Are open mic nights killing the Illawarra’s live music scene?

When Bruno Coimbra put up a Facebook post advertising an open mic night he was trying to establish at Wollongong’s Outback Jacks restaurant, he never imagined the backlash it would cause.

The original post for the Sunday night event caused a stir amongst Illawarra musicians with many labelling the venture as exploitative and damaging to the local live music scene.

Others felt allowing musicians to take to a microphone for free devalued live music and discouraged venues from paying musicians what they were worth.

While some believed providing an opportunity for musicians to stand in front of an audience was good experience for emerging talent.

Coimbra has since given up before the event even began due to the hate he received.

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Scott Campbell, 37, has been playing in original bands since he was 16 and attested to venues no longer paying as much as they used to, but still felt open mic nights were a platform to “give people a chance”.

“Some venues will see it as an easy way to get entertainment, but at the same time, if you’re an 18-year-old artist and no-one’s heard of you, why not go and play there and try and make a name for yourself,” Campbell said.

“When we were young that’s all we used to play was like open mic events or local gigs at the Youth Centre that were put on for free. You play them and you learn. Unless you’re an established artist you’re not entitled to be paid.”

He admitted his current band Crash Tragic play more for the love of it and not as a career as some venues pay as little as $150 for the entire group for a 45 minute set of originals.

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Kylie Simpson, 42, runs the Sutherland Shire Muso’s group and said a third of members hail from the Illawarra because there aren’t enough venues genuinely supporting the scene.

Her concern with open mic nights is when they are run during “prime time spots” on weekends with no other paid opportunities.

“There does need to be opportunities for … artists who haven’t had that exposure or experience and I don’t think it helps when someone tries to start something and people are jumping in straight away to cut it down,” Simpson said.

“It’s just where people’s intentions are whether they’re actually looking out for the musicians … or just wanting to make a quick buck.”

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Lead singer of Sound of KoKo Kachina Lewis knows the ins and outs of the music industry having previously been signed to the Ministry of Sound label.

She also attests to pay rates dropping significantly over the years from thousands to a couple of hundred and a some free drinks.

“[The Illawarra music scene] doesn’t support artists as much anymore, 100 per cent it’s gone backwards. From having a sound engineer in a pub or club to lugging your own gear,” Lewis said.

“It’s gone from cash payments … to you might not get paid until the end of the month. It’d be like going and getting a facial, it’s a service and you don’t get a beauty salon and say ‘thanks for the wax do you mind that I pay you next week’.”

However, Lewis believes the Illawarra is thriving with original musicians – more than Sydney – but said the way venues manage how they book acts needs to change.

When Mike Gillmore bought Town Hall Chamber (formerly Three Chimneys) he was keen to continue using the venue to showcase original musicians but said it’s not economically viable for operators to pay $1200 for a two-hour set.

“It’s a chicken and egg thing, if you have the venues more people would come, if you don’t have audiences some of them dry out or drop off. I think in NSW we’re not as openly social as other places [like Melbourne],” Gillmore said.

“It’s important because people do need a new social space to go out to, not just only listen to DJs or Spotify.

“It’s something we’ve all got to get into as operators but we need audience participation as well.”

Co-founder of Mount Kembla’s Yo-Yo Bar Adam Dawson believes there can never be enough live music – paid or unpaid.

Dawson believes if a venue is exploiting musicians then what they’re doing should be exposed but did say open mic events can be a good stepping stone for artists to get in the spotlight.

“The people who don’t like open mic nights, then don’t go,” he said.

“It’s no different to an athlete. If you don’t put him in the arena he’s never going to get better.”

Warren Wheeler of Helter Smelter Bookings and Promotions agreed venues and emerging musicians can both benefit from open mic nights though venues who host them should also provide paid opportunities for musicians.

His biggest concern for the Illawarra live music scene was people sitting in front of a small screen.

“People need to go out. Turn off the TV and go checkout an unknown artist at your local venue. To that end we need better promotional options so people know that shows are on,” Wheeler said.

“There are too many reasons for people not to go to a show. A live scene needs venues, performers, promoters, sound engineers, et cetera, but most importantly it needs an audience.”

All agreed when Wollongong’s Oxford Tavern closed in 2010 it left a gaping whole in the live music scene as it was one venue dedicated to showcasing live music of a diverse range of genres throughout the week.

There are currently a number of venues across the Illawarra holding the baton for live music such as Dicey Riley’s, Howlin’ Wolf Bar, The Yo-Yo Bar, Town Hall Chamber, Centro CBD, Coledale RSL, Rad Bar and The Beaches to name a few.

Only a handful of others offer open mic nights on a weekly or monthly basis such as Jane’s Bar in North Wollongong, Red Square in Wollongong, Ryan’s Hotel in Thirroul and Little Joe’s Kitchen and Bar in Dapto.

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