Open mics groom newcomers for stage

SANDPOINT – When the acoustic duo Crooked Fingers set out to host an open mic night in downtown Sandpoint, there was no problem finding enough performers or music lovers to make it fly. For Mark Remmetter and Rick Price – the local pickers who make up the group – the challenge was to find a night when there wasn’t already such an event going on.

Between Sandpoint, Bonners Ferry and Newport, Wash., more than half a dozen open mics are scheduled throughout the month, with sessions taking place on Monday through Friday nights at different times of the month. (See sidebar for event listings)

And while the pros do show up to try out new material, the people who host these gatherings say their intent is to welcome newcomers to the performing fold.

“I think of open mic as an opportunity for amateurs to play for an audience through a good sound system,” Remmetter said. “That’s what were aiming for.”

The Crooked Fingers open mic, held at MickDuff’s Beer Hall, is one of the latest to join the lineup in this region, while at least two others have been in existence for 18-20 years.

“We’re new – it’s only three months old,” said Remmetter, who opens each show by playing a brief set with Price before handing the microphone over to the other eight or nine acts who sign up. “So far, we’ve had a good turnout. Three hours of music and a great audience, too.”

He expects even stronger attendance over the winter months, as days grow short and outdoor activities create less competition for audience attention.

On the other end of the spectrum is an event called Five Minutes of Fame, held in the Café Bodega at Foster’s Crossing. The showcase for sharing started at Jumpin’ Joe’s – one of Sandpoint’s pioneer coffee houses founded by local songwriter Bonnie Thompson. It then moved to the Red Martin Café before making stops at Eichardt’s Pub and DiLuna’s Restaurant on its way to becoming a permanent fixture at Café Bodega.

“It’s been 18 years – we started in 1997,” said Tom Kramer, who helps mount the monthly performances with his wife, Robens Napolitan, both of whom share their spoken word works at the event. “It’s like a family of folks that’s comprised of half and half, artists and presenters.”

Audience size can range from 20-40 people, he added, while the artistic genres cover a lot of territory.

“It’s spoken word with open arms to any kind of music,” said Kramer. “But we’ve even had a couple of dancers from Spokane who did a combination of spoken word and movement.”

Hosted by the musical duo Ruff Shod, which features Fiddlin’ Red Simpson and Desiré Aguirre, the open mic usually includes more than 10 performers in an evening, as singer-songwriters rotate with stand-up comics, short story authors and cowboy poets. Unlike the “slams” that have gained favor in some venues, however, Five Minutes of Fame is completely non-competitive.

“We’ve had people who attend open mics internationally who tell us it’s the best they’ve ever been to,” Kramer said. “I think it’s that family atmosphere.”

Here, too, there are the professional writers and musicians who show up, but the spotlight shines brightest on amateurs, according to Kramer, who said first-timers, total beginners and especially youngsters are encouraged to experience being in front of an audience.

“That is really what Five Minutes is all about,” he explained.

Encouragement also abounds at Monarch Mountain Coffee House, where local musician Scott Reid hosts two open mics each month. One of them casts a wide net as far as styles, while the second is geared toward singer-songwriters playing exclusively original material.

“I did a lot of open mics when I was starting out,” said Reid. “In the old days, when you wanted to network, you went to play at an open mic night.”

Reid sees his role as host as a chance to pass along a few tips, such as how to best use a microphone and how a sound system works. He also brings a benign presence to what otherwise could be a stressful experience.

“It’s a nice place for beginners, because people feel safe,” he said.

With an audience of about two-dozen people and an average sign-up of about six acts, the nights keep Reid as entertained as his audiences.

“We get everything from solos to six-piece bands and from old-time to classical,” he said. “You never know what you’re going to get. It’s kind of fun that way.”

Monarch also hosts open mics for jazz buffs and poets on alternate Thursday nights.

Farther north, the Pearl Theater in Bonners Ferry has hosted an open mic night since the time the historic Catholic Church was converted to a community performance space four years ago. One hallmark of the sessions, according to board president Sue Wilson, was the conscious decision that the event would never be cancelled, even on holidays.

“For that reason, we usually have a full house and anywhere from 6-15 performers,” she said. “We get everything from people with a lot of experience to people who have just gotten up for the first time.”

Hosted by Bonners Ferry band Quarter Moon, the night features a real stage with professional sound and a full lighting system. Those attributes alone might have amateurs shaking in their boots, not to mention the prospect of a full house in a theater that holds about 100 people. Once again, the pros are on hand to show newcomers the way.

“It’s really low key,” said Wilson. “We try to make everyone feel comfortable up there on stage.”

For those who fancy an actual stage, the Pend Oreille Playhouse in Newport is another spot that hosts an open mic in a professional theatrical venue on the first Friday of every month.

The oldest open mic night – though it has evolved into what its host calls a jam – is the Monday Night Blues Jam at Eichardt’s Pub in Sandpoint. He started the jam when the Kamloops Klub was still in existence on First Avenue, later moved it to the Donkey Jaw on Cedar Street and stayed on when that establishment changed owners – and names – to become Eichardt’s.

“Now I’ve been doing it every Monday for over 20 years,” Mills said.

Musicians are always welcome to sit in, but this particular venue has a focus on the blues and tends to attract more experienced players.

The newest installment in the area is the Throwback Thursday open mic, a casual gathering hosted by local musician Brian Jacobs at the 219 Lounge in downtown Sandpoint.

If nothing else, these get-togethers introduce beginning players to an idea that gets lost in the competitive environment of cutthroat shows such as “The Voice” and “America’s Got Talent.” At open mic night, there are no judges and no judgment. To the contrary, everyone seems to be pulling for each player to shine during their moment in front of the microphone.

“It’s a good time,” said Reid. “And we usually have a jam at the end where we all play some simple, old folk songs together. That’s a lot of fun because everyone can join in.”