Review: Have a go Ceilidh

Subject: RE: Review: Have a go Ceilidh
From: GUEST,FloraG
Date: 17 Jul 12 - 07:41 AM

I came accross a good way to raise money for charity you might work with your group
a wish list-
made up of a list of tunes the band could play ( could be dances). 2 very attractive young persons went round and asked the audiece to sponsor a tune. This involved a donation. Sponsors were thanked for thier sponsorship before the tune commenced.
FloraG.

Subject: RE: Review: Have a go Ceilidh
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 17 Jul 12 - 05:27 AM

Because we are essentially a Beginners/Improvers band we have played for charity events and each others birthdays as a way of gaining experience.

I think this has worked well. The charities have made hundreds, we have had some great birthday bashes and because we generally get between 18 and 30 in the band we don't need a PA - all simple and cheap

Cheers

Les

Subject: RE: Review: Have a go Ceilidh
From: Will Fly
Date: 17 Jul 12 - 05:24 AM

Sorry Mo - cross-posted. No, our band has fixed personnel, so it's not quite the same event as Les's. Where we coincide is in the DIY mode - just getting on with the organisation from time to time and not always relying on outside functions to give us a gig.

Subject: RE: Review: Have a go Ceilidh
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 17 Jul 12 - 05:23 AM

And thanks Mo for giving us such a great idea

Les

Subject: RE: Review: Have a go Ceilidh
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 17 Jul 12 - 05:23 AM

Will - a quote worth saving:

"It seems to be a social event where groups of people go to let off steam, make fools of themselves on the dance floor, have a good time and get slightly pissed. When it's all over, they return to the life they led beforehand! "

Priceless!

Thanks Les

Subject: RE: Review: Have a go Ceilidh
From: Will Fly
Date: 17 Jul 12 - 05:21 AM

I don't think so, personally. The people who go seem to be drawn from all walks of life, are not necessarily folkies, or even musical. It seems to be a social event where groups of people go to let off steam, make fools of themselves on the dance floor, have a good time and get slightly pissed. When it's all over, they return to the life they led beforehand!

Subject: RE: Review: Have a go Ceilidh
From: Mo the caller
Date: 17 Jul 12 - 05:21 AM

Glad it went well.
30 - 40 dancers sounds great. It gives it a buzz when you get the numbers (it gave the Chester HaG a lift when the Beech band turned up to swell ours).
Thanks for putting up a link - and that reminded me to update my page.

Will, is yours an open band?

Subject: RE: Review: Have a go Ceilidh
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 17 Jul 12 - 04:45 AM

Thanks Will. seems to me that the Ceilidh is the one folk activity which has remaned popular with the general public. Possibly because it doesn't happen too often and clearly because it is simply great fun.

Will it draw more people to song events?

Les

Subject: RE: Review: Have a go Ceilidh
From: Will Fly
Date: 17 Jul 12 - 04:38 AM

Well done Les - it's the way to go. We're doing our 4th DIY ceilidh in the local village hall in September - 2 a year starting May 2011 - and every one has been a sell-out. We hire the hall, pay all the expenses and split the take. More importantly, we have a great night.

When we first did it, we weren't sure how many, if any, would turn up to dance and were prepared to be happy if we broke even. We saw it initially as a way of getting some more publicity, as we don't use agents and get all our gigs through word of mouth.

As it happened, we did reasonably well out of it. Of course, with only 6 musicians and a caller in a large hall, we have to wrestle with a PA - but we generally win in the end with two holds and a submission.

Subject: Review: Have a go Ceilidh
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 17 Jul 12 - 03:32 AM

Several months ago we discovered the "Have a go Ceildh" organised in Chester UK, by Mo the Caller and her friends. Anybody can play, anybody can dance and anybody can call.

Here

We, The Beech Band of Chorlton

<="" span="">href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/285466650899/">Here

decided to try the same kind of event. We booked a small church hall so that we could play without PA. Bothered friends via e-mail/facebook and words. The hall has no bar so people brought their own drinks and finger food for a "shared table".

What a Beech Band: Squeezers: Ged Gaskell, Rob Phillips, Edward Ball, Fiddles: Kate Rygate, Chris, Dave, Mary Rose Rochford Merritt and her friend and Francis. 'Cello: Naomi Jane Atkin. Guitars: Ken Deeks, Tom, Glynne Davies. Recorders: Shelley Rainey. Pipes and whistle: Richard Sykes, Banjos Chris Muriel and me.

Most of this gang had played at The Beech and at more conventional Ceilidhs but 3 or 4 people turned up on the night as did 3 or 4 people who had not realy called much but did so.

We got about 30 - 40 dances and much fun was had. A collection gathered £83, £30 for the room and the rest for a rainy day!

So, a small scale ceilidh - loads if involvement by all sorts of people and no PA to wrestle with or cause ear damage.

I recommened this vision of life

L in C#