Arts & Entertainment --Arlt§ & Emittcerttaulmimmcemr(t-- Open Mic Night gives students chance to show off their talent

SHANNON KEOUGH STAFF WRITER SEK723@CABRINI EDU

The lights are low, there are over 100 people in the audience and their eyes are all staring at you. Are you nervous? Confident? Do you have what it takes? Ten students thought they did.

That’s right. CAP Board’s Open Mic Night was definitely a hit among Cabrini students. It had the biggest turn-out of any CAP Board event this year. MaryKate Corp, a junior special education major, organized the event and said, “I like it when students come out to support other students.”

Who wouldn’t come to an event where there is entertainment and prizes? All students received a ticket when they walked in that gave them a chance to win a Visa gift card.

Many of the performers played individual songs on their guitars but one was unique. There was one performance in which one girl read a poem while another sang in the background. All of the other performances stuck with singing either original or cover songs.

The first act was Joe Grenato, freshman graphic design major, playing original songs on his acoustic guitar. He has recorded his own CD and said he likes to “get the music to the people for as cheap as possible.” This was his first time performing at Cabrini but he has played in coffee houses and at benefit shows in his neighborhood.

Another act was Jen Davis, a junior English and communication major, who sang a Kelly Clarkson cover as well as an original song. She said she was more nervous after the performance than she was before. She sang a couple times in high school in musicals and she’s been playing guitar and piano for many years.

Prizes were given to the second and first place winners as well. When all of the performers finished their routines, the audience voted for their favorite performer.

The first place winner was Andy Settler, a junior English and communication major, and he received a $25 gift card to Sam Ash music store and a $75 Visa gift card. He also played the guitar, and he said that he performs like this all the time but he likes performing at Cabrini the best. He was really surprised though because he lost three years in a row.

There were two performers who tied for second-place: Joe Grenato and Lauren Townsend. They each won a $25 gift card to Sam Ash music store as well as a $50 Visa card.

Townsend, junior English and communications major, went up on stage barefoot and sang an original song that she wrote for a friend. She said, “I just wanted to sing, perform and gain some more experience, and I ended up walking away with more.”