On Tuesday evening ETSU students gathered in the D.P. Culp University Center to show off their talents at an open mic night.
The open mic night was sponsored by the Black Affairs Association and Buctainment and was held in the Cave. There was an area set up as a stage with places for the audience to sit and enjoy the talent.
“This started just as something where students can come and express their talent or their interests or their hobbies,” organizer Tedra Bennett said. “This event has been going on for many years. I can’t put a number on it, but even when I was in undergrad school, which was six years ago it was there.”
Bennett said that the talent found for the evening was just random people just coming and signing up. It was nothing that was preplanned; they just did it on the spot. Some of the people that performed that evening sang songs while others read poetry.
“What I liked about open mic night was the fact that it was very diverse,” performer Jimmy Young said. “It’s an open atmosphere for all types of races and minorities to come and express their talents. Any type of way you want to express to the world and show your creativity and talent; that’s what open mic night is for.”
Young said that his favorite part about performing was just the audience and the feel about it. He said that his personal favorite thing is going up and encouraging people to get involved and helping audience participation.
“The thing I liked was that everybody was able to get up there and show their true talents without being scared or nervous,” audience member Bre-Shayla Loyd said.
Open mic night gave ETSU students a chance to step up to the mic and express their talents to the student population. With the opportunity to express creativity, open mic night draws a larger audience each year.
“Yes I would perform at this open mic night again,” Young said. ” I’ve been here since I was a freshman, and each year it’s grown bigger and better and people enjoy it… so definitely.”
