music at poetry events

There’s been about an hour of readings at the poetry event and just when you’re thinking of a break and a drink the mc announces that they’ll finish off the first half with some music. On comes someone with a guitar and proceeds to rearrange the microphone, adjust the seat, explains what the song is about, tunes the guitar, has a drink of something, tunes the guitar again and then sings some song that is unintelligible. Then does this again after that first song and the next.

The average length of time for each poet has been seven minutes. The musician is on for fifteen. And they’ll do it at the close of the second half as well.

If I want to listen to music I’ll go to a concert, folk club, jazz club or whatever. I go to a poetry event to listen to poetry. If the event needs something else to liven it up then there’s something wrong with it in the first place. I can’t ever remember going to a concert of any sort and them stopping so that a poet can come on and read a few poems.