What is the purpose of Open Mic’s?

If you’ve been following my BLOG you would know that I have been active in the local Open Mic community for several years now. The experience has been fun but also educational. Some hosts have it down to a science where others …

The best Open Mic’s are ones where the host actively promotes and encourages guests to fight back their stage fright and share their talent. This makes for a friendly atmosphere where musicians can bond and nurture new talent. Music and performing is not something that you just know how to do, it takes years of practise.

Some times people try really hard and they just can’t seem to find their place, but there are the diamonds like a 14 year old girl that showed up in her cut offs and cowboy boots and hammered out three songs that were written before she was born, like she had been doing it all her life.

I’ve watched hosts coach talent and develop it into acts worthy of their own stage.

That’s what Open Mic’s are for. Coaching, Bonding, Discovering, Entertaining and developing. The venues get free entertainment and fill seats with friends and family.

Unfortunately I’ve seen the other side of Open Mic’s as well. There are a few venues in my area where hosts use Open Mic’s to promote their friends and their own talent. These venues are not really open and hard to break into. I’ve also seen venues that advertise Open Mic’s where all of the talent is pre-selected and filtered to appeal to the audience.

I like being part of a support network for new and developing talent so I avoid the non-open Open Mic’s.

Check out my earlier BLOG posts for some of my favourite places in the Ottawa area and support your local musicians.

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