23/05/2026
Cosy imperfectionistic musical open mic nights. Interesting, unpredictable, oozing with love. Priceless, therefore donation-based.
Dress code? Any! Animals? Welcome! Children-friendly? Of course:) Come!
Nearest event: 26th May, 18.30
Scenos bandymai LIX (Nr. 59) Vilniaus literatų namuose
Vilniaus literatų namai
Šv. Jono str. 11
Vilnius, Unesco literatūros miestas
Studija "Skrydžio režimu"
SCENOS BANDYMAI: what's it all about?
Instead of a foreword: SCENOS BANDYMAI can be translated in several ways - STAGE(-D) EXPERIMENTS, EXPERIMENTS ON STAGE, EXPERIMENTS OF STAGE, STAGE TRIALS and similarly. If life is a laboratory, participating in an open-mic might be a little experiment one chooses to run in order to gain more insights about oneself. Alternatively, stage can be used as a test plate for one's new song or verse... or a petri dish, if you will. We seek to provide a safe space and kindly encourage such kinds of self-testing.
SCENOS BANDYMAI is a cultural initiative aimed at promoting authenticity, inner thriving and togetherness via adventurous musicmaking on noncompetitive stage. In brief, we gather around an open microphone to appreciate our newest sung verses and soundscapes. Young professionals come here to exercise exerpts of their new programmes; experienced performers find space to try out an unusual style or a new instrument; someone who has never been on stage might choose to take part and face the life-threatening fear of public appearance. Most often, we strip the titles and gradations and center in the very now.
The level of some performers we've heard over the years is astounding. So is the charm and bravery of complete beginners. But the point isn't wholly about that. Even more than following our creative passions, we care about fostering the ecologies of our deepest selves. We believe in the bottomless wells of wisdom and light which flow in each heart. It is the distant echo of our truest selves that relentlessly calls for creative expression, as a means to lure and guide us closer to our ageless knowing.
In the cosy "laboratory" setting of Scenos Bandymai we exercise the stance of authenticity and develop immunity to the challenges it brings. Imperfectionism also teaches us to accept th elimited best instead of grieving for intangible perfection. Hopefully we can then transfer these skills and attitudes into the broader perspective of decision-making and life in general.
Back on the tangible plane, Scenos Bandymai is a recurrent event to celebrate our artistic skills and a point of reference we can use for motivation. One can no longer say "I would finish my songs but there's no one to listen". There is! There is us. We might not know you yet, but we're kinda looking forward to hearing you already. Your songs are worth it. You are worth it. We are as well.
We are neither against nor for the commercial success of our endeavours. Some songs sell, some don't, some authors manage themselves into a recording studio, others can't be bothered. In a world where cultural sector is increasigly enmeshed with issues of profitability, it might be challenging to remain playful rather than gainful. If unheard and unvoiced, our souls starve; when given the lead, they thrive and nourish others. Such could be the music industry. Such could be the norm: nourishing, not only flourishing.
Our community at SCENOS BANDYMAI is both spontaneous and perpetual: since the open-mics take place approximately once a month, new members of audience and participants blend in with the more frequent attendees. One thing, though, is unchanging, that is the atmosphere of unconditional acceptance and gratuitous support. In moments of hickups, flops and fiascos, we literally applaud each other and thus repetitively nourish the substrate of imperfection and vulnerability. Among us, failing in public, although not desired, is no less than a gift to the audience. We fail... and life continues. We forget the lyrics we just scribbled... and there's a second chance. There is certain jubiliance about us simply presenting ourselves with all our gifts and limitations.
Post Scriptum:
SCENOS BANDYMAI is one of the main initiatives and the initial spark of the Flight Mode studios, an arts and cultural education center. Imperfection, authenticity and patient diving into one's core are the driving values of this NGO. The slogan of Flight Mode studios is "Get yourself on a date!" (lt. "Paskirk pasimatymą sau!"), bearing in mind that en encounter with oneself might be anything from thrilling to blissful or horrendous. In any case, it is well worth it!
