Hey, you, the future rockstar. Or you, the wannabe international DJ. And you over there, the closet poet who longs to be a performer of spoken word.

It's time for you to step out from behind the mirror, put down that hairbrush you've been singing into, pack up your talent and take the stage - at an open mic night.

Before you say, "That ain't my bag, baby," you should know that open mic nights aren't just for songwriters and six-string samurai anymore. Area venues are opening their arms to performers of all kinds by carrying an "anything goes" attitude as well as creating specialized nights for certain genres of music.

"Open mics are good if you're trying to break into the music scene because of how limited it might be in a town like this," said Erik Alan, an East Lansing resident and MSU alumnus, over a beer Tuesday night at Dagwood Tavern & Grill, 2803 E. Kalamazoo St. in Lansing.

The 21-year-old, full-time musician is a regular attendee of Dagwood's open mic nights, held every Tuesday.

"This is a very scene-oriented open mic," he said. "It's more of a springboard for musicians to do further projects. As a result of playing down here, I've met so many people and made so many connections. Everyone's so receptive and kind."

The diverse talent that comes out of hiding at Dagwood's on any given Tuesday is a great example of how open-minded an open mic night can be. From 10:30 p.m. to 1 a.m., the tiny bar is packed with musicians and regulars. One might witness anything from a jam session with seasoned musicians to a slam poet screaming his or her heart out to a guy playing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" on a saw.

Sarah Umbach, a telecommunication senior and waitress at Dagwood's, has seen many bands take off after getting exposure at open mic nights.

"I've seen bands like With Special Guest when they were up here for their first time," she said. "They were so shy and too young to drink. It's been amazing to see them spread out and get bigger."

If you're more of the electronically minded type, dance on over to The Temple Club, 500 E. Grand River Ave. in Lansing, for an "open decks" night held every Tuesday. Located downstairs in the rosy glow of the Red Light Lounge, area amateur DJs bring their own records and take turns spinning and scratching in front of the crowd.

"The open tables are good for anybody who's starting out with their own tables to play in front of other people and get advice from peers," Jason Caskey, the venue's event manager, said.

"There's not many opportunities to play in front of other people - there's always plenty of people there - and get support from them," he said.

The open decks night has been rockin' since January, but many people in the area might be unaware the event exists.

"It's one of our more consistent nights," said Temple Club resident DJ Brandon Lovelady. "We usually get about 50 people here. Which, for a Tuesday night, is good. But it's still a fairly regular crowd. We all know each other."

Lovelady said being an expert DJ isn't necessary to participate.

"I've seen guys go up there for their first time in public to guys that have been in clubs for years," he said. "It's not genre-specific here. We've got everything from hip-hop to jungle."

Even if you're not musically inclined, but still itchin' for your few minutes of fame, you've got options.

Connxtions Comedy Club, 2900 N. East St. in Lansing, offers an open mic comedy show Wednesday nights. Comedians register by phone Monday afternoon for one of three slots in the spotlight before Wednesday's headliner.

"We've had a number of comedians who started at our open mic that have gone on to bigger and better things," Gabriel Azzopardi, the assistant manager and head bartender, said. "You get a feel for the audience and you learn the ropes."

Azzopardi explained stand-up comedy isn't easy, but practicing at an open mic can help.

"Don't get discouraged if no one laughs the first time," he said. "There's usually a crowd of about 70 people and sometimes no one laughs. Keep working at it and every time you'll get better. Stay persistent."

For those of you with no performance aspirations whatsoever, open mic nights are great (and usually free) entertainment. They're an inside look at all the talent that's in your community and, for some, an excuse to go out and party.

"It's nice to see people that you normally walk by on the street up on stage playing music," Lansing resident Josh Wallace said. "And besides, it's a great time to come and drink."