How was your St. Patrick's gig?

Subject: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: Peter Kasin
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 04:13 AM

So, how'd it go? Pray tell; the good, the bad, and the ugly. I filled in for a fiddler who had to cancel out of a gig at a pub in Berkeley, Ca, USA. Some jerk stole one of my CD's, a ceramic duck, (the band is called "Blind Duck") and a bowl of popcorn from the display table that was right in front us, during a break. Just another St. Pat's gig....

Chanteyranger

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: GUEST,Chris B (Born Again Scouser)
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 04:26 AM

Better than yours.

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: GUEST,Dáithí Ó Geanainn
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 04:26 AM

Well, I was attending a private party in Nottingham (UK), hosted by the local Irish language Study Group.
One of the other guests was Séan Ó Sé. Séan was involved with Séan Ó Riada (who was one of those responsible for the formation of The Chieftains etc), and I have a video of him singing with them at a Dublin venue in the 1960s.
He's now 69 and touring Britain at the moment. When he sang last night in the kitchen of the house, the hairs on the back of your neck stood up - the guy sings traditional songs in Irich and English, and if anything, his voice is stronger than ever!
I played a bit of whistle with his accordionist and a couple of others, there was dancing and a great night. Most folks there said it was the most remarkable St Pat's night they'd ever had.
Still floating today...!
Dáithí

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 04:48 AM

Manitas' couldn't have been that good, he was home before 1.00am (but only just)....

Tonight could be different.......

LTS

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: GUEST,Steve Parkes at the library
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 05:35 AM

Excellent - we had Pete Coe (he said it was St Crispin's day: maybe that's a Northern Irish style celebration?)

I did wear my Murphy's tee shirt, though.

Steve

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: Ron Davies
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 05:56 AM

Haven't been to an Irish pub (here in the US) on St. Pat's Day ever since John Denver's "Country Roads" was declared a fine Irish song for the occasion.

Sang all the way back from the subway last night. It was great fun (seriously).

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: GUEST,Greycap
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 06:03 AM

It was pretty good at The Iron Duke, Harrogate, Yorkshire, UK.

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: Sarah the flute
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 06:48 AM

The Mick Jagger Centre, Dartford was rocking!!!! The recreation of riverdance to Paint it Black a truly amazing experience! We even managed to sell some of our new CDs. The even better news was that the manager thinks it would be good to make it an annual event so if you missed the Flying Chaucer's this time round book early for next year!

Sarah

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: mooman
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 06:52 AM

Not bad at all.

An Pluiméir Ceolmhar, myself and a couple of friends (Uillean pipes, octave mandolin, concertina and flute) played our usual St. Pat's gig at the Irish Club of Belgium in the presence of the Irish Ambassador, other dignitaries and a decent scattering of Joe Public. We were on telly last year and I'm looking to see if the reporter present put us in the national newspaper this year!

The best thing was the seemingly unlimited supply of smoked Irish wild salmon on soda bread

I daresay a few more pints will be drunk and tunes played today and tomorrow...!

Peace

moo

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: GUEST, Hamish
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 06:52 AM

I went to the gym. :-(

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: Midchuck
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 08:01 AM

Very good. We practiced in our living room.

Peter.

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 08:11 AM

Absolutely wonderful -- and profitable, too, it looks like. I'm trying to function on way too little sleep and I've got a dress rehearsal forr the Dover Irish Show directly after work.

It was Tom's (Curmudgeon's) 29th consecutive St. Pats at The Press Room in Portsmouth, NH -- every year since Jay Smith opened the place in, I think it was '77. I didn't meet him until late in 1980.

We went on at 6:30 last night and played til 10:30, only interrupted once by the pipers lwho massed downstairs during the last set, and then came upstairs as we were packing up.

Had a older, LISTENING crowd earlier. And even the youngsters who arrived later were more into listening than carousing. Wonderful audience.

Our sound guy, Al Smith, worked absolute miracles with the Press Room sound system -- everybody said we sounded "as if there was no sound system, but we could here you." n other words, totally natural. Wow.

Everyone had a grand time, us included!

Linn

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: VIN
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 08:13 AM

Had a great night at Bamford Bowling Club in Heywood, Lancs. The 'legplaiters' & friends gave their usual rousing performance and their was some nice Ceali dancing ablely 'called' by Mike Canvean.

Only winge was that some in the audience had obviously no interest in the proceedings judging by their incessant (ignorant) chat even during the quieter songs - something Des Friel tried highlight a couple of times. Did'nt spoil the night tho or desi's songs especially the powerful 'Born on The Southern Side'. So many thanks to John, Des, the two Martins, the two Petes, Ian, Mike and the dancers (oh and the sound man!).

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: manitas_at_work
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 08:23 AM

It was a bit surreal. I went off to sit in on a couple of sessions with some friends. The first was in Holloway and was just a normal working class boozer with families and older people coming in for a quiet pint and bacon and cabbage (see other thread!). The sound was a bit muted as the room was carpeted and was fairly long and narrow. The others had already done two gigs that day and were getting a bit ragged. We left when the DJ turned up to cover the rest of the evening and caught a cab to the next pub. This was full (and I mean full) of yuppies with just a sprinkling of regulars. There were 4 staff behind the bar but it was still a 15 minute queue just to get to the bar! The band was amplified this time but could barely be heard, we had to fight to get our seats back when we went to the toilet or the bar and the singer was overwhelmed with requests and people hijacking his microphone. They were booked to play till 1am but I was fed up with it by 11. It should be pleasanter tonight.

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: GUEST,The Ian Garside Band aka The Elderly Brother
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 08:27 AM

A good night for us and the guests not so good for the hotel - whilst we were playing two crimals got into the hotel, used the pass key and relieved some of the rooms of their TVs and videos!!

Lets see if tonight's any better in Newton-le-Willows!

TIGB

ps anyone want a cheap tele?

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: Brakn
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 08:45 AM

It was full at the Brian Boru in Ashton-in-Makerfield last night. Unfortunately I was ill. I don't know how I got through it. You can't cancel on a night like that. Ok for tonight in Cheshire I hope. Tomorrow in Liverpool and Eccles, and Sunday in Altrincham.

Bleedin' Hell it's Easter next week!

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: jimmyt
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 08:47 AM

I am playing tonight for the St Paddy's celebration. WIll report later jimmyt

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 09:20 AM

So it's Black Sabbath on full volume tomorrow at 6.00am is it?

I can make it Meat Loaf if you prefer.....!

LTS

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: GUEST,Chanteyranger
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 04:31 PM

Not Meat Loaf again.

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: TS
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 04:52 PM

Sound was great...crowd was into it...long gig but it paid very well...good plate of stew, and the best bangers and mash I have ever had!...the lead singer was pretty knackered by the 4th set though (oops..that was me)...voice is feeling it today..so is the head...

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: greg stephens
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 05:21 PM

Played acoustically with the Boat Band in the Bird in Hand, Etruria, Stoke(by the Caldon Canal). We played a selection of Irish, English, and cajun tunes and songs. A good time was had by all. Irish stew and bacon and cabbage was served. Stupid Guiness hats were worn. Danny Boy and the Mountains of Mourne were requested and played. A nine-year old played the washboard.I played my tenor banjo(first time since Paddy's Night in the same pub twelve months ago).You know the kind of thing. It'll be the same next year.

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 06:20 PM

In the immortal words of Russell Hammond

"I am a GOLDEN GOD!"

LOL!

The AM started at the Kildare house (my local pub) where honestly the best audience I had was m 'brutha Steve, and his parents... and the group that were in to 'wake' John... Never thought I'd get a request on St Pats day for Dougie MacLean's "Feels So Near"! It was a great way to start the day... Tagged m' brutha Michael O'Brien in, to take over at 4, knowing there were, simply -no- better hands to leave m' peeps in.

From 5-8 I was at a west end bar called "Rock Bottom" where, after the Irish Dancers left, I worked WAY too hard for the attention span of the audience I had. (Joked with the dancers, how easy they have it, only having to carry shoes, and all that dancing hair verses the loads and loads of gear I was humping around... I don't think they thought it was as funny as I did... Heh ) The exceptions in the crowd, as always, made all the difference... Case in point, the bar-owners grandmother... She musta been about a million years old... all decked out in her finest green, sipping her shandy, and generally beaming! She and I had a LOVELY time, me singing to her, and she smiling and clapping along with me... After one particular song, when she was the only one to clap, I set my guitar down quickly, crossed the few feet between us, took her and kissed her gently on the hand, and said, "Than YOU very much!" She was MINE all day after that!

9:30 saw me back on 'stage' at the Kildare House where things had reached a level of hot intensity... there was a passionate growl go through the place when took the stairs with my guitars... As if they were a salacious wife of many years, they knew what they wanted... and they knew -I- was there cause I WANTED to GIVE it to 'em! We roared! We ranted! We danced! Every sweet little girl in the house wanted me, (if only for a few moments) and all the guys they were with, wanted to BE me... (O.k... they wanted me too... and that's all right! I mean, who can blame 'em!?! LOL) My cheeks are bruised from the kissing, my shoulders, stooped from the hugs....

I 'Whiskey'd' all the Jars.... All of our Rovers were Wild... we went on Beer Run after Beer Run... No Sailor was left, unDrunken... Mari, her mother, and I, came to a mutually beneficial understanding... We ended the the night, each of us picturing some Pair Of Brown Eyes, singing all together, "And A-rovin', A-rovin, A-rovin I'll go". I'd hit the wall, climbed it, leapt from the top and was soaring at that point... I coulda played that chorus all night.

Give me a day or so to get feeling back into my finger tips... and to heal the blister from my tipper... maybe rebuild some kind of voice from the shattered bit of what remains, and I might even say it was the best St Pats day I've had in the 12 or so years I've been giggin...

And well, the Chicago Roll that doesn't FIT into my wallet ain't so bad either! I wish Sony would hurry up and ship the PSPs!

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: Leadfingers
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 06:22 PM

Had a good day out pretending to be an Irish duo , and met a couple of people I havent seen for YEARS !! AND we got paid !!

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: alison
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 06:47 PM

had a great day - played in a pub in the Rocks in the morning - had a full house too - we were playing tunes and sing-a-longs while the pubs on either side were doing U2 covers - so we had a great audience of people who wanted to sing

finished up doing our usual gig at the Mean Fiddler - packed house - lots of drinks, hugs, & if I remember rightly I was propsed to by a fella from Donegal, & one from Galway, & one from Dublin!!

yesterday spent doing our usual fundraiser for Leukaemia at Tooheys brewery's post St Pats bash - not many were sober at the end of that - great craic!!

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: Padre
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 08:11 PM

I played for 20+ residents of a nursing home - it was a very special time when I saw one resident who clapped along on "The Wild Rover" [no, never no more....] She normally just sits in one of those rolling lounge chairs, not seeming to be aware of what is going on around her.   

The Wild Rover was one of those songs that I had always loathed having to do in Irish bars, but somehow, it became a very special thing yesterday!

Padre

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: Kaleea
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 08:32 PM

First time in 20something years I did not gig! I'm visiting my kids in California, & we visited a couple of noisy pubs with pretty good "folk singers" and then went in search of food & ended up in an Italian eatery (I never really cared for corned beef or cabbage anyways) where there were some kids passing by with fiddle & guitar, so I had my kid get my whistles out of my trunk & we had quite an interesting session. The young instrumentalists learned several tunes & songs which I ended up writing out for them on the backs of paper placemats compliments of the management. The manager gave us free deserts & we all had lots of fun!

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 09:50 PM

A pot for the ORANGE.

A pot for the GREEN.

Over the course of four hours....tell a couple of of bleary eyed tales and let the audience decide.....then later....when all within are gone...skim 60% off the fat as a "solicitation fee!"

Me Gawd!!! How the Money Rolls In!!!

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Better than selling me sister...and one b--dy H--L better than selling me mum.

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: Gypsy
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 09:59 PM

Fabulous! We performed for a benefit for our local radio station.....patrons insisted on tipping us, so we added to the station pot.......we need somewhat more modern studio equipment than turntables, it seems! Great night! Good peoples, good food, good fun.

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: jimmyt
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 11:10 PM

had a grand rime and enjoyed the evenig to boot!   jimmyt

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: Susan A-R
Date: 18 Mar 05 - 11:49 PM

Played for a couple of hours at a local retirement community for corned beef and cabbage, played at a local bar for the black vile stuff, all accoustic, mostly instrumental. I was so glad to be playing. It's been the week from hell with a backed up sewage pipe having me living with friends,(fixed after several false tries, about $800, and hours of phone calls) a catering gig for 350 starved film festival attendees (they don't eat dinner before that opening film, I swear it). I did end up bringing the bulk of a flourless chocolate cake into the Thrush Tavern, where we played for beer, and I think they want me back for the cake on the 17th of every month. Paul, the bar owner is a lovely man, and has asked us to come back on a semi regular basis and play for dinner and beer. He's a not too shabby bodran player, and it was a treat to hang out at his establishment and play with three lovely friends, sip beer and share some very rich chocolate goodies with the customers. I love living in a small town.

This weekend we've got two gigs playing for maple open house. We get paid real money for those gigs, straight into the Ireland fund for our trio. P'raps we'll actually get to Ireland in the year 2010. Who knows.

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: Shanghaiceltic
Date: 19 Mar 05 - 10:52 PM

We had a good session at The Blarney Stone in Shanghai. Started at 8 p.m. and finished about 2 a.m.

The bar was packed with ex-pats of all extractions and quite a few locals as well wondering what the party was about and why people were wearing Guiness hats and getting very drunk.

Next week the celebrations continue as 24 people from Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eirean are coming to Shanghai for a teaching session at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, followed by an evening concert at the Conservatory and a session on Tuesday night at the Blarney.

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 20 Mar 05 - 03:51 AM

It must have been better... Manitas got in at 3am.....
LTS

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: LesB
Date: 20 Mar 05 - 05:26 PM

Nothing, I wasn't feeling well & I don't know many Irish tunes anyway. Much more looking forward to St Georges day.
Cheers
Les

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: GUEST,Puzzled Pig
Date: 20 Mar 05 - 07:23 PM

Don't remember much about my gig.

Shane MacGowan at Shepherds Bush Empire.

I think it was good cos' my head was throbbing in the morning.

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: paddymac
Date: 20 Mar 05 - 08:18 PM

We had five gigs over the week, and each one was different. On St Paddy's itself, we did a "Happy Hour" gig under the oaks and froze our collective tail off, with the temperature hovering around 40F. Thank the gods that the management believed that "every man should have his Dew." We couldn't have done it with out the antifreeze in our veins. The most enjoyable gig was the last one, on Friday the 18th, at a small restaurant in a little farm town about 20 miles away. The record for meals served on a Friday was 72, with a very good local bluegrass group. We were delighted to find out we drew 64. Their "norm" is about 25-30. At every other gig, we were pressed to do more and more "up tempo" stuff, but at "The Mockingbird Cafe," the crowd loved the slower stuff too, maybe even more. Even got a nice round of applause for a Mudcat original, "The Orangeman's Hell," [see the "Campsite at Drumcree" thread] which we do as sort of a rap. Now we start targeting "Bloom's Day" activities.

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: Ebbie
Date: 20 Mar 05 - 08:34 PM

Clinton, when you get going, you create a great ambiance! Sometimes your comments make me feel you are a first water jerk- and then your love of the music and the people comes through and I admire you immensely. Thanks for the visuals.

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: GUEST,Claymore
Date: 21 Mar 05 - 06:58 PM

Absolutely fantastic!

We played at O'Hurleys General Store, in Shepherdstown, WV after a pot-luck supper with half the town showing up. We put lamb, bison and venison on the spits in the Great Hall fireplace, and various soda breads, salads, and desserts aplenty. Guinness, wiskeys and wines were sampled (none green) and over thirty musicians attended, some from great distances and some from the on-going Hammered Dulcimer Fesitival in Harpers Ferry. Imagine six fiddlers, one French Horn, a cello and a dog-house bass, four guitarists, six Hammered Dulcimers, three harps, four banjos (five and four string) three mandos (one a mando cello)and seven flute/whistle/recorder players. Best of all, only one bodhran player, who knew her place.

Cloggers danced and jigged, poetry was recited, every song from the Old Orange Flute to Wearing o' the Green, O'Carolan to the Parting Glass. I ended up with a headache, two quarts of lamb stew, sore fingers, and a great tumbler of Genevieve O'Loughlins potato salad in my fridge. And it was only Thursday...

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: Fliss
Date: 21 Mar 05 - 06:58 PM

Had a great evening at the Boat Inn, Jackfield. The place was heaving with folk, they filled every nook and cranny clutching polystyrene dishes of Irish stew and plastic forks to eat it with! I slurped the sloppy bits - rather unladylike but I did enjoy it.

The music was ace, the air thick with the smell of stew and smoke... do wish they would apply Irish rules on a THursday night and chuck the smokers outside.

I played for a ceilidh in Wellington (Shropshire) on Friday night. Six of us playing + one on sound equipment nursing a hand recovering from an op, so he wasnt on banjo. We had a great time - and I got paid! I can chuck away my L plates now.

Got another silly hat for the collection.

fxx

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: Cap't Bob
Date: 21 Mar 05 - 09:53 PM

We had a great time playing in Atlanta Michigan at the North Woods Gallery and Coffee House. No alcohol and most of the people were there to listen. Very unusual for a St. Patrick's Day gig. The Coffee House which is also an Art Gallery is probably one of the prettiest coffee houses in the country. Not a lot of money but a fun place to play.

Cap't Bob.... ..

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: open mike
Date: 21 Mar 05 - 10:48 PM

our folk society hosted 2 bands..
and we had 3 hours of enjoyable
music...a little late for st. Pat's
we celebrated both it, and the beginning
of spring. It was raining, which seems
quite springy. We didn't bring in very
many people, but we had a good time, and
brought one of the bands out of semi-retirement
and were able to feature a couple of young
players who have not had very many gigs yet.
low flute and Ulliean (sp?) pipes...the kids
were good! We were treated to the recitation
of a couple of poems, Yeats and more...lovely
images...Inishfree? We noticed that there were
no Snakes in California last night, so St. P's
influence must be working!

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: Jimmy C
Date: 22 Mar 05 - 08:36 PM

I played 4 sets on the 17th. Went down quite well, We had some irish Dancers etc during the intermission. No trouble, all had a great time.

On the 18th I played at a local Knights of Columbus hall, the event was sold out (180 people). The food was stew with fresh bread etc. The main entertainment was 4 piece band (really good, with a mixture of Irish/ Scottish / Canadian and a little light rock at the end. I sang and played banjo, mandolin, lap dulcimer etc between their sets.

On the 19th I played at the local yacht club to a sold out audience of Newfoundlanders. Really nice people. Those that were not born newfies were all made honourary newfies by being screeched.- a ceremony that praises the king of the Atlantic ( Cod fish) . Then all had to kiss a cod fish, eat a little molasses cake, also some dried caplin and then take a swig of dark Jamaican rum famous in the matritimes - referred to as Newfie Screech' All this under the watchful eye of the emcee (The Codfather)

It was a wonderful night weekend. I even got some future new gigs out of it.

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Mar 05 - 05:18 PM

Pardon me for refreshing this old dying thread ~ especially since this has nothing at all to do with St. Patrick's Day ~ but I keep thinking about ClintonHammond's eloquence in describing his experience:

...Every sweet little girl in the house wanted me, (if only for a few moments) and all the guys they were with, wanted to BE me... (O.K... they wanted me too... and that's all right! I mean, who can blame 'em!?! LOL)...

Thank you, Clinton, for having the nerve to really tell it like it is! (Or, at least, like it is sometimes, when things work out the way they're supposed to).

Nobody really likes to say much about this out loud, but isn't it the reason we get up on bandstands and risk making fools of ourselves? That relationship with the audience is something special; not exactly the same thing as a relationship with an actual individual human being, but close, and sometimes maybe even better. Can't say too much about it, though ~ someone might get jealous!

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 24 Mar 05 - 06:56 PM

"Nobody really likes to say much about this out loud, but isn't it the reason we get up on bandstands and risk making fools of ourselves?"

I'm in it for the sex... and the possibility of more sex!

:-P

Amd I KNOW everyone who doesn't do this IS jealous!

Heh

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: DannyC
Date: 25 Mar 05 - 10:58 AM

That electric feeling is magical innit?

Of course, Orpheus gives us a good idea of where it all leads - torn to tatters and yer skull stored on a dusty shelf - the odd chanting gig on a high holyday - the payscale dips precipitously.

I suppose the goin' up is worth the comin' down...

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Mar 05 - 12:50 PM

I get a laugh when something like chocolate cake is described as "better than sex." If anything is really better than sex, "that electric feeling" of contact between performer and audience might be the only qualifier.

But then, in addition to the non-physical thrill of contact with the audience group, there is also always the potential for eye-contact and more with an individual in the crowd, leading to greater and more immediate intimacy. So, you can have BOTH better-than-sex AND sex ~ sorta like having your cake and eating it too, double-chocolate or otherwise.

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 25 Mar 05 - 12:55 PM

Well the way she looked at me, and winked while she was really kissin' on her boyfriend lead me to believe there was a 'connection'... Or that there COULD have been!

LOL

Subject: RE: How was your St. Patrick's gig?
From: Willie-O
Date: 25 Mar 05 - 03:41 PM

I wrote a post for this thread on the day after...hit send and poof Mudcat went down...fortunately this has happened to me enough that I had hit the old "Ctrl-A/Ctrl-C" first, so I posted it to my Livejournal instead.

I had a last-minute solo booking for 4-8 p.m. at a large suburban Ottawa pub...I was burnt out already having been driving long shifts for the bakery all week including Thursday. In fact I used the bakery van to haul gear, did the bread deliveries in Ottawa first then went straight to the pub.

The weird thing was, the pub owner required that I provide my own (rented) PA system, so I did all the arranging, hauling, setup, but found there was a perfectly good permanently mounted PA in the bar, which I was not supposed to use...even though everyone assured me that it worked fine. Weird. (And the owner wasn't even there, he was in his other pub downtown getting plastered).

If I'd been thinking straighter, I would have made sure to download the lyrics to "The Unicorn". Once a year, if required. The audience was typically large, noisy and not terribly responsive--neutral, really. Something about that time-slot, eh? When they're just starting to drink and aren't sure how to respond...got through my four sets and some wild-rovering without difficulty, except for lack of Unicorn song. Anyway, the manager liked me so I'll probably be back there on a less threatening occasion.

I didn't get the sound properly worked out for the room until my last set...then I loaded out and went home, in order to be up at 4:30 on Friday morning for another 15-hour driving shift. Man that was a long week. Paid for my new kayak though, picked it up on Wednesday!

I'm gonna drag the boat onto the ice with a bottle of warmer-upper and sit there waiting for the spring thaw! Meanwhile, the sap is running and I have my 32 buckets hung.

W-O