I have written in the past about rooms that are very lax with their mic: no signup sheet, just show up and go up; no set time per talent, just perform till you get booed off or someone else shows up to perform. Open mic at Adventures follows along those lines. They don’t even have a host, so chill is this room. Open to all genres of talent, this room principally attracts poets. The night I was there, I was the only comic, and there was one musician. Everyone else was either a poet or a spectator. There are no language restrictions. Talent doesn’t really have a set amount of stage time, even though the room goes from 6pm to 8pm. Pretty much, people just show up at start time and poets volunteer to go up with no rhyme (pun intended) or reason. I saw poets doing one piece while others did two or three. Then after a few other talents went up, those same poets would go up again. The musician did the same thing. Towards the end of the evening, poets were reading from their seats, so lax is this room. The business is a comic, book and record store. They had a lot to offer in the two large rooms that made up the business. In the second room, in the furthest corner they have sofas and seats set up for the mic. The area seats about 16. There is no stage, nor is there a mic. Of note, there is a piano in that area which talents are allowed to use. The area is so small, you can easily hear the people speak in the open space that serves as the “stage”. Surprisingly, in that same room they have a sort of café that serves various coffees, teas and even beer at $3.80 a pint. You may only drink beer in the area of the mic. To eat, they offered sandwiches. I was under the belief the room started at 7pm. I showed up at 6:38 and learned to my chagrin it starts at 6pm. I counted 11 people, ten of whom were there from the beginning. One other person showed up, so we had 12 at its peak. I learned sometimes this room can attract four talents, other nights more than 12. I asked a lot of questions. Everyone in the room helped to answer them. The room has been going on a few years. One gentleman who was a part of the poetry group had been volunteering to help with the mic for a couple years. No one person runs the room. It’s a community effort. As intimate as the room is, as vulnerable as the poets are when standing before the room and sharing their feelings through imagery and metaphors, I recognized how communal this room is. Everyone supports everyone. Though I was a stranger visiting from out of state, with material that is about as deep and profound as a spilt drink, the room received me enthusiastically, even though I arrived so late and was not present to support them the first half-hour. However, I did get to see every poet’s material after my arrival, and sure enough, every poet went up again. Guys, this is a very good room to do. I know of three other mics in Richland – as yet to be reviewed as of this posting – but if you find yourself in this remote community, do this once a month room. Before me, the last time they had had a comic was a couple months prior. As well as my humor was received, I think this room will see standup as a treat from any comic. And if you’re looking to practice a very lengthy set for an audience that knows nothing about you, this town and mic is ideal. I must have done twelve minutes before getting myself off.
I have written in the past about rooms that are very lax with their mic: no signup sheet, just show up and go up; no set time per talent, just perform till you get booed off or someone else shows up to perform. Open mic at Adventures follows along those lines. They don’t even have a host, so chill is this room.
ReplyDeleteOpen to all genres of talent, this room principally attracts poets. The night I was there, I was the only comic, and there was one musician. Everyone else was either a poet or a spectator. There are no language restrictions. Talent doesn’t really have a set amount of stage time, even though the room goes from 6pm to 8pm. Pretty much, people just show up at start time and poets volunteer to go up with no rhyme (pun intended) or reason. I saw poets doing one piece while others did two or three. Then after a few other talents went up, those same poets would go up again. The musician did the same thing. Towards the end of the evening, poets were reading from their seats, so lax is this room.
The business is a comic, book and record store. They had a lot to offer in the two large rooms that made up the business. In the second room, in the furthest corner they have sofas and seats set up for the mic. The area seats about 16. There is no stage, nor is there a mic. Of note, there is a piano in that area which talents are allowed to use. The area is so small, you can easily hear the people speak in the open space that serves as the “stage”.
Surprisingly, in that same room they have a sort of café that serves various coffees, teas and even beer at $3.80 a pint. You may only drink beer in the area of the mic. To eat, they offered sandwiches.
I was under the belief the room started at 7pm. I showed up at 6:38 and learned to my chagrin it starts at 6pm. I counted 11 people, ten of whom were there from the beginning. One other person showed up, so we had 12 at its peak. I learned sometimes this room can attract four talents, other nights more than 12.
I asked a lot of questions. Everyone in the room helped to answer them. The room has been going on a few years. One gentleman who was a part of the poetry group had been volunteering to help with the mic for a couple years. No one person runs the room. It’s a community effort. As intimate as the room is, as vulnerable as the poets are when standing before the room and sharing their feelings through imagery and metaphors, I recognized how communal this room is. Everyone supports everyone. Though I was a stranger visiting from out of state, with material that is about as deep and profound as a spilt drink, the room received me enthusiastically, even though I arrived so late and was not present to support them the first half-hour. However, I did get to see every poet’s material after my arrival, and sure enough, every poet went up again.
Guys, this is a very good room to do. I know of three other mics in Richland – as yet to be reviewed as of this posting – but if you find yourself in this remote community, do this once a month room. Before me, the last time they had had a comic was a couple months prior. As well as my humor was received, I think this room will see standup as a treat from any comic. And if you’re looking to practice a very lengthy set for an audience that knows nothing about you, this town and mic is ideal. I must have done twelve minutes before getting myself off.