Her arm breaks out in a rash. Her face turns red. Her throat feels constricted.

This isn’t the start of an allergic reaction. This is Jillian Hyink, sophomore, at The Wolf’s open mic night.
Singers, songwriters and spoken word artists of all ages and skill levels can share their talent at The Wolf’s Open Mic Tuesdays. Sign-up starts at 6:30 p.m., and the mic is turned on at 7 p.m. A $5 minimum purchase is required for entry. Performers range from students just learning to play and sing to professional artists, from 6-year-olds to retirees.

“I get really nervous before, but once I start it’s gone,” Hyink said. “By the time I’m done, I’m just really happy and relaxed.”

She started playing at open mic over a year ago and continues to perform at open mic about once a month. She usually covers songs from a band called Iron and Wine because a lot of their songs are acoustic. She also covers a lot of Bright Eyes’ songs.

Hyink said she enjoys playing music a lot, and open mic night is a good opportunity to perform. She can be really shy, but with the responsive audience, it’s not overly nerve-wracking.
“Everyone there is super encouraging, really nice, and supportive,” Hyink said. “Even if you suck, they act like you’re good.”

Hyink discovered open mic night through Sam Lutke, senior, who has been playing at The Wolf’s open mic since its early days. Lutke began performing with her friend Breanna Hilton, Class of 2014. When Hilton graduated, Lutke started to bring Hyink.

Lutke said the atmosphere is relaxed and that host Steve Perron, producer at KMOV-TV, is incredibly supportive and encouraging.

“He’s just very interested in everything that you do even if you’re not that good at it,” Lutke said
Perron asked Bob and Denise Biribin, owners of The Wolf, in 2013 if they would be interested in holding an open mic night. They agreed, and Perron hosted the first open mic night in March of 2013, right around St. Patrick’s Day.

The Wolf’s open mic night grew very quickly, which Perron said he attributes to its unique setting.
“It is the only open mic in the area that offers players a dedicated music room, The Blackhawk Room, and that means players do not have to compete directly with background noise from the kitchen or coffee makers,” Perron said.

Flyers informing audience members of proper open mic etiquette lie on all the tables; as a result, Perron said the audience at The Wolf is one of the most attentive and respectful in the area.

Some of the major appeals of The Wolf’s open mic night include the stage and stage lighting, which is rare for an open mic, along with the Bose Tower P.A., a top level sound system.
The Wolf also offers a wide range of food and drink, Perron said.

The number of performers varies, but they average about 15 to 20 acts. During the busiest times—summer and Christmas Break–it’s not unusual to have 30 performers sign up.

Perron said The Wolf is one of the few open mics that draws a considerable number of audience members, which is somewhat unusual and a testament to the quality of The Wolf’s performers.

“The atmosphere is, in a word, electric,” Peron said. “I often describe really good nights as ‘magic.’ Part of this is thanks to the owners and staff at The Wolf who clearly enjoy the vibe on Tuesday nights and are gracious in letting us go late when there are big crowds.”