On any given night, amateur performers can be found be practicing their craft. Whether they're performing their latest composition for a group of friends or stretching their voice in their garage or bedroom, there is a thriving music scene in Prince George.
But what you won't find are many opportunities for people to spontaneously get up behind an available microphone in public.
For established musician and singing teacher Dawn Boudreau, the lack of community stages isn't a deterrent for her or her students.
"I just put on a show," said the jazz singer, who after spending nearly her whole life in the north and teaching aspiring musicians for the past decade, will be leaving the city in a matter of months to pursue a career in Vancouver.
Between recitals and other arranged shows, Boudreau's students have the opportunity to spread their wings and voices in a live performance setting.
But this summer, Boudreau also opened up a stage for those who aren't under her tutelage with the first Prince George Idol competition.
For six weeks, 25 contestants vocally duked it out for a grand prize, which included $400 cash, a concert at Nancy O's, a performance slot at next year's Coldsnap Festival and vocal/performance coaching.
Quesnel resident Sheena Burgess took the inaugural crown and even though Boudreau will be leaving Prince George, the event was such a success she's already making plans to return next summer to run the show again.
That opportunity to get up on stage in front of an audience is critical for a performer, said Boudreau.
"Every time you're singing in front of an audience, you learn something about yourself as a performer," she said. "I say take every opportunity."
But those opportunities aren't as easy to come by for those who don't already have a foot in the door.
While many venues, such as Nancy O's, Third and ArtSpace are available to book a proper show, "a lot of people don't have the wherewithal to do that," Boudreau said, adding it's one thing to know what songs you're going to sing, but not everyone knows what else it takes to put together a show.
For example, booking a show at ArtSpace requires negotiations with the building's owner and the carries the burden of promoting the event and selling tickets.
For those who want to perform in the bookstore at Caf Voltaire, they have to get in touch with Eric Tompkins, who has been organizing the business's Friday Night Mics - a free event that kicks off at 8 p.m. with featured performers every week - for nearly a decade.
Prospective performers, after linking Tompkins to samples of their music, can expect to to have the sound gear provided and a public address system. Since it's a free event, they don't have to worry about selling tickets.
"We have a tip jar and people donate to that," explained Tompkins, who performs world music as a member of band Navaz. "It usually works out pretty well, for everyone."
With few exceptions, the lifespan of an open mic or amateur stage in Prince George is short and fleeting.
Boudreau herself got her start performing a jazz set at Caf Voltaire in the late 1990s. "I was so nervous. My knees were shaking and I was sweating," she recalled.
"As far as open mics go, there aren't a lot in this town," Boudreau said.
Tompkins has been facilitating Caf Voltaire's Friday night events for about a decade and said that when the stage is available for open mic nights once per month, it gets just as steady an audience as those with featured performers.
"It's nice to have the variety. There are people who come out faithfully. Every time there's an open mic, they're there," Tompkins said. "I like the idea that there's a place people, especially young people, can go and try their talent out on an audience and see how that works."
One venue which is steady in its burgeoning open mic business is Coach's Corner. The sports bar has been hosting a weekly open mic session every Thursday night for the past few months.
Former pub supervisor Chelsey Wyman said it began as a new way to draw customers into the establishment.
"It's something Prince George needs. There's a lot of local talent and it gives them a chance to perform," she said, noting they usually get guitarists and singers taking the stage as well as hotel guests from the Ramada looking for a way to let their hair down during their stay.
Social justice-themed space 3rd Ave Collective also hosts regular open mic poetry sessions.
COFFEEHOUSE COLLAPSE
"From time to time, I've heard about different things [open mic nights] that happen and they last for a few weeks or months," Tompkins said.
Boudreau speculates that the likely problem with open mic sessions having any longevity is that they draw audiences who may not necessarily spend much money at the establishment.
"Place like Caf Voltaire, they have a lot going on there. They can do the occasional open mic and not lose out," Boudreau said.
"Coffeehouses would be a great idea, but not a lot of people have the energy for it," Boudreau said. In fact, Boudreau's own mother ran a weekly coffeehouse event on Friday nights in the back of Knox United Church when she was a child.
"It takes time to build up the audience and to get that kind of consistency going," Tompkins said.
As early as the 17th century, the coffee house was a place for minds to meet. More than simply a shop for patrons to get their daily jolt of caffeine, it was a space of social stimulation. Merchants, intellectuals, poets and musicians would sip on java and commiserate for hours about the latest in economics, politics and art.
Today, the term "coffeehouse" is used to describe a venue or an event where talent and ideas are shared.
"It was great growing up like that," she said, noting she would usually be left in the care of a babysitter as there was coffee available by donation, which drew "some dodgy characters."
One of the locales where an open mic didn't make it was Steamer's Pub. The Queensway sports bar optimistically began Open Mic Sundays in April 2010, but it was very short lived. An open stage could also be found at the Daily Grind before the downtown coffee shop closed its doors.
Most recently continuing this trend is Open Stage Sundays, the shortlived event which brought some life to the 5th Avenue space in the Fraser Club, the venue above the Cariboo Steak and Seafood Restaurant.
Organizer Jason Cairns and T'aint Fancy Promotions started the all-ages event in August, along with bringing in live bands for Friday and Saturday night shows.
Cairns had told The Citizen the idea was "by local for local," and the event offered people a chance to play their instrument, sing, recite poetry or tell jokes.
"It's something different to do when the routine is nine to five at work then go home and it's six to 10 watching TV," Cairns said.
"There's so much talent in Prince George. There's really good stuff and people don't realize it's here," he said. And, as much as the Open Stage Sundays were a means to show off local talent, it was also part of a bid to bring some life into the downtown core after the close of business.
But, the Fraser Club has been as quiet and empty as those downtown streets for the past couple of weeks as Cairns and his promoting partner have taken a hiatus. According to the Fraser Club's Facebook page, the duo was working on securing funding for their own venue.
Cariboo manager Melody Tabora said she was sorry to see them go.
"It brought great sound," she said, adding the Club has an exceptional public address system. But more importantly, the weekly events brought people into the area.
"It's a ghost town down here," Tabora said.
But after the rush for booking holiday parties in banquet space has passed, Tabora - herself a musician - said she hopes to get another open mic session started up in the new year. She said she foresees a mixture of open mic nights and booking in people for cabaret style shows.
"I love live music, and it's such an amazing space," Tabora said.
