Tim and Scott on a Weeknight

In my quest to become a Patron of the Arts, I thought that I would try something new; a weeknight arts excursion.  I went to the Republic to see Tim Roze and Scott Targett.  I had seen them at Lake Pedder and I loved their harmonies and their enjoyment of performing was infectious.

At the Republic, the weeknight crowd was mostly the after dinner set who thinned out pretty quickly as patrons went home to prepare for the following day's work.  The few people remaining were mostly not there for the entertainment but rather to enjoy each other's company and to have a drink or two.  There was the fellow with dreads and crocs who was more interested in his paper.  Blokes at the bar who had had a drink or two more than they needed yelling obscenities and trash talking each other. Yet the entertainers kept on giving their best efforts to entertain.  How do artists do it?

Maybe it's for the bloke at bar drunkenly singing the refrain or the girl at the back of the room enthralled by the music. Is is for the new friendships forged through shared experience or shared refrain at the very least?  Or for the lone dancing man after his tenth pint?  

For Tim and Scott I think that it is the sharing of a joy for music and stories.  It's hope that someone is moved, changed or someone's pain is eased or shared.  How better to achieve this than through Pink Floyd.  Great artists singing a great song can fill an empty room and this was the case with their version of "Comfortably Numb".

They also tried some new material which is always entertaining.  Trying something they have never tried before.  Its like watching Olympic ice skating.  Success is beautiful and wondrous but you are perched on the edge of your seat, worried that the skater will fall but secretly hoping that it will happen as it makes great entertainment.  Tim & Scott's ambitious first attempt of 'I am the Walrus' was exceedingly joyful and did not result in a metaphorical wet arse for anyone.  These guys are great and very professional and fun.



The Downside of Arts Patronage
The only down side of the evening was the drunken men in the bar.  They were the type that think that it is ok to harass you just because you are a woman on your own.  A friendly hello and how are you enjoying the night is great but the invasion of personal space or the unwillingness to accept that someone would rather listen to the music than dance with you just because alcohol has taken away your inhibitions is not ok.  It was not great that weeknight at the Republic so I went home before the final set.  The behaviour was mostly pretty low key and not terribly threatening  but I was thankful that I am not a young, attractive girl as it would have been 10 times worse.  This should not be a consideration when trying to enjoy a evening of music.  Luckily, I have been around a bit and know how to look after myself but men like these and entertainment venues need to lift their game.