Open mic at Arte Soleil has been going on a year and a half, hosted by a gentleman named Pete, who also owns the gallery. A gravel parking area provides plenty of room. All genres of talent are welcome, but this room chiefly attracts musicians. There are no language restrictions, and there is no signup sheet. The room starts at 7pm and can go to 11pm or later. This is the most informal room I have done. Talent sits in a circle and one person starts with a song or a few minutes of whatever talent they are bringing to the room. Upon completion, the person next to them does their talent, and it goes around the room till everyone has performed. Upon completing the circle, a new round starts, and everyone performs again. We did this 3 times, so I ended up doing about 15 minutes, just in increments. The day I performed, there were 7 people gathered around 10 chairs. Had there been more attendees, additional chairs would have been brought out to accommodate the room. There is no mic, so intimate is this room. The business is a gallery, filled with works from local artists. The place offers water and soda and coffee for $1, as well as assorted candy bars and more. I saw some of the talent with their own drinks, so it’s safe to conclude you can bring outside drinks, but I would hold off on the alcohol. For comedians who may be nervous or like to celebrate after a good set, there is a cannabis store across the street. When the room began promptly at 7pm, one of the artists started playing, with additional musicians joining in. I was the only comedian that night. By the time it came to be my turn, it was 7:40pm. I chose to stand up, take a step back, and did about 5 minutes. Upon completion, Pete, who sat to my left, played an original song, and after a couple more artists, we had gone full circle. I did my second set at about 8:30 and my third at 9:05pm. The evening ended at 9:37pm. Because it was Easter weekend, attendance was not high. On a good night, I am told they will get 13 to 15 signups. I learned that before me the last time they had had a comedian perform was almost 3 months ago. Guys, this is a very good room to do. I killed it that night, and I played to only 6 peeps. Imagine if the room had more in attendance? At bars and pubs, there can be an energy from people drinking and laughing at a mic. Alcohol and standup are well paired. But where this mic takes place, the spirit of the room is not found in libations, so much as in the spirit of the people attending. For example, one artist played a song, and when it came to the chorus, everyone save for me -- I didn’t know the song -- chimed in and sang. I was the one outsider in the group, and yet, I felt as welcomed as the next talent. Pete is all about bringing the community together, in song, in laughter, in spirit. For a comedian, what makes this room great is there are no distractions like you may find at a bar: rowdy people not interested in the mic, activity at pool tables or what have you, TVs airing sports. The people who come to Arte Soleil are there to perform and support and nothing else. You will have one of the most attentive audiences ever. If attendance builds to overwhelming numbers, Pete has a sound system and mic for comedians to give a more authentic feel, like you’re performing on stage. There are not that many mics in Portland on a Saturday. You can do up to 15 minutes, possibly more if you spend an evening at Arte Soleil. But you can also double dip, as the mic starts so early. Like music, Pete knows comedy is therapy. If it brings people together, he is all in favor of being responsible for making it happen. This room is not going anywhere. It can only grow. To support the room, I bought a couple of magnets at $5 each. I think Pete would be content just to have you grace his mic, but if you’re shopping for art, consider coming to this gallery and making a purchase. Whatever you do, give this room a chance. I had a great time and can see myself coming back again. And I live in Los Angeles.
Open mic at Arte Soleil has been going on a year and a half, hosted by a gentleman named Pete, who also owns the gallery. A gravel parking area provides plenty of room. All genres of talent are welcome, but this room chiefly attracts musicians. There are no language restrictions, and there is no signup sheet. The room starts at 7pm and can go to 11pm or later.
ReplyDeleteThis is the most informal room I have done. Talent sits in a circle and one person starts with a song or a few minutes of whatever talent they are bringing to the room. Upon completion, the person next to them does their talent, and it goes around the room till everyone has performed. Upon completing the circle, a new round starts, and everyone performs again. We did this 3 times, so I ended up doing about 15 minutes, just in increments.
The day I performed, there were 7 people gathered around 10 chairs. Had there been more attendees, additional chairs would have been brought out to accommodate the room. There is no mic, so intimate is this room.
The business is a gallery, filled with works from local artists. The place offers water and soda and coffee for $1, as well as assorted candy bars and more. I saw some of the talent with their own drinks, so it’s safe to conclude you can bring outside drinks, but I would hold off on the alcohol. For comedians who may be nervous or like to celebrate after a good set, there is a cannabis store across the street.
When the room began promptly at 7pm, one of the artists started playing, with additional musicians joining in. I was the only comedian that night. By the time it came to be my turn, it was 7:40pm. I chose to stand up, take a step back, and did about 5 minutes. Upon completion, Pete, who sat to my left, played an original song, and after a couple more artists, we had gone full circle. I did my second set at about 8:30 and my third at 9:05pm. The evening ended at 9:37pm. Because it was Easter weekend, attendance was not high. On a good night, I am told they will get 13 to 15 signups.
I learned that before me the last time they had had a comedian perform was almost 3 months ago.
Guys, this is a very good room to do. I killed it that night, and I played to only 6 peeps. Imagine if the room had more in attendance?
At bars and pubs, there can be an energy from people drinking and laughing at a mic. Alcohol and standup are well paired. But where this mic takes place, the spirit of the room is not found in libations, so much as in the spirit of the people attending. For example, one artist played a song, and when it came to the chorus, everyone save for me -- I didn’t know the song -- chimed in and sang. I was the one outsider in the group, and yet, I felt as welcomed as the next talent.
Pete is all about bringing the community together, in song, in laughter, in spirit. For a comedian, what makes this room great is there are no distractions like you may find at a bar: rowdy people not interested in the mic, activity at pool tables or what have you, TVs airing sports. The people who come to Arte Soleil are there to perform and support and nothing else. You will have one of the most attentive audiences ever. If attendance builds to overwhelming numbers, Pete has a sound system and mic for comedians to give a more authentic feel, like you’re performing on stage.
There are not that many mics in Portland on a Saturday. You can do up to 15 minutes, possibly more if you spend an evening at Arte Soleil. But you can also double dip, as the mic starts so early.
Like music, Pete knows comedy is therapy. If it brings people together, he is all in favor of being responsible for making it happen. This room is not going anywhere. It can only grow.
To support the room, I bought a couple of magnets at $5 each. I think Pete would be content just to have you grace his mic, but if you’re shopping for art, consider coming to this gallery and making a purchase.
Whatever you do, give this room a chance. I had a great time and can see myself coming back again.
And I live in Los Angeles.