Ranjit Arapurakal is the answer to the Kris’ prayers. The 29-year-old New York-based singer-songwriter has been hosting Kili’s International Open Mic in Brooklyn for the past three years. “Continuity is the most important thing for such nights. Performers should know that even though they show up a year later, the night is still running and they can have a spot,” he says. Arapurakal’s nights have become a workshop of sorts for songwriters, who test their original material on live audiences. “It’s become a space that nurtures original music,” he says.

Though Mumbai claims to be as global a city as any across the world, providing amateur artists an equal footing with established musicians isn’t widely accepted. “Maybe it does well abroad because the value of the musicians on the street is very high. Over here, artists who are set don’t want to perform with us,” says Kris. Managers and owners also require a database to avoid a melee, harmful to the reputation of the club.

Arapurakal plans to counter that situation with a sign-up sheet that allows artists to register by 10 pm. “So if someone suddenly gets drunk at 12 pm and wants grab hold of the mike, it’s too late. He should have thought of it earlier. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect the mike,” he says.

Owners have an equal part to play in the exercise. Reji Ravindran, one of the few turntablists of any worth in the city, regularly looks for spaces that will allow him to exhibit his art. “They are scared to experiment. Do you see Rock Bottom or Enigma keeping an open mind for an Open Mic night?No one’s willing to waste a single weekend,” he says. “People running nightclubs are not exposed to music nights internationally too,” adds Kris.