http://joongangdaily.joins.com/artic...sp?aid=2884071

Open mics showcase varied talents

December 19, 2007

Dave Marnock, known as “Mississippi” Dave, left, performs with Allison Millar during the SAN Open Mic Night at Timeout, an Itaewon bar in Seoul, Sunday. By Moon Gwang-lip
Walking off stage Sunday night, Tomasz Bethell realized that the chill he felt during a nerve-wracking three hours of waiting and a five-minute performance was gone.
The 25-year-old American from Arizona recited four poems and one rap song he wrote and the crowd reacted with rousing cheers.
It was a better-than-expected debut at the Seoul Artists’ Network, or SAN, “Open Mic” Night in Itaewon, Bethell said.
“I wasn’t sure how this crowd would take my style, but they were very positive and grateful, so I felt thankful,” Bethell said. “I feel warmer now.”
The SAN open mics, held the first and third Sunday of every month at Timeout, an Itaewon bar, provide a fun venue for aspiring performers like Bethell to showcase their talent, according to Keith Francese, the event organizer.
According to Francese, the SAN open mics started 12 years ago in the Hongdae area, a well-known youth hangout in Seoul. The venue moved to Woodstock, an Itaewon bar, seven years ago and last year it moved to Timeout.
There are other open mic events in Itaewon and other Seoul areas, but the SAN event has a unique appeal, Francese said.
“Generally, open microphone events cater to musicians. It is discouraging for anyone to stand up and try something different. The SAN open mics encourage anyone and everyone to take their allotted time on stage and

perform in any fashion they desire,” he said.
Among those who perform at the SAN open mics are musicians as well as poets, comedians, magicians, actors and even a fire-eater.
“It truly is a venue for free expression,” Francese said.
Last Sunday saw the same variety of performances ― a total of 16 teams showed off talents in music, standup comedy and poetry in front of an audience of more than 60.
Jerry Alexandre, a 35-year-old Canadian, recited poems from his four volumes of verse, all published in Canada.
“In the United States and Canada, this [open mic] is part of our culture,” Alexandre said.
“We come to this kind of night because there are literary lovers and poetry lovers. We share what we have and have fun together. I hope Koreans can embrace this.”
The open mics are also a good chance to improve talents, Alexandre said. As he was talking, Lee Seung-yup, a 32-year-old Korean singer, was rolling and jumping on the stage with a guitar.
“I remember the first time I heard him singing. It was not pleasant,” Alexandre said. “But now as soon as he begins to play, he gets attention, because he gained a lot of confidence, and that confidence allows him to get better.”
A former band member, Lee has performed for about a year and a half in the SAN open mics, but it took about six months before he began to feel comfortable hanging out with foreign artists.
“When I first came here, I felt quite alone,” Lee said.
“Nobody seemed to want to talk to me. So I decided to reach out and open my heart first. It really helped me get closer to foreigners and to perform comfortably here.”
“Mississippi” Dave, whose off-stage name is Dave Marnoch, has been one of the regulars at the SAN open mics for six years.
“It always changes with people, because people come and go, but the spirit is still quite the same,” Marnoch said. “I like people doing their best.”


By Moon Gwang-lip Staff Reporter [joe@joongang.co.kr]

__________________
A girl came off of the golf course complaining that she had been stung by a bee. The golf pro asked her where did it sting you? She said between the first and second holes. And the golf pro replied: well I can tell you right now that your stance is too wide!

Kinky Friedman

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