BS: U.K.- Off Season Sessions...

Subject: U.K.- Off Season Sessions...
From: Thomas the Rhymer
Date: 03 Oct 00 - 11:56 AM

Hiya! Howdjadoo!

I am entering my full creativity again, as the cold wind makes me hum to stay warm... The music in sessions ought to pick up, or does it? Curiously, I have little desire to go festival-ing, across the fabulous U.K., but I secretly desire to go sessioning and listening when the dream time is alive and well...
So,... my question is, are the 'off season' sessions different/better than the (excuse the expression, please) tourist attractions? It seems to me that the music just might take on a different character durring the quiet months... Does it?

Just dreamy and curious, (<;
ttr

Subject: RE: BS: U.K.- Off Season Sessions...
From: Skipjack K8
Date: 03 Oct 00 - 01:35 PM

Interesting question, Thomas, in that I haven't really thought about it. Our Tuesday session at the Sloop in Barton on Humber has evolved over three years to be a fine and varied session, with each week having a totally different character, depending on who drifts in, collective mood, etc.

I can't say I've noticed a seasonal difference, other than one feature. During the holiday season, when players clear off for their vacation, the numbers are well down, and one makes interesting discoveries of beautiful simplicities, just a whistle and a guitar, or a fiddle and a bodhran, with all the cacophony of an overattended session taken away.

Skipjack

Subject: RE: BS: U.K.- Off Season Sessions...
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 03 Oct 00 - 02:21 PM

You mean sessions in places where there are festivals, when there isn't a festival?

My impression at most good festivals is that somewhere in there you find a session which is largely made up of people who are based locally. But in some cases they aren't exactly local to the place where the festival is happening - so my understanding is, for example, that there's not much of a folk scene in Sidmouth, but there is in Exeter.

Whitby I believe has a lively enough folkscene, and so has Fleetwood (Fylde). Of the smaller festivals, I know that Walton has aa good regular session - last year, when the festival was cancelled, it expanded into a mini-festival in the Royal Marine, and got the momentum back for a full-scale Walton Folk Festival again this year.

A lot of clubs and sessions in places where there aren't festivals tend to die down during the summer, or even pack up completely, what with people going on holiday and festivals and so forth.So the winter is really the on-season for sessions.

So roam as you rhyme...

Subject: RE: BS: U.K.- Off Season Sessions...
From: Thomas the Rhymer
Date: 03 Oct 00 - 08:41 PM

I'd love to McGrath, we'll see... But hey thanks for the information. I have been thinking hard about Whitby for a while, But I'm still stuck on my room full of great songs and interesting (though far too often incomplete) ideas! I'm just so dreadfully slow....