig,” Shaber says. “It's a safe atmosphere.”

Sonntag points out that an open mic can also be a place to get input and constructive criticism. “Sometimes, I bring songs that are in development,” he says. “I play a song that's still a work in progress and get input from others, especially if I know and respect their work.” The value of this input varies depending on the vibe of a particular open mic. Some nights attract pure beginners, while others seem to draw the seasoned writers and players. “If you're consistent in going, you're developing a community,” Sonntag says. “You'll get to know the regulars; you'll hold court for a while. Most likely, you'll be gigging at the place and after a while, you get to see the next generation of people coming behind you.”

Promo Tool

In addition to fine-tuning new material, you can use an open mic as a promotional tool by plugging upcoming gigs, adding names to your mailing list, and even selling CDs. “When I'm on tour, I still sometimes hit open mics in other towns,” Shaber says. “It's an instant way to meet a huge group of people.”

If you're trying to expand your following into uncharted territory, an open mic can be a low-risk, high-gain opportunity. As Shaber points out, you can get to know the clubs in a new town — and get the clubs to know you. “Some places might not be able to book you because you might not have enough of a following in that town. I did a bunch of these [open mics] — one in Woodstock, one in Philly, one in Chicago, a couple in London — and it was great because at the time, I didn't have an audience there. I would play a regular slot like everyone else at the open mic, and I would still sell CDs and get people to sign my mailing list, and meet people.”

Club owners recognize which musicians are willing to hustle to draw people to their regular gigs, and they book accordingly. If you show up for an open mic the Monday before a Saturday gig, it won't go unnoticed. “I'm now headlining a room called Club Passim in Cambridge, Massachusetts,” Shaber says. “The first time I ever played there was at the open mic. I actually had a gig somewhere else in town later that night. But I went to that open mic beforehand and played my song and promoted my gig across town. It caught the attention of the club owner and he started booking me as an opener because he saw that I was serious about what I was doing.”