so how did your St. Pats Day gig go?

Subject: so how did your St. Pats Day gig go?
From: GUEST,Bruce Michael Baillie
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 07:40 AM

...Ours didn't go exactly to plan. We were booked to play at this pub somewhere in Lacashire (I won't say where!) the gig had come via an artistes agent,the promised snow hadn't arrived but it was windy and very wet by the time we arrived at 7pm to set up. It was a big pub with 'Doormen' on the door. They were very polite and helpful and even helped us in with the PA. There was a stage with a small dressing room area behind it, they bought us some drinks! and we arranged to go on at nine o'clock when the manager came out to see us. We busied ourselves setting up the PA. The Disco chap to our left had already cranked up his system to Krakatoan levels and the area to the front of the stage began to fill up with a Hen party of women supping drinks through penis shaped straws, later on (I presume) the one who was about to get wed had a visit from a strapping buck in combat fatigues who proceeded to strip and throw her around wearing nothing but a toothy grin and his none too concealing jockstrap and a beret, after having her rub shaving foam into his buttocks and other 'points south' he departed to his next lucrative gig.
It was an impossibility to set up the sound with this racket blaring out but we did our best. One of the staff came over and said would we mind if he patched our system into the house system so it would be louder, we agreed and he messed about for ages. Just before we went on at I guess 9.15pm the manager came over and got his big feet tangled in a wire and pulled part of the PA onto the floor (which I'm sure didn't help) so when we went on the sound was a sorry mess and we sounded shite! after struggling for a while they decided to call a halt and paid us off! In a fit of gentlemanliness my mate (not me) offered to take a reduced fee but the manager was having none of it and paid us the full amount!!! So we had finished by 10.30pm and packed up and buggered off home. The night was very windy and wet, the rain coming down in smoky sheets.
We meandered back to Huddersfield through Lancashire getting lost several times (why is it there seem to be not enough signposts in Lancashire?)
So, at least we got paid and didn't have to suffer for too long! they even bought us 2 drinks! So, not too bad a night after all!

Subject: RE: so how did your St. Pats Day gig go?
From: Mooh
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 08:08 AM

Real good! Did four hours dinner music of mostly Irish/celtoid tunes (and lots of swing tunes 'cause we like'em) with the fiddle/guitar duo. Then a button accordian player we had never met before joined us and as a trio we banged out more tunes. Then a friend from my other band joined us on vocals and drum for the balance of the night...seven hours in total for the fiddler and me. The pub/bistro that hired us was gracious and generous with food, drink, and payment, the place was full all evening, and we got at least one gig referral from the effort.

Mind you, I was wasted most of the next day. Seems I don't have as much jam as I did 20 years ago!

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: so how did your St. Pats Day gig go?
From: Leadfingers
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 08:15 AM

We (The O'Reelys) were the cabaret spot in a BIG hotel ! Only did an hour , got a free three course meal thrown in and were on our way home by 11.30 ! Fooled them again !!

Subject: RE: so how did your St. Pats Day gig go?
From: GUEST,squeezeboxhp at work
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 08:16 AM

well bruce our gig was great and in huddersfield didnt get lost either

ken

Subject: RE: so how did your St. Pats Day gig go?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 08:39 AM

Well first the White Horse (UPPER Stoke) was going to have a St Pds song/ssn.   So we didn't go to Linda's.

Then they booked "Irish Karaoke".

Then they decided to split the night between the karaoke and acoustic sesion etc.

Then the karaoke did not turn up. I arrived to discover another Richard (more later) with a big piano-accordian. The other other Richard had gone to fetch Slats and Dilligaf, who were having a rest, know what I mean?

So there was Dutch Pot (not, I'm sure, named after the herbal remedy) who sings mostly English songs and "Tell me Ma" to the similar but different tune of "Mary maid of the mountain Glen". And me. I do mostly English song too. Accompanied with a guitar. I can join in with my mandolin on quite a range of things though.

Then Slats came to the rescue so he led a few songs (Rare Ould Time was nice) and I acompanied on the mandolin or sang harmony. I dug out "Rue the Day" and "Step it out Mary". It turned out that the another Richard could only play in C, only played Scottish, and did everything at half tempo - or close thereto as tempo was anything but strict. Dutch Pot tried to read some Irish songs that he thought he knew the tunes to, off the words - but had left his specs behind, so the words tended to wander.

Then the other other Richard bagged my Martin and lent it to Mel to play. Mel plays very quietly (without rhythm), doesn't sing, and does 12-bar blues only. Oh, and "The house of the Rising Sun". So that stopped me leading any songs (which may have ben the plan) leaving Slats to do it all.

And both the Courage and the Speckled Hen were getting close to the ends of the barrells and were not very nice.


All in all? The revenge of the raparee!

Subject: RE: so how did your St. Pats Day gig go?
From: Vixen
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 08:48 AM

Ours was on Friday, though it was advertised for Saturday, and we got about 8" of snow between noon and 8 pm, when we went on and the weather switched over to sleet for another 2". We actually had folks show up for corned beef and cabbage (and, of course, Harp 'n' Guinness), we had a great time playing, the audience had fun singing along, and we pulled in enough from the door to ice (no pun intended) the cake.

A good time was had by all.

Got home at 11:00 and couldn't get the car up the driveway for the snow and ice....

V

Subject: RE: so how did your St. Pats Day gig go?
From: Maryrrf
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 09:06 AM

We performed for an AOH group in a school auditorium. The audience loved our Clancy Brothers/Dubliners type repertoire. There were close to 200 in attendance. A nice crowd - there was alcohol but nobody overdid it. We had a proper stage to set up on and the acoustics were great. We started at 6:00 and played till around 7:00, then had dinner with the guests (wonderful corned beef and cabbage, and homemade Irish soda bread) then played another set, then dancers from the local Irish dance school came on. And after that we played til around 10:00 pm, packed up and went home. It was great! Much nicer than playing at a bar!

Subject: RE: so how did your St. Pats Day gig go?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 09:22 AM

Oh yes, I should have said, the pub promised us Irish stew and dumplings, but it did not appear - until after we had stopped and were rushing to go home.

Subject: RE: so how did your St. Pats Day gig go?
From: GUEST,Sparticus
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 09:44 AM

Irish stew in the name of the law!!

Subject: RE: so how did your St. Pats Day gig go?
From: leeneia
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 10:16 AM

We had our traditional party - a corned beef and cabbage dinner followed by a session. There were three harps, three woodwind players, and percussion which changed hands throughout the night. Some of our players were weak at reading music, so we did only a few tunes:


Molly Malone
Down by the Salley Gardens
Dermot O'Dowd
Johnny's Wedding

I think there was another one, but I can't remember it. One visitor said that Dermot O'Dowd didn't sound Irish, and we were able to enlighten her about the fact that there is more to Irish traditional music than jigs and reels.

We had a great time.

Subject: RE: so how did your St. Pats Day gig go?
From: leeneia
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 10:22 AM

Mrs. Maxwell, that was the last one. Under the fearless leadership of the flute player who was in a high-school orchestra, we didn't let those sixteenth notes intimidate us.

Subject: RE: so how did your St. Pats Day gig go?
From: GUEST,lox
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 10:35 AM

Cracker - mental - enjoyed keeping the punters posted on the dying minutes of the Cricket match between Ireland and pakistan, while my brotherr texted me the latest developments.

3 runs to win ...

song

2 runs to win ...

song

1 run left to win

song

the message is coming through now folks ...


... and it says...

He's knocked it for six

4 hours of mayhem later we were allowed out.

Subject: RE: so how did your St. Pats Day gig go?
From: open mike
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 10:50 AM

i actually had 2 this year
both provided me with money and food.

the morning one was at a senior citizen's home
and in the afternoon I played with a trio at a
cafe/bar.

Subject: RE: so how did your St. Pats Day gig go?
From: GUEST,petr
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 10:51 AM

well we played for an Irish Ceili in Vancouver and had a blast..
the dance society has been kind of struggling for a while so this year
we had only a couple of fundraising dances to get ready for next season.
(the fellow who originally offered to play the fundraiser - jammed out at the last moment claiming he couldnt get a band together as they were all busy so in the end we ended up playing and got the biggest crowd ever in that hall - the same guy also declined doing the sound even though he knew that the organizer was desperate - so we ended up doing it ourselves.)
Its actually fairly easy getting well paying St Pats gigs playing for the green beer crowd - but ceili dancing is what the music is all about anyway and a lot more fun..

Subject: RE: so how did your St. Pats Day gig go?
From: Barbara Shaw
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 03:10 PM

This was our first St Patrick's Day gig and our first gig in a bar. It actually went very well, which may motivate us to try it again!

We did mostly bluegrass -- the host knew what we were and asked for bluegrass with a few Irish songs thrown in if we could manage. Well, we did lots of bluegrass and also dusted off our meager supply of Irish songs supplemented by songs with "green" in the title...

Folks actually danced and howled and applauded and sang along -- or is that how it always works on such a day in such a place? We were paid and fed excellent corned beef and cabbage and Jamieson's (I had wine, the guys did the whiskey) and have a request to return.

A good gig!

Subject: RE: so how did your St. Pats Day gig go?
From: Jim Lad
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 03:24 PM

GUEST,petr: Which dance society is that?

Subject: RE: so how did your St. Pats Day gig go?
From: Skivee
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 03:39 PM

I and another Pyrate Royale played a duo set at a swank country club in the DC area. We were refered by a friend who had been sidelined of falling off his roof.
They wanted background Irish, so we did this quiet gigue without a sound system. It worked out very well. Those that wanted to hear listened, those that didn't chatted quietly.
We did trad Irish songs and tunes. Many folks came up to look at the partner's hammered dulcimer amd ask questions.
We did no slock songs, and the most common song we did was Danny Boy.
We were well received, treated well bythe staff, nobady barfed on our gear, and they insisted that we have an elegabt traditional meal prepared by a 4 star chef...oh, and we got well paid for our efforts.
It was among the best SPD gigues I have played.

Subject: RE: so how did your St. Pats Day gig go?
From: mick p r.m s.c
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 04:10 PM

Pass, What day is it,where am I,Who is this red head at the side of me,I`ll have another of those green things,how does wild rover go again,is that guitar in tune,of cause it is the man in the music tuned it when my wife bought it for my birthday last year,will someone shoot that banjo player,crewbeans YUK!,if you like Athenry so much go and live there,yes I know Daniel O`Donnell sings it better than me but its really a matter of taste,not wild rover again,I`ll have another one of those green things,yes you can sing but wait until we finish this number.

                     ST PATS DAY GIG including singaround.
                     Started Sat still here want to go home.
I`ve been a wild rover for manys the year,and I`ve spent all me money on whiskey and green beer.

Subject: RE: so how did your St. Pats Day gig go?
From: Sorcha
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 04:16 PM

Non existant so it was fine.

Subject: RE: so how did your St. Pats Day gig go?
From: Ned Ludd
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 05:48 PM

Thanks for not naming me Bruce! Don't want people thinking I'm a gentleman!( Oh Bugger!)

Subject: RE: so how did your St. Pats Day gig go?
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 07:21 PM

Went to Mudgather in deepest Devon at Crediton festival and had a good time, then ran singaround in pub barn where they were having beer festival with beers drawn straight from the barrel - anyone wanting to drink Guinness had to go into the pub to get it!

Kitty

Subject: RE: so how did your St. Pats Day gig go?
From: GUEST,Seonaid
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 08:31 PM

Top this one --
We played at a wedding reception --
-- OK so far, yeah? --
-- with *two* brides, of whom one was the groom! They had both bridesmaids (sopranos) and groomsmaids (baritones), in gorgeous gowns of either purple or green.
Umm, different, yeah?
We played some "trad" love & wedding songs (Mairi's Wedding, Eileen Aroon, Fanny Power, etc.), plus one I wrote about a wedding at an Irish pub in Santa Monica (based on a true story!), and capped our set with "Twa Bonnie Maidens" (which brought down the house).
All very tastefully done, though, and with an elegant, catered banquet afterwards. Happy couple, nice and generous people; I'd play their gigs again any time.
Still -- um -- different, as St. Pat's gigs go!

Subject: RE: so how did your St. Pats Day gig go?
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 10:40 PM

In new digs, with new gigs, sometimes it is hard for the bartender to understand he will get tipped/split the same for a paid milk/cola and a free poured Guiness.

I am getting weary, my liver is a-quiver, be leary of bleary eyed bartenders on St. Pat's weekends.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: so how did your St. Pats Day gig go?
From: GUEST,Don Meixner
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 11:18 PM

A lite schedule this year.

Saturday Mar 10 St Mary's on the Lake, Dinner and Dance in Skaneateles 7-11:00 PM

Thursday Mar 15th 2-3:30 Birchwood Nursing Home.

Friday Mar 16 Old Forge, The Arts Center, Dinner and Dance

Saturday Mar 17 Parade Day Party at The Hotel Syracuse, Persian Terrace 2-6:00 PM

Saturday Mar 17 At Megan McMurphy's, on Rt 57 in Liverpool,NY 8:00-12:00 PM

The best job was at McMurphy's, High energy and ready to play.

Don

Subject: RE: so how did your St. Pats Day gig go?
From: Padre
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 11:56 PM

Played at the nursing home where I am also chaplain... about 30 residents who clapped along (correctly, with a little practice) on Wild Rover. Did mostly Irish-American stuff, but also threw in a few old rebel songs I learned 50 years ago from a Patrick Galvin LP borrowed from the Kanawha County public library. Gail played her new bodhran rather tastefully... It was a nice day!

Padre

Subject: RE: so how did your St. Pats Day gig go?
From: Scrump
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 04:48 AM

Ours was also in a pub on Saturday night, and went extremely well, in spite of sound problems early on. I was personally a little p***ed off at the start because I was trying to play/sing while they were sorting the problems out all round me, which is very off-putting. I could have waited but decided we were there to do a job and got on with it.

But the main thing was that the punters really seemed to enjoy it and didn't want us to stop. We didn't finish till well after 11:30pm, having performed several requests, both for stuff we hadn't done (luckily we were able to satisfy them all) and 'repeats' of songs we'd done earlier on. I was pretty knackered by the end, having been performing non-stop for well over 3 hours on only 2 pints of Guinness :-), and the ambient noise levels in the pub were high making it sometimes difficult to hear ourselves even with help of the monitors.

The landlady was also dead pleased and we'll be back there before long :-)

OP: stage? dressing room area? Luxury! :-)

(I'm glad we didn't have to contend with the prat in the jockstrap though! :-))

Subject: RE: so how did your St. Pats Day gig go?
From: GUEST,Dáithí
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 04:51 AM

We had the best Paddy's Night so far..opened a Band From County Hell concert at 8pm in the Drill Hall (concert venue) in Lincoln - sold out, holds around 430 people.First time we've ever played a theatre where everyone had paid to come in and knew exactly the type of music they were going to get.
Couldn't have gone better and we enjoyed the experience as well!
At 8.30 legged it over the road to the Jolly Brewer (pub) where we played 3 sets till midnighht. Pub was packed out all night, and folks were dancing and joining in songs they knew.
Slid home at 1am then spent a lovely cupla hours sipping Jameson's and Jack Daniels with a few friends, waiting for the adrenalin to quieten down.
Great fun!

Dáithí
(Gone to the Dogs)

Subject: RE: so how did your St. Pats Day gig go?
From: Scrump
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 04:51 AM

We meandered back to Huddersfield through Lancashire getting lost several times (why is it there seem to be not enough signposts in Lancashire?)

Because no-one in Lancashire wants to go to Yorkshire :-)