Open mic at 1172 Art Lounge is extremely new, two weeks old as I write this. When I first showed up well before start time, I almost thought I was at the wrong address. Their address number doesn’t even appear on their front entrance. But it was the right address, and I am glad I did the room. Parking is on the street. The room starts at 7:30, and being that the lineup is done by lottery, you only have to get there a few minutes early to make a purchase and pay your admission fee. The purchase is a drink: beer or nonalcoholic beverages in bottles and cans. It’s $4. You have to go upstairs and to the left to get to the mic. As small as the room is, including the bar, it seats 14 who can see the stage area, which is a mic set up in an alcove in the room. Very intimate. You can perform without a mic and be heard clearly. The backdrop of the stage is a red curtain, a piano and some artwork. In addition to drinking beer, they also allow vaping and pot smoking. Outside food is allowed, as well. The room is run by a woman named Alyssa. Talent gets five minutes. There are no language restrictions. When you make your purchase you write your name on a ticket and give it to the bartender. Alyssa started the room late that night at 7:41pm. Up till then she played music from her phone, which she also did between talents. There were 11 people in the room, including the bartender and host. She welcomed everyone and opened with a few minutes then drew the first name from the bucket. It was mine. I did my set, seeing the light from the side at four. The lighting is good, but not so strong that you can’t see your audience. Except for announcing the second talent from a second mic where Alyssa sat and operated the music, every other time she did it from the stage, bringing up one comic after another. Towards the end she allowed one comic to go overtime on purpose, then brought up a final comic who seemed very reluctant. Turns out, Alyssa was trying to stretch the time till a certain someone, another comic, showed up to perform. She even offered people to go up a second time, so adamant was she to keep the audience. It didn’t work. After the last talent, everyone left. I stayed to say thank you and good luck with the room, which I enjoyed. The response I received while on stage was positive. Comics respected the light and stayed to support each other. The place serves beer. What’s not to enjoy? Guys, this is a very new room. It deserves a shot. You may not care for the location, but once you find the address, just wait till the doors open. The art inside is worth examining while you wait for the mic to start. $4 is not bad for an admission fee, and you get a beer plus the five minutes. As intimate as the room was, everyone stays to support one another. To leave would be so terribly obvious and embarrassing. And that’s not to be enjoyed.
Open mic at 1172 Art Lounge is extremely new, two weeks old as I write this. When I first showed up well before start time, I almost thought I was at the wrong address. Their address number doesn’t even appear on their front entrance. But it was the right address, and I am glad I did the room.
ReplyDeleteParking is on the street. The room starts at 7:30, and being that the lineup is done by lottery, you only have to get there a few minutes early to make a purchase and pay your admission fee. The purchase is a drink: beer or nonalcoholic beverages in bottles and cans. It’s $4. You have to go upstairs and to the left to get to the mic. As small as the room is, including the bar, it seats 14 who can see the stage area, which is a mic set up in an alcove in the room. Very intimate. You can perform without a mic and be heard clearly. The backdrop of the stage is a red curtain, a piano and some artwork. In addition to drinking beer, they also allow vaping and pot smoking. Outside food is allowed, as well.
The room is run by a woman named Alyssa. Talent gets five minutes. There are no language restrictions. When you make your purchase you write your name on a ticket and give it to the bartender.
Alyssa started the room late that night at 7:41pm. Up till then she played music from her phone, which she also did between talents. There were 11 people in the room, including the bartender and host. She welcomed everyone and opened with a few minutes then drew the first name from the bucket. It was mine. I did my set, seeing the light from the side at four. The lighting is good, but not so strong that you can’t see your audience.
Except for announcing the second talent from a second mic where Alyssa sat and operated the music, every other time she did it from the stage, bringing up one comic after another. Towards the end she allowed one comic to go overtime on purpose, then brought up a final comic who seemed very reluctant. Turns out, Alyssa was trying to stretch the time till a certain someone, another comic, showed up to perform. She even offered people to go up a second time, so adamant was she to keep the audience. It didn’t work.
After the last talent, everyone left. I stayed to say thank you and good luck with the room, which I enjoyed. The response I received while on stage was positive. Comics respected the light and stayed to support each other. The place serves beer. What’s not to enjoy?
Guys, this is a very new room. It deserves a shot. You may not care for the location, but once you find the address, just wait till the doors open. The art inside is worth examining while you wait for the mic to start. $4 is not bad for an admission fee, and you get a beer plus the five minutes. As intimate as the room was, everyone stays to support one another. To leave would be so terribly obvious and embarrassing.
And that’s not to be enjoyed.