Harrogate Folk Club closing

Subject: RE: Harrogate Folk Club closing
From: GUEST,Guest; Rockin' Ed
Date: 13 Dec 05 - 11:05 AM

I should like to post my vote of thanks to Ray for all his efforts trying to keep Friday 13th going (in hindsight, was this such a wise choice of name?)

I am a performer who is trying to make a semi-pro living (Actually at what point do you stop being semi-pro and become a pro? I have always wondered. Are you semi pro when you get paid for some gigs and not others? Are you a semi pro if you are working paid gigs regularly, say in excess of 50 a year, but have to maintain a regular, non-musical part-time job as well, as there isn't enough money in it to live? Do you only become a pro once you give up all regular non-musical employment and just make music for a living? Is starvation the key?)

I digress. Ray tried his damnedest to get support for booking me at Friday 13th, but to no avail. We tried everything. Seems I was too sing-y for the musicians and too musician-y for the singers and not well enough known for anybody. Hey ho.

Thanks Ray, we've shared some jolly email conversations. I'm sure our paths will cross sooner or later.

Rockin'

Subject: RE: Harrogate Folk Club closing
From: treewind
Date: 13 Dec 05 - 11:47 AM

"make a semi-pro living" ?
My idea of semi-pro is doing paid gigs, but having a day job to pay the bills. That's what I do, anyway, though I've never seriously applied the "semi-pro" label to myself. I guess you drop the "semi" when you stop doing the day job and do music full time. It's a mistake, unfortunately, to think that you automatically make a living out of it at that point...

Anyway, Ray's back in business with something slightly different, so don't give up forever!

Anahata