I attended this place for the “Stark Reality” open mic. The space was dark, apparently soundproof, and well suited for this purpose. It was relatively easy to find and no problem getting in.

The event had a relaxed atmosphere, with a lot of talking in between and during performances. I noticed that many performers seemed focused on doing their set and moving on quickly. The vibe felt a little more independent compared to some other open mics I’ve attended, where performers tend to cheer each other on more. For any performers reading this, sticking around to support your fellow artists can really make a difference. Everyone benefits when the room feels encouraging.

During the show, I saw a few performers who were really impressive, definitely future stars. Others didn’t hold my interest as much, but I still appreciate the effort and craft involved, and I gave them my respect as an audience member. There’s a lot of standup comedy practice happening here, which is great to see.

One observation about material: certain joke topics didn’t seem to land as well with the audience, based on the silence and serious expressions I noticed. It might be worth keeping that feedback in mind when shaping future sets, since some subjects tend to hit differently depending on the crowd.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get to read at this event. I came with fellow Yelper Tina C, who was very hungry. We waited several hours but I wasn’t called to perform, and my friend Ryan, a new acquaintance from another event, was also hungry. Since we needed to eat, we left before I had the chance to read. I didn’t want to be rude and leave during a performance, so apologies to the comedian who was onstage when we left, it was really our stomachs that made us go.

The organizer, Viviana, is a nice lady and clearly puts a lot of effort into this event. We appreciate her work, and I look forward to returning sometime to watch and perform. Next time I’ll make sure to eat beforehand, and hopefully the energy in the room will feel a little more communal for all the performers involved.