GIGS
Sunday 2nd June 2013
Hop Leaf, Reading, RG1 2QZ
Boho at The Hop open-mic hosted by Rob Sowden
"Maybe It's Just Me"
This is one of three gig reports (14th June & 6th June) that have taken me four months to get round to. Looking at the three I've probably needed a bit of hindsight just to put them into perspective.
In the gig report from the last time at Boho at the Hop I'd mentioned unease with Roger Watson's supposedly humourous take on the Jimmy Saville (and his ilk) scandal. The issues around this also dominate my memory of this open-mic in June. Once again the Jimmy Saville song was performed, admitedly to much amusement within the pub. And then another song which made light of the Chinese woman that lost her baby down the toilet. I don't really want to be seen supporting this type of humour, giving energy to it and so decided to sit outside until Roger's set was over. However not without being derided on my way out with: "It survived!" So that makes it alright then.
In fairness to Roger we've since had a level, well-reasoned correspondance on the matter and I think agree to disagree. It is a fair country that we live in and so we can express ourselves however we wish. Equally, I can choose not to listen to Roger or go to events at which he plays. Maybe it is just me and I'm being too sensitive about this but somehow the angles / tones of some of Roger's songs don't feel like they sit well with the life and luck that I'm generally fortunate enough to enjoy.
