Catter-Rich Communities

Subject: Catter-Rich Communities
From: wysiwyg
Date: 17 Jun 03 - 04:04 PM

Two of our local jam pals joined Mudcat this past week or so-- because they wanted the information and community here, more than due to my urging. I don't think we rival Hull just yet, but how many places are there that regularly see a good number of Mudcatters at music events? I would imagine the nunber is higher in the UK than North America, because things in the US are so spread out?

Examples--

Greater Washington DC area (US)
Orillia (Canada)
Hull (UK)

I guess I'll dub ours LOCAL FOLKS since that's how we call our little baby folk organization when we promote jams and concerts.

Any other geographic clusters of Catters?

And were they pals first and then Catters, or Catters first who hooked up to become pals? Ours is a mix of both.

THANKS OWED: We owe a lot to Mmario for his persistence in coming to our place, from a distance one could decide is either too far or just close enough, and for his encouragement to me to build a local scene that now overlaps Mudcat quite nicely. We also owe Ed Vetter, a wonderful old guy who got Hardi and I started on jamming, and who still moves us forward by getting our band gigs we aren't really good enough for, so we have to keep practicing! (And you thought I was pushy!) :~)

~Susan

Subject: RE: Catter-Rich Communities
From: Willie-O
Date: 17 Jun 03 - 04:12 PM

Where the Hull is Orillia?

Subject: RE: Catter-Rich Communities
From: smallpiper
Date: 17 Jun 03 - 07:15 PM

South acccross the Humber Bridge and turn right at Barton through South Ferriby and KEEP GOING FOR A VERY VERY VERY LONG TIME!

Subject: RE: Catter-Rich Communities
From: Leadfingers
Date: 18 Jun 03 - 01:10 PM

Maidenhead Folk club does quite well for Catters,with myself,Admiral,
Hovering Bob,El Greco,Trayton and Flying Cat at least usually there most weeks,with others dropping in now now and then.

Subject: RE: Catter-Rich Communities
From: GUEST,HD
Date: 18 Jun 03 - 01:33 PM

Orillia? I doubt it. I believe greater Toronto probably rivals Washington, with about thirty Catters. Probably because Rick Fielding is always ranting on about what a great place it is on his radio show.

HD

Subject: RE: Catter-Rich Communities
From: CarolC
Date: 18 Jun 03 - 01:41 PM

Orillia used to have four (five while I was there). These days, there seems to be only one mudcatter posting from Orillia.

Subject: RE: Catter-Rich Communities
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Jun 03 - 03:25 PM

Funny thing, I have never known the subject of which, if any, message boards people visit come up in any conversation at any club, session, ceilidh etc

The only people I know are catters are the sad ones with the "make friends with me please" mudcat t-shirts

Subject: RE: Catter-Rich Communities
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 18 Jun 03 - 04:10 PM

My experience is a little different to that of Guest above. Useful websites do get mentioned from time to time and I'd be pretty sure that just about everyone I've run into musically around Norfolk UK are aware of Mudcat. As I mostly go to instrumental sessions, JCs is more likely to get mentioned in conversation than MC though.

What I haven't known happen is discussion about online communities or say a collective effort to all become part of such a thing. I think most people I know would be taking advantage of web forums and other resources purely for information rather than community.

There could be people I know from this area who are members of Mudcat, it's not something I normally ask. The only "local" person I do know is a member last posted here in Jan 2000.

Overall, although I happen to enjoy message boards and online communities, I believe it's up to individuals to find out what they like and can't convince myself that trying to create catter-rich communities is a good idea. Imagine what would happen from the UK alone if every major town/city/area became like the Hull/Yorkshire crowd and each ran their own regional threads, including friendly chatter like the PTH ones...

Please don't missunderstand my last bit. I've have met and got on well with some of the above crowd - I even had the pleasure of joining Greg/Skipjack for a pint and some tunes in Norwich last night, quite liked providing a temp home for PTH during the last 2 periods of MC breakdowns, etc. I'm just trying to think on the implications of such things becoming more widespread.

Subject: RE: Catter-Rich Communities
From: wysiwyg
Date: 18 Jun 03 - 04:28 PM

What I have seen (of the Catters who we knew first as local jam pals) is this-- they get to wondering where I get all my material and gear lore. They head over here after I have mentioned the site a few times. I think then they appreciate (not "need") the community they encounter here, which I see as a series of stewards of the resources lodged here over time....

What our music community has gained, due to several of us having been Mudcatters first, is a certain shared value... a generosity of spirit and willingness to share resources, a particular kind of confident helpfulness, that comes from helping people find resources via the Mudcat threads, after one has been helped by the people here.

The friends I am moved to share Mudcat with are folks whose instinct is to be postive, helpful, and musically inquisitive, who can take responsibility for finding material and gear lore, here for themselves. Speaking just for me, I don't urge my needier IRL friends to move in. As some people here know, I'm in the ministry life-- the last thing I desire is more folks depending on me to meet their needs. I value the self-reliance people here have.

What I hope to see is more cross-fertilization of music and ideas from far places, back into our IRL music community, such as I have experienced in my own music-- multiplied by however many music pals join and find their own friendships here.   I am not particularly interested in, nor likely to support, huddling together as some kind of "Susan's Pals" group making a lot of inside jokes or obscure references. Too much work, and too little time and energy left over for music!

~Susan

Subject: RE: Catter-Rich Communities
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 18 Jun 03 - 09:42 PM

I,think,the,bigest,Mudcat-Session,would,be
The-Sun,Beverley,[2PM,first,Sunday,of,the,month}
probably,regulary,averages40-50Mudcatters,there.

If,anyone,wants,to,go
its,right,opposisite,Beverley-Minister=
very,easyto,find,as,its,one,of,the,biggset,
churches/cathedrals,in,Yorkshire,
just,head,for,the,big,church,then,
follow,your,ears!

Subject: RE: Catter-Rich Communities
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 31 Jul 03 - 11:26 AM

Subject: RE: Catter-Rich Communities
From: Peter T.
Date: 31 Jul 03 - 05:35 PM

San Francisco is pretty good! (But Toronto is perhaps the North American capital for the moment -- we have had many people on Mudcat at one time or another. There was a time when we had 15 or so active regulars. Less than that now, I think. Really due to Rick Fielding's generosity.

yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Catter-Rich Communities
From: andymac
Date: 01 Aug 03 - 05:17 AM

There's a few of us in Glasgow too and growing in number all the time...

Subject: RE: Catter-Rich Communities
From: Mr Red
Date: 01 Aug 03 - 03:12 PM

Leadfingers
Yea I was a dropper-in on several occasions.
Where would we be without a Maidenhead...... I'll get my coat....

Subject: RE: Catter-Rich Communities
From: Amergin
Date: 01 Aug 03 - 03:20 PM

Peter...regarding your comment...are you saying that it is Rick Fielding's fault that there are less active mudcatters in the toronto area than there use to be? BG

Subject: RE: Catter-Rich Communities
From: Peter T.
Date: 01 Aug 03 - 03:28 PM

The opposite of course. yours, Peter T.