Open Mic Night in Isloo: Just so-so

Open Mic Night in Islamabad this weekend was a disappointing affair.

Hashim Numani June 28, 2011
Open mic nights have fast been gathering immense popularity amongst performers, whether they are singers, dancers, poets or comedians - these nights provide them with a platform to present their act in front of a proper audience.

Origami Entertainment in association with Nandos Islamabad organized one such event. I was one of many amateurs that decided to avail this opportunity to play my six string.

Registrations were sent, acceptance calls were received and sound checks were made. Unfortunately, the venue was not very big so the inherent limitations of good sound were pretty visible from the get go. Lahore open mic nights have set a high benchmark, hosting famous bands like Laal, and relatively newer acts such as the percussion ensemble Quadrum.

Islamabad's attempt at capturing that magic, however, fell short.

Sound limitations and an indifferent audience (yes, the audience was peri peri noisy) meant the musicians received no appreciation. Some acts were good (especially the band that performed Junoon's Saayein), some not so good, but the lesson we all learned was that small venue events really should not entertain an all-electric atmosphere. All in all, the event was a good effort for local acts to showcase their talents, if only crowds listen.

Best performance: Zombie by Maria Fatima

Worst performance: Sweet Child o' Mine by Overdrive -The band

[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGuS8lO1OeI&feature=related]]
WRITTEN BY:
Hashim Numani A photo blogger who works for a Telecom company who loves to write and plays the guitar.
The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necassarily reflect the views and policies of the Express Tribune.

COMMENTS (12)

umar | 12 years ago | Reply Guiter not sync up properly with te vocals, pathetic versions of cover
IUA | 12 years ago | Reply @Anonymous: Rubbish for whom ?
VIEW MORE COMMENTS
Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ