GIGS
Monday 16th April 2012
The Jolly Anglers, Reading, RG1 3EA
open-mic hosted by Tony Brown
"There's Just No Pleasing Some People"
So, I'd got together a nice little vignette of three songs (what, you think we just play whatever we feel like?) with a bit of a story (and open-mic host baiting) connecting the three. I was thinking this could work and people might enjoy it. However, the Jolly Anglers was so busy last night that I could barely hear myself speak so it felt like a lost cause to actually try and tell a story and set any scenes.
So, I changed tack and launched into American Pie which most of the pub seemed to be up for and joined in with, which was great. Now this is exactly what I've been talking about recently - having the wherewithal to respond to the moment. Only a few months ago I'd have been overjoyed at having had the ability to have got the whole pub joining in with me. But do you know what? There's a part of me feeling I should've stuck to my original plan and tried to win the audience over (which would have probably just ended in disaster, awkwardness and dented confidence). There's just no pleasing some people (though the rest of the pub seemed reasonably happy).
My Set:
In Every Dream Home A Heartache (Bryan Ferry)
American Pie (Don McLean)
Don't forget the screening of the film about the work of Joseph Campbell, Finding Joe, hosted by Stand-Up Cinema at Reading's The Rising Sun Arts Centre on May 18th at 6:30pm. The start time is early so that the film will end by 8:00pm and not conflict with Bohemian Night Showcase.
Campbell said the following in the last lecture he ever gave:
"In my writing and my thinking and my work I've thought of myself as addressing artists and poets and writers. The rest of the world can take it or leave it as far as I'm concerned."
So if you're an artist, writer, musician , or just someone wanting to break out and go their own way, or even actually dare I say, a Star Wars fan (George Lucas based his original films' stories on Campbell's work), then I think you might find the film interesting and indeed I hope encouraging. Next week I hope to pull together all of this site's reference's to the film and explain why I found it meaningful. I don't expect it to be everybody's cup of tea but if it helps encourage one person along the way to achieving what they want to in their life I think my job will have at least been partly accomplished.
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