Halloween Hearme: Needs

Subject: Halloween Hearme: Needs
From: harpgirl
Date: 03 Oct 00 - 10:18 PM

I rpopose a Halloween Hearme as suggested earlier. I can host for about an hour but not sure what hour yet. I propose hourly hosts and a three song set for each performer. Plus we need a technician/stagehand. Any takers?

Subject: RE: Halloween Hearme: Needs
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 03 Oct 00 - 10:20 PM

Sounds good to me.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Halloween Hearme: Needs
From: WyoWoman
Date: 03 Oct 00 - 10:22 PM

Let me find my bubblewrap ...

ww

Subject: RE: Halloween Hearme: Needs
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 04 Oct 00 - 02:26 AM

Erm, would this be scary songs about ghosts and goolies (sorry, ghoulies) then?

Please remember to post the double times, I still can't figure the clocks out, that's how I missed the poetry readings, you'd all gone by the time I got there.....

Oh, and the UK clocks go back an hour in 2 weeks time, just to really confuse people!

LTS

Subject: RE: Halloween Hearme: Needs
From: Susan of DT
Date: 04 Oct 00 - 04:13 AM

Why the elaborate setup with hosts and sets? How about a plain hearme with a topic with whoever comes singing one Halloween song at a time? Just post the times, so we all know when to come.

Subject: RE: Halloween Hearme: Needs
From: harpgirl
Date: 04 Oct 00 - 06:44 AM

...fine Susan...you do it!

Subject: RE: Halloween Hearme: Needs
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 04 Oct 00 - 10:29 AM

Liz the Squeak:
I don't see how you could be that far off on time. We were there for five hours!

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Halloween Hearme: Needs
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 04 Oct 00 - 05:40 PM

Susan, seems to me there's good reason for Harpgirl's suggestion:

1. HearMe as commonly practiced has great gaps of silence while only the keyboards chatter, and whoever may be trying to act as host vainly tries to get someone to get up and sing;

2. Being "Host" is consequently a difficult and more or less thankless job. If the room is full, it's hard to keep track of who has sung/played, who is only listening, and who only needs encouragement. An hour at a time is probably as much as one should ask of a host, in my opinion.

3. Having an expectation of doing three pieces might get participants to prepare more thoroughly, instead of just showing up and flopping about until the oppressive silence gets around their unprepared bashfulness.

Now, then, therefore and quinsecontly, having a host with a limited term of office, so to speak, and encouraging (if not actually requiring) a three-piece set from a performer would be easier on the host of the moment, tend to keep the time filled with song, and maybe even raise the standard of performance.

I say, way to go, Harpgirl!

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Halloween Hearme: Needs
From: Susan of DT
Date: 05 Oct 00 - 09:46 PM

I wasn't aware that there were 'hosts'. they were not obvious anytime I was there. It seems to be just show up and see if anyone else is there and singing. Someone posting a thread saying "now" usually gets people there. So on Halloween Eve (and/or Halloween Nite) show up when it is comfortable, so Europe and Britain would probably start earlier, and be prepared to sing Halloween, ie ghosts, monsters, supernatural, scary songs. That seems like enough planning to me. Unless someone wants to do more...

Subject: RE: Halloween Hearme: Needs
From: reggie miles
Date: 05 Oct 00 - 10:42 PM

Hey this is sounding suspiciously like an open mike. Yep, I've been to a few of 'em. Three spooky songs eh? Can one of 'em be a story? A creepy story?
CREEPSTER

Subject: RE: Halloween Hearme: Needs
From: Susan of DT
Date: 07 Oct 00 - 07:09 AM

Do people who are likely to participate want to vote on their preference for a structured vs unstructured format for Halloween?

I think having "themed" hearme's, like the Halloween one will get people to think about what to sing and lead to less "dead air". We can try a few a see what happens.

Subject: RE: Halloween Hearme: Needs
From: Lanfranc
Date: 07 Oct 00 - 08:59 AM

I must admit that my own visits to the HearMe have sometimes caused me to switch into "Host" or "moderator" mode, because that's the role I often fulfil at live sessions and I'm just naturally bossy.

The silences and seemingly endless keyboard conversations do seem to be a bit of a waste of the aural resource, but everyone (including me) appears inhibited lest they be thought a "mike hog". (Mbo seems the least thus inhibited!)

Jacko and I have had quite long and rambling conversations when we've been alone on the channel, and probably there are others who do the same. The concept of talking to a friend in NZ for a penny a minute appeals to my Yorkshire/Scottish/Jewish ancestry!

We don't want to make HearMe so structured that it is no longer fun, but some ground rules could well be agreed, whether for Halloween or whenever.

In live singaround sessions you soon get to know those whose repertoire is limited and those who will go on all night unless curbed. Melodeon players are worst, I find, fortunately we don't get too many of those on HearMe!

As an experiment, I would be happy to act as Host or Moderator for an early (2230 UK, 1730 Mudcat) session, provided (a) all concerned would be happy for me to do so and (b) we had a sufficient number of participants (say 5 or 6). The aim would be to have someone singing or playing for most of the time, and typed conversations could go on in parallel.

Comments eagerly awaited.

Subject: RE: Halloween Hearme: Needs
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 07 Oct 00 - 01:56 PM

With regards to Hearme,hosts/ moderators, themes, etc, check this thread and this thread as they will give some idea of past discussions and developments.

Jon

Subject: RE: Halloween Hearme: Needs
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 07 Oct 00 - 04:51 PM

It seems to me that it is true that some people (male, female, or what have you) may be more retiring and more hesitant to jump in when there's a break. That's quite understandable, and one of the functions of a moderator (official or self-appointed) is to ask for somebody (sometimes it's ANYBODY????) to perform, or even "Mary Jane, we haven't heard from you. Do you have something for us?"

BUT!!!

As I see it, such a retiring person, assuming he/she has a number of blank periods available to slide into, has no legitimate complaint if he/she doesn't take advantage of the opportunity that's there. And on the flip side, if there's gobs of "dead air", as there so often is, the eager singer who is willing to jump into the breach and keep the music going cannot fairly be criticized.

So saith the great philospher,
Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Halloween Hearme: Needs
From: reggie miles
Date: 07 Oct 00 - 10:26 PM

Dave, hear hear!

Subject: RE: Halloween Hearme: Needs
From: reggie miles
Date: 07 Oct 00 - 10:27 PM

Or is that, here, here?

Subject: RE: Halloween Hearme: Needs
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 09 Oct 00 - 06:38 PM

No, it's "hear, hear".

Dave Oesterreich