This was a bit of a special open mic at Oly Underground in that the gentleman who has been running the room all this time, Mihkel Teemant, this was his last night hosting. He is moving to Las Vegas where he will start another mic. The room will be taken over by another comedian, as yet undetermined, and the format will remain the same. But I would like to thank Mihkel for taking time out of his life to offer this mic to the comedy community in the Seattle area and every comedian visiting. Parking is on the street. This is a very relaxed room. There is no signup sheet. As talent comes in, Mihkel puts them up. Talent gets ten minutes or more, depending on the turnout of talent, and tonight was no different. Because of the low turnout of comics on Mihkel’s last night, we had unlimited stage time. The room goes from 6pm to 9pm, and there are no language restrictions. The stage is a corner of a room that seats about 37 who can see the stage well. In an open area next to where the mic takes place are two pool tables. People were playing throughout the night, but it did not really interfere with the show. Also, no TVs are in that room to distract people watching. A stand and cordless mic are all that talent had to work with. The night I was there, we got off to a late start. I arrived at about 5:40pm and the bartender, Tina, told me Mihkel was running late. That was fine. I played a little pool with a guy who asked if I wanted to go up against him. FYI: I kicked butt. He still had three balls on the table when I sank the eight. When Mihkel showed up we got a late start more because the mic was not working. Finally getting it to work, the evening started at 6:28pm. Mihkel and I were the only two talents at that time. We had eight people actually watching the show while others played pool or sat at the bar, some distance away. The lighting is not the best in that room; I advise not wearing a hat. Mihkel opened with maybe eight then brought me up. I chose to do 15, figuring What the Hey, since I had unlimited stage time. I played to ten people. My best joke, my closer, a crude joke, got the biggest laugh. Another talent went up after me, someone in the audience actually, and he told one joke. A fourth person, a true comic, went up after that and capitalized on the room, doing over 20 minutes and taking the cordless mic off the stand and not only walking around the room where the mic takes place, but going over to the pool tables and bar and talking to everyone. This guy was both riffing and doing material. Eleven people were watching him, but technically, since he went outside the room, everyone watched him at some point, so I’d say he was playing to 20 people total. When the fourth comic was done, Mihkel announced there would be a break. No other talent had showed up. He and I and the fourth talent, Bobby, sat together and talked shop for some time. Mihkel then went to the mic and announced he would play guitar and sing till more comedians showed up, or that would be the rest of the entertainment for the evening. Guys, don’t misunderstand. This room is for standup only. Mihkel plays his instrument when there is down time only. I must say I am glad I got to do this room and meet the person who started it. I don’t know who will take over, but the room itself is good for a mic. You can make an evening of it with dinner as well. The room is called “Steak Night Open Mic” because they offer a Sunday special on steaks. Ten minutes or more is plenty of stage time, and there are so many hotels close by, you can walk to the room no problem.
This was a bit of a special open mic at Oly Underground in that the gentleman who has been running the room all this time, Mihkel Teemant, this was his last night hosting. He is moving to Las Vegas where he will start another mic. The room will be taken over by another comedian, as yet undetermined, and the format will remain the same. But I would like to thank Mihkel for taking time out of his life to offer this mic to the comedy community in the Seattle area and every comedian visiting.
ReplyDeleteParking is on the street. This is a very relaxed room. There is no signup sheet. As talent comes in, Mihkel puts them up. Talent gets ten minutes or more, depending on the turnout of talent, and tonight was no different. Because of the low turnout of comics on Mihkel’s last night, we had unlimited stage time. The room goes from 6pm to 9pm, and there are no language restrictions. The stage is a corner of a room that seats about 37 who can see the stage well. In an open area next to where the mic takes place are two pool tables. People were playing throughout the night, but it did not really interfere with the show. Also, no TVs are in that room to distract people watching. A stand and cordless mic are all that talent had to work with.
The night I was there, we got off to a late start. I arrived at about 5:40pm and the bartender, Tina, told me Mihkel was running late. That was fine. I played a little pool with a guy who asked if I wanted to go up against him. FYI: I kicked butt. He still had three balls on the table when I sank the eight.
When Mihkel showed up we got a late start more because the mic was not working. Finally getting it to work, the evening started at 6:28pm. Mihkel and I were the only two talents at that time. We had eight people actually watching the show while others played pool or sat at the bar, some distance away. The lighting is not the best in that room; I advise not wearing a hat.
Mihkel opened with maybe eight then brought me up. I chose to do 15, figuring What the Hey, since I had unlimited stage time. I played to ten people. My best joke, my closer, a crude joke, got the biggest laugh. Another talent went up after me, someone in the audience actually, and he told one joke. A fourth person, a true comic, went up after that and capitalized on the room, doing over 20 minutes and taking the cordless mic off the stand and not only walking around the room where the mic takes place, but going over to the pool tables and bar and talking to everyone. This guy was both riffing and doing material. Eleven people were watching him, but technically, since he went outside the room, everyone watched him at some point, so I’d say he was playing to 20 people total.
When the fourth comic was done, Mihkel announced there would be a break. No other talent had showed up. He and I and the fourth talent, Bobby, sat together and talked shop for some time. Mihkel then went to the mic and announced he would play guitar and sing till more comedians showed up, or that would be the rest of the entertainment for the evening.
Guys, don’t misunderstand. This room is for standup only. Mihkel plays his instrument when there is down time only.
I must say I am glad I got to do this room and meet the person who started it. I don’t know who will take over, but the room itself is good for a mic. You can make an evening of it with dinner as well. The room is called “Steak Night Open Mic” because they offer a Sunday special on steaks. Ten minutes or more is plenty of stage time, and there are so many hotels close by, you can walk to the room no problem.