Auditioning for an Open Mic?!?!

[jive1]

So I'm scanning Craigslist today, and I see an ad for an open mic. The kicker is that they require an audition to perform, and they will be doing open mics for multiple nights, with the "winner" getting $50 and a possible paid gig.

Have you heard of such a thing? An audition for an open mic?

[Slater]

Doesn't seem very "open".

[guroove]

It sounds like they are saying two different things. I think they got the words mixed up and that the open mic is the audition for the paid gig. If not, then they need to look up "open mic" in the dictionary.

[CapnSev]

That just takes all the fun out of it. The best part of an open mic is the potential for a major train wreck.

[Phalex]

Originally Posted by CapnSev

That just takes all the fun out of it. The best part of an open mic is the potential for a major train wreck.

+1! The great unknown is best part about open mic nights.

[Jim Campbell]

Originally Posted by CapnSev

That just takes all the fun out of it. The best part of an open mic is the potential for a major train wreck.

could be they had one train wreck too many,and the sight of patrons fleeing for the exits incited an audition process

[ric stave]

I've seen some open mics that I WISH they had auditioned for it - quite painful.

[mcapote]

they could be looking for a fulltimer to do a weekly open mic for pay. here my buddy hosts the open mic at a local bar they want someone who knows a ton of songs and can play along with the people because you get tons of guitards and singers up but not many bass players or drummers so they need people with chops to cover the songs

[jive1]

Originally Posted by CapnSev

That just takes all the fun out of it. The best part of an open mic is the potential for a major train wreck.

And that's why the band doesn't get paid.

I think it's crummy in that they will probably get many nights worth of entertainment at pretty much zero risk or cost to them.

[MEKer]

its not an Open Mic

[RDY2RMBL]

I just looked at my craigslist too and saw the same thing, you must be in the DC area! I agree that it's not open but it still sounds like fun to me, an opportunity to get PAYING gigs in the future is never something to sneeze at IMHO.

[phatbass]

It's a scam to get guys to play for nothing without the risk of having "final countdown" moments... (that's what I call 'em after seeing this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjeMDvCdrtc
a few years ago - I'm sure a lot of you have had the pleasure)

[jakelly]

I went to an "open mic" at this place once. Took my bass, hoping to get on stage sooner or later. Turned out the open mic was a parade of local talent with songs/sets already prepared, and they had no time or use for an unknown bass player. I never went back.

[Kenny Allyn]

Originally Posted by Phalex

+1! The great unknown is best part about open mic nights.

My favorite open mic/jam story …

Several years ago a friend of mine we will call him CC, was on a business trip to Conn. Hartford IIRC, anyway he took his guitar and found a local blues jam. The local guys were skeptical; asking him if he thought he could hang with them on stage and such, some pretty condescending stuff. Finally the jam leader a singer/harp player, let CC on stage and CC who is one bad-azz guitar player proceeded to blow the local guys off the stage! NOW they all wanted to buy him a beer, and be his best friend. Jam leader harp dude ask who are you what’s your name etc: … Oh I’m CC from Memphis … Holy shizznet he says not “THE” CC !!! … more than a little taken aback by all of this, my buddy answers uh yeah, I guess … I’m the only CC around that town. Turns out CC was the guitar player on several tracks by a singer/harp player that the local jam leader idolized, he had all of this guys CDs and knew who the backing players were and such. At a jam/open mic you just never know what will happen or who will show up.

To this day every time I see CC, I always razz him ... OMG are you "THE" CC

[Phalex]

Originally Posted by Kenny Allyn

My favorite open mic/jam story …

Several years ago a friend of mine we will call him CC, was on a business trip to Conn. Hartford IIRC, anyway he took his guitar and found a local blues jam. The local guys were skeptical; asking him if he thought he could hang with them on stage and such, some pretty condescending stuff. Finally the jam leader a singer/harp player, let CC on stage and CC who is one bad-azz guitar player proceeded to blow the local guys off the stage! NOW they all wanted to buy him a beer, and be his best friend. Jam leader harp dude ask who are you what’s your name etc: … Oh I’m CC from Memphis … Holy shizznet he says not “THE” CC !!! … more than a little taken aback by all of this, my buddy answers uh yeah, I guess … I’m the only CC around that town. Turns out CC was the guitar player on several tracks by a singer/harp player that the local jam leader idolized, he had all of this guys CDs and knew who the backing players were and such. At a jam/open mic you just never know what will happen or who will show up.

To this day every time I see CC, I always razz him ... OMG are you "THE" CC

My drummer goes to Houston on business occasionally, and they have blues jams all week long. He is known as "That white boy from Michigan" by the players at the places he frequents.

He told me he was at the bar his second or third night in a row, and this big black guy comes up and asked: "You that white boy from Michigan?" He didn't know exactly what was going on but he say's "Yeah........ I guess so." They dragged him up on stage and kept him there all night. He doesn't get much sleep when he goes to Houston.

[Kenny Allyn]

There is the other side of the coin though …

I do the host/house bass player thing at a number of the local blues jams around here (and get paid for that) … You just never know what may happen, like the night the guy uh … gurl … whatever showed up to play and sing, IT was an “ugly” thing to behold … from both a sonic and visual standpoint!

[okcrum]

Originally Posted by MEKer

its not an Open Mic

+1. It's a wannabe showcase masquerading as an open mic.

[jive1]

Originally Posted by okcrum

+1. It's a wannabe showcase masquerading as an open mic.

It's a club looking to get free entertainment by pretending to be an open mic.

[okcrum]

Originally Posted by jive1

It's a club looking to get free entertainment by pretending to be an open mic.

Yeah if there's no paid house band that's closer to it.

[Chowowbus]

I have had places similar to this offering to give us this type of "chance"...

I just laugh at them....