I had a pretty miserable experience tonight...

KevinFL

KevinFL

UU VIP
UU VIP
Joined
Apr 16, 2010
Messages
1,041
Reaction score
907
Location
North FL
…and it's still bothering me. I suppose I took it personally or it wouldn't still be gnawing at me.

I was invited to an "Ukulele Plink-a-Long" several months back by a former band member who said I should come out, he thought I'd really enjoy it. I never made it until tonight and it was horrible. They only do it every so often and I can see why.

I thought the name was rather condescending but figured I can't let that bother me. After all, an ukulele jam should be a good time. What I ended up at was an open mic where nobody played ukulele. I sat in a chair, one of 6 audience members and watched the regulars play their 3-song sets. I figured, OK, I guess the uke jam will be after they get their open mic stuff in. About an hour into it, the MC, the one who invited me, announced that the Plink-a-Long was about to start. He apologized for it and said that after the first one he wished he had never instituted it. He'd tried to kill it several times, but invariably, someone would ask when the next one was. He said "If you don't have an ukulele, you're lucky. If you do, now's the time to pull it out.". They blasted through 3 quick, 2 and 3 chord songs on the uke, 2 of the regular performers on stage (the MC and a female) while denigrating the uke the whole time, while an older gentleman pulled out his uke in the audience and tried to keep up with their ad lib performance. It lasted all of about 6 minutes and the MC said something to the affect that that was finally over and rushed to put his Oscar Schmidt on the table. Then it was time to get back to the real music. Off key singers who couldn't remember the lyrics as they strummed their 3 major chords on their guitars.

I sat in disbelief through another 3-song set and then quietly slipped out the back and headed home.

I felt embarrassment, disgust, and anger. Three emotions I never expected to feel tonight as I thought I was headed to a bonafide uke jam.

It's safe to say I took it personally, but I shouldn't have. I'm trying not to be cynical, but it's just seething out of me. I would have fit in much better with an Esteban guitar and a Hal Leonard "Play guitar in 3 easy steps" songbook. Then I too could have felt above the little toy guitar plink a long.

I hate that I wasted the time and gas to experience that.
 
Interesting story. I understand your frustration. Maybe I missed something though; you began and ended you story by saying you "took it personally". Why? Were you anything but a frustrated attendee?
 
It makes me wonder why they have the "Plink-a-Long" at all, unless it's to make them feel better about themselves. But how could they feel threatened by an insignificant little toy instrument like a ukulele?

Maybe the antidote is to get to a decent open mic ASAP to replace that experience with a better one. I'm sure there have been people who look down at the uke (and therefore me) at music and comedy shows that I've done, but only once has anyone ever expressed it to me (and it was backstage before a comedy show, by another comedian, when he saw the Flea I was then playing: "Oh. A prop.").
 
The name says it all I guess - Plink-a-Long, really?? Ugh.

With one exception (a ukulele ensemble class that I've been in for years), I have to say I've found most uke jams and other uke-specific events to be... underwhelming at best. Never anything at the level you've just described, but I have found myself thinking "there's two hours of my life I'll never get back" often enough that now I rarely attend anything other than the aforementioned class. And this is a generalization, but I've found jams that are not instrument-specific to be a far better use of my time.
 
coolkayaker1 said:
Interesting story. I understand your frustration. Maybe I missed something though; you began and ended you story by saying you "took it personally". Why? Were you anything but a frustrated attendee?
Click to expand...

I think I took it personally because I was specifically invited to attend on a night with the "Plink-a-Long" because he "thought I'd really enjoy it". He obviously doesn't see the uke as a real instrument, nor me as a real musician. I think it was a stab. A trap, and I fell right into it. It was for his edification. The joke was on me.
 
Or not. Maybe (likely) he has no clue. Whoops. Possibility. And I'm told if I add "just sayin'" it wouldn't be offensive.
 
That is a shame, really. I know you have said in the past you would like to be able to attend a uke jam on a regular basis. To bad you didn't connect with the other uke player, you could start something on your own.
 
You should've yelled out "this is bull#%*#!" Kicked over a chair and walked out singing tiptoe through the tulips.
 
I understand your distress, but please remember that the thoughtless actions of others do not reflect on you. Frankly, the whole scene you describe sounds just awful, and the "friend" a complete jerk. I'm also aware that when people are in MC roles, they feel the need to keep the patter going, and often say some really dumb stuff, thinking they're being clever or snarky.

There are plenty of good venues out there for musicians of all stripes to play. When I moved to my current area a couple of years ago, I was lucky to find a regular acoustic jam on Meetup.com. The musicians I met there were talented enough to play well together, but low-ego enough to welcome those less-talented and not be intimidated by those more talented. It's a great environment. While the majority of the players play guitar, when I brought my uke and banjo uke, they were thrilled to have some different instrumentation. I started a band with some of the guys I met there, and we gig occasionally (I play bass, not uke).

I also occasionally play at a local uke jam. It's oriented towards letting anyone play, and most of the tunes we play are really basic. I treat it primarily as a social event, and its still a lot of fun. Playing music is almost always fun if your expectations are set right, and you're playing with nice people.
 
That stinks. Sounds like you didn't get a chance to play or were too disgusted to play. Sounds like a time to say "step aside boys and let me show you how it's done." :p
 
didgeridoo2 said:
You should've yelled out "this is bull#%*#!" Kicked over a chair and walked out singing tiptoe through the tulips.
Click to expand...

Absolutely! And on the way, given your number to the poor other gentlemen there and invited him to join you in starting a welcoming new Uke group.

I suggest you give your friend a copy of the movie Under the Boardwalk as a gift! Or better yet, invite him over under some other guise and dupe him into watching it. ;-)

All in jest. Sorry your buddy didn't think about how you'd feel. Maybe you should let him know.
 
It seems to me you have a couple of choices.

1. Continue to feel bad about this and let a bunch of clowns suck all the joy out of your music. THat will eventually either keep you from ever playing for anyone else or you'll just wake up one day and throw all your ukulkeles in the fireplace in a fit of bitter resentment.

2. Knuckle under and learn a 3-song set of your own on the ukulele and really learn the F**K out of those three sons so you can show up on open mic night in a month or two and show them that a uke is a serious instrument.

Personally, I'd go for #2...
 
KevinV said:
…and it's still bothering me. I suppose I took it personally or it wouldn't still be gnawing at me.

I was invited to an "Ukulele Plink-a-Long" several months back by a former band member who said I should come out, he thought I'd really enjoy it. I never made it until tonight and it was horrible. They only do it every so often and I can see why.

I thought the name was rather condescending but figured I can't let that bother me. After all, an ukulele jam should be a good time. What I ended up at was an open mic where nobody played ukulele. I sat in a chair, one of 6 audience members and watched the regulars play their 3-song sets. I figured, OK, I guess the uke jam will be after they get their open mic stuff in. About an hour into it, the MC, the one who invited me, announced that the Plink-a-Long was about to start. He apologized for it and said that after the first one he wished he had never instituted it. He'd tried to kill it several times, but invariably, someone would ask when the next one was. He said "If you don't have an ukulele, you're lucky. If you do, now's the time to pull it out.". They blasted through 3 quick, 2 and 3 chord songs on the uke, 2 of the regular performers on stage (the MC and a female) while denigrating the uke the whole time, while an older gentleman pulled out his uke in the audience and tried to keep up with their ad lib performance. It lasted all of about 6 minutes and the MC said something to the affect that that was finally over and rushed to put his Oscar Schmidt on the table. Then it was time to get back to the real music. Off key singers who couldn't remember the lyrics as they strummed their 3 major chords on their guitars.

I sat in disbelief through another 3-song set and then quietly slipped out the back and headed home.

I felt embarrassment, disgust, and anger. Three emotions I never expected to feel tonight as I thought I was headed to a bonafide uke jam.

It's safe to say I took it personally, but I shouldn't have. I'm trying not to be cynical, but it's just seething out of me. I would have fit in much better with an Esteban guitar and a Hal Leonard "Play guitar in 3 easy steps" songbook. Then I too could have felt above the little toy guitar plink a long.

I hate that I wasted the time and gas to experience that.
Click to expand...



I feel your pain. I'll flash back to around 2005.
I used to do folk music /folk pop kind of stuff around than.
I went to play an open mic with my than acoustic-electric concert i think it was actually an oscar schmidt. I got up on stage as the only ukulele based song writer. first thing i hear is some a-hole belt out 'what are you tiny tim you f-ing faggot' than people laughing and making fun of me the whole time. Than about a year and a half later beirut came out and every hipster and his/her mother was playing the ukulele and it was no longer for 'faggots'. I noticed if your in a guitar centered open mic kind of thing its never good. Guitarists have that 'guitar rules im awesome, ukulele is a toy and a joke' mentality and it just kills it, and ruins the whole vibe. I think i actually cried than night from being so embarrassed and never went back to that place again.
Even now, i have been jammign with guitarist friends and now that the ukulele is more acceptable they jam along fine but i still feel im the oddball and they don't 100 % get why i choose the ukulele. Ah well i love this instrument i'm not going to let idiots ruin it for me and neither should you! Sorry for your bad experience dont let it bring you down!
 
Phluffy the Destroyer said:
It seems to me you have a couple of choices.

1. Continue to feel bad about this and let a bunch of clowns suck all the joy out of your music. THat will eventually either keep you from ever playing for anyone else or you'll just wake up one day and throw all your ukulkeles in the fireplace in a fit of bitter resentment.

2. Knuckle under and learn a 3-song set of your own on the ukulele and really learn the F**K out of those three sons so you can show up on open mic night in a month or two and show them that a uke is a serious instrument.

Personally, I'd go for #2...
Click to expand...

I most definitely pick door #2. I was actually thinking the same thing as I sat through the next set after the Plink was over. I admit that I came here looking for solace, and I appreciate all the posts. I was feeling a bit the underdog and you all put it into perspective for me. Thank you.

You get 3 songs for the open mic. I've been refining The Ukulele Waltz by Roy Smeck which I think would be a fine one to do, also Margaret's Waltz from my new Ukulelezaza songbook, and I have others I know that I could do. Although I'd rather add one of John King's Bach arrangements if I could get it down.

We'll see. I'll get a set together. Whether I take it back to that venue or not, it will be good practice for any other open mic opportunity that arises.

Thanks again, folks. You're a good group of people. I needed that.
 
Phluffy the Destroyer said:
It seems to me you have a couple of choices.

1. Continue to feel bad about this and let a bunch of clowns suck all the joy out of your music. THat will eventually either keep you from ever playing for anyone else or you'll just wake up one day and throw all your ukulkeles in the fireplace in a fit of bitter resentment.

2. Knuckle under and learn a 3-song set of your own on the ukulele and really learn the F**K out of those three sons so you can show up on open mic night in a month or two and show them that a uke is a serious instrument.

Personally, I'd go for #2...
Click to expand...


I've kind of done 2 a few times when playing with guitarists they will try to show off
than i'll just do all the ukulele jazz stuff i know (im very good at this sweeping technique with my fingers)
and than guitarists usually shut up and ask me how the hell i learned to play like that. Number 2 is a very good
option show those 3 chord 6 stringers a thing or 2!
 
Sounds like a "friend" whom you should go leave an anonymous stinky flamin' deuce on their front porch.

Dane said:
Sounds like a friend you need to lose touch with.
Click to expand...
 
This is bad, I feel your anger and sadness. There are always some a.hole taking joy by ruining others life. And that "friend", not worth to keep serious friendship.

Take this as experience, which push you to a upper level.

I also feel you may contact that gentleman.

I am not good at comfort others. There are many nice people out there, and on UU, that you can seek for positive energy. :)
 
Last edited:
That sucks man. It is annoying when people don't take you seriously with the uke. I started playing about a year ago, just with my Dolphin, and after three weeks I took it to an open mic (similar three song format) I'd formerly been torturing with some awful guitar work. The songs I played were fairly simple 3/4-chord affairs but for the most part I got some really positive reactions.

As I left the stage though one of the regulars approached me (Can't stand this guy either. He's a 'recording artist' who lives in Florida but still comes back to dingy Portsmouth every couple months to play an open mic. Pretty much plays the same three songs every time, always plugs his CD and gives the same unfunny shtick prior to each one. And his songs are painfully uninteresting but that's besides the point) and said "nice work mate, that was different. Where'd you get the chords for Mack the Knife?" Told it was from a songbook I'd picked up, and thanked him, saying I fancied a bit of a change musically and I was having a lot of fun with it. He then said "Yeah, well I guess it's a lot easier when you've only got four strings." Just annoys me.
 
KevinV said:
You get 3 songs for the open mic.
Click to expand...

I think for your third song you should work out a ukulele cover of Slipknot's 'Everything Ends', it sounds like the opening lyrics would be appropriate to these people! (I've often thought it'd work quite well on uke).

Sometimes groups of people just need some other group to look down on, it makes their position seem higher. Don't take it personally. The whole reason I got attracted to the uke was to bypass the snobbery and arrogance of the guitar world that dominates music... obviously it's not everyone, but it only takes a few to spoil it and set a bad tone to forums or meet ups (you get the same sorts of men - and it is usually men - in photography groups, who only have time for one way of doing things, one type of equipment). The best thing about the uke is the all round friendliness and tolerance of everyone I've met or communicated with (so far!). There's no culture of competition, one-upmanship... and I hope it stays that way (ach, with so many lovely ukuleles to choose from there's no time for fighting!).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Eggs_n_Ham
Guh. Looks like I now own a pretty little Ohana pineapple spruce/rosewood concert.
Replies
19
Views
738
Keith5523
Keith5523
M
Tips help cleaning gunked uke (warning:not pretty)
2
Replies
33
Views
2K
Patty
Patty
B
New Uke Day (NUD) My first 'Vintage / Project' uke - a UKE-A-LUTE - pretty mysterious little thing
Replies
3
Views
320
Joyful Uke
J
mountain goat
pretty stranger JON DUNCAN (original song)
Replies
6
Views
493
mountain goat
mountain goat
sequoia
Sad End For Pretty Wood
Replies
4
Views
551
Jerryc41
Jerryc41
Top Bottom