Hmmmmm....
http://www.gigsandbands.com/5-reasons-w ... ive-music/
Your thoughts on this topic?
5 Reasons Why Open Mic Nites Are Killing Live Music
I've put together more than one open jam based on the Blues genre. Or, an open Blues jam. I did it for nothing (no pay) because I thoroughly enjoy sharing the stage with others that I don't get to play with.
I loved every minute whether I was playing or listening / watching. it seems by the feedback, everyone had the same enjoyment. Did the venue make a buck? I sure hope so, they just left me in their house for free to have a party! Find out what it cost to rent a venue and you'll see how much you saved.
Weekly open jam nights? Yep, I go to those too. Get to play some tunes that my band doesn't play. Again, SHARE music with fellow musicians. It's so cool to see someone I would see gigging, and now share the stage with them. Love it! I love the people I get to meet, established musicians or some who have never been on stage before!
Is the talent similar to seeing a rehearsed band, usually not although I've seen open jams that just blew me away, better than a lot of rehearsed bands.
Do spectators think this is what rehearsed bands sound like? If they ever go out, they know it's not the same, how could they not know? If they don't know any better, then they never usually go out anyhow.
Most have a PA, a drum kit, available food and drink, and we can share a love for music. I sure hope the venue makes a buck! If someone makes a buck for setting up the PA, a drum kit, and does the job of keeping people involved, then I hope that guy makes a buck too. It can be a very hectic job making sure everyone gets a chance and that they get that chance with the "right" other people on stage. Got five drummers, make sure they each get a turn. Got someone who can barely play guitar, make sure they are up with someone who plays well, but will compliment / encourage the newb. Keep egos under control, although that's seldom to never a problem.
Where's the negative? Playing for free? Keeping a band from playing? I know of the people who criticize jammers for playing for free. If they're at home watching TV, it's not my fault.
Share the music, share the fun, share the adventure, and share it with friends and with strangers, go to an open jam...
I loved every minute whether I was playing or listening / watching. it seems by the feedback, everyone had the same enjoyment. Did the venue make a buck? I sure hope so, they just left me in their house for free to have a party! Find out what it cost to rent a venue and you'll see how much you saved.
Weekly open jam nights? Yep, I go to those too. Get to play some tunes that my band doesn't play. Again, SHARE music with fellow musicians. It's so cool to see someone I would see gigging, and now share the stage with them. Love it! I love the people I get to meet, established musicians or some who have never been on stage before!
Is the talent similar to seeing a rehearsed band, usually not although I've seen open jams that just blew me away, better than a lot of rehearsed bands.
Do spectators think this is what rehearsed bands sound like? If they ever go out, they know it's not the same, how could they not know? If they don't know any better, then they never usually go out anyhow.
Most have a PA, a drum kit, available food and drink, and we can share a love for music. I sure hope the venue makes a buck! If someone makes a buck for setting up the PA, a drum kit, and does the job of keeping people involved, then I hope that guy makes a buck too. It can be a very hectic job making sure everyone gets a chance and that they get that chance with the "right" other people on stage. Got five drummers, make sure they each get a turn. Got someone who can barely play guitar, make sure they are up with someone who plays well, but will compliment / encourage the newb. Keep egos under control, although that's seldom to never a problem.
Where's the negative? Playing for free? Keeping a band from playing? I know of the people who criticize jammers for playing for free. If they're at home watching TV, it's not my fault.
Share the music, share the fun, share the adventure, and share it with friends and with strangers, go to an open jam...
Well said, Hawk.
While I agree with what the article says, I don't think it applies everywhere. If large, popular venues were having open mic on Fridays or Saturdays, then sure, that could hurt things quite a bit. But in many markets, the weekdays are not big draw nights anyway. Sometimes, open mic is the venues biggest weeknight. Anything can be done poorly, but they are a blast when done right. How many of us have met a bandmate at a jam session? I hope everyone has. Heck, I know of a few great bands that have come from open mic.
While I agree with what the article says, I don't think it applies everywhere. If large, popular venues were having open mic on Fridays or Saturdays, then sure, that could hurt things quite a bit. But in many markets, the weekdays are not big draw nights anyway. Sometimes, open mic is the venues biggest weeknight. Anything can be done poorly, but they are a blast when done right. How many of us have met a bandmate at a jam session? I hope everyone has. Heck, I know of a few great bands that have come from open mic.
Last edited by Jasaoke on Wednesday Oct 08, 2014, edited 1 time in total.
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centralpabob
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Open mic
Personally I don't know anyone and am a relatively new bass player. They work for me.. Well I attend 1.. Mainly to get out of the house an play in front of people an try to make connections.
I tend to agree with Jasaoke and Hawk on this one. I agree that if these are happening on Fridays and Saturdays and competing with actual band gigs, then it gets to be a problem.
But with the open mics and jam nights currently happening in our area, they all happen on weeknights when there is nothing else usually going on.
My band has been hosting an acoustic open mic on Tuesdays since early summer. It's been a good thing so far. As Hawk said, open mics can provide an opportunity for musicians to get together and perform alongside one another outside of their usual band circumstances, to see what their fellow musicians are doing, network and have fun. Our open mic has seen seasoned players and solo artists, but also young musicians, beginners, and musicians/projects off the beaten path that do something outside the norm of what usually gets booked to perform, such as original-geared singer/songwriters and performers who do songs outside of the mainstream. Several musicians already have stepped up to the microphone to perform publicly for the first time ever at our open mic, and the experience has been positive so they are encouraged to return and continue to get their stage legs under them.
I have seen another open mic/jam night locally where young players are invited get up and jam alongside seasoned stage vets in a supportive environment. This jam night is fun as well, and serves to provide encouragement and valuable experience to young musicians learning their chops.
And as Jasaoke eluded to, new bands can form through open mics and jam nights. I know - I met my bandmates and my band came together through a jam night. Up until this jam night started, I had hand percussion instruments sitting in a corner in my house and gathering dust. This open mic/jam night gave me a first opportunity to start playing hand percussion alongside other musicians, and eventually I met my future bandmates at this same event. We now are coming up on three years of doing our thing. It wouldn't have happened without that jam night providing the opportunity.
But with the open mics and jam nights currently happening in our area, they all happen on weeknights when there is nothing else usually going on.
My band has been hosting an acoustic open mic on Tuesdays since early summer. It's been a good thing so far. As Hawk said, open mics can provide an opportunity for musicians to get together and perform alongside one another outside of their usual band circumstances, to see what their fellow musicians are doing, network and have fun. Our open mic has seen seasoned players and solo artists, but also young musicians, beginners, and musicians/projects off the beaten path that do something outside the norm of what usually gets booked to perform, such as original-geared singer/songwriters and performers who do songs outside of the mainstream. Several musicians already have stepped up to the microphone to perform publicly for the first time ever at our open mic, and the experience has been positive so they are encouraged to return and continue to get their stage legs under them.
I have seen another open mic/jam night locally where young players are invited get up and jam alongside seasoned stage vets in a supportive environment. This jam night is fun as well, and serves to provide encouragement and valuable experience to young musicians learning their chops.
And as Jasaoke eluded to, new bands can form through open mics and jam nights. I know - I met my bandmates and my band came together through a jam night. Up until this jam night started, I had hand percussion instruments sitting in a corner in my house and gathering dust. This open mic/jam night gave me a first opportunity to start playing hand percussion alongside other musicians, and eventually I met my future bandmates at this same event. We now are coming up on three years of doing our thing. It wouldn't have happened without that jam night providing the opportunity.
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bassist_25
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I think the article is a bit alarmist. While the average venue-goer probably isn't going to know the difference between ripieno and tutti, they are sophisticated enough to know that an open mic isn't representative of professionally performed live music. Also, while such nights are arguably cheap entertainment for club owners, any smart club owner should think in terms of net at the end of the night. Maybe things are different in the U.K. where the author is from, but I don't see droves of non-musicians flocking to open mic and jam nights to catch music. At the end of the day, if shelling out for a live band is what it takes to get a lot of people through the door to drink, that's what club owners are going to do. If a club is wasting its Friday and Saturday on an open mic night, then that venue's sunk as far as live music goes, anyway.
From a musician's standpoint, these nights can be really cool or as fun as a kick in the testicles. Sometimes you get accomplished players who want to unwind at an open mic or people performing less commercial music that may not fly in another setting. Those instances can be really cool. Unfortunately, you also get a lot of amateurs who could never cut it on an actual gig, and those can be boring at the least and painful at the worst. The jamming aspect can be really cool. But then again, it can sometimes divulge into meandering pentatonic noodling, especially if the players don't really come from improvisational or jazz backgrounds.
From a musician's standpoint, these nights can be really cool or as fun as a kick in the testicles. Sometimes you get accomplished players who want to unwind at an open mic or people performing less commercial music that may not fly in another setting. Those instances can be really cool. Unfortunately, you also get a lot of amateurs who could never cut it on an actual gig, and those can be boring at the least and painful at the worst. The jamming aspect can be really cool. But then again, it can sometimes divulge into meandering pentatonic noodling, especially if the players don't really come from improvisational or jazz backgrounds.
"He's the electric horseman, you better back off!" - old sKool making a reference to the culturally relevant 1979 film.
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PanzerFaust
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