Open mic at Frontier Café has been going on for almost a year, yet another mic to pop up in the Joshua Tree/Yucca Valley area. Run by a gentleman named Nigel, a guitarist himself, this room is open to all genres of talent. I learned, however, I was the first comedian they ever had. The signup sheet came out 7pm, but Nigel actually went around the room, approaching the people he saw come in first and giving them first option. I had stopped in earlier in the day to confirm open mic was happening and met Nigel. He said to show up 6:45, and sure enough, he approached me third, asking what spot I wanted. Two regulars had showed up before me. I originally took the first spot, because there was a second mic I wanted to hit, but I ended up going up second. Talent gets three songs or 15 minutes. There are no language restrictions unless children are present. They have a limited parking lot. Figure you’re going to be parking on the street, which is fine, because it’s free. Open mic takes place on a stage left of the entrance in one corner. Wherever you sit, you can see the stage, and people coming in and out do not interfere with the talent performing. The stage is not well lit, but good enough that people can see your eyes, and that matters in standup, connecting with the audience. The room seats over 40. Two mics are set up, and at one point, five people were on stage performing, if that gives you a sense of how big it is. The business itself is a café. They serve wine and beer and nonalcoholic beverages, both hot and cold, and to eat, the kitchen stays open past their normal 6pm close time on open mic night. They offer salads and hot sandwiches, which I took advantage of. I recommend the “jive turkey”. The evening stated at 7:28pm. Nigel opened with three songs then brought up the first talent. About 40 people were present when the evening began. By 7:40pm, attendance had increased by ten. It became a standing room only venue. When I went up next, I was performing to almost 60 people. Nigel commented at one point that this night was their highest attended open mic. Nigel was good about making sure the audience knew a comedian was going next, and asked the audience to listen. I must say, as crowded as the room was, they were very good about listening. I did maybe 13 or 14 minutes and got myself off. I didn’t get the sense that this room was starving for standup, but they did have a good time. So did I. A couple people congratulated me after my set, and Nigel singled out one joke that he especially liked when asking the audience to give it up for me one last time. Guys, this is a very good room to do. Fifteen minutes is a good amount of stage time. The audience is good about listening and laughing when they like your material. I recommend doing this room, one of several going on during the week. You can plan a small excursion to both perform each night for a few nights, as well as having things to do during the day, what with all the national parks and the artsy community. (With that in mind, don’t pick the hottest month of the year to go hiking.) Nigel is a very good host, keeping the energy high, and as long as he knows you’re there to perform, he’ll put you on the list accordingly.
Open mic at Frontier Café has been going on for almost a year, yet another mic to pop up in the Joshua Tree/Yucca Valley area. Run by a gentleman named Nigel, a guitarist himself, this room is open to all genres of talent. I learned, however, I was the first comedian they ever had.
ReplyDeleteThe signup sheet came out 7pm, but Nigel actually went around the room, approaching the people he saw come in first and giving them first option. I had stopped in earlier in the day to confirm open mic was happening and met Nigel. He said to show up 6:45, and sure enough, he approached me third, asking what spot I wanted. Two regulars had showed up before me. I originally took the first spot, because there was a second mic I wanted to hit, but I ended up going up second. Talent gets three songs or 15 minutes. There are no language restrictions unless children are present. They have a limited parking lot. Figure you’re going to be parking on the street, which is fine, because it’s free.
Open mic takes place on a stage left of the entrance in one corner. Wherever you sit, you can see the stage, and people coming in and out do not interfere with the talent performing. The stage is not well lit, but good enough that people can see your eyes, and that matters in standup, connecting with the audience. The room seats over 40. Two mics are set up, and at one point, five people were on stage performing, if that gives you a sense of how big it is.
The business itself is a café. They serve wine and beer and nonalcoholic beverages, both hot and cold, and to eat, the kitchen stays open past their normal 6pm close time on open mic night. They offer salads and hot sandwiches, which I took advantage of. I recommend the “jive turkey”.
The evening stated at 7:28pm. Nigel opened with three songs then brought up the first talent. About 40 people were present when the evening began. By 7:40pm, attendance had increased by ten. It became a standing room only venue. When I went up next, I was performing to almost 60 people. Nigel commented at one point that this night was their highest attended open mic.
Nigel was good about making sure the audience knew a comedian was going next, and asked the audience to listen. I must say, as crowded as the room was, they were very good about listening. I did maybe 13 or 14 minutes and got myself off. I didn’t get the sense that this room was starving for standup, but they did have a good time. So did I. A couple people congratulated me after my set, and Nigel singled out one joke that he especially liked when asking the audience to give it up for me one last time.
Guys, this is a very good room to do. Fifteen minutes is a good amount of stage time. The audience is good about listening and laughing when they like your material. I recommend doing this room, one of several going on during the week. You can plan a small excursion to both perform each night for a few nights, as well as having things to do during the day, what with all the national parks and the artsy community. (With that in mind, don’t pick the hottest month of the year to go hiking.) Nigel is a very good host, keeping the energy high, and as long as he knows you’re there to perform, he’ll put you on the list accordingly.