By  Bryna Jones
Special to the Dialog

Fresh Kils performs at Urban Mic

Thursday nights rock at Toronto Eaton Centre’s Urban Eatery, as the venue plays host to Urban Mic, a free, live music experience aimed at profiling the city’s wide range of musical talent.

“Urban Mic is a really exciting opportunity for local artists,” said host, and KISS 92.5 FM radio personality, Devo Brown. “It’s a chance to shine a spotlight on young musicians, expose them to new audiences, and to bring music to people that might not have heard it otherwise.”

Artists agree that Urban Mic provides them a unique opportunity to hone their skills and garner exposure in the competitive Toronto music scene.

“I think it’s a good test for an artist to see how effective they are in connecting with the audience,” said musician, and Urban Mic performer, Fresh Kils. “It’s cool because Toronto is big and so saturated. It’s a neat sneak peek for people who are at the right place at the right time.”

Urban Mic kicked-off on Sept. 6 with a performance by Toronto’s Shi Wisdom, and has since played host to a variety of musical talents from folk singers to rappers. The event’s finale will be held on Nov. 1, and will spotlight the most popular artists from the previous weeks’ performances.

Young bands or artists who are interested in profiling their music to the Eaton Centre’s thousands of daily visitors still have time to apply by submitting a video or audio sample through the Urban Mic website, www.tecurbanmic.com.

Audience members, and the public, are encouraged to visit the website to vote for their favourite performers. Finalists will win a prize pack, courtesy of the Eaton Centre, and the opportunity to perform live during the mall’s Christmas programming.