Being an open stage/jam host

Subject: Being an open stage/jam host
From: Jazzyjack
Date: 28 Feb 03 - 11:26 PM

I am looking for advice/ experience about running and especially getting musicians out to the acoustic open mic I have been lucky enough to get to host at local nightclub. For 2 months it's been up and down and I dont want the owners to close us out. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Subject: RE: Being an open stage/jam host
From: smallpiper
Date: 01 Mar 03 - 05:49 AM

Advertise it - you could start by telling us where you are.

Subject: RE: Being an open stage/jam host
From: Fortunato
Date: 01 Mar 03 - 06:46 AM

Post handbills in:

Cafes and Bookstores

Music Stores



Distribute handbills at:

Other Open Mikes

concerts



Advertize in

Your city paper/website

Your venue's website

Newsletter of local folk societies



Go where the musicians hang out, talk up your open mike, prepare a sales pitch for it's good qualities: Good sound system, good acoustics, receptive audience, etc.


BE DIFFERENT
Specialize in Bluegrass or Blues, or you specialty.

Personally invite a good musician or two, buy their first drink (they'll bring their friends).
Limit the time on stage: two songs or 15 minutes, for example. Use a sign up sheet and stick to it.

cheers, Fortunato

Subject: RE: Being an open stage/jam host
From: wysiwyg
Date: 01 Mar 03 - 10:31 AM

Read the FAQ here. Use the info there to find old threads on this topic, and study them. One good thread is "Growing Folk Community From Seed." Lots of other good ones on jams that will apply to your topic.

Good hunting,

~Susan

Subject: RE: Being an open stage/jam host
From: Charley Noble
Date: 01 Mar 03 - 12:08 PM

Check out the days there are competitive events happening, if any, so that you're not missing half your potential participants.

Encourage those who attend to purchase more than one glass of water, the management would surely appreciate that.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Being an open stage/jam host
From: M.Ted
Date: 01 Mar 03 - 12:43 PM

The host makes the difference--

make everyone, audience and performers alike, feel welcome,

give performers good introductions and encourage applause (Lets give a big hand an old friend of ours, "Blank", doing an old favorite/special version of a popular song/song just written yesterday"--lets give a big Open stage welcome to a brand new friend, "Blank)

get to know regular audience members by name and musicial taste

make a special point of welcoming new performers offstage as well as on--

developing a running dialog with the audience--


Also very important to keep things moving

Honor the sign-up list, but try to manage the program so that you don't have three inexperienced performers in a row, and make sure to save the best for last--

If someone really hot plays, it helps if you play a song next , or lead a sing along, creating a space so the next performer doesn't get the "How do I follow that?" blues--(You're the host, you can afford to take the fall)

Remember that the host's job is to make sure that everyone has a good time--if that happens, over time people will come to listen, and people will come to play--

Subject: RE: Being an open stage/jam host
From: Schantieman
Date: 01 Mar 03 - 12:52 PM

Use humour if you can do it spontaneously
Mix up different types of performers - accompanied or not/sexes/solos with duos/styles as much as poss.
Keep it moving - don't waffle
Don't buy all the performers a drink!

MTed has covered some of these - I agree!

Good luck

Steve?

Subject: RE: Being an open stage/jam host
From: Merritt
Date: 01 Mar 03 - 01:23 PM

IMO there's lots of good advice here. Another thought is to be an attentive sound-meister, especially for your less experienced performers. Make some adjustments for the different voices and instruments. Explain to folks, e.g., that it's a cardiode mic and they need to be right on top of it, etc. I've played at a number of open mics where the "host" sets the system so he sounds great, and then stands around drinking and bullshitting while others die a horrible death on stage. With a little experience and confidence, you can hammer your way thru a short set on a bad system and sound oke, but you can see this is killing the newer players.

- Merritt

Subject: RE: Being an open stage/jam host
From: Jazzyjack
Date: 01 Mar 03 - 04:09 PM

Thanks for the input. In spite of the fact that there are quite a few folk societies within 50 miles of here, I doubt that anyone nearby is a member of this site ( although I have told lots of people ). My venue is Dizzy's club in Nanaimo, Canada on Vancouver Island. My open mic is on Wed. and performers can do at least 5 tunes with the best sound and stage imaginable. I play at many other locations ( I'm hosting another coffee house tonight for example ) and always plug my thing. I started the open mic in late Nov. and it seemed to be gaining steam but lately it has dropped off. Those regulars who come really enjoy it. Keep up the advice.         Jack

Subject: RE: Being an open stage/jam host
From: Willie-O
Date: 01 Mar 03 - 06:37 PM

I agree with most of M Ted's comments, except for saving the best performer for last. Nah. Lot of people won't be there then. Showcase spot, what I've always tried for, is first in the second set. Sets a tone that the rest of the evening will be worth sticking around for.

And I would hope that it's the house buying a drink for a player, not you.

W-O

Subject: RE: Being an open stage/jam host
From: GUEST,The Kirk Cafe, St. John's Newfoundland
Date: 21 Mar 03 - 07:23 AM

I've been running a coffee house/open mic twice a month since last June out of a church hall in downtown St. John's. We have a full sound system, pay the featured artist (who plays a 45 min. set) and the sound guy. Open mic performers are admitted free. They sign up between 7:30 and 8, which is when we start. First there's a 50 min open mic. then a short break (10 min or so), featured artist, break, more open mic. It's the only smoke-free, alcohol-free venue in town and early evening compared to the clubs. We ususally have about 10 acts for open mic, all doing about three songs. I fax the info to cable station, radio and press and put up posters in local music stores and a few strategic locations. Performers and audience alike really appreciate the fact that folks are there to listen. It's so popular that I will soon commence three new locations! I hope this helps. Best of luck.
R.

Subject: RE: Being an open stage/jam host
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 21 Mar 03 - 07:46 AM

I've never run an open mike bt have hosted singers nights at folkclubs as a stand in for the regular mc.

I wouldn't suggest save the best (which is only someones opinion) to last. I would suggest mixing it up. I knew the clubs regular performers and my policy was to try to mix it up as much as I could as I felt it made for a better night than having say 3 singers of the same type in a row. I also preferred to end with stuff everyone could join in with rather than giving a "star spot".

The club I was later involved with developed an interesting policy. It was to rotate hosts rather than have one person with thier preffered policy and inevitably preffered performers. I think it helped to some degree in keeping things a little varied - I do for example find it rather boring if I know for example that "Fred is going to round the night off for us with the same song yet again". Others may of course (perhaps even rightly) think Fred is the best performer and love hearing the song each week at the end.

Jon

Subject: RE: Being an open stage/jam host
From: reggie miles
Date: 21 Mar 03 - 09:16 AM

I've said it before in a previous thread about this same subject but I'll repeat it here in response to the comment above about purchasing more than just water at a venue. First off I don't know to whom that comment was directed, players, audience or both. I think if a venue uses the services, abilities, and/or talents of performers in a community and offers no tangible recompense as does an open mic, then asking more, ie financial support from those same individuals is pushing the envelope of good manners. Some previously have said in response to this that the open stage/mic offers a chance to be heard and is therefore worthy of supporting financially. Perhaps to some it is but some, in previous posts on this subject, have tried to justify cover charges to performers at open mics with this point of view. I think, if anything, the house hosting such an event has an obligation to be courteous to those performing and to provide hospitality, what ever that may be, to artists who are offering their talents. There are exceptions I suppose. Maybe, for example, there's a room out there that has a stage that everyone is just dying to get up and perform on for one reason or another. Like maybe because some famous performer shows up to play there so then others would be willing to pay to be seen on the same stage as him/her but I think these may be rare considering the number of open stages there are in just our little corner of the country. Or perhaps the exposure gained from being associated with a particular venue alone would mean added prestige. For instance playing a nationally televised or radio broadcast showcase. I concede that there are those tiny venues who can't really afford to offer anything more than a chance to be heard on their stage in front of what audience may appear but I believe the house should, as was recommended above, at least try to buy the performer a drink for their effort given the cost of some bottled water. I think using an open stage/mic to gain more interest in a house/venue has worked for many places. It has here locally.

Subject: RE: Being an open stage/jam host
From: GUEST,Mike the Knife
Date: 21 Mar 03 - 10:35 AM

I hosted an Open Mike Night in a cafe in Germany a few years ago. The owner is a wonderful musician & there was a group of really talented regulars who made every Wednesday night a real treat. Luckily for us, there were always really good travelling street musicians whe were willing to pop in for a free beer on the invitation of either the staff or one of the regulars. I (non-musician, bartender/cook) sort of fell into the host position because 1) I was there, 2) nobody else was willing to do it & 3) There were several bottles of Grolsch previously ingested. There was a HUGE potted plant right in front of the mike (had to put it somewhere) & I just started into a smarmy, Vegas-style lounge thing "welcome to the Jungle Room" or some such crap & folks seemed to like it. We kept the sets short, encouraged different combos (didgeridoooo & accordian among some of the most memorable), & passed the hat at the end of the night & split the take among the players. Beware of egos, be diplomatic, be spontaneous, keep it light & keep it moving.

Subject: RE: Being an open stage/jam host
From: open mike
Date: 21 Mar 03 - 11:09 AM

arrange a schedule and take sign ups
and make sure everyone interested gets
a time slot, make flyers and send with
everyone present announcing the next date
and ask others to bring a friend or two
a band scramble is a feature which has
been making the rounds--put names in a
hat (if you have enough folks there)
one hat (or bag) for guitar, one for
bass, etc. then pull one out of each hat
to form a new band then give these folks
a while to come with a song, a joke, and
anothter thing: perhaps an advertising
jingle to get the word out about your
event! good luck. also end the evening
with a jam that includes everyone...
grand finale!

Subject: RE: Being an open stage/jam host
From: open mike
Date: 21 Mar 03 - 10:58 PM

offer to local music teachers that their
students might benefit from the opportunity
to try thier luck....but limit the number
of new players for the sake of the audience
in case they have a way to go til they play
in fromt of folks! and scatter them in between
more advanced players so there isn't a whole
clump of newbies.