Open mic at Starving Artist’s Bistro is perhaps the most unprecedented open mic in that talent can perform all day long if they like. Let me explain. But first, the stats. They have their own parking lot. There is absolutely no bad language or inappropriate material for a family-friendly bistro, especially sexually material. They have had open mic for 3 years, but they’ve never had an emcee. The place seats about 64 inside. Ninety percent of the talent who go on stage is musicians. Second to that is comedy. The business opens at 11am, and it is as early as that that talent can start to perform. Here’s how it works. Upon showing up, talent signs a voucher in effect saying you’ll take responsibility if you damage anything on stage. They have a lot of musical equipment on stage. The stage is actually a platform, and there are four mics. First-time performers are allowed to go up Tuesday through Thursday. The more seasoned open micers get to perform on the weekends. If other talent is waiting to perform, you are asked to restrict yourself to maybe 15 minutes on stage and then getting yourself off and allowing someone else to perform. If no talent is waiting to go up, in effect, you are allowed to perform for as long as you like. I mean hours! Doesn’t promise you’ll have an audience. When I showed up just after 4pm, no one was in the bistro, but I could have performed right then and there. Instead, I opted to come back around dinner hours. When I returned after 7pm, there were 17 people in the room, staff included. Maybe 8 were listening when it was my turn. A singer was performing when I showed up, and he did a couple songs. When he finished the staff told me I could go up. I did and performed maybe 10 minutes before I said there was other talent waiting to go up. A guitarist/singer went up after me and did two songs. After that, the lineup was done. I finished by beer and headed to another venue. The business itself serves appetizers, salads, burgers, dogs, sandwiches, some entrees and pasta dishes. Beer and wine to drink, too. Starving Artist’s used to host a comedy night, but because comedians had a hard time respecting the no bad language rule, the bistro discontinued comedy open mic and now only have this one. The best time to perform is between 6:30 and 7pm, I am told. Again, talent can perform until the business closes as 10pm, 8pm on Sundays. Guys, this is a good open mic to do because you can come just before another open mic the same night at a later hour in the same city (Fresno) and do back to back performances at two venues. Yes, language restrictions and adult subject matter will keep you from doing some material, but it should motivate you all the more to write acceptable material for rooms that give more stage time but demand cleaner jokes. If you’ve been gathering material for years and have a lot to give, this room is the one to try your headliner half-hour (or more) set, your featured 15 minute set, any large chunk of time. Even in the little time I was in the room the evening I did, after the guitarist after me did two songs, that was it, the room had no more talent. What it still had was an audience. You can easily do a lengthy set here unencumbered and still make a second open night. Given those circumstances, what more could you ask for. Other than the bill.
Open mic at Starving Artist’s Bistro is perhaps the most unprecedented open mic in that talent can perform all day long if they like. Let me explain. But first, the stats.
ReplyDeleteThey have their own parking lot. There is absolutely no bad language or inappropriate material for a family-friendly bistro, especially sexually material. They have had open mic for 3 years, but they’ve never had an emcee. The place seats about 64 inside. Ninety percent of the talent who go on stage is musicians. Second to that is comedy. The business opens at 11am, and it is as early as that that talent can start to perform. Here’s how it works.
Upon showing up, talent signs a voucher in effect saying you’ll take responsibility if you damage anything on stage. They have a lot of musical equipment on stage. The stage is actually a platform, and there are four mics. First-time performers are allowed to go up Tuesday through Thursday. The more seasoned open micers get to perform on the weekends. If other talent is waiting to perform, you are asked to restrict yourself to maybe 15 minutes on stage and then getting yourself off and allowing someone else to perform. If no talent is waiting to go up, in effect, you are allowed to perform for as long as you like. I mean hours! Doesn’t promise you’ll have an audience. When I showed up just after 4pm, no one was in the bistro, but I could have performed right then and there. Instead, I opted to come back around dinner hours.
When I returned after 7pm, there were 17 people in the room, staff included. Maybe 8 were listening when it was my turn. A singer was performing when I showed up, and he did a couple songs. When he finished the staff told me I could go up. I did and performed maybe 10 minutes before I said there was other talent waiting to go up. A guitarist/singer went up after me and did two songs. After that, the lineup was done. I finished by beer and headed to another venue.
The business itself serves appetizers, salads, burgers, dogs, sandwiches, some entrees and pasta dishes. Beer and wine to drink, too. Starving Artist’s used to host a comedy night, but because comedians had a hard time respecting the no bad language rule, the bistro discontinued comedy open mic and now only have this one. The best time to perform is between 6:30 and 7pm, I am told. Again, talent can perform until the business closes as 10pm, 8pm on Sundays.
Guys, this is a good open mic to do because you can come just before another open mic the same night at a later hour in the same city (Fresno) and do back to back performances at two venues. Yes, language restrictions and adult subject matter will keep you from doing some material, but it should motivate you all the more to write acceptable material for rooms that give more stage time but demand cleaner jokes. If you’ve been gathering material for years and have a lot to give, this room is the one to try your headliner half-hour (or more) set, your featured 15 minute set, any large chunk of time. Even in the little time I was in the room the evening I did, after the guitarist after me did two songs, that was it, the room had no more talent. What it still had was an audience. You can easily do a lengthy set here unencumbered and still make a second open night. Given those circumstances, what more could you ask for.
Other than the bill.