Open Mic Night Returns

ERIKA PEREZ, Issue 26, Entertainment - By Erika E. Perez on Wednesday, April 27, 2011 - 22:23

The very first Open Mic Night, organized by Brian De La Torre, gave students the opportunity to show off their singing and writing talents to fellow students at Club 88 last night, April 13. Nine out of the little over twenty students who attended performed original songs, cover songs and poems that got the audience clapping and snapping along.

Although the event was organized within the last week and meant to provide a relaxed mood, it came together in an efficient and amusing manner. “It’s getting closer to the end of the year so I wanted students to have some fun before their finals,” De La Torre said. “This is a casual thing.”

Junior Jay Armenta, who goes by Rayne Rose during performances, saw Open Mic Night as a way to share his raps. “I wanted to exhibit my creative talents because I’m coming up in the rap game, so watch out,” senior Jay Armenta said. The fast beats Armenta rambled were his original pieces which he titled “Kush and Beast Mode.”

After waiting for their drummer to arrive, “The Official Cat Stevens Band Members Tribute” band was able to play three cover songs along to their singer junior Julia Ellenspruill-Smith. The band made up of five members also had another Whittier College student, sophomore David Banuelos, as part of the band. “We wanted to play music for others, for people to get grooving,” Ellenspruill-Smith said.

In a moment of spontaneity, junior Claire Clancy also joined the band on stage and began singing with them. “Sit back, wait a minute, I gotta make up a band,” Clancy said as she waited for the band to assemble and prepare to play with her singing.

Two alumni returned to support the participants and share their talent as well. David Vargas ’11 warned the audience that the cover songs he would sing were not very lively. “I’m probably going to depress you guys with these songs,” Vargas said. However, the audience seemed thoughtful and appreciative as Vargas sang and played the guitar to “Hate me” by Blue October. Josh Guereque, who planned similar events for Stauffer while he was Resident Advisor also showed his support. He sang and played his original songs.

De La Torre expects to organize more Open Mic nights in the future.