Throughout my experience abroad I have encountered many different kinds of music in different venues and situations. Music has been a part of my life here in London as well as in my travels throughout Europe. My love and appreciation for music has deepened and varied in style since my arrival.
From my first week of classes I became aware of music’s importance in London culture. Through my interpretation of popular culture class I have witnessed, first hand, an individual who is more dedicated and entranced by music than anyone I have ever met. This class has taught me the history of rock and roll and how it came to be such a huge phenomenon across the world. Justin, our teacher, demonstrates his love for music through his lessons each week and his passion instills in me a greater understanding and appreciation for music from both the past and present.
From outside the classroom, music is still a significant part of my daily life. Whether it’s bonding and listening to music with flat mates or enjoying the music played on a night out, there is always some type of soundtrack narrating our experiences. In the flat, the music played is a mix of songs from our past and popular songs of the present. On nights out, music has, for the most part been a collaboration of obnoxious techno beats and popular songs that are continuously overplayed and are eerily similar to nails on a chalkboard. However, I have been fortunate to discover various venues that offer great music. There is the Notting Hill Arts Club that has death disco and hip hop nights and Ain’t Nothin but the Blues Bar which has live blues music every night and is always a unique and enjoyable experience.
Through my travels abroad I have been able to experience and look at music in a whole new light. No matter where I traveled, whether it was Portugal, Italy, or Greece, American music dominated the various bars and clubs. This phenomenon baffles me, especially because in most of these countries English is not the dominant language. My nights out, across the world, have all been encompassed by the same chart-topping American beats. It’s amazing, and a bit irritating, to see the influence that American popular culture has had world-wide. There has been one exception to these bars with corny American music and that has been Dublin. The weekend that we visited Dublin there was an Irish music festival going on in which every bar had amazing live music being performed. Those nights out in Dublin were some of my favorite during my stay abroad. I felt I was truly immersed in Irish culture and able to bond with the Irish citizens on a whole new level.
So far my study abroad has deepened my love for music and given me an idea of popular music in different countries. My class, travels, and days in London all offer a unique view and perspective to the world of music. By far the best musical experiences that I have been fortunate enough to witness are the nights with live music. Live music enables you to relate to the performers and people you are with in a new way. I have loved all the live music I’ve seen, whether it was Irish, Blues, or hip hop and look forward to many more nights out that offer live music and new experiences.
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