Big Willie’s is a large sports bar -- with one room devoted to pool playing -- an outdoor patio, a lengthy bar counter, and another room where the mic takes place. In that room, there are seven TVs, but two of them – the two closest to the stage – are turned off when the mic starts. The room seats about 35 who can see the stage well. After that, the distance is such that there is a disconnect, foot traffic may cross in front of you at the bar. Best to be in the room if you want to see the show. Also found in the room are a shuffle board and several arcade machines. The stage is quite elevated, four steps to get up, and with the added light to highlight the stage after the TVs are turned off, the room is primed for open mic. All genres of talent are welcome, but this room mostly attracts comedy. Everyone performing the night I was there did standup. In addition to having a bar, the business also serves salads, burgers and sandwiches, but also entrees like steak, pork chops and chicken and pasta. Pints of beer ran only $3! They have a parking lot, but it fills fast. Good thing street parking is free. Talent gets five minutes, the light at four. There are no language restrictions. Signup is neither lottery nor fist come first choice. The lineup is completely at the host’s discretion. (First time for everything.) You write your name on a list, and the host picks who goes first, letting the rest of the talent know when they are next just before being brought up on stage. A gentleman named Adam runs the room, has been for three weeks, taking over the reins from a previous host. Overall, the room has been going on almost a year. While the room normally starts at 8pm, because of Monday Night Football, the room actually did not start till close to 10pm. I was told this has happened before, but not often, and mostly it happens during football season and no other time of the year. My suggestion, if you’re planning a visit, come to Salt Lake City in the off-season. The room started 9:52pm. In the minutes preceding the mic, Adam set the stage up with a stand and mic, and the lights were turned on and the two TVs turned off. We had 18 in the audience when we started. I went up somewhere around eighth. I played to 15 people around 10:25pm. The final comic went up about 11:02pm, performing for about 10 people. Guys, this is a good room to do. Earlier in the evening the room had more comics, but when it was learned we’d be starting late, a couple of them left. Of the general audience, yes, they were there for football, but some of them stayed for the show. If the room had been allowed to start at 8pm, attendance would have been much higher, both in general audience and talent. But even as late as the night started, the room was very supportive. The remaining TVs stayed on, but for the most part, people were focused on the talent on stage. Now that’s support. (I run a booked room on Thursdays, but it is seasonal, as we can’t compete with football Sept. thru Jan.) That you can’t pick your own slot should not be a deterrent. If the room had been lottery, you would not have any say where you go in the lineup, and Adam doesn’t necessarily put his friends first. In listening to how he determines the lineup, it sounded reasonable to me. Do this room, but, again, if you’re visiting from out of town, perhaps it is best to come in the spring or summer. For locals, it’s a given this room will flourish in the comedy community.
Big Willie’s is a large sports bar -- with one room devoted to pool playing -- an outdoor patio, a lengthy bar counter, and another room where the mic takes place. In that room, there are seven TVs, but two of them – the two closest to the stage – are turned off when the mic starts. The room seats about 35 who can see the stage well. After that, the distance is such that there is a disconnect, foot traffic may cross in front of you at the bar. Best to be in the room if you want to see the show. Also found in the room are a shuffle board and several arcade machines. The stage is quite elevated, four steps to get up, and with the added light to highlight the stage after the TVs are turned off, the room is primed for open mic. All genres of talent are welcome, but this room mostly attracts comedy. Everyone performing the night I was there did standup.
ReplyDeleteIn addition to having a bar, the business also serves salads, burgers and sandwiches, but also entrees like steak, pork chops and chicken and pasta. Pints of beer ran only $3! They have a parking lot, but it fills fast. Good thing street parking is free.
Talent gets five minutes, the light at four. There are no language restrictions. Signup is neither lottery nor fist come first choice. The lineup is completely at the host’s discretion. (First time for everything.) You write your name on a list, and the host picks who goes first, letting the rest of the talent know when they are next just before being brought up on stage.
A gentleman named Adam runs the room, has been for three weeks, taking over the reins from a previous host. Overall, the room has been going on almost a year.
While the room normally starts at 8pm, because of Monday Night Football, the room actually did not start till close to 10pm. I was told this has happened before, but not often, and mostly it happens during football season and no other time of the year. My suggestion, if you’re planning a visit, come to Salt Lake City in the off-season.
The room started 9:52pm. In the minutes preceding the mic, Adam set the stage up with a stand and mic, and the lights were turned on and the two TVs turned off. We had 18 in the audience when we started. I went up somewhere around eighth. I played to 15 people around 10:25pm. The final comic went up about 11:02pm, performing for about 10 people.
Guys, this is a good room to do. Earlier in the evening the room had more comics, but when it was learned we’d be starting late, a couple of them left. Of the general audience, yes, they were there for football, but some of them stayed for the show. If the room had been allowed to start at 8pm, attendance would have been much higher, both in general audience and talent. But even as late as the night started, the room was very supportive. The remaining TVs stayed on, but for the most part, people were focused on the talent on stage. Now that’s support. (I run a booked room on Thursdays, but it is seasonal, as we can’t compete with football Sept. thru Jan.)
That you can’t pick your own slot should not be a deterrent. If the room had been lottery, you would not have any say where you go in the lineup, and Adam doesn’t necessarily put his friends first. In listening to how he determines the lineup, it sounded reasonable to me. Do this room, but, again, if you’re visiting from out of town, perhaps it is best to come in the spring or summer. For locals, it’s a given this room will flourish in the comedy community.