Rhomylly

Shelly -- how far are you from Plymouth, WI? There's a VERY friendly Wednesday Irish jam that often features a fellow EC player. I used to drive down from Manitowoc when I still lived in WI.

Congratulations and welcome to the fun world of busking

I'll be thinking of you all, too. It's supposed to SNOW tonight, and I have very fond memories of all the blooming dogwood trees in Palestine.

Happy St. Patrick's Day to you! Last night my spouse and I popped our copy of John Wayne's "The Quiet Man" into the DVD for the annual showing. Hilarity ensued as we pointed out (as we always do) the actor playing the melodeon upside down.

Wish I could come this year, but ye olde weekly chemo won't allow it

Ransom, I feel your pain -- I lived in New Mexico for four years. The nearest concertina players (that I could ever find) were 6-9 hours (one way) away. I have an Edgley. When I was looking at buying a new concertina, I narrowed it down to the Edgley 24-button special anglo and a Tedrow 30-button anglo. I like the sound of both (based solely on listening to sound clips from their websites), the prices were pretty close to each other (this was in 2004), and both would work just fine for what I wanted -- session playing and possible eventual morris/contra/song accompaniment. In the end I chose the Edgely solely because I have small hands -- even for a female -- and I felt the Edgley 24-button would be better suited to my short fingers. That third row is a bit of an uncomfortable stretch sometimes. I am happy with my choice.

Yes, one of each would be lovely!

Hello all -- long time no post! To sum up, the family is moving to Bloomington, Indiana tomorrow (yes, tomorrow!). My spouse has a new teaching job at Ivy Tech, the child starts kindergarten, and I've already contacted the local morris team to see if they are willing to take on an old morris dancer who wants a new "career" as a morris musician. Anything else I should know about the squeezebox scene in Bloomington? Any C-Netters? Any C-Netters willing to give pointers to a novice morris musician?

Add the relatively recent Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid to the list of Disney films with concertina sightings. The legend lives on. So noted by the mother of a 4-year-old girl.

Grog is rum with a wide assortment of stuff in it, from weak beer to lemons to boiling water to cinnamon. According to Wikipedia, that is.

OOOO! Maybe we could invent a 'Pirates of the Caribbean' drinking game! Like, every time Kiera Knightley rolls her eyes, take a drink. Or every time Johnny Depp gets "that look" on his face, take a drink...

Avast ye fellow squeezers, it be once again Talk Like A Pirate Day! Johnny Depp has recently announced that he will appear in Pirates of the Carribbean 4. Let's all get ready to play "spot the concertina" while watching. (yes, I know that, historically, pirates and concertinas have nothing to do with each other but still...) Arrr!

As in, he played accordion and walked on stilts at the same time or at different times?

Yup, a Rochelle would be my advice, too.

www.chiffandfipple.com for the pennywhistle-inclined.

So, for job reasons, we're moving again -- we just get settled in Manitowoc, WI, and now we're headed to the Kansas City area on or around August 3. Any C-netters or sessions in Lawrence/Topeka/Kansas City?

What do you call someone who plays a concertina? Broke.

I agree, your son's answer was much funnier!

Maybe if you posted some pictures so we could see it?

I am graduating, David, on May 16!

This is a bit personal, but: Yesterday I actually touched my concertina for the first time since late August. This is partly because I'm finishing up my senior year of college (yes! at my age!) and it's a tougher school than the one I went to for the last 2 years. Plus it's further away -- 45 minutes' drive as opposed to 2 minutes' drive previously. I also suspect my lack of concertina enthusiasm has something to do with my father, a former college band director and morris musician extraordinaire (one of the top pipe and tabor players of all time, imo). He walked out on my mother just as school started for me last fall; I've heard from him once since and it did not go well (shrugs). It's a mourning process -- as if he's died, except he hasn't. Anyway, I'm back now. It felt good to play a couple tunes last night, but bittersweet, too.

Can't wait to see the photos!

Rob, I really really love that thought...

What you've done, Ryan, is joined a wonderful group of people who have actually played a concertina and fallen in love with the instrument. And possibly started down the slippery slope of Concertina Acquisition Disease. You are in very good company here Definitely let us know your impressions when the little squeezy-beastie arrives!