How far will you go for music?

Subject: How far will you go for music?
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Jul 01 - 03:06 PM

Jokes in another thread about how reluctant we in the Rhode Island area are to travel left me wondering how far Catters are willing to travel to participate in a session, song circle, workshop or the like? Anybody set what they think may be a record?

Subject: RE: How far will you go for music?
From: MMario
Date: 06 Jul 01 - 03:09 PM

well - Jed Marum was telling folks at the Bar-b-que at guinesschik's that I drove 1600 miles for the music...which was only a slight exagerration.

I'd say Bill Sables probably has the record here...

Subject: RE: How far will you go for music?
From: UB Ed
Date: 06 Jul 01 - 03:13 PM

About 100 miles.

Subject: RE: How far will you go for music?
From: MMario
Date: 06 Jul 01 - 03:18 PM

I'm planning on about 500 this fall for the Getaway. - otherwise about a hundred.

Subject: RE: How far will you go for music?
From: IvanB
Date: 06 Jul 01 - 04:48 PM

I think the Getaway is about 650 miles for me. And I'm planning on making the Jug session on Sept. 12 (hope they'll be having one). Dunno exactly how many miles that is.

Subject: RE: How far will you go for music?
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 06 Jul 01 - 04:50 PM

Putting festivals and academies and the like to one side for the moment, the most I've traveled was about thirty-five miles for a jam session or song circle. Can't say that's the most I WOULD drive, but probably seventy miles or less if the function looked good enough.

If you're talking about the likes of Maryland Banjo Academy or Banjo Camp North, a long-weekend, I've driven seven hundred miles one way, once, and about six hundred one-way twice.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: How far will you go for music?
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 06 Jul 01 - 04:51 PM

I'd go to the afterlife for a session with Leadbelly. Wouldn't go nearly as far to see Kendall...but I still want to see him!

Rick

Subject: RE: How far will you go for music?
From: Grab
Date: 06 Jul 01 - 05:34 PM

6000 miles for Clinton Hammond (oh, and did a bit of work as well while I was here... :-)

On a more sensible level, I'll often go 100-ish miles from Cambridge to the Peaks - the walking/gliding is good, but the main reason is the session in the 3 Stags Heads on Saturday night.

I'm driving from Windsor, Ontario to Evart, MI tomorrow to see Tom Paxton - that's 180 miles according to Expedia.

For a non-sleeping-over session, about 30 minutes anywhere.

Graham.

Subject: RE: How far will you go for music?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 06 Jul 01 - 05:59 PM

Well, leaving festivals aside, I stick within 20 miles or less of home. I think it's important to build up a local community of people who play together and know each other.

If there's a session somewhere that I'm visiting or on holiday or whatever, that's great. Even so, I'd far rather if I was going back, having been there before - and that's not because I don't like coming in as a stranger, because I actually do rather like doing that. But I feel that in a sense being at home where you are making the music is a central part of what it's really about. As with the Mudcat.

Subject: RE: How far will you go for music?
From: kendall
Date: 06 Jul 01 - 06:14 PM

The feeling is mutual Rick. How come we havn't done that?

Subject: RE: How far will you go for music?
From: Burke
Date: 06 Jul 01 - 06:28 PM

I've flown from central New York to Jacksonville, FL & other towns in Alabama & Georgia for a weekend Sacred Harp singing. If I can drive there in 3-4 hours, I'll go for a 1 day singing, 5-7 for 2 days.

300 miles is about the most I've done for a folk festival. I think it took 4 hrs. to get to WYSIWYG's for a Mudcat gather. About an hour for concerts in Syracuse & contra dances in Cooperstown. Up to 2 if it's someone I really want to see.

Subject: RE: How far will you go for music?
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Jul 01 - 07:03 PM

I second McGrath on home is best. While meeting new musicians and going through the "do you know this one" routine is fun, I still enjoy the quality regular local session where the players and singers listen to each other and song arrangements and tune sets evolve. To me, that is traditional music. Regards

Ian S

Subject: RE: How far will you go for music?
From: kendall
Date: 06 Jul 01 - 07:11 PM

I've driven to Hampton N.B. for a gathering of friends to make music. Thats about 350 miles. Old Songs Fest. was about the same distance.

Subject: RE: How far will you go for music?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 06 Jul 01 - 07:40 PM

Well, I have my limits. I'm not willing to have sex with Joan Rivers for it, that's for sure...

- LH

Subject: RE: How far will you go for music?
From: vindelis
Date: 06 Jul 01 - 09:38 PM

500 miles - OK we were on holiday, in Clifden Connemara; but we are planning to go back again next year.

Subject: RE: How far will you go for music?
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 06 Jul 01 - 09:39 PM

Well, if we're getting into the lovely subject of sex, I guess I have to deal myself out. No prostate any more.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: How far will you go for music?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 06 Jul 01 - 10:19 PM

OUch!

- LH

Subject: RE: How far will you go for music?
From: Midchuck
Date: 06 Jul 01 - 10:46 PM

In '99 we drove from the Rutland, VT, area to Saratoga, Wyoming, and return, to perform at a weekend arts festival. We were well paid by our standards, but still took a net loss on our travel expenses. More of a loss if you count the side trip to Elderly and the cost of getting out of there. Great trip, though.

Peter.

Subject: RE: How far will you go for music?
From:
Date: 06 Jul 01 - 11:57 PM

A few years ago, I went from Halifax, to Montreal on the train. Met a friend who took myself and another friend, down to her place in Vermont. The next day we drove from there to New Hampshire, picked up another friend, and drove to Boston.

We then met some other friends who had driven down from Vanessa Ontario, and we all went to the final date of that Rankin Family tour.

That was a great show that we all enjoyed. Another friend from Boston, who is a radio personality in Boston, Marcia Palmater, got us (14 of us) backstage to meet the Rankin Family.

It was the LAST Rankin show I was able to attend. The Rankins did not do any touring or concerts in the Halifax region since then (1997), and have since disbanded, and one member has died in a winter motor vehicle accident.

Subject: RE: How far will you go for music?
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Jul 01 - 02:16 PM

Seems like 70 miles or an hour and a half of driving would be the approximate median for a single session; a little more than double that for an overnight event, and no limit for a week-long camp or festival.
Adding Burke's comment to others heard from fasola fans, it looks to me like shape-note singers are prepared to go farther.
The "close to home" comments hit home. Any suggestions on how you'd start a session in your town if you knew of none?
And what's wrong with Joan Rivers. I hear she could make a dead man... never mind.

Subject: RE: How far will you go for music?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 07 Jul 01 - 04:44 PM

Any suggestions on how you'd start a session in your town if you knew of none?

First thing I'd do would be start a thread about it on the Mudcat, with the aim of getting two or three people who'd like to meet and make music together once a week or once a month or whatever. Or there might be people from nearer home at some far away session that I visiteed, or some festival.

Then once we'd got acquainted, in somebodies house or shed, I'd try to find a public place where people didn't object to having us sit in the corner and make music.

There was a thread about this quite recently - I seem to remember it had some good ideas.

Subject: RE: How far will you go for music?
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 07 Jul 01 - 06:12 PM

Some years ago I drove from Worcester MA to Cape Breton (overland, not by ferry) to see JP Cormier and Tony McManus in the Celtic Guitar Summit. At a guess, that's a 1600 mile round trip.

Murray

Subject: RE: How far will you go for music?
From:
Date: 07 Jul 01 - 11:43 PM

Murray, sounds like you would be someone who listens to Marcia's show on Thursday.

Are you coming this year?

Subject: RE: How far will you go for music?
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 08 Jul 01 - 12:30 AM

Guest-I would ask the manager of your local pub to advertise by maybe putting a poster up about a session and hope a few people turn up.Where are you? maybe there is a good session/singaround nearby that you dont know about,if you say where you are somebody might tell you of a nearby venue.Another idea is your local radio station might say whats on and where especially if they have a folk show.I am quite new to folk music, but really like it, I was surprised at the number of nearby venues I just did not know about, you could also start a thread something like "Is there any folk in" then yhe name of your town/city.I have found the people here to be really helpful.john

Subject: RE: How far will you go for music?
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 08 Jul 01 - 12:37 AM

I would love to go again George, but the trip from Florida is just too far. I still remember the spectacular fall colors on the Cabot trail...........

Murray

Subject: RE: How far will you go for music?
From: rangeroger
Date: 08 Jul 01 - 12:59 AM

I drive 2500 miles round trip for Strawberry Music Festival TWICE a year!

I also drive 140 miles a day to and from work.My music is 4 miles once a week to and from church.

Most of the music in my area is in the bars,with mostly country/western and rock and roll.As I don't go to bars any more I stay home and play with myself.

rr

Subject: RE: How far will you go for music?
From: DougR
Date: 08 Jul 01 - 02:13 AM

I guess I completely misread the thread title. I was all set to say, I'll go all the way for music, when I realized ...oh well.

DougR

Subject: RE: How far will you go for music?
From: Celtic Soul
Date: 08 Jul 01 - 10:58 AM

Workshops, sessions, song circles and the like? Only as far was my wallet will take me (which is not all the far).

Paid gig? As far as *their* budget will allow. Thus far, that has meant the farthest is about 1200 miles.

Subject: RE: How far will you go for music?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 08 Jul 01 - 11:26 AM

I know of people who won't go any farther than the switch on their TV remote...

- LH

Subject: RE: How far will you go for music?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 08 Jul 01 - 12:35 PM

Or pushing a finger on their mouse. Mind, you can go a long way from home with a mouse.

Subject: RE: How far will you go for music?
From: WyoWoman
Date: 08 Jul 01 - 12:35 PM

I'm driving somewhat regularly to jams in Kansas City these days, thanks to GaryT's generosity in getting me set up with that crowd. Unfortunately, it's an hour+ drive and I would like to meet some music folks closer to home here in Topeka. But in the meantime, it's not such a bad drive ...

ww