23 superstars of South Australia’s open-mic nights
Funny-as-hell comics, 12-year-old rappers courted by major record companies, oddball poets and soulful singer-songwriters – these are SA’s open-mic superstars.
Adelaide has no shortage of open-mic events, at which people of all ages and abilities emerge from the shadows and shine bright on stage.
Such events give amateurs a chance to cut their teeth, professionals an opportunity to practise in a low-pressure environment, and a free stage to all those in between.
It’s a world full of hidden gems waiting to be unearthed, as proven by these 23 superstars of the state’s open mic scene.
Frank Ferguson
Open-mic credentials: Singer-songwriter who performs at the Southwark
Age: 16
Mr Ferguson has been playing open mics at the Southwark, owned by his parents, since he was just eight years old.
Dubbed Adelaide’s “mini Ed Sheeran” by The Advertiser in 2018, he said Ed Sheeran remains one of his biggest inspirations.
He recently released his first single, 2AM, on Spotify, an emotional acoustic pop ballad about heartbreak and watching old videos at two in the morning.
Mr Ferguson has won the Cabra Dominican College talent show for the past three years.
This year, he was asked to perform for the judges on Australian Idol, but had to turn it down because of a travel commitment. Watch out for him on a future season.
He said open-mic events were “good for your confidence because everyone’s there having a crack”.
“I almost use it as a way to practise songs I’ve just written, or play something I’ve just learned,” he said.
Eileen Ordish
Open-mic credentials: Folk musician, has performed at open mics for almost 50 years
Age: 75
Ms Ordish has been in the scene since she was 16 or 17, back when open-mic venues were simply called folk clubs.
Her friend Shazzy described her as a beautiful soul and a talented folk musician who had been at the heart of the open-mic scene for many years, serenading the community with songs by Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, along with Irish ballads.
Her late husband Steve Ordish, a talented rockabilly singer and guitarist who had also been an open-mic legend, sadly passed away earlier this year.
Kye John
Open-mic credentials: Rapper and drummer, performs at Milledge’s Distillery
Age: 12
A year seven student at Woodville High School, Kye said he first started performing at open mics when he was just two or three.
Under the mentorship of his well-connected grandfather Pappa Pig, Kye has released songs featuring well-known international bands including The Dropout Kings and Hed PE.
He regularly performs at the Milledge’s Distillery open mic with his grandfather, who organises the monthly event and doubles as Kye’s music manager.
Kye said performing at open mics had more him more confident and social.
He is working on an album being produced by TC Spitfire, who has previously worked with artists including Cher, Madonna, Usher and Britney Spears.
His grandfather said representatives at major record labels are also interested in the budding rapper, including Jay Z’s Roc Nation and The Orchard, an imprint of Sony.
Robert “Pigsy” Puddy
Open-mic credentials: Singer and guitarist, runs the Milledge’s Distillery open-mic
Age: 47
Going by monikers including Pigsy and Pappa Pig, this singer-guitarist performs gigs with his grandson Kye John while running his own open-mic night at Milledge’s Distillery, Port Adelaide.
“I think we have built a community of music lovers and novices who like the camaraderie and weekly music hangs, as nine years later we are still going strong,” he said.
Mr Puddy has had a storied music career, appearing on stage as a bass guitarist with acts including Bon Jovi, D12, Obie Trice and Kate Ceberano.
Ally Dent
Open-mic credentials: Comedian who performs at Laugh Lab and Nevermind Comedy
Age: “30ish”
Ms Dent uses open-mic nights to test out new material and grow more confident on stage.
Her worst memory was battling through nerves so bad at one of her early open-mic performances, she left straight after and threw up in a bin around the corner.
One of her best memories was performing at Adelaide Fringe 2025 alongside her dog Moose at the festival’s first dog-friendly show – an opportunity that came to her through the open-mic scene.
Ivan “Avalanche” Rehorek
Open-mic credentials: Performs poetry and music at “most” of the open-mic nights
Age: 66
Mr Rehorek has been performing poetry and spoken word since the late 80s, often reading from a “long scroll of paper”.
He said the worst open-mic event he attended was when “some cat got irate and wanted to belt someone else … it’s dangerous stuff, this poetry gig”.
The Avalanche enjoys writing ten-word poems, such as “Reality TV / Biggest loser -/ On both sides / Of the screen”, and “Roast chook / Keep going, / Morning rooster: / Soon you’ll be / Lunch!”
Jean-Pierre “JP” Coucopoulos
Open-mic credentials: Bluesy singer and guitarist who plays at Grace Emily, The Marion Hotel, The Goody and more
Age: 65
This talented grandfather of 21 plays guitar with just three fingers after his middle finger was blown off in an accident about eight years ago.
He said the finger now sticks up after it was replaced with one his rib bones, leaving him “stuck giving the bird for life”.
About a year after Mr Coucopoulos started playing open mics at age 58, he was hired to perform at local pubs and clubs including The Gov, The Seacliff Hotel and The Marion Hotel.
Phil De Bondi
Open-mic credentials: Comedy newcomer who performs regularly at Laugh Lab
Age: 46
Once a keen footballer and martial artist, Mr De Bondi found it was getting harder to keep participating in sports communities as he got older.
“Stand-up is a fun way to engage in a new community and you can put as much or as little effort as you like,” he said.
Mr De Bondi said stand-up “started just as a bucket-list item”, but the open mics went well enough for him to continue and he soon scored some booked gigs.
Jazz Fechner-Lante
Open-mic credentials: Poet who organises and performs at Ellipsis Poetry’s open-mic
Age: 27
Jazz said Adelaide’s poetry open-mic scene was “such a supportive group”, remembering one occasion where she performed a particularly vulnerable poem and received an outpouring of support afterwards.
“It really strengthened me and every time after getting on stage I’ve always felt so welcomed and safe,” she said.
Her briefest poem says a lot in just four short lines: “Long nights wasted on / Borrowed time / Left me through bright lights / And loud mics”.
Alan G Smallman
Open-mic credentials: Folk singer-songwriter who regularly performs at Port Noarlunga’s Mid Coast Folk Club open mic
Age: 64
Mr Smallman took a self-imposed sabbatical from performing music for about 20 years after he became deaf in one ear from getting tinnitus.
He was a nervous wreck when he first returned as a solo performer to play at an open-mic night, but he has since thrived in the scene, gaining a reputation for what people have called his “raconteur” songwriting style.
One of his songs, Copper Hair, has even been used on Tik Tok to promote hair salons in the Philippines.
Libby Trainor Parker
Open-mic credentials: Performs comedy and cabaret, runs an open-mic show called Collabaret
Age: 47
Ms Parker said the best moments at open-mic nights were “seeing someone get on stage for the first time and seeing them come alive under the lights”.
She started Collabaret because there were songs and routines she wanted to road-test in front of an audience appreciative of cabaret.
Having been diagnosed with endometriosis at 36, Ms Parker is the author of a book named Endo Days, which tells stories of those within the endometriosis community.
She now dedicates her life outside performing to advocating for people with illness so they can be diagnosed and treated.
She’s an MC and speaker, award-winning cabaret star and stand-up comedian . . . and a journalist and qualified teacher who has written and directed many youth theatre productions and runs workshops in drama, media and creative writing.
Sharon ‘Shazzy’ Kelley
Open-mic credentials: Singer-guitarist who performs at Wassail Wine Bar, Milledge’s Distillery and Southwark Hotel
Age: 42
Shazzy started playing open mics eight years ago at The Gov and has plenty of great memories – like when she was singing at The Commercial and saw two men through the window, dancing in the street to her song.
The angel-voiced woman said she loves the camaraderie of hanging out with her musician friends at open mics.
The trickster first led The Advertiser to believe she was 88 before correcting her age to 42.
Noah Holland
Open-mic credentials: Regularly performed comedy at Laugh Lab before leaving SA for Melbourne last month
Age: 24
Mr Holland first performed at Laugh Lab last year and “got hooked immediately”, going on to become state finalist in this year’s RAW comedy competition.
As he puts it: “Once a week, I go on stage and I get to talk uninterrupted for five minutes about whatever I want and sometimes people laugh. It is the most fun thing I’ve ever
done.”
He just moved to Melbourne to pursue comedy further, explaining that although he has loved performing comedy in Adelaide, the scene here was “tiny”.
Jill Wherry
Open-mic credentials: Performs poetry and stories at poetry slams, Friendly Street Poets, Tenx9 and more
Age: 87
The talented Ms Wherry, who won the 2020 SA Poetry Slam, often performs humorous poems and stories drawing from her life experiences.
In one poem, titled SLAMMED, she recounts her experience of performing as an older person at a local poetry slam.
It reads in part: “I strode into the venue; my fear I vowed to hide. / Dressed to impress – of course I was, but scared as hell inside. / ‘Have you just come to watch Ma’am or intending to compete?’ / ‘I’ve brought a poem, young man,’ I said. ‘Write my name on the sheet.’ / He called me Ma’am; I felt my age; they’re babes compared with me. / Should I race home to the grandkids and bounce them on my knee?”
Noeleen Davy (stage name Sequin Allure)
Open-mic credentials: Performs burlesque dance at Prompt Creative Centre open mics
Age: 54
Having trained as a dancer and performer in her early 20s, Ms Davy took a 20-year hiatus to travel and live abroad before getting back to the stage in 2019.
“Since then, my artistic fire has been reignited, stepping boldly into the burlesque world as a mature performer and proving that it’s never too late to pursue your passion,” she said.
“My mission is to inspire others of all ages to chase their dreams unapologetically, challenge ageism in casting, and advocate for greater visibility and inclusion of mature artists in the arts scene.”
Brian Doddridge
Open-mic credentials: Guitarist and vocalist, runs the Wassail Wine Bar open-mic
Age: 60
Mr Doddridge is well-connected within the open-mic community, as both an organiser of his own event and a performer.
He and four other performers, all of whom attend open mics, did a Fringe Festival show named Fringe Folk at Cafe Komodo earlier this year.
His favourite open-mic memory has simply been performing to a silent, listening audience.
Edyta “Eddi” Dabrowska
Open-mic credentials: Performs comedy at Laugh Lab
Age: Early 30s
Ms Dabrowska said it was incredibly rewarding when new material “landed” with audiences at open-mic nights.
“My worst memory would be the times I’ve completely ‘bombed’ – that’s when the set doesn’t land and the audience doesn’t laugh at all,” she said.
“Open mics help me refine my material and grow as a performer, with the aim of doing more shows, developing a full set and hopefully creating my first Fringe show next year.”
Marli Cregan
Open-mic credentials: Singer-songwriter, guitarist and mandolinist who performs at Wassail Wine Bar and the Southwark
Age: 58
She’s hot on bluegrass and has been writing her own material for 40 years.
Ms Cregan’s best open-mic memory took place in Canberra, where she was scouted and asked to perform at a cancer fundraiser with Buddy Williams and Owen Blundell.
Her worst was being heckled at the Southwark for singing a song that mentioned Jesus.
Ben Adams
Open-mic credentials: Performs poetry at Spoke N Slurred, Fresh Off the Press, Rewind Poetry and more
Age: 38
An academic researcher by trade, Mr Adams said many people “find a sense of empowerment, acceptance and creative success in the (spoken-word open-mic) scene they may not have experienced elsewhere”.
Asked to provide the shortest poem in his repertoire, he shot back these lines: “wet leaves on a winter street / pavement textured / with the singular rareness / of a remembered face”.
Mema Sifa
Open-mic credentials: Performs comedy at Laugh Lab
Age: 43
Ms Sifa took the plunge into performing comedy at open mics in November last year, after attending as an audience member for at least 15 years.
“There needs to be more women in comedy, so I’d encourage any woman considering it, to go give Monday night Laugh Lab open mic a try,” she said.
“The women have been killing it at a lot of the curated local comedy nights I’ve seen lately, and yet there are still line-ups with no women at all, or maybe one. That needs to change.”
Suzi Brown
Open-mic credentials: Singer who performs at Wassail Wine Bar, Milledge’s Distillery and Goodwood Hotel
Age: 52
In Ms Brown’s 20-odd years of attending open mics, her favourite memory was singing One Perfect Day at the Marion Hotel, accompanied by a friend on guitar.
“There was a man watching with his mouth open, and by the end, tears in his eyes. He came up to me afterwards and said he was here from England,” she recalled.
“The lyrics are asking about the weather and if it’s still raining there in England. He told me that he missed his wife dearly and that he felt I was singing the song directly to him, because every night, he’d ask his wife if it was raining.”
Rowena Rattus
Open-mic credentials: Singer, pianist and guitarist who plays at Wassail Wine Bar, Southwark Hotel and Hope Cafe
Age: 54
Ms Rattus performs original and classic songs with a soulful twist.
She said one of her best open-mic memories was singing Amazing Grace in a cappella and asking the crowd to join in.
“Everyone was singing and harmonising with me, it sounded like a heavenly choir,” Ms Rattus said.
Kent Michael
Open-mic credentials: Performs comedy at several open mics including Laugh Lab
Age: 40
Mr Michael was inspired to give stand-up comedy a go after watching another open-mic star, Phil De Bondi, do “really well one night”.
He describes his comedy style as a mixture of dad humour, weird jokes and one-liners, using open mics to try out new material.
His favourite open-mic shows are those “where there’s some element of chaos” and something totally new happens in the moment, whether it’s crowd work or a little add-on to a joke.
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Originally published as 23 superstars of South Australia’s open-mic nights
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