Tastes and Colours...
Last Christmas, as a present to the Pizzeria, I invested in an Ipod after pinching the idea from my son who runs the Tapas Bar.
I have a varied music collection ranging from Algerian Rai to Salsa, Nina Simone to Jacques Brel, Zucchero to Zulu Drums, etc... So, one evening I uploaded around 150 songs onto the Ipod and linked it to the restaurant sound system.
At the start of the shift, all the staff need to do now is to switch both on, press Shuffle and Bob's your uncle. Music all night long...
But judging from the comments on the right, you can tell that we cannot please all the people all of the time... (I love Barry White but I'd rather be doing other things to his music than stuffing myself...)
De gustibus et coloribus non est disputandum...
Top Left: Alan, one of our young porters must have bribed his sister...
What kind of music, if any do you like listening to in restaurants?
I screamed and guess what?
22 Comments:
I do love Brazil 66 and Sergio Mendes. I am sure though that I would love your musical selections.
I love Sergio Mendes. Will have to check Brazil 66.
I like any kind of music really as long as it stirs something inside me.
I love anything salsa, jazz AND Zucchero!!
I prefer to eat without music - so no you can't please all the people all the time!
Mammina, you have great taste!
Caro, not even a wee bit of Salsa on the side of your plate?
For me, it depends on the company...
I like anything instrumental whilst I'm eating, otherwise I make a mess down my front trying to sing along!
I have tried invane to convince my brother to stop inundating his restaurant with music. I like to enjoy my meal, hanging on to my own thoughts or conversation and not being forced to listen to music, especially not vocal one, but I detest elevator music also.
I do love music of all sorts, but nowaydays I feel intruded upon with other peoples music wherever I go, even the grocery store (Jingle Bells in August *yikes*).
Oh well, I am not as crappy as I sound, maybe I relent for some good piano tunes, quietly playing? ;-)
Anything and everything as long as it's not LOUD and doesn't drown the conversation.
Hahaha, Akelamalu! Music or no music, I always dribble.
I do understand your point, Merisi. But I feel that a restaurant has to have a good atmosphere, whatever it may be and most of the time, music plays great part in it.
I think that, sadly some of us need an outside source to keep them occupied.
The music at the tapas bar makes you want to get up and dance.
Gigi, exactement!
But a couple in love can sit in the middle of bandstand and still hear each other cooing...
Music is only loud if it is not your type or if there is a lull in the conversation... Think about it...
I think I have opened a can of worms...
"No, thanks, I've had my dinner!
not sure I agree that "music is only loud if it is not your type or there is a lull"
I've been in restaurants so noisy that any conversation was doomed, and apparently that sense of "excitement" was what the patrons were looking for. But I never go back. The food and the conversation deserve equal respect, but for me the music is background.
I do love background music that reflects the type of food sold, particularly if it immerses me in another world.
so many different preferences, yes?
Hayden, those restaurants that play loud music do so in order to attract people who are looking for that kind of excitement rather those who want a quiet conversation.
As you say, it is a question of preference.
I believe much depends on your company and your mood.
Glorious food in great surroundings does not need any musical accompaniment but a great evening out with friends may be enhanced by music.
as you'd expect I like to hear brazilian music. nando's (the chicken piri-piri place) always play brazilian music, for some strange reason.
oh, how about some gypsy kings? can't go wrong with them, can you???
After destroying my hearing during my younger days by playing drums and blasting tunes at '11' on the headphones, car, and rec room now I am enjoying the off and on again soothing ring of tinitus...WHAT?
So when I am in a crowd all I hear is a muddy blur and I must stick my face into the other persons bubble in order to enjoy their bon mots...it is surprising how many people kiss you when you do this...anyway..
in a family restaurant where kids are present I am virtually deaf...
in a young persons (hip n happenin) bar I am submerged at the bottom of the marianas trench and in a quieter setting with soft jazz playing in the background I can relax and when I see the waiter's mouth moving I reply
"WHAT IS THE SPECIAL TO-DAY?!"
Marcos, I think it's to do with the fact that it is a South African/Portuguese chain.
I love Brazilian music.
Yes, we do play some Gypsy Kings music.
HE, kissed, eh? Have you ever been slapped?
I bet you often wish you had an umbrella when you lend an ear to the spitting kind!
Music is always welcome, it relaxes me wherever I am. Sometimes, when I'm the only one in the isle at the grocery store, I get carried away and the cart suddenly becomes my dancing partner. Heehee I agree with you on the Barry White.
Well of course I love Brazilian music - for a small fee I would come and serenade your diners a la Madame Edith, wearing my trademark fruit basket on my head and shaking my maracas. A mixture of jazz and world music would be my ideal restaurant soundtrack - I loved listening to FIP when I was in Paris! You can listen to it over the net now.
In London last week I walked into a restaurant and immediately heard the first bars of a song by Belgian band Vaya Con Dios! How weird is that?
so what was the shocking music? haha.
How about Extreme, who I recently discovered? v. nice. Also Nouvelle Vague - good to eat to, I should think.
when it comes to restaurant... it depends...
it depends on what kinda ambiance you're trying to achieve
if you play upbeat songs, then you'll have high turnover of people sitting in
if you play slow songs, then people tend to linger in
as for me.. i listen to everything. so anything will do :D ... but i've never heard algerian rai before. does it sound like soukous or zouk?
Heeheehee, Christine! Barry White, eh! Watch out for them trolleys!
Hey, Daphnée, shaking your maracas, eh... Be careful your bananas don't fall.
London, as you know is The Universe so nothing surprises me.
I like your choice of music.
FIP: Great Radio. I often listen to France Inter in the car.
Lettie, I have no idea what they were listening to. It could've been anything because the range of songs on the Ipod is very wide.
Nouvelle Vague is great!
Might go well with Nouvelle Cuisine...
'Ka, Welcome...
That's right and if I want to get rid of the stragglers, I just start singing!!!
Algerian Rai is a mixture of all sorts. Check out Cheb Khaled.
OOOO cheb khaled!!
i knowwwww... is it algerian rai???
how cool!!! :D
It depends on the restaurant. In an Italian Pizzeria I'd like to listen to Italian music. Have you listened to Giorgio Conte? I absolutely love him!
'ka, yes that's Raï...
Anna, I'll have to check out Giorgio Conte!
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