Thursday, June 26, 2008

Instant social life: just add music

Ron the Drummer and I decided to play hooky from rehearsal tonight so that we could go to a double-bill gig at the Casbah, a vegetarian restaurant/coffeehouse on the hippie-ish side of town. Scheduled to perform were a couple of people who had come to Old Town Artisans to see us. Ron didn't feel well by the time evening rolled around, so I ended up going by myself.

A few feet away from the entrance, I heard someone call my name. It was my friend Kevin. I used to run into him once every week or two at gigs or open mics. But he got busy, and I got busy, and the last time I'd seen him was before his now-eight-month-old son was born.

It felt like old times, and reminded me of what I liked about them. It wasn't simply being free enough to see live music when I felt like it. It was the fact that socializing at the spur of the moment could be so easy. That I could just go where the music was, and other people I knew and liked would be there for the same reason.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well that is true for any socializing, not just when going out to see live music. The main reason is outlined when you wrote "...the last time I'd seen him was before his now-eight-month-old son was born.

Everyone found someone, coupled up, started spawning. Which is great for them. Considerably less so for the token member of the social circle who is the only single person anyone else in the entire social circle even knows (yay).

cinderkeys said...

The music scene is good for that too. Well, at least the open mic scene was really open and friendly -- I don't know if you really get the same kind of welcoming crowd at hip & trendy clubs. A few years ago, when I stopped hanging out with a bunch of friends I'd been hanging out with for a long time, Bentley's open mic really helped fill the void.

Now, the kind of music those folks play might not be to your liking. But that's a whole 'nothing story. :)

cinderkeys said...

Er, 'NOTHER story. Geez ...

Jannie Funster said...

Sounds like it was a real-good feel-good happy time of sharing music. I like those times!

What's so great about Austin is all these songwriters you bump into here and there. Fun!