Max’s place gives locals venue to showcase talents

It’s a typical Wednesday night at Max’s Place. A musician with a guitar slung across his back is singing on stage as fellow performers watch, waiting their turn.

The weekly open mic night is under way and the dimly lit room is buzzing as patrons pick at their pizza, and various stringed instruments outline the surrounding green and purple walls.

“Anybody that comes will tell you, it is the premiere open mic night in Bloomington,” said Travers Marks, Max’s Place owner.

A musician himself, Marks said he started the open mic night to give local musicians an opportunity to play in town.


“It gives people a chance to play whether they are at the level that it takes to get a gig or not,” he said. “And it also gives people a chance to meet other musicians as far as starting bands.”
Sign ups at Max’s Place begin at 5 p.m. each Wednesday, and participants can call or stop by to select a 15-minute time slot, Marks said. The microphone is turned on at 7:30 p.m. as the first act takes the stage, and the last slot to perform is at 10:15 p.m.
All styles of music and entertainment are encouraged and welcome to participate in the open mic, Marks said.

Although the majority of acts are musically inclined, artists don’t need to know how to play an instrument to take part. In the past, comedians, a cappella groups and poets have performed as well.

Senior Mark Galup, a recording arts student and rock history associate instructor, has been a featured musician at Max’s Place for three years.

Galup, who plays old-fashioned 1930’s-style acoustic blues with intricate finger picking, represented Indiana in the 2010 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tenn., after taking first place in the 2009 Indiana Blues Challenge in the solo/duo category. Before releasing his first CD, “Livin’ Far Out,” and booking full shows at Max’s Place, Galup said he frequented the Wednesday open mic.

“There is a focus on the music there that I appreciate at the open mic night,” Galup said. “The sound system is up loud enough so that people are oriented toward listening to you and I’ve had a venue to try out songs and rehearse new songs.”

Senior Erik Stewart, CEO of the Bloomington recording and production company Lightpipe Studios, has been running the sound system for Max’s Place open mic for the last year.

“It’s one of the best places to network with people, especially if you are just starting to perform and getting your music out there,” he said.