58-615: Waymouth Street , often spelt as Weymouth Street in the early days, is an east–west street running between King William Street and West Terrace in the Adelaide city centre in South Australia . The street is named after Henry Waymouth , a founding director of the South Australian Company , whose name was also sometimes spelt as Weymouth. The street runs between King William Street and West Terrace , on
116-529: A bagatelle room. By 1941, the Victorian-style architecture with its ornate windows, decorative ironwork on a small balcony, and bluestone facade had been replaced by a rendered frontage and balcony stretching the length of the building, as it stands today. Its name had changed slightly, to Hotel Launceston, and the publican was James T. Bryan. The hotel has also been known as the Whaler's Return (for
174-499: A 12-storey building, and then again in 2005 by a 9-storey glass building. On 2 March 1994, a bomb exploded in the National Crime Authority offices in a building on Waymouth Street, after being sent to NCA Senior Investigator Detective Sergeant Geoffrey Bowen, killing him and severely injuring lawyer Peter Wallis. The initial suspect, Domenic Perre, who was released for lack of evidence shortly after being arrested,
232-413: A 52-metre (171 ft) high apartment building. There is an existing 17-storey student accommodation block on Gray Street. Across from the intersection with West Terrace is a service road for Adelaide High School and an entrance point to shared pedestrian and bicycle tracks in the western parklands . The street was named after Henry Waymouth , a founding director of the South Australian Company , by
290-558: A cup of tea. They renamed the pub before her death in 2004. Symon Jarowyj took over the business in 2010, with business partner George Swallow, after Kleynhans moved to Melbourne . The Grace Emily won Best Music Venue in the South Australian Music Awards in 2016 and 2017. In 2017, the venue was inducted into the SA Music Hall of Fame , for its commitment to live music. It also won SA Live Music Venue of
348-434: A designated stage area and use a microphone with amplification as an industry standard. Open mics for comedy have no minimum requirements to perform, a format which is known as "show and go". At a typical comedy open mic, acts will get 3–7 minutes of stage time. The routine of a five-minute slot requires approximately three minutes of material. All stand-up comedy performed must be an original creation. The host of
406-475: A few years in the late 1800s) and Rupara Hotel. In 1998, Hotel Launceston was put on the market. A bikie gang 's bid was refused by authorities, and South Adelaide Football Club teammates Greg Kleynjans and Craig Dewhirst stepped in and bought the pub. They renamed the pub the Grace Emily Hotel after their "footy mum", a woman called Grace Emily who lived locally and would pop in every evening for
464-442: A full house'. Conversely, when shows were not sold out and audience members had more room to spread out among empty tables and chairs, audience members were less likely to relate their experiences as one of entertainment or enjoyment." The host introduces each act by reciting the name that was placed on the sign-up list and asks the audience to give the performer an introductory round of applause. Performing first at an open mic puts
522-506: A live audience without having to go through the process of getting normal music gigs, which is very difficult to do without experience or a demo recording. They provide an outlet for singer-songwriters. Prior to their popularity, the only outlets generally were folk clubs , which were not always friendly towards creators of new music and preferred traditional popular music. They also suggested that music performed by acoustic musicians or solo artists in this manner would necessarily be folk music,
580-499: A low-rise and quiet part of the city, the western end of Waymouth Street is now the site of high-rise residential buildings. There is a 17-storey student accommodation tower opposite the Grace Emily Hotel , which was described as "ugly" and "unsympathetic" by two city councillors during its construction in 2017. As of June 2024 there are plans to redevelop the site on the corner of Waymouth and Gray Streets (262-268), creating
638-406: A misconception that still commonly exists today. Some organizers have chosen the title "acoustic night" or "acoustic club" in an attempt to indicate an event run broadly on the lines of a folk club, but with a much wider range of musical styles. Open mic events are most commonly held in the middle of the week or at the very end of the weekend when footfall through venues is low. They rarely occur on
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#1732801895946696-539: A normal format, but performers reserve spots one week to one month in advance. Bringer shows are presented in a showcase format, with each performer being required to bring 5–15 people with them (with a cover charge and a two-drink minimum per person) in order to secure stage time, but this is widely seen as exploitative. Poetry and spoken word open mics feature a host, who is normally a poet or spoken word artist, poets and spoken word artists, and audience members. Sometimes open mic nights have featured readers, or are part of
754-611: A regular Monday night gig called "Billy Bob's BBQ Jam", an open mic night and jam session which is hosted by Billy Bob and the BBQ Boys. Each Wednesday is a jazz night, and there is live live music on most nights, including touring acts and local musicians on the weekend. Marlon Williams , Julia Jacklin , Justin Townes Earle , the Mountain Goats , Tim Rogers (many times), and Ringo Starr 's backing band have played at
812-428: A stage, often the upstairs or back room of a pub or bar, or at a bookstore, college campus, rock club, or coffeehouse. Less commonly, they are also held at venues such as strip clubs and comic book shops. Comedy clubs may be the only open mic establishments that have a green room , a backstage area for performers waiting to go on stage where no audience members are present. Open mic nights give emerging comedians
870-502: A stand-up comedy open mic tries to maintain an equilibrium of mood within "the room". Hosts will try to seat audience members close together near the designated front stage area because that seems to maximize the audience's feelings of enjoyment and may lead to increased laughter; of one such event, a reviewer wrote, "Tightly arranged seating within the comedy room created physical discomfort for audience members... yet audience members often talked about how much they enjoyed 'the feeling of
928-565: A stop outside the Adelaide Festival Centre as well as an eastward extension along North Terrace to the Adelaide Botanic Garden . Tracks go in all four directions, but not all turning movements are supported. The King's Theatre, at no. 318, was designed by the brothers-in-law David Williams (1856–1940) and Charles Thomas Good (1864–1926), who, working in their practice Williams & Good , also designed
986-430: A well-established stand-up scene; the major examples include Boston , Chicago , London , and New York City . Stand-ups also use open mics for networking to find both paid and unpaid work opportunities, for making friends, or as a form of therapy . "The room" is the term for the setting of a comedy performance; comedians are said to gauge the audience by their ability to "read the room". Stand-up performances have
1044-627: A writing workshop, but generally a sign-up sheet is available for anyone interested in participating. Each participant is then called to come to the microphone and read a selection or two. Writers may attend an open mic to try out a new piece for an audience or to find out more about the local writing community. Others attend poetry open mics just to listen. Poetry/spoken word open mics range from laid back, serene settings to lively sessions where readers and/or performers compete for audience applause. They are usually held in libraries, coffee houses , cafes, bookstores and bars. Each poet or spoken word artist
1102-654: Is applied several times to the continuous stretch of road that begins in the inner southern suburbs and terminates in North Adelaide . Where it runs through the Adelaide city centre from South Terrace to North Terrace, it is named "King William Street"; elsewhere it is named "King William Road". It starts in the south as King William Road, at the north edge of Heywood Park in Unley Park , and runs through Hyde Park and Unley to Greenhill Road . The road through
1160-476: Is called Peacock Road. At approximately 40 metres (130 ft) wide, King William Street is the widest main street of all the Australian State capital cities . Named after King William IV in 1837, it is historically considered one of Adelaide's high streets , for its focal point of businesses, shops and other prominent establishments. The Glenelg tram line runs along the middle of the street through
1218-400: Is often asked to keep their performances to a minimum/specified time slot, giving each performer enough time to share some of their work with the audience. The host or MC acts as a "gatekeeper", determining which performers are suitable for the event. If a performer goes over their time limit, the host diplomatically thanks the performer for their contribution and asks them to yield the stage for
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#17328018959461276-595: Is the opportunity for exposure. Open mics offer attendees the opportunity to discover new and local talent. Performing in front of open mic attendees exposes a performer's material to people who have never heard it before. This allows attendees the opportunity to connect with a performer and share a performer's material with friends and family with similar taste. Experience is also another benefit for performers at open mics. Many performers at open mics are just beginning their career as performers or have been performing for years. Either way, performing at an open mic gives performers
1334-641: The South Australian Heritage Register : [REDACTED] Australian roads portal 34°55′34″S 138°35′37″E / 34.9261°S 138.5937°E / -34.9261; 138.5937 King William Street, Adelaide King William Street is the part of a major arterial road that traverses the CBD and centre of Adelaide , continuing as King William Road to the north of North Terrace and south of Greenhill Road ; between South Terrace and Greenhill Road it
1392-649: The Street Naming Committee in 1837. Until 1863 it was almost invariably spelled "Weymouth"; the eponymous director was then given either spelling interchangeably. The original three-storey Advertiser building was on the southern corner with King William Street, with a new five-storey building constructed alongside it in Waymouth Street (37 yd (34 m) west of King William and extending 22 yd (20 m) along Waymouth, completed in early 1924. Both buildings were replaced in 1959 by
1450-486: The south parklands is named Peacock Road after Caleb Peacock who was Mayor of Adelaide from 1875 to 1877. Through the Adelaide city centre it is King William Street and continues north from North Terrace as King William Road to Brougham Place , North Adelaide. At approximately 40 metres (130 ft) wide, King William Street is the widest main street of all the Australian State capital cities . The road continues north to National Highway 1 as O'Connell Street, but
1508-430: The 1980s. The building at 100 King William Street was also designed by Williams & Good. It was constructed in 1848, comprising a hotel and concert hall commissioned by proprietor George White and designed by George Strickland Kingston . White's Adelaide Assembly and Concert Room opened on 26 June 1856. It was refitted as Garner's Theatre (proprietor Alfred Garner ) in 1886, with decorations by George Gordon . It
1566-567: The 19th-century neoclassical building was redesigned in 1933, and was listed on the South Australian Heritage Register in December 2020. Between North Terrace and South Terrace , all east-west roads change their names as they cross King William Street. It is said this is because no one was allowed to "cross the path of a monarch". Travelling south from North Terrace, the street pairs are: King William Road
1624-782: The Broadcast Bar in the city centre; inner-metro venues The Governor Hindmarsh and Wheatsheaf Hotel ; along with the Semaphore Workers Club in Semaphore and the Murray Delta Juke Joint on the Fleurieu Peninsula . The group's first event was the four-day "Everyday Event", with 14 gigs hosted across the venues between 19 and October 2023. There are several locally heritage-listed buildings on Waymouth Street, and as of 2024 two on
1682-569: The New Tivoli Theatre (later Her Majesty's . The theatre was located on the north-east corner of King William and Carrington Streets , with main entrances on both, opened in February 1911 and closed in 1928. It had a seating capacity of 1500, on seats upholstered in blue velvet. Its proscenium arch was 26 ft (7.9 m) by 28 ft (8.5 m). It was built by Messrs Tolley. Intended mainly for vaudeville performances,
1740-877: The Year in the National Live Music Awards of 2017 The Grace Emily played host to Adelaide Jazz Festival gigs in April 2023 and April 2024. In September 2023, the Grace Emily was one of seven independent music venues in South Australia to form the Independent Live Venues Alliance (ILVA), with funding from the state government through the Music Development Office . The other venues are: Jive and
1798-465: The city centre. King William Street was named by the Street Naming Committee on 23 May 1837 after King William IV, the then reigning monarch, who died within a month. It is historically considered one of Adelaide's high streets , for its focal point of businesses, shops and other prominent establishments. In August 1977, the first bus lane in Adelaide opened along King William Street from Victoria Square to North Terrace. The name King William
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1856-423: The comedian at a disadvantage due to the audience being "cold" and is considered the most challenging spot to perform in. Stand-ups usually use the second person to address the audience. In 2011, writer Rob Durham said that an open mic night should be no longer than 90 minutes and consist of no more than 15 acts. A comedy open mic will not normally exceed 30 people, which comedian Hannibal Buress has cited as
1914-527: The evening, either preparing a full performance of their own or filling in at short notice when a performer is unavailable. Open mics are somewhat related to jam sessions , in that they both see amateur performers being given the opportunity to perform. The difference is that jam sessions often involve musical ensembles, possibly even a house band or rhythm section , and may involve the participation of professional performers. Open mics provide an opportunity for emerging musicians to gain experience performing to
1972-401: The first time or to promote an upcoming performance. As the name suggests, performers are usually provided with a microphone plugged into a PA system so that they can be heard by the audience. Performers may sign up in advance for a time slot with the host , who is typically an experienced performer or the venue's manager or owner. The host may screen potential candidates for suitability for
2030-544: The hallowed Friday and Saturday night time slots, when venues are busy with weekend customers and any live performances are professionals who have been booked. The most common night for an open mic in the United Kingdom is Thursday, with Wednesday in second place. A popular open mic arrangement in the United States is the "Blues Night". In this format, a bar or club will dedicate a particular night, usually in
2088-418: The intersection with King William Street, there is a pedestrian scramble crossing and a Glenelg tram line stop named after Pirie Street , which continues to the east. Waymouth Street forms the southern boundary of Light Square, an open grassy park in the centre of the north-west quadrant of the city centre. This section of Waymouth Street is one-way traffic to the west; east-bound traffic must detour around
2146-433: The light". In modern times, this is done with the flashlight from a cell phone so as not to distract the audience with a larger or brighter light. If a comedian ignores this light and continues to perform past their allotted time, this is known as "blowing the light" and may get the comedian banned from performing at that venue. Other types of comedy open mics include "booked shows" and "bringer shows". Booked shows have
2204-422: The maximum number of people who should be there. It is common practice for stand-ups to record their sets for later review and rehearsal. The collective feedback from different audiences has a significant impact on how a stand-up routine is shaped. The host will flash a light at the comedian one minute before their time is up as a signal to finish the joke they are currently telling, a practise known as "getting
2262-405: The middle of the week, as being "open mic blues night". The establishment may supply a house band , typically guitar, bass, and drums, and sometimes a keyboard. Singers, guitarists, and harmonica performers who wish to play sign up, usually with the host. This person is tasked with screening the performers, choosing and ordering, and getting the performers on and off stage in a polite manner. Since
2320-558: The name King William is not again used. The northern section called King William Road (connecting the Adelaide city centre with North Adelaide ) passes several of Adelaide's landmarks, including Government House , Elder Park , the Adelaide Festival Centre , Adelaide Oval and St Peter's Cathedral . The section from North Terrace over the Adelaide Bridge to Pennington Terrace was named King William Road at
2378-423: The next performer. The terms "open deck" (where "deck" refers to the kind of turntable used by a DJ) and "open reel" (where "reel" refers to a 35 mm film reel) are used for more niche open mic events where keen amateurs can meet to exhibit and critique their skills/artform. A decrease in the cost of consumer video technology combined with the powerful editing capabilities of modern PCs has caused an increase in
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2436-498: The opening of the bridge in 1877. Until the 1960s, trams used King William Street as a major backbone of the network, with a grand union junction at North Terrace and only one pair of tracks missing between Grenfell and Currie Streets. When most of the tram lines were dismantled in the 1950s, only the Glenelg tram line remained, and it used King William Street between South Terrace and its terminus at Victoria Square. In 2007,
2494-428: The opportunity to practice their stand-up routine, which they cannot do without a live audience. The audience for a typical comedy open mic is other comedians. Those underage must have their parents attend clubs with them. More experienced comedians may use open mics as an unpaid opportunity to work out newer material or a new character. Open mic comedy nights are most widespread in larger English-speaking cities with
2552-538: The popularity of DJing and amateur filmmaking, but these types of events are still very rare. Performing at open mics as a musician, comedian or poet provides many benefits. One of the benefits of performing at open mics is the opportunity for performers to engage in networking . Novice performers are able to connect with seasoned performers who can offer advice on stage presence. These connections are also useful when it comes to organizing future appearances as well as collaborations. Another benefit to networking at open mics
2610-561: The songs chosen need to be simple enough so that a band of musicians who have not played together can perform them without practice, blues standards are used. Songs might be announced as a "12-bar fast shuffle in C" or "slow 12-bar blues in F", or similar phrases that should be familiar to all concerned. Lead singers, keyboards, horn players (usually saxophones), and various percussion instruments are common additions. Stand-up comedy open mic nights can be held at established comedy clubs but are more commonly held at other venues with or without
2668-399: The square. Traffic signals control the intersection with Morphett Street where it divides to go around the square. A few bars, nightclubs and restaurants are located on the southern side of Waymouth Street and around Light Square. The section from Light Square to West Terrace has for most of its history had lower-scale retail and residential buildings, along with hotels and hostels. Formerly
2726-467: The theatre was however reported to be a poor venue, "plagued by poor sightlines and inadequate ventilation". Adelaide Repertory Theatre staged at least two performances there, in 1919. The ceiling and other features of the theatre were damaged by fire on 26 September 1927. The theatre was sold by Majestic Amusements (who had bought it from Fuller Theatres Ltd) in February 1928 to Mr P. J. A. Lawrence, and closed for remodelling on 28 March 1928, when it
2784-484: The tram line was extended to run the full length of King William Street again, turning left onto North Terrace and terminating at Adelaide railway station , later extended westwards via Port Road to the Adelaide Entertainment Centre . In 2018, another expansion of the tram routes replaced the turn at the intersection of North Terrace and King William Street with a junction, and a short spur to
2842-496: The venue and give them a time to perform during the show. Open mics are focused on performance arts such as comedy (whether it be sketch or stand-up ), music (often acoustic singer-songwriters), poetry, and spoken word . It is less common for groups such as rock bands or comedy troupes to perform, mostly because of the space and logistical requirements of preparing equipment and soundchecking such groups. Open mics may have very low entrance fees or no entrance fees at all, although
2900-432: The venue itself may prepare a gratuity jar , a "pass the hat" for donations, or a raffle with various prizes. Venues that charge no fees profit from selling drinks and food. The performers are not typically paid, although the venue may give them food or drink. If the host is an experienced professional and not the owner or the manager of the venue, they are usually paid for their services and may perform at some point during
2958-535: The venue. The hotel also plays host to musicians as part of festivals such as the annual "Guitars in Bars". The first establishment on the site, the Launceston Hotel, opened in the early days of the colony of South Australia , in 1839, serving the working-class poor who lived in the area. It functioned as a front parlour, dance hall and coroner's court . In 1894, it was run by publican John L. Lander, and had
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#17328018959463016-479: The western side of the city centre . It is intersected by Light Square . The section of Waymouth Street from King William Street to Light Square is lined by commercial office buildings with many restaurants and cafes at ground level. It is the location of the state headquarters of organisations including ANZ , the Department for Environment and Water , Beyond Bank Australia , EY and News Corp Australia . At
3074-761: Was completely rebuilt into a two-storey building. A large ballroom occupied the lower floor, buffered with rubber, The building was opened as the Kings Ballroom on 22 August 1928 (also referred to as the King's Theatre Ballroom, and Golden Ballroom ). With its entrance in Carrington Street, the ballroom was open to "suitably attired" members of the public each Wednesday and Saturday night, and competitions were held there. A serious fire forced closure in 1975, after which it remained vacant for several years, eventually being transformed into legal offices in
3132-545: Was not a successful production. The theatre finally closed on 31 March 1979. Both the old theatre and hotel and the Commonwealth Bank buildings (both on the eastern side of the street) were demolished in 1980. The facade of the Sands & McDougall Printers and Stationers building at 64 King William Street, Adelaide is an excellent early example of Art Deco architecture in South Australia. The facade of
3190-753: Was one of the city's leading picture theatres until 1967, when it was renovated and became the Celebrity Theatre and Restaurant. Two years later it was reinvented as a cinema and live theatre , called the Warner Theatre, owned by City Projects Pty Ltd from 1969. Notable performances at the Warner include the Eleo Pomare Dance Company of New York City in 1972, Don's Party in 1975, and The Rocky Horror Show in 1977. Rocky Horror only ran for around two months as it
3248-606: Was re-arrested in 2018. Perre was standing on top of a nearby carpark and was later arrested at his house. He entered a plea (of not guilty) for the first time in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on 17 February 2020 but his lawyer conceded that there is a case to answer and he was committed to stand trial in the Supreme Court of South Australia . The Grace Emily Hotel, at number 232, is well known for its live music, and for some time and as of 2024 it has
3306-579: Was referenced in the John Schumann song "Hyde Park Calling (King William Road Scene 1)" on the 1993 album True Believers . [REDACTED] Australian Roads portal Open mic An open mic or open mike (shortened from "open microphone") is a live show at a venue such as a coffeehouse , nightclub , comedy club , strip club , or pub , often taking place at night (an open mic night ), in which audience members may perform on stage whether they are amateurs or professionals, often for
3364-654: Was taken over by new proprietor Tommy Hudson, and renamed Hudson's Bijou in 1892. In 1900, Harry Rickards purchased the building and reopened it as the Tivoli Theatre, which operated briefly as a cinema, called the Star Theatre. The Majestic Theatre opened as a picture theatre on 3 June 1916, having undergone a conversion costing £18,000. It stood alongside the Majestic Hotel, and was described as "the most modern theatre in Adelaide" in that year. It
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