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i found that often open mic night prices will vary a bit, with most of them being free to attend

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this is a really helpful detailed explanation of open mic nights and advice from professionals on how to preform to the best of your ability. i think that this is an Authoritative bit of advice that is also Relevant because it come from professionals who have been through countless open mic nights

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A comedian, a poet and a musician, all of whom run local open mics, share some of their experience and give advice to aspiring performers.

Rob Malm had never set foot onstage until he tried his hand at stand-up comedy at an open mic night in February.

"I'm used to presenting, like, a class project in front of 20 people," said Malm, a 21-year-old Suffern resident and student at Ramapo College of New Jersey. "And here I was getting pelted by bright lights in front of a way bigger crowd."

Malm was performing at the monthly open mic night at Levity Live, hosted by professional comedian Dave Saitzyk.

"Anyone can come sign up, get up on the stage and have a feel for it," says Saitzyk. "It's very supportive. You see a lot of the comics going to each other afterward saying specific things they like about their sets. Even some counsel from the older comics saying, 'Maybe give this a try.' "

Comedy isn't your only option for open mics, though. Eric Alan, who performs under the name "Zork," hosts a monthly poetry open mic night at the White Plains Library and musician Don Lowe heads many open mic events at The Towne Crier Cafe. While getting up on stage to try your hand at comedy, poetry or music for the first time can be intimidating, the local experts encourage everyone to try them.

The performers at Levity's event run a wide gamut. From college students to retired teachers to house moms, the acts are representative of a wide swath of experiences and lifestyles. Many of the performers know one another and they're supportive and amiable as their peers perform. Even if a comic bombs, you probably wouldn't know by the crowd's civil manner and supportive response.

The open mics, which are free and open to the public, are held at 5 p.m., typically on the last Wednesday of every month. Sign-ups begin in the bar area outside the club on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 4:30 p.m. Aspiring comics should email openmic@levitylive.com before heading to the show.

A typical evening begins with Saitzyk doing a few minutes of his own material, setting the mood and putting the crowd, which usually numbers between 40 and 50, performers included, at ease before handing off the mic.

A skilled impressionist, Saitzyk often incorporates voices like Al Pacino, Matthew McConaughey or Morgan Freeman as he hosts, even staging a rap battle between "South Park's" Eric Cartman and "Family Guy's" Stewie Griffin.

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Comedian J.C. performs during an open mic night at Levity Live in West Nyack on Feb. 25. (Photo: Carucha L. Meuse/The Journal News)

Each comic is given between five and six minutes to deliver their material, ensuring a variety of styles, topics and aptitude. Saitzyk says the most common issue with first-time performers is that they don't come properly prepared and segue off their original point or abruptly end their sets.

As supportive as the audience at Levity is, the crowds Saitzyk dealt with early in his career were anything but.

"A lot of the open mics that I did when I first got into the business (in 2011) were typically held in bars in the Orange County and Rockland area," he says. "So doing an open mic in that situation was very different. You might just have a drunk guy at a bar who decides he just wants to get up there and talk.

"Whereas, at Levity Live, people are coming to a beautiful comedy club, so most people tend to come prepared."

Saitzyk has a lot of empathy for the performers. His first time performing at an open mic, at CV's Hideaway in Central Valley, New York, was anything but smooth.

"My first set was my worst set," he says. "The first time I got on stage was absolutely the worst I ever did. So bad, in fact, that I couldn't allow myself to have that be my only experience. It was so bad that it became a motivator."

At his Levity Live gig, a 7:30 p.m. showcase, featuring more seasoned comedians, follows the open mic, but Saitzyk says it's not uncommon for an open mic comic to do well enough to eventually get booked on that show.

"That one we end up selling tickets for," Saitzyk says of the second show, which costs $5. "It's a nighttime show and it's a real showcase of up-and-coming talent, where the first one is more about jumping in and seeing what it's like up on stage."

Fearlessness and perseverance, Saitzyk says, are the two most important qualities for someone looking to try their first open mic.

"Don't be afraid to take chances, just walk up there and abandon fear. Don't be afraid to take risks," he says. "If you decide you want to do something and you commit to it fully, you can't allow failure to suddenly derail everything that's built up to this. You've made a decision, now you're taking action."

The next open mic will be on March 25 and Rob Malm will be there.

"There were a bunch of people that said, 'I actually thought you were joking that you were getting up there, but if you do it again, I'll definitely go,' " he says. "I know they have one on March 25, so I'm looking to make a return."

Levity Live is on the fourth floor of the Palisades Center mall, 4210 Palisades Center Drive, West Nyack. 845-353-5400, levitylive.com.

Chapter and verse at White Plains Poetry Slam

Eric Alan, who performs under the name "Zork," hosts the monthly open mic and poetry slam at the White Plains Library. The events are usually held the first Wednesday of the month. (Photo: Submitted)

Eric Alan, hosts the monthly open mic and poetry slam at the White Plains Library, despite saying he hated poetry until he was 30.

For the uninitiated, a poetry slam consists of competitive poetry readings, but Alan assures they're all in good fun, saying "we make it clear that it's a competition that's not a competition. It's just a way to engage the audience."

Sign-ups for the events, which are usually held the first Wednesday of the month, begin at 6:30 p.m. and close promptly at 7.

In what Alan describes as "kind of a three-act structure," the nights begin with a traditional open mic where participants have three minutes to read a poem.

After that, a featured poet reads for 30 minutes and Alan says he only books "the absolute legends of slam," pointing out that two-time Individual World Poetry Slam Champion Buddy Wakefield read at the February event.

After the featured poet comes the poetry slam.

Even if you're not reading poetry, Alan says you can still get involved as a judge for the slam.

Alan says that, unlike a traditional poetry open mic, the library's format attracts people who wouldn't otherwise be interested.

"One of the problems with them is, if it's just the open mic kind of thing, often it's just poets so you're sort of preaching to the choir. It doesn't have a format that will get someone who isn't there to read their own poem hooked."

He says that the crowd at the events is overwhelmingly supportive and that first-timers don't need to be intimidated.

"If someone comes up for the first time, everyone knows that that's when you give them so much more applause."

His advice for a first-timer is to "be as expressive and dynamic as you can possibly be. There's no embarrassment."

The April 1 slam's featured poet will be Hieu Minh Nguyen, author of "This Way to the Sugar." The White Plains Library is at 100 Martine Ave., 914-422-1400.

Musicians on the mic at Towne Crier

Singer/songwriter Don Lowe leads many of The Towne Crier Cafe's open mic nights. (Photo: Submitted photo)

Singer/songwriter Don Lowe leads many of The Towne Crier Cafe's open mic nights.

"The Towne Crier is a very structured open mic and that's a good thing," he says. "You need to sign up ahead of time either online or in person. You should be there when the show starts - it starts at 7 and you should be there at 7. You wait your turn and you should be tuned up and ready before you play.

"Outside of that, the host takes care of everything. I will take care of whether your guitar plugs in and whether you have to mic it and I run the sound. The performer just has to get up and have as much fun as they can for the two songs that they get."

Between 15 and 18 performers typically attend, Lowe says, adding that comics and poets also sometimes perform.

Lowe says his open mics are unique in that the performers are the sole focus of the evening.

"There is no talking while you're playing, there's no television going on. The only thing that's going on is the music. People are very respectful and they're very quiet.

"That's not the case at most open mics. Most open mics are kind of a side show for whatever else is going on in the bar or the restaurant. But our open mic is unusual in that way."

His advice for aspiring performers is that they should "be a little bit prepared and to go up and enjoy themselves."

The Towne Crier's open mic nights are every Wednesday at 7 p.m. Monday open mic nights begin in the spring. Performers can sign up in person from 5-7 p.m. or by email at openmic@townecrier.com from 3:30-6:30 p.m. the day of the event. There is a $4 cover charge at the door. The Towne Crier is at 379 Main St., Beacon. 845-855-1300, townecrier.com.

Twitter: @kev_incredulous

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Steal the show: Open mic advice from the pros

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A comedian, a poet and a musician, all of whom run local open mics, share some of their experience and give advice to aspiring performers. Rob Malm had never set foot onstage until he tried his hand at stand-up comedy at an open mic night in February.

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I found this website that has a lot on information on open mic nights rules and what you are allowed to preform i think this would be very helpful for people to see. It seems like the information is Accurate and the Purpose is that it is here to help beginners to preforming

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Benefits of preforming at an open mic night 

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Benefits of preforming at an open mic night 

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This is some good information about open mics and the benefits of preforming at them.
I would say that this information is Authoritative because it comes from a website that are based around open mic nights in the UK

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For singers, open mic nights may not be quite on a par with an actual gig, but playing at an open mic night will have its benefits for you. Your best bet would be to scout which venues in your local area host the events, then try and attend maybe one or two every week. If you are serious about a career in the music industry then performing at open mic nights for singers is a must!

What is an open mic night and how do they work?

Ever wondered how open mic nights work? An open mic night is a live event held at a venue such as a café, pub, hotel or nightclub at which amateur singers, bands, poets and other creatives are given the opportunity to perform in front of an audience. What happens at an open mic night will vary greatly and may be restricted to certain styles and skills.

What happens at an open mic night?

Want to know more about what open mic nights are like? Read this supporting article on what are open mic nights and what to expect.

The benefits of singing at open mic nights

Singing at open mic nights benefits not only for your vocals, but also your performance skills.

Open mic nights help you to pick up skills such as interacting with the crowd between songs to avoid any silent patches. For example, not putting your hands in your pockets during vocal breaks.

Open mic nights help singers with confidence and eliminating nerves and stage-fright.

For singers, open mic nights help with networking: try singing at open mic nights all over your area: speaking to other singers and acts will open up more performance opportunities, shared gigs, collaborations, and other gig opportunities.

Why open mic nights have a bad rap and why you should ignore it!

Here are some common gripes with open mic nights for singers and why these aren't necessarily a bad thing!

'Singers don't get paid singing at open mic nights': This is true. However, to start making money from your shows, you need to build up a solid fan base and open mic nights are a good place to start improving your skills and gaining exposure in the local area.

'There won't be many people there': Again, this can be true. You could use this to your advantage. It gives more opportunity to interact with the people there and get used to being watched by a crowd if you haven't done any proper gigs yet. It's all practice as you develop your ability to perform your songs live without the opportunity to stop and start like in a rehearsal.

'People at open mic nights won't like your style': Don't worry about people not liking your style of music. Quite often there will be a variety of musical styles on show.

'Your audience is just musicians and their friends': While this maybe the case at some venues, that doesn't mean they won't enjoy your music and want to hear you again. Also, supporting other musicians can lead to building a rapport and potential gig partners in the future.

'The venue is exploiting you': Many pubs and bars, which hold open mic nights for singers, use open mic nights to attract customers on quiet nights. Many may not be in a financial position to pay the acts. While not a paid gig, playing open mic nights is great experience for those starting out and open mic nights for singers, venue owners and customers can be beneficial for all.

Many famous performers have gotten their start performing at open mic night, including George Ezra who used to perform at The Gallimaufy in Bristol.
Ever considered hosting your own open mic night?

You have the opportunity to showcase new material and see how it is received. This way after your performance you could ask for any feedback and make any additional changes to the song to give it more appeal. You could use it as a chance to write a proper set list so you keep the best received songs in and remove any that didn't get much of a reaction.

Do you sing at open mic nights? What are your experiences? We would love to hear from you in the comments below.
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https://www.openmicuk.co.uk/advice/open-mic-nights-for-singers/

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Open Mic Nights for Singers: How They Work & What Happens

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For singers, open mic nights may not be quite on a par with an actual gig, but playing at an open mic night will have its benefits for you. Your best bet would be to scout which venues in your local area host the events, then try and attend maybe one or two every week.

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This is a Relevant bit of information because it directly effects the subject i am looking at, and a crucial part of information that will be needed in order to book a spot and preform at an open Mic

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open mics on tuesday: whitchurch rss club (cardiff city). open mics on wednesday: the little man coffee company (cardiff city). open mics on thursday: the claude (cardiff city)

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octavo's books cafe & wine bar - cardiff bay (cardiff bay). open mics on sunday: the live lounge (cardiff city)

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one (cardiff city). open mics on monday: gwdihw cafe bar (cardiff city)

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Cardiff Open Mic Nights - Open Mic Finder

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Open mics on Tuesday: Whitchurch RSS Club (Cardiff City). Open mics on Wednesday: The Little Man Coffee Company (Cardiff City). Open mics on Thursday: The Claude (Cardiff City), Zen Bar @ The Atrium (Cardiff City), The Look Out Cafe Bar (Cardiff Bay), Octavo's Books Cafe & Wine Bar - Cardiff Bay (Cardiff Bay).