A Starry Night: Open Mic 2019

Open Mic Night, an annual event hosted by AISG’s Student Council (StuCo), was held after school yesterday on Friday, November 1 from 5:30 till 8:00. This event is a night where members of the high school community, including both students and teachers, can perform in an informal and lively environment.

As per tradition, Open Mic Night was the concluding event after a week of spirit festivities. It was organized in the area in front of the science classrooms, with a central stage, and a moshpit of sorts where bean bags were squeezed in for seniors to sit. A few tables with lovely floral assortments were also set up towards the back for audience members. The tickets were sold prior to the event for 30 RMB, and at the door for 40 RMB. Students were allowed to order food from outside until 5:30 p.m., after which they were limited to snacks from the café. StuCo offered up some refreshment options as well, which included Coke, and Sprite.

The performances were a welcome delight after a strenuous week and it was gratifying to witness the supportive environment. Cheers and hoots could be heard throughout the event. Audience members enjoyed a variety of performances, which included but were not limited too: a rendition of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, Ms. Dean’s “YEAH, TOAST!” song, several Korean and Chinese songs, as well as an exciting Trumpet performance.

There were a few teacher performances this year by Ms. Dean, Mr. Killian, and Ms. Partee. Ms. Partee sang a song from Hamilton (the Musical), while Mr. Killian sang “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran. Both these performances were amazing, with students whipping out their phones to take a video and bobbing their heads along to the beat. Ms. Dean’s performance was well-loved as well, with several students joining in and shouting “YEAH, TOAST!” along with her.

Ms. Dean, who is also a StuCo advisor, stated that “Open Mic night [was] meant to be a more laid-back and casual event,” where people could come together and “enjoy music.” Maya T., a junior who performed at Open Mic Night, definitely agrees with this. She says, “The informal and welcoming ambiance was so amazing, and it was exciting to see people cheering.” She also commented upon the venue and stated that the venue was “very pretty as there were blue skies right above, and later on [she] could see stars.” Maya also enjoyed how although Open Mic Night was casual, it wasn’t disorganized.

Open Mic Night also allowed many to explore areas outside of their comfort zones: Christel L. and Ellie C., both juniors, sang a Korean song called “Instagram,” despite the fact that neither of the two were comfortable with the language. Rebecca Z. sang “Dim Lights,” and prefaced the song by stating that she felt extremely nervous. However, her performance was absolutely breath-taking, and the energy of the song was palpable in the air!

During Open Mic Night, “open-Open Mic Night” signups also took place, which allowed people to sign up for performances on the spot. Gwynnie G., Sophia P., and Jasmine L. took to the stage with two songs meant for Ms. Volz, their French teacher. Firstly, they sang the French version of a popular Christmas song, “Deck the Halls,” and later followed it up with an interesting rendition of a romantic song, which too was meant for their teacher. StuCo also stepped onstage for a performance of “Hall of Fame” by The Script.

During the “open” section of Open Mic Night, a trend soon emerged. Various grade levels took to the stage to sing a song together in order to display their grade-wise spirit. The freshmen were the first up, with the sophomores and seniors following them. The juniors were a last-minute addition, deciding to sing “In my Feelings” by Drake. Their performance had a few hilarious hiccups, but ultimately Dylan W. emerged to salvage the situation with a dance.

Ellen T., a new student at AISG this year, stated “Open Mic Night was really fun, and I loved being able to sit back, relax and have some fun. It was definitely a great experience, and allowed me to get to meet some new people and enjoy!”

Open Mic Night 2019 was a success and was certainly a night to remember!