Music is many things, to many people. It is a source of inspiration or a conduit for emotional release. It can be uplifting and exciting or thought-provoking and controversial. Some see music as something to have in the background of a club to dance to, whilst others like the journey an album takes you on.
Albums are increasingly obsolete these days; once upon a time, they were a story, a tale of chapters taking you through highs and lows. These days, you’re more likely to have a playlist, your own story, speaking directly to you. A playlist can be personal, tailored to an event or milestone. One such event is poker night.
Poker is popular in the US right now, not least because of the ongoing World Series of Poker. It is the most famous live poker tournament on the planet, lasting two full months. It arrives at the perfect time when nights get darker and the weather gets cooler, meaning that you’re likely to be inspired by the big Las Vegas poker event and maybe get buddies over for a few hands. It’s the same at any big event; the nation follows what it sees on TV. With 60 million poker players worldwide, there’s little surprise many will be picking up cards this fall.
If you do, you’re going to need a playlist to get the mood going, but what to play? You could add obvious poker-related songs, but we think we’ve got something of an alternative set of songs here that will work brilliantly when you’re dealing the aces.
Tim Armstrong – Hold On
Tim Armstrong is a ska, punk, and reggae legend, and his 2007 album A Poet’s Life is well worth adding to your poker playlist. It’s quite a chilled reggae-fusion experience, featuring the Aggrolites as the backing band. Hold On has poker relevance; it’s imperative that if you’ve got a decent hand, you hold on even if the game doesn’t quite go your way; every hand is a winner; it depends on how you play it.
Aerosmith – What It Takes
Rock legends Aerosmith have a few tracks worth playing at your poker night, not least Dueces Are Wild, which has a heavy poker theme. If you want to feel a bit old school when your friends pile around, stick on ‘Big Ones’, a collection of some of the band’s top work. What It Takes is a country-style ballad, not too heavy for your game but enough to keep the tempo high. Do you have what it takes to see the handout?
Café Del Mar – Energy 52 (Three’N One Remix)
We’ve gone with reggae and a bit of rock, but why not think about adding a bit of trance to your playlist? Trance tends to be all about the beats and tune, so there’s no worry about words clouding your judgment as you study the cards. EDM won’t tell a story; you’re likely to put a ‘best of EDM’ playlist on if you want a full experience. Cafe Del Mar do trance right, and their song Three’N One has a real poker message; if you get three of the same card in one hand, you’re likely to be a winner.
Remember, if you’re looking to keep your poker playlist fresh, always check out this new releases page to find exciting new music that you can introduce your friends to whilst checking and seeing those cards.