Open mic at People’s Coffee is a once-a-month event, so, if you’re someone who likes to do a different mic wherever possible, mark this on your calendar. Second Tuesday of each month. Admittedly, the room is free, but it will cost you. Parking is on the street, and it’s $2 an hour. In addition to coffee, the business serves bottled water, juices and sodas. To eat, they offer grilled cheese, paninis and an assortments of sweets. The room seats 27, and wherever you sit, you can see the talent. There is no stage, just a mic and stand and a chair to one corner of the room after some of the seating has been moved to clear a space. All genres of talent are welcome, and they get three songs or ten minutes. There are no language restrictions. The signup sheet comes out at 6pm, and it’s first come first choice. The room starts 6:20pm. The woman who runs the room is Jane, and this monthly venue has been happening ten months. The day I performed, we got off to a late start, as Jane arrived just after 6pm. After some diligent searching, a sound system was brought up from the lower floor of this establishment, and pretty soon, with two speakers set up, the “stage” was set. The window in the front of the business served as a backdrop, but as forward as the mic was in the room, anything happening outside was not a distraction. The room can go to as late as 9pm. The signup is cut off at 8pm. Even with a late start, the evening was not going to go anywhere close to the maximum time. I signed up second. The room began 6:38pm, and we had seven people in the room, including the host and one staff. Jane opened with a few songs, then, looking at the signup sheet, asked if I was ready to go up. No one took the first spot. I said sure, and performed for seven women. It went well enough. I got a few laughs and plenty of smiles. I kinda figured the size of the audience would keep the volume of laughter to a minimum. After my set one other talent who had signed up went after me. I stayed to support, then upon her finishing, excused myself to go to another room. Guys, as small attendance as this room garnered, I suspect that it being a monthly event, people forget this venue takes place. Jane cares enough about the room to keep it going, even shared with me that she was thinking about starting another mic for comedy only, so much was she into producing open mics. The room is still relatively new in that it has only taken place ten times. I hope this room finds an audience. That there are no restrictions, and plenty of stage time, I would think any visiting comedian, and certainly any local comedian, would leap on this room. Even if the room is not packed, the audience, including the staff, is just that: your audience. They pay attention. This room is worth doing because it has spirit, even if devoid of bodies. But that will change. The People’s Coffee has spoken.
Open mic at People’s Coffee is a once-a-month event, so, if you’re someone who likes to do a different mic wherever possible, mark this on your calendar. Second Tuesday of each month. Admittedly, the room is free, but it will cost you. Parking is on the street, and it’s $2 an hour. In addition to coffee, the business serves bottled water, juices and sodas. To eat, they offer grilled cheese, paninis and an assortments of sweets.
ReplyDeleteThe room seats 27, and wherever you sit, you can see the talent. There is no stage, just a mic and stand and a chair to one corner of the room after some of the seating has been moved to clear a space. All genres of talent are welcome, and they get three songs or ten minutes. There are no language restrictions. The signup sheet comes out at 6pm, and it’s first come first choice. The room starts 6:20pm.
The woman who runs the room is Jane, and this monthly venue has been happening ten months. The day I performed, we got off to a late start, as Jane arrived just after 6pm. After some diligent searching, a sound system was brought up from the lower floor of this establishment, and pretty soon, with two speakers set up, the “stage” was set. The window in the front of the business served as a backdrop, but as forward as the mic was in the room, anything happening outside was not a distraction.
The room can go to as late as 9pm. The signup is cut off at 8pm. Even with a late start, the evening was not going to go anywhere close to the maximum time. I signed up second. The room began 6:38pm, and we had seven people in the room, including the host and one staff. Jane opened with a few songs, then, looking at the signup sheet, asked if I was ready to go up. No one took the first spot. I said sure, and performed for seven women. It went well enough. I got a few laughs and plenty of smiles. I kinda figured the size of the audience would keep the volume of laughter to a minimum.
After my set one other talent who had signed up went after me. I stayed to support, then upon her finishing, excused myself to go to another room.
Guys, as small attendance as this room garnered, I suspect that it being a monthly event, people forget this venue takes place. Jane cares enough about the room to keep it going, even shared with me that she was thinking about starting another mic for comedy only, so much was she into producing open mics. The room is still relatively new in that it has only taken place ten times. I hope this room finds an audience. That there are no restrictions, and plenty of stage time, I would think any visiting comedian, and certainly any local comedian, would leap on this room. Even if the room is not packed, the audience, including the staff, is just that: your audience. They pay attention. This room is worth doing because it has spirit, even if devoid of bodies. But that will change.
The People’s Coffee has spoken.