I was playing NYE last year at a first night event. We were supposed to play early in the afternoon and be free to be on our way but the organizers lost several of there venue, juggled the schedule and moved us to a different room at 11 pm(from 2pm!)! We could have backed out and demanded pay but decided to make the best of it. It was the beginning of a whole slew of problems. My fiddler was pissed as he had planned to visit friends that night. They had printed beautiful multi-colored posters for all the performers that were supposed to play in the evening. Ours was drawn in marker on a cardboard box. By this time we were all feeling pretty low and not really in the mood to play but we thought we could go watch the ceili club's perfomance and maybe draw a few people over afterwards. A few really tiny step-dancers got up to the stage to dance at the end of the set and it was the first good thing to happen all day. Little darlings they were and fine dancers at such a young age! Like Michael Flatley only with integrity! Some one informed me that these little girls were taking lessons from a local teacher and dance caller I've met at ceilis and learned sets and ceilis from so when I was congratulating them on their dancing I added "I hear you're taking lessons from Liz." THey were about to agree when the littlest cute-as-a-buttonest, knee-high-to-a-grasshopperest one realized she had just been issued a rare and wondrous oppurtunity. To correct a grown-up! (I know what you're thinking but the story works better if you let me classify myself as a grown-up) Well, 2 little hands balled up into 2 little fists and 2 little fists landed on 2 little hips and she looked up and stated "YOU MEAN MRS. GRINGKO!" It was just what I needed a good laugh and a look at life through a little ones eyes. The rest of the night went wonderful after that!
Rich