That was SO much info, appreciate it!

An "open mic jam" is a program where some fellow with a backline lets his guitarist friends play the same five overplayed covers over and over again, week after week.

Nice one Brett. As a avid Open miker of many years , you offer well thought out advice. My little demon of mistakes past is do not invite someone up to join you that you've not rehearsed with prior to the night...Its gonna go wrong

Great advise Greg.  I'm just starting a new show and I've never done it before.  I've been a Dj/ Kj and soloist but never Open Mic host.  Your advise helped me a lot.  Great video!

It's hard to find a "listening" open mike that takes place in a bar atmosphere. Some people really listen if they like the music, or come for the music. But other people come to see their friends or for the drinks, so they Talk during your set. You work hard rehearsing your set of covers and/or originals, and they people Talk during the whole thing. It's worse with the "slow sad songs." You wanna play that type of stuff, you'd better be in cafe and not in a bar. I'm not sure if addressing the issue of Talking (with the audience) is a good strategy. No one there paid a ticket to see you. You're not famous. But you do want some sort of respect. You can't just tell them to shut up and listen. They're gonna think -- Hey, who the hell are you?!! I don't know --- maybe tell a joke and make them laugh. Get their attention somehow. The worst part is when the audience is quiet and listening to their performer-friends, but once You go on, they start talking during your whole set. They don't friggin' care. I call this "selective listening". Some people tell me not to bother with any complicated songs. Just play stuff with a few chords and easy for the audience to digest. I don't know. I've gotten to the point where if I go to an open mike, I like it when it is not so crowded. The more people = more talking, not more excitement, not more fun. The other performers don't do what I do, and all I'm doing is classic rock, but I try to do something challenging as well. I often have to adjust my set list to the audience. But often it just doesn't matter. They still Talk during your set. The audience expects to hear the same 20 songs. You give them something from Frank Zappa and they don't know what to do with it. They don't know the songs, so it even worse with originals, so why bother. Again, I don't know.