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What's the open mic scene like in North America, Europe, Asia?

Thoughts_ArriveThoughts_Arrive Melbourne, Australia Posts: 15,165
in Musicians and Gearheads
I have been playing here in Australia and have gone to a number of them without performing.
I find that not many people in the bars that these open mics are staged actually give a fuck.
Not many people pay attention to the artist, they just chat amongst themselves over their beers and then clap at the end of each song as if they paid any attention. And these are fellow artists too, they don't pay attention to other artists.
They go outside to the smokers area.
It's left me feeling disgusted at it. I don't even want to play any more. What's the point.
Is it the same where you're from?
Adelaide 17/11/2009, Melbourne 20/11/2009, Sydney 22/11/2009, Melbourne (Big Day Out Festival) 24/01/2014

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    2-feign-reluctance2-feign-reluctance TigerTown, USA Posts: 23,141
    I live in a smaller town - closer knit and supportive of one another from amateurs to pros.
    www.cluthelee.com
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    StuffnJunkStuffnJunk Posts: 896
    Same here in New York.

    The only time people turn around and look at you is if you hit a wrong chord (don't ask me how I know that)
    "I'll tell you what: If all I had was Pearl Jam, and I didn't have another band in the world, I would not be worried. Because in there is the essence of making great music. You don't have to use it all at once, but it's there." - Neil Young
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    benjsbenjs Toronto, ON Posts: 8,937
    I travelled around Asia for three months a few years back, and that was my only experience with open mic. I found that some places were really amazing and encouraging, and they gave you attention - others just had audiences who wanted to smoke and get drunk, or watch you fail. And, to be fair, I played some pretty inebriated versions of tracks that I wouldn't blame people for laughing about. Rolling in the Deep, Don't Look Back in Anger, Hotel California were all destroyed by me.
    '05 - TO, '06 - TO 1, '08 - NYC 1 & 2, '09 - TO, Chi 1 & 2, '10 - Buffalo, NYC 1 & 2, '11 - TO 1 & 2, Hamilton, '13 - Buffalo, Brooklyn 1 & 2, '15 - Global Citizen, '16 - TO 1 & 2, Chi 2

    EV
    Toronto Film Festival 9/11/2007, '08 - Toronto 1 & 2, '09 - Albany 1, '11 - Chicago 1
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