Parking is on the street at this open mic, but as late in the evening as this room is, parking is free. The mic is called “Ra-Ro”, named after the two persons who produce and host it, Rachelle and Rochelle. They have been hosting the mic since December of 2018. Before that the room had been going on a year, hosted by a guy no longer living in Oregon. Talent gets three minutes, and signup is by messaging Rachelle on Facebook. There are no language restrictions, just don’t pick on groups of people, as Rochelle told me. I think that’s a given: no hate comedy. The room is for standup only, no music or poetry. During the evening, a featured performer goes up, doing ten minutes. Where the mic takes place, a sliding door can close, separating this enclosed space from the bar and all the noise emanating from there. Anyone in the room is there to support the mic. The area seats 20, and while there is no stage, a mic and stand are set up to one corner, and everyone can see the talent performing, no problem. The backdrop of the stage is a black wall with a giant screen TV turned off. On a personal note, I gotta say how comfortable the chairs in the space were. I mean, we’re talking cushions. Only one of the two hosts was there that night, Rochelle, so a second host, Benjamin, substituted. Rochelle welcomed everyone when we started at 8:07pm with 22 people in the room. Obviously with the limited seating, some people had to stand. Then she brought up the guest co-host and the two alternated bringing up talent. In the stage area, a chair and a mic --resembling something like a 1950’s radio mic -- on a stand were all the talent needed to perform. The lighting is good, but because it comes from almost directly overhead, don’t wear a hat. One talent did and we could not see his eyes half the time he performed. I learned the signup sheet was full, but if there was a cancellation, walk-ins can take their spot. Even though towards the end of the night, Rochelle said I could go up, don’t count on that happening for you. Best to secure a spot via FB. A timer on the table closest to the stage area where the two hosts sat could easily be seen by the performer, so there was no going over one’s time. In addition, Rochelle lit you at two minutes. We had 24 people in the room by 8:30, and that number stayed consistent, even at 9pm. The featured talent went up tenth in the lineup. The room goes till 10pm, and there were still 14 people in the room at 9:30. Guys, this is a good room to do. The room moves along briskly, and everyone there was very supportive of the room. But be sure to message that you want a spot, and try to go up in the first hour if you want to maximize your experience, playing to the room at its fullest.
Parking is on the street at this open mic, but as late in the evening as this room is, parking is free. The mic is called “Ra-Ro”, named after the two persons who produce and host it, Rachelle and Rochelle. They have been hosting the mic since December of 2018. Before that the room had been going on a year, hosted by a guy no longer living in Oregon. Talent gets three minutes, and signup is by messaging Rachelle on Facebook. There are no language restrictions, just don’t pick on groups of people, as Rochelle told me. I think that’s a given: no hate comedy.
ReplyDeleteThe room is for standup only, no music or poetry. During the evening, a featured performer goes up, doing ten minutes. Where the mic takes place, a sliding door can close, separating this enclosed space from the bar and all the noise emanating from there. Anyone in the room is there to support the mic. The area seats 20, and while there is no stage, a mic and stand are set up to one corner, and everyone can see the talent performing, no problem. The backdrop of the stage is a black wall with a giant screen TV turned off. On a personal note, I gotta say how comfortable the chairs in the space were. I mean, we’re talking cushions.
Only one of the two hosts was there that night, Rochelle, so a second host, Benjamin, substituted. Rochelle welcomed everyone when we started at 8:07pm with 22 people in the room. Obviously with the limited seating, some people had to stand. Then she brought up the guest co-host and the two alternated bringing up talent. In the stage area, a chair and a mic --resembling something like a 1950’s radio mic -- on a stand were all the talent needed to perform. The lighting is good, but because it comes from almost directly overhead, don’t wear a hat. One talent did and we could not see his eyes half the time he performed.
I learned the signup sheet was full, but if there was a cancellation, walk-ins can take their spot. Even though towards the end of the night, Rochelle said I could go up, don’t count on that happening for you. Best to secure a spot via FB.
A timer on the table closest to the stage area where the two hosts sat could easily be seen by the performer, so there was no going over one’s time. In addition, Rochelle lit you at two minutes. We had 24 people in the room by 8:30, and that number stayed consistent, even at 9pm. The featured talent went up tenth in the lineup. The room goes till 10pm, and there were still 14 people in the room at 9:30.
Guys, this is a good room to do. The room moves along briskly, and everyone there was very supportive of the room. But be sure to message that you want a spot, and try to go up in the first hour if you want to maximize your experience, playing to the room at its fullest.