Pulse - Open mic: Providing a stage for performance

Hosting an open mic can also help to give local musicians an artistic voice in their community.

In Saratoga Springs, musicians, poets and comedians have an array of options for what open mic they would like to perform at. Caffé Lena, City Tavern, Circus Café, and Gaffney's are just a few of the establishments that offer regular open mic nights in the city.

Rick Bolton started hosting open mics at Bailey’s Café and O’Dwyers in Saratoga Springs 10 years ago. For Bolton, who is also a member of various music groups in the area, open mics have become his favorite gig.

“Over the years I have heard some of the best and most spontaneous music at the open mics,” Bolton said.

When Bolton first started hosting open mic events the only ones that existed in the city were the two he put on at Bailey’s and O’Dwyers, and one at Caffe Lena.

Over the years a number of venues throughout Saratoga Springs have started their own open mic nights in response to the success had by the three venues. Bolton, who now hosts an open mic night at the Saratoga City Tavern on Wednesday night, said that over the years the open mic scene had become oversaturated causing attendance to go down.

“Open mics have gone through some funny stages over the years, but I am starting to see a resurgence in their popularity,” Bolton said.

Pete Pashoukos, member of local duo the Tequila Mockingbirds and host of Gaffney’s open mic night for five years now, actually met band member George Fletcher at one of Bolton’s open mics.

“They are a great meeting ground for musicians to network and meet other musicians from the area,” Pashoukos said. “If it hadn’t been for open mics I would still be waiting tables instead of playing full time.”

Aside from providing a place for musicians to convene they also offer professional musicians an opportunity to try out new material and young musicians a chance to sharpen their skills.

“Open mics are for the individual who is stuck in the living room, has a great song and a great sound, but can’t find a place to play it. It’s for the pro that’s got a new song and wants to go and try it out and see what kind of reaction they get. It’s for the person that doesn't care either way and just wants to go out and enjoy themselves in a non-structural music setting,” Bolton said.

On top of providing entertainment for people in attendance-open mics have long provided musicians like Pashoukos a chance to further their musical careers from amateur status to that of a professional.

Bolton said many of the performers who have played his open mics throughout the years have gone on to have successful careers as professional musicians, including Jeff Brisbin and Jezzie Tree.

“Open mics are so important because people have to have an outlet to express themselves. It’s like a painter needs a wall somewhere publicly where people are going to react to whatever he or she does and I think that’s the cool thing about them,” Bolton said.

Venues throughout Saratoga Springs continue to have a proud tradition of hosting open mics on a variety of nights and in a variety of ways. Aside from music, Caffe Lena holds open mics for comedy, poetry and spoken word one night a month. They have evolved into more than just a stage for music, they are a stage for artists of all walks who desire a stage to perform on.

“Open mics are vital to a community and a reflection of what is going on in cultural cities like Saratoga Springs,” Bolton said. “You can tell a lot about a city’s music scene from their open mics.”