Introduction – Equipment – The Signup Sheet
Introduction
Yes, indeed. Open Mic Night. I, myself, have hosted and performed at these things. As a host, the first rule is that open-mic isn’t all about you or your band, its for other people to show their talent. This means showing some kindness and care when setting up performers regardless of talent or skill level. This is a big event for many participants. For some, it’s their first time performing in public. These participants have put in many hours of practice and rehearsal for this event. They’re nervous, but they’re also excited. They’re looking forward to sharing their talent with the audience. Its a time for the host to show empathy and encouragement.
Equipment
Unless you are lucky enough to host an open mic at a venue that already has a PA system and microphones, you will need to bring your own equipment.
An acoustic open mic is a live performance that allows audience members to participate. It can be held in an intimate and quiet venue, such as a coffee house, or it can be held in a larger venue, such as a club or a concert hall. The size of the venue will determine the type and amount of PA equipment that is needed. A small venue may not need any PA equipment at all, while a larger venue may require a full sound system.
PA
A nice little setup for an open mic would include powered speakers, a microphone or two (with stands), and a small mixing board. The mixing board should have at least six channels for the microphones and guitars or other instruments. The speakers should be able to handle a wide range of frequencies, and the microphones should be sensitive enough to pick up vocals and instruments at all volumes. The mixing board should be able to handle at least two microphones at the same time, and have at least four inputs for guitars and other instruments.
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The Signup Sheet
This may be the most important part of your open mic kit. Aside from being a guide to the lineup for the night, it can help to manage the stage. Early in the night, the audience is “cold” and sober, so a performance that will wake up and energize the crowd is needed. My technique for warming up the room was to be prepared with easy-to-play songs with a pick-up band from the sign-in sheet. I’d start with a few classic rock anthems before moving on to some songs I knew would go over well with the bar’s crowd. There are a few things to keep in mind. The most obvious is that you’ll be performing at a bar, so most likely there will be a large screen TV playing whatever game or competition is going on at the moment. Don’t try to compete with it, go with it. You want people watching the game to enjoy watching your band, too.
If you are going to have a sign-up sheet for performers, then you need to have a good sign-up sheet. First, you need to include the name of the venue and the date of the gig at the top of the sheet. The sheet should also include a column for the name of the performer, a column for their instrument, and a column for their email address. I personally like to use a spiral-bound notebook for my sign-up sheets. I also add my business cards and a few pens to the notebook. That way, the sign-up sheet and supplies are all in one place. I also reuse the same notebook each week, so that I can look back and easily remember the names and instruments of returning performers. I also mark how many songs each person performs. This is to give everyone a fair chance and to keep the show moving. I try to limit the performers to about three songs, but that number depends on how many other players they can integrate into their act and, sorry to say, their talent. Three is the minimum. This gives the performer a warm-up song plus two more to show their stuff and still gives everyone else a chance to play.
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