GIGS

Wednesday 1st February 2012

The Crown Inn, Theale, RG7 5BT

open-mic hosted by Roger Watson

"A New Test For Drunkenness"

As always a great open-mic hosted by Rodger "Splodge" Watson of WatsonWorld fame.

I always like going back to the Crown, the people are really nice there (kind of implies they're not elsewhere but that's not true, but I do like going back to the Crown, it feels a bit like a "home ground"). The thing is though, I rarely feel that my performances at The Crown connect with the audience. (Ironically the only time when I really felt I connected there was when I completely corpsed. )

Perhaps it's because say, I've now got more of a relationship with The Jolly Anglers' audience due to it being a weekly event and I'm comparing The Crown to that? Or perhaps it's because the audience throughout the evening are seemingly more interested in their conversations and having the music as background (and there's nothing wrong with that) whereas The Jolly Anglers' and The Bat and Ball say, are more focused on the music?

Of course, there's always the possibility that I'm just not good enough to cut through, hopefully that's getting further from the truth with each performance I do.

I guess I am just finding this "performance thing" quite fascinating and relating it to my previous experiences as a teacher and trainer and the times when things seemed to "really work" then. It does feel like there's a bit of alchemy involved.

Anyway there was one guy paying attention, he was really pissed.

Actually there were at least two people paying attention. One was really pissed and the other really pissed-off. Tony Brown cannot stand American Pie! I can't understand why he wouldn't get up to sing with me. Or called me a "Bastard"?! (:-)) (And actually, inspite of my comments in the first paragraph, I did have people joining in with the chorus. I guess I just wanted the place rocking like it did on Monday night but I'm greedy like that).

Anyway I could tell the other one was really pissed because he said I was an excellent guitar player. Really, having seen some of the people on the open-mic circuit (and elsewhere) play guitar I'm not sure that I would even be grandiose enough to consider myself a "guitar player". Perhaps just someone who puts on a guitar? To be fair, having recognised my limitations, perhaps I have evolved my own particular style. Anyway, I guess the point is, if you come close to thinking I'm a great guitar player, please don't drive home.

Set 1

Last Night I Saw You Standing There

Tears of a Clown (Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, Hank Cosby)

American Pie (without Tony Brown) (Don McLean)

Set 2

You've Got The Magic Back

Cold Heart