UPC hosted its second annual Open Mic Night Wednesday evening in the Wabash Cannon Bowl, located in the K-State Student Union. All who wanted to perform signed up before the start of the show. The night’s performances ranged from singing to stand-up comedy.
Conner Seitz, junior in milling science and management and co-chair of music for UPC, said everything went well overall and the turnout was good.
“We’ve averaged about 50 people per show and this one had about 30,” Seitz said. “This is exactly our goal, to have at least 15 performers and to get them exposed to performing in front of other people.”
There were 11 performances, including five stand-up comedians, one poet and five singers, some of which played an instrument as they sang. One of the performers, Chance Mulder, senior in social sciences, played his guitar and sang two songs.
“I haven’t done this in a long time, so I thought I should do it,” Mulder said. “I wasn’t expecting a big turnout, and my first song was a bit rough but I think I rocked it.”
During his performance at Open Mic Night, Jeremy Ricci, former K-State student, one of the stand-up comedians, got audience members involved by bringing people into his jokes. The audience and those singled out laughed when the pointed jokes were made.
“I thought my performance was good,” Ricci said. “I had a lot of fun and the crowd was really attentive and into it. It’s a good community to foster creativity.”
Although there were some technical difficulties when it came to getting music to play over the speakers, the audience, as well as other performers, audibly encouraged each other by cheering before and after every performance.
Bre Lombard, junior in marketing, was one of many in attendance and said she enjoyed all the performances.
“My favorite thing was that there were a variety of different things, not just singing,” Lombard said. “People were expressing themselves on social issues too.”
The free event was open for anyone to attend before jumping into the last two weeks of classes before winter break.
More UPC events are scheduled for students participate in before break, including free laser tag on Friday and free ice skating on Dec. 11.
