Amber McNamara Freelance Photographer
Jonny Flash plays at Cafe Paradiso's open mic night April 27. Its Tuesday night open mic events have been running for nine years.
Local amateur open-mic nights
provide venues for might-bes
Many Eugene venues host
open mic nights, which
offer musicians the chance
to showcase their talents
By Natasha Chilingerian
Pulse Reporter
When night falls in Eugene, local acts
set the after-dark scene with rockin' mu
sic at popular venues such as Samurai
Duck, Luna Jazz Club and John Henry's.
But every successful musician had to
start somewhere with a tad lower pro
file One way to get a musical career off
the ground is to appear at the breeding
ground for new musicians — the open
mic. A slew of regular open mics
abound around town to invite music
lovers to share and observe new talent.
The longest-running open mic in
Eugene is held every Tuesday at 8 p.m.
at Cafe Paradiso, located at 115 W.
Broadway. Cafe Paradiso began host
ing amateur artists nine years ago.
Host and singer-songwriter Jeremy
Works said a variety of styles and tal
ent levels grace the cafe.
"I see mostly singers with guitars,
but we also get bagpipes, trumpets,
and we've had a whole jug band," he
said. "There isn't one specific music
type, but it's mostly folk."
Usually, Cafe Paradiso turns into a
bar after 9 p.m.; however, their open
mic welcomes a$ ages throughout
the night. Tonight, Works will host
the venue's first "best of" open mic
show, which will feature four regu
lars — acoustic guitarist Vince
McGinly, jazz vocalist Natalie Olson,
ukulele player Jonny Flash and blue
grass band The Ordinary Flies.
Mac's at the Vet's Club, located at
1626 Willamette St., features a bi
monthly open mic. The event is host
ed by musician Pete Christie, half of
the guitar duo Christie and McCallum.
The open mic runs every other Thurs
day at 8 p.m. beginning May 6, and in
vites all ages to participate for the first
hour; the venue is 21 and over starting
at 9 p.m. Christie said he tends to at
tract "semi-folky, acoustic rock" from
budding musicians and songwriters.
"There's always musicians in this
town looking for a place to play," he said.
Jo Federigo's, located at 259 E. 5th
Ave., hosts a 21-and-over open mic
Mondays at 6:30 p.m. that attracts fans
of smooth jazz and classical guitar.
Owner Jerome Seljan said one of their
regular acts, guitarist and vocalist Mark
Alan, was discovered at open mic.
"Some musicians are exposed at
our club and we say, 'let's give them a
weekend spot,'" he said.
Works also said Cafe Paradiso's
open mic is used by musicians to begin
their careers. He mentioned perform
ers often sell their CDs at the show and
take the opportunity to practice their
crafts in front of an audience.
"It's a good way to get used to per
forming in front of a crowd," Works
said. "We get a crowd of non-perform
ers who just come to see the show."
He said since Cafe Paradiso's open
mic is the oldest in town, local musi
cians equipped with regular gigs were
likely first seen there.
"People have gone on to bigger and
better things," he said. "A lot of local
performers that have gotten big prob
ably started out at this open mic."
Eugene music enthusiasts have a
few other options for open mic
nights. All ages are invited to Planet
Goloka's open mic Mondays at 6:30
p.m., and The Buzz Coffeehouse's
eclectic all-ages open mic is held Fri
days at 8 p.m. Planet Goloka is locat
ed at 679 Lincoln St. and The Buzz
Coffeehouse is on the ground floor of
the EMU. Another venue for the 21
and-over crowd is Tiny Tavern, locat
ed at 394 Blair Blvd., which hosts
Monday open mics at 9:30 p.m.
Contact the Pulse reporter at
natashachilingerian@dailyemerald.com.
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