Great mic, good mix of experienced and new faces. Five minutes for one drink. Calvin runs a great room. The stage area downstairs is nice and feels like you're at a real comedy show. I would recommend this mic to anyone!
Dale Sorenson was a great host. It was a good time, but the turnout was low & the room only holds about 30. Good place to try out new material, but not reliable for development. All the same, there are definitely good vibes & good ppl involved.
A good place, the host was very enthusiastic and supportive, he let me get onstage and I was s a walk-in...
This was my second open mic and I felt I was treated very respectfuly.
A couple of crazy stuff happened but I suppose is normal...
Just a couple of things I want to point out and of course I am open to discussion and to try to understand your point of view if it is different:
... At the begining of the show the host Calvin ask the comediants not to be racist or sexist... I don't know it that was a joke but from my point of view there were a lot of racist or sexists jokes...
Of course is only my opinion but One thing is to criticize racisim and use the power that a microphone gives you to inject some common sense in the audience and other very different is to go making cheap racist jokes... maybe this was not the right place to post this comment, but I kind of felt uncommfortable at one point.
Specially cause I am Mexican with a thick accent...
the other thing is that in the slava page it says 6.5 minutes, Me and everybody else only got like 4:30. It is not a big issue for me, it's only that since I am so new in this I was not prepared to edit my material in such a short notice.... that's all...
In few words...
Yes! go there! but send an e-mail the day before if you don't want to go onstage when the audience (most of them great comics) are already tired, and be prepared for whatever time they give you...
@Dan - Thanks for the compliment but I think you posted in the wrong place.
@Tony - Thanks for the post. I will send it in to BadSlava to change the time to 5 minutes. I keep to the time as much as possible but it's hard to get 25+ people up in a night.
As for the racism and sexism, I do try to establish that rule up front in a serious manner and people invariably break the rule, either because they think they're funny or whatever. Needless to say, I don't condone jokes that are set up to offend rather than entertain. Like I said, I think humor like that diminishes the art form and disallows minorities and marginalized from participating and that's not fair. And while I can't turn off the mic, I don't support that kind of humor and I show it by not laughing. I do hope you come back; I'll rotate you up earlier on the list.
Hey guys, I don't know when this will update, but the mic is now located at McSwiggins Bar. 393 2nd Avenue @ 23rd St. The time is still 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm. There are $3 beers, $4 well drinks. No cover!
Wow an open mic at McSwiggans....where I drank my GPA to such a point Hunter college told me not to bother coming back. I may have to do this one out of principal! Just curious, how is this place for someone starting out? Does it tend to be a comic only crowd or do regular people sit in on it?
The only bad thing I can say about this mic is that there's this crazy guy who is a regular at McSwiggans who likes to walk in and start talking to the comics while they are performing. He's incredibly disruptive and has to be asked to leave multiple times before he finally takes the hint.
Other than that, this is a good and supportive mic. Calvin is a great guy and a great host.
The ONLY thing I don't like about this mic is Kip, whom I like very much. And If I EVER have the esteemed privilege to raise him as my own child, I hope that I'll be able to afford a trip to Disney, because I don't think he's ever been there... and I really think he'd appreciate me telling him all about when I get back.
If Calvin Cato isn't running this anymore can whomever is running it put their e-mail address up? Is it e-mail sign up or first come first serve? I thought it was email so I signed up for a spot and I showed up only to find that the list was full from walk-in's.
Hi, just want to give a quick update. I'm not directly involved with running the mic anymore and I'm in the process of turning it over to a new permanent host. My email is up there in the meantime and I'm running it by proxy until things are ironed out. Right now, a series of guest hosts are running it and I can't take responsibility for who does and does not get up. I can only ask that any hosts please honor the list I send out. Also the mic starts at 6:45 pm so anyone who comes late isn't guaranteed a spot. Otherwise, best of luck with your sets. - Calvin
I'm running it. I'm awesome. The mic is awesome. The room is awesome. Okay that last one is a lie, sometimes the bar is loud and the only thing blocking the sound of music and/or drunk college kids is a curtain. Thats right, a fucking curtain. Either way, the beers are cheap, the mic is loud, the crowd is supportive, and the sluts on the other side of the curtain are wet. Email me to get on the list, it's pre-booked.
I'm kinda new to the old open mic, but played this for the first time last week, and enjoyed it. Alexis is friendly, upbeat, and keeps a good schedule. Generally supportive feeling in the room. Bar at the back not a problem - just talk louder. Simple.
Went to this open mic for the first time yesterday. It is held in a back room with no stage, there were about 20-25 comics total. For the most part, the other comics paid attention to your act and were supportive. At one point, a homeless guy walked into the bathroom and it took about ten minutes for the bartender to kick him out so the host rightfully paused the show until the scene was over.
Great mic!! always packed with comics. there's a little stage to make u feel good with urself. :) sometimes music in the back could be annoying but you get over it. cost- (1 drink) only 4 bucks to get a bud light. def one of my fav!
no a lottery is when you win money that changes your life, this is an open mic, it will slowly ruin your life, kinda the opposite. hope that helped good luck in comedy. fucky mcfuckface
wrong email. you get there and you have no spot. Told them about email and they've done nothing about it.(still the wrong one on badslava) Don't know how the other people got on list. Anyway, when we said something about it, the guy said "I can tell you are new to open-mics. No…. just ones with the wrong email.
CALVIN CATO runs a room that's so CALVIN CATO it makes calvin cato look like Calvin Cato ...
ReplyDeleteGreat mic, good mix of experienced and new faces. Five minutes for one drink. Calvin runs a great room. The stage area downstairs is nice and feels like you're at a real comedy show. I would recommend this mic to anyone!
ReplyDeleteCalvin runs a smooth mic. Very professional and supportive. Great experience.
ReplyDeleteDale Sorenson was a great host. It was a good time, but the turnout was low & the room only holds about 30. Good place to try out new material, but not reliable for development. All the same, there are definitely good vibes & good ppl involved.
ReplyDeleteA good place, the host was very enthusiastic and supportive, he let me get onstage and I was s a walk-in...
ReplyDeleteThis was my second open mic and I felt I was treated very respectfuly.
A couple of crazy stuff happened but I suppose is normal...
Just a couple of things I want to point out and of course I am open to discussion and to try to understand your point of view if it is different:
... At the begining of the show the host Calvin ask the comediants not to be racist or sexist... I don't know it that was a joke but from my point of view there were a lot of racist or sexists jokes...
Of course is only my opinion but One thing is to criticize racisim and use the power that a microphone gives you to inject some common sense in the audience and other very different is to go making cheap racist jokes... maybe this was not the right place to post this comment, but I kind of felt uncommfortable at one point.
Specially cause I am Mexican with a thick accent...
the other thing is that in the slava page it says 6.5 minutes, Me and everybody else only got like 4:30. It is not a big issue for me, it's only that since I am so new in this I was not prepared to edit my material in such a short notice.... that's all...
In few words...
Yes! go there! but send an e-mail the day before if you don't want to go onstage when the audience (most of them great comics) are already tired, and be prepared for whatever time they give you...
Tony V.
@Dan - Thanks for the compliment but I think you posted in the wrong place.
ReplyDelete@Tony - Thanks for the post. I will send it in to BadSlava to change the time to 5 minutes. I keep to the time as much as possible but it's hard to get 25+ people up in a night.
As for the racism and sexism, I do try to establish that rule up front in a serious manner and people invariably break the rule, either because they think they're funny or whatever. Needless to say, I don't condone jokes that are set up to offend rather than entertain. Like I said, I think humor like that diminishes the art form and disallows minorities and marginalized from participating and that's not fair. And while I can't turn off the mic, I don't support that kind of humor and I show it by not laughing. I do hope you come back; I'll rotate you up earlier on the list.
You were very funny by the way!
-Calvin
I've never been to this mic but I'm going to go, based solely on Calvin's response to the previous constructive criticism. Sounds like a class act.
ReplyDeleteI spent a week doing open mics in NYC and the Identity bar mic was the only one with actual non-comedian audience members.
ReplyDeleteHey guys, I don't know when this will update, but the mic is now located at McSwiggins Bar. 393 2nd Avenue @ 23rd St. The time is still 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm. There are $3 beers, $4 well drinks. No cover!
ReplyDeleteCalvin
We had a great time Calvin, fun mic! Glad to have caught up with you in time for the new location.
ReplyDeleteWow an open mic at McSwiggans....where I drank my GPA to such a point Hunter college told me not to bother coming back. I may have to do this one out of principal! Just curious, how is this place for someone starting out? Does it tend to be a comic only crowd or do regular people sit in on it?
ReplyDeleteThe only bad thing I can say about this mic is that there's this crazy guy who is a regular at McSwiggans who likes to walk in and start talking to the comics while they are performing. He's incredibly disruptive and has to be asked to leave multiple times before he finally takes the hint.
ReplyDeleteOther than that, this is a good and supportive mic. Calvin is a great guy and a great host.
A lot of Love in that room and for it! Thanks! - kip
ReplyDeleteThe ONLY thing I don't like about this mic is Kip, whom I like very much. And If I EVER have the esteemed privilege to raise him as my own child, I hope that I'll be able to afford a trip to Disney, because I don't think he's ever been there... and I really think he'd appreciate me telling him all about when I get back.
ReplyDeleteIf Calvin Cato isn't running this anymore can whomever is running it put their e-mail address up? Is it e-mail sign up or first come first serve? I thought it was email so I signed up for a spot and I showed up only to find that the list was full from walk-in's.
ReplyDeleteWent last night for the first time.
ReplyDeleteHi, just want to give a quick update. I'm not directly involved with running the mic anymore and I'm in the process of turning it over to a new permanent host. My email is up there in the meantime and I'm running it by proxy until things are ironed out. Right now, a series of guest hosts are running it and I can't take responsibility for who does and does not get up. I can only ask that any hosts please honor the list I send out. Also the mic starts at 6:45 pm so anyone who comes late isn't guaranteed a spot. Otherwise, best of luck with your sets. - Calvin
ReplyDeleteHack place, hack comics, and hipster d-bags... you KNOW I'm goin' back!
ReplyDeleteI'm running it. I'm awesome. The mic is awesome. The room is awesome. Okay that last one is a lie, sometimes the bar is loud and the only thing blocking the sound of music and/or drunk college kids is a curtain. Thats right, a fucking curtain. Either way, the beers are cheap, the mic is loud, the crowd is supportive, and the sluts on the other side of the curtain are wet. Email me to get on the list, it's pre-booked.
ReplyDeleteI'm kinda new to the old open mic, but played this for the first time last week, and enjoyed it. Alexis is friendly, upbeat, and keeps a good schedule. Generally supportive feeling in the room. Bar at the back not a problem - just talk louder. Simple.
ReplyDeleteSTEAK!
ReplyDeleteWent to this open mic for the first time yesterday. It is held in a back room with no stage, there were about 20-25 comics total. For the most part, the other comics paid attention to your act and were supportive. At one point, a homeless guy walked into the bathroom and it took about ten minutes for the bartender to kick him out so the host rightfully paused the show until the scene was over.
ReplyDeleteGreat mic!! always packed with comics. there's a little stage to make u feel good with urself. :)
ReplyDeletesometimes music in the back could be annoying but you get over it.
cost- (1 drink) only 4 bucks to get a bud light.
def one of my fav!
is this mic a lottery?
ReplyDeleteno a lottery is when you win money that changes your life, this is an open mic, it will slowly ruin your life, kinda the opposite. hope that helped good luck in comedy.
ReplyDeletefucky mcfuckface
wrong email. you get there and you have no spot. Told them about email and they've done nothing about it.(still the wrong one on badslava) Don't know how the other people got on list. Anyway, when we said something about it, the guy said "I can tell you are new to open-mics. No…. just ones with the wrong email.
ReplyDelete