The Ghi-ta pho co (Old Quarter Guitar) café in Hanoi, a tiny venue where locals gather to sing oldies and revolutionary anthems

It’s not how you sing, but what you sing that matters at a coffee shop named Ghi-ta pho co - Old Quarter Guitar.

Twice a week, Hanoians gather at the café to sing old revolutionary tunes on the tiny stage, less than a square meter all the way around.

Le Dinh Tuan, 73, sits by the door to accompany singers on the guitar. He says he always sits in the same place and plays the same guitar.

“Of course, I play much worse than professionals, but I can play all tunes and can accompany singers on any song,” he says.

Regular customer Doan Van Hieu, 63, says he plays the guitar terribly, but doesn’t care. He can sing old revolutionary songs anytime, anywhere.

“I don’t like new pop music because it’s only about love,” he says. “It’s not about soldiers, workers, the countryside and islands like red [revolutionary] music is.”

“Revolutionary music is never boring,” he says. 52-year-old Hanoi Water Drainage Company employee Gion says she comes to Ghi-ta pho co twice a week.

The room changes when she takes the stage and begins crooning.

She sounds like an opera star. Her romantic voice fills the cafe and opens up the space, making it seem larger.

“It’s great to sing here,” she says. “After a couple of songs I can go home and eat and sleep very well. The next morning I always feel more confident and eager to go to work.”

Tran Loc, 62, and his wife, Nguyen Thi Ngo, opened the café two years ago because he liked playing the guitar and she loved singing. But they say it was only fun for them if they played while other people were around.

A book of music and lyrics, including hundreds of oldies and revolutionary songs, sits on a table near the guitars for customers to use.

The café is only open on Wednesday and Saturday nights. Loc and Ngo, who still get up to play and sing some nights, say the earnings from the café are just enough to pay it’s water and power bills and buy new guitar strings.

Reported by Luu Quang Pho