I go "sing together"

Xuong Rong Coffee & Acoustic has been a familiar address for music lovers in Long Xuyen for more than a decade. The music night takes place every Friday night, with no age limit, no need for a standard singing voice, just a heart that wants to sing. Mr. Pham Le Quang Vinh (band leader) shared: “At first, it was just a few small exchanges in 2012, and in 2014 we started operating professionally. But the spirit has remained the same since then: Singing and sharing”. Customers come to the shop of all ages, from the elderly to the young. Some sing Trinh music, some love bolero, some like pop music. “Music is a common point for people to get closer together. No need to be the same, just know how to listen” - Mr. Vinh said.

I met Ms. Nguyen Thi Nguyet Phuong (My Hoa Ward, Long Xuyen City), who has been attached to the shop since the simple thatched roof days. She came because of her friendship with Ms. Nguyen Thi Son (the shop owner) and because of her belief that music is a way to spread kindness. Ms. Phuong shared: “After singing, we often invite each other to do charity work, helping the poor and those in difficult circumstances. The shop is not only a place to sing, but also a place to connect people with the same heart.”

Cozy atmosphere of music night at Xuong Rong Coffee & Acoustic

Having never been on stage, Tran Thi Huynh Nhu (a bank employee and a regular at Xuong Rong) often comes to the bar to listen to music and find inspiration. “I love the way you guys play the instruments and choose the songs. The atmosphere at the music nights here is gentle and friendly. Thanks to that, I have the motivation to participate in the cultural movement at the office,” Nhu expressed. For Nhu, the music nights are not only for entertainment, but also a place to “fuel” the spirit.

The story that I will always remember is when Vinh told about a young person who once wished to sing the song “White Summer” by musician Trinh Cong Son. He brought a handwritten letter, saying that he was supposed to take his mother to listen to the song that day, because she really liked Trinh’s music, but she passed away the week before. It was an incomplete appointment, but he still kept his promise. The whole restaurant fell silent. “None of us said much, but we all felt like we were touching something very real,” Vinh said emotionally.

I left Xuong Rong and went to The Coffee 3X Central (My Phuoc ward), a “younger” coffee shop, but also nurturing an emotional musical space. Mr. Tran Ngoc Huy (owner) shared: “I have loved singing since I was a child, so when I had the opportunity to open a shop, I wanted to dedicate a corner to an acoustic music night, where anyone could sing. The music night takes place in front of the shop, so anyone passing by can easily stop by.”

Musician Vu Minh Man plays guitar enthusiastically in an acoustic space

There, I met Nguyen Hoang Anh, a young customer from My Xuyen ward. “Before, I used to listen to acoustic music at other bars, but they stopped performing. So I looked for a new place and discovered 3X. I like listening to bolero, old music, songs with depth, lyrics that touch people's hearts.” Also here, I met Mr. Le Huy Hoang, an elderly man, but still regularly comes to sing every week. He said that he had set up a club called “Love Huy Hoang Music” to connect friends with the same passion. “Singing is spiritual food. You can sing when you are happy, or you can sing when you are sad. But if you want to sing well, you have to be happy first,” he joked.

Finally, I chatted with Vu Minh Man, the bar’s musician. He taught himself to play the guitar through YouTube, then became a music education student at An Giang University, playing at acoustic bars to pay for his studies. “I saw many people singing and then crying because they missed their loved ones. I sat behind the piano and was moved too. Music helps people express their emotions, which sometimes cannot be expressed in words,” he mused.

Leaving those coffee shops, I did not bring back applause or a clip with many views. But I brought back sincere stories, a voice that had never been to a school, but still resonated with emotion. If anyone asked me what was special about “Singing Together”, I would answer: It is a place where the voice does not need to be perfect, but always touches the heart.

BICH GIANG

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/toi-di-hat-voi-nhau--a420050.html