The Teen Arts Council will be hosting the first open mic night of the year this Friday at the Mitchell Park Community Center.  The free event aims to showcase local student talent.

The upcoming open mic night will start at 7 p.m. on Friday, February 23.

TAC has been hosting open mic nights since 2010 and has generally held four per school year, according to TAC member junior Anoushka Sharma.

“I love this event because there’s always so much surprising talent and you get to meet new people and see a wide variety of performances.”

TAC President senior Nandini Relan.

Open mic nights typically feature approximately 16 performances and host over 100 audience members according to Relan. Performances include a wide variety of acts such as singing, comedy and poetry.

“The performances vary drastically,” said junior Olivia Brown. “Two of my favorites were a rock band and [a comedy performance] preaching about Jesus Christ. You never really know what you’ll see there, but I’d say most of the performances are singing.”

The event’s frequently large turnout and popularity is greatly courtesy of the entertaining performances and fun atmosphere, according to Relan.

“Almost everyone who goes to these events always says something about how they can’t believe they’ve never been to these before and how much fun it is,” Relan said. “Seniors are especially encouraged [to attend] because this might be their last chance and they might regret missing it.”

The open mic nights attract a wide variety of student performers thanks to the enthusiastic and welcoming audience, according to Brown.

The supportive atmosphere makes it easier for performers and is a large reason why Brown will be performing at the upcoming open mic night. She plans to sing a duet with Sharma while junior Caity Berry plays the ukulele.

“The song has some pretty vulgar language but the crowd is so open to entertainment that I’m sure they’ll enjoy it,” Brown said.

The supportive atmosphere helps performers showcase their talent and gain experience in a stress-free environment, according to Brown.

Juniors Derek Zhao, Annie Tsui and Robert Vetter will also be performing at the upcoming event. Tsui and Vetter will be performing slam poetry together, while Zhao said he has an “entertaining surprise” planned.

In addition to the entertaining performances, the open mic night brings a unique opportunity to meet new people from around the area.

“People are able to meet other teens in the community and share their love of music, comedy, or playing an instrument which is always great.”

Anoushka Sharma

Although TAC caters the event toward Palo Alto students, it allows students from local high schools to meet and mingle, resulting in a unified and supportive atmosphere that combats the competitive nature of the area.

“[Open mic night] is special because you get to see Paly and Gunn come together,” Brown said.

TAC has a myriad of other events planned as well, including another open mic night later this semester and an art and music festival called Buoyancy. The popular festival will take place this June, and will include live performances, food trucks and games.