Rebel Events Board hosts Open Mic Night

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Second-floor view of Open Mic Night. Photo by Taylor Finelli.

Students gathered to attend a showcase of talents at the second Open Mic Night of the school year in the Pida Plaza on Wednesday night. Under ambient lights, students watched live performances from singers, rappers, comedians, and magicians while eating food from Ike’s Love & Sandwiches.

In October, Rebel Events Board (REB) hosted this event as a trial expansion. It originally used to be held in the Student Union theater on campus. After it debuted as a success, the committee decided to continue with its hosting in Pida Plaza. 

Mounzer Zein, a long-time member of REB stated last fall that the committee experimented with having the event outside instead of indoors in order to create more of a “cute little cafe vibe.”

Other REB members told the Free Press that because Open Mic Night served as one of their smaller scale events, it was easier for first time performers to not have stage fright. The overall event saw around 50 students in attendance. 

Open Mic Night doesn’t require auditions, so students interested in taking part could simply sign up on location. After checking in with an event pass, performers and audience members alike participated in all that Open Mic Night had to offer.

Kori Shalmy, a current senior majoring in English took the stage during the event and performed “Boom Boom Pow” by the Black Eyed Peas. Shalmy told the Free Press that she had a really fun and silly time during the event. Shalmy initially went to the event just to be involved on campus. 

“To be real, I performed just because I wanted to,” said Shalmy. “Like I knew the audience was supportive so I didn’t really feel scared to get up and potentially make a fool of myself. Pretty much everyone messed up the words or the timing at least once but the crowd was vibing with everything so it was just a really fun time.”

REB’s next event is Rebels After Dark on Feb. 16 at 8 p.m. Last semester, REB hosted a Rebels After Dark event which featured a painting party in the Student Union courtyard. This event saw 643 students in attendance, the largest recorded attendance for a Rebels After Dark event. The REB committee stated that they hope this spring’s similar event will break that record turnout. 

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