Amateur Night at the Apollo

I haven't seen so many drunk people since, well, last New Year's Eve. It amazes me that people still think it takes alcohol to have a good time. The bands started at nine, and by then most of the inhabitants of the hobbit hole we call a club were well into their cups.

A rare treat, a good harmonicka player, started off the evening, although he was a bit of a Blues Brothers wannabe. Reminiscent of Elwood Blues in his style of dancing and singing, he was still a killer harpist, and had the crowd hopping with his antics and guest guitarist, Mark May of Agitators fame.

Mark took the stage next with his Agitators, and along with playing his originals, got the crowd fired up with a Santana double play - Oye Como Va and that other instrumental that I can't think of the name, but always make me crank up the stereo whenever it comes on the radio.

The night ended with Uncle Mojo bringin' it home. Although I doubt most of the crowd would bring it home safely, and I hope most of them took advantage of the hotel discount available.

The point is, New Year's Eve is supposed to be a celebration of the year past, and hopefully looking forward to the coming year. But it seems that New Year's Eve is the time to drown your sorrows for all of the bad times that the year brought, and to numb you to the injustices to come. That shouldn't be. If we all try to improve our situation in the year to come, then alcohol should not only not be necessary, it shouldn't be involved at all.

Let's all make a resolution to improve humanity's lot in the new year - not only our own, but that of our fellow man.

And not to drink so much. At least until next New Year's Eve.