Let me start off by saying, open mic at Crush Bar is a hidden gem in Portland. It takes place once a month, and I can see comedians forgetting this room, instead, doing the weekly mics again and again. I recommend marking your calendar for the 2nd Wednesday and do this room. It can be the first of two mics you can do that night, staying to the end of the first one and still having time for another mic before it starts. Parking is on the street. The mic is its own room with a nice stage that is nicely lit and seats about 24, more if you employ the collapsible chairs off to one side. On stage is a mic and stand, and the backdrop are rainbow, streaming glitter. While their flyer emphasizes “queer, women and POC”, in smaller print it says everyone is welcome, so I felt as welcomed as the next person. Run by a woman named Joyce, the room has been going on 11 months. Talent gets four minutes, and there are no language restrictions; although at the beginning the guest host reads a list of rules, including no hate speech. I can’t say the room is first come first choice, but when Joyce arrived at 6:20pm, she saw me sitting alone and approached me if I was here to perform, and I said yes, taking the fourth spot. Other people were in the room. How Joyce knew I arrived first, I don’t know. But she approaches everyone in the room, asking if they’re here to perform. The mic started at 6:53pm, with guest host Jessica explaining the rules and then doing some stage time. They have a featured performer go up during the night. We had 21 people in attendance, only 8 of whom were performers. The business is a full bar, but they also offer comfort food. I had a wonderful burger. Beers run $6.50 a pint. I ended up going fifth, which was not a big deal. Almost everyone stayed to the end, and while I performed, I could see the room was as full as at the beginning of the show. Joyce lights you at three minutes from her cell, easily seen from the stage. There is a large mirror in the back of the room that talent can see themselves while performing. There are no distractions in the room like TVs or pool tables. People are there for the show. Guys, this is a wonderful room to do. I especially liked that the majority of the people attending were “general audience” and not comedians waiting their turn. Although, I must say I could see even the comedians paid full attention and respected the talent on stage. As intimate as the room is, it did not stop people from laughing out loud when they heard something funny. This is the kind of room comedians should want to do. You play to a room full of people actually watching and listening to your new material. You can truly gauge what humor worked and what did not. The evening ended at 7:53pm, just over an hour after starting. You can stay the whole time, supporting the room, and still make another mic if you want to. Local comics, circle your calendar to do this room. Visiting comics, if your stay coincides with the 2nd Wednesday, I recommend this room whole-heartedly.
Let me start off by saying, open mic at Crush Bar is a hidden gem in Portland. It takes place once a month, and I can see comedians forgetting this room, instead, doing the weekly mics again and again. I recommend marking your calendar for the 2nd Wednesday and do this room. It can be the first of two mics you can do that night, staying to the end of the first one and still having time for another mic before it starts.
ReplyDeleteParking is on the street. The mic is its own room with a nice stage that is nicely lit and seats about 24, more if you employ the collapsible chairs off to one side. On stage is a mic and stand, and the backdrop are rainbow, streaming glitter. While their flyer emphasizes “queer, women and POC”, in smaller print it says everyone is welcome, so I felt as welcomed as the next person. Run by a woman named Joyce, the room has been going on 11 months. Talent gets four minutes, and there are no language restrictions; although at the beginning the guest host reads a list of rules, including no hate speech. I can’t say the room is first come first choice, but when Joyce arrived at 6:20pm, she saw me sitting alone and approached me if I was here to perform, and I said yes, taking the fourth spot. Other people were in the room. How Joyce knew I arrived first, I don’t know. But she approaches everyone in the room, asking if they’re here to perform.
The mic started at 6:53pm, with guest host Jessica explaining the rules and then doing some stage time. They have a featured performer go up during the night. We had 21 people in attendance, only 8 of whom were performers.
The business is a full bar, but they also offer comfort food. I had a wonderful burger. Beers run $6.50 a pint.
I ended up going fifth, which was not a big deal. Almost everyone stayed to the end, and while I performed, I could see the room was as full as at the beginning of the show. Joyce lights you at three minutes from her cell, easily seen from the stage. There is a large mirror in the back of the room that talent can see themselves while performing. There are no distractions in the room like TVs or pool tables. People are there for the show.
Guys, this is a wonderful room to do. I especially liked that the majority of the people attending were “general audience” and not comedians waiting their turn. Although, I must say I could see even the comedians paid full attention and respected the talent on stage. As intimate as the room is, it did not stop people from laughing out loud when they heard something funny. This is the kind of room comedians should want to do. You play to a room full of people actually watching and listening to your new material. You can truly gauge what humor worked and what did not.
The evening ended at 7:53pm, just over an hour after starting. You can stay the whole time, supporting the room, and still make another mic if you want to. Local comics, circle your calendar to do this room. Visiting comics, if your stay coincides with the 2nd Wednesday, I recommend this room whole-heartedly.