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Caffe Frascati on First Street puts on an open mic night every Tuesday where people can sign up to show off their talents or simply be entertained.

The open mic night has something for everyone, offering music, comedy, poetry and storytelling. Last Tuesday, there was an interesting mix of folk music, punk music and stand-up comedy. 

Caffe Frascati has fantastic paninis, a wide variety of coffee drinks and beers for customers to enjoy while listening to people perform.

Many of the musicians who play at Caffe Frascati have shows around the Bay Area and use the open mic night to promote themselves. Hearing the performers play and hearing who inspires them is incredible. 

One musician, Israel Sanchez, played his own version of Michael Jackson’s “Billy Jean” and gave the song a little more punch. “The first person that pops in my head is Michael Jackson,” Sanchez said. “My grandma had a record player and she used to play the whole “Thriller” album. I always wanted to be a musician and I just finally decided I need to actively pursue it.”  After playing Michael Jackson’s “Billy Jean,” Sanchez played some of his own songs with the last one being a series of loops he made with his guitar. He will be having an official show at Caffe Frascati on Dec. 11.The open mic gives people the opportunity to shine for 10 minutes at a time. The spotlight is on that one person and nobody else and it is hard not to watch.

Unfortunately, there were a few points throughout the night that were a little dull. The comedy seemed forced and there were awkward pauses for laughs, but no one laughed. 

The music was the highlight of the night with original punk songs from a musician who goes by “Putz,” Brandon Van Duyn’s down-tempo folk music and Sanchez’s edgy alternative music. If anyone is looking to get into playing music and meeting new people, Caffe Frascati’s open mic night is the place to go. “I think they’re awesome because you get to meet a network of musicians and you get to see people that just do this for fun,” Sanchez said. The vibe of the event alternates between energetic and calm and there is a very communal feeling. The more you go, the more people you meet.

“You may think that you’ve played this all summer long and no one wants to hear your two songs again, but there’s always a new face of people,” Sanchez said. “It’s very important to be consistent because people may be looking to bring their friends next Tuesday and you’ve got to be there.”