Folk Venues-what works/what doesn't?

Subject: Folk Venues-what works/what doesn't?
From: Deni
Date: 28 Mar 01 - 03:36 PM

Folk club attendees, organisers, promoters, artists, whatever, please give us all the benefit of your experience. What ripping successes have you had? What great ideas? Do you vary or stay static. Are we really giving the people what they want, and if not how do we?

No I really want to know. This is not just idle curiosity. It's active curiosity.

Cheers Deni

Subject: RE: BS: Folk Venues-what works/what doesn't?
From: Hawker
Date: 28 Mar 01 - 04:17 PM

Demi, Its as much to do with who you have as the participants / audience as where you hold an event, The gents toilets at Wadebridge Folk Festival Camp Site used to be a fantastic venue for a late night sing, the acoustics were second to none - and all would flock there 'cos it was ALWAYS good!
That was of course before the stinky portaloos that we have recently been subjected to - though it was a bit stinky! - and NOT the sort of place you could put the kids to sleep on the floor!!!!LOL
Are you meaning venue for a gig, session, folk club, sing? It could make a difference. I always prefer cosy and intimate, but you know all about me!!!!
Lucy

Subject: RE: BS: Folk Venues-what works/what doesn't?
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 28 Mar 01 - 05:21 PM

Deni, are you asking about the venue, the place as such, or also about organizing principles and such?

If your question is the broader of the above, I have attended groups with two--no, three approaches on the organizing principle.

1. There are the straight jam sessions; everybody plays, or at least is free to.

2. There is the song circle, where "singing rights", so to speak, pass around, and one person or some small group does its thing, then the next, then the next, and so forth. Sometimes there will be a theme suggested for the meeting, which everyone is encouraged to sing/play about.

3. One group I belong to has a three-hour meeting.
The first hour is "show time". There's a small platform with a public address system. If you're a signed-up member, as opposed to a dropper-in, you can sign up to sing this first hour of the meeting. There is a suggested theme for the songs every month, but following the theme is pretty iffy. Sometimes there can be some pretty good humor in explaining why, say, The Wabash Cannonball "fits" with the suggested theme of Valentine's Day music.
The second hour is devoted to a general jam, with maybe forty musicians all playing at the same time. Sometimes there are specialty workshops in another room during this second hour.
The third hour is "sharing circle", which is pretty much the song circle I spoke of in item 2 above. Not everyone stays for this, and of those who stay no everyone performs. Even so, there is only enough time to go around the circle once in the hour.

I know that some clubs have a principle of everyone singing together out of a common songbook, notably Rise Up Singing.
Because I am basically a solo act I personally like the song-circle model best, myself.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: BS: Folk Venues-what works/what doesn't?
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Mar 01 - 05:30 PM

How about this minefield for a venue.

A major cruise ship has marketed a "Folk Music Cuise"
to Alaska, featuring the Kinston Trio and the Limeliters.

Those of you who know Bob Shane and Alex Hasilov are
already beginning to chuckle at the potential powderkeg.

Yes, instead of booking maybe eight performers, they
have booked two acts comprised of six guys, five of
whom were playing in the fifties.

With staterooms running at about $4000 a pop, what are
they going to do if even one performer can't make it?

Now, both groups are reliable and are not likely to
miss the date, but you never know, and the way they
have set this up, they've left themselves no chance
to bring in replacements if a desperate situation
develops.

And, although these are all nice fellows; one has
a fuse shorter than Bobby Knight.

Could make for a bumpy ride in more ways than one.

If I were a pro, who wanted to sail north (and had all my shots), I'd send my resume.

You might just get a call from a very nervous cruise
director for a short notice gig along about next Sept.

For details, check out the "limeliters.com" website.

Sorry I haven't developed blue clicky expertise yet.

Subject: RE: BS: Folk Venues-what works/what doesn't?
From: Deni
Date: 29 Mar 01 - 04:27 AM

Hawker. Where have you been? Haven't seen you for ages. Yes we know about your liking for being crammed (in small bars) with loads of others. You must have a past life as a chocolate finger. The toilet thing was...er good. I'm afraid I am too new to the scene to have had the pleasure. I hit the folk scene in... I remember it well. THE YEAR OF THE PORTALOO. How might I ask did the men go to the toilet if everyone was singing in there? Please don't answer. Agreed, if you've got a good group of friendly people you can get away with murder. Folk people/performers are good at dealing with unconventional venues, but audiences expect comfort and sustenance of the body and soul.

Our club is taking over a venue at a festival and we're deciding how to organise the night to keep singers and droppers-in happy. Some of the audience at our club don't like our policy of letting everyone have a go. Some think two songs per performer is too little (unless they don't like them and then it is too much). Some have objected to the unnerving amount of attention the singers get in a stage-type set up. It's hard to juggle what everyone wants. (But Dave O might have the solution in his split night.)

Dave O Jam, delicious. I like the song circle. I've seen it at a few singaround weekends and it's a pity our club won't try it. I have never happened across singing from a common book. Interesting that. We might try it to warm up, sometime. Then nobody has to be first to perform when the club is still half-full. We have a lot of solo artists at our club, so its more of a quiet entertainment. I also like the idea of splitting the night into different parts. This is the sort of thing I hoped to hear about. Thanks.

GUEST

Now this one is fascinating. A FOLK CRUISE! WHAT! GREAT IDEA. (I thought it brave to organise a booze cruise for folkies but dismissed it as being to cold in Plymouth, UK)

BUT ALASKA. You're right about the risk involved. (Maybe the organisers have never seen an explosive/crisis-filled folk event.) Brave, reckless, optimistic, yes. Realistic. NO.

Needless to say, I'd love to go! But at $4000, it's resume or nothing. What say Hawker old chap? A double act?

Cheers

Deni ....planning a 'Folk Raft to Drakes Island' trip, with barbeque...

Subject: RE: BS: Folk Venues-what works/what doesn't?
From: JudeL
Date: 29 Mar 01 - 04:50 AM

Hawker-
Singing in the Rugby Club showers after everything shuts at Grove (White Horse Festival) is almost a tradition - again wonderful accoustics - or for themes try a hugging workshop - they did it a few years ago at Redditch when some Aussie or Kiwi folkies decided the English needed loosening up! The "pay upon demand" hug tokens from that session circulated all weekend. Sidmouth Middle bar has been venturing into strange territory ith its "WIMMINS" hour! there are picures from that but I don't know how to set up links.
jude

Subject: RE: BS: Folk Venues-what works/what doesn't?
From: Gervase
Date: 29 Mar 01 - 05:07 AM

Harumph!
The Wimmin's Hour is all very well, but it's the decorations that worry me - looks like an explosion in a lingerie factory. Thank heavens Tony Day et al haven't got round to draping their baggy Y-fronts over teh bench, that's all I can say! Talking of which, I've got some pix, which I'll put up here in the next day or so. (of the MBS re-union, not the baggy Y-fronts!)
And keep an eye peeled later this year for www.middlebarsingers.co.uk - hopefully coming soon to a browser near you... The Middle Bar is one of those venues where, when things go right, there's nowhere like it. Save, perhaps, the barn of the Three Horseshoes at Towersey.
Though, as has been pointed out here, provided there's a critical mass and the people are right, even a khazi in the middle of the cuds can be the right venue.

Subject: RE: BS: Folk Venues-what works/what doesn't?
From: GUEST,micca at work
Date: 29 Mar 01 - 05:44 AM

Not to mention " a pint of Bogroll" Gervase???? The set up at Towersey is very effective..the co-ordinators for the singaround (the esteemed Tony and Pearl O 'Neill) are very flexible and strict in keeping folks in order, asking if you want to sing and giving you a slot.so you know when you are "on" usually 2 songs ahead,and they usually get round everyone once in a session, you can refuse, and no one thinks worse of you..and newcomers get a chance on a very egalitarian basis.What makes it special are the Acoustics and the wonderful choral support from the other singers there. Mostly acapella..and

Subject: RE: BS: Folk Venues-what works/what doesn't?
From: Shuffer
Date: 29 Mar 01 - 06:25 AM

If you are talking about singarounds at festivals I think it depends on how many participants you get at the venue. For example the Theatre Bar at Sidmouth is usually packed for the lunchtime singaround and people are strictly limited to one song per round unless they are part of a duet and then it is two. Even then it can take over an hour to go round the room once. If you don't have many participants then 2/3 songs per set may be OK but you need to judge it so that people are not having to wait an excessive amount of time for their go.

On a folk club note our club (Dunton Bassett, Leics) operates a policy of a general session for the first hour and then a formal singaround for the rest of the evening.

Geoff

Subject: RE: BS: Folk Venues-what works/what doesn't?
From: GUEST,Jude
Date: 29 Mar 01 - 11:18 AM

explosion in a lingerie factory indeed - I think it was that whip that worried you .
Jude

Subject: RE: BS: Folk Venues-what works/what doesn't?
From: GUEST,Sam Pirt
Date: 29 Mar 01 - 02:35 PM

Folk music NEEDS NEW BLOOD!! so you need to ATTRACT YOUNG AUDIENCES. Contry to popular velife Folk music is still fashonable and the 'swetty sweater' image is slow but surely going out the window.

In Newcastle they have a great thing going called 'Reel' which has been attracting young audiences for the last 2 years. It is run by Folkworks - www.folkworks.co.uk

GET A YOUNG AUDIENCE = SUCCESS

A room in the back of a pub will not really do this nore will an atmosphere where the musicians find it had, so why not take over a night club for a night, jazz it up with lights and stuff, why not music moves with the times and the good thing with the folk music is that the past is never forgotten!!

Cheers, Sam

Subject: RE: BS: Folk Venues-what works/what doesn't?
From: Mr Red
Date: 29 Mar 01 - 03:33 PM

Alcohol works. Up to a point.
I find it amazing how the better sessions seem to be busy/cozy packed/crowded. Late nights in the Moor and Coast tent at any festival will work.
Any session where I am the only bodhran, just before I arrive!

Subject: RE: BS: Folk Venues-what works/what doesn't?
From: Hawker
Date: 29 Mar 01 - 03:49 PM

Jude,
Did one of the aussie workshops at Bromyard a couple of years ago, ended up hugging Johnny Collins all afternoon, it was a really good laugh and did loosen us up (although I think the beer tent also had a bit to do with it!)

Demi,
I know you said NOT to answer your question, but I am going to anyway - it's simple, they used the ladies!
Yes, why not blow $4000!!!!! I'm game, you never know it may be better than a Capers holiday!!!!!
Tell me as I am feeling dead nosey, WOT festival? When?
If it's for a festival, why not start the night with a concert, slip into singaround then end with bawdy free for all, I'll come!
Will it be children friendly? Can Hawker come if I promise he doesn't sing?
How about having a Youth Folkus spot, perhaps Tam will take the stage!(not!)(Specially if Rachael is there!)
Fox & Hounds Cancelled, Fancy going to camp somewhere anyway and making a noise? SouthWest Catters Convention anybody?
Lucy

Subject: RE: BS: Folk Venues-what works/what doesn't?
From: JudeL
Date: 30 Mar 01 - 04:11 AM

Gervase - just had a peek at the pix - looks more like action man than middle bar - complete with camoflage outfit - meanwhile how do you post/add pix as I have one or two myself that I'd like to share...

Subject: RE: BS: Folk Venues-what works/what doesn't?
From: Deni
Date: 30 Mar 01 - 04:29 AM

Sam Pirt,

Hawker is doing the bit to encourage young people into folk. point taken about atmosphere. How many of us are afraid of losing our comfortable safe environment, ie: smoky pub room with candles and beer?

The Festival is the Plymouth Maritime Festival, end of July. Hope you do come, you can always stay with us! The songwriting comp will prob. have a children's class, and the kids will be able to perform their entries...

I can't see Hawker fitting in though, although he sings better than most. I'll be leaving Aengus at home.

cheers Deni

Subject: RE: BS: Folk Venues-what works/what doesn't?
From: Deni
Date: 30 Mar 01 - 04:31 AM

Me again. i've just realised I have issued an open invitiation to stay at our place. This was directed at Hawker!!!!!!!!!the mudcatter. (Can't fit twenty people) in. second hawker mentioned is a dog. First is a Parson.

Thought I'd clear that up.

Subject: RE: BS: Folk Venues-what works/what doesn't?
From: Gervase
Date: 30 Mar 01 - 06:24 AM

Oops, bit of clutter from earlier stuff there
Try the link now - there should be three pix there.

Subject: RE: BS: Folk Venues-what works/what doesn't?
From: JudeL
Date: 30 Mar 01 - 07:19 AM

I think I liked the earlier stuff better - action man

Subject: RE: BS: Folk Venues-what works/what doesn't?
From: Gervase
Date: 30 Mar 01 - 08:25 AM

Action Man?
More like Barbie's mate Ken these days, I'm afraid! (And who'd really want to be Action Man, with his trolleys permanently welded to his loins? No wonder Barbie never looked at him...)

Subject: RE: BS: Folk Venues-what works/what doesn't?
From: LR Mole
Date: 30 Mar 01 - 08:51 AM

Vanue valk srew a zztorm... Oh. How about a Mudcat cruise? Where would we go? Could we limit the number of instruments? Does the sea air hurt them? Would Leonardo DiCaprio have to come along?FOUR THOUSAND DOLLARS? For M.T.A. and "There's a Meetin' Here Tonight"? Were Kingston Trio tour buses the wild places they're reputed to have been? --LR Mole, after too much coffee.