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Open mic is all around Oshkosh.
It’s in the bars, coffee
houses and in UW-Oshkosh’s very own Titan Underground.
Short
for open microphone, an open mic is the place where it’s any one’s
game. It’s the place where all musicians, poets and performers are
welcome to use the mic how ever they want and depending on the
venue, nobody is too old or too young to perform. It’s the place
where the quality of a town’s culture can be judged by the soul and
ambition of it’s participants.
In the Titan Underground, the
focus turns to the songwriters, poets and other performers who want
to show off his or her creative side every Tuesday at 8
p.m.
“It creates a community of people who enjoy poetry and
music and people who like to perform,” said open mic veteran Jason
Moon.
Moon started open mic night at the university in 1997
and at the French Quarter, at 539 High St. on Tuesday nights in
2000, which is now hosted by Joe Stevens. Moon also started an open
mic at the New Moon, 401 N. Main St., on Tuesday nights, which is
now hosted by Oshkosh resident Aaron Baier.
Moon said that
after he starts an open mic he will give it away.
The band
HiFoniX, that plays Nov. 12 at the Titan Underground, got its start
at open mic night Oshkosh.
“It’s where we honed our skills,”
band member Jason McDryde said.
McDryde and the band want
more people to come to open Mic night to support the
acts.
“Come down, Tuesday nights, bring some homework, listen
to some good tunes and relax,” McDryde said.
Many local
performers also play off-campus.
Jason Lipsky has been
playing at local open mic nights for about two and a half
years.
“It’s fun. It’s my favorite thing to do,” Lipsky said.
“It’s what I’d be doing anyways. I’m lucky to make my hobby my
job.”
Lipsky plays at open mic nights primarily at French
Quarter and Wingers, which recently added an open mic on Monday
nights, hosted by Matt Golay and Mike Boyle.
Lipsky
encourages anyone to try his or her talents at an open mic
night.
“Everybody who just loves to play, and anybody who
wants to get up there, can get up there and do their thing and
everything’s cool.”
Moon said that open mic “creates a
community of people who enjoy poetry and music and people who like
to perform.”
Moon and Lipsky play in a band together called
the Great Garbonzos, but both plan to stay the in open mic
scene.
“I’ve always been a solo musician. Hopefully Oshkosh
will accept me again,” Moon said.
The host at an open mic
night introduces the acts, keeps the show running on time and
usually performs a set on his or her own.
Andy “Meadow”
Meddaugh is the host of open mic night at Jabroni’s at 14 W. Irving
Ave.
“I like open mics because you get all these kids from
all parts of town and they come down and they bring their original
tunes with them,” Meddaugh said. “You will not believe the talent
you will hear in Oshkosh. It’s a heck of a show.”
Open mic is
free to the public and at most places all you have to do is sign
your name to the list.
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