Gerry, we are not alone!

The Beech Band evolved out of our Beginners Session that we based this on the BS at Shrewsbury. We had no plans to become a Ceilidh Band. As we progressed playing tunes some of us had discussed the idea of forming a conventional Ceilidh Band but when we watched bands playing it looked too much like hard work and with small numbers - a couple of duff notes or swapping an A for a B part would be a problem.

I think we enjoyed just rolling up at the pub, or where ever, with our instruments and playing. The idea of hiring and using a PA also seemed like a lot of bother and a lot of money.

We played in the Beer Garden at The Beech after Mollin Morris did a short tour. Rob called a couple of dances and it seemed to work.

We did a free Acoustic Ceilidh to see if we could do it - 26 musicians turned up and about 60 dancers and it worked a treat. We have done around 10 over 2 years with a totally flexible band of between 18 and 30 - and it seems to work OK.

It seems that the standard model for bands is 4 to 8 people - fiddles, squeezers, whistles, drums etc. and a biggish PA. I could be wrong but I get the impression that many bands play for weddings at £400 - £600 a night. I am not against any of this - people should do what they like and Ceilidhs anywhere are brilliant. But EFDSS dance nights are dissappearing across the country.

But have we lost our way a bit? Maybe Acoustic Ceilidhs (AC) will be the next revolution in folkie things - a bit like Oak, The Old Swan and Flowers& Frolics et al were in the 70s?

Rock on Tommy!

Les