Open Mic Night: Tales from the Stage

Our highly anticipated Best of Open Mic Night is just TWO WEEKS AWAY! We’ve counted all of the votes from our previous Open Mic Nights, and we have our line-up. Come see who won and enjoy the local talent at the Best of Open Mic!

Leading up to the big show at our beautiful McGlohon Theater on August 17, we took a few moments to interview some of this year's past performers about their experience at Open Mic! 

 

Tara Brown – Comedian

Where are you from? - I'm originally from Brooklyn, New York.  I now live in Charlotte.
How long have you been playing/performing? - I've been performing standup comedy for more than 4 years.
How did you get started doing this? - I took a six week comedy class at The Comedy Zone, and have been performing ever since.
How did you enjoy performing at Open Mic? - I very much enjoyed performing at my first Open Mic.  It is a very welcoming and supporting crowd.  Also, as a comedian who only performs clean, it is a great feeling to see both children and adults laugh at your jokes.  My favorite memory after my first show there was a little girl, who looked to be about 6 years old, came up to me and said "you were funny." I said, "you think so?"  She said "yeah, you were funny."  One of my favorite compliments to this day!
Anything else (brief) you would like the audience to know - Understanding that this show will be comprised of people who are performing because the audience wanted to see more of them makes me feel very humbled and honored to be a part of this group of performers.  I'm extremely grateful!

 

Allie Fulghum - Singer

Where are you from? – Concord, NC
How long have you been playing/performing? - I have taken voice lessons for a couple of years.
How did you get started doing this? - I was taking piano, and one day my piano teacher told me to sing a song that I was learning. When I did, he got excited and started combining piano with singing during my lessons. Now I do mostly voice, but he is still my teacher!
How did you enjoy performing at Open Mic? - I have done a few small performances, like chorus concerts, recitals, and a school talent show. When I performed at Open Mic, it was a little scary, since I had never performed for such a big, public audience. But once I got started, it was so fun and exciting! The audience was so kind, and I loved talking to so many people afterward. So I can't wait to do it again!

 

Micah Childress – Singer/Guitarist

Where are you from? - I was born in Anniston, Alabama, but I grew up in Birmingham, AL, Charlotte, NC, and Clover, SC.
How long have you been playing/performing? - I have been playing guitar off and on since I was about 16, but I've only performed 2 times previously!
How did you get started doing this? - I got started playing guitar after a live version of "Neon" by John Mayer inspired me to learn. I got started performing specifically when I heard about the open mic gig through word of mouth and figured I'd give it a shot.
How did you enjoy performing at Open Mic? - Honestly it was such a great feeling to have the audience be so receptive of me! I don't play because I have dreams of being famous or playing on the big stage; I just like to spread good music. It's made a huge impact in my life personally, so if I'm able to give even a little of that back, I'm all about it. I felt like I was able to do that when I performed at the last open mic.
Anything else (brief) you would like the audience to know - The last few years have been pretty tough, but music was one of the most significant aids in me being able to cope with everything. Things are 100% on the up and up now (I'm back in school studying pre-med biology, I just moved into my own place, I got my truck, I have a good job, etc.), and I will always be appreciative of music helping me get to where I am today.

 

Here's a video we put together from last year's Best of Open Mic Night!

See you at our McGlohon Theater, August 17 at 7:30pm for a FREE night celebrating the amazing talent we have right here, in the Queen City!