The various bagpipes are well suited for other types of music, evidenced by some of the stuff that Davy Spillane does, but one still gets kendall's point. FSGW Getaway is primarily a folk getaway weekend. Sure we can play a bit, but we should not change it by small degrees every year until the original intent is lost. This event far predates the Mudcat. We have been, for the most part, a positive influence on it. But we must remember that we are guests of the FSGW, and many of those folks set the standard for years.

Having said that, a small bass amp surely would not hurt to give a bass line to the blues. But electic guitars should not be there, and anyone bringing a strat or Les Paul, and a large amp, would be stepping over the line, IMO. The Blues, played appropriately for a FSGW Getaway, should be country blues, or acoustic blues, not amplified stuff. There are venues for that, but this isn't one. And the FSGW is a gathering, a retreat, a series of workshops, not a concert venue, with the sole exception of the mini concerts. It is a sharing place, not a starring place.

I look forward to the blues WORKSHOP, and an acoustic blues mini concert. I have seen these guys and they are great. Let's just keep it to the spirit of a Getaway.

All the best,

Mick