Dining in at Bloomington’s trademarked Runcible Spoon for the first time as an Indiana University student did not disappoint. Its overall atmosphere was infused with hominess and extreme comfort that really hit home with me. Coming from an Irish family, the general atmosphere combined with the authentic Irish music made me think of many important people in my life. The music itself was quite unique in the sense that the instruments combined in a foreign yet melodic and pleasing way.

            Deriving from a diverse group, the six musicians who were positioned in a relatively confined circle in the interior of the restaurant played some iconic Irish instruments including the Irish flute, accordion, guitar, Irish bouzouki, concertina, mandolin, violin, and bodhran although the instrumentation changes from week to week. There really were not many people watching the ongoing performance contrary to my former expectation (except the two or three small tables that were closely located near the group). How could such a talented group of musicians seem to be so unnoticed by the townies? This preliminarily struck me as odd, but after some time thinking about it, I realized that it was actually very cool. Collectively, this group was not looking for any attention at all. They were not performing for an audience; they were performing for themselves and their own entertainment.  The entire tradition of gathering every Tuesday night to play originated from a desire of social bonding inter-musicians. They all shared a passion for Irish styled folky music, and this sharing in interest brought them close together. In fact, the group conversed much more than they actually played. All persons are welcomed and invited to play at the Runcible Spoon on Tuesday nights regardless of his or her skill level, which signifies a lack of musical boundaries or criterion to meet. If a participant did not know the current song being played, they would not be expected to play, rather they would sit back and enjoy the piece. Even if they did know the song, it was common behavior to sit out for a few just to relax. It was also common for them to jam out a little bit by doing sort of a very passive dance movement while sitting. Interestingly, the crowd does not applaud participatory music like this. It’s a very democratic and fun atmosphere. On this particular night, world-renowned Irish flutist Gray Larsen took on the temporary leader position at the beginning. After leading the three or four tunes in the set, the leadership is passed off to another participant, and the newly appointed leader chose the succeeding song. As I was about to depart the event, I managed to score a brief conversation with Gray Larsen. He briefly mentioned that three tunes make up one set; and one set is typically repeated three times before termination of play. Throughout the duration of my stay, six different songs were played varying greatly by instruments, lyrical presence, length etc. The musicians communicate largely through body language. Certain gestures signal many universal actions. Amazingly, these performances are never rehearsed; the chemistry that was present between these artists was truly remarkable considering their lack of rehearsal. This Irish group tended to go with the flow while putting personal twists on tunes to make them more fun and musically social. The camaraderie and sense of togetherness attained from the entire experience is why people come to play week after week. This event involves some respectful etiquette, which includes not jumping the gun on wanting to lead a particular tune; you will be passed on the ability to lead. Ultimately, the musical environment exhibited by the musicians every Tuesday night keeps regulars coming back for more.

            I strongly believe that this entire tradition stems from a variety of internal personal encouragements. First off, I believe that the occasion is very highly influenced by the betterment of the locally owned Runcible Spoon. Avid music fans thrive on free entertainment, and given the quality of music, the Spoon prospers on Tuesdays which, from working in the restaurant industry, I know are typically less profitable days. Although it was not particularly loaded with people today, I think it would be a different story during the actual school year. My prediction is that during the right time of year, a seat would be very difficult to come across on Tuesday nights due to popular demand. This free promotion helps out the community enormously and is one of the driving forces behind its continuation. Its presence has been around for so long, that people use it to help identify Bloomington. It appeals emotionally to the people who saw the Spoon from the beginning stages to its matured state because they witnessed the entire growth process through struggle and success. As stated previously, the musicians also come for a selfish reason, being their own pleasure of solidarity. The social bonding felt in the participatory field of music is arguably the most transcending and fulfilling facet in the entire music industry. Contradictory to the American cultural value of earning fortune through hard work, this participatory Irish group credits personal and societal impacts more prestigiously. As corny as it sounds, this experience changed the way I think about music. Culturally, the United States definitely prefers high fidelity or presentational music. This first-hand encounter showcased the pulchritudinous nature of the lesser-appreciated medium of music involving the group rather than the individual. Deponents of these social events from past to present have been exposed to unaccustomed musical ideals which facilitate a more embraced and more intimate understanding of participatory music. These accumulated understandings eventually help to redefine cultural values in American society. Nonetheless, the most evident observation from the entire evening is that these friendly individuals truly love giving back to the community.

            Day after day of observing and studying music, I continuously discover greater potential for music in the world. Music has the great ability to unite people together as well as connect them emotionally. No matter where anyone is from, music is one of the few universal similarities that all cultures have and share. Its aptitude to influence so many groups of people through entertainment, self-transcendentalism, and human connectivity is possibly one of the most enchanted wonders of the social world.