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Both A Song And A Person Must Be Able To Stand On Their Own
Open Mics, Breakups And Other Trials
Open Mics
The crowd was as uninterested as only the punters in a pub on an open mic night can be. In my experience, only musicians go to open mics for the music. The rest of the clientele is there because of the drinks and the low-key nature of the provided entertainment. What could be a fantastic opportunity to discover local talent is often an exercise in aggressive indifference and attention-seeking repertoires. Indeed, there is little more disheartening than singing about your deepest emotions and being barely audible over the loud ramblings of a disinterested congregation. Equally, there is little more pointless than choosing to grab the attention of an indifferent audience by playing songs they might recognise.
Yet, considering how much I despise them, I have exceptionally fond memories of some open-mic nights. One such evening had me and a friend play our songs in an underground tavern. We would play from a dark corner, the crowd as scattered as their murmuring. I started singing one of my slowest songs, in my bass voice, and the room went suddenly quiet. It was surprising because, by this point, I had learned not to expect to get the attention of people who hadn’t asked for live music. Afterwards, as my friend and I…