Open mic at Third Street takes place in old town Temecula. There is a free parking lot across the street as well as free street parking. The business is primarily a bar that also serves comfort food: finger foods, burgers, sandwiches, salads, wraps and a couple desserts. The room is run by Frank Martinez, who has been hosting the weekly mic at this location since December of 2015. A comedian himself, Frank runs this room for comedy only. No poetry or music. There are no language restrictions. New talent gets 5 minutes, returning talent gets 10 minutes. The place seats about 52, the chairs set up to face the stage, which is a nice wooden platform stage, complimented by some good lighting. The backdrop gives it the look of a comedy club. When I first arrived I was under the belief it was a first come first choice signup. The signup sheet was already out when I showed up at 7:33pm and 2 names were already on the sheet. I took the fourth spot, a comedian friend who went with me taking the third spot. How well that worked out, we thought. However, just before the show started the host asked to meet with all the comedians where he read the lineup. My friend got the first spot and I was something like seventh. So, I can’t account for the way the lineup works. No rhyme or reason. Even during the course of the evening, Frank came over to me and said he was putting one other comedian up before me before I finally had my turn. When the show started just after 8pm there were 22 people in the room, including the staff. At its maximum we had 25. By almost 9pm it had dropped to 16, and by the end of the evening, 9:30, the number dropped to under 10. It was a tough crowd. A number of the comedians during their set remarked or made fun of how “terrific” this evening was going. One woman who had way to much to drink decided to participate in the comedy by answering rhetorical questions from the comedians or commenting on something the comedian said while leading up to the punchline. Frank told me afterwards audiences are not normally like this. Guys, this room was a brutal experience. I won’t kid you. But I believe Frank when he says the room normally responds well to talent. The stage was nice, and Frank is a good host. And even if the room was geared for comedy only doesn’t promise that those who come to the show will necessarily laugh. That almost all the talent had a rough time on stage is unique. An anomaly at most. But Temecula has a lot to offer: wine tasting, some sight-seeing. If you’re vacationing in the area, on a Sunday evening stop in to Third Street Live! and do a set. Old town Temecula has a lot of atmosphere. You’ll have a good time, and to share the good times with others through laughter only makes the evening go better.
Open mic at Third Street takes place in old town Temecula. There is a free parking lot across the street as well as free street parking. The business is primarily a bar that also serves comfort food: finger foods, burgers, sandwiches, salads, wraps and a couple desserts.
ReplyDeleteThe room is run by Frank Martinez, who has been hosting the weekly mic at this location since December of 2015. A comedian himself, Frank runs this room for comedy only. No poetry or music. There are no language restrictions. New talent gets 5 minutes, returning talent gets 10 minutes. The place seats about 52, the chairs set up to face the stage, which is a nice wooden platform stage, complimented by some good lighting. The backdrop gives it the look of a comedy club.
When I first arrived I was under the belief it was a first come first choice signup. The signup sheet was already out when I showed up at 7:33pm and 2 names were already on the sheet. I took the fourth spot, a comedian friend who went with me taking the third spot. How well that worked out, we thought.
However, just before the show started the host asked to meet with all the comedians where he read the lineup. My friend got the first spot and I was something like seventh. So, I can’t account for the way the lineup works. No rhyme or reason. Even during the course of the evening, Frank came over to me and said he was putting one other comedian up before me before I finally had my turn.
When the show started just after 8pm there were 22 people in the room, including the staff. At its maximum we had 25. By almost 9pm it had dropped to 16, and by the end of the evening, 9:30, the number dropped to under 10. It was a tough crowd. A number of the comedians during their set remarked or made fun of how “terrific” this evening was going. One woman who had way to much to drink decided to participate in the comedy by answering rhetorical questions from the comedians or commenting on something the comedian said while leading up to the punchline. Frank told me afterwards audiences are not normally like this.
Guys, this room was a brutal experience. I won’t kid you. But I believe Frank when he says the room normally responds well to talent. The stage was nice, and Frank is a good host. And even if the room was geared for comedy only doesn’t promise that those who come to the show will necessarily laugh. That almost all the talent had a rough time on stage is unique. An anomaly at most. But Temecula has a lot to offer: wine tasting, some sight-seeing. If you’re vacationing in the area, on a Sunday evening stop in to Third Street Live! and do a set. Old town Temecula has a lot of atmosphere. You’ll have a good time, and to share the good times with others through laughter only makes the evening go better.