Are you finding it’s mostly performers and a few mates attending these things, or busier than that? Dancey? Beardstrokey?
Was pondering doing something in Loughborough. Maybe a bit niche location!
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I’d be up for it.
I came across a guy at one of the Leicester nights that’s in charge of turning the old arts college and generator buildings on Frederick Street into some sort of arts venue. He seemed interested in doing something, but I don’t know how far along they are in terms of making it a useable venue.
Also there’s 20,000 fucking students right on our doorstep, if we can engage with them (through the union or music society or whatever nerdy shit) then I don’t think you’d have a problem pulling a crowd.
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That’s exactly what I said I’d want to do, further up the thread.
I can’t personally see the point in a 15 minute performance. So, EMOM events probably aren’t for me.
…but I will try and make it to one.
I’ve had 25 years putting on successful events. I know how to pull in punters.
In my view it’s so you can be free to experiment, for example I’d love to try a 15 min performance of some glitchfest music, something I never do (nor really know how to do) but a 15 min slot is long enough to dip my toes with no expectation of it being good, or being able to carry a piece for long and keep it interesting.
Usually what I see at open stages (I’ve been much more privy to the circus/dance ones, my girlfriend is a circus artist) is people experimenting, playing around with ideas, showcasing something they are daring to do outside of their comfort zone. Or very unfinished pieces, so they can gather feedback from like-minded people in the community, or even get some help.
It’s not really the place to put out a finished show, more like a safe space to put out your creativity without having to care about judgment too much and mingle with others that might create connections 
I’ve seen quite a few collabs and shows come out from these random meetings.
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Sure. Like I say - I will give one a go.
…but the main aspect of electronic music for me, has always been the meditative quality. 15 mins won’t easily get you there as performer or audience member.
I’m prepared to be proven wrong though.
Btw - just been discussing with a few old-hands. A couple say they’ve played a few open mics, but it feels like “being on a conveyor belt”. They say they’re not likely to do another one.
Isn’t that mostly true to any other performance in art though? I’ve only been to a few where being a short piece was done on purpose to express shock (or a similar instant feeling), overall most performances are supposed to take you away on a trip somehow.
I do understand what you’re saying, not trying to fight you, I just feel you are trying to fight a concept and shoehorn your expectation into something that it is not, no major issue with that, sincerely, just trying to share my view to help with perspective.
Good luck going to an open mic! Hope you have fun 
I’m not seeing this as any kind of fight, and like I keep saying - I do intend to give it a go.
I’ve only just come across the concept, so only found out about the 15 min thing around an hour ago.
I’m used to folk/acoustic open-mics, but this is obviously a little different. To begin with, there’s obviously no set-up time on one of those events, compared to an electronics scenario. So, not sure it’s all that comparable and the ‘Open Mic’ moniker, I assume is a bit tongue-in-cheek.
…and of course, with electronics - there’s much less likelihood of there being an actual microphone to be ‘open’! 
I guess if it were to more closely replicate the acoustic open-mic idea, people would bring a synth/sound source and everyone would plug into a (big) desk. then each piece could flow into another, without a 15 min break. Everyone could join in on an improvised piece. Actually - maybe there’s some mileage in this kind of idea…? 
Folk/acoustic/jazz OMs tend to be a bit more spontaneous and not-so-much arranged who’s playing when, in advance. You do also inevitably get people playing the same thing every time. 
The 15 min rules are, of course, arbitrary. Someone decided that’s the way to do it - it’s not exactly a Universal constant. I’d say we’re not all obliged to follow the same rules at events we might want to organise ourselves.
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A lot of nights have two tables, one for the person playing and the other for the next person to set up so they can start straight after.
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Yeah, I get this, and a lot of my music kinda fits this sort of concern.
But the 8 minutes of hypermeditative harsh noise I did pissed out of my mind at the end of one of the Nottingham nights went down pretty well.
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I think so! At least I’d be very, very up for participating in something like that. Give some slots for some people, keep an open section that others can write themselves in, and later in the evening groups can get together to improvise something, just jamming.
I’ve been trying to find events like this around me (Stockholm) and… Haven’t really found anything, it seems to happen much more usually in small cliques of people that already know each other and organise a private gathering here and there.
Now thinking of… I might actually try to start a small one, I have access to a decent venue outside of residential areas with good access by metro, there’s already stage equipment for light/sound in there (it’s an old circus company warehouse with a stage/residency space) so probably I could organise a few small open mics and learn how the fuck people manage to put events together 
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Yep. Seen that.
Actually just watching some videos from an event at the Fox & Newt in Leeds. That’s dual-table.
…and some of the sets are a fair bit longer than 15 minutes, would you believe!?
Btw - there’s a video of a lot of the January '23 Wharf Chambers gig here:
And those sets are why some of us have to cut our sets short or miss out completely.
Sounds like you’re suggesting there’s a possible flaw in the EMOM protocols?
No, I’m suggesting that some people are more interested in themselves than the community around them.
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Trouble in EMOM paradise then?
Though there are occasions where someone might play a longer set at an EMOM, I think the guy that organises the Derby one did a half hour set on his birthday, but this is usually announced in advance. Or someone might get a longer set if someone else pulls out and space opens up.
I’m really not understanding your tone here.
No “tone” implied. I’m saying that if community members are antagonising each other at these events, it’s not exactly selling them in a positive light.
I’m saying - isn’t that an arguable problem with the 15 minute rule / format, in that people are apparently not observing it, thus upsetting other people.
Your words - “I’m suggesting that some people are more interested in themselves than the community around them.”.