Has anyone any experience of these increasingly popular events?
If so, any tips for what works and what doesn't work?
I only ask because in the early summer I happened to see a notice about Vinyl Tuesdays in the one at the top of the chalk path. A rural looking place on the edge of woods that draws in a fair number of middle class elderly people for meals and young vegan-friendly cyclists but is less than a mile from a large council estate so at the other end there are builders drinking.
Good in a way to have such a mixture of people but also uneasy at best. The dreadlocked white boy - 20 something - told me that it was his Dad's idea. The first night was mainly his father and it was reasonably well received. Since then, that paternal enthusiasm has waned - although one senses it could easily return - and it has been waiting for others' inspiration.
So a call from me today took me to a woman - "I'm only in my forties" she said "so I predate vinyl but, yes, you must come up with records and preferably with 20 other blokes. That way, you can all fight over the record player to decide what will replace our Fleetwood Mac as I assume you won't be wanting that on". How old does she think I am from my voice? 80?
Anyhow, what to do? I will not be bringing 20 other blokes. I will only bring me if it ever happens. I'm thinking of a mixture of Cochran and Chairmen of the Board, the Buzzcocks and the Bhundu Boys, Vaughan Williams 2nd Symphony, a bit of jazz on Verve and a short if tight excursion into acieed. I'm also envisaging everyone leaving within the hour and then being blamed for losing them all custom just before I tell them that I know the building is registered in the Cayman Islands to avoid tax and never being allowed to set foot in the place again.
(There is a formula to these things - uncertain - for what I do recall is the one and only time I was asked to bring a few records to a party. My instructions were clear. Only to be used if the current things failed to get them all dancing. Accountants. God awful - all sitting there calculating with 80s' nibbles. It was "Tears of a Clown" which transformed it. I was astonished at the time as was the host but one can now see its macabre value. They were energized by the call to leap about over the empty wallets of the sad losers beyond the immediate walls).
If so, any tips for what works and what doesn't work?
I only ask because in the early summer I happened to see a notice about Vinyl Tuesdays in the one at the top of the chalk path. A rural looking place on the edge of woods that draws in a fair number of middle class elderly people for meals and young vegan-friendly cyclists but is less than a mile from a large council estate so at the other end there are builders drinking.
Good in a way to have such a mixture of people but also uneasy at best. The dreadlocked white boy - 20 something - told me that it was his Dad's idea. The first night was mainly his father and it was reasonably well received. Since then, that paternal enthusiasm has waned - although one senses it could easily return - and it has been waiting for others' inspiration.
So a call from me today took me to a woman - "I'm only in my forties" she said "so I predate vinyl but, yes, you must come up with records and preferably with 20 other blokes. That way, you can all fight over the record player to decide what will replace our Fleetwood Mac as I assume you won't be wanting that on". How old does she think I am from my voice? 80?
Anyhow, what to do? I will not be bringing 20 other blokes. I will only bring me if it ever happens. I'm thinking of a mixture of Cochran and Chairmen of the Board, the Buzzcocks and the Bhundu Boys, Vaughan Williams 2nd Symphony, a bit of jazz on Verve and a short if tight excursion into acieed. I'm also envisaging everyone leaving within the hour and then being blamed for losing them all custom just before I tell them that I know the building is registered in the Cayman Islands to avoid tax and never being allowed to set foot in the place again.
(There is a formula to these things - uncertain - for what I do recall is the one and only time I was asked to bring a few records to a party. My instructions were clear. Only to be used if the current things failed to get them all dancing. Accountants. God awful - all sitting there calculating with 80s' nibbles. It was "Tears of a Clown" which transformed it. I was astonished at the time as was the host but one can now see its macabre value. They were energized by the call to leap about over the empty wallets of the sad losers beyond the immediate walls).
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