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

Thoughts_Arrive

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?

2-feign-reluctance

I live in a smaller town - closer knit and supportive of one another from amateurs to pros.

StuffnJunk

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)

benjs

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.