Open mic night from home

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This article was published 08/01/2021 (1964 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Whoop & Hollar Folk Festival has chosen the internet as its new venue for open mic nights and concerts.

The music organization will host six evenings of local performances, followed by open mic sessions, by streaming them on its Facebook page and YouTube channel.

The shows are free. A Manitoban musician will start them off, performing from 7 to 8 p.m., and folks tuning in can showcase their skills in open mic sessions from 8 to 10 p.m. The program runs on Saturdays: Jan. 16 and 30, Feb. 13 and 27, and March 13 and 27.

“Part of being in the music industry, or any industry, you have to adapt to it and try to come up with a new version of offering something,” said Josh Wright, Whoop & Hollar Folk Festival’s artistic director.

The music industry has taken a beating during the pandemic, Wright said. Musicians make most of their money through live shows. Many people stream songs, which doesn’t put much cash in performers’ pockets, Wright said.

“Artists, we’re seeing, aren’t creating music as much,” he said. “They’re focusing on careers to pay the bills.”

Whoop & Hollar Folk Festival received a $2,500 Safe at Home Manitoba grant from the province. The grant is supposed to assist organizations in creating programming that folks can participate in remotely.

Wright said the money will go towards paying headlining musicians, with some going to advertising. 

Scott Nolan will play Sat., Jan. 16. The Young Pixels will headline Sat., Jan. 30; Two Crows for Comfort will perform Sat., Feb. 13; Twintwa and Forest Her Dress will feature on Sat., March 27. Other artists will be announced on Whoop & Hollar Folk Festival’s website and social media. 

The winter sessions are meant to support those watching from home, too, Wright said. Organizers hope to promote unity, resiliency and transformation — it’s the festival’s theme this year. 

“(We want to) create a concert series that will bring some joy and inspiration to people in our communities who are disconnected perhaps, or just wanting to take in an event,” Wright said. 

Having an interactive, live component during the winter months is also important in keeping people’s spirits up, he added.

Whoop & Hollar Folk Festival has hosted open mic nights for the past three years. The last season was cut short in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This will be the organization’s first year taking it online.

Participants can perform music, poetry, comedy, spoken word, drama and other types of creative material. Wright said folks are encouraged to share their own work, though they can do covers of others’ stuff if they give credit.

Each night will have eight to 12 sets. One set will last 15 minutes or the duration of three pieces of material, whichever is fastest. People will be able to register on Whoop & Hollar Folk Festival’s website the day of the show; it’s first come, first served.

Participants will be sent a link in advance to connect to the video stream. They’ll wait in a queue online, and the host — the night’s main musician — will invite them “onstage” when it’s their turn.

People can visit Whoop & Hollar Folk Festival’s website or social media channels to learn more.