West Coast Mudcatters gathering, Sept.

Subject: West Coast Mudcatters gathering, Sept.
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 28 Jul 00 - 12:54 AM

Greetings from the San Francisco bay area. After I posted a thread about the Festival Of The Sea at San Francisco's Hyde Street Pier happening this September 9-10, Joe Offer suggested that it would be a great weekend for a West Coast Mudcat gathering. We PM'd each other about it and talked on the phone, and it looks like a great opportunity for this to happen.
The festival runs from 10 am to 6 pm, Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 9-10. The Hyde Street Pier is on San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf, and is the main component of San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, a National Park of historic ships. Every year a free to the public festival is held, showcasing the SF bay's and West Coast's maritime heritage. There is live traditional music all day from a stage on the pier, aboard ships, and at various other areas. There are many seafaring demonstrations, children's crafts, a tugboat race, boatbuilding demos, all sorts of activities.
Here are some ideas about a gathering:

1. TRANSPORTATION AND LODGING. There will be a small contingent of local Mudcatters performing at the festival. Would any of you be willing to open your places up for visiting Mudcatters? (I'll be staying in my office on the site, and unfortunately can't have guests in my place across the bay when I'm not there, according to the rental agreement -damn) The performers will have parking passes, so if they can accomodate, transportation shouldn't be a problem. There is airport to door shuttle service available if we can't get to everyone by car.

2. MEETING PLACE AT FESTIVAL. Around the main stage on the pier, or aboard the nearby ferryboat EUREKA, up in the passenger deck would be good places. The pier is the most visible, the seats on the ferry the most amenable to jamming. Why not purchase Mudcat T-shirts? A great identifier.

3. ACTIVITIES AT THE FESTIVAL. Aside from the many activities mentioned above, there will be a closing all hands sing-all on the stage to mark the close of each day. It will be an informal concert of chanteys, where performers take turns at the mikes leading chanteys, while the others follow in on the choruses. Maybe a pickup Mudcat chantey group will will come together and do a song at the closing? Certainly the Catters who are official performers could teach you a song or two. The choruses to chanteys are pretty easy to pick up. There will also be an evening chantey sing open to all, aboard the schooner C.A. Thayer after the close of Saturday's fest, from 8pm-midnight. This is an open session of sea songs and chanteys.

4. CONCLUSION. It would be nice to do something together to bring our weekend to a conclusion. A favorite hangout of local Mudcatters is the Sunday Irish music session at Berkeley's Starry Plough Irish pub. Shay Black, a great singer and great guy hosts the session. Don't know if he'll be back in time from his vacation to be there that night. You will usually find Riggy, radriano, me, BSeed, Dave and Pam Swan there, and it is a popular event for other festival performers as well. It promises to be a great night.

So, there you have it. Not too much structure, I don't think, so everyone won't feel herded around. Just enough activities in common, though, to make for an event within an event. The more I think about it, the more Ifeel this promises to be quite a weekend for our online community. So, 'Catters, these are ideas; not a final word by any means. I just wanted to throw that out there and see if there's interest, and to hear your ideas. So, what do y'all think?

-chanteyranger

Subject: RE: West Coast Mudcatters gathering, Sept.
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 28 Jul 00 - 03:23 AM

One more thing. My place is open for a get-together/session on Monday, the 11th. That would be a way to conclude the weekend after two days and two nights of public events. My place is smallish, but if anyone is staying on through that day, it would be a good chance for Mudcatters to kick back and have some good songs, good food, good tunes, good food, good drinks,...

Subject: RE: West Coast Mudcatters gathering, Sept.
From: SeanM
Date: 28 Jul 00 - 12:47 PM

For previous discussion about the event, as well as rave reviews of previous years, click here.

Wish I could make it this year...

M

Subject: RE: West Coast Mudcatters gathering, Sept.
From: radriano
Date: 28 Jul 00 - 02:56 PM

Sounds like a good time, chanteyranger, you can count on me being there. I don't think I'll need a tee shirt, though. I'll probably be the only one sporting two canes so I'll be easy to spot.

Radriano

Subject: RE: West Coast Mudcatters gathering, Sept.
From: Melani
Date: 28 Jul 00 - 11:26 PM

But radriano, you look so good in blue. Chanteyranger, count me in also. I have couch space for one person and floor space for a couple more, if they want to rough it.

Subject: RE: West Coast Mudcatters gathering, Sept.
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 29 Jul 00 - 12:28 AM

By the way, Mudcatters, you don't have to LIVE on the West Coast of the U.S. to join this. All are welcome. There are motels within reasonable distance to the site if that's what you prefer to the sleeping bag on the couch or guest bed route, or if there's not enough room in local 'Catters dwellings for you. I'll be glad to help with arrangements.

Subject: RE: West Coast Mudcatters gathering, Sept.
From: Dave Swan
Date: 29 Jul 00 - 12:20 PM

It's very hard to predict what our schedule will be that weekend. We'll be well into fire season by then, and it's all I can do to keep our performance date protected from overtime obligations. Soooo, we can probably help out with last minute rides and things like that, but it's hard to make plans from this point. If anyone who's thinking about coming to the area for the weekend would care to e-mail us, we'll stay in touch about the weekend. I can say with confidence that a good time will be had by all at the Festival, the chantey sing, the session and at whatever spontaneous music breaks out. We do spontaneous pretty well around here.

Cheers,

Dave

Subject: RE: West Coast Mudcatters gathering, Sept.
From: SINSULL
Date: 29 Jul 00 - 03:08 PM

Radriano,
My last chance meeting with a man with two canes was disastrous. See the Breast thread. I hope this doesn't offend you but are we safe?

Subject: RE: West Coast Mudcatters gathering, Sept.
From: RiGGy
Date: 31 Jul 00 - 10:50 AM

Good idea there, Chantyranger !!

I've got a guest bed to offer [ Offer ? }

RiGGy

Subject: RE: West Coast Mudcatters gathering, Sept.
From: radriano
Date: 31 Jul 00 - 12:24 PM

SINSULL,

I haven't read the breast thread but don't worry, you're safe around me. Of course, if YOU'RE not nice you could be in for a serious caning (unless I fall over in the process).

Radriano

Subject: RE: West Coast Mudcatters gathering, Sept.
From: SINSULL
Date: 31 Jul 00 - 02:27 PM

Radriano,
Thanks for the warning. Tha last guy tossed aside his canes and grabbed for the nearest handle. I'll behave and keep my distance.
Mary

Subject: RE: West Coast Mudcatters gathering, Sept.
From: Sourdough
Date: 01 Aug 00 - 02:23 PM

When I saw the thread title, I leaped to open it. When I saw that it was here in Northern California, I was so pleased. Then, reality struck ("Reality, it's a great place to visit, but I don't like living there.") I am really disappointed that I won't be able to make it. Although I live only forty miles away, I am going to be at a nephews wedding on the other coast that weekend.

I wish you a great time. To make up for it, I may just drive the two hundred miles to Maces Spring to visit the Carter Family music center.

Sourdough

Subject: RE: West Coast Mudcatters gathering, Sept.
From: katlaughing
Date: 01 Aug 00 - 05:38 PM

Chanteyranger, thanks for bringing this to my attention. As you said, it is a far piece from Why-Oh-Myn, but sure sounds like a lot of fun anyway. I will tell my son to pass it on to his friends who live there. His heart resides there I am sure. Everytime he visits them he tells me how much he wants to live there!

kat