If a song is played in the forest, and there is no one to hear it; does it truly make a sound?

Ok, hang on . . .

Before the very first note was played on Friday, the Three Blind Mice Irish Pub was occupied by patrons enjoying a very pleasant, quiet, normal dinner.  The downstairs was half full, (or half empty, depending on your point of view).  That was, until we played the very first note.

However, by the time the song ended, there were on two tables left to hear it. Truthfully, it wasn’t the best of songs I’ve ever played, but it wasn’t that bad.

Actually, it happens most nights.  Patrons arrive early to enjoy a nice dinner, yet consciously exit before the imagined cacophony of noise and percieved madness inveriably  takes place.

Most folks cannot believe they can sit at a table within arms’ reach and still be able to carry on a conversation.  We get that.  It is a tough line to walk some nights. On the one hand, you cannot be very loud, as people come into a pub to have a drink and a meal, and yet want to be able to hold a conversation with the other members of their party.  So . . . . we cannot be too loud or overpowering.

However, you cannot be bland or mellow.  No one pays to listen to “elevator music”; so we need to do all we can to inject emotion and excitement into the songs as we play them.

On this particular night things got sorted out on their own, without Devine intervention.

All the people that were seeking a nice, quiet evening; quietly left for the evening.  All the people that arrived seeking a rollicking, music-filled, alcohol induced, sing-a-long gathering of like-minded partiers, banded together for an epic night that will live in TBM infamy.

(Ok, I might be exaggerating).  But, it was a fun night.

Like I said, after that very first song chased most everyone from the pub, it quickly filled to overflowing by the end of the first set.  After that, both upstairs and down enjoyed an experience that made for a great time to be had by all.

Upstairs, the Under The Covers band kept the dance floor packed as they played hit after hit as only they can.  Their lead singer has a great voice and can sing many songs from the 80’s and 90’s that most entertainers cannot even attempt.  On this night, I heard him taking on an M&M standard to the delight of the packed upper floor.  This band always sounds great and always delivers to its’ fans.  They work hard and it shows on everyone’s face.

Downstairs, it has been said, has a truly different vibe.  Not laid-back, not edgy, but somewhere in the middle.  On the perfect night, our goal is to have everyone singing along to that welcomed melody for that exact moment in time.  Everyone arriving as one at that elusive destination each of us seem to seek: alcohol induced Nirvana!

Along the way on this night, Carl and I made many new friends and hopefully future fans.  People from all over smiled and shared their musical favorites with us as we were lucky enough to chat with them between sets.  We really enjoy getting to know the many interesting people that we encounter as we force ourselves to go from table to table getting much needed feedback about our music.

I say “force ourselves”, because by nature neither one of us us very comfortable in meeting new people.  It is something that we have made an effort to do over the years.  It is also something that has allowed us to meet lots of really interesting people that we would never have taken the time to converse with had we not made a real effort to do so.

All in all it was a really fun night.  Lots of hard work; but very rewarding.  When you begin the night with only two tables, and end the night some five hours later with a packed house: you feel very satisfied as a musician and entertainer.

We will hold on to that feeling for a couple of weeks, as next Friday night, we will be on vacation.  We will return on the 24th, and hopefully pick right up where we left off.

In the mean time, Carl will be off to the forest with his guitar, to find out if he makes that sound, anyone will even care. . . . . . . .

 

Rb

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