Classic Jewel is a full bar, but two things: one, open mic takes place in a room separate from the bar, and there is even a sliding door for true isolation from noise and distractions, and, two, outside food is allowed in that room. Parking is on the street. Relf has been running open mic at Classic for three months, but his signature open mic, “Spit Your Truth”, has been going on two years in Las Vegas, Classic Jewel being his current home. Signup is 7:30; it’s first come first choice. The show starts at 8pm and goes till 11:30pm. There is a featured artist after 10pm. Talent gets five minutes, and there are no language restrictions. While this room is open to all expression, it typically attracts poets, rappers, spoken word, even a cappella. Comedy happens there once in a while. The night I did the room, not one artist played an instrument, and I was the only comedian. There is no stage, but that’s plenty fine. The way the room is designed, where the single mic stands, everyone can see. The room seats over 45. No TVs or other distractions. Everyone in the room is there for the show, and it attracted a general audience as well as artists. Relf encouraged everyone throughout the evening to sign up, but some were there just to be civilians. There is a $5 admission fee for either talent or general audience. The evening started late. I arrived about 7:15pm, the first talent to show up. At 7:30, Relf opened the room and I signed up first, taking the fourth spot. (I ended up performing third, since a spot earlier than me was left blank.) On a good night, this room can attract 25 to 30 talent, though as many as 40 can sign up. By 8:15, there were ten signups and three people in the audience. Relf held off on starting the show till more people arrived. It was the day after Labor Day, so that may have affected the turnout. In the past, he has had to start the room late till more peeps showed up. But once the room starts. . . . There were 16 people in the room total when we started at 8:38pm. Relf welcomed everyone then opened with a couple of heartfelt poems. Only a couple minutes after we started, attendance had increased to 20 peeps. I was one of two Caucasians in the room. Later, that would increase to three. By the time I went up at 8:45 or a minute or two later, I was playing to a room of 23. At its peak, there were 34 in the room. By 10pm, 26. Admittedly, the room started late, but it’s worth it if attendance increases that much and stays consistent. Guys, this was a good room. Yes, personally, I had a good time with my set. I got the laughs I was looking for, and someone congratulated me with a handshake afterwards. But what I enjoyed the most about the evening was the artists who did poetry. Notice, I did not say “poets”. I say artists who did poetry, because their delivery, their performance was so passionate, almost like a dramatic monologue. I sat there after my set and was thoroughly saturated with raw emotion and conviction. It breathed life into me. I confess the above paragraph is not the most objective. For comedians, yes, this room is well worth doing. The juxtaposition of comedy versus tragedy is a challenge, but it’s also two sides of the same coin. So much standup has its basis in tragedy. Relf told me comedians haven’t always done well in this room, that the audience may not take to standup. For that very reason, if you believe in your material – more important, yourself -- do this room. Connect with the audience through your craft, and, in doing so, connect with people in life. Much like an artist who does poetry.
Classic Jewel is a full bar, but two things: one, open mic takes place in a room separate from the bar, and there is even a sliding door for true isolation from noise and distractions, and, two, outside food is allowed in that room. Parking is on the street.
ReplyDeleteRelf has been running open mic at Classic for three months, but his signature open mic, “Spit Your Truth”, has been going on two years in Las Vegas, Classic Jewel being his current home. Signup is 7:30; it’s first come first choice. The show starts at 8pm and goes till 11:30pm. There is a featured artist after 10pm. Talent gets five minutes, and there are no language restrictions. While this room is open to all expression, it typically attracts poets, rappers, spoken word, even a cappella. Comedy happens there once in a while. The night I did the room, not one artist played an instrument, and I was the only comedian.
There is no stage, but that’s plenty fine. The way the room is designed, where the single mic stands, everyone can see. The room seats over 45. No TVs or other distractions. Everyone in the room is there for the show, and it attracted a general audience as well as artists. Relf encouraged everyone throughout the evening to sign up, but some were there just to be civilians. There is a $5 admission fee for either talent or general audience.
The evening started late. I arrived about 7:15pm, the first talent to show up. At 7:30, Relf opened the room and I signed up first, taking the fourth spot. (I ended up performing third, since a spot earlier than me was left blank.) On a good night, this room can attract 25 to 30 talent, though as many as 40 can sign up. By 8:15, there were ten signups and three people in the audience. Relf held off on starting the show till more people arrived. It was the day after Labor Day, so that may have affected the turnout. In the past, he has had to start the room late till more peeps showed up. But once the room starts. . . .
There were 16 people in the room total when we started at 8:38pm. Relf welcomed everyone then opened with a couple of heartfelt poems. Only a couple minutes after we started, attendance had increased to 20 peeps. I was one of two Caucasians in the room. Later, that would increase to three. By the time I went up at 8:45 or a minute or two later, I was playing to a room of 23. At its peak, there were 34 in the room. By 10pm, 26. Admittedly, the room started late, but it’s worth it if attendance increases that much and stays consistent.
Guys, this was a good room. Yes, personally, I had a good time with my set. I got the laughs I was looking for, and someone congratulated me with a handshake afterwards. But what I enjoyed the most about the evening was the artists who did poetry. Notice, I did not say “poets”. I say artists who did poetry, because their delivery, their performance was so passionate, almost like a dramatic monologue. I sat there after my set and was thoroughly saturated with raw emotion and conviction. It breathed life into me.
I confess the above paragraph is not the most objective. For comedians, yes, this room is well worth doing. The juxtaposition of comedy versus tragedy is a challenge, but it’s also two sides of the same coin. So much standup has its basis in tragedy. Relf told me comedians haven’t always done well in this room, that the audience may not take to standup. For that very reason, if you believe in your material – more important, yourself -- do this room. Connect with the audience through your craft, and, in doing so, connect with people in life.
Much like an artist who does poetry.