Open Mic at the Hudson Valley Dance Depot
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The open mic is currently once a month, usually on the 4th Sunday night of each month from 7:30 - 10:00. We do not have one currently scheduled for April or May due to studio conflicts on Sundays. Check back for upcoming future dates.
It is run by Joe & Julie Donato, owners of the Hudson Valley Dance Depot.
Joe performed and ran an open mic in Philadelphia before moving to the Hudson
Valley 5 years ago, and Julie is a professional musician who has been playing
and teaching flute and piano for many years in the Hudson Valley.
Address is 1151 Route 55, Lagrangeville, NY, 12540. We are on the 2nd floor of the Dunkin' Donuts building in front of Arlington High School. We are about 15 minutes east of the Mid-Hudson Bridge in Poughkeepsie, about 40 minutes north of West Point, and about 45 minutes Northeast of Danbury. Park in the Dunkin' Donuts parking lot and enter the Lorenzo's Pizza entrance. Then take the elevator or the steps up to the 2nd floor and you have arrived!
We encourage musicians and artists of various mediums and talents. That includes poets, spoken word, interpretive dance, puppetry; you know, whatever works in front of a microphone and a small audience.
We also have playing cards and other non-verbal table games (chess, backgammon, dominoes, etc) so feel free to invite all your friends whether they are your groupies or not.
Our policy is first come, first served. This is the only fair way to do it. If you're coming from far away to play, feel free to call the studio (845-204-9833) and let us know you're coming in from far away, and I'll do my best to reserve you a spot. If you are coming from far away, do two things; plan to go on late (like 9:00) and plan on getting there early. Allow for plenty of time to make a wrong turn, get stuck in traffic, and still be able to sit down, have a cup of coffee, set up, tune, etc.
I have two vocal microphones and two instrument microphones. We also have a nice weighted 88-key Korg keyboard that you can use. I currently run it through a 4-channel mixer and into the speaker system of the studio. The studio also has excellent acoustics!
We have light refreshments and water, but everyone is encouraged to bring something to share potluck style. The Dunkin' Donuts is open until 10pm, but the Pizza place is closed on Sundays. There is a great Greek restaurant Athena Gyro open until 10:00 p.m. just across the street, and Zoe's Ice Cream Barn serves burgers, tacos and more and is just 2 doors down and they are open until 9:00 p.m. The Daily Planet Diner is just 2 blocks away and they are open until midnight. We highly recommend each of these establishments. If you eat dinner there beforehand, feel free to box up any leftovers and finish eating at our place. You are also more than welcome to share! :)
Since the space is primarily a dance studio, our regular students ask this a lot. We setup the tables so that, if the music makes you want to dance, there is plenty of space floor space in between the food area and the tables & chairs, so it won't look like you are the entertainment, nor will you take attention away from the performers.
I don't always have my guitar, and just like all protective musicians, I don't want it to get overly abused. But if your guitar is in the shop, or if you didn't have time to run home and get yours before stopping by, I am more than happy to let you use it. Just be nice to it.
I traditionally try to have small percussion available for performers to use them freely. (Drums are not as fragile as guitars, and were meant to be banged.) And if it helps you make a better sound, I want to encourage that as much as possible.
You don't need to bring an amplifier if it is simply for volume. Our PA is loud enough. But if you're like me, and your amplifier effects are vital to your sound, than I understand that. Just keep in mind that if I cannot send it through my system, then I will need to regulate the volume level independently.