Brad Spurgeon's Blog

MANAMA, Bahrain – I ended up attending a non-existent jam night at the Downtown bar at the Intercontinental Regency hotel in Manama on Saturday night because someone gave me bad information about it happening every night of the week. In fact, it only takes place on Sunday nights. But that was no problem for the members of the house band, called OverNite Band, and all of whom are – in the big tradition of Manama bar bands – from Quebec, Canada! They were so cool and righteous, that they allowed me to go up and play two songs during their night. They then invited me back for the open mic on Sunday, and since I had a really early deadline in my regular job, I managed to get there. Boy did I not regret going!

The open mic at the Downtown bar in Bahrain is very similar to all the others I’ve attended: The one at the California, the one at the Dublin Club, you’ve maybe seen my posts on this blog. It’s the style where you can go up and do a live karaoké…or, you can go up and play with the band on an instrument, and sing. Or whatever. But what is clear about this one is that the reception and management of the open mic/jam by the band, is so warm and cool, that was my best experience in a Bahrain jam so far.

I got to play several songs, and unlike on Saturday night when I just played by myself with my acoustic guitar, I managed to play with the band this time. Did my covers, the easiest ones, three or four chords – Wicked Game, Mad World, I Won’t Back Down, etc. – and another group of jammers invited me up to sing All Along the Watchtower to their music. That was fun, but I was a little out of sync a few times, not having played that one before in public, and especially without my guitar.

There was a large cross-section of performers and styles, and one notable moment for me was when one of my colleagues from Formula One took to the stage and played my guitar and sang…oh, after he sang a previous song with the band itself, and before he joined me to add a little rap-like part to “I Won’t Back Down.”

An amazing last night in Bahrain, and I forgot to mention, the sound system is great, and the stage is even better! Oh, and that colleague filmed me doing Wicked Game. So check it out!!!!


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