Sunday Today I practiced for about an hour and a half (lots of stuff, old and new) before going to the play-together at my friend Pam's house. I was wondering if we'd break our record (February saw 10 harps in one room) and we did as we had 12! Pam taught us a few Welsh tunes and we had tea and Welsh cakes. It was a lovely time.
I got some nice comments on the wonderful tone of my Dusty and someone even said it sounded as if it was amplified. I love my Dusty and it's come a long way with me, nearly from the very beginning. I almost feel ungrateful when I say I wish it had two more strings in the bass.
Monday Open mic night again tomorrow night, running through a few things to see what I'll play. At the moment I think it will be Mist Covered Mountain / Cliffs of Moher, Cooley's / Tailor's Twist, The Leaving of Liverpool (maybe), The Foggy Dew / Rights of Man.
Practiced a few more things, still looking for something to go with Nova Scotia Reel. I might put it with Egan's Polka for now. Had a look at an old barndance Paddy Mc Ginty's Goat which makes me laugh to myself for two reasons. One, it has some naughty lyrics to it and two, I once played it as a recessional at a wedding due to the priest (reverend?) putting me on the spot at the very last minute!
Wednesday I now have committed myself to busking in front of my shop. All of the money will go to our shop (it's a charity). My area manager is encouraging shops to do something for this 'shop of the week' thing which is generating feel-good stories and extra revenue for the charity. One of the managers got sponsored to do a sky dive and made loads of money for her shop. This will be my contribution. I'm planning on doing it next week as the weather is supposed to be nice, in fact a "heatwave" is predicted--this means temps of 70 degrees! Gonna get my busking head on today and make a sign with our official logo so people will know I'm not keeping the money--it goes to the charity.
Driving myself crazy working on Anach Cuain and the jig Sheep in the Boat all day. I've got the ABCs and am trying to get my timing down by playing with countless recordings and youtube videos. But the one version that is alluding me is Kevin Crehan's which is unfortunate as I would think that one would be pretty right on. Maybe it's just hard aligning the harp with the fiddle. Have found a really good box version that flows nicely. Not crazy about my chords as I think they need more variation, but Mike should be able to help me with that later. I think I better work on something else as it's now Thursday.
So envious. What a wonderful day you must have had. Anytime you all want to come to western NH - quite a trip! - we'll put you all up. Do you have a photo?
ReplyDeleteI don't think anyone got a photo, unfortunately. Though we all had phones with cameras! It was a lovely few hours. Shame about the music, I do find the Welsh tunes a bit plinky plonky and boring but I love the social aspect!
ReplyDeleteThat will be fun - people will love seeing you play outside your shop, I'm sure of that. Good luck with the weather.
ReplyDeleteBusking! You say it so confidently and I am so envious. I hope you meet interesting people - will someone spontaneously sing, dance, or add an instrument? - and that you share lots of details with us.
ReplyDeletePam, I've done the busking thing before--ages ago back when I had only 6 pieces in my repertoire. But I got really good at them. Then they turned into 12 and then 24...
ReplyDeleteMy neighborhood isn't very interesting I have to say so I doubt anyone will join in with me, but your never know. I am doing this partly to gain the courage to do it in the city centre at some point rather than just my little town.
We have this in NH's capital city, Concord. The people I have heard have all been jazz and blues men, few woman, and little that's on the quiet side. Of course I say to myself "Oh, they're all better than you, Pam!" when of course I should be thinking "There's always someone better than you, step up!"I played at our small-town Farmers' Market last summer, and after about 5 minutes, I realized - this is just like a cocktail party, no one is REALLY listening to me" and ht\\then it was a lot of fun. Is it like that in your town, too? And could you post a photo of yourself busking???
ReplyDeleteI will get someone to take a few pics. In our Leeds city centre there is a shopping area that is blocked off to cars and there are buskers all around. Everything from jazzy stuff to rockabilly bands, singer songwriters, good mix of guys and gals.
ReplyDeleteMy little town is sort of like being in the 'burbs compared to Leeds city centre. Never any buskers, except for a young Eastern European girl who sometimes plays her accordian out front of the super market.
The farmer's market thing is sort of like what you said, but there are tables and chairs set up nearby in case people get food to go and they often sit and listed to the music specifically.
Our weekly farmer's market has specific performers - the nearby town where it's held has a kind of small bandshell and so it is a bit too formal with me although I did play there once. Very occasionally I take the harp down to the library on Sunday afternoons - a few people come in and they like it, and it's very low key but sort of playing in public and so very good for me.
ReplyDeleteYes our farmer's market is the same--I get myself booked in for a Sunday in August and play under a little tenty-gazebo thing.
ReplyDeleteThat's nice the library lets you play. I don't think they'd let me do that at mine.