I discovered there's a new open mic night at a pub one block from our house (it's probably the closest pub to us!), we could even walk there easily with the harp and Mike's guitar. It's acoustic, too and every Wed night so we're going to check it out this week.
I'm also playing with the idea of putting on a concert to raise money for the charity I work for again. In August it was easy because we just played outside and put a basket out for whatever change people wanted to toss in.
But I'm wondering how I could do this and either charge people a couple of pounds or make a suggested donation price and where to put the concert on (indoors) that won't cost money. It's got to be promoted, but don't have loads of time for that so how to get people to come while keeping it fairly manageable and low key??
Just got a gig playing at our friend's friend's art gallery! It's to kick off the start of the village's Art Festival week. I couldn't get the day off work so I've got to close up, get changed at work and Mike will drive us straight up there (it takes and hour) in time to set up and tune up!
The new open mic night was fun but not particularly memorable. About 8 middle aged men (including Mike, haha!) with guitars and me. Well, one guy had a ukelele. We just went around in a circle and took turns doing one piece each.
Before I forget, here's what I played: Lament for Limerick, I Buried My Wife / Andy DeJarlis, Rakes of Clonmel / Three Drummers, and Eleanor Plunkett. I stuck to stuff I was super comfy with as it was a new place, new people and I was a bit nervous.
I'm more busy than I'd like to be right now! For the past two and some weeks, once again, I'm managing my shop on my own with one day off a week (plus Sundays). I've got one more week to go after this week. So I've been trying to practice about a half hour to 45 minutes every night after dinner. My brain is so tired that I actually start seeing double and then I have to stop. But I am getting that practice in which will help for my gallery gig next week. Mo more open mics or late nights until after the gig.
Today I'm having our monthly play-together at my house. About 7 or 8 are coming. Usually at our play-togethers the host facilitates the learning of a new tune. I am going with *easy* because my brain is tired and it takes a lot of energy to teach a tune by ear to a group, and that's not really fun and I need more fun in my life right now.
So I'm teaching 'She Moved Through the Fair' which is a super easy melody. The chords are easy, too and I'll show how I do it using only chord symbols and how I sort of improvise. I've got the sheet music they can have at the end.
The play-together was a success. The group loved the tune and picked up fairly easily. They all had heard it before and *that* is the key to quick and easy learning!
Today is my day off and I'm putting together three twenty minute long set lists for my gig at the Masham Arts Festival on Friday. Here's what I've decided on:
Lament for Limerick / Cooley's / Tailor's Twist
I Buried My Wife / Andy DeJarlis
Morning Star / Temperance
Downfall of Paris
She Moved Through the Fair / Rights of Man
Glass of Beer / Humours of Tulla
All Around the Faery Fort / New Broom
Planxty Burke
Black is the Colour / Nellie Your Favour
O'Sullivan's March
Miss Hamilton
Father O'Flynn / MacAllistrum's March
and a back up set:
Flying to the Fleadh
Come West Along the Road / Mountain Road
Mist Covered Mountain / Cliffs of Moher
I am off on a mini-vacation until the end of next week so I may not be online for a bit--see you all soon!
Listening to my gut / heart Why do I have trouble with this sometimes? My current (and longstanding) issue is that I'm not sure if I want to continue playing with the group of ladies that I have been playing with for the past couple of years or so. I think I do it mostly for the social reasons, they are all such lovely ladies!
There are five of us all together and we get together once a week-ish and work on stuff, do new stuff and have a few performances a year. But I have known for a looooong time that I really don't like learning new pieces unless they are IRISH. It takes effort and time to learn new stuff and I never play it for just myself, only with our group. I am leaning towards leaving the group, but don't want people to be upset with me.
That is a tough one - finding a place where you could have a benefit concert.
ReplyDeleteWhen is the Fleadh?
It was April last time (been trying to find out online, but no info up yet).
ReplyDeleteSo what will be your practice goals do you think????? Reviving some old tunes, learning something new???
ReplyDeleteWhat you just said, Lucy--that's always the main goals. For the gallery gig I'll go over what I've played at my last two gigs (the abbey and the festival).
ReplyDeleteJust playing 'out' is often enough to boost a tune, don't you think???
ReplyDeleteOnly if I've practiced it *before* I play it out!
ReplyDeleteWhere is everyone by the way? The more people who participate the better this will be. I left Live Journal because it's really boring blogging and no-one else commenting and vice versa. Granted, I didn't have many 'friends' on Live Journal, but here we have a ready made group (and I that was growing for a while!) of friends. *sigh*
ReplyDeleteHi! I was worried I might be overdoing the blog, so kept my head down after the once monthly notice...how are your local church halls for holding benefit concerts? That is our go to venue in New England! Often charge little or nothing, especially if you don't need the heat cranked up!
ReplyDeleteHi Shadowharp! Overdoing it? No, I barely know who you are so I doubt that! The rule is to make one post per month but you can keep adding to it, every day if you want to--just don't start a *new* post each time. The more activity the better, and the more opportunities for us all to interact, support, and get to know each other--so blog away, please!!
ReplyDeleteYes, I could look into local church halls, there are at least two in my area--good idea!
Yes, shadow harp, that is the idea.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great list! I am so happy to see we still overlap a lot in our tunes. I'm still resolved to get the Tailor's Twist into my repertoire. I have the melody, but still have to decide on an accompaniment. I do better, I find making my own these days. Remembering them, I mean.
One day we should skype and I could show you what I do for an accompainment, it's not tricky at all.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to mention, I got a possible wedding gig out of the gig. I don't think I like doing weddings unless the people already know that I play mostly Irish music. 'Cause that's what I like and that's what I'm best at. If you want anything else, I'm not the harper for you.
I sympathize heartily with your 'should I stay or go' issue in your harp group. I don't care much about playing anything non-Irish - Scottish is as far as I go. I haven't done many weddings because people always want some song or classical thing and it's too much pressure and work for something I am unlikely to play ever again. It will upset them, that's unavoidable, and you can just say that you're playing more irish gigs and that's all that practice time you've got and that if things 'settle down' you might come back and...... you'd love to keep on getting email notices just to see what they're up to. People hate being rejected but they don't seem to mind the 'busy disease' since it is such an ever-present thing, at least over here, and I assume it's not that different in Merry Olde.
ReplyDeleteIs your TTwist related to what G. does? I find that I can plink something out that I like but then I often go listen/look and add a couple touches from her. i'm learning though, sometimes finding enough that I don't need to go look.
So comforting to hear you feel the same way I do about non-Irish and the pressure it is to learn non-Irish for weddings, etc. I like your suggestions, and the 'busy disease' would not be a white lie in the least.
ReplyDeleteYes, my Tailor's Twist is the same as Grainne's (well I'm sure hers is like a trillion times better!), as I learned it from her CD and had a sneaky peak at the written music in one of her books as well.