Clarification

I've been discussing this open mic feature for a while now and I don't think I have elucidated enough of the rationale behind it. By reading songs (which will have a political charge) from different genres, it will make people focus on words rather than music (or not focus at all as may be the case). This will show whether music is essential for a political forum of the night and in a specific venue.

However, there is also a more philosophical nature to the idea. I saw a Kurt Vonnegut quote which intrigue me; "People don't come to church for the preachments, of course, but to daydream about God.". If we want to look at how popular music has changed society, then a key political talking point of this is how music has in many cases replaced religion; John Lennon was famously quoted as saying that they (The Beatles) were bigger than Jesus. This sparked controversy of course but in large it was true- amongst young people The Beatles had replaced religion. But has music has slipped into a daydream and an escape on a night out, just as religion could be seen as a daydream about God? Are people there to hear the preachments of the songs, or the music that charges those messages, or both; if I only read the lyrics we can really see.

This again links into the idea of inclusion and exclusion on two levels: firstly, am I accepted for doing something out of the ordinary. But more interestingly, if people are there to be lulled and to daydream about music, is this more an act of conformity or is music the healer for those who live and work in London. Why do people go to live music? In particular open mics which is a beginning point for musician.