While Los Angeles is home to numerous live music venues and comedy clubs, Loyola Marymount University has facilitated its own creative community at its Open Mic Nights where students channel their artistic sides and perform for their peers.
LMU’s Mane Entertainment, an extension of Campus Activities, hosts the Open Mic Night talent showcases every Monday to provide students with a platform where they can practice their passions.
Open Mic talent opens the Living Room stage to musical performances, stand-up comedy and spoken word every Monday night throughout the school year. Due to the regularity of the event, a community has formed from the students who perform and attend week after week.
“The best thing about Open Mic Nights is that we get to see people grow in their love for comedy, music or poetry,” says Uakea Jose, Mane’s Manager of Spotlight Events.
Kasey Sobierajski (pictured at top), a sophomore Communication Studies major from Palm Desert, began performing in Mane’s Open Mic Nights during her freshman year to get involved with the campus music scene.
“I really love how welcoming of an environment it is,” says Sobierajski, a singer who cites Florence and the Machine, Lorde and The Lumineers as her musical influences. “The Open Mic Nights are a great place to express yourself, and everyone is really creative and open to each other.”
Sobierajski, who usually performs Top 40 hits at the Monday night events, was featured in the Open Mic Spotlight, which allowed her to perform her own full set.
“It was an awesome opportunity,” Sobierajski says about the Spotlight performance. She adds that the experience was one of her favorite memories from the Bluff.
While Open Mic Nights have become a community for a number of musicians, comedians and poets at LMU, Jose says she hopes to see more students attend the events and become involved.
“In the future, I would love to see more people utilizing these opportunities to go beyond their comfort zones because that is what college is about,” Jose notes.
Mane Entertainment’s Open Mic Nights take place Mondays in the Living Room during the academic year. Sign ups begin at 7:30pm and performances at 8:00pm. Check the Mane Entertainment Facebook for updates on the the Open Mic Night schedule.
By Nathalie Rubin
Photographs courtesy of Mane Entertainment