Rubble's Bar open mic provides avenue for artists


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Rubble's Bar doesn't just host open mic night — it hosts a show and a community.

Cory and Abby Hillman formed the bi-weekly open mic in 2015, which runs Wednesdays from 8 to 11 p.m. The duo celebrated the one-year anniversary of the creation Sept. 7.

In the past year, Abby said the open mic has hosted between 80 to 100 people and provided an avenue for artists musically, comically and poetically.

“We want people to realize is it’s not just an open mic. It’s a show," Cory said. "When you come down here and perform, you are part of the community of Rubbles'.”

The Hillmans moved to Mount Pleasant in 2012 after being a part of a "vibrant and supportive" open mic scene in Bowling Green, Ohio. When the couple arrived in Mount Pleasant, they were looking to start their own community.

Cory said Rubble's was supportive of their idea for open mic when they first reached out.  He said it is now a stable venue for musicians, comedians and poets to perform.

Abby said the open mic has been a "congregation" for her and Cory, who met doing open mics. She said it filled an empty space in their lives, and for the lives of others.

“In the past few months, I’ve been able to witness many other artists and musicians. I realize they have not only filled a void in our life, but we filled a void in their life," Abby said. "This open mic gives them a purpose and an outlet.”

Jay Bristow and Nicole Lauer make up the duo Short'n'Sweet. The pair played at Rubble's on Sept. 21. Bristow said they have been coming to the open mic since it begin and it has allowed the cover duo to perform '70s and '80s songs in a PA setting.

Bristow, who attended Central Michigan in 1995, said he wishes there was an open mic like Rubble's when he was a Chippewa. Since coming to Rubble's, he noticed it has grown quite a bit.

“There wasn’t too much going on when it first started," Bristow said. "After a while we got more musicians coming up. Someone might be here this week and some new guy might be here next week.”

Brother-sister act Josh and Molly Stover graced the Rubble's stage for the first time on Sept. 21. Josh said he began seeking out open mics when he arrived in town about four months ago, and was directed to Rubble's.

“It’s a pretty standard open mic," Josh said. "It’s kind of like fish and chips — you really can’t mess it up too bad. It felt normal. I’m used to being up there.”

Cory said he likes when new acts perform because they tell their friends about their experience. He said comedians will bring their own friends to perform and add another dimension to the open mic.

He also stated the open mic is not a guaranteed audience, especially when school is not in session. Cory said there were times he and Abby played only four or five people during the summer.

Cory, who is a Communication and Dramatic Arts instructor at CMU, said open mic will benefit from students participating.

“That’s really where we think this open mic will grow is from CMU students coming down here, supporting one another," Cory said. "It’s an untapped market of people who, once they hear we’re doing the open mic, will come down and give it a shot and come back.”

For future goals, the Hillmans said they want to improve their promotional strategies. Cory said he would write a reference for CMU students who are willing to help in their project, including setting up posters around campus. T-shirts and song requests are also in the works, as well as raffles and a food drive around the holidays.

Abby stated the couple are committed to the open mic for five years, and Bristow said he will make every performance he can.

“It gives people who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity to perform their art or their act to do so to test things out," he said. "It’s a good chance, if you’re not sure about something, to come up and play once and see if it works or not.”

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About Evan Sasiela

Evan Sasiela is the University Editor at Central Michigan Life and a senior at Central Michigan ...

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