…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.
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.