THE RESIDENT, 21.10.2005 by Jenny Grainer
"Unforgettable
karaoke night
KARAOKE is not really my scene. In fact, the idea of being
in a crowded bar with holidaymakers, usually over-stimulated by alcohol, at a
sound level guaranteed to make them use a deaf aid in their 30s, having fun with
a microphone, fills me with dread. As a long term Algarve resident and a child
of the Sixties, I prefer a good meal out, in places I have learned to know and
enjoy over the years, in the company of friends who share common interests.
Now, having said all that, one of my regular haunts in Portimao, (Mac Mariners)
which often does nights of live music, usually jazz, decided, six months ago,
to do - you've guessed it, yes - karaoke nights! ("Simply the Best"
Karaoke) I ignored the whole thing for the first two months, but curiosity and
a non functioning TV took my husband and me in there, one Wednesday night, to
find out what it was all about. To my surprise and delight, I discovered a lot
of my own generation there, singing wonderful old songs from our past and good
melodic songs from the present.
The sound system wasn't too loud and many
of the performers were good singers (or not), having a thoroughly enjoyable and
relaxing evening. it took three return visits before I was coerced onto the floor
for a performance and managed a passable duet with the granny version of Big Spender.
I have now performed this on several occasions and we are a very slick pair of
grannies with moves that will spell bind you.
After a break of some two
weeks, we turned up one night to a somewhat different atmosphere, which was to
provide us with one of those unforgettable nights that mark you forever. The place
had most of the usual regulars, but there was also a table of 17 people of a mixed
age range, all enjoying a meal. It took me a while to realise that these were
not your run of the mill holidaymakers. Several were in wheelchairs and it became
obvious that most had a disability of one sort or another.
When the music
started at the end of their dinner, it wasn't long before each and everyone of
them let rip with the microphones, whether from a wheelchair at the table or in
the spotlight on stage. We were all treated to a truly emotion charged evening,
watching this wonderful group show us that having a disability does not mean you
can't have a great evening out doing what everybody else does. They knew all the
songs (and some I'd never heard of), had actions to match and sang with such obvious
pleasure that you could't help but get swept along with their obvious joy in life.
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