Open mic at Eastburn takes place downstairs in a room that has a full bar, and if you order food, they will bring it down to you, so you won’t miss a moment of the show. The room has been going on almost two years. All genres of talent are welcome, and the night I was there, we had it all: music, comedy, poetry, rap, even a bit of dancing. The party was happening at Eastburn, for sure. There are no language restrictions. The lineup is done by lottery. The gentleman who hosts the mic, Brian, collects the names of people who dropped their name in a jar at 6:45pm and the lineup comes out just before the mic starts at 7pm. Talent gets seven minutes. Parking is on the street. There is no stage. Two mics are set up to one side of the room. Wherever you sit, however, you can see the talent no problem. The place seats about 45. Three TVs were on playing MTV. When the room starts, the TV behind the stage is turned off, while the others stay on. Not really a distraction. Everyone who comes downstairs is there for the mic. For other entertainment, the room has a couple of video games and two skeet balls, one of which was put to use while the mic was going on. A little noisy, but it did not last long. Glad that the person performing at that time was a musician and not a comic. Brian announced the list was ready, and I saw out of 21 signups, I was number five. Additional talent came in after the room began and put their names at the end of the list. The room goes till 11pm, and after everyone has gone up, there is a “lightning round” where any talent who is still there can go up a second time but for half the amount of stage time. The business offers a full bar, and to eat, you can order appetizers like crab cakes and fried Brussels sprouts, soups and salads, main courses like grill shrimp, steak and chicken and handheld foods like burgers and sandwiches. Definitely, bring an appetite. Brian started the room promptly on time, welcoming everyone and then playing two original songs. Including the host and the bartender, Chile, there were 21 in the room when we began, 27 by 7:30, 30 peeps by 8pm, 31 by 8:30 and a whopping 42 people in the room at 9pm, the peak of the evening. The energy was explosive. I did so well that night that a gentleman bought me a drink and thanked me for entertaining him. By 9:30, however, the numbers started to drop: 23 peeps at that time and down to 19 by 10pm and down to 12 by 10:20pm when the lightning round began. Guys, this is a terrific room to do. Everyone there is supportive of the mic. There is a communal spirit in the room that’s undeniable. Brian is an affable gentleman who just wants to see people shine on stage. He was quite attentive to the sound system, adjusting his instrument panel as different people spoke or sang into the mic. He shows no signs of burning out, but his enthusiasm was as though he had just started doing the room. With no restrictions and an attentive audience this is a great room to try new material or polish old stuff. I was the first to do standup but during the evening about four other guys also did comedy. The room is used to that. Do this room if you’re if the Portland area, and to the locals, you need to discover this underground treasure.
3/1/2023: Went around 8pm but found out by talking to the bartender that the time had changed to 6pm Wednesdays instead.
Bartender also mentioned that due to a few repeat-offenders, they were trying to prioritize music more than standup. The venue is good, and they have a more formal Monday standup time but I haven't gone to that yet.
Open mic at Eastburn takes place downstairs in a room that has a full bar, and if you order food, they will bring it down to you, so you won’t miss a moment of the show. The room has been going on almost two years. All genres of talent are welcome, and the night I was there, we had it all: music, comedy, poetry, rap, even a bit of dancing. The party was happening at Eastburn, for sure. There are no language restrictions. The lineup is done by lottery. The gentleman who hosts the mic, Brian, collects the names of people who dropped their name in a jar at 6:45pm and the lineup comes out just before the mic starts at 7pm. Talent gets seven minutes. Parking is on the street.
ReplyDeleteThere is no stage. Two mics are set up to one side of the room. Wherever you sit, however, you can see the talent no problem. The place seats about 45. Three TVs were on playing MTV. When the room starts, the TV behind the stage is turned off, while the others stay on. Not really a distraction. Everyone who comes downstairs is there for the mic. For other entertainment, the room has a couple of video games and two skeet balls, one of which was put to use while the mic was going on. A little noisy, but it did not last long. Glad that the person performing at that time was a musician and not a comic.
Brian announced the list was ready, and I saw out of 21 signups, I was number five. Additional talent came in after the room began and put their names at the end of the list. The room goes till 11pm, and after everyone has gone up, there is a “lightning round” where any talent who is still there can go up a second time but for half the amount of stage time.
The business offers a full bar, and to eat, you can order appetizers like crab cakes and fried Brussels sprouts, soups and salads, main courses like grill shrimp, steak and chicken and handheld foods like burgers and sandwiches. Definitely, bring an appetite.
Brian started the room promptly on time, welcoming everyone and then playing two original songs. Including the host and the bartender, Chile, there were 21 in the room when we began, 27 by 7:30, 30 peeps by 8pm, 31 by 8:30 and a whopping 42 people in the room at 9pm, the peak of the evening. The energy was explosive. I did so well that night that a gentleman bought me a drink and thanked me for entertaining him. By 9:30, however, the numbers started to drop: 23 peeps at that time and down to 19 by 10pm and down to 12 by 10:20pm when the lightning round began.
Guys, this is a terrific room to do. Everyone there is supportive of the mic. There is a communal spirit in the room that’s undeniable. Brian is an affable gentleman who just wants to see people shine on stage. He was quite attentive to the sound system, adjusting his instrument panel as different people spoke or sang into the mic. He shows no signs of burning out, but his enthusiasm was as though he had just started doing the room. With no restrictions and an attentive audience this is a great room to try new material or polish old stuff. I was the first to do standup but during the evening about four other guys also did comedy. The room is used to that.
Do this room if you’re if the Portland area, and to the locals, you need to discover this underground treasure.
3/1/2023: Went around 8pm but found out by talking to the bartender that the time had changed to 6pm Wednesdays instead.
ReplyDeleteBartender also mentioned that due to a few repeat-offenders, they were trying to prioritize music more than standup. The venue is good, and they have a more formal Monday standup time but I haven't gone to that yet.