UNURBAN OPEN MIC

This is How We Dream (link)

What do a fit model, janitor, construction company owner, lawyer, student, photographer, and web-designer have in common?

They all have a passion for writing songs and performing their music.

Every Friday night they throw their name in the hat at the UnUrban Coffeehouse for a chance to play. They get ten minutes to sing two songs and live their dreams.

© 2009 David A. Kowal All rights reserved. David Kowal's documentary was shot at the UrUnban Coffee House open mic.

 (buy)   (view the trailer)

The UnUrban Music Open Mic has been running every Friday for about the last 10 years. ANYONE can perform (music, not poetry). We have had complete novices up to virtuoso classical guitarists.

But the main emphasis is Original Singing and Songwriting.

LOCATION

UnUrban Coffee House
3301 Pico Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90405
(310) 315-0056 (no phone signups)

UPCOMING SHOWS and HOSTS

Friday Open Mic signups are from 7:30 to 8:00 p.m.

TICKETS for performing are $3. Audience is free.

Performers are from 8:00 to 11:30 (last act), with 24 slots, drawn from the hat at random at the beginning of the open mike. Late arrivals (if there are tickets left) are tacked to the end of the list.

Featured performers play between 7:30 and 8:00.

Ten minutes or two songs. No Karaoke. Original songs and compositions only. No covers. If you don't have instrumental accompaniment but want to sing a cappella, that's fine.

An upright piano is available on stage.

The coffee house closes at midnight.

Videotaping

You may videotape your own performance, but if you wish to videotape other performers, you must first clear it with Pam Stallings, the owner.

BOOKING

Gigs are not booked through the myspace. You have to talk with the host of the open mic if you want to get a position as the feature act before the one of the host's open mics. In other words, Steve Narahara books his Friday evenings, and David Kowal books his Friday evenings. If there is no Friday act, it is the fault of the hosts. David Kowal also runs an open mic on the fourth Saturday of the month ($4, 3 songs, 15 minutes).

In addition, there are two feature nights: One is run by David Kowal the second Saturday of the month from 7 to 11 p.m. You should contact David Kowal (davidkowal@davidkowal.com) if you wish to book a feature slot on the second Saturday. More information about booking the Showcase can be found on our blog. Use this link: BOOK

The second showcase is run by "Java with Javelyn." See Javelyn's link on the top of our friends list.

To book other events, please contact Pam Stallings directly at (310) 315-0056 or pamunurban@yahoo.com . We do not pass messages to her since she doesn't read her email in time. Just call the UnUrban.

PARKING

If you don't know your Santa Monica parking regulations, please park in the bank parking lot behind the bank at the southeast corner of 33rd and Pico. The UnUrban pays for weekend parking there. If you park on the street beyond the alley on Urban, or on the residential portion of 33rd, the City of Santa Monica will give you a $47 ticket! And ten minutes/two songs is definitely NOT worth $47. Metered parking on Pico is free after 6:00.

MAP:

UnUrban Coffee House -- Mapquest map (LINK)

DIRECTIONS:

Mapquest directions (LINK)

FOOD and BEVERAGES

There is plenty of food to be had -- turkey chili (ummm . . . ), sandwiches, soup, salads, pastries; and any kind of coffee or tea or other beverage you might want at a full-service coffee house.

Friend Requests

Hey, if we don't already know who you are, send us an e-mail about why you want to be added to the list. It is courteous, and it helps us prevent adding hackers and spam artists to the friends list. If you are out-of-state, the absence of an e-mail request may result in your button-click friend request being denied, especially if you already have a million "friends" (a good indication that a profile is being used for advertising spam). See our blog for further comments on the friends add policy. We are looking for LIVE performers and LIVE audience; if it looks like you will never appear LIVE on the premises, you need to give us ANOTHER reason for adding you.

We actually prefer that you come out and play and give us your Myspace URL THEN. We are happiest to have links to people who have come personally to the open mic and ACTUALLY PERFORMED.

Other Venues

Here's a list of other venues our friends might want to visit or play at:

    Link: Other Venues

Myspace maintained by Peter Kosenko.

NOTE: Gig posts in the comments section will be removed once the date has passed. Please do not use gigantic images. Text notices are preferable.