OPEN MIKE

An 'open mike' or 'open mic' (or 'open spots' ) is a live show where audience members may perform at the microphone. Usually the performers sign up for a time slot with the host or master of ceremonies.
Open mikes commonly fall into three categories:

★ Comedy

★ Music

★ Poetry and spoken word

Contents

Comedy

Music

Notes

External links

Comedy

Comedy open mike nights are usually held at comedy clubs but can also be at most any venue with a stage. It gives the up-and-coming comedian a chance to break into the comedy world. It also gives a veteran of the craft an opportunity to work out new material and get it ready for more important performances. In an average open mike night a comedian will get 3-5 minutes to work out their material.

Music

These shows provide an opportunity for people to gain experience performing to a live audience without having to go through the process of getting normal music gigs, which is very difficult to do without experience of live performance.
Open mikes have been gaining in popularity in recent times, providing a much-needed outlet for singer-songwriters. Prior to their popularity, the only outlet generally were folk clubs, which were not always friendly towards creators of new music, preferring traditional music. They also suggested that music performed by an acoustic musicians or a solos artist in this manner would necessarily be folk music, a misconception that still commonly exists today. Some organizers have chosen the title "Acoustic Night" or "Acoustic Club" in an attempt to indicate an event run broadly on the lines of a folk club, but with a much wider range of musical styles.
Now that open mikes have become popular, there is a greater opportunity for a singer-songwriter to gain exposure and experience for their songs.
When an open mike is poorly organized, a performer may wait for hours only to be told there is no slot available. Some are more cliques than open affairs. Some are used by the host or organizer as a platform for themselves, playing many songs themselves and leaving very little time for others.
There are also problems with the attitudes of audiences and musicians. It is very common to find performers who talk through everyone else's sets, not paying attention to them, play their songs and then immediately leave afterwards. This is not really in the spirit of an open mike, where performers should be providing support for each other, although it is not so much a problem where non-musicians make up the majority of the audience.

Notes

Either spelling, "open mike" or "open mic", is correct.
"Open mike" is also often used to refer to events that could more properly be named "open stage" where there is no amplification.

External links

★ OpenMikes.org - Music, comedy, and poetry open mike listings in the United States and Canada

★ ComedyOpenMike.com - Site of Comedy Open Mike Online, which provides open mike information, events, and a support community for comedy (BROKEN LINK)

★ Mike, Dammit - Essay on the "mike" vs. "mic" debate

★ Dictionary.com entry for ''open mike''

★ OpenMic.US - Company running Open Mics for musicians across the U.S.