ReBAR is just that: a bar. For food they serve variations of a hot dog with optional all-the-fixings or just those you want. That’s it for food. The open mic offers more. Run by a gentleman named John, this room has only been going on seven weeks the night I went up. It purports itself to be an open mic, but it’s actually a comedy competition. That may encourage talent to do their tried and true material rather than test new material, if they’re going for the prize. The prize by the way is a $25 gift certificate for the bar. It applies to drinks and food but also to any merchandise the business sells. I’m not kidding when I say everything in the bar is for sale. Everything! Signup is first come first choice. The sheet comes out 8pm. I arrived 8:06pm and two names were already on it. I took the second spot, not knowing it was a competition. Otherwise I would have taken a later one. There are no language restrictions. No one under 21 is allowed to perform. Talent gets five to seven minutes, depending on number of signups. The night I did the room we got seven, the light at six from John off to one side of the room. Even though this room is about comedy, all genres of talent are welcome, but it doesn’t apply to the competition. That is for comedy only. Open mic takes place outside. That is a plus because there are no TVs or chatter from the room, no distractions even from traffic. The only distraction may be from people coming out or going in through the door only a few feet away, but talent was very good about using the door between acts. John makes a point of telling the audience no heckling. It’s about comedy and that means listening. The stage is actually an elevated platform. It hosts two mics, and everyone in the room can see the talent easily. The lighting on the talent is very good too, a room meant for standup. Outside, it seats over 30. The room was mostly comedians, but there were a few civilians there just to see the show. The room started a little late. By 9pm there were 11 signups. There were 20 people in the room when we started at 9:12pm. John told me before the night began that I was going up first. He opened with a few jokes then brought me up. More comedians signed up as the evening went on. I did lukewarm with my set. The comedians that followed me did not get much better a reaction. I don’t know. The lighting doesn’t allow you to see if most of the audience is even smiling. By the end of the third comedian, John encouraged people to move forward, sit closer, and don’t cross your arms as that is intimidating. I agree. I kept my arms uncrossed the rest of the evening. I stayed till about 11:20pm. Most of the talent had gone up. I knew I did not have a chance with the competition. The comedian who I would have voted for had just gone up before I left. Don’t know if he won. Guys, this is a room to do. Yes, the energy was low in terms of audience response, but that may have been an atypical night. The room got bigger in attendance as the evening went on, even though some talent who had gone up had left, knowing they were not going to win. I recommend treating this room like an open mic and do any new material you have. If you’re going for the gold, do your best material at the beginning and end. John is an energetic person, and he truly enjoys running this room. And go up later in the lineup than I did. First is not a winning place.
ReBAR is just that: a bar. For food they serve variations of a hot dog with optional all-the-fixings or just those you want. That’s it for food. The open mic offers more.
ReplyDeleteRun by a gentleman named John, this room has only been going on seven weeks the night I went up. It purports itself to be an open mic, but it’s actually a comedy competition. That may encourage talent to do their tried and true material rather than test new material, if they’re going for the prize. The prize by the way is a $25 gift certificate for the bar. It applies to drinks and food but also to any merchandise the business sells. I’m not kidding when I say everything in the bar is for sale. Everything!
Signup is first come first choice. The sheet comes out 8pm. I arrived 8:06pm and two names were already on it. I took the second spot, not knowing it was a competition. Otherwise I would have taken a later one. There are no language restrictions. No one under 21 is allowed to perform. Talent gets five to seven minutes, depending on number of signups. The night I did the room we got seven, the light at six from John off to one side of the room. Even though this room is about comedy, all genres of talent are welcome, but it doesn’t apply to the competition. That is for comedy only.
Open mic takes place outside. That is a plus because there are no TVs or chatter from the room, no distractions even from traffic. The only distraction may be from people coming out or going in through the door only a few feet away, but talent was very good about using the door between acts. John makes a point of telling the audience no heckling. It’s about comedy and that means listening. The stage is actually an elevated platform. It hosts two mics, and everyone in the room can see the talent easily. The lighting on the talent is very good too, a room meant for standup. Outside, it seats over 30.
The room was mostly comedians, but there were a few civilians there just to see the show. The room started a little late. By 9pm there were 11 signups. There were 20 people in the room when we started at 9:12pm. John told me before the night began that I was going up first. He opened with a few jokes then brought me up. More comedians signed up as the evening went on. I did lukewarm with my set. The comedians that followed me did not get much better a reaction. I don’t know. The lighting doesn’t allow you to see if most of the audience is even smiling. By the end of the third comedian, John encouraged people to move forward, sit closer, and don’t cross your arms as that is intimidating. I agree. I kept my arms uncrossed the rest of the evening.
I stayed till about 11:20pm. Most of the talent had gone up. I knew I did not have a chance with the competition. The comedian who I would have voted for had just gone up before I left. Don’t know if he won.
Guys, this is a room to do. Yes, the energy was low in terms of audience response, but that may have been an atypical night. The room got bigger in attendance as the evening went on, even though some talent who had gone up had left, knowing they were not going to win. I recommend treating this room like an open mic and do any new material you have. If you’re going for the gold, do your best material at the beginning and end. John is an energetic person, and he truly enjoys running this room.
And go up later in the lineup than I did. First is not a winning place.