Open mics in downtown restaurants provide a stage for musicians and standup comedians
Open mics in downtown restaurants provide a stage for musicians and standup comedians
“I had no stage fright, no pressure,” says Aarti Prasad, about her open mic performance at the Cricket Shack Cafe near Kazhakkuttam a week ago. This was the first such experience for this final year BDS student. “I was at a cafe with a friend and I found out that they host Open Mic. I wanted to give it a shot. Three days later he sang Hindi, Malayalam and English songs and played the guitar while his friends encouraged him.
Aarti Prasad performing at the Cricket Shack | photo credit: special arrangement
Arathi belongs to a growing group of young people diners at cafes and boutique restaurants who have started open mic sessions on their premises. The open mic scene in Thiruvananthapuram is in its early stages. After the lockdown, many restaurants and cafes are attracting customers through open mic sessions. Music is a staple at the moment, with some venues also hosting ambitious standup comics.
“After the lockdown, we wanted people to know that we are back in business. We have been operating Open Mic since March 2022 and have received a good response especially from the college going crowd. Now, we have open mic on Thursdays and our in-house musicians perform on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. We are set to open a similar space at our affiliate company Madison Street in Kulathur’s Madison Street, says Mahesh Kumar, owner and chef of Cricket Shack. He further added that the actors are selected after a screening process in which they submit a video of their performance.
Eves Coffee on Petta-Anyara Road added a space to host an open mic when it goes for expansion after the lockdown. “It is a comfortable space with 25 seats. We provide all the facilities to do shows, be it musical night, karaoke sessions or standup performances,” says Beta Jayakumar, owner of Space, a popular hangout for board game fans.
Open mic space at Eves Coffee | photo credit: special arrangement
40 Feet in Kazakkuttam has already done live standup shows and open mics since its launch in February this year. More such shows are in the pipeline.
Crowd enjoying standup at 40 ft. photo credit: special arrangement
promotion on social media
Open mic space is provided free of charge to the artists. “These events give more exposure to eateries. Artists and their friends promote our restaurants through their social media handles and we, in turn, post their videos on our social media pages,” says one of the restaurants Is.
Olds Cool Café and Diner in Kuravankonam is adding a performance space to its terrace. They used to host events organized by Space, an artists’ collective, before the pandemic. “I didn’t want to stop it because I am looking to build a community on social media. There will be music, standup, caricature…,” says Roy, who has taken the place from his previous owners.
Currently, Lulu Mall is also hosting open mics for musicians and standup comics on Sundays. Those willing to participate need to approach the management with a one minute video of their work to be shortlisted.
Hangouts such as The Townhouse, Kaudiyar, Terrace by Makkavao Kazhakkuttam and Vazhuthacaud in Ovenly have been hosting events even before the pandemic. “Terrace launched Open Mic two years before the pandemic. We are restarting it this month and plan to hold at least two sessions every month,” says Anish Latif, who runs the place.
Townhouse started its operations in 2019 with Open Mic. He hosted the Cochin comedy project Standup Team earlier this year. “We are renovating the restaurant and will be back to open mic from next month. Budding talents can showcase their acting skills and we are not restricting it to music or standup,” says Kabir Madathil of the restaurant.
Ovenly opened its cake shop and restaurant with a concert in 2019. “My husband, Prashant Peter, and I did not want it to be a mere dining facility. Being music enthusiasts, we wanted to give a platform to budding musicians. There is not enough space in the city for musicians and we do not want to do so. Want to provide a stage. “We have open mic every day and musical nights on Fridays and Saturdays,” says Hema Edwin of Ovenly.
Shreya Marie performs at Ovenly. photo credit: special arrangement
Shreya Marie, who has given two open mic performances at Ovenly, wishes there were more venues like this in the city. Says Shreya, “Otherwise, it is not easy for amateurs to get a platform.
IT professional Arun Sadashivan, who opens the mic in Bengaluru, says he is excited about the trend in Thiruvananthapuram. “It is all about the vibe – the music, the ambiance, the food… I thoroughly enjoyed the music sessions here. The singers did not disappoint either,” says Arun.