For a young performer, it can be quite a chore to actually find a place to perform. For a young visual artist, it can be even harder to find a venue to display. Fortunately for Eugene residents, The Buzz can solve all of that.
The Buzz Coffeehouse on the bottom floor of the EMU hosts open mic events twice a week for performers of all kinds. Monday nights are poetry open mics, and Friday nights are eclectic, open to anything. To participate in either of these events, sign up the day of the performance in The Break, right next to The Buzz.
People interested in a more solo exhibition should contact Jessica Brittsan, the program director of The Buzz. She will need to hear a demo tape or a performance at one of the open mic events. Performers should start working on solo shows about a month before they want to actually perform.
“We’re trying to establish Thursday nights as ‘new musician’ nights,” Brittsan said.
The Buzz can be a good place for people to get some exposure and build stage confidence.
“The Buzz gives performers a much more relaxed feeling than other places,” employee Michelle Dyson said.
As far as the audience is concerned, Dyson assures that “there are quite a few really good performers.”
To use The Buzz as a venue to display visual art, contact Dan Carp, the University Cultural Forum’s visual arts coordinator, at 346-0007.
Tonight, Eagle Park Slim sings the blues from 9 to 11 p.m. at The Buzz. Friday night is the first open mic of the year from 9 to midnight. Then on Saturday, Rex Morningstar rocks the house with his acoustic guitar.
So use these events as means to check out The Buzz, and start thinking about when it’s your turn to take the stage.