Don’t Underestimate the Open Mic
“Open mics” which literally open the floor to all types of musicians and performers, are venues where anyone can come in and play music, read poetry, or express themselves, usually in a café, bar or restaurant setting where there’s a built-in audience. They’re a great way for musicians—whether veterans or beginners—to expose their music and even more importantly, show their love of the art and instrument they play. Open mic nights provide a venue for all types of musicians, from beginner to intermediate to pro. And the best part of all—you can either play alone and express your individuality, or play with others in a more structured format. If you’re in the audience for an open mic, you’re guaranteed to hear anything from country to grunge to classical, and incredibly, these performances are usually free.
So what’s in it for musicians? Using an open mic as “practice” before getting up on a real stage can be a very rewarding experience both for the performer and the audience. Of course, there is one hurdle to overcome—stage fright. And whether you’re a novice or a pro, fighting your nerves can be a challenge. “The stage fright is always there,” says professional harmonica player Marvin Jaramillo. “I’ve been playing for 45 years and it never goes away; I shake and tremble every time I play because I don’t want people to watch me—I want them to hear me, but I don’t want them to watch me directly and that’s what makes me nervous.” Robert Nunez, an acoustic guitar player, who enjoy playing at Albuquerque area open mics echoes that sentiment, “As long as the majority of people stay, and not more than one or two people get up and leave, it [doesn’t] make you feel nervous.”
On the other hand, some musicians embrace open mics because they don’t suffer from stage fright as much. “It gives me a rush to see the people in the audience so I really don’t get very nervous” says James Haynes, veteran open-miker, guitarist and frontman of the Albuquerque-based band, Jimmy’sMadJupiter.
Whether you’re hitting the stage for the first time or the one-hundredth, playing an open mic is an ego boost. “You get your 15 minutes of fame [and] it boosts your self confidence”, says Nunez. “It gives you a chance to get out there, meet some people, play what you feel and also feel important,” adds Jaramillo.
The ego boost is one thing, but if you’re talking “exposure,” being able to go somewhere outside your friend’s garage or your own living room to perform and use equipment that’s already set up for you is an added bonus. “I honestly believe that a lot of people [who] come to open mics are there to play through an amp, or a PA… just to get a chance to hear themselves. A lot of these people don’t have this equipment at home,” says Jaramillo.
And you can’t discount the element of practice. You have to be on your game in order to get a good reaction from the audience. “It’s important to practice well so the sound is appealing and not flubbed,” says Nunez. Practice can also be a vehicle for improving stage presence. “I like it when my stage presence is good, ‘cause it’s easier to capture the audience,” says Jupiter John, who currently plays bass for several Albuquerque bands including Jimmy’sMadJupiter and The Roger Lewis Blues Band.
Mistakes come with the territory. But fortunately, at most open mic nights the audience is pretty forgiving. “Remember it’s an open mic so you’re gonna mess up—I mess up all the time, so it’s not a perfect thing,” advises Jaramillo, “You just get up there and have fun!” Jimmy’sMadJupiter frontman, Haynes, echoes that sentiment—he’s been testing new material at open mics for 12 years, “To be able to have a place where you can actually play before you actually, you know, [play and] might have a name for yourself or before you can have a gig—it’s a great opportunity to play on stage in front of people.”
Open mics also offer the opportunity to experience music that may only be heard once, because every time a musician plays a song, it can sound different, and the feeling it expresses can be unique each time the song is performed. Occasionally, a musician will hit the stage and play with someone they’ve never met before and together, they make magic, “I’ve played with several musicians some that have inspired me and some that have really taken me to places musically that I’d never been before, and it’s sad because it’s only for a moment and then that sound is gone, and you just have it in your heart to remember,” says harmonica player, Marvin Jaramillo, “But you can never do it again until you meet that person again.” He shares more of his philosophy, “Music is a one time thing, [that’s why you] give it the best feeling you have and play with your heart.”
The majority of the time the music you’ll hear at an open mic is not recorded so if you’re part of the audience, you really have to appreciate what you hear right when you’re listening to it. Guitarist, Rex Mundi explains, “In my opinion, some of the best music never gets recorded. People think that the best musicians get contracts but that’s not necessarily true. The best music ever made might have been recorded once, but you never heard it because it wasn’t distributed. A lot of stuff you hear on the radio, that’s just manufactured music—I don’t listen to it, that’s just me, but it’s not like an open mic.” Mundi frequents a University of New Mexico area open mic at a restaurant called The Brickyard Pizza, “You’d be surprised at the degree of talent these places can offer. A lot of professional musicians come in here—[in fact] on one night, it wasn’t too busy, there were regular open mic’ers jamming and these guys who play for the [New Mexico] Symphony were having a party here, so they got out their bugle horns and did some Blues or something, and I mean it was wonderful! Here are guys who usually play Chamber music and they got to do this here,” boasts Mundi, “in a casual atmosphere and it was such a great time!”
Going to an open mic is an experience all its own—not only will it give you the chance to play on stage and get some well-deserved exposure; if you’re a first timer, it can also give you a chance to set up a gig with fellow musicians. Or if you’re a pro, you can enjoy performing like you normally do, but in a more intimate setting, and perhaps in front of a more forgiving crowd.
For the audience, it’s a place where you’re pretty much guaranteed a good time because of the range of music you’ll hear, “[There are] a lot of good people coming in and playing, and they might not be accomplished, but they play with their hearts. That’s what music is all about.” Rex Mundi adds one final thought on his favorite small-time open mic night, ”A lot of these guys in here, they’re potentially gonna be BIG… you just never know.”
Author's biography:
Anna Terrain is an art lover and music enthusiast who lives to see a live show, especially anything underground. She plays the piano and enjoys writing poetry, short stories, and reading her work publicly from time to time. Anna is currently writing for Sonic Weekly and working to progress environmental causes. She resides in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
