Distractions

Subject: RE: Distractions
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 21 Oct 10 - 04:58 PM

Don't hold in laughter. It makes you fart.

Does that work the other way round?

Subject: RE: Distractions
From: Surreysinger
Date: 21 Oct 10 - 04:52 PM

I stood up to perform an unaccompanied song, and made some comment on the song which I had previously sung.I think it was to the effect that I had learned it many years ago, and thought I had got it from a recording by Steeleye Span. I started into the first verse of the ballad, only to be very very conscious of the older couple in the front row (just under my nose) discussing this statement rather loudly, and agreeing vociferously "Yes, she's right" ... "She" continued soldiering on while fuming inwardly, and wondering if they thought that I was deaf to what they were saying.

On an earlier occasion, I gave my first talk on traditional folk song topics (some years ago now) to an afternoon gathering of members of a local organisation. The room was quite warm. I was slightly nervous, as it was the first outing for the project, and was happily giving forth when after five minutes an elderly gent in the middle of the front row, gave a large lurch to the left,and dropped his walking stick with a loud clatter. He had, of course, fallen asleep - really made me feel good about my communicating skills!!

Subject: RE: Distractions
From: GUEST,Woodsie
Date: 21 Oct 10 - 01:56 AM

I was singing "Tangled Up In Blue" in a club a few years ago when I spotted Dylan himself sitting near the bar with Sinead O'Connor! It put me right off I can tell you! I did notice however both of them clapped.

Subject: RE: Distractions
From: open mike
Date: 21 Oct 10 - 01:47 AM

I just heard a story from a gal who was performing at a wedding when the dog jumped up on the buffet table. I believe she stopped and disciplined the dog before she went on with the song...and she was
surprised that no one else jumped in to deal with the canine .

Subject: RE: Distractions
From: GUEST,Ralphie
Date: 21 Oct 10 - 01:15 AM

Many years ago whilst accompanying a fine singer performing a very worthy, but also very long ballad. An elderly couple stood up in the middle of it, slowly put on their coats (it was winter) came up to us, thanked us for a lovely evening, shook the singers hand, and apologised but they had a bus to catch!
We stoically continued!
The rest of the audience thought this quite normal behaviour!

Subject: RE: Distractions
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 21 Oct 10 - 12:31 AM

Thanks, Guest Reality, I've been wanting to fart for years, now I finally know how!

Subject: RE: Distractions
From: kendall
Date: 20 Oct 10 - 10:06 PM

I was singing a song at a bluegrass festival and we were out behind a sheep shed "Field picking". Suddenly I noticed a young couple down at the bottom of the hill and it was plain they were quite fond of each other.
That song took on a whole new meaning and it's been ruined ever since.

... you have to make hay while the sun shines, that's what all of the hill people say, just keep your load wide keep your eye on the sky, and make sure it's dry when you put it away.
My good friend, David Mallett wrote this and it is a favorite of mine, but I wish I hadn't seen that couple couple.

Subject: RE: Distractions
From: GUEST,Reality
Date: 20 Oct 10 - 07:33 PM

If you can't make the shot amidst distractions, you're no kind of archer.

Nearly make a mistake?! If you ever do a perfect performance, quit, cause you'll never do it again. Everybody makes mistakes. That's how you know it's live.

Inwardly Laughing?
Don't hold in laughter. It makes you fart.

Subject: Distractions
From: Alan Day
Date: 20 Oct 10 - 06:51 PM

I wonder if you have had distractions whilst performing on stage or at work that at the time caused you to nearly make a mistake, or that you were inwardly laughing, but dare not show it.
Here are a few examples.
I was playing on stage at a Folk Club and due to the fact that there was a well known guest on the audience was very close to the stage.In fact they were about two feet away. I rarely look at the audience as I find it puts me off if I see a yawn, or a conversation going on whilst I am playing and on this occasion I was half way through the tune when the woman in front of me put hand suddenly high up on her partners leg. I avoided to see his reaction to it.Another time a chap in the front row started to bounce his leg up and down at speed, I felt like stopping and tying it to the chair leg.
At work during my selling days I had a very important meeting with someone up in the City as I sat in front of him I tried to remember who he reminded me of.It came to me at just the most important part of the meeting "The Meakon Man" from The Eagle Comic Dan Dare's Enemy.
Finally, after many attempts I made an appointment with a very high ranking person at Gatwick Airport. His office was on the ground floor and parallel to his window was a pathway leading from another building.Half way through our meeting a number of Aircraft Stewardesses walked past the window behind his head as I faced him. No problem with that until they started to act out a strip tease, walking backwards and forwards behind him. He of course was completely unaware of all this and he was too high a ranking person for me to inform him of what was going on. I think I laughed very loudly at a few of his little jokes however.
Al