So you want to expose yourself to strangers in a dark, cramped room? Say less! First, a history of the bar and its significance.
KGB is a well-known dive bar in the East Village. Before it was KGB, it was a speakeasy operated by the Italian mob member Lucky Luciano. (He was in the Five Points gang! What are the odds!) For forty years, from 1948 to 1988, the bar was genuinely meant for communists and socialists to discuss whatever they discussed, but in 1993 it became what it is now: a bar and book-reading venue inspired by its own building’s subversive history. Every Monday night, there is a poetry reading by distinguished poets, as well as an open mic for less distinguished poets. There is also a fiction-reading series on Sundays.
If you want to perform at the open mic, all you need to do is:
– DM @easyparadisemag on Instagram to sign up for a slot. The owner of the account will put your name on a list in his Notes app.
– Arrive at 8. It’s on the third floor, not the second. The good poets read on the second, but it’s not an open mic. I made this mistake the first time around. I say get there at 8: it will likely start much later, but this is the only way you’re going to find seating. The entire space is the size of about two bedrooms, or one really long bedroom, so it’s tight.
– You might want to ask the organizer (who will make himself known—the guy who does it right now is rambunctious and not at all shy) if you are in fact on the list. I sat there for three hours and grew increasingly suspicious I was not set to perform. It turns out, he’d forgotten to write my name down.
– You need to order two drinks. They remember! You could just order two shots in one mixed drink.
– When you get up on stage, the lights are blinding. You won’t know who you’re looking at. Just look around anyway. Chances are you will eventually look into someone’s eyes at some point.
– It will be really scary the first time but remember you’ll only get better! And you’ll be so proud of yourself! And everyone there knows it’s scary and they’ll be supportive, even if they look judgmental. And there will probably be weirder acts than yours.