As fall rolls in, the Campus Activities Board (CAB) is bringing back open mic night on Tuesday nights at Starbucks. Students with various talents have the opportunity to take the stage in a friendly venue to perform music, read poetry, sing and more. This atmosphere attracts several unique acts and is a great way to spend a Tuesday evening away from the dorm.
Junior Austin McCoy is an employee of CAB and coordinates open mic night.
“We have plans to try and add a little variety,” McCoy said. “There is a poetry night coming up where all performers will be reading poetry. I don’t think we have done that before. There is a lot of potential for other themed nights.”
McCoy said that due to the amount of acts submitted last year, he knows there is plenty of talent that needs to be displayed. He said that not only does it help students overcome any fear or stage fright that they might have, it also allows experienced performers to do what they love in front of a small group of viewers.
At last Tuesday’s open mic night, a group of culturally diverse students known as Cross Cultured took the stage, according to senior Spencer Ej, a member of Cross Cultured. The unique group was thrilled to have the opportunity to perform.
“Sometimes, people put together a great arrangement and you get to see the talented people on campus, and sometimes it’s just funny to watch people who aren’t super great but are confident enough to give it a shot anyways,” McCoy said.
McCoy hopes to see the program grow and not fizzle out like it potentially could. He said it is important to spread the word and really try to bring open mic night to life.
Sophomore Garrett White is CAB staff member who occasionally assists McCoy in coordinating open mic night.
“We want to put on open mic night every other Tuesday,” White said. “This gives individuals and groups a chance to get their act together, so to speak, before it’s time to perform. It should be a good, constant turn out when things pick up.”
The next open mic night is Tuesday, Sept. 23 at 9 p.m. at Starbucks. Follow @HardingCAB on Twitter for more information on upcoming open mic night events.
