Following on from the rant below re freedom fighters and office junior clerks, I thought I'd have a go at some musicians on the island this time around.
Unfortunately, there's many a musico who fancy themselves as something of an ar-tee-ist, rather than an entertainer. On an island where gigs and popularity are the only real currency, this pretension is something of an indulgence.
If you want to play the music you like, then do it in the confines of your own bedroom; not in a bar full of holiday-makers who, for the most part, just want a bit of a sing-a-long and maybe something to dance to before the end of the night. The majority of people I've met on the island over the years (be they tourists or residents) have no interest in "appreciating your talent". If you can hit a high C and shatter a glass with your voice, or play the 8-minute solo of 'Freebird' note for note, nobody cares! The punters just want a laugh and a good time, not a recital performance.
One popular musician/entertainer told me some years ago that you could indulge yourself on stage by playing one song you like for every 10 songs you play for the crowd. For the 10 years I've been in Lanzarote, I've never seen this guy out of work. I'm not advocating this as a roadmap for being a success on the island, but such a sense of self-awareness is surely a prerequisite for us all.
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