NJIT’s Student Activities Council and Honors Student Council hosted their bi-annual Open Mic Night on Friday, March 6th. Students filled the pub in anticipation to see their friends and classmates take the stage in hopes to win the grand prize of $250 dollars. Acts ranged from singing to stand-up comedy, as performing artists of all varieties were welcomed.
MCs Josh Wolfe, a freshman IT major, and Pitambar Dayal, a junior biomedical engineering major started off the night by introducing the audience to the four judges, two of which belonged to each hosting organization. As each artist performed, the audience sat back with their friends and enjoyed hot chocolate and assorted baked goods catered by Gourmet Dining Services.
This semester’s Open Mic Night received a visit from the Improv Technicians, the University’s student-run improvisational comedy group. The actors and actresses of this group brought a unique performance to the event. They interacted with members of the audience and asked for scenarios and genres for the actors and actresses to improvise dialogue for. One of the Improv Technicians’ acts involved two characters living in a jail cell together.
Other notable acts included stand up comedy by Darius Thurman, a shoe-gaze cover of a Fleet Foxes song by Kenneth Schlatmann, and an acapella performance of a traditional Hindu song by freshman IT Aneesh Muthiyan.
In the end, it was Allyn Calvis who took first place. The judges collectively agreed that her performance of The Script’s “Breakeven” showed mastery of her instrument, stage presence, and evidently, many hours of practice. This win was Calvis’ grand debut as a musician here at NJIT. She later thanked the judges for the opportunity and informed the audience that she had just recently transferred from TCNJ and is now a third year biomedical engineering major.
In second place was Loren Mallari on guitar, harmonica, and vocals, accompanied by his friend “Sex Bear” on the drums. Filipe Araujo was awarded third place after impressing the judges with his vocals and guitar. Three performers were lastly chosen to receive honorable mentions, one of which was Renzell Linsngan, last semester’s Open Mic Night winner, who returned to amaze the audience with his talent of beat boxing.
All in all, roughly $700 dollars worth of cash prizes and raffles were given out during this night of laughter and music. If you are a performing artist looking for an opportunity to share your talent and meet a community of gifted artists, be sure to look out for the Student Activities Council and the Honors Student Council, who will be bringing this event back to the pub next semester.
