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.

Open Mic Web Resources

There's plenty of info on the Internet about where to find open mics and jams. Here's just a sampling:

www.abbiegardner.com/mics.html
Open mics in the New York — New Jersey — Connecticut area.

www.halsguide.com/o.m.guide.html
Hal Cohen's guide to open mics in the Los Angeles vicinity.

www.shenandoahmusic.com/openmic.htm
Contains a short national directory and a directory for the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia.

Be a Host

If you're a seasoned performer with the ability to interact with a wide range of musicians, hosting an open mic (or jam) can be a good way to earn a few extra bucks while getting all the other benefits: a chance to play your stuff and to meet other musicians. John Sonntag has hosted a number of open mics in the New York area and shares some insights.

“Network and be part of the scene,” he says. “I've been asked (to host) by the club owner or the previous host based on a recommendation.”

Once in place, Sonntag says, your job is to create a community. “Anyone can host an open mic,” he cautions. “But the idea is to nurture the event, because people are sensitive about what they do. You can never say anything bad about anyone who has the guts to get up onstage. For me it's about creating an even playing field for everyone. As a host, it's about developing an environment where a community comes together to listen.”

On the business end, Sonntag says that while you won't get rich, hosting an open mic can supplement your income. “Most open mics don't make a lot of money,” he explains. A club owner can drop a night without warning if he feels he can make more money another way. Unless people are generating revenue by eating and drinking, there's not a lot of money for the host. “Some places charge admission because the host wants to get paid and the room doesn't want to pay him,” Sonntag continues. “Some places also let you pass the hat. Remember, the host has several jobs: to set up, make sure the sound is together, keep an eye on the gear, and make the evening flow.”

As for the most important thing, Sonntag comes back to the idea of creating a connection between host, performer, and audience. “I've been to open mics where there's just somebody calling out names,” he says. “I don't go back to those.”

Reach Emile Menasché and his band Speak the Language at www.speakthelanguage.net.