Virgin Hotels Las Vegas Lounge Hosts Weekly Open Mic for Rising Performers
The Shag Room at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas has grown over the past five years from an experimental concept into one of the city’s most distinctive platforms for emerging artists….
The Shag Room at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas has grown over the past five years from an experimental concept into one of the city's most distinctive platforms for emerging artists. The intimate off-Strip lounge hosts weekly open mic nights every Wednesday at 8 p.m., with free admission, alongside curated live showcases Thursday through Saturday.
"This is so unique and interesting. You are not finding this anywhere else, definitely not on the Strip, but really anywhere in town with this level of talent and collection of people," says Andrew Pittard, vice president of food and beverage at Virgin.
"It was the missing piece for our entertainment portfolio," he says. "There's been a little bit of the up-and-comer performances at 24 Oxford, the big acts in our theater. What was missing was the people being able to get their foot in the door and perform for an audience."
The open mic series, hosted by Las Vegas singer-songwriter Shawn Eiferman, features a rotating panel of industry judges who select a weekly winner. Those winners advance to a quarterly finale, where one standout artist earns a featured residency slot at the lounge.
"At times, it feels more like a variety show," Pittard says. "We've had people get up there and do singing, comedy bits, you know, spoken word. We've had people get up there with violins and every instrument you can think of. You're going to see a little taste of everything that's out there currently. It's the beauty of what's going on in Las Vegas."
The program has produced tangible success stories. Michael Richter, the Shag Room's first open mic winner, went on to open for multi-GRAMMY Award winner Jason Mraz at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas in 2023.
"It's almost like seeing your kids grow up," he says. "We hope that they're the next act we book in 24 Oxford as they start to move up, and then hopefully in the theater one day, and they're headlining it. That's full circle for us."
Open Mic Night at the Shag Room takes place every Wednesday at 8 p.m. Admission is free. Virgin Hotels Las Vegas is located at 4455 Paradise Road. For more information, visit virginhotelslv.com.
