ceilidh/concerts - do they work?

Subject: ceilidh/concerts - do they work?
From: GUEST,Sarah
Date: 13 Oct 04 - 06:28 AM

I need some feedback from dancers and concert-goers please.

I'm organising an event next month which will feature a ceilidh band and a concert band. If you were attending such an event, which should go first, or should there be a split type evening?

I've been to a couple of Oysterband ceilidh/concerts and thought they were wonderful - thought we might try the combination locally and see how it goes. It's a different band for each slot but the change-over should be fairly quick and we have a soundman in both line-ups.

The do is in Holmfirth Civic Hall on November 20 and features Holmfirth's Red Parrot Ceilidh Band and Howdenjones. Outside of Holmfirth festival, not a lot happens in this particular area so we are dipping our toes in the water to see if we can change that!

Any thoughts would be gratefully appreciated as this is my first time as promoter!!!!

Cheers
Sarah

Subject: RE: ceilidh/concerts - do they work?
From: muppitz
Date: 13 Oct 04 - 06:35 AM

Tricky.
I would be tempted to say put the ceilidh band on to finish the night as after the ceilidh has finished people will be all energetic and on a high, may get a bit fidgety if the concert band were on after.
But good luck with your promotions, it's hard work and a lot of sweat, but worth it in the end!

Muppitz x

Subject: RE: ceilidh/concerts - do they work?
From: John Robinson (aka Cittern)
Date: 13 Oct 04 - 06:48 AM

We're doing a "Ceilidh with some concert artists" event for Amnesty International on Saturday 30 October in Otley. I believe the format will be two solo artists (Dave Vermond and Julie Ellison) and the Duncan McFarlane Band (Acoustic) appearing between dance sets.

It will be interesting to see how that works out, esp. since Julie has the last slot to close the evening.

Best regards
John Robinson
Acoustyistics Ltd
http://www.JulieEllison.co.uk

Subject: RE: ceilidh/concerts - do they work?
From: John J
Date: 13 Oct 04 - 08:19 AM

I used to play in 'Five Bar'd Gait', an English ceilidh band that performed in the Manchester area up until a couple of years ago.

Some of our most successful performances consisted of a mix of dancing and singing: 4-5 dances followed by a song or three, a few more dances, etc.

This had the advantage of giving the caller and some of the band a breather, and allowing the audience to get their breath back. It also gave the evening more variety than at other ceilidhs.

The disadvantage IMHO was that after the audience had sat down for 15 minutes or so to listen to me warble on was that it was not too easy to get the buggers back onto the dance floor.

John

Subject: RE: ceilidh/concerts - do they work?
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 13 Oct 04 - 08:58 AM

The word "ceilidh" is Gaelic and it means "visit" . The spelling used is Scots Gaelic but the meaning is the same in Irish. It from there expanded it's meaning to "house party" and is now used in English to equate to a concert setting where the music, both vocal and instrumental, would be Scottish/Irish or if you prefer Celtic.
What I don't understand is what you would consider the difference between a concert and a ceilidh, and why you would need two bands?
            Slainte,
                  Sandy

Subject: RE: ceilidh/concerts - do they work?
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Oct 04 - 09:12 AM

In England you sit in rows at a concert and listen to performers, while at a ceilidh the seats are only around the edge of the room and everyone dances.

Subject: RE: ceilidh/concerts - do they work?
From: Jess A
Date: 13 Oct 04 - 09:37 AM

Sandy - in England, the scottish word ceilidh has been hijacked and an English ceilidh is a purely dance event where the dances are of the english country dance / barn dance variety and the music is lively. The term got adopted because saying 'country dance' reminds people of twee dances they learned at school and 'barn dance' makes people think you've got to have straw bales and checked shirts...

Sarah - I play with english ceilidh band Hekety and would have to say that I'd be a bit wary of an event like this - in my experience a lot of the people who like dancing at ceilidhs would rather do that all night, and a lot of the people who like sitting in concerts don't like to dance. I'm not saying there aren't people who like both but particularly on the ceilidh side of things you really need a critical mass of people keen to dance before it starts being fun.

That said, if you've got the right audience there's no reason it _shouldn't_ work, guess I'm just a natural pessimist. Good luck with it!   

We've also found the same thing that John J mentions - it's always hardest to get the audience on to the dance floor for the first dance after a break. If you have lots of breaks, it means there's that difficulty every time. So I'd definitely be in favour of at most two or three dancing slots of at least 3/4 hour each (preferably longer, bearing in mind one dance can take 10-15 minutes or more if you're teaching novices), with the concert slots arranged round that as you wish. Muppitz suggestion makes sense - finishing on an energetic high sounds like a good plan to me.

Let us know how it goes?

Subject: RE: ceilidh/concerts - do they work?
From: Pete_Standing
Date: 13 Oct 04 - 09:40 AM

I wish those of us who are English would give ceilidh back to the Celts and stop being ashamed of English Country Dance.

Sarah, as I have said elsewhere, "ceildhs" tend to work better as "ceilidhs" and "concerts" tend to work better as "concerts". If you have a "ceilidh" band that is also able to double as a "concert" band, and that would probably mean at least playing tunes not intended for dancing and at best some members of the band being able to sing well, then you might have a better chance. Would you expect the audience/dancesr to stand during the "concert" spots? Do you have a place for hard core dancers/no dnacers to escape to? Will you risk dancers/non dancers either arriving late or leaving early when "their" preference is over? Will you need to duplicate on PA systems or will they share, will there be a smooth transition between spots both artistically and logistically?

Anyway, good luck with what you are doing and I'm ready to pop up the road to get the custard for my humble pie!

Subject: RE: ceilidh/concerts - do they work?
From: GUEST,Betsy
Date: 13 Oct 04 - 04:03 PM

A ceilidh I understood is a Gaelic word the English meaning being "an evening of social intercourse."
Have a musical sandwich - Dancing first , have a break ,people will be having a chat and a drink in which time you make sure the performers PA is working OK , bring on your performer(s),after they have finished ( again ) people will be having a chat and a drink check the ceilidh band's PA and Bob's your uncle.
Better to have chatting whilst the dancing is on, rather than the performers, especially at the end of an evening when people are becoming "lively ".

Good luck.

Subject: RE: ceilidh/concerts - do they work?
From: Sarah the flute
Date: 13 Oct 04 - 05:17 PM

My band The Flying Chaucers do a mixed evening of listningy tunes and high energy dancing. I also call for loads of bands who do similar. I think since you have 2 different bands I'd do the concert one first and then launch into the ceili once people are warmed up and have all arrived. Its often difficult to get things going dancing wise early on for a variety of reasons (I'll leave you to guess the most important hic hic) and if numbers are drifting in its even worse.

Have a good night!!!!

Sarah

Subject: RE: ceilidh/concerts - do they work?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 13 Oct 04 - 05:53 PM

English meaning being "an evening of social intercourse."

I suppose you could bill it as "an intercourse band" and see how that went down...

Subject: RE: ceilidh/concerts - do they work?
From: GUEST,Sandy Mc Lean (lost cookie)
Date: 13 Oct 04 - 10:00 PM

Thanks for the explanation.
       Sandy

Subject: RE: ceilidh/concerts - do they work?
From: GUEST,Sarah
Date: 14 Oct 04 - 08:21 AM

Thanks for your thoughts folks.

Cheers
Sarah

Subject: RE: ceilidh/concerts - do they work?
From: open mike
Date: 14 Oct 04 - 01:48 PM

in terms of chairs and their arrangement,
it seems that to set them up in rows is
a bit more difficult thatn to place them around the
wwalls. so it might make sense to do the sitting
part first, then move chairs out to enlarge the dance floor.
by the time the audience has arrived (and enjoyed the concert)
there will be lots of hands on board to help with the moving
of the chairs in the middle!

Subject: RE: ceilidh/concerts - do they work?
From: Ella who is Sooze
Date: 15 Oct 04 - 03:38 AM

I play in an Irish/Scottish ceili band, we have varying reactions from the places we play at. It depends on the types of audiences. At weddings and parties etc, then people really get up and have a great time.

At arranged ceilis for fundraising, or a straight forward ceili evening then it can be a little hard sometimes to get people up and dancing. We have a troop of dancers who demonstrate the dances first and then go around when the crowd are more reluctant and get them up to dance.

Most times though people join in, but some people can be very VERY inhibited (those who are not used to ceilis or have not been to many) and don't like to make a show of themselves. It sometimes makes us think, well why did they book a ceili band if all they want to do is to sit down and listen to the music.

If loads of people get up and dance it makes the evening go quickly and we enjoy it more. As a musician in the band it is hysterical watching some of the creations that go on on the dance floor. And sometimes we are hard pressed not to fall about laughing.

Go for it.

Ella