The pace is starting to pick up now (and I wasn't exactly standing still to begin with!) Am now booked on Tom McConville's fiddle workshop (I honestly don't know why I bother considering stuff since, the second they enter my mind, I'm pretty much certainly going to them! Impulse control, I seem to lack it...) and have booked for Shepley Spring Festival (didn't actually mean to do that at that particular point but, since the early bird prices stop at the end of February, glad I did.) The Festival plan is now, IVFDF, DERT, Bristol, Oxford Folk Weekend (being put on by Ian Giles as a stopgap for the actual festival. I do like Ian Giles!), Holmfirth, Shepley, steward at Ely, Sidmouth and Shrewsbury. May consider Bromyard depending on who's on and what I feel like. Fortunately my cheque from British Gas came through which will cover the costs nicely provided I remember to put it in the bank. Should probably do that tomorrow.
Am also actively in the process of finding a fiddle teacher so that's something at least. At least I'm still practicing. Am also working through the Folkworks tune books I got at Whitby. scary how many of them I recognise. Completely unsurprised at the fact that I still can't remember the names of any of them.
Have been looking at the programme for IVFDF. As pre usual, most of the stuff I want to do clashes but, so far, the plan is to switch between the French Dance and the ceilidh on Friday night, (May venture in to see Jim Moray if there's room), then Irish Step, Contra, Step Clog and Rapper workshops on Saturday followed by the Contra evening dance before I slip away to the Tickled Pink ceilidh and then Border, North West Morris and Melodeon on the Sunday. As I say, that's the plan and I have never followed a plan in my life. Must remember to take my melodeon anyway so that I can get the straps attached.
Got told at work that I seemed in a particularly sunny mood today. That'll be what listening to Belshazzar's Feast all morning will do to you. Definitely still enjoying the job, the fact that I can listen to my headphones while doing it is just a happy little bonus.
At some point I will tidy my room. Probably just in time to move out of it at the end of the year...
Showing posts with label fiddle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fiddle. Show all posts
Wednesday, 23 February 2011
Monday, 21 February 2011
Coach Fatigue
Spent this weekend (well, the Saturday anyway) in Edinburgh with Mons Meg in order to get out one and only rehearsal for DERT (yes, we're taking it ultra-seriously this year...). Caught the national express coach up on the Friday night and it was packed to the gills so by the time I got up to Edinburgh (having passed through snow in Northumberland, not that that worried me at all, oh no!), I'd concertina'd up nicely. Add to that the fact that I'd had no sleep at all due to personal space defence (and I think my personal space is getting larger as I get older. At this rate, by the time I'm 50, I'll have to go and live on a deserted island.) and I was heading for silly mode the minute I got into the city.
Had a lovely Saturday. It was great to see Mons Meg again and to dance in The Village. We made the most of our practice time and I think we've got a respectable (if not precisely prize-winning) dance and our borrowed Monkey dancer fitted in just fine. The pub tour was also great fun (although the audiences were a bit odd. They cheered us at the end, fair enough and we wound up with plenty of money in the hat but very few cheers for the tumbles which is unusual. Never mind) I thin the stand out pub (for possibly the wrong reasons) was the Southsider. We walked in just as a live band were doing their soundcheck. On questioning, they said they were going to just try one song for the soundcheck and then we were fine to dance. They actually did 2 songs which were...not my cup of tea precisely but, heigh ho and then we went on to dance. We had a hairy moment when Mary Ann went a bit haywire and we ended up with our new number 3 on the wrong side of the sword for his first tumble. He managed to fix this by jumping over the sword while it was still at thigh height and then doing his backward tumble. We were all suitably impressed, the audience seemed harder to please. Far more annoting was, the whole time we were dancing, the drummer putting beats in. I'm not entirely sure whether he was just trying to join in (in which case, that band need a new drummer because I don't think he managed to hit a beat during the whole dance) or whether he was trying to put us off in which case he failed (I suspect our cock-up was us putting ourselves off as per usual) because he was up against a melodeon and, while he was amped, melodeons really don't need to be and they come with the beat built in, so to speak. We finished the night with 2 good dances, one at Doctors (the site of Trina's former bloodbath. Well, one of them anyway) and the second at the party of one of Dot's friend where the audience were super receptive and I think we did our best dance of the night. We all ended back at Trina's (with the usual suspicious cocktails) and just had a great evening. I was really sad I had to leave so early on Sunday morning (and incredibly grateful that I still seem to be immune when it comes to hangovers), I'd have loved to stick around and go round Edinburgh with everyone else but the coach called again. And what a hellish trip. Another packed coach with people encroaching on my little bit of space from all sides and a heater that they couldn't turn off again so we were all roasting for 10 hours. I think that irritation and access to twitter may be a bad combination for me since I think I moaned on it all the way down so apologies to anyone who had to put up with that. I managed to grab a rather nice steak sandwich in a pub while I was waiting for my last connection which turned out to be far less crowded and a much nicer experience altogether (Huzzah for the Oxford Tube) so I was almost calm again by the time I got back to Oxford. However, I have spent today with a particularly quizzical tilt to my head thanks to the kink in my neck from my travels. Have decided that I need to set up a train fund, especially as I'm heading back up to Scotland for a Borderers event mid March (and I don't want to miss it , particularly after my dismal showing last year!)
Still, all worth it for rapper and DERT. Only 2 weeks left now! Little bit excited, just a little bit...
Have booked my coach tickets for IVFDF (I know, I know but this journey 's only a couple of hours so nowhere near as bad!) next weekend so looking forward to that and am contemplating going to Tom McConville's fiddle workshop in Lewes on March 12th. Have had a look at the music and it may be a bit of a stretch but I love his style and I can usually pick up something, even from difficult workshops, to have a go at (The one with Matt Cranitch being a case in point) besides which, I still haven't found a fiddle teacher and I'm desperate for some form of tuition. Yep, I think I'll give it a go. Now just have to find my chequebook. Just let me go and get my rope and climbing harness....
But still, DERY, DERT, DERT!!!
Had a lovely Saturday. It was great to see Mons Meg again and to dance in The Village. We made the most of our practice time and I think we've got a respectable (if not precisely prize-winning) dance and our borrowed Monkey dancer fitted in just fine. The pub tour was also great fun (although the audiences were a bit odd. They cheered us at the end, fair enough and we wound up with plenty of money in the hat but very few cheers for the tumbles which is unusual. Never mind) I thin the stand out pub (for possibly the wrong reasons) was the Southsider. We walked in just as a live band were doing their soundcheck. On questioning, they said they were going to just try one song for the soundcheck and then we were fine to dance. They actually did 2 songs which were...not my cup of tea precisely but, heigh ho and then we went on to dance. We had a hairy moment when Mary Ann went a bit haywire and we ended up with our new number 3 on the wrong side of the sword for his first tumble. He managed to fix this by jumping over the sword while it was still at thigh height and then doing his backward tumble. We were all suitably impressed, the audience seemed harder to please. Far more annoting was, the whole time we were dancing, the drummer putting beats in. I'm not entirely sure whether he was just trying to join in (in which case, that band need a new drummer because I don't think he managed to hit a beat during the whole dance) or whether he was trying to put us off in which case he failed (I suspect our cock-up was us putting ourselves off as per usual) because he was up against a melodeon and, while he was amped, melodeons really don't need to be and they come with the beat built in, so to speak. We finished the night with 2 good dances, one at Doctors (the site of Trina's former bloodbath. Well, one of them anyway) and the second at the party of one of Dot's friend where the audience were super receptive and I think we did our best dance of the night. We all ended back at Trina's (with the usual suspicious cocktails) and just had a great evening. I was really sad I had to leave so early on Sunday morning (and incredibly grateful that I still seem to be immune when it comes to hangovers), I'd have loved to stick around and go round Edinburgh with everyone else but the coach called again. And what a hellish trip. Another packed coach with people encroaching on my little bit of space from all sides and a heater that they couldn't turn off again so we were all roasting for 10 hours. I think that irritation and access to twitter may be a bad combination for me since I think I moaned on it all the way down so apologies to anyone who had to put up with that. I managed to grab a rather nice steak sandwich in a pub while I was waiting for my last connection which turned out to be far less crowded and a much nicer experience altogether (Huzzah for the Oxford Tube) so I was almost calm again by the time I got back to Oxford. However, I have spent today with a particularly quizzical tilt to my head thanks to the kink in my neck from my travels. Have decided that I need to set up a train fund, especially as I'm heading back up to Scotland for a Borderers event mid March (and I don't want to miss it , particularly after my dismal showing last year!)
Still, all worth it for rapper and DERT. Only 2 weeks left now! Little bit excited, just a little bit...
Have booked my coach tickets for IVFDF (I know, I know but this journey 's only a couple of hours so nowhere near as bad!) next weekend so looking forward to that and am contemplating going to Tom McConville's fiddle workshop in Lewes on March 12th. Have had a look at the music and it may be a bit of a stretch but I love his style and I can usually pick up something, even from difficult workshops, to have a go at (The one with Matt Cranitch being a case in point) besides which, I still haven't found a fiddle teacher and I'm desperate for some form of tuition. Yep, I think I'll give it a go. Now just have to find my chequebook. Just let me go and get my rope and climbing harness....
But still, DERY, DERT, DERT!!!
Wednesday, 16 February 2011
Becoming a Southerner
Well things have been a bit hectic recently what with one thing and another.
Move down south has been accomplished and I am now installed in new room although I still haven't had any time to actually sort out any of my stuff so it's still all sat in a big heap (currently known as Mount Stuff!) and I occasionally rifle through it in search of important items. Thus has lead to least one impressive case of subsidence and I reckon I'm going to have to take a couple of days off to get it sorted since I appear to have no free weekends ever again.
Speaking of which, I spent my 1st weekend down here in Witney (well, I commuted just for the novelty value) at the Hands On Fiddle weekend. Due to the move, the sheet music didn't catch up with me until the night before which meant I ended up winging it in the 'Developing Irish Fiddle Class' with Matt Cranitch. Although this was aimed at Basic and Intermediate, those of us at the bottom end agreed that he might have missed the 'Basic' part. We'd be (in my case attempting) playing the tunes at some silly speed and then he'd say, quite seriously, 'well, now that we've run through it slowly...'. Still, picked up some tips which I can take away to work on and I still enjoyed it. The concert on Saturday evening was lovely and I've decided I really like Peter Cooper (even aside from the fact that he really reminds me of Eric Morcombe). Sunday's workshop was a bit easier. It was 'Developing Shetland style' with Catriona MacDonald and we were all learning the tunes by ear so I wasn't quite as put off by lack of practice. Lots of things to practice from this one and I really enjoyed it. (Even though I spent the next 2 days with my left hand cramped in fiddle playing position. May need to increase my practice time... ) Still need to find a teacher down here as well. Must look into that.
Work has been great. Working with some lovely people in a job that I can do (and I'm finding a use for my medical knowledge. My German may be rusty but most of the medical stuff is roughly the same so I can translate about 70% of written German without having to resort to Google) Am actually happy to go to work and everything seems so much lighter. Didn't realise just how much stress the lack of any real job in Edinburgh was causing. Think I was right to get out and should have done it so much sooner.
Walking to work at the moment (mostly because the keys to my bicycle lock are somewhere at the base of Mount Stuff and I've yet to locate them). It's about a 40 minute walk (when I don't stop to help little old ladies who fall over in the street. Well, I didn't get much choice after she practically fell on me) so not too bad and the buses here actually give change which is another huge novelty. Plus the local library is set in gorgeous old building in a lovely park (sadly, it's also one of the ones under threat of closure. Fingers crossed it makes it.) and I walk past a shark in someone's roof every day (this has yet to stop being hilarious). Have even managed to practice the melodeon and fiddle with no complaints from my flatmates who seem very nice if a bit bemused (that said, I did pick up a heavy duty mute for the fiddle at Witney, just to be nice.)
It's still a bit surreal being down here. It's quite different to living in the North but, for the life of me, I couldn't tell you why. On top of all this, have bought a new mobile phone which has all sorts of features such as access to Twitter which I'm actually finding a great deal of fun. (not least when listening to the folk awards, while drinking gin and twittering with friends. Very funny indeed.) Even better, it can do google maps so I don't have to panic about getting lost. Slightly worried about the amount of times the instructions mention that it might explode....Given my track record that does not bode well. Still, lets hope it makes it to the end of the year...
Move down south has been accomplished and I am now installed in new room although I still haven't had any time to actually sort out any of my stuff so it's still all sat in a big heap (currently known as Mount Stuff!) and I occasionally rifle through it in search of important items. Thus has lead to least one impressive case of subsidence and I reckon I'm going to have to take a couple of days off to get it sorted since I appear to have no free weekends ever again.
Speaking of which, I spent my 1st weekend down here in Witney (well, I commuted just for the novelty value) at the Hands On Fiddle weekend. Due to the move, the sheet music didn't catch up with me until the night before which meant I ended up winging it in the 'Developing Irish Fiddle Class' with Matt Cranitch. Although this was aimed at Basic and Intermediate, those of us at the bottom end agreed that he might have missed the 'Basic' part. We'd be (in my case attempting) playing the tunes at some silly speed and then he'd say, quite seriously, 'well, now that we've run through it slowly...'. Still, picked up some tips which I can take away to work on and I still enjoyed it. The concert on Saturday evening was lovely and I've decided I really like Peter Cooper (even aside from the fact that he really reminds me of Eric Morcombe). Sunday's workshop was a bit easier. It was 'Developing Shetland style' with Catriona MacDonald and we were all learning the tunes by ear so I wasn't quite as put off by lack of practice. Lots of things to practice from this one and I really enjoyed it. (Even though I spent the next 2 days with my left hand cramped in fiddle playing position. May need to increase my practice time... ) Still need to find a teacher down here as well. Must look into that.
Work has been great. Working with some lovely people in a job that I can do (and I'm finding a use for my medical knowledge. My German may be rusty but most of the medical stuff is roughly the same so I can translate about 70% of written German without having to resort to Google) Am actually happy to go to work and everything seems so much lighter. Didn't realise just how much stress the lack of any real job in Edinburgh was causing. Think I was right to get out and should have done it so much sooner.
Walking to work at the moment (mostly because the keys to my bicycle lock are somewhere at the base of Mount Stuff and I've yet to locate them). It's about a 40 minute walk (when I don't stop to help little old ladies who fall over in the street. Well, I didn't get much choice after she practically fell on me) so not too bad and the buses here actually give change which is another huge novelty. Plus the local library is set in gorgeous old building in a lovely park (sadly, it's also one of the ones under threat of closure. Fingers crossed it makes it.) and I walk past a shark in someone's roof every day (this has yet to stop being hilarious). Have even managed to practice the melodeon and fiddle with no complaints from my flatmates who seem very nice if a bit bemused (that said, I did pick up a heavy duty mute for the fiddle at Witney, just to be nice.)
It's still a bit surreal being down here. It's quite different to living in the North but, for the life of me, I couldn't tell you why. On top of all this, have bought a new mobile phone which has all sorts of features such as access to Twitter which I'm actually finding a great deal of fun. (not least when listening to the folk awards, while drinking gin and twittering with friends. Very funny indeed.) Even better, it can do google maps so I don't have to panic about getting lost. Slightly worried about the amount of times the instructions mention that it might explode....Given my track record that does not bode well. Still, lets hope it makes it to the end of the year...
Tuesday, 25 January 2011
Don't Panic, Don't Panic!
Rapper workshop went very well. We had 5 and a half sets who all seemed to have fun and then we carted them all off to Bennets where we had a pretty good dance (and a very strange discussion about the shipping forecast and the possibilities of a monopoly type game based on it) and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. We seem to have gained 2 dancers and a fiddler (who, last night, turned out to be a pretty good dancer too) so things are looking hopeful on the Mons Meg front.
I've had the flat confirmed, which is a huge relief but have yet to start packing (mostly cause I'm in panic mode where I run around like a mad thing, picking stuff up and putting it back down and getting precisely nowhere.) Meanwhile, hating the post and whoever put the lock on the main door of the stair since I've been having to run back and forth to the depot (which isn't close!) on the say-so of cards that are themselves 10 days late to collect normal letters. So looking forward to having a main door address.
The pipe workshop at Celtic Connections was great fun. I even managed to get a tune (using the broadist definition of the word) out of them by the end of the day. Would actually consider adding them to my current instrument collection if I could afford them but I can't which is probably a good thing. Should try and achieve a playable level with the melodeon and the fiddle before I attempt anything else (so that could be a good long while).
The concert on the Sunday was also good fun. Not sure about the Cairngorm piece they opened with. all very good musicians but the tune would barely have stretched to 4 minutes, never mind the half hour it lasted! (Plus one of the fiddlers looked like he was ducking bullets the whole time he was playing). Interestingly (for me at least) the lead fiddler was the younger sister of one of my university dancy friends. Saltfishforty and Spiers and Boden were both excellent (although Saltfishforty are slightly weaker on their songs) and together they were absolutely brilliant. Sounded like there was far more than 4 of them.
Had my last proper rapper practice with Mons Meg last night. It was a good fun night with trying to put three beginners through the dance (and a dog I got to make friends with!). Plus Trina produced a cake for me (topped with a set of bellows with a face...wonder what that could possibly represent) and I got a framed collage of rapper photos and a T-shirt with the picture of us on the steps at Holmfirth on it (plus the contract that apparently hands me over to Mabel Gubbins which I find mildly suspect...). Am very, very sad to be leaving Mons Meg but glad I still get to dance with them at things like DERT and Holmfirth. (And we're booked for Holmfirth again this year. Looks like there's a good number of us going and we're all camping. Huzzah, Mons Meg encampment!)
Have notified all who need to be notified that I'm leaving; twice in the case of British Gas who, I forgot, did both my gas and electricity. Liked the poor lad on the end of the phone who clicked to it long before I did and pointed out that I may have just spoken to him...
Have booked for the fiddle workshop at Witney, the weekend next so am just waiting to hear back about that, then it's stewarding at the Cheltenham Folk Festival the weekend after that, back up to Edinburgh for a Mons Meg DERT practice the weekend after that, IFVDF, the weekend after that and then DERT and it's not looking like it'll ease up through the summer. Huzzah!
I've had the flat confirmed, which is a huge relief but have yet to start packing (mostly cause I'm in panic mode where I run around like a mad thing, picking stuff up and putting it back down and getting precisely nowhere.) Meanwhile, hating the post and whoever put the lock on the main door of the stair since I've been having to run back and forth to the depot (which isn't close!) on the say-so of cards that are themselves 10 days late to collect normal letters. So looking forward to having a main door address.
The pipe workshop at Celtic Connections was great fun. I even managed to get a tune (using the broadist definition of the word) out of them by the end of the day. Would actually consider adding them to my current instrument collection if I could afford them but I can't which is probably a good thing. Should try and achieve a playable level with the melodeon and the fiddle before I attempt anything else (so that could be a good long while).
The concert on the Sunday was also good fun. Not sure about the Cairngorm piece they opened with. all very good musicians but the tune would barely have stretched to 4 minutes, never mind the half hour it lasted! (Plus one of the fiddlers looked like he was ducking bullets the whole time he was playing). Interestingly (for me at least) the lead fiddler was the younger sister of one of my university dancy friends. Saltfishforty and Spiers and Boden were both excellent (although Saltfishforty are slightly weaker on their songs) and together they were absolutely brilliant. Sounded like there was far more than 4 of them.
Had my last proper rapper practice with Mons Meg last night. It was a good fun night with trying to put three beginners through the dance (and a dog I got to make friends with!). Plus Trina produced a cake for me (topped with a set of bellows with a face...wonder what that could possibly represent) and I got a framed collage of rapper photos and a T-shirt with the picture of us on the steps at Holmfirth on it (plus the contract that apparently hands me over to Mabel Gubbins which I find mildly suspect...). Am very, very sad to be leaving Mons Meg but glad I still get to dance with them at things like DERT and Holmfirth. (And we're booked for Holmfirth again this year. Looks like there's a good number of us going and we're all camping. Huzzah, Mons Meg encampment!)
Have notified all who need to be notified that I'm leaving; twice in the case of British Gas who, I forgot, did both my gas and electricity. Liked the poor lad on the end of the phone who clicked to it long before I did and pointed out that I may have just spoken to him...
Have booked for the fiddle workshop at Witney, the weekend next so am just waiting to hear back about that, then it's stewarding at the Cheltenham Folk Festival the weekend after that, back up to Edinburgh for a Mons Meg DERT practice the weekend after that, IFVDF, the weekend after that and then DERT and it's not looking like it'll ease up through the summer. Huzzah!
Thursday, 30 December 2010
Stuff and Nonsense Again
Unsurprisingly didn't really get anything done over the long weekend. This was partly due to my lack of sleep catching up with me and partly due to me getting my hands on Seasons 1 and 2 of Riptide (american 80's action adventure series. Same creators as the A-Team. Very silly but an old favourite). I did manage to de-mould the bathroom (and how impressed with the de-mould spray am I! Admittedly, I think you're only supposed to spray the mould patches rather than drown them like I did but it was amazing watching them just dissolve. Should probably worry about what it's doing to me since I'm fairly sure that's where a fair bit of it ended up given that I now smell distinctly of chlorine but I seem to have survived) so that's something.
Must make my ears and tail tonight for NYE. Nothing like leaving it till the last moment. Very excited about the whole thing. Well, somewhat less exicted about having to get the train at 05.00 in the morning but, still, it's the train rather than an overnight trip on Megabus which is a huge point in it's favour. However, Bellowhead for New Years Eve!!! Yup, just a little excited. Really looking forward to seeing everyone and going for tea beforehand too.
Managed to get my cancelled National Express tickets from the 7th amended and I'm now heading down to Oxford for the 4th and 5th to view flats. Have a selection to view so will hopefully find something to at least give me breathing space to hunt for something more suitable.
Staying overnight at the Youth Hostel I haven't stayed in before so that should be interesting and I get to spend some time in wandering in Oxford which is always nice, even if I am making overnight trips. (At least it's National Express and not Megabus!)
Bit nervous about the whole flat hunting thing to be honest. Having handed in my letter of resignation at work and given my notice to my landlady (who's been very nice about it.) I think it's all starting to hit home. I know it'll be alright, it's not like I haven't done the whole uproot life thing all before (although admittedly not at this distance) and I'll find a way to manage regardless (plus, I've never been this organised before. It's not like me at all!) but it's still, not scary but unsettling. It's also possibly due to being proactive after such a long stint of being reactive. Anyhow, think I'll settle a bit if I know I have to somewhere to live when I get there.
Have booked my tickets for IVFDF so that's out of the way. Will decide whether to offer to steward or not when more of the Workshop programme comes out. May also have booked to go and see Bellowhead at Warwick on the 29th April. My exuse is that I have not yet been to see a seated Bellowhead gig and I'm curious. The reality is that being within such easy reach of concerts is a huge novelty and may take some time to wear off...
Lots of stuff to look forward to in the New Year as well. A Mons Meg workshop and tour before I go (and, of course, DERT), lots of festivals, new dance sides to join. Smallpipes workshop to attend, new fiddle classes to find (may actually have to splash out on individual lessons if I can't find a group class. Could be a good thing) and hopefully get more done with the melodeon.
Must make my ears and tail tonight for NYE. Nothing like leaving it till the last moment. Very excited about the whole thing. Well, somewhat less exicted about having to get the train at 05.00 in the morning but, still, it's the train rather than an overnight trip on Megabus which is a huge point in it's favour. However, Bellowhead for New Years Eve!!! Yup, just a little excited. Really looking forward to seeing everyone and going for tea beforehand too.
Managed to get my cancelled National Express tickets from the 7th amended and I'm now heading down to Oxford for the 4th and 5th to view flats. Have a selection to view so will hopefully find something to at least give me breathing space to hunt for something more suitable.
Staying overnight at the Youth Hostel I haven't stayed in before so that should be interesting and I get to spend some time in wandering in Oxford which is always nice, even if I am making overnight trips. (At least it's National Express and not Megabus!)
Bit nervous about the whole flat hunting thing to be honest. Having handed in my letter of resignation at work and given my notice to my landlady (who's been very nice about it.) I think it's all starting to hit home. I know it'll be alright, it's not like I haven't done the whole uproot life thing all before (although admittedly not at this distance) and I'll find a way to manage regardless (plus, I've never been this organised before. It's not like me at all!) but it's still, not scary but unsettling. It's also possibly due to being proactive after such a long stint of being reactive. Anyhow, think I'll settle a bit if I know I have to somewhere to live when I get there.
Have booked my tickets for IVFDF so that's out of the way. Will decide whether to offer to steward or not when more of the Workshop programme comes out. May also have booked to go and see Bellowhead at Warwick on the 29th April. My exuse is that I have not yet been to see a seated Bellowhead gig and I'm curious. The reality is that being within such easy reach of concerts is a huge novelty and may take some time to wear off...
Lots of stuff to look forward to in the New Year as well. A Mons Meg workshop and tour before I go (and, of course, DERT), lots of festivals, new dance sides to join. Smallpipes workshop to attend, new fiddle classes to find (may actually have to splash out on individual lessons if I can't find a group class. Could be a good thing) and hopefully get more done with the melodeon.
Wednesday, 1 December 2010
Surprise Wrens
Slightly dealyed into work this morning as I managed to reopen the cut on my lip before setting off and then had to change my t-shirt cause the original one now has blood all down it. Then set off to walk into work only for it to start hailing! After walking along for 5 more minutes accompanied by the steady litany of 'Ow, ouch, ouch, bloody ow!' I cracked and got the bus.
Have an interview on Tuesday next. It's in Oxford! Have booked seats down on National Express (who have footrests so I don't spend the whole journey slowly disappearing under the seat in front and they let you out to stretch your legs every so often, and while I'll admit I don't have that much leg to stretch, that is always appreciated, if only to get the chance to use a loo that doesn't rock!) but, checking the service updates, see that the only services running down from Scotland at the moment are from Glasgow. National Express say they'll change and adapt tickets free of charge and I can get across to Glasgow by train so that's OK but fingers crossed the weather doesn't worsen.
Nice thing was that they've already asked for references which meant my line manager, who I get along with really well, spent this morning trying to get me to help her fill it in, give her spellings and threatening to only do a good reference if I bribe her with cake. Have promised cake if I get the job (I'm probably safe).
Spent last night trying to get to grips with The Plane Tree and Schottische a Bethanie. Have worked up a very basic base line for both tunes (fairly easy cause they're roughly the same tune just played slightly differently) that I'm happy with. Once I've got to grips with cross-rowing (which is mostly OK provided I don't go into the upper octave. It gets more complicated up there) I'll set about seeing what I can do to liven up the bases.
Still not sure whether they'll be having the Stramash since the one on Tuesday was cancelled because the school was shut. Will have to wait and see, I suppose.
Have had a hankering recently to invest in a barbour wax jacket again. I practically used to live in mine when I worked at the farm and the stables, even when it had to be tied together with baling twine. Have had cheaper versions since but they barely last at all. Since proper barbours average around £200, I was going to save and hope for a sale but then I suddenly thought of e-bay. Have now won a lovely, green (my favourite) wax jacket for under £40. Will see what it's like when I get it but the photos and descriptions specify no rips or tears and the zip is in working order. Basically, if this is true, then a barbour wax jacket can come back from anything. I think I still have my jar of Barbour jacket wax somewhere so shall be able to use that. Even better, on my way back from buying the postal order to pay for it, I saw a wren! Haven't seen one for years and there it was, sat in a tree, large as life (so to speak). Am really, really happy to have seen it.
In other news, the little old lady in my stair who made life so interesting for us all by, ever so sweetly, clearing all the snow off our doorstop every morning. With a kettleful of boiling water!!! has started doing it again. She means well and, although I tried to explain to her why this was a bad plan last year, it didn't sink in then and it obviously hasn't yet. Will have to resign myself to making sure I have hold of the railings every time I leave the burrow. Oh well, adds excitement to the mornings I suppose.
Have an interview on Tuesday next. It's in Oxford! Have booked seats down on National Express (who have footrests so I don't spend the whole journey slowly disappearing under the seat in front and they let you out to stretch your legs every so often, and while I'll admit I don't have that much leg to stretch, that is always appreciated, if only to get the chance to use a loo that doesn't rock!) but, checking the service updates, see that the only services running down from Scotland at the moment are from Glasgow. National Express say they'll change and adapt tickets free of charge and I can get across to Glasgow by train so that's OK but fingers crossed the weather doesn't worsen.
Nice thing was that they've already asked for references which meant my line manager, who I get along with really well, spent this morning trying to get me to help her fill it in, give her spellings and threatening to only do a good reference if I bribe her with cake. Have promised cake if I get the job (I'm probably safe).
Spent last night trying to get to grips with The Plane Tree and Schottische a Bethanie. Have worked up a very basic base line for both tunes (fairly easy cause they're roughly the same tune just played slightly differently) that I'm happy with. Once I've got to grips with cross-rowing (which is mostly OK provided I don't go into the upper octave. It gets more complicated up there) I'll set about seeing what I can do to liven up the bases.
Still not sure whether they'll be having the Stramash since the one on Tuesday was cancelled because the school was shut. Will have to wait and see, I suppose.
Have had a hankering recently to invest in a barbour wax jacket again. I practically used to live in mine when I worked at the farm and the stables, even when it had to be tied together with baling twine. Have had cheaper versions since but they barely last at all. Since proper barbours average around £200, I was going to save and hope for a sale but then I suddenly thought of e-bay. Have now won a lovely, green (my favourite) wax jacket for under £40. Will see what it's like when I get it but the photos and descriptions specify no rips or tears and the zip is in working order. Basically, if this is true, then a barbour wax jacket can come back from anything. I think I still have my jar of Barbour jacket wax somewhere so shall be able to use that. Even better, on my way back from buying the postal order to pay for it, I saw a wren! Haven't seen one for years and there it was, sat in a tree, large as life (so to speak). Am really, really happy to have seen it.
In other news, the little old lady in my stair who made life so interesting for us all by, ever so sweetly, clearing all the snow off our doorstop every morning. With a kettleful of boiling water!!! has started doing it again. She means well and, although I tried to explain to her why this was a bad plan last year, it didn't sink in then and it obviously hasn't yet. Will have to resign myself to making sure I have hold of the railings every time I leave the burrow. Oh well, adds excitement to the mornings I suppose.
Wednesday, 24 November 2010
Stramash Tune
My old scarf gave up the ghost last night and unravelled. Now have a nice, new, very cheap scarf which, I did not realise until today, is stretchy! This came in useful when I was leaving the newsagents at lunch and, as so often happens, snagged the end of my scarf on the door handle. This would normally result in me being yanked backwards as the door shuts before I realise what has happened but, with this scarf, as the door shut, the scarf stretched and I had time to realise I was hooked and detatch it before I became door furniture. Huzzah for the stretchy scarf!
We're playing 'Song of the Chanter' (or some title aproximating that) in fiddle at the moment. It's a reasonably nice tune and it's what our class will be playing at the stramash a week on Thursday so shall be practicing that tonight. At least I have this weekend free to practice and to work on the melodeon (plus I'm getting the urge to have another go at the clarinet). At some point I will tidy, if only because I can no longer find anything at all and it would be nice to have a flat surface upon which I can start making my New Year's outfit.
Getting slightly worried about the weather. Desperately want to go and see Belshazzar's Feast when they play at Brigham Memorial Hall in December but if the weather sets in the way it's supposed to, I may not be able to get out that way and I shall be royally miffed. Not quite worried about New Year's Eve yet since the bus goes down fairly major motorways but the little roads in Cumbria are a little more concerning. Oh well, fingers crossed.
We're playing 'Song of the Chanter' (or some title aproximating that) in fiddle at the moment. It's a reasonably nice tune and it's what our class will be playing at the stramash a week on Thursday so shall be practicing that tonight. At least I have this weekend free to practice and to work on the melodeon (plus I'm getting the urge to have another go at the clarinet). At some point I will tidy, if only because I can no longer find anything at all and it would be nice to have a flat surface upon which I can start making my New Year's outfit.
Getting slightly worried about the weather. Desperately want to go and see Belshazzar's Feast when they play at Brigham Memorial Hall in December but if the weather sets in the way it's supposed to, I may not be able to get out that way and I shall be royally miffed. Not quite worried about New Year's Eve yet since the bus goes down fairly major motorways but the little roads in Cumbria are a little more concerning. Oh well, fingers crossed.
Friday, 19 November 2010
Mouse Burrow (Probably)
Enjoyed fiddle last night. Learning a new tune which is quite good fun (and which I can't currently remember the name of!) and we went over a bit more ornamentation.
I may have a mouse. Saw something fairly large moving out of the corner of my eye last night. Whatever it was, it had done a fairly impressive disappearing act when I went across the room to investigate but I'm damn sure I saw a tail. I suspect the cold weather has driven it inside and, when it discovers that it's actually colder in the burrow than it is in the garden, it'll decamp like they usually do but in the meantime, I may have to see if I can get hold of a trap because, while there's no food out (or, indeed, much in the burrow at all that isn't canned) there are still a lot of things it could chew and I'd rather all my festival kit and instruments remained in one piece. If it touches my books, I won't need a trap: I'll be able to explode it with my mind! I suppose I should be greatful that this is apparently a stealthy mouse as opposed to the usual culprits who come and sit in the middle of my rug and eyeball me while I'm trying to eat my tea. Lucky the little buggers don't frighten me really, I suppose, but I do object to the sheer bloody cheek that some of them have!
Well, have sent off a stewarding form to Cheltenham so will see what comes of that and I've sent off 2 more job applications so that's something else to wait for.
As for this weekend, well, on one hand I'm really dreading spending upwards of 18 hours on various coaches but, on the other hand, 2 Bellowhead gigs!!! Little bit excited, just a little bit!
Anyhow, setting off tonight then I've got all day to wander round London before I meet up with some of the Spibods at the Youth Hostel and head along to the Shepherd's Bush Empire. Am I going to make an effort to be right at the front? Course I am.
I may have a mouse. Saw something fairly large moving out of the corner of my eye last night. Whatever it was, it had done a fairly impressive disappearing act when I went across the room to investigate but I'm damn sure I saw a tail. I suspect the cold weather has driven it inside and, when it discovers that it's actually colder in the burrow than it is in the garden, it'll decamp like they usually do but in the meantime, I may have to see if I can get hold of a trap because, while there's no food out (or, indeed, much in the burrow at all that isn't canned) there are still a lot of things it could chew and I'd rather all my festival kit and instruments remained in one piece. If it touches my books, I won't need a trap: I'll be able to explode it with my mind! I suppose I should be greatful that this is apparently a stealthy mouse as opposed to the usual culprits who come and sit in the middle of my rug and eyeball me while I'm trying to eat my tea. Lucky the little buggers don't frighten me really, I suppose, but I do object to the sheer bloody cheek that some of them have!
Well, have sent off a stewarding form to Cheltenham so will see what comes of that and I've sent off 2 more job applications so that's something else to wait for.
As for this weekend, well, on one hand I'm really dreading spending upwards of 18 hours on various coaches but, on the other hand, 2 Bellowhead gigs!!! Little bit excited, just a little bit!
Anyhow, setting off tonight then I've got all day to wander round London before I meet up with some of the Spibods at the Youth Hostel and head along to the Shepherd's Bush Empire. Am I going to make an effort to be right at the front? Course I am.
Thursday, 18 November 2010
More Plans and Schemes
Started trying to cross-row with the melodeon last night. Think it's going to take a bit of getting used but I'm determined I shall manage. I have the John Kirkpatrick DVD to aid me in my endeavours. Am also experimenting with a different method of depressing the buttons (using the flat of my fingers rather than the tips like I would with piano). It seems to be working well so I may continue with it. Also got some fiddle pratice in. Seem to have hit a bit of a plateau with the fiddle at the moment so am trying out new tunes to keep my interest up. We're just starting to get into ornamentation in classes which is good fun and I cracked at Bromyard and invested in the Music Room fiddle tutor DVD so will give that a go after this weekend (really no point beforehand!). If I'm ever going to play for dancing on either of these instruments I need to really start thinking about what I'm doing. I think now might be the time to concentrate on 6/8 jigs and see if I can get a bit of speed up so I can have a go at playing for some stepping at rapper practice and get used to it. Hmm, will see.
Festivals are starting to rear their heads again. The skeleton outline had gone up for Shrewsbury and it's looking very good. Think I'll be buying a ticket again this year rather than stewarding cause there's too much I don't want to miss! Still waiting for the Sidmouth line-up to go up but I think I'll be going regardless so will have to save up for that too. The Big Session is a definite of course and so is Oxford (but I may offer to steward for that this year.). We're dancing at Holmfirth and I'm currently considering Cheltenham (Cause Jon Boden and the remnant Kings are playing there and I'd like to see them and there's also Nancy Kerr and James Fagan and Pete Coe. May see if I can steward though) and the line-up for Bristol is looking good too. Decisions, decisions.
Well, fiddle practice tonight (missed last week cause I was panicking about Witney!) so that should hopefully be fun and must make sure that I've got everything sorted for my weekend Bellowhead extravaganza.
Festivals are starting to rear their heads again. The skeleton outline had gone up for Shrewsbury and it's looking very good. Think I'll be buying a ticket again this year rather than stewarding cause there's too much I don't want to miss! Still waiting for the Sidmouth line-up to go up but I think I'll be going regardless so will have to save up for that too. The Big Session is a definite of course and so is Oxford (but I may offer to steward for that this year.). We're dancing at Holmfirth and I'm currently considering Cheltenham (Cause Jon Boden and the remnant Kings are playing there and I'd like to see them and there's also Nancy Kerr and James Fagan and Pete Coe. May see if I can steward though) and the line-up for Bristol is looking good too. Decisions, decisions.
Well, fiddle practice tonight (missed last week cause I was panicking about Witney!) so that should hopefully be fun and must make sure that I've got everything sorted for my weekend Bellowhead extravaganza.
Wednesday, 17 November 2010
Shaved Donkey Overload
Fingers sore from practicing melodeon for hours last night (upstairs neighbours are doing really noisy DIY to absolutely silly times so, rather than complaining, I'm taking advantage and practicing my growing collection of instruments for longer than usual) with occasional breaks for fiddle. My neighbours probably now know 'Shave the Donkey' as well as I do...
Caught up with the first episode of Edwardian Farm on the i-player last night. I do love these series and this one doesn't look like it's going to be an exception. The lime kiln was particularly interesting (and I did like the complete singlemindedness of the ram and the complete lack of interest among the ewes themselves! In my experience, ewes are only ever really interested in a ram if he's not supposed to be there!). Also watched Misfits which was hilarious and I may keep an eye on it.
Finally got round to hunting for my Bellowhead tickets last night. Found them (thankfully!) but the bed has now disappeared under all the stuff I emptied out while doing so. Spent last night on the sofa which has persuaded me that tonight's first job is hunting for the bed! Anyhow, tickets are now ensconced in my temporary safe ticket place (a different spot on the mantlepiece) and plans are afoot to try and provide a more sensible system. Moles may be involved.
More job applications to fill in tonight so that should be dull but will make me feel like I'm doing something constructive in between fiddle and melodeon jags.
A new lock has now appeared on our stair's front door which is interesting. I've been given keys but no-one has said anything about it (and my landlady would have mentioned it) so that will be fun to watch. If they're wanting everyone to chip in for it without prior consultation then they're a bit buggered cause that will not be covered by a statutory notice.
Only 3 more days to Bellowhead!
Caught up with the first episode of Edwardian Farm on the i-player last night. I do love these series and this one doesn't look like it's going to be an exception. The lime kiln was particularly interesting (and I did like the complete singlemindedness of the ram and the complete lack of interest among the ewes themselves! In my experience, ewes are only ever really interested in a ram if he's not supposed to be there!). Also watched Misfits which was hilarious and I may keep an eye on it.
Finally got round to hunting for my Bellowhead tickets last night. Found them (thankfully!) but the bed has now disappeared under all the stuff I emptied out while doing so. Spent last night on the sofa which has persuaded me that tonight's first job is hunting for the bed! Anyhow, tickets are now ensconced in my temporary safe ticket place (a different spot on the mantlepiece) and plans are afoot to try and provide a more sensible system. Moles may be involved.
More job applications to fill in tonight so that should be dull but will make me feel like I'm doing something constructive in between fiddle and melodeon jags.
A new lock has now appeared on our stair's front door which is interesting. I've been given keys but no-one has said anything about it (and my landlady would have mentioned it) so that will be fun to watch. If they're wanting everyone to chip in for it without prior consultation then they're a bit buggered cause that will not be covered by a statutory notice.
Only 3 more days to Bellowhead!
Thursday, 4 November 2010
Things to Come
Well, first to start off with this morning's really annoying incident. Was standing on the traffic island waiting to cross the rest of the road (normal lane and bus lane) when man in a range rover stopped and waved me across. All very nice, except I'd seen the taxi zooming up beside him in the bus lane so I stayed on the island while I waited to see what the taxi did (since I couldn't see it behind the range rover and it was going a fair speed). Within 10 seconds, the stopped driver went from exaggerated gesticulating to really swearing at me for not crossing. As it was, the taxi did shoot past and, if I'd gone with his gesticulations, I'd be a bit of a mess on the road by now but that didn't seem to phase him in the least. It's quite common for drivers to stop there to let people across and just not register that there's traffic in the lane beside them (mainly because if one driver stops, the drivers behind often decide to undertake them in the bus lane!) but I've never seen them get so mad at people for not crossing when they say, never mind so quickly.
Needless to say I was a little annoyed when I got into work this morning and I'm now thinking of taking Mouldy the Mole back out with me to wave at people who annoy me thereby relieving my frustration by causing confusion and worry in others!
Anyhow, fiddle practice tonight. Quite pleased with how my fiddle playing is coming along and, when I've upped my knowledge of scottish tunes (my current repertoire tends heavily towards the english at the moment), I'll head back to the slow session again because I enjoyed it when I went along last time (Just wasn't familiar with most of the tunes.)
We have a rapper dem at a ceilidh (and probably a little tourette) this weekend which I had forgotten all about. Have had no rapper practice for 3 weeks so I might be a little rusty. Should probably do a bit more stepping practice tonight. Also off to practice melodeon (and I have a nice new Hohner Pokerwork melodeon (well, to me, anyway) since Ellie let me try her melodeon at Bromyard and I haven't been able to play my cheap Stephenelli since!) with others of Mon Meg on Saturday.
Lots of concerts and workshops coming up. I'm down in Witney first for the Melodeons at Witney Workshop which I'm really looking forward to but really nervous about at the same time, then I have tickets for 2 Bellowhead gigs for the new tour (London and Sheffield, same weekend), then I have to catch one of Belshazzar's Feast's Christmas gigs (They're playing a few up in Cumbria so I may have to hire a car for an evening) followed by Phil Cunningham's Christmas gig in Edinburgh and closing out at New Year (hopefully, if I can get tickets) with Bellowhead's New Year's Event at the Southbank. Then, come the New Year, I've booked for the 'Learn Smallpipes in 1 Day' workshop at Celtic Connections and the Spiers & Boden and Saltfishforty gig. Plus there's the Spiers & Boden Birthday gig in May at the Shepherds Bush Empire. Lots of stuff to look forward to.
In the meantime, I am taking advantage of the fact that I really feel like me for the first time in a fair few years and the fact that I always get a little restless in the Autumn, to sort myself out. Am currently applying for jobs like a little jobfinding fiend while, at the same time getting in touch with my Postgrad Dean to find out what I can do next in the medicine line. Whichever happens, I'm getting out of my current job, whatever it takes. Will also be looking for a new flat when I've worked out where I'm going to be. Want to move on in all ways.
Needless to say I was a little annoyed when I got into work this morning and I'm now thinking of taking Mouldy the Mole back out with me to wave at people who annoy me thereby relieving my frustration by causing confusion and worry in others!
Anyhow, fiddle practice tonight. Quite pleased with how my fiddle playing is coming along and, when I've upped my knowledge of scottish tunes (my current repertoire tends heavily towards the english at the moment), I'll head back to the slow session again because I enjoyed it when I went along last time (Just wasn't familiar with most of the tunes.)
We have a rapper dem at a ceilidh (and probably a little tourette) this weekend which I had forgotten all about. Have had no rapper practice for 3 weeks so I might be a little rusty. Should probably do a bit more stepping practice tonight. Also off to practice melodeon (and I have a nice new Hohner Pokerwork melodeon (well, to me, anyway) since Ellie let me try her melodeon at Bromyard and I haven't been able to play my cheap Stephenelli since!) with others of Mon Meg on Saturday.
Lots of concerts and workshops coming up. I'm down in Witney first for the Melodeons at Witney Workshop which I'm really looking forward to but really nervous about at the same time, then I have tickets for 2 Bellowhead gigs for the new tour (London and Sheffield, same weekend), then I have to catch one of Belshazzar's Feast's Christmas gigs (They're playing a few up in Cumbria so I may have to hire a car for an evening) followed by Phil Cunningham's Christmas gig in Edinburgh and closing out at New Year (hopefully, if I can get tickets) with Bellowhead's New Year's Event at the Southbank. Then, come the New Year, I've booked for the 'Learn Smallpipes in 1 Day' workshop at Celtic Connections and the Spiers & Boden and Saltfishforty gig. Plus there's the Spiers & Boden Birthday gig in May at the Shepherds Bush Empire. Lots of stuff to look forward to.
In the meantime, I am taking advantage of the fact that I really feel like me for the first time in a fair few years and the fact that I always get a little restless in the Autumn, to sort myself out. Am currently applying for jobs like a little jobfinding fiend while, at the same time getting in touch with my Postgrad Dean to find out what I can do next in the medicine line. Whichever happens, I'm getting out of my current job, whatever it takes. Will also be looking for a new flat when I've worked out where I'm going to be. Want to move on in all ways.
Wednesday, 31 March 2010
Bloody Weather!
Bloody snow!!!
2 hours it took me to go and collect my parcel from the world's most inconvenient parcel depot all because of the blizzard that started while I was on my way. Fortunately, my parcel did turn out to be my shoes and they do fit so totally worth it but, still!
Arm is still a little peculiar but only when I stretch up so musical instrument practice is not a problem. Started learning 2 new tunes on the melodeon last night while, thanks to my 'Teach Yourself Folk Fiddle' being apparently american, I was trying to play 'Oh Susannah' and 'Golden Slippers' last night. Think I'm going to try and find some other tunes.
Very exciting month coming up. Borderers this weekend (provided it doesn't get snowed off), DERT the weekend after, then Oxford Folk Festival (First time seeing Bellowhead live! As someone who's camping, please let it stop snowing before then), then going to see Les Miserables at the Playhouse and, finally, dancing at the St George's day thing in Falkirk. Lots of folky goodness in that mix.
Getting my hair cut tomorrow. Never been to this place before (chosen because it's opposite work and cheap). Basically want to get most of my hair lopped off and get my fringe back (and then, maybe, I won't get my hair caught up in the swords when I forget to tie it back!). Must remember to state specifically that I will be spending most of this year on campsites and will therefore not be able to style it so I need something that I can just brush and go (or just go for the days (alarmingly frequent as they are) when I forget to brush it). I don't care if I look like a startled hedgehog as long as it's out of the way.
Apparently there's another parcel waiting for me at the post office (somewhat more convenient thankfully). No clue what this one is but, seeing as my postman seems to be under the impression that there is very little that can fit through my (perfectly average sized!) letterbox it could just be a normal letter!
2 hours it took me to go and collect my parcel from the world's most inconvenient parcel depot all because of the blizzard that started while I was on my way. Fortunately, my parcel did turn out to be my shoes and they do fit so totally worth it but, still!
Arm is still a little peculiar but only when I stretch up so musical instrument practice is not a problem. Started learning 2 new tunes on the melodeon last night while, thanks to my 'Teach Yourself Folk Fiddle' being apparently american, I was trying to play 'Oh Susannah' and 'Golden Slippers' last night. Think I'm going to try and find some other tunes.
Very exciting month coming up. Borderers this weekend (provided it doesn't get snowed off), DERT the weekend after, then Oxford Folk Festival (First time seeing Bellowhead live! As someone who's camping, please let it stop snowing before then), then going to see Les Miserables at the Playhouse and, finally, dancing at the St George's day thing in Falkirk. Lots of folky goodness in that mix.
Getting my hair cut tomorrow. Never been to this place before (chosen because it's opposite work and cheap). Basically want to get most of my hair lopped off and get my fringe back (and then, maybe, I won't get my hair caught up in the swords when I forget to tie it back!). Must remember to state specifically that I will be spending most of this year on campsites and will therefore not be able to style it so I need something that I can just brush and go (or just go for the days (alarmingly frequent as they are) when I forget to brush it). I don't care if I look like a startled hedgehog as long as it's out of the way.
Apparently there's another parcel waiting for me at the post office (somewhat more convenient thankfully). No clue what this one is but, seeing as my postman seems to be under the impression that there is very little that can fit through my (perfectly average sized!) letterbox it could just be a normal letter!
Monday, 29 March 2010
St Andrews Tour
Spent most of this week compusively playing the melodeon. Can't seem to put it down for long. Weirdly, it also makes me want to practice the fiddle so I've been getting a lot of that in too.
Early start to St Andrews on saturday and an absolutely beautiful morning. I think we may just have experienced summer! Was really lovely waiting for everyone else to turn up while we sat in the car and listened to Dot practice her northumbrian pipes in the playground (and I'm really getting tempted by them. No, too many instruments to learn at the moment. Maybe later.)
Practice itself was very good (floor was lovely) but I seem to have managed to knack my shoulder doing the backlock in Winlaton (or Winalot as it is now known). I'm really starting to hate the backlock. I can understand the theory behind it and I can see just how it should go but my lack of height makes it so bloody awkward and has a knock on effect around the set which makes me feel horrendously guilty which is just stupid because it's not like I'm being short on purpose and there's no-one taller we could sub in at DERT but there you go. Anyhow, spent the rest of the day with pins and needles all down my left arm. Think it was a trapped nerve.
Funniest moment was when Andy had a go at playing his melodeon and then Kev stepped up to have a go and someone asked everyone who actually tried a melodeon to put up their hands. Out of 8 people, I think 5 put their hands up. It seems we are a side of secret melodeon afficianados.
After lunch we set out to tour St Andrews. Despite being severely hampered by the football being on the telly we managed to get 5 dances (one of which was in the Whey Pat which we didn't think we'd get into and has a lovely floor) and got a good reception for all of them except the last dance at Greyfriars (which I think I preferred when it used to be The Tudor.) where we had a couple of blokes walk through the set. The dances themselves went well but I managed to get kicked in the ankle in one dance and slammed my elbow off the bar in another (but I kept hold of the sword despite not being able to feel it for a good few seconds!). Obviously it was my turn as side punchingbag.
After the last dance, most of us decamped to Trina's for curry and chat which was lovely. Really nice day out all told and we did far better that we thought we would.
Sunday brought on the worst post dance come-down I've had all year. Very odd, had thought I'd gotten out of that but apparently not. Wan't helped by the fact that my sore shoulder meant I couldn't really play the melodeon (didn't stop me trying which was possibly not that bright...)
Eventually I gave in and went and sat in the shower with the heat turned way up in an effort to relax my shoulder enough to try and free what was trapped. Seems to have worked since the pins and needles has mostly stopped and my shoulder is just a little sore now. Managed to do a little melodeon practice after that (and a lot of fiddle practice since that doesn't require so much shoulder movement) so cheered up a little. Spent the rest of Sunday sat on the sofa doing puzzles and listening to Dr Faustus (I got both their CD's recently and absolutely adore them) and their new incarnation, Faustus.
On that note, apparently Faustus are playing at Ely Folk Festival in July. Apparently the Oysterband, Demon Barbers and Les Barker will also be there. Very, very tempting. May have to think about booking. Will probably book. I'm definitely going to book aren't I. Must check the tent is working order.
Early start to St Andrews on saturday and an absolutely beautiful morning. I think we may just have experienced summer! Was really lovely waiting for everyone else to turn up while we sat in the car and listened to Dot practice her northumbrian pipes in the playground (and I'm really getting tempted by them. No, too many instruments to learn at the moment. Maybe later.)
Practice itself was very good (floor was lovely) but I seem to have managed to knack my shoulder doing the backlock in Winlaton (or Winalot as it is now known). I'm really starting to hate the backlock. I can understand the theory behind it and I can see just how it should go but my lack of height makes it so bloody awkward and has a knock on effect around the set which makes me feel horrendously guilty which is just stupid because it's not like I'm being short on purpose and there's no-one taller we could sub in at DERT but there you go. Anyhow, spent the rest of the day with pins and needles all down my left arm. Think it was a trapped nerve.
Funniest moment was when Andy had a go at playing his melodeon and then Kev stepped up to have a go and someone asked everyone who actually tried a melodeon to put up their hands. Out of 8 people, I think 5 put their hands up. It seems we are a side of secret melodeon afficianados.
After lunch we set out to tour St Andrews. Despite being severely hampered by the football being on the telly we managed to get 5 dances (one of which was in the Whey Pat which we didn't think we'd get into and has a lovely floor) and got a good reception for all of them except the last dance at Greyfriars (which I think I preferred when it used to be The Tudor.) where we had a couple of blokes walk through the set. The dances themselves went well but I managed to get kicked in the ankle in one dance and slammed my elbow off the bar in another (but I kept hold of the sword despite not being able to feel it for a good few seconds!). Obviously it was my turn as side punchingbag.
After the last dance, most of us decamped to Trina's for curry and chat which was lovely. Really nice day out all told and we did far better that we thought we would.
Sunday brought on the worst post dance come-down I've had all year. Very odd, had thought I'd gotten out of that but apparently not. Wan't helped by the fact that my sore shoulder meant I couldn't really play the melodeon (didn't stop me trying which was possibly not that bright...)
Eventually I gave in and went and sat in the shower with the heat turned way up in an effort to relax my shoulder enough to try and free what was trapped. Seems to have worked since the pins and needles has mostly stopped and my shoulder is just a little sore now. Managed to do a little melodeon practice after that (and a lot of fiddle practice since that doesn't require so much shoulder movement) so cheered up a little. Spent the rest of Sunday sat on the sofa doing puzzles and listening to Dr Faustus (I got both their CD's recently and absolutely adore them) and their new incarnation, Faustus.
On that note, apparently Faustus are playing at Ely Folk Festival in July. Apparently the Oysterband, Demon Barbers and Les Barker will also be there. Very, very tempting. May have to think about booking. Will probably book. I'm definitely going to book aren't I. Must check the tent is working order.
Friday, 19 March 2010
Surprises All Over
Been a bit of an odd day all told. Found out at fiddle class last night that the end of term concert was this evening! Bit of a startle that was. Worse was finding that Roger was missing his rear number plate. Silly Renault design has the number plate attached to the plastic bit that opens the boot rather than the car itself and, since a couple of people tried to open the boot when it was locked, the thing has been loose to the point of falling off once. Kept forgetting to get it fixed so my own fault really. Tried to retrace my steps (so to speak) but no sign of the number plate anywhere and I was a little worried that someone had obviously wrapped the trailing wires for the plate lights around my rear windscreen wiper so I did the sensible thing and phoned the police to let them know and resigned myself to an expensive (and possibly long ) fixit since Roger ain't young and I'm not sure how easy it would have been to get a replacement for the plastic bit.
Anyhow, drove to work this morning and there, right beside where I'd parked it the day before, was the missing plate and plastic whatsit! Looking at the connections, I figured the best thing to do would be to buy some good quality glue and fix the thing back into place once and for all. Have now done this and he seems to be holding up well. Sometimes things work out rather well.
Concert turned out to be fine too (bit weird having to pay to get into a concert you're playing in but so it goes. Also completely lost my hearing for about 10 minutes after walking past the pipes class practicing in a very small corridor. Nice to know my lip reading isn't completely rusty!) I think our group must have had the shortest set in the whole thing (that I saw, anyway) which, I feel, is no bad thing, and we made it through The Cockle Gatherer in one piece. I didn't stay afterwards cause I wanted to go and play with the melodeon which is what I did. Am working my way through the Freaks' tunes (just melody so far) and it's going quite well. When I can do them without having to think so much about the push pull, I'll start to investigate the basses.
Off to Stirling for a wedding tomorrow (first outing for my new hat. I do like hats, especially on formal occasions. Don't feel properly dressed without one and, as I think I've mentioned before, fascinators always make me feel like I've managed to get a piece of undergrowth stuck in my hair (Althought that could just be flashbacks to childhood)) I'm going to the ceremony then meeting up with a fair few of the dancing lot for dinner before we head to the reception so that sounds like fun.
Attended a meeting about booking travel at work today and discovered that I can also book leisure travel through them for a 10% discount. Wish I'd known that before I booked the coach to Oxford. I hate coach travel and the discount would have meant I would have been happier to book the train, still, something useful to know for the future.
Anyhow, drove to work this morning and there, right beside where I'd parked it the day before, was the missing plate and plastic whatsit! Looking at the connections, I figured the best thing to do would be to buy some good quality glue and fix the thing back into place once and for all. Have now done this and he seems to be holding up well. Sometimes things work out rather well.
Concert turned out to be fine too (bit weird having to pay to get into a concert you're playing in but so it goes. Also completely lost my hearing for about 10 minutes after walking past the pipes class practicing in a very small corridor. Nice to know my lip reading isn't completely rusty!) I think our group must have had the shortest set in the whole thing (that I saw, anyway) which, I feel, is no bad thing, and we made it through The Cockle Gatherer in one piece. I didn't stay afterwards cause I wanted to go and play with the melodeon which is what I did. Am working my way through the Freaks' tunes (just melody so far) and it's going quite well. When I can do them without having to think so much about the push pull, I'll start to investigate the basses.
Off to Stirling for a wedding tomorrow (first outing for my new hat. I do like hats, especially on formal occasions. Don't feel properly dressed without one and, as I think I've mentioned before, fascinators always make me feel like I've managed to get a piece of undergrowth stuck in my hair (Althought that could just be flashbacks to childhood)) I'm going to the ceremony then meeting up with a fair few of the dancing lot for dinner before we head to the reception so that sounds like fun.
Attended a meeting about booking travel at work today and discovered that I can also book leisure travel through them for a 10% discount. Wish I'd known that before I booked the coach to Oxford. I hate coach travel and the discount would have meant I would have been happier to book the train, still, something useful to know for the future.
Thursday, 18 March 2010
Melodeon Love
Love the melodeon! Love the melodeon lots!!! Could actually get a reasonably recognisable tune out of it first go (am still working on that with the fiddle!) Not that I'm stopping with the fiddle by any means. I like playing it and I realise it's an instrument that takes far longer to get to basic level and I'm fine with that, it's just nice to have something that I can possibly get to playable level faster in the meantime. (And it is as fun to play as it looks!).
Speaking of which, fiddle class tonight. Have been praticing lots but not entirely sure it's improving. Will see how it goes.
Was looking at the Folkworks site last night. I quite fancy the week long summer course that they do. Haven't time to do it this year but I may start putting money away for next year (which also gives me time to decide whether I'd want to do dance or fiddle, assuming I'm a little bit more up to speed with the fiddle by then. Fingers crossed!)
Aim to try and clear the bed tonight. I've got a wedding to go to in Stirling on Saturday and I'm considering going along to Dot's gig on the Sunday which sort of limits tidying time at the weekend. I've got a notion that if, I get the bed clear, I'll find the rest much easier since I won't actually be living in the sitting room. Or I might just play with the meodeon and try and learn the morris tunes for Freaks in the Peaks!
Speaking of which, fiddle class tonight. Have been praticing lots but not entirely sure it's improving. Will see how it goes.
Was looking at the Folkworks site last night. I quite fancy the week long summer course that they do. Haven't time to do it this year but I may start putting money away for next year (which also gives me time to decide whether I'd want to do dance or fiddle, assuming I'm a little bit more up to speed with the fiddle by then. Fingers crossed!)
Aim to try and clear the bed tonight. I've got a wedding to go to in Stirling on Saturday and I'm considering going along to Dot's gig on the Sunday which sort of limits tidying time at the weekend. I've got a notion that if, I get the bed clear, I'll find the rest much easier since I won't actually be living in the sitting room. Or I might just play with the meodeon and try and learn the morris tunes for Freaks in the Peaks!
Tuesday, 16 March 2010
Melodeon Envy
Rapper was good last night. Not many of us so a lot of dancing done although a certain Goarsach dancer turned up on her way back up North with her 2 dogs (both adorable) and had a go at joining in with us (her, not the dogs).
Andy had a go at playing for us on the melodeon that he's only been practicing for 2 weeks. Absolutely sickening! If I can play even as quarter as well as that after 2 weeks I'll be bloody impressed with myself. Really quite excited waiting until I can get my melodeon now. Can't wait to give it a go.
There's the possibility of us dancing at Anstruther for a gala day (can't get used to that term. They will forever be 'fetes' to me.) in July. Sounds like fun so I hope we can do it. In the meantime, we've got a DERT rehearsal planned in St Andrews for the weekend after next and then, hopefully, a bit of pub touring. I don't think St Andrews has seen rapper since the Kingsman danced there during IVFDF 2002 but they seemed to enjoy it then.
The countdown to Oxford has started in my brain. I retrieved my Bellowhead DVD from Trina last night so that should be getting watched a lot in order to try and take the edge off...
Plan tonight is to get in, clarinet practice first (cause I can't mute it!), then fiddle practice (cause I can mute that) and then tidy like a tidy thing and, if I am good, I'm allowed to watch the Bellowhead DVD. (I strongly suspect I will watch it anyway but this is the intention)
At some point I should probably put Roger through a car wash. He is absolutely filthy and I haven't really got anywhere to put him to wash him by hand (if I try on the roadside I'll get killed and that's leaving aside the question as to whether you're allowed to wash cars in the street.) Before he goes through a car wash though, I think it might be an idea to get waterproof covers for the seats and me. (Not that I don't trust the door seals or anything...)
Andy had a go at playing for us on the melodeon that he's only been practicing for 2 weeks. Absolutely sickening! If I can play even as quarter as well as that after 2 weeks I'll be bloody impressed with myself. Really quite excited waiting until I can get my melodeon now. Can't wait to give it a go.
There's the possibility of us dancing at Anstruther for a gala day (can't get used to that term. They will forever be 'fetes' to me.) in July. Sounds like fun so I hope we can do it. In the meantime, we've got a DERT rehearsal planned in St Andrews for the weekend after next and then, hopefully, a bit of pub touring. I don't think St Andrews has seen rapper since the Kingsman danced there during IVFDF 2002 but they seemed to enjoy it then.
The countdown to Oxford has started in my brain. I retrieved my Bellowhead DVD from Trina last night so that should be getting watched a lot in order to try and take the edge off...
Plan tonight is to get in, clarinet practice first (cause I can't mute it!), then fiddle practice (cause I can mute that) and then tidy like a tidy thing and, if I am good, I'm allowed to watch the Bellowhead DVD. (I strongly suspect I will watch it anyway but this is the intention)
At some point I should probably put Roger through a car wash. He is absolutely filthy and I haven't really got anywhere to put him to wash him by hand (if I try on the roadside I'll get killed and that's leaving aside the question as to whether you're allowed to wash cars in the street.) Before he goes through a car wash though, I think it might be an idea to get waterproof covers for the seats and me. (Not that I don't trust the door seals or anything...)
Monday, 15 March 2010
Productive Weekend (Relatively)
Spring may have occurred on Saturday. The weather was warm and dry and I quickly took the opportunity to put my washing out for the first time this year (what I hadn't taken into account was that it was also windy and I promptly got wrapped in a sheet and bashed into a wall! And so starts my washing's year long assault on me.) Having been nicely bruised, I decided to venture into town, mainly to look for rapper shoes but this was foiled by my not being able to remember where the Army and Navy store was and thus not being able to find it. No matter, I went on to find a nice wedding hat which I can wear for next weekend's sudden wedding (by which I mean that I've suddenly found out I'm going, not that the wedding is sudden) and I may have a acquired a cheap melodeon. This is probably not helpful and it's not like I don't have enough instruments to learn (although I got in a very good practice with both fiddle and clarinet this weekend.) but the idea of an instrument that doesn't rely on breathing control, finger placement, bow technique and mouth shape to produce an on-key note is very attractive and they just look really fun to play. It's a very cheap, never been used, D/G 2 row affair and, having, checked around, should I decide it's not for me, I should be able to sell it on with no loss. I suspect the reason it was being offered so cheaply was due to the preference in scottish music being for B/C tuning (and the fact that it's a cheap make) but I want to play morris tunes which suits me just fine. Huzzah for gumtree is all I can say.
One very odd occurrence while I was shopping in one of the pound saver shops (I was looking for pegs. My washing seems to eat them!). I was happily wandering along with my headphones on when this woman stops in front of me and tries to ask me something. I obligingly took out my headphones and she asked, in a somewhat irritated tone, where the *some weird item that I can't remember* was! I said I didn't know and she told me that that was appalling customer service. I pointed out that I didn't work there and she told me I looked as if I did and flounced off. I was in no way dressed like the staff and was not even wearing similar colours so I have no idea how to take that. Ah well.
Sunday, I actually did some tidying! I only read 2 books and did one puzzle book and I can now see most of the floor in the sitting room. The bed is still 'here be dragons' territory but, I feel I'm on a roll now and could be using it again as early as June!
The soundtrack to all this has been Belshazzer's Feast's 'Food of Love' CD which arrived on Saturday. The main CD is lovely with a really beautiful version of Mark Knoppfler's 'Cal' (and the CD notes are hilarious) but the main gem is the extra live CD which had me in giggles (which got me some funny looks while walking down Prince's Street, I can tell you!) most of the weekend. Can't wait to see them live.
Anyhow, rapper tonight and I'm in a particularly bouncy mood so that should be fun.
One very odd occurrence while I was shopping in one of the pound saver shops (I was looking for pegs. My washing seems to eat them!). I was happily wandering along with my headphones on when this woman stops in front of me and tries to ask me something. I obligingly took out my headphones and she asked, in a somewhat irritated tone, where the *some weird item that I can't remember* was! I said I didn't know and she told me that that was appalling customer service. I pointed out that I didn't work there and she told me I looked as if I did and flounced off. I was in no way dressed like the staff and was not even wearing similar colours so I have no idea how to take that. Ah well.
Sunday, I actually did some tidying! I only read 2 books and did one puzzle book and I can now see most of the floor in the sitting room. The bed is still 'here be dragons' territory but, I feel I'm on a roll now and could be using it again as early as June!
The soundtrack to all this has been Belshazzer's Feast's 'Food of Love' CD which arrived on Saturday. The main CD is lovely with a really beautiful version of Mark Knoppfler's 'Cal' (and the CD notes are hilarious) but the main gem is the extra live CD which had me in giggles (which got me some funny looks while walking down Prince's Street, I can tell you!) most of the weekend. Can't wait to see them live.
Anyhow, rapper tonight and I'm in a particularly bouncy mood so that should be fun.
Friday, 12 March 2010
Wondering Why I Went!
Well, not that impressed by Alice In Wonderland. It was very pretty but oddly a bit flat. The Cheshire cat was fun but was blown off the screen by the March Hare who got the biggest laugh simply by randomly saying 'Spoon!'. The lass playing Alice was alright and not too twee (although the younger version was and wearing a scary amount of lipstick!) and Helena Bonham Carter was very good as the Red Queen. The Mad Hatter, though, long outstayed his welcome and tried too hard for the pathos. I think Johnny Depp is a good actor but sometimes he really misses and this was one of those times. Also no idea why they dragged the Jabberwocky in. Ah well, at least I got to use my 3D glasses again. Quite fancy seeing the dragon cartoon they were previewing and I'd also like to see Solomon Kane and Repo Men when they come out.
It was nice to be back at fiddle (not having been there for 3 weeks). We're playing The Cockle Gatherer's Reel for the concert and it was easy enough to pick up. I'm not convinced that I sound any better with the new bridge but at least I don't sound any worse and it doesn't look like the bridge is about to snap if I look at it wrong. I've also found that IVFDF has left me with a slight leaning towards wanting to play the melodeon as well (because, obviously, I need to add another instrument to learn to my life!) may have to investigate this at some point.
All the blurb is now in for our DERT entry so I can relax a little and dedicate myself to tidying the burrow (and hunting down some rapper shoes that fit!). Roger also seems to be working fine since his key battery changed. It's a bit of a novelty to be able to just press the button and expect the car to unlock.
Recently got the CD Umbrellowhead. Basically a compilation of music by the the various members of Bellowhead's projects outside of the group. Really enjoying it. My favourites are Belshazzer's Feast's 'Rondo a la Turky', Jon Boden's 'Beating the Bounds', Benji Kirkpatrick's 'Wallbreaker', Faustus' 'The New Recruit and Rachel McShane's 'The Fisherman'. This is, admittedly about half the album but there you go. That said, the rest of the tracks are good too. Pete Flood's 'Maste Kilby' is an odd one in that I always think I'll skip it (his voice is a little flat) but then I keep listening to it anyway. The number by Setsuban Bean Unit is nuts but then they're based in Japan which seems to bring out that kind of feeling. I also really enjoyed the choral work at the end. Very nice arrangement. They're a talented bunch, all told.
It was nice to be back at fiddle (not having been there for 3 weeks). We're playing The Cockle Gatherer's Reel for the concert and it was easy enough to pick up. I'm not convinced that I sound any better with the new bridge but at least I don't sound any worse and it doesn't look like the bridge is about to snap if I look at it wrong. I've also found that IVFDF has left me with a slight leaning towards wanting to play the melodeon as well (because, obviously, I need to add another instrument to learn to my life!) may have to investigate this at some point.
All the blurb is now in for our DERT entry so I can relax a little and dedicate myself to tidying the burrow (and hunting down some rapper shoes that fit!). Roger also seems to be working fine since his key battery changed. It's a bit of a novelty to be able to just press the button and expect the car to unlock.
Recently got the CD Umbrellowhead. Basically a compilation of music by the the various members of Bellowhead's projects outside of the group. Really enjoying it. My favourites are Belshazzer's Feast's 'Rondo a la Turky', Jon Boden's 'Beating the Bounds', Benji Kirkpatrick's 'Wallbreaker', Faustus' 'The New Recruit and Rachel McShane's 'The Fisherman'. This is, admittedly about half the album but there you go. That said, the rest of the tracks are good too. Pete Flood's 'Maste Kilby' is an odd one in that I always think I'll skip it (his voice is a little flat) but then I keep listening to it anyway. The number by Setsuban Bean Unit is nuts but then they're based in Japan which seems to bring out that kind of feeling. I also really enjoyed the choral work at the end. Very nice arrangement. They're a talented bunch, all told.
Tuesday, 9 March 2010
IVFDF 2010 (Friday and Saturday)
What with Roger being, how can I put this, stationary with a vengence, I decided to get the train down to Durham for IVFDF. Passed the house where I grew up on the way down and was really shocked to see that they had decimated the surrounding wood and built a huge house right next to the old bungalow (which wasn't small to start with). It really threw me to see the orchard gone. Ah well.
Got into Durham at around 6pm and managed to find Alington House straight off by basically pointing myself in the direction of the Cathedral and wandering roughly in that direction until I encountered crowds of suspected IVFDF goers. Fortunately I managed to get a ticket for the central sleeping venue, dumped my stuff, randomly met up with some of the usual suspects and headed off for the ceilidh with 422. This was a fair walk from the centre but the weather was nice, if crisp, and it was well worth it. The first ceilidh was great fun with Martin Harvey calling and some truly stonking music (I do like 422) . In the break, Star and Shadow rapper dancers did a spot which was highly entertaining and they look in good from for DERT. For the second half of the evening, 422 were getting us to dance to 80's pop songs which worked surprisingly well. I may not have liked all the songs (I particularly hate ABBA's Dancing Queen. Don't get me wrong, I like ABBA, I liked them before they became popular again but I really, really hate this song and what song do they always play?) but they also played 'Money for Nothing', by Dire Straits which is a great song and worked really well with the dance. There was a brief hiatus in the evening where the was possibly a fire alarm. That is to say there was a high pitched whistling and all the lights went out but no-one could tell if it was an alarm or just serious feedback so we milled uncertainly then decided that, since no-one was yelling at us to get out, we'd stay put in the warm and go and have a drink (and not only was there a real ale bar but it was student union prices so not bad, not bad at all). Anyhow, they seemed to get it sorted and we went back to dancing. Went back to Alington house for the late night dancing but sadly there really wasn't any room for it. We took over the sleeping hall for a short while but there were far too many people even for that space and they didn't get round to the more esoteric dances which is what I go to the late night dancing for. Anyhow, once the musicians went back upstairs to just have a session. I decided just to head to bed and drift off to the music. Sadly, not a huge amount of sleep was got, not because of the music but because I could not get warm which is not usually a problem for me. Odd but so it goes.
Anyhow, dragged myself along to the student union at 9am to go to the workshop on how to cope in a session. Some very interesting and helpful information and it was nice listening to them play but I shall have to redouble my efforts with the clarinet and fiddle cause I want to join in damn it! Rapper was next up and High Spen was teaching. As always, the class was seriously over subscribed which meant that space was tight and you kept havingt to wait until a teacher was free to learn anything else but it was still fun. It's the first time since last year that I've danced in a set that was roughly my height and it really was a nice feeling. Most of our set had also done some rapper beforehand so we managed fairly well and we all knew each other so we spent a fair bit of time giggling. All in all a good fun and interesting workshop but I think they might want to start limiting the numbers (this means I would need to arrive much earlier in order to be certain of getting in!) in future IVFDF's.
I stayed on for the Playing for Morris workshop (again just listening in) which was really good with lots of helpful advice on the difference in playing for different types of folk dance. I paid particular attention to the advice on rapper and border obviously. After this, I went along to the clog workshop. I couldn't be bothered to head back to Alington house to get my clogs so I did the class in my rapper shoes. Good to know I carted my clogs to the North East for no particular reason. Still, at least it was a nice outing for them. The clog itself was fun and all the shuffles must be improving my rapper stepping. I put my name on the e-mail list for the clog workshop weekend so fingers crossed that's on when I'm free.
I caught the end of the display ceilidh, although I didn't really feel up to dancing (apparently being laid up in bed for over a week and then dancing like mad at a folk festival leaves you feeling knackered, who knew!). I enjoyed Exeter's dem to ABBA's 'Does your Mother Know that You're Out' (something of an ABBA theme this year) but then, I usually do.
I dithered between heading for a shower or going to see the Eliza Carthy concert but eventually the need to have shower won out and I had a nice walk through Durham to find the leisure centre. I feel incredibly disloyal saying it but Durham is a far, far prettier place than Newcastle. Anyhow, shower taken (and that was possibly the best £2.10 spent of the weekend!) I headed back out to the outskirts for the Contra ceilidh. Vertical Expression were on good form so the music was fantastic and Adam was calling well but there seemed to be some difficulty with the mic so that there were problems calling the dance at the far end of the hall which wasn't helped when people started to pour in and talk while they were trying to walk through. The lighting was also peculiar with the top end of the hall in darkness and the other end brightly lit so the caller couldn't see the end sets which can't of been helpful (Also people seemed to have lost the ability to form fours from the top of the set, which was bizarre). Adam had to give up on calling a couple of the more complicated dances because the instructions just weren't getting through but other dances were substituted and I really enjoyed it despite the problems. I stayed on for the Whapweasel ceilidh cause I was too knackered to head out for the Northumbrian one which I kind of regret because, although the music was great, it was too loud, there were still the same calling problems (and I know it wasn't the caller cause Gordon Potts is usually great) and I just didn't have the energy to deal with it. Still I enjoyed the music and it was fun watching people on the floor before I headed up to the balcony and had fun playing 'what sort of dancing does this person usually do'.
I headed back to the hall after this and went to bed to the sound of the session again. Sadly another chilly night and not much sleep.
Got into Durham at around 6pm and managed to find Alington House straight off by basically pointing myself in the direction of the Cathedral and wandering roughly in that direction until I encountered crowds of suspected IVFDF goers. Fortunately I managed to get a ticket for the central sleeping venue, dumped my stuff, randomly met up with some of the usual suspects and headed off for the ceilidh with 422. This was a fair walk from the centre but the weather was nice, if crisp, and it was well worth it. The first ceilidh was great fun with Martin Harvey calling and some truly stonking music (I do like 422) . In the break, Star and Shadow rapper dancers did a spot which was highly entertaining and they look in good from for DERT. For the second half of the evening, 422 were getting us to dance to 80's pop songs which worked surprisingly well. I may not have liked all the songs (I particularly hate ABBA's Dancing Queen. Don't get me wrong, I like ABBA, I liked them before they became popular again but I really, really hate this song and what song do they always play?) but they also played 'Money for Nothing', by Dire Straits which is a great song and worked really well with the dance. There was a brief hiatus in the evening where the was possibly a fire alarm. That is to say there was a high pitched whistling and all the lights went out but no-one could tell if it was an alarm or just serious feedback so we milled uncertainly then decided that, since no-one was yelling at us to get out, we'd stay put in the warm and go and have a drink (and not only was there a real ale bar but it was student union prices so not bad, not bad at all). Anyhow, they seemed to get it sorted and we went back to dancing. Went back to Alington house for the late night dancing but sadly there really wasn't any room for it. We took over the sleeping hall for a short while but there were far too many people even for that space and they didn't get round to the more esoteric dances which is what I go to the late night dancing for. Anyhow, once the musicians went back upstairs to just have a session. I decided just to head to bed and drift off to the music. Sadly, not a huge amount of sleep was got, not because of the music but because I could not get warm which is not usually a problem for me. Odd but so it goes.
Anyhow, dragged myself along to the student union at 9am to go to the workshop on how to cope in a session. Some very interesting and helpful information and it was nice listening to them play but I shall have to redouble my efforts with the clarinet and fiddle cause I want to join in damn it! Rapper was next up and High Spen was teaching. As always, the class was seriously over subscribed which meant that space was tight and you kept havingt to wait until a teacher was free to learn anything else but it was still fun. It's the first time since last year that I've danced in a set that was roughly my height and it really was a nice feeling. Most of our set had also done some rapper beforehand so we managed fairly well and we all knew each other so we spent a fair bit of time giggling. All in all a good fun and interesting workshop but I think they might want to start limiting the numbers (this means I would need to arrive much earlier in order to be certain of getting in!) in future IVFDF's.
I stayed on for the Playing for Morris workshop (again just listening in) which was really good with lots of helpful advice on the difference in playing for different types of folk dance. I paid particular attention to the advice on rapper and border obviously. After this, I went along to the clog workshop. I couldn't be bothered to head back to Alington house to get my clogs so I did the class in my rapper shoes. Good to know I carted my clogs to the North East for no particular reason. Still, at least it was a nice outing for them. The clog itself was fun and all the shuffles must be improving my rapper stepping. I put my name on the e-mail list for the clog workshop weekend so fingers crossed that's on when I'm free.
I caught the end of the display ceilidh, although I didn't really feel up to dancing (apparently being laid up in bed for over a week and then dancing like mad at a folk festival leaves you feeling knackered, who knew!). I enjoyed Exeter's dem to ABBA's 'Does your Mother Know that You're Out' (something of an ABBA theme this year) but then, I usually do.
I dithered between heading for a shower or going to see the Eliza Carthy concert but eventually the need to have shower won out and I had a nice walk through Durham to find the leisure centre. I feel incredibly disloyal saying it but Durham is a far, far prettier place than Newcastle. Anyhow, shower taken (and that was possibly the best £2.10 spent of the weekend!) I headed back out to the outskirts for the Contra ceilidh. Vertical Expression were on good form so the music was fantastic and Adam was calling well but there seemed to be some difficulty with the mic so that there were problems calling the dance at the far end of the hall which wasn't helped when people started to pour in and talk while they were trying to walk through. The lighting was also peculiar with the top end of the hall in darkness and the other end brightly lit so the caller couldn't see the end sets which can't of been helpful (Also people seemed to have lost the ability to form fours from the top of the set, which was bizarre). Adam had to give up on calling a couple of the more complicated dances because the instructions just weren't getting through but other dances were substituted and I really enjoyed it despite the problems. I stayed on for the Whapweasel ceilidh cause I was too knackered to head out for the Northumbrian one which I kind of regret because, although the music was great, it was too loud, there were still the same calling problems (and I know it wasn't the caller cause Gordon Potts is usually great) and I just didn't have the energy to deal with it. Still I enjoyed the music and it was fun watching people on the floor before I headed up to the balcony and had fun playing 'what sort of dancing does this person usually do'.
I headed back to the hall after this and went to bed to the sound of the session again. Sadly another chilly night and not much sleep.
Yet Another Catch Up
Got pretty much laid flat by the flu over the last week or so so have been a bit remiss in updating this so time to catch up.
First of all, went to see Damien Barber and Mike Wilson on the Wednesday at the Pleasance with some of Mons Meg. They were very good, particularly with the shanties, their voices go together really well and the chat between songs was also very funny (I do like the stories of having to suck crisps in folk clubs when little so as not to annoy people with the crunch). They were supported by Wendy Arrowsmith who I've not heard before but was also very good. Particularly liked her Whitby lifeboat song. Wasn't too sure about the irish singer at first. There's a tendancy among irish singers to overdo the ornamentation (for my taste anyway) and she did at first but then she seemed to ease out of it and I felt her singing improved because of it.
Also went to see Pete Morton (he who did the hilarious Geoffrey Chaucer Junior thing at Whitby last year) at the Royal Oak. I really enjoyed his sets. His music is very perky and all about love and what have you but manages to stop short of crossing the line into annoying which could be partly due to his stage presence (or corner of very small pub presence) but it seems to work. He did one of the Chaucer songs which was hilarious and he mentioned that he was bringing the Chaucer show to the Edinburgh Fringe. Unfortunately, I think I will be away when he does which may be a blessing since it was just so funny and surprising the first time that I don't think it will ever be able to measure up again.
In other news, Roger's immobiliser has completely immobilised him. I think I just need to get a new battery in the key so I shall take that along to the renault dealer and see of I can get that sorted. I am also still no further forward in tidying the burrow. In fact, it now looks worse since the last weekend was IVFDF (which needs a post of it's own!) and I caused my usual chaos trying to pack for it (and at some point I shall get round to unpacking).
Finally got round to replacing the fiddle bridge. It seems to have gone OK and it does seem to sound better (except for the G string but that sounded a lpeculiar before as well which makes me suspect that I should start saving to get the fiddle properly seen to but it will have to wait until after the festival season)
First of all, went to see Damien Barber and Mike Wilson on the Wednesday at the Pleasance with some of Mons Meg. They were very good, particularly with the shanties, their voices go together really well and the chat between songs was also very funny (I do like the stories of having to suck crisps in folk clubs when little so as not to annoy people with the crunch). They were supported by Wendy Arrowsmith who I've not heard before but was also very good. Particularly liked her Whitby lifeboat song. Wasn't too sure about the irish singer at first. There's a tendancy among irish singers to overdo the ornamentation (for my taste anyway) and she did at first but then she seemed to ease out of it and I felt her singing improved because of it.
Also went to see Pete Morton (he who did the hilarious Geoffrey Chaucer Junior thing at Whitby last year) at the Royal Oak. I really enjoyed his sets. His music is very perky and all about love and what have you but manages to stop short of crossing the line into annoying which could be partly due to his stage presence (or corner of very small pub presence) but it seems to work. He did one of the Chaucer songs which was hilarious and he mentioned that he was bringing the Chaucer show to the Edinburgh Fringe. Unfortunately, I think I will be away when he does which may be a blessing since it was just so funny and surprising the first time that I don't think it will ever be able to measure up again.
In other news, Roger's immobiliser has completely immobilised him. I think I just need to get a new battery in the key so I shall take that along to the renault dealer and see of I can get that sorted. I am also still no further forward in tidying the burrow. In fact, it now looks worse since the last weekend was IVFDF (which needs a post of it's own!) and I caused my usual chaos trying to pack for it (and at some point I shall get round to unpacking).
Finally got round to replacing the fiddle bridge. It seems to have gone OK and it does seem to sound better (except for the G string but that sounded a lpeculiar before as well which makes me suspect that I should start saving to get the fiddle properly seen to but it will have to wait until after the festival season)
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