does anyone celebrate 'first night'?

Subject: does anyone celebrate 'first night'?
From: open mike
Date: 08 Jan 04 - 12:53 AM

i am curious about the history of this custom...
i understand it is becoming more wide-spread..

Subject: RE: does anyone celebrate 'first night'?
From: open mike
Date: 08 Jan 04 - 01:05 AM

http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=54036#835345

Subject: RE: does anyone celebrate 'first night'?
From: open mike
Date: 08 Jan 04 - 01:24 AM

annapolis

boston

the organization which promotes these celebrations

Subject: RE: does anyone celebrate 'first night'?
From: GUEST,Martin Gibson
Date: 08 Jan 04 - 04:37 PM

My wife and I have gone to First Night in Evanston, Il just north of Chicago 4 years in a row now.

Needless to say, it is a pleasure and Evanston really knows how to do it right. Lot's of people of all ages, family friendly, and something for everyone.

Every year they have had a good bluegrass band. Last year they had Weavermania which I enjoyed. For the last year we also got to see and hear some grat Klezmer music.

If you are ever in Chicago New Year's Eve, please consider it.

Subject: RE: does anyone celebrate 'first night'?
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 08 Jan 04 - 05:47 PM

It's an okay idea, I guess, but who needs another event this time of year? And why can't they do it when there is less chance of ice, snow or bitter cold?

Subject: RE: does anyone celebrate 'first night'?
From: Arkie
Date: 08 Jan 04 - 06:03 PM

There is group of folk dancers in Little Rock, Arkansas who annually celebrate first night with elaborate dress, music and dance. They do it because they enjoy it.

Subject: RE: does anyone celebrate 'first night'?
From: GUEST,Martin Gibson
Date: 08 Jan 04 - 06:04 PM

This event was conveived as alternative to sitting around in some gin mill getting plotzed on New Year's Eve.

Snow and cold go with the turf on New Year's Eve in about 85% of the United States.

Subject: RE: does anyone celebrate 'first night'?
From: artbrooks
Date: 08 Jan 04 - 06:04 PM

We did it when we lived in Erie, PA and Prescott, AZ. Fun, even in the (guaranteed) ice, snow and bitter cold of Erie. That makes you really appreciate hot cider or cocoa!!

Subject: RE: does anyone celebrate 'first night'?
From: kendall
Date: 08 Jan 04 - 07:36 PM

I used to perform at First Night Portsmouth and other years, Portland, but gave it up. Being on the road with too many drunks for not enough money was getting old.

Subject: RE: does anyone celebrate 'first night'?
From: Alice
Date: 08 Jan 04 - 09:23 PM

I performed at First Night, Great Falls, Montana, for New Year's Eve 2002 and 2003. It was great. Very appreciative and respectful audiences. Missoula, Montana, has had First Night for 20 years or more. It is a non-alcoholic affair in Great Falls, and I think also in Missoula.

Alice

Subject: RE: does anyone celebrate 'first night'?
From: Kudzuman
Date: 08 Jan 04 - 09:27 PM

Most of the ones in NC and SC (USA) all they want are rock, jazz and beach band music. Good ol' folk on acoustics ain't got a chance. They gotta have that fast track never slow down dancing gotta move don't give a damn about lyrics or melody kinda mindset. I just sit at home and play with friends. Much better that way it seems to me.

Kudzuman

Subject: RE: does anyone celebrate 'first night'?
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 08 Jan 04 - 10:17 PM

My band played at First Night, Pensacola, Florida a few years ago. It was a bad experience. We were supposed to be the opening act at 8:00 on the main stage, but the sound man/stage manager didn't even show up until 8:15 and wasn't finished setting up until 8:45. He decided that instead of moving everyone's scheduled time back or cutting sets short to get back on schedule he would just write off our set and go on to the next band. His attitude was "You're going to get paid anyway, so what's the problem?" Nevermind that we had friends who had come out just to hear us play. We complained to the organizers and they did arrange for us to play a short set at another stage, but it was definitely a "consolation prize".

A few weeks later First Night sent out evaluation/critique forms to all the folks who had participated. We suspected that if we turned in a brutally honest critique we were dooming our chances of being asked to play the next year but we did it anyway. We were right. We weren't asked back.

Bruce

Subject: RE: does anyone celebrate 'first night'?
From: open mike
Date: 16 Dec 05 - 09:58 PM

raw fresh

Subject: RE: does anyone celebrate 'first night'?
From: open mike
Date: 16 Dec 05 - 10:04 PM

Bruce, the organization should have canned the late sound guy, not you!


see the links at the beginnig of this thread                     

http://www.thesaratogalife.com/index.cfm?a=13

www.firstnightalexandria.org/

www.firstnightevanston.org/

www.firstnightannapolis.org/

Subject: RE: does anyone celebrate 'first night'?
From: open mike
Date: 16 Dec 05 - 10:09 PM

I do not find very many first night clelbrations in California.
Escondido, Monterrey, Fullerton are about the only ones i see.
So i guess i would have to go 10-12 hours north or south to find one..
or start one myself!

Subject: RE: does anyone celebrate 'first night'?
From: mack/misophist
Date: 16 Dec 05 - 11:39 PM

Not Xmas, not First Night, not Easter, not nuthin'. Well, I do celebrate Burns Night. After all, he actually did ssomething.

Subject: RE: does anyone celebrate 'first night'?
From: Peace
Date: 17 Dec 05 - 12:19 AM

Burns are nothing to joke about.

Subject: RE: does anyone celebrate 'first night'?
From: Tradsinger
Date: 17 Dec 05 - 04:37 AM

The local hospital has named a unit after him.

Subject: RE: does anyone celebrate 'first night'?
From: Midchuck
Date: 17 Dec 05 - 09:09 AM

Us Woodchucks have played at some First Night or other every year for about 12-13 years except one year when we were out west with the offspring (now that they're both over 30 it seems odd to call them "children"). Usually Rutland, VT, but several elsewhere in VT and one in NH. Pay is usually pretty good for winter. We're doing Rutland this year. (To our Brit members: "Rutland" is not a joke line in the US.)

Why is it First Night, anyway? We usually play before midnight, and it's actually "Last Night" until midnight.

Peter.

Subject: RE: does anyone celebrate 'first night'?
From: DebC
Date: 17 Dec 05 - 10:15 AM

Laurel,

As you have known me for almost 20 (!) years, you will also know that I had never ever heard of a First Night until I moved to New England.

I have always pretty much stayed at home on new Year's Eve, mainly for safety's sake. This year, I agreed to be involved in First Night Boston with five other musicians.

I am looking forward to it. From what I have heard it should be great fun.

Deb

Subject: RE: does anyone celebrate 'first night'?
From: open mike
Date: 31 Dec 07 - 01:18 AM

so i started another thread on this recently--
i hope to encourage local arts organizations
to pull together to do a "First Night" in 2009.