Last one for the year.

Last night was the last open mic this year at the Vinyl Café here where I live in Iowa. I went downtown for it. The way it works is you get two songs if your are doing songs, seven minutes for poetry and comedy acts. I was forth on the signup sheet. I really wanted to do Bob Dylan's Don't Think Twice, then I had three songs bookmarked to choose from for the second. I couldn't make up my mind. Anyway, Don't Think Twice went so well and I got some good applause, I decided to end it on a good note. Haha, get it, good note. I called it quits.

Afterwards I was talking to the fellow who runs the open mic and they are looking for someone to take over as MC this next year. He wants to spend more time with family and he has other creative endeavors that he is into. It doesn't sound hard. Just get there early, rearrange the tables, put out a signup sheet, then announce the people when their turn comes up. I think that I could do that. The MC jokes around while the people are getting ready. Strums some licks once in a while if he can't think of anything to say, takes the first time slot to get things going. I could do that. It is only two Sunday evenings a month.

That's a great opportunity. I think you'll have fun and meet interesting people, plus you'll get to play more. Congratulations! As someone who's performed at many open mics, I'd suggest that if possible, you find out a bit more about the performers than their names, then give them an introduction that lets the audience warm up to them before they are on stage, and helps them feel relaxed and welcomed. Even just their school, work, hobbies, where they went on vacation, but more to the point, anything to their credit in their field. Do they play in a band, edit the school newspaper, etc. It will be more interesting and get better performances and a more engaged audience. Channel your inner Ed Sullivan. This may be how they are done at that venue already, or how you had planned to run it. I realize this is unsolicited advice, but it may be useful to someone else.

Ziret said:

That's a great opportunity. I think you'll have fun and meet interesting people, plus you'll get to play more. Congratulations! As someone who's performed at many open mics, I'd suggest that if possible, you find out a bit more about the performers than their names, then give them an introduction that lets the audience warm up to them before they are on stage, and helps them feel relaxed and welcomed. Even just their school, work, hobbies, where they went on vacation, but more to the point, anything to their credit in their field. Do they play in a band, edit the school newspaper, etc. It will be more interesting and get better performances and a more engaged audience. Channel your inner Ed Sullivan. This may be how they are done at that venue already, or how you had planned to run it. I realize this is unsolicited advice, but it may be useful to someone else.

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Thanks, and I always appreciate comments. It is not family entertainment and there aren't a lot of school kids lining up to get in. The MC is there more to keep things moving. Most everyone there are regulars, including the audience. Downtown musicians and comics. I don't know where the poets are coming from. Many of the musicians are singer/song writers trying out their stuff. Same with the comics. It is operated much along the same lines as other open mics that I go to. But in a few weeks I'm going south for a couple of months. Perhaps someone else will take it up. If they don't have someone when I get back I may do it. It is just an interesting and exciting venue.