Andover Community Coffeehouse

Our MC Handbook

(A guide to the willing and the doomed.)

Arrive by 6:30 PM. Five minutes or so before 7pm you’ll want to get everyone’s attention and have them start to get settled in their seats. At 7pm you can quickly go through the logistics (See items to mention below) about the listening room environment, passing the hat, format, potties, who the first open mic performers are, etc. (all in the attached document) and then you can introduce the featured performer.

On a typical night the featured performer plays for about half an hour. Prior to the featured performers last song the MC will pass the hat, mentioning that the donations go to the performers and help keep the coffeehouse going. You can also mention again who the first three open mic performers are and that they should start getting ready and tuned up.

After the featured performer is done, the MC will thank the perfomer and introduce the open mic performers as they come up. Open mic performers gets two songs or for ten minutes, whichever is shorter. After the break the MC should get everyones attention and then introduce the remaining open mic performers as they come up. The featured performer will then close out the night with a few songs.

Items for the MC to mention about our coffeehouse

  1. Listening room atmosphere
  2. Pass the hat for musicians just prior to last song in first set.
  3. The coffeehouse is a co-op. We love our volunteers (the word community says it all. Please pithch in any way you can.
    • Offer to be an emcee
    • Offer to put up posters
    • Sponsor a night
    • Any other way you can help
  4. We are an alcohol and smoke free environment
  5. Bathroom is unisex and located at (Point to door)
  6. Flyers for community events are on the rear table
  7. All instruments are to be kept in the green room upstairs (Point to stairs)
  8. Please have all instruments tuned before going on stage.
  9. You will be given plenty of notice as to when you will go on stage and time to go upstairs to get ready.
  10. Mention the food prepared by the Andover Congregational Church, and that the proceeds of those goodies will go to the Grange Renovation Fund.
  11. Mention and thank the sponsor (if there is one).

The Andover Community Coffeehouse is located at Highland Lake Grange Hall, adjacent to the Andover Congregational Church.

At Highland Lake Grange Hall on the corner of Rte 11 & Chase Hill Road, East Andover, NH. Click here for a Map & Directions.

Doors open at 6:00PM for for light dinner and refreshments provided by the Andover Congregational Church. Sign-ups for open mic also begin at 6:00PM and then the show starts at 7:00PM.

Join us on the 3rd Friday of every month.

The show runs from 7:00PM until 9:30PM. Open Mic musicians play 2 songs or ten minutes - whichever is shorter.

Admission is free.

Come to play or come to listen. We are a listening room environment. Most of all we are here for the community, so come and be welcome.

We are the New Hampshire Magazine Editor's Pick as the "2015 Best Open Mic Night" in the Granite State.

NH Best 2015

And find us on facebook

FOR MORE INFO CONTACT LARRY CHASE AT 735-5135 OR LBCHASE@AOL.COM