Friday, April 04, 2008

LET'S TALK ABOUT MUSIC. LET'S TRY TO TALK OVER THE MUSIC.

I've come to the conclusion that a growing number of coffee shops and restaurants play music for the enjoyment of their staff and not for their customers. Frankly, my wife and I have written some fine establishments off our list because we can barely hear ourselves think, let alone have a conversation, above the loud music.

You might think that we're just a couple of old fuddy-duddys who only like Perry Como and Barry Manilow - not. We actually like most kinds of music (OK - gangsta rap maybe not), and enjoy good background music when we're out for a drink, or a coffee, or dinner. But I can't understand the concept behind pushing some raucus, heavy rhythm section, cranked way up screaming music into the ears of your customers. If I want rock concert-level sound, I'll go to a concert.

Sometimes we'll ask nicely if the music can be changed or turned down - our request is often honored. But why do I have to ask in the first place? The only answer I have is: bad management.

btw - don't get me started on cars going down the street with music so loud my fillings rattle....

1 comment:

  1. (note: blog admin has moved this here, from Sherry)
    We as a society long ago lost the fine art of a social dinnertime. Yet we are now in an era of the Slow Food Movement. A lot of the restaurants, cafes and coffee shops Paul and I go to are otherwise attempting to adapt the outlook of the Slow Food Movement: locally grown, sustainable, even organic food and drink.

    But nourishment needs to be for the mind and spirit as well. Great conversation over food and drink are impossible in these places. We now choose a few places where background music is played, so our pleasure in being together over a good cup of coffee, a cocktail, or a fine meal is not disrupted!

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