St. Patricks' Day Gigs?

Subject: St. Patrick's Day Gigs?
From: Windsinger
Date: 10 Mar 06 - 12:01 PM

So of the Celtic musicians among you: who's playing where next weekend?

Myself, I may have to sit this one out. Harp-music doesn't appeal to the average rowdy-minded tavern drunk on The Day -- or when it might, it's too easily drowned out by hurdy-gurdies, concertinas, drums and the like.

More power too them, it means I can take the evening off, relax, and listen while I knock back a few shots. ;)

(I may have a quieter, smaller gig lined up for the 18th though.)

Slán,

~Fionn

www.geocities.com/children_of_lir

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: cyder_drinker
Date: 10 Mar 06 - 12:13 PM

Our "roving friday" session falls in one of the local Bikers pubs this St Pat's.
Rock on!
(Just picture drunk riverdancers in leather, you'll get the picture.
It's gonna be like the Rocky Horror show, but without the high heels and stockings!)

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: dulcimer42
Date: 10 Mar 06 - 12:15 PM

Yes, hammered dulcimer music at the local restored "opera house." "A half hour of wallpaper music as they eat their dinner.

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 10 Mar 06 - 12:37 PM

Playing all day, and making a BUCKET of cash!

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Sorcha
Date: 10 Mar 06 - 12:44 PM

Nope, nada....just go have fun.

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Windsinger
Date: 10 Mar 06 - 01:08 PM

I may well end up here Friday. Not playing, just imbibing; it's where we spent St. Pat's.

(Wish the website listed who's headlining. They MUST be featuring a band, it'd be suicide for them not to!)

Slán,

~Fionn

www.geocities.com/children_of_lir

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: open mike
Date: 10 Mar 06 - 01:17 PM

I will be playintg together with a small crew of folks'
and a story teller is joining us in the entertainment
at a benefit for a community garden in a small rural
town in the mountains...if the snow permits access.
Laurel and the Wild Mountaineers String Band.

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: michaelr
Date: 10 Mar 06 - 07:27 PM

I'll be at Murphy's Irish Pub all day, first doing sound for the opening act, then playing with my band, Greenhouse. The next day we're playing at a church CB&C dinner.

I don't really look forward to playing on P-Day because it's such a zoo -- but the money is better than usual.

Cheers,
Michael

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Cluin
Date: 10 Mar 06 - 10:19 PM

The Legion in Blind River, Ontario.

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Padre
Date: 10 Mar 06 - 10:52 PM

Playing at Brian Center Nursing Home - Low Moor, VA

Padre

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: DannyC
Date: 11 Mar 06 - 07:10 AM

Here's what we're up to in Lexington and Northern Kentucky. I am way too old for this:

Today - Saturday, March 11th 2:00PMish

McCarthy's on Upper Street, Lexington, KY - after the parade - (w/ Beverly Buchanan, Labhrás Draper, his son Brendan, and my singing daughter, Katie. We will likely be joined by a gazzillion wiggy shtep dancers.)

(The jawdropper last year was when a couple of nearly-extinct Kildaremen traiped thru the garden door in foxy redcoat regalia having settled their horses in the back bar. Fortunately for all, the horses had priorly emptied themselves on Main Street during the parade.)

Thursday, March 16th   7:00PMish

Mulligan's, Lexington, KY - A song or two and few quiet tunes   [phone]

Unplugged and unstructured participatory Irish craic. Players,
singers, punters and clappers welcome.

Friday, March 17th

12:30PM 'til 3PM -   The Pub, Crestview, KY

5:00 - 7PM Jack Quinn's, Covington, KY
www.jackquinn.com

10PM 'til Capitulation - McCarthy's in Lexington, KY

Cheers,

Danny

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Bloke in the Corner
Date: 11 Mar 06 - 03:48 PM

The Ringside, Beverley Road, Hull, England. Greg on the box, Carol Dawson on the flying fiddle fingers, me on all the other bits. I don't know, but it may be free entry - so to speak. Anyone local coming?

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: gnu
Date: 11 Mar 06 - 03:54 PM

I will again be at home, nursing my injuries. I envy you all! Break two legs and a pint for me.

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: DonMeixner
Date: 11 Mar 06 - 04:18 PM

11 jobs in the next two weeks.   Just added two more.

P.J. Dorsey's in Syracuse, NY on the 17th.   The Hotel Syracuse on the 18th for parade day. are the biggies. All the rest are private clubs and parrish parties.

Like Clinton said,"Playing all day, and making a BUCKET of cash!"
Fully reported and declared on 1099's bucket of cash.

Don

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: GUEST,Tom Bliss
Date: 11 Mar 06 - 04:29 PM

Where are the Melborn crowd going this year? (Melborn, Bradford UK, RIP)

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 11 Mar 06 - 04:31 PM

The Press Room in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Curmudgeon and his group have played there every St. Patrick's since Jay Smith opened the place in '77. And Bob Frost (banjo) only missed one year. It'll be my third year as an official part of the band rather than as a "guest vocalist" later in the evening.

Hope the audience is like it was last year -- the best ever. Older crowd of listeners (!!!) earlier in the evening and a younger crowd that was more interested in listening (!!!) than carousing lter in the evening. You'd think the cover would keep the carousers downstairs, but that doesn't always happen.

Linn

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Briagha
Date: 11 Mar 06 - 11:15 PM

Like you, Windsinger, I learned early on that my solo Scottish & Irish folk singing doesn't appeal to the rowdy crowds in the pubs... but then, they don't much appeal to me either, so everyone is happy.

But I also learned that every nursing and convalescent home around is dying for Irish music during St. Pat's week. It's great-- I have tons of gigs for the next week, and they're easy for me because I don't have to set up sound.. it's just me and my guitar, "unplugged." The pay for each gig isn't great, but with so many of them, it's a lucrative week, plus I get to play for appreciative audiences.

The only down side is that they will all want to hear those non-Irish Irish songs like McNamara's Band and When Irish Eyes Are Smiling, but I've found a way to put a bunch of the choruses into one 7-song medley that makes a great closer... They all get to sing along and have a grand time, and I don't have to learn the verses.

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Kaleea
Date: 12 Mar 06 - 01:44 AM

I'll be playing a couple of days early at a bar in a popular beach area. They found out I do "Celtic" & snagged me for some womens' event. They say that it's a good thing that I perform acoustically because they don't want the loud drunken brawl stuff.
On St. Pat's I'll be doing some of what I normally do, playing a couple of nursing homes doing the Irish American stuff & visit elementary schools storytelling, playing & singing & teaching a basic jig. Because I'm still kinda new to San Diego, I'm not in a Ceili band yet. I normally prefer a nice family Ceili to the loud rock bar scene.

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Jeremiah McCaw
Date: 12 Mar 06 - 02:20 AM

I'm happy to say I'm taking part in two celebrations. (Warning - sneaking in some bald-faced promo here)

First one is on St Paddy's Day itself. In Brantford, Ontario: The Brantford Open Stage is doing a fundraiser for itself. Details here.

Second one is on the 18th, in nearby Waterford ('bout 25 minutes south of Brantford) in the newly renovated Old Town Hall. This building includes a 1904 old-fashioned concert hall / ballroom that is just a delight to perform in. Tom Jordan and Friends (including meself) are doing a concert there to raise funds for the continuing restoration of the hall as well as for certain impoverished musicians (ahem). Click on the Old Town Hall link for fuller details.

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: GUEST,Peter at The Picturedrome..Holmfirth
Date: 12 Mar 06 - 06:19 AM

Sean Cannon of the Dubliners will be playing at The Picturedrome in Holmfirth this Friday night (17th)..plus The Cassidy School of Irish Dancing.......Should be a good one....www.picturedrome.net

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: GUEST,Bruce Baillie
Date: 12 Mar 06 - 07:02 AM

...I'm playing in Holmfirth as well on friday night, across the road from Sean Cannon at the Nook, should be good as I've got Kenny Clarkson and Malcolm Stocks from the 'Hot Punch Ceilidh Band' doing it with me! And on Saturday night we're over in Swinton near Manchester, can't remember the name of the pub but it's got a Lion in the title?

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 12 Mar 06 - 07:23 AM

Fri 17 AND Sat 18 at the Ship, North Kent, England

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Mar 06 - 08:03 AM

and why not St Georges day? never could understand why the English celibrate this Irish Holiday but let their own pass without a word.

English singing Irish rebellion songs, doesn't seem right somehow, but they will do anything for money!

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Declan
Date: 12 Mar 06 - 02:20 PM

No gigs this year as I'm going on a holiday in Spain on 16th.

I'll probably find an Irish Bar and join the locals the current pats, ex-pats and wannabe Pats in a glass of green St Miguel.

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: melodeonboy
Date: 12 Mar 06 - 05:36 PM

I agree with the previous comment from Guest. I certainly have nothing against Irish music, but I fail to see why St. Patrick's Day should be of such great significance in parts of England where the number of Irish people is minimal, whereas St. George's Day is ignored.

It's all a bit of a theme park, ain't it? I can remember spending St. Patrick's night in a fairly large town in Co. Donegal in the mid nineties. I went to seven pubs in search of traditional Irish music and found blues, rock, country, a disco and even some buggers singing "Streets of London"!, but not a trace of traditional Irish music. Had I stayed at home in Kent, I could have made a short journey into Maidstone (where the Irish are very few and far between) where they had traditional Irish music on offer for St. Patrick's night!

And as for lager with green food colouring in it: well, nuff said.

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: GUEST,jets
Date: 12 Mar 06 - 05:40 PM

I will be playing the 4 Irish tunes that I know and some other stuff at the Maine Street arts in Brunswick Maine USA. From 6.00pm to 7.oopm. Joe .E. Theriault S/ jets

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: alison
Date: 12 Mar 06 - 11:50 PM

starting Wed & playing everyday until sunday including 8am - 12 midnight Fri

a very lucrative little week here in Sydney

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Daithi
Date: 13 Mar 06 - 05:18 AM

Hope you have a great time Bloke at your gig in Beverley!

Gone2theDogs (er..Ian and me!) are playing a bistro, "Christpher's",in Lincoln Friday lunchtime, then the Jolly Brewer's in the evening.
Saturday night we're supporting a couple of other acts at Lincoln's Drill Hall. The first and last will be gentler - but the Jolly Brewer gig will be deadly!! They're always up for a riot and a dance - great fun there!
See you at a session again soon...
Slán go fóill - Dáithí

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: greg stephens
Date: 13 Mar 06 - 06:33 AM

The Boat Band is playing at the Squirrel Inn, Wollerton, nr Market Drayton, Shropshire, England, UK, Europe, the World, the Solar System, the Galaxy, the Universe.
If you're coming, bring an extra tenner.
OUR NEW CD IS JUST OUT!!!!!!!!

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: GUEST,MC Fat
Date: 13 Mar 06 - 06:44 AM

Myself and Irish piper Brian Howard will be at the Freemasons at Hillsborough Corner Sheffield on Friday afternoon.

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Paco Rabanne
Date: 13 Mar 06 - 06:58 AM

I will be playing flamenco guitar at The Hebden Bridge pena, where St Patricks day will pass unmarked.

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Fibula Mattock
Date: 13 Mar 06 - 08:11 AM

Should be set dancing; instead, will be sitting on a plane to China. Yay.

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: greg stephens
Date: 13 Mar 06 - 08:49 AM

At the Boat Band gig, incidentally, we will be playing Cumbrian tunes. As any schoolboy knows, St Patrick was a Cumbrian, and taken forcibly from there to Ireland by Irish slavers. We might slip in the odd Irish jig as well, I suppose.
    Our new CD(have I already mentioned we have a new CD out?), consists exclusively of Cumbrian tunes.

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Windsinger
Date: 13 Mar 06 - 10:34 AM

Possibly harping at a small gig for someone's church on the 18th.

Slán,

~Fionn

www.geocities.com/children_of_lir

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: GUEST,ossanscookie
Date: 13 Mar 06 - 11:33 AM

Well Bloke and that coming over to our side of the river and us going to their side.We will be pl;ying at Grimsby that night.

PS.Greg, give my regards to the seven foot leprechaun -yes folks,this is for real - if he is there at "Ringside" he did a duet with me last year on SP night.

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: leftydee
Date: 13 Mar 06 - 11:40 AM

After years of two gigs per St Paddy's Day, Death By Accordion is happy to announce NO PUB GIGS this year. The boys in the band are tired of the wankers puking green beer on the stage. This year we're doing a little coffee house gig (Live From The Living Room, Pontiac MI)as a small concert , then on the 18th we're doing a private party at Dick O'Dow's in Birmingham, MI ( The big Irish pub in the area) which also promises to be civilized. What a relief!

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Lanfranc
Date: 13 Mar 06 - 11:55 AM

For the first time ever I have a St Paddy night gig! Landlord let down and desperate!

In a quiet English pub miles from the nearest Irishman, Nic (melodeon) Cath (fiddle) and I hope to get away with a bunch of O'Carolan tunes and a few of the quieter Irish songs in my repertoire. If we are forced to play "Wild Rover", we'll make sure to mention its Norfolk origins.

It's a long way from Clare to here!

Alan

PS Must find out when St Alban's day is and tell Breezy

PPS Funnily enough, St Alain's day is 9th September - my birthday!

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: muppett
Date: 13 Mar 06 - 11:57 AM

Any Musicians and or Singers who want a St.Pat's session in Bradford now the Melborn has gone, come down to the Castle at the top of Barry Street (opposite the Boy & Barrel), it'll be kicking off 6ish, Paul the landlord is up for it, there's several real ales on (and Guiness) there'll be food laid on as well.

Bring the Pine berry Lot down Dave.

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From:
Date: 13 Mar 06 - 11:58 AM

Reynaud and I will be joining Cashel Rock for the Friday night at the Vanilla Bean in Pomfret CT. This past Saturday was a cb&c dinner church benefit. Hoping to play a friend's mother's nursing home on Wednesday.

All great fun!

V

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Larkin
Date: 13 Mar 06 - 01:56 PM

I'm going to Derry and performing in the Paddy's day parade and later I hope there'll be some good craic.

Larkin

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: GUEST,ossanscookie
Date: 13 Mar 06 - 03:01 PM

And...............we are playing in Brigg saturday night.

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Geordie-Peorgie
Date: 13 Mar 06 - 04:32 PM

Aah've just got the word that Blo na Gael's St P's gig on SATURDAY 18th at PORTSMOUTH RUGBY CLUB is cancelled due to A RUGBY GAME in the aftanoon and neebody wantin' te drink in the evenin' (Can yiz believe it?)

Anywhen the Gaffer is givin' us 100% canellation fee so if we cannit get booked forra gig anywhere at short notice we'z gannin oot for a REAL St Patricks Neet in Southampton - At a Chinese restaurant!

What Fettle man!

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Willie-O
Date: 13 Mar 06 - 05:52 PM

Two gigs in west-end Ottawa Ontario Canada with my new band The Skirmish ("Cause it's nae a real battle").

The Barley Mow, Barrhaven (Greenbank at Strandherd), 2-6:30 p.m.

Then, same name, different location and time,
The Barley Mow, KANATA, (March Road & Terry Fox), 8 pm - 1 am.

I have officially abandoned all purism. The concept of this band is to be employable in pubs that serve good beer and pay well, and have a good time, and NOT be introspective or play practically anything that can be described as "achingly beautiful". I forced me hapless mates to learn "Wild Rover", "Black Velvet Band", and, yes, the dreaded "Unicorn". (For which I offered them inspiration in the form of the "I'll show you my tits if you'll play the Unicorn Song" post in another thread like this.)

We shall rock them. We're even doing Van Morrison's "Wild Night", with me playing mandolin instead of lead guitar. Totally legitimate Irish folksong.

W-O

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: JWB
Date: 13 Mar 06 - 11:11 PM

A random configuration of the New England-based quartet Finest Kind will be assisting the quaffing and mastication at Lenny's Lobster Shack in Branford, CT. Instrumentation will be fiddle, banjo, whistle, concertina, guitar, baritone ukulele and tuba. And every year Barbara gets up and sings her three songs: Danny Boy, When Irish Eyes are Smiling, and God Bless America. We see the same folks year after year -- it's sorta like a big family reunion, with little kids dancing in front of the band and old folks sitting and enjoying.

A comment on "Black Velvet Band" -- try playing it andante, with a lilt and a whistful sensibility: you'll discover that it's lasted all these years 'cause it's a fine song.

Jerry

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: GUEST,Wayne
Date: 14 Mar 06 - 05:19 AM

The excellent Rae Bailey and her trusty sidekick Maury "Hannibal Hayes are playing at the Bridge Inn Kirkstall Leeds form 8 o'clock onwards. Should be a great gig. See you there?

Cheers

Wayne

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Dorian
Date: 14 Mar 06 - 06:01 AM

Sheelanagig are playing at the Millbridge in Plymouth on St Patrick's night. I intend to drink heavily.

Hi Greg - glad to hear the Boat Band are doing well.

We have a new album out too:

http://www.sheelanagig.co.uk

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Skipjack K8
Date: 14 Mar 06 - 09:00 AM

Osson, will be delighted to pass on your regards to any seven footer we encounter (it's normally the sort of thing that happens to one in chokey, some strapping seven foot troglodyte suggesting a duet). Bloke likes that sort of thing, so I'm sure it will be a crowd pleaser.

Good luck evangelising the cod heads. I don't know which band is in the greatest danger!

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: GUEST,ossanscookie
Date: 14 Mar 06 - 10:52 AM

Whatever you do don't spill Guinness in his amp. I did it once and got away with it !!!

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Les from Hull
Date: 14 Mar 06 - 11:55 AM

Skippy - after sitting in with PtH for last year's Ringside gig I do know which band is in the greater danger.

It's yours, mate!

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Maryrrf
Date: 14 Mar 06 - 12:30 PM

"Theme Park" is a good way to describe most St. Patrick's Day celebrations. I'm doing scattered gigs throughout the month but no pubs. I get claustrophobic when the place starts to get packed and when people start getting drunk and throwing up and acting obnoxious I really get grossed out. Been there, done that and really don't want to do it again.

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: GUEST,ossanscookie
Date: 14 Mar 06 - 01:54 PM

Joking aside Greg, Lance (the boss man) is great and he will look after you.

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: GUEST,tom bliss
Date: 14 Mar 06 - 01:59 PM

Agreed. Three years running in the union bar at Middlesboro Uni, five times through the "Wild Athon Foggy Velvet Shawl" and the rest. Now no money's enough! Just a chance to mix up the normal session cliques of West Yorks and enjoy a grand night of great tunes and even better company. The Castle (is that Sean Ryan's no 2 btw :-) sounds interesting.

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: GUEST,Disgruntled irish piper
Date: 14 Mar 06 - 04:34 PM

[RANT mode on]

F*** Saint Patrick's Day, it's just an excuse for idiots to get roaring drunk and for no-talent hacks to bellow out rebel songs...*real* irish music, ie the instrumental dance music of the country and sean nos singing are just ignored, as usual. F*** Saint Patrick's Day, F*** the drunken crowds, and a great big F*** You to all you hoors who play other genres 364 days a year, but turn "Irish" on Saint Pats, I hope some great fat bugger pukes a bucket's worth of green vomit on your shoes!!!

And a triple F*** You to all those irish and irish american people who treat irish traditional musicians like a f***ing free juke box...We're f***ing sick and tired of doing stuff gratis, OK? We're practicing an art form and keeping it alive for the benefit of the community and the least you could do is show some appreciation by PAYING US ONCE IN A WHILE, YOU MISERLY F***ERS.

[RANT mode off]

(panting)

There now, I feel much better...

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Maryrrf
Date: 14 Mar 06 - 05:12 PM

Um...it's okay to rant but surely if you play the pipes you could, if you wanted to, get a paying gig on St. Patrick's day or if you chose not to play for free you could just stay home. You don't have to allow yourself to be treated like a free juke box - either insist on a fair fee or don't play. I sometimes do stuff gratis when it's for a good cause or it's educational, but when I start getting sick and tired of it I just say no.

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Mar 06 - 05:25 PM

GUEST,Disgruntled irish piper didn't get a booking this year then. I'm sure the general public is missing a treasure.


*real* irish music??

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: holmfirther
Date: 14 Mar 06 - 06:58 PM

Dissgruntled Irish Piper..I hope you dont refer to all in this case..We have Mr.Sean Cannon playing at our place for a fee..One could not enter into a deal on a free gratis basis where the venue makes all the money and the artist gets nothing..And ..Mr.Cannon does his thing all the time not once a year..My mum is from Cavan and celebrating St.Pats as well as getting pissed is also an expression of our liberties which we are proud of...If anyones to blame its the breweries for saturating the media like there is no tomorrow..Good Luck and keep piping.

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: manitas_at_work
Date: 15 Mar 06 - 10:42 AM

Erm... perhaps it's the wrong time to mention it but we're having a session in the Chevy Chase, LeytonStone High Road, Stratford, London, E15 opps Maryland Station from about 3.30pm on Friday, March 17th. There almost certainly won't be green beer but there will be Irish Stew and, no doubt, silly hats.

And before anyone rants any more about non-Irish musicians taking advantage of the day I can only say that if we're good enough for the landlord who is a semi-professional musician from Donegal who has recently toured Europe accompanying a Young Traditional Musician of the Year and All-Ireland Champion fiddler and who books the music for several pubs and runs an agency then we're good enough for anyone in East London.

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Geordie-Peorgie
Date: 15 Mar 06 - 11:40 AM

Back to 'Disgruntled'! Aah think he meant *reel* Irish Music

Aah used te play in a seven-piece irish band (Uillean Pipes, Bodhran, guitars, madolin, banjo etc, etc and there wez only ever one Irishman in the band - It wezn't any less *real*

Anyroad! Aah'm happy te take on any form to play music - On St Pat's aah can play 'diddley-diddley', on St Andrews Aah can dig oot my Kenneth McKellar's & Billy Connolly, aah divvent gig on St David's Day as aah divvent knaah any Welsh songs (apart from 'Aall Through The Neet' and as for St George's Day .... our Nation's Culture secretary (one Tessa Jowell) says we English don't have a culture!

I have to admit that my experience of playing in places that want 'Irish Music' are after good old Daniel O'Donnell - That includes Irish Clubs!!

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Daithi
Date: 16 Mar 06 - 04:26 AM

Yes Geordie - when I was a small boy growing up in the west of Ireland in the fifties/early sixties, traditional Irish music (and still the most popular, I'd bet)was Country and Western ...varied only by the odd (sic) "showband". One of the reasons I left ;¬)

Dáithí

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Skipjack K8
Date: 16 Mar 06 - 01:08 PM

GIG CANCELLED

News just in, our gig in the Ringside in Hull9 has been cancelled, cos Lance the landlord has been carted off to hospital, and they are only having a low-key night of 'background music'.

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 16 Mar 06 - 01:24 PM

Got another gig on top of the pile...

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Geordie-Peorgie
Date: 16 Mar 06 - 01:30 PM

Aah thowt aa'd pass on this pearl of wisdom as it's close on te 17th

Aussie, Yank, Kraut & Paddy in a pub and the Auusie sez, "G'Day! I think I'll have a pint of Orstalia's best - A Pint of Fosters"

The Yank then sez, "I'll have a boddle of Bud Light -US of A's best"

The German sez, "Ach so! I vill haf a half litre of Becks - Zer finest Cherman Lager in zer vorld"

Paddy sez, "Oi'll have a doiet Coke please! Oi wez goin' te hev a Guinness but if you feckin' pansies are having soft drinks oi'll stick wid youse"

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: LadyThorn
Date: 16 Mar 06 - 04:41 PM

My group, Captain's Dotter, is performing here:

www.mrpickwickspub.com/

It's a British Pub in Concord, Ca. They are having an all day festival, with Avalon Rising as the headliners.

We do traditional, renaissance, and ren-ish original music, with some Irish. I've been beefing up our Irish repertoire all week, and I have WAY too many words in my head right now! I'm soloing on Rocky Road to Dublin, Stick to the Craythur, and Changing Your Demeanor. I just hope I don't get them mixed up!

Cheers,
~Kathleen

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 18 Mar 06 - 04:45 PM

So... everybody survive?

Tangled Up In Green
Clinton Hammond

Early one morning the sun was shining
I was lying in bed
But it was March 17th, St. Patrick's day
I had a song going through my head
It went "Too-ra-loo-ra-laddie. Mush-a-ring-rumma-do-rumma-da"
"Her eyes they shone like the diamonds"
Someone shouted "And she was"
The crowd was line up around the block
But this wasn't unforeseen
We'd done the same thing the year before
So up the stairs I did careen
Stopping once to preen
Tangled up in green

There are plastic hats and temp tattoos
There's food colouring in the beer
Every shade of green you've seen
Has apparently gathered here
There's young girls winking at me
But I wish they wouldn't call me "sir"
They laugh and sing and clap their hands
But make me feel like a voyeur
Cause she pouts her lips and slys-her eyes
Like I didn't have grey in my beard
She locks my stare while she's kissing him
and it feels more than a little weird
and pleasantly obscene
Tangled up in green

It'd be a fine day for a wedding or wake
Or even conceiving a child
But like Brian Boru at Clontarf field
We let our Inner Celt run wild
It doesn't matter where you're from
Or what your birth certificates say
You might even come from Mars
But the whole world's Irish today
I've humped gear in and I've humped it out
and I've humped it back in again
Upstairs, downstairs, forth and back
Till I thought I might go insane
at least that's how it seems
But I'm tangled up in green

So now I've got back home again
Sorta rode hard and put up wet
Seems I've survived one more year
The lies, the cajoles and the threats
My voice feels like broken glass
I smell like a Wookies left nut
I say every year's gonna be the last
But I'm such a folk-music slut
I'll do it all again next year
Hept up on smokes and caffeine
So I can get back to my Guinness keg
and a big mug of poteen
Here in my shebeen
Counting out my greeeeeeen!
It used to be YOUR Greeen....
Now it's all MY Greeeen!

I started yesterday with that.... and it happened all over again.... It's great having opportunity to say "I'm very flattered sweetheart, but I'm a happily married man... and I'd like to stay that way. I'm too well known in here to keep something like what you're proposing a secret."

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: paddymac
Date: 18 Mar 06 - 08:58 PM

For the last ten years, we've closed theshaw at the joint where we got started. Back then, it was the ONLY place in town to be on Paddy's Day. It got so successful, the there are now 5 other places cutting into the pie. PLus, this year the house decided to close the evening with a locally popular soft rock style group. So we opened, and then did something new and different. We staged a dinner show at an avant gard cafe that doesn't sell booze. We "headlined" the menue with a leek/oarmel soup that allegedly goes back to Colum Cilie, then had five entrees folks could choose from, with rum-soaked Barm Brak & home made real whipped cream for dessert. $25/couple, and BYOB. A grand time was had by all, but the volunteer kitchen crew lost sight of the "authenticty goal" and converted the menu to "fern-bar de jour." We made a number of mistakes, expected, I suppose, for a first time event, not the least of which was failing to have a volunteers' school, and over-buying a number of items. All that aside, it was a huge success, and we served about 50 people. Any bigger and it would have to be a professional job. And, we under-charged. My marketing strategy was authenticity, and no bar tab to pay. The local paper dubbed it a "Saintly Feast." The latter "hook" was an amazingly popular device. And, Oh the variety of whiskeys and such that people brought, and were so happy to share. I treated myself to a sleep-in this morning. We'll do it again next year, hopefully having benefited from this year's learning experiences. I confess, I'm still pooped. Think I'll sleep in again tomorrow.

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Maryrrf
Date: 18 Mar 06 - 09:08 PM

Paddymac that sounds like an excellent idea. Personally I don't like the pub scene on St. Patrick's day anymore and I would imagine there would be a lot of people who would like to celebrate but in a nice environment. So you made a few mistakes - as you said, you'll know better next year. Good on you for doing something different.

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: michaelr
Date: 19 Mar 06 - 02:33 AM

Phew. I survived. The scene at Murphy's was insane. They had the alley blocked off and a few tents put up, so folks didn't get too wet(the rain let up at about 6 pm). The punters danced and cheered and threw money like never before. Made us feel like rock stars.

We got away without singing Danny Boy, which I absolutely refuse to do. Our fiddler, Dan Kahane, did an instrumental verse of it and led into a tune.

A girl who looked to be 19 clung to the fiddler's leg for a while, then she discovered our percussionist and proceeded to bang on his djembe for the rest of the evening, licking her lips suggestively at him. Alas, we're in the same boat as Clinton: married and hoping to stay that way...

Tonight we played the local parish's CB&C dinner. What a difference. No one was interested in our music, only in the dancers with the curly wigs (where did that originate, anyway?). Oh well, pearls before swine. I'll be glad to get back to our regular gigs, and playing the material we like.

Slainte,
Michael

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Pauline L
Date: 19 Mar 06 - 02:57 AM

This was unusual and lots of fun. I play with a community orchestra, and we did an outreach concert at an elementary school in a community that's not wealthy. Included in the audience were students, their families, the school principal, and one or two janitors. Our conductor is also a very good teacher and he spoke briefly to the audience about the music. Most of the music was classical, but six of us also played some Celtic music. We did very well, especially in view of the fact that we had done very little rehearsing. The audience clapped and stomped in time to our closing number, John Ryan's Polka. Our conductor said that he couldn't explain an Irish polka, although we also played some Spanish music written by a Frenchman (Bizet's Carmen). The predominant languages among the audience were English and Spanish. After the Celtic music, our conductor said, "I don't conduct the National Symphony, but I bet I play rhythm guitar better than Leonard Sladkin." It was so much fun.

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Willie-O
Date: 19 Mar 06 - 11:38 AM

All went pretty well. For playing two different pubs of a local chain, we got paid directly from...LABATTS Breweries! What a great racket for the pubs. No complaint from me, we did better than alright. And only played Unicorn once--it was never requested (last year that was the most-repeated request, and I couldn't do it).

Best of all, I have a working combo now. Playing...umm, Reel Drinking Music...is OK by me. I find that watching the insanity makes me sip my pints a lot slower.

And Clinton, that lyric is priceless! Yours?

W-O

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 19 Mar 06 - 01:55 PM

"Clinton, that lyric is priceless! Yours?"

yup

:-)

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: UB Ed
Date: 19 Mar 06 - 10:27 PM

Exhausted.

Played Thursday and then broke the band into three squads for individual lunches and happy hours on Friday. One was on local public radio during the day. We gathered at the Home Pub and played from 9:30 to a little past 12 when the owner noticed that all there really didn't need to be drinking anymore.

Good day; lost a peddle to liquid immersion. Thought a 6-2 lassie was going to drag one of our lads of the stage.

Maryrrf, it was a freakin mess, but we had a ball.

Ended up a duo on Saturday...

Next Saturday, St Patrick's Church Festival. See you there?

Ed

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: SosYourMom
Date: 20 Mar 06 - 12:13 AM

We got together for the first time in six months and did seven hours at a brewery in Wilmington.... they sprung some of those little girls with the brillo hair on top (I thought they were dishwashers at first!)and the funny dresses with the starchy fronts all bouncing up and down like a bunch of Leprechauns on a griddleplate. Good thing they brought a tape recorder and some music.... gave us a chance at the jakes and another pint in peace. (relative peace, anyway.) Me feckin' fingers are fallin' off!

Now, for those of youse who do this sort of thing regularly, HERE"S a bit of help in surviving next year's extravaganza, wherever you may be. Feel free to print it out, put it on your webpage or distribute it (we do) to the punters at the venue. They love it.

O'Neill's Music Of Ireland (The 1850) free download

Start drinkin' now to get in shape for next March... practice peggin' the empties at a target so you can nail the next bugger to ask for "The Unicorn" before he gets too close to the stage.

The Band

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 20 Mar 06 - 02:11 AM

Your St Pats Guide is proof that it really is well and truly amateur day....

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: GUEST,ChiTownJoe
Date: 20 Mar 06 - 08:14 AM

I had the most lucrative Paddy's Day ever but every year I realize that has become something I just do not want to be a a part of anymore. The drunks, the smoke, it's all been taken over by the beer company's...ah the good old days. we would meet in a pub, have a few pints and have a sing-song at the bar....

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Big Mick
Date: 20 Mar 06 - 10:19 AM

Just back from a very long week. Lots of money, great fans, and I am beat.

Our GUEST Irish Piper needs to take a breath and learn a bit more than just his pipes. The ballads, drinking songs, rebel songs, etc, of Ireland are every bit as important to the history and heritage of the Irish people as the "trad" music he proclaims as superior. One tradition that he ought give a little thought to. The pipers, singers, and musicians that are an honored part of the Irish culture were all entertainers. They had a product to market and their ability to eat and have shelter depended on the quality of that entertainment. So they played what an audience was willing to listen to and pay for. You might consider, in addition to playing what YOU find valuable, to giving some consideration to what the audience wants and will pay for. And I must say that it appears to me that you aren't trying to get paid very hard, or you are not very good. There are more paying gigs around for pipers than the supply can handle.

Mick

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 20 Mar 06 - 11:11 AM

"*real* irish music, ie the instrumental dance music of the country and sean nos singing are just ignored"

REAL Irish Music?!?! REAL???!!!?? Fawk you you arrogant deedeely playing asshole... Know why people ignore stuff like that? Because ignorant jerks like you who play that stuff suck ALL the life out of it first... Music has to live to be enjoyable...

You don't like St Pats Day? Good... Makes me wish it was every day then!

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 20 Mar 06 - 06:10 PM

We had a great time playing for the Delta Friends on Folk Music on St. Patrick's Day. Listening, sober audience, then we went for a few beers after the gig.

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Pauline L
Date: 15 Aug 06 - 04:14 AM

I have to refresh this thread at midyear because the issue of "real" Irish music (and good music of any genre) continues all year long. I'm a violin/fiddle teacher, and I try to be flexible about the musical tastes of my students, but I just can't stand this. Kids and their parents are telling me that they don't want to work hard, practice much, or play boring music. They strive for the pinnacle of fun violinistic achievement. They say, "Can you teach me (or my kid) how to play The Irish Washerwoman"? Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!!

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 15 Aug 06 - 12:37 PM

I'll say it again....

Real??? REAL!?!?!?!?!

All music is real.....

Subject: RE: St. Patricks' Day Gigs?
From: Pauline L
Date: 15 Aug 06 - 04:51 PM

All music is real. As Prof Schickele, aka PDQ Bach, says, "If it sounds good, it is good."

If I get one more student whose goal is playing the Irish Washerwoman, I'll apply for a job at Target instead.