Friday 19 September 2014

Different Sorts of Open Mic Nights

While I was sitting outside the Globe on Tuesday, I was chatting to Tim the Gardener about the differences between the Globe evenings and the ones at the Baskerville.
Tim prefers the Globe, because he can get up and do a full set - three songs or so, one after the other, with mic and Bill the Potter on the sound board and all mod cons.
To be honest, it's a bit too professional for me. I like to sing, but I've got no pretensions that I'm any good. I'm just enjoying myself, and joining in communal music making. That's why I prefer the Baskerville approach - no stage, no mic, no electricals at all. People perform one song at a time around the room from wherever they happen to be sitting, and the room is small enough that you don't need the boost to the volume that electric gives. And if you know the song, you're encouraged to join in with whatever instrument you happen to be playing.
So it was a pity, the other night, when a couple of chaps turned up at the Baskerville with their instruments, and got out an extension lead to plug in their bass guitar. On being told (politely) that it was an acoustic evening only, they picked up their instruments and went straight back out again.

No comments: