Jam session

One evening when I was walking back from the city to my hotel, I passed a sign that stated ‘Acoustic open jam session’ and since I love to listen to music and make some myself, I decided to walk in. Surprisingly, after walking down some stairs I arrived in a small, but quite new saloon in American style. Some musicians were playing instruments and singing and it sounded absolutely beautiful, so I decided to stay. After some time I finally found the courage to get on the stage myself (as you see on the picture). I got received a lot of compliments and appreciation for my courage and soon I felt like I belonged to the other musicians who were there to show others their passion, seeking for authenticity.

‘Authenticity’ is a central concept in tourism, but also in music tourism. It is ‘central to the production and consumption of music, irrespective of the extent to which it might be linked to tourist activities.’ Places that are mostly considered as authentic, are places where musicians come together and where they compose music. Some cities or places are known for developing the roots of certain music scenes, like New Orleans is known for its jazz music. However, all types of music scenes spread as the world is getting smaller, and this way people can show their talent and their taste of music, even in Groningen. This made the jam session also authentic, everyone had its own style and gave everyone the chance to enjoy each other.

Me singing at the Acoustic Open Mic Session

Reference:
1) Gibson, C. & Connell, J. (2007). Music, Tourism and the Transformation of Memphis. Tourism Geographies, 9:2, page 168.