Open mic nights at CoHo construct a ‘neighborhood of musicians’

CoHo was packed. Teams of scholars crowded tables, whereas others danced to the stay music at an open mic night time hosted by The Arbor. The efficiency — an acoustic duet — ended because the viewers erupted in claps and cheers. “What simply occurred now, when everybody got here collectively, that was so cool,” Jess Jacobs ’26, a frequent performer and sound operator, advised me.

The Arbor, a largely student-run bar that additionally organizes trivia and stay performances, launched weekly open mic night time to CoHo firstly of the quarter. On Wednesday evenings between 8 and 10 p.m., pupil singers, poets, pianists and comedians take the stage. In response to Ellie Stalcup ’24, The Arbor’s lead sound engineer, “[open mic nights] have been going actually, rather well. We’ve just about had full nights each time we’ve accomplished it.”

Performers describe the night time as a low-stakes setting to apply and experiment with their craft. Shayla Fitzsimmons-Name ’26 performs spoken-word poetry every week. “I competed in poetry in highschool, so coming right here and reciting poetry is sort of nostalgic for me. I additionally actually just like the setting. It’s supportive,” she stated. 

Fifth-year trendy thought & literature Ph.D. candidate Mitch Therieau, a singer and guitarist, determined to check out a music he had simply completed writing and carry out a canopy of one among his favourite songs, “Hey Jealousy” by the Gin Blossoms. “It’s an important, relaxed venue for individuals to stretch out and take a look at new issues in a typically pleasant and low-key environment,” he stated. 

Nathan Sariowan ’24, the lead pupil organizer at The Arbor, wished to carry common open mic nights to campus to supply a venue for pupil performers. “I used to be impressed by espresso retailers which have common open mics. I believe the one factor that actually helps a neighborhood of musicians is one thing that’s constant,” he stated. 

The Arbor nights have facilitated relationships between pupil musicians. “I’ve gotten related with a variety of artists right here and we’ve began jamming collectively. It’s such a cool place to seek out people who find themselves additionally actually thinking about music,” Jacobs defined. 

Sariowan needs open mic night time to assist revive post-pandemic campus life. “I believe issues have been sterilized a bit of bit right here at Stanford. And I really feel like issues like open mics are type of unfiltered. I need them to be occasions the place anybody may go up and be supported for doing something they need.” 

Sariowan has carried out songs he’s by no means practiced earlier than at open mic night time, and, for him, “the perfect moments in music [are] when you are able to do one thing that’s unplanned and spontaneous.” 

The spirit of efficiency and sharing in music is infectious. These thinking about performing scan a QR code on the venue to affix the queue, however in the direction of the top of the night time because the acts start to taper off, it’s not unusual that viewers members initially there to help others discover themselves on stage.  

Open mic performers at The Arbor will not be restricted to college students. Stalcup recalled a memorable time when “5 jovial German [tourists] simply getting dinner determined to stand up and sing a music in German. It was unbelievable.” Members of the CoHo employees have additionally taken the stage. Stalcup and Sariowan’s roles in organizing and working the open mic nights have supplied them with a possibility to construct neighborhood with CoHo staff. “It’s simply been very nice to kind these connections, which is one thing that I hadn’t accomplished earlier than we began working there,” stated Stalcup. 

The open mic night time have supplied a brand new showcase for pupil expertise, along with revealing a wider community of scholars who help stay music. Stalcup particularly appreciated attending to see “what individuals on campus are creating. They’ll come again each week and be like, ‘I wrote this music this week’ after which play it, and it’s superb,” Stalcup expressed. 

With its cozy environment, stage and “jazz-club” vibe, CoHo is a singular area for music on campus and Palo Alto at giant. The Arbor intends to maintain using the area to showcase pupil expertise and enrich the campus stay music scene, in line with Sariowan.

Open mic nights will probably be held on Wednesdays for the remainder of the quarter, and The Arbor at present plans to proceed them by way of spring quarter on the similar time and place.