The night I performed at LA Lounge was only the third week this mic has been going on. Open to all genres of talent, signup is first come first up. There are no language restrictions. Talent gets five minutes; however, the night I was there, because of the low turnout, we were given seven, the light at six. Talent is offered optional feedback from anyone in the room. Parking is on the street. I arrived at 6:40pm to find one of the two hosts, Gerald, setting up a keyboard and mic. Gerald’s co-host, Shawntanette, who emcees the show as well, was not present. A guest emcee, Daniel, hosted that night. There is no stage. A mic is set up to the immediate left of the entrance to this cigar store. There’s plenty of room, as the corner also housed the keyboard, a sound system, and various instruments resting against the wall. The backdrop of the staging area is the windows to the street. The store has six active TVs with the volume up, audible enough to hear the commentators, but not so loud you can’t hear the talent. The place seats 16, but there is a pool table in a back room, as well as an outdoor patio. To drink, they serve bottled beer at $6, sodas and bottled water. To eat, they offer tacos (sometimes hot dogs) and bags of chips. At 7pm, Gerald started playing music. We had 11 people in the room, maybe four of whom were watching Gerald. An important basketball game was on, so absorbed with the game was the rest of the room. I must say I like the occasional smell of a good cigar. Our guest emcee was introduced at 7:05pm, and he opened with a few minutes. We had 12 in the room, four of whom were signups. One of the signups was the only female in the room. I performed first, being the first talent to arrive. I paid my $5 to Gerald, though I found out you can prepay as well via Cash App at $Shawntanette or PayPal on Zelle. I performed to a room mostly interested in sports. During commercials I was more inclined to get a response from the audience than at any other time. Some of the room was supporting me, and I appreciate our emcee and producer and the other talent who know better. I did get laughs from those sitting closest to me who were intent on watching the game. It’s not like the room is opposed to open mic; it just wasn’t the priority. The talent after me consisted of two more comedians followed by a poet. The evening came to a close at 7:55pm with Gerald thanking everyone for coming out and then playing his music for another ten minutes. A few people in the room left, but then we had a late walk-in, another female, who got up to do some standup. This was at 8:04pm. After her set, the room was truly finished. Guys, this is a new room to the open mic scene and a worthy room. Up to the fourth talent, when we thought the room was coming to an end, we consistently had 12 people in the room. Yes, you are competing with sports – and with the volume audible, to boot – but that is all the more reason, I think, to do this room. Consider it a challenge, winning over these avid sports fans with your standup. Certainly, the producers of the room and your fellow talent are already watching you. Gerald is a talented musician, playing both keyboard and saxophone. As the comedians performed, he found a way to help the talent get laughs with his music. Otherwise, he sat down closest to the stage and watched. That the room is not only for comedians, but all talent, only adds variety to the mic, which works in this room.
The night I performed at LA Lounge was only the third week this mic has been going on. Open to all genres of talent, signup is first come first up. There are no language restrictions. Talent gets five minutes; however, the night I was there, because of the low turnout, we were given seven, the light at six. Talent is offered optional feedback from anyone in the room. Parking is on the street.
ReplyDeleteI arrived at 6:40pm to find one of the two hosts, Gerald, setting up a keyboard and mic. Gerald’s co-host, Shawntanette, who emcees the show as well, was not present. A guest emcee, Daniel, hosted that night.
There is no stage. A mic is set up to the immediate left of the entrance to this cigar store. There’s plenty of room, as the corner also housed the keyboard, a sound system, and various instruments resting against the wall. The backdrop of the staging area is the windows to the street. The store has six active TVs with the volume up, audible enough to hear the commentators, but not so loud you can’t hear the talent. The place seats 16, but there is a pool table in a back room, as well as an outdoor patio. To drink, they serve bottled beer at $6, sodas and bottled water. To eat, they offer tacos (sometimes hot dogs) and bags of chips.
At 7pm, Gerald started playing music. We had 11 people in the room, maybe four of whom were watching Gerald. An important basketball game was on, so absorbed with the game was the rest of the room. I must say I like the occasional smell of a good cigar.
Our guest emcee was introduced at 7:05pm, and he opened with a few minutes. We had 12 in the room, four of whom were signups. One of the signups was the only female in the room.
I performed first, being the first talent to arrive. I paid my $5 to Gerald, though I found out you can prepay as well via Cash App at $Shawntanette or PayPal on Zelle. I performed to a room mostly interested in sports. During commercials I was more inclined to get a response from the audience than at any other time. Some of the room was supporting me, and I appreciate our emcee and producer and the other talent who know better. I did get laughs from those sitting closest to me who were intent on watching the game. It’s not like the room is opposed to open mic; it just wasn’t the priority.
The talent after me consisted of two more comedians followed by a poet. The evening came to a close at 7:55pm with Gerald thanking everyone for coming out and then playing his music for another ten minutes. A few people in the room left, but then we had a late walk-in, another female, who got up to do some standup. This was at 8:04pm. After her set, the room was truly finished.
Guys, this is a new room to the open mic scene and a worthy room. Up to the fourth talent, when we thought the room was coming to an end, we consistently had 12 people in the room. Yes, you are competing with sports – and with the volume audible, to boot – but that is all the more reason, I think, to do this room. Consider it a challenge, winning over these avid sports fans with your standup. Certainly, the producers of the room and your fellow talent are already watching you.
Gerald is a talented musician, playing both keyboard and saxophone. As the comedians performed, he found a way to help the talent get laughs with his music. Otherwise, he sat down closest to the stage and watched. That the room is not only for comedians, but all talent, only adds variety to the mic, which works in this room.