Over the past three anda half years, bartender Tim “Timber” Buege has seen the Up & Under Pub on Brady Street builda reputation for its weekly open mic. Each Monday from 9 p.m. to close, thevenue opens its stage to a diverse cast of musical hobbyists.
Host Matt Wilson and hisband begin each Up & Under open mic with a half-hour set. From there,performers can sign up to play a 15-minute slot, and have the option of beingbacked by Wilson’sband. The unique format and diversity of performers have earned the bar’s openmic three Best of Milwaukee awards from ShepherdExpress readers. It’s also been good for business on Mondays, a night whenmany bars struggle (or close altogether).
Buege credits much ofthe bar’s respectable Monday turnout to the live music.
“People are into it,”Buege says. “If you don’t like a band, 15 minutes later there will be anotherband. It goes all over the board, and that’s why it’s so popular.”
Other local cafés, barsand music venues that open their stages and mics to customers each week includethe Miramar Theatre (Tuesdays), Bremen Café (Thursdays), Linneman’s RiverwestInn (Wednesdays), Quarters (Sundays) and Conway’s(Tuesdays).
Singer/songwriter LisaGatewood got her start by playing open mics at Bremen Café in Riverwest a fewyears ago. She soon became a fixture at the open mic at Linneman’s RiverwestInn. Gatewood says the quaint and inviting open mic format helped her adjust toplaying live.
“Open mics are, bynature, safe and accepting places,” Gatewood says. “It's scary to go out thereand play your original songs for people you don't know. So playing them at openmics helped bridge the gap from my living room to my shows.”
On top of the experiencegained by playing live, Gatewood says open mics provide a place for musiciansto meet and set the groundwork for playing together.
“When I first startedplaying open mics, I met a lot of really amazing musicians who asked me to openfor them at their shows or share a bill with them,” Gatewood says. “This was areally important step in carving out my niche in Milwaukee, and I think it taught me rightaway that we're all swimming in this big pool together.”
Other performers, too,credit open mics as a source of improvement and increased exposure.
Milwaukee-area folkartist Tony Memmel also cut his teeth on the open mic scene. He’s been involvedin them, as either a participant or host, for the last 10 years, playingregularly in Milwaukee and the Fox Cities,as well as some dates on the East Coast.
Since his open micbeginnings, Memmel has recorded two full-length albums, toured extensively andcultivated a following around the area. He credits open mics for helping himrealize these successes.
“When I first beganplaying open mics, it was really some of my first experience playing as a solosinger-songwriter without a band,” Memmel says. “[Playing them] helpedchallenge me to build my repertoire. I went from being able to play 10 minutesof non-repeating material to four hours in just a few months’ time.”
Memmel says theinclusive format is good for both inexperienced and seasoned performers.
“As a musician, theappeal of open mics is to get yourself heard,” Memmel says, “whether it's forthe first time or if it's to network and play for new faces as an experiencedveteran. There are benefits for everybody.”
Though he recognizes thestigma they have, Memmel says open mics provide talented musicians anadditional outlet to play out.
“I have a hard timeremembering an open mic that I have been to where I haven't been genuinelyimpressed by someone I have never heard before,” he says.
Though there’s amicrophone open somewhere in the city almost every day of the week, the Up& Under’s Buege says even more businesses should offer open mic nights.
“There’s not a lot ofmusic venues in the city anymore,” Buege says. “We have the soundboard and allthe equipment, so you might as well take a Monday night and make it intosomething, as opposed to just being open at the bar. If you are a music venue,you should have an open mic.”
