Open Mics Are Awesome! ...and Dying?

As you may know, I’ve been performing for a few years, and I would not be able to do any of it without open mics. For those who don’t know, open mics are events held at bars, coffee shops, etc., and are hosted by an individual or band. The host brings a sound system, and anyone can come up and play. Usually individuals will come with their acoustic guitars and sing. You can go by yourself, as a duo, or a band, it doesn’t matter. Some open mics are acoustic, and some may have a full band set up. Some may even have a band backing up all the acts that play that night. A lot of open mics run on some kind of schedule, either once a week, every other week, or monthly. There are no requirements to participating, and no need to call ahead or anything. You just walk in and sign up (most places will have a sign-up sheet). It’s pretty awesome.

               Like I said, I wouldn’t be anywhere without open mics. This is for two reasons: confidence and connections. Open mics are very informal. You don’t have to be great. They can be a place to try out new songs and experiment. They’re wonderful for getting used to playing in front of people because it’s not your event and you’re only up for a few songs instead of a whole set. People may even ask to play with you if they like you or know the song you’re playing. My advice: let them. It may not be good, but so what? It’s open mic. It may be really good and really fun. At least you’ll have the experience of playing or jamming out with others, which is almost always great. Another reason to go to open mics is the people you meet. Other musicians can give advice, can inspire you with their style, and they can tell you about the places where they perform. Almost every gig I’ve ever done has been at a place recommended by someone at an open mic. You may even find potential band mates.

               Walking into that bar or coffee house for the first time can be scary. Sometimes it seems like a clique has formed between all the musicians there, but that’s only because of people who attend regularly. I’ve always had very welcoming experiences at open mics. People love when somebody new comes. You will make the host(s)’s day! Also, don’t be afraid to talk to people. Conversations can easily be started by complimenting how they performed or their song choices. You’re both at an open mic; you must have something in common, right?

               Open mics aren’t just playing, they’re also watching. You’ll probably be surprised at just how good some of the people are going to be. Even if you don’t play, you can go to place that’s having open mic night and watch. Open mics have no extra charge—it’s free entertainment. Just look up online open mics in your area or ask any friends who might know of some. There is usually an “event” made on Facebook for open mics, so you’ll probably be able to see who’s running it and what it’s like.

               Even though open mics are SO AWESOME, they seem to be dying out (at least in my area). People aren’t out as much anymore, and a lot of people who come to the open mics are older adults. Of course, they’re still super friendly and extremely talented, but where is the younger generation? Like I said earlier, people love to see new faces, and they especially love to see young people come and enjoy the events, too. As a teenager myself, I would highly recommend going to open mics to people of any age.

               Open mics are wonderful events that can help build your confidence and get you in touch with the other musicians in your area, but they can only happen if people show up.

“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” –Andre Gide

P.S. Guess who's starting up a YouTube channel? (It's me)

Numb

Numb
Sarah Leeann

I keep having dreams.
Oh, I keep having dreams

that I have wings,
that I'm free,

that all ties
have vanished.

Oh wind, please carry me
away     from     here.

Oh sails, keep your courage;
help me keep mine.

Let me not be loved,
only remembered

with no call to come
home.

Let me
be. Let me

go.

Seeker

As I frantically google search blog post ideas (for example, when I completely forget I have a blog then remember I skipped the day I planned to post), I see a lot of one-word prompts. Glancing over them, nothing really caught my attention, but I remember in my second period noticing a word that caught my eye. While I blankly stare off in class, I often see a book called The Water Seeker on the shelf across the room from my seat. It has a pretty cover and, as a word lover trying to write poetry while blocking out my teacher, I was interested in using the word seeker and scribbled it in my notebook for a later idea. Are there any writers out there who do similar things? Seriously. Let me know if I’m weird or not.

So, here is my response to the word seeker:

I suppose I consider myself a seeker. But of what? All I know is I feel a longing in my chest—in my core. So I must be seeking something, right? Happiness, maybe. I just know that this word resonates with me. I long to leave the place I’m in. It feels as if in my short time of living here, I’ve already exhausted its possibilities. I seek because as a kid, it was always forced down our throats to dream big, and to believe that we can become whatever we want to be. When I was little, I had such high hopes. I guess we all do. Now that I’m approaching the end of my school career, the kid in me still hopes and expects something great. Really, the kid in me expected to be something great by this point, I imagine. But the pessimist in me just doesn’t believe that will happen. The doubt in me hangs on my shoulders and follows me around. Of course I’m seeking. Under all the doubt and cynicism, I still hope, as any human would. Isn’t that a human trait? When we’re in a bad situation, we hope something will happen to get us out of it. We don’t always do something, but we hope. Maybe I’m seeking because I’m not doing. Maybe I’m wishing for something better instead of creating something better, instead of ensuring myself something better. The little kid in me is still there, too comfortably, in me. She sits and daydreams, ignoring responsibility, oblivious to problems—she’s a master procrastinator (hence the introduction of this post).

I hope you enjoyed my ramblings of unplanned thoughts this week. Here, I suppose, is an example of one of the wonders of writing: learning more about yourself. It’s fascinating, sometimes, to dive into our own heads and see what we find.

“Nothing will work unless you do.” –Maya Angelou

What ideas the word seeker spark up in your mind? Feel free to respond in the comments or in your own post :)