Tucson Kitchen Musicians Association
and Hotel Congress Collaborate
“2nd Cup” Open Mic Night
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Returning Soon |
The humble beginnings of the original "Open Mic" stage dates back to the beatnik coffeehouse days of the late 1950s. In the folk revival of the early ‘60s, this musical artform became prominent due to the folk club scene in New York City’s Greenwich Village. Bob Dylan, Arlo Guthrie, Ramblin’ Jack Elliot and many other folk luminaries got their start on Open Mic stages.
Open Mics quickly spread quickly up and down the east coast in college towns as an effective way for unknown, unheralded talents to become both well-known and obviously, nationally heralded.
In the early 1980s, a group of Tucson musicians organized a weekly Open Mic stage, known widely by the moniker "The Cup", held on Friday evenings at the Campus Christian Center. "The Cup" enjoyed much success and led to the eventual formation of the Tucson Kitchen Musicians Association, the non-profit organization that now sponsors the annual Tucson Folk Festival.
In conjunction with Hotel Congress, TKMA returns to its roots with its weekly "2nd Cup Open Mic Night", staged on the new and improved Hotel Congress patio Sunday nights from 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. Admission is free; donations of any amount are encouraged, as all proceeds directly help to keep the 25th Tucson Folk Festival free to the public. The festival is always held on the first weekend of May, with over 400 musicians playing on four stages, and over 10,000 music lovers attending the event.
At 2nd Cup Open Mic Night, performers’ names are pulled out of a hat; they get a 20 minute set to perform their magic and share their musical talents. The weekly event will be hosted by longtime TKMA members and local musicians Eb Eberlein and Ron Pandy. In reconnecting with the rich tradition of the original Open Mic stages, TKMA is offering an opportunity for unknown performers to show their stuff as they consider application to the juried-selection committee for the 2010 Tucson Folk Festival.