The microphone was open to all, waiting on stage for singers, musicians and comedians to take their turn in the spotlight. The performers looked out on a dimly lit room covered in lanterns of all shapes and sizes, with people spread out on couches clapping along to music or laughing at jokes.
This event, hosted Nov. 13, is Mic Drop. Mic Drop is new to the Utah Tech University campus, taking inspiration from an annual Open Mic Night at Utah State University, and they lit the area with lanterns like a past event at Utah Tech called the Festival of Lamps.
“It allows students to sign up and have their voices be heard. They’re able to come up and they’re able to sing, they’re able to do their own comedy,” Asher Anderson, a senior marketing major from Mesa, Arizona, and director of live events for Utah Tech Student Association, said.
There are several events that involve live performances, but they are more limited than this event. Coffee and Comedy was hosted recently, but they hired professionally and Live and Local allows student bands to perform, but spots are limited. This event has more spots and opportunities for students to perform where they otherwise couldn’t.
There were 14 people who performed at the event ranging from comedians to musical performances. Each was more different than the last. The event started with an almost full audience, but the crowd slowly got smaller as the performances went on until there were about 20 people left.
“I just really love open mic events, and I just love singing,” Sydney McClellan, a sophomore graphic design major from Salt Lake City, said. “And so, when an event like this comes around, I always try to work up the courage to come to this.”
McClellan was one of the performers for the event. She played the piano and sang “Stay” by Rihanna, “Jealous” by Labrinth and one of her own songs.
There were also members of the community present both on and off stage. One person who performed is an 85-year-old institute teacher, Ava Fry. She teaches a class called “How to Become a Clean Stand-up Comedian,” and said she performed her stand-up act at the request of her students.
The set-up of the event was comfortable with couches set up down the center of the Gardner Ballroom and lamps contributing to dim lighting. There was also popcorn and lemonade served, so people could snack while they watched the performers.
“I thought it was very well set up,” Sarah Witt, a junior media studies major from Heber City, said. “They had a very distinct vibe in here and it made it really, really fun. Honestly, it was probably one of my new favorite events.”
The audience was very supportive of the performers on stage, especially when they struggled with the words or tune. They would cheer louder to support those nervous performers, and the performers were able to get through their songs easier than if the crowd had stayed silent.
“I think that supporting local and small arts like this is especially important for college students because so many kids are moving out here without an outlet to do that,” David Garrett, manager at Mary’s Cheesecakes in St. George, said. Garrett heard about the event through social media and has enjoyed coming to activities that involve live music.
Anderson said this event might continue next year, depending on student response, to allow even more students the opportunity to showcase their talents and potentially become a new Utah Tech tradition.
