The Space Celebrates One Year of Open Mic Night and 23 Years of Local Open Mic History

On Tuesday, Sept. 17, The Space, a local restaurant and venue in downtown Champaign, will celebrate the one-year anniversary of its Tuesday night Open Mic Night. The event also marks 23 years of host Mike Ingram bringing open mic opportunities to performers in Champaign-Urbana.

Ingram has been a fixture in the local music scene, helping launch the careers of powerhouse local musicians and touring artists, while providing a space for others to continue honing their craft. Open mic nights have offered a platform for nearly every genre, and even served as one of the only outlets for local comedians to test new material.

“When you do this for so many years, very little still surprises you,” Ingram said. “‘Oh, you want to do a solo tuba set? Yeah, sure. Sounds fun.’ We’ve seen just about everything.” He added that over the years, only three steadfast rules have emerged: no crowdwork for comedians, rappers must avoid backing tracks with full vocals, and no dropping the mic.

Ingram’s journey as a host began in the early 2000s when he started picking up hosting gigs at Canopy Club’s $2 Tuesdays, while he was still a college performer. His first regular hosting role came in the fall of 2001 at Clybourne. “They literally paid me in drinks for me and my friends, and I thought it was the greatest thing in the world,” Ingram joked.

The open mic legacy continued in downtown Champaign at Cowboy Monkey, where Ingram and friend Brandon T. Washington co-hosted a weekly open mic for several years. After Cowboy Monkey, the event moved to Canopy Club in 2016, attracting a new generation of performers like Anika Emily and Jake Fava, who eventually became regular hosts.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ingram, Emily, and Fava transitioned to virtual open mic nights on Zoom. The events, streamed via Facebook, drew participants from across the country and world, keeping the local music community connected through tough times.

Following the easing of pandemic restrictions, Ingram, Emily, and Fava briefly hosted open mics at NOLA’s before finding a new home at The Space in 2023. With an in-house PA system and owners passionate about supporting the local music scene, The Space became the perfect venue for open mic nights, offering full-band slots with a house drum kit.

The videos of the virtual performances are still available on the @CUopenmic Facebook page, providing a lasting archive of the community’s creativity during the pandemic.

The Space’s anniversary event promises to be a reflection of the open mic’s rich history and the vibrant local talent it continues to nurture.