 
 On one hot June night in 2003, two stalwarts of the
Anyang social scene, namely Colm Ferriter and Ronan Doherty began to reminisce about their brief
stab at fame as members of the little known but vastly underrated quartet
Revolve. As the night wore on, laughter turned to lament as the boys began
to realise that there were no venues (apart from noribangs or karaoke bars)
where they or other musicians could perform in the Anyang or general
southern Seoul area. With this realisation came a determination to change
this sad state of affairs. For Colm his enthusiasm for organising the event
lasted as long as it took for his hangover to kick in. However, Ronan,
following through on this idea, approached the Chief, proprietor of
Rockssin, with regard to staging a weekly music night for the benefit of
both musicians and music afficianados alike. As Open Mic's popularity grew,
so did it's responsibilities. At this point Anne Cassidy and Emmet Ryan got
involved. Brian Kelly joined the Open Mic crew around Christmas time 2003, while
Dave Barrett hopped on board in the fall of 2004.
Perhaps the biggest change of all came in May 2005 when Rockssin closed its doors. It re-opened the next month in its new location closer to Anyang Station, and deeper into the heart of the Il- Bun- Ga district. The closure proved disconcerting to many patrons of Rockssin, worried that the atmosphere of their favourite bar would be lost forever. Their fears were allayed upon the grand re-opening when the new Rockssin proved larger, louder, and better than ever. Among its improvements are greater seating areas, better stage visibility, and greater possibilities for grafitti artists.
In recent months, many performers have taken to e-mailing ahead for a suitable time slot. The standard procedure for this is to wait until the Monday preceding Open Mic before requesting a slot. Turning people away is not our policy and this has happened very rarely. We are proud of the fact that we genuinely try to accomodate every musician. If we are unable to fit you on the schedule on any given Friday, we humbly apologize and will do our best to find a place for you on the next Open Mic. Basically, if you are interested in performing, just e-mail us or try to turn up as early as you can during the night - it just makes life a little easier for all concerned. We will also provide you with further information upon request. What will I hear at Open Mic? Musical styles can range from rock, rap/hip-hop, punk, traditional, blues, etc. No matter what your tastes are, you are bound to find something you like. And if you're one of those people who always says, "I'm into a bit of everything", here's your chance to come down and prove that claim.
See you there! |
Since 2003, Open Mic has grown
from a quaint weekly gathering of area
foreigners and Koreans alike to a cherished institution. Many a friendship
has been forged over many a pint at Rockssin since the event's inception.
Whether you are performing, meeting friends or tail, or just need
to relax after a hard week at the hagwon, your friends at Open Mic and Rockssin have and will
always be there for you.
Our aim is to start every Open Mic at 10:30. The length of
your stage time is flexible and depends on the overall number of performers
during the night. Solo sets usually last between 15-20 minutes, while bands can get anywhere between 20-30 minutes. If it is an
extremely busy night, you may be asked to shorten your set to accomodate
other performers who also wish to play. If that is the case and time
permits, it may be possible to play a second short set later in the night.
In general, we are flexible regarding time on stage. We just want to give
everyone a fair go.
We would like to give a big,
big thanks to all of our performers both past
and present. We don't need to say how important you all are to Open Mic's
success. We have had a terrific mixture of different styles from all over the globe and we are very lucky to have that
unique blend of talent. Big thanks to Chris, Mathew, Brian, Stu, Friendlee, William, Paul,
Brendan, Lynda, James, Terry, Rich, Mars, Will, Arik, Dan, Susan, Jacob,
Patrick, Dylan, Matt, Emmet, Colm, Patti, Dave, Adam, Baz, Guen Chea, Tae
Ho, Hyong Sung, Chul Hong, Ryan, Darren, Corey, Steve, Sang Young, Yoon Ho,
Sang Hyun, Young Chul, Dong Gun, Hyae Sung, Eldin, Blues Boy, Geoff, Alex, Jason, Edward, Se-Won, Jodi, and Brandon.
Apologies to anyone we haven't
listed. The high consumption of alcohol at these events has caused memory
loss for some of us. If your name is not mentioned anywhere on this site,
e-mail us and we will be more than happy to include you in the Open Mic Rockssin hall of fame.
Open Mic Rockssin is open to all, and we welcome all new performers. Whether you are a seasoned veteran, or just want to get on stage to try your hand, we will find a way to accomodate you.
It is recommended that you e-mail us at 