The renovated dining facilities of Nelson Commons and its cafe — South Side Espresso Bar — are being put to a new use that shows off the talents of South Green residents.
South Side Open Mic had its first night of music Oct. 18th to a lackluster showing of residents. However, Claire Parlette, a sophomore studying sociology and a residential assistant in Brown Hall, was not deterred.
“You gotta start somewhere,” Parlette said. “It’s okay if we had an empty open mic because I got to talk to people and encourage it. I think people will show up.”
Though Parlette said most students crowding the cafe were originally only there for the coffee, they became captivated by the music onstage.
To kick off the event,
Dave Lawrence, the residential coordinator in Adams Hall, broke out his acoustic guitar for the crowd, and was onstage for a half hour “belting it,” Parlette said.
“As of right now it’s all acoustic, but we would like to get some sound equipment,” said Tyler Barton, the residential director in Brown Hall. “It sounds like the feedback (from students) was that the acoustics in there were pretty good so it wouldn't be necessary to use the equipment.”
However, Barton added there are other problems that have made incorporating sound equipment difficult, such as acquiring the equipment and finding places to plug it in. The South Side Espresso Bar does not have enough outlets to generate power.
Regardless, South Side Open Mic Night is not limited to the music. Students are encouraged to do comedy, spoken word or poetry as well.
“There is so much talent just on South Green,” Parlette said. “I hear people in the halls singing and playing guitar. This is an opportunity to share our gifts just on a green.”
As of now, the event is only being advertised to South Green residents, but eventually Barton wants to open the event up so that any OU resident can come.
“It’s a good opportunity for students to do something that doesn’t involve high-risk drinking,” Barton said. “The idea is to create a space for students to come out and hang out, drink some coffee and play board games. You don’t have to perform.”
wh092010@ohiou.edu
