Stoffeltoo
Today I had a discussion with one of our almost local beer brewers. The discussion led from the dark art of fermentation to the enlightened art of music. An idea formed and on discussion, the brew master indicated that he is very willing to host an open mike weekend at his brewery.
Would something like this be possible say for Gauteng/Northwest and Free state? vs. Western and Northern Cape and Natal/Mpumalanga/Eastern Cape at selected venues which are centrally located?
Would forum-mites be interested in such a get together on an annual basis with a competition flavour?
Could the get together be extended to a national get together of the winners for a final; say somewhere in Central South Africa?
I would like to gauge interest before continuing with the thread as judges, rules ans such things need to be fleshed out further if needed.
Comments and feedback welcome.
Bob-Dubery
Why once a year?
If you want to do the greater community of musicians a service then run a monthly open mic night. And make it OPEN. No auditions, no pre-booking, no competition. Just let 'em pitch and play. You'll be surprised at what you'll find walking through that door.
There may well be support in your area. It'll take a couple of like-minded folks to get the ball rolling, but you'll find them (or they'll find you).
It doesn't have to be sophisticated. At TJ's we've had completely unplugged open mic nights - great for nervous first time performers, and contrary to what you might expect the audience tends to shut up too. I know of another in the UK where, weather permitting, they just sit in a circle in a field and take it in turns.
TJ's now has a small PA for open mic nights. I think it's 6 channels and we usually don't use all of them. So you can grow an open mic night out of not much at all or with very little seed money if you have somebody willing to make that investment.
My advice would be to not use a pub. Rather hire a room in the local municipal club or something like that. Then it's your room and you control it and you don't get thrown out if you don't generate enough extra booze sales.
Just have a couple of ground rules. Fixed set times so that everybody gets their fair turn. No backing tracks - they are too time consuming. Don't put a limit on genre. Don't have a "no covers" rule - the guys who have their own compositions will turn up anyway.
Nitebob
I'd be glad to attend an open mic in CT region!
Even thought about arranging one, but my contacts are mostly in the Paarl, Boland area. Very few members out there... :-\
Keira-WitherKay
open mic should in NO way be competition based.....
as most of you know i too host an open mic once a month at Indulgence cafe in northcliff (jhb) in fact it happens this fri again ........... the whole goal is to get people who don't usually perform out a chance to get onto a stage and perform ...even if they rank amateurs and beginners....
to me i see an open mic event as a safe enviroment to allow budding/part time/hobbyist musicians no matter what their level to get on a stage , have descent gear provided by the organiser and not feel they have to out perform or compete with the previous or next act ...... so open mic's develop talent and hopefully inspire artists who get a taste of it to enjoy it and be inspired to do it more often and then step up to semi -pro or pro stages after cutting their teeth on the open mic's ....as we all know there is a huge difference in sitting in your bedroom and playing or doing the same piece in front of an audience .......
and of course open mic's allow pro muso's to experiment with new sounds or try out new compositions or even dabble in styles of music they don't perform professionally .... so NOT only for beginners or hobbyists at all
BUT soon as it's competitive or there is judging it becomes an "idols" type event where the onus is on winning ....
for my open mic's at Indulgence cafe and i know TJ's is the same ...the focus is on participating and at all levels
that said yes some fabulous players do attend and can blow your socks off with what they do .....
so yes host an event but don't make it a "battle of the bands" or an "Idols" ......
PeteM
+1 Keira
