The poet walks slowly to a small stage in the back of the room. He stands in the spotlight, looks at the audience, and smiles. He grabs the microphone and spouts stanzas about religion, politics, sex, and love. Every Tuesday night at the Ristra, anyone can perform during open mic night.
Organizers Ivy Giacchino and Sandra Roberts have turned the little basement of the restaurant on Washington Street into a lounge with a small stage in the back of the room and a bar near the front. Comfortable couches surround the red brick walls of the venue, which are decorated by works from different artists each month. The room is dark with a few spotlights pointing to the stage.
On Tuesdays, most of the people hang in the back near the bar nursing $4 bottles of beer while listening to the performers. There’s also a bar upstairs.
Those interested in performing that night sign up at 7 p.m. At 8 p.m., the featured performer or band starts the open mic with a warm-up set for 20 minutes. The featured acts usually have experience and are familiar with the venue, according to the open mic’s host, Mike Mideaker.
"We start with a solid performer; then we take it from there," Mideaker said recently. "We get a little bit of everything. People come to hang out."
Mideaker has done the open mic since it started, and occasionally he’ll play the guitar and sing a couple of songs.
As the night progresses, the room gets packed. More than 50 people fill the place. The performers go one by one on stage and have no more than 10 minutes to do their thing, which may include singing, reading poems, talking about issues, acting, or comedy.
"Even if you are not planning to perform, is fun to watch others," Roberts said. "It’s a great place to see a new band for the first time or hear a poem that really speaks to you. From the other side, if you’re new to performing, it’s a comfortable place to get your feet wet."
Jersey City actor and poet Radomir Luza is a regular at the open mic. He has been attending for several months, performing his unique style of shock poetry and self-promotion.
"I enjoy the people and the atmosphere there," Luza said during an interview last week. "It’s great to see the quality of performers."
Like Luza, Hoboken poet "Sags" (Juan Sagastume) is a regular on Tuesdays. He coordinates his poetry with background music to create the majestic sound of soft rap/spoken word. Both Sags and Luza have self-published their poetry books and make performances regularly in the area.
The open mic also has its share of bands. My Pocket Zoo, Eugene and The Living are a few of the acts that routinely make their way to the event, mostly as featured performers.
Lead singer for The Living Michael Barnes said he enjoys the intimacy of the locale and the people who come out and support it. Barnes plays acoustic sets during the event, which is a change from his hard rock sound.
"There’s a nice grove you get when you unplug and play in a tight room," Barnes said. "This is a special place for acts."
The open mic was formed in February of this year by Guy Tetro from Hipnosis.com magazine, a non-profit organization comprised of volunteers who wish to see a unified and strong arts scene in New Jersey. After several successful months of packing the place on Tuesday nights, Giacchino and Tetro had differences about how it should be run. Now Roberts has taken over Tetro’s position, booking the featured acts and handling the publicity.
Originally from Plainfield, Roberts became familiar with Hoboken while a student at the Stevens Institute of Technology a couple of years ago. She works as a freelance writer and web designer and hopes to launch her own publication soon.
"I book the featured band for each week, promote the event, and I work with Ivy to keep things running smoothly during the open mic," Roberts said. "I also help coordinate the overall event by getting feedback from audience members and performers to determine how we can improve the event."
The mission of the open mic is to give artists, musicians, poets, writers, comedians, and anyone else a chance to get in front of a supportive, enthusiastic audience and perform with absolute freedom, Roberts says.
The audience does not trash the performer, and shows respect for the individual’s effort. Everyone is free to do their thing.
"They come to the open mic and they love it. Then they come back with their friends," Giacchino said.
The event is also a great place to meet a variety of people from different walks of life, Roberts said.
"If you want to get advice from and build a network with other artists, musicians and poets, come to the open mic," Roberts said.
Future featured acts include: Down Shallow on Nov. 13; Blue Tone Vibe on Nov. 20; Michelle Vecchione on Nov. 27; Ya-Ne-Zynioo on Dec. 4; Black Thunder on Dec. 11; and the Christmas Extravaganza on Dec. 18.
The Ristra is located at 230 Washington St. For more information, call Ristra at 216-1550 or e-mail Roberts at sroberts1975@yahoo.com.