open mic

or o·pen mike

[ oh-puhn mahyk ]

noun

1. a live show in a club, bar, etc., in which anyone may perform but each performer is given a time limit (often used attributively):

   an open mic night for stand-up comedians.

Word History and Origins

Origin of open mic¹

First recorded in 1975–80; open ( def ) (in sense “in operation, live”) + mic ( def )

Example Sentences

Kyran - who uses they/them pronouns - proudly performed their first show as drag persona Kyran Thrax in 2019, surrounded by friends at an open mic night in Vauxhall, London.

From BBC

“Can you paint the picture for what an open mic showcase hosted by Tony Sparks might have looked and felt like for a performer onstage?”

From Salon

Open mic night with local politicians vying for the opportunity to serve based on whether they can sell their B.S. and get an audience at a comedy club.

From Salon

He started with open mic nights at nearby Florida State “so if I bombed, I could come back to the quaint quietness of my own campus.”

From Los Angeles Times

Favorite activities: Playing music, going to the batting cage, open mic nights, barbecues.

From Los Angeles Times