polkabeast

The first time I ever heard a concertina played was at a presentation in middle school. The player--I have no memory of his name, but this was in Berryville, VA, in 1982 or thereabouts--did a Darth Vader impression with the air button (followed by an excerpt from Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water"--both of these were demonstrations of the instrument's inherent coolness). jdms That's awesome. I did just learn how to play the imperial death march. I will experiment with the air busom for maximum effect.

How is a National Accordian Association convention coming to my home town and I don't know about it?? I guess I'm going to have to attend this event and have the time of my life. I wonder if Brave Combo is going to play. They are Denton's pride-and-joy polka grammy winners. Aside from them, I wonder if there will be much tejano, which abounds in this area. This is very exciting. I just played a gig in Austin three weeks ago. Loved it. It loved me. I'm already looking for copy-writing/editing jobs down there. Thanx for the info! Hope to see you there. Mike

I guess there aren't so many out there. Too bad. Still, you are not too far from Chainyanker and Dan Worrall and a few others I bet. Why not head over to Palestine this March. I looks like the Palestine Old Time Music and Dulcimer Festival is less than three hours away from you. There will be a bunch of squeezers there and I bet that someone will let you have a go on something other than a Hohner. I would be nice to meet you. I am seriously considering it. Sounds like a fun time. Played football at nearby Tyler Junior College in my preconcertina life. And I would love to meet you and others from the community. Cheers.

Have you searched for a bandoneon forum? I suspect that the players are out there, but they may not be joining Concertina.net. I have an old casette (I got it in 1982) of German bandoneon maker Klaus Gutjahr playing classical music, including Bach. At the time he said he was just beginning to study playing tangos. I just found the most heavenly rendition of Bach's "Air" played by Klaus Gutjahr at this website. What an instrument. check it out.

I actually just rubbed the gusset before logging on.

The first time I performed, I was part of a lineup of different acts performing for the INternational Students Festival in a cafeteria of one of the University of North Texas's dormitories. This was nine years ago. I played a horrible rendition of Star Wars. I kept messing up. Big ones that I couldn't cover up, but everyone was so overwhelmed by the novelty of seeing a concertina and hearing the Star Wars theme that the applause was thunderous. Still, I was crushed and embarrassed. I had to stop halfway through the song. What a nightmare. There must have been at least two hundred people watching. Still, they loved it, but I left in shame immediately. After that initial experience, performing in front of people has become as easy as eating cake.

I had no idea a concertina could have a bird whistle.

The first songs I learned were Star Wars and Willie's "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain." After that, I started writing my own songs. But I love how every now and then, the most unassuming song will find its way through the reeds on my 20-button Anglo. Such as "Total Eclipse of the Heart," "Losing my Religion," "Jerk Off (Tool)," et cetera. Just figured out Pink Floyd's "Wish you were here." Can't wait to play that bad-boy live.

Just trying to see who's out there. I live in Denton, Tx, and play a 20-button Anglo. Hello. Say something.

It's a bit short notice; I'm off to bed shortly. Peter. PS - hope the show goes well. Peter, Looks like I'll have to give you at least a 15-hour notice to accommodate the UK/USA transfer. You can always sleep at my place if the case may be. The show: I shredded. Played a pimp cover of REM's "Losing my Religion." Horrified crowd-goers with recital of my pirate ballad, "Crime of the Ancient Mariner." I'm alone, now. I think several will remember in the morning, maybe more than I will. In any case, I got torn. On the house. Thanx for your hope. It worked. Love writes. Sins seer Lee. Polkus Beasticus

I will perform solo tonight under my stage name, DrakNastula, opening up for THE GOURDS. My set will consist of original songs sung by me and played on my Hohner 20-button Anglo. I will also recite dirty pirate poetry. Dan's Silverleaf is located at the following address: 103 Industrial Denton, TX 76201 The show will be $12.

I mayhap attend this shindig. I'm in Denton, a few hours away. I'm the only concertina player I know in Texas so far.

Hello, all. In the past year-and-a-half, I have sent my Hohner 20-button Anglo back to Virginia Beach (manufacturer) twice for broken reeds. I have two other factory mass-produced 20-Button Anglos whose bellows have cashed out. Never. NEVER a reed problem. All bellows. Now that I have a HOHNER concertina with replacable parts (bellows), I have nothing but reed parts. The Hohner people are nice enough, and they always fix my box, but I'm starting to get the impression that Hohner, even though I play several other string and reed instruments made by them -- I'd have to say that Hohner 20-button Anglos are substandard. They might work for a year or two, but then the concertina player is at the mercy of meatball-surgery versus timing versus wasted money. Most recently, my concertina melted. I removed the crowns to find piles of amber wax and reeds (both previously functioning and nonfunctioning.) I know Texas is hot with a capital "H", but I got no warning when I got my box saying something like, "box will melt after 100 degrees." "Internal organs held together by wax: keep out of extreme heat. Oh well. I guess it's still fun when it is working. Yes. The plague is too strong a line. I'm trying to figure out how to edit my subject line.

Maybe next year. I usually come around May because the Arran Folk Festival used to happen around that time. I'll set my sights for later in the year. It would be great to get my Arran fix and my concertina fix at the same time, which always happens, but maybe next year with your gathering would be King. Cheers, Sam. I'm loving your CD!

I wish I could make it, Sam. I had so much fun playing with you at the Kildonan. I wish I could be in Arran soon. I've returned to Scotland twice specifically to go to Arran. Seems like if I have enough money to get from Glasgow Central to Brodick, then nothing else seems to matter. At least the weather here in Texas has subsided. The forty+ days of 100 degree temperatures is over. Unfortunately, all of the beeswax holding the reeds in place inside of my HOHNER concertina melted during the heatwave. Oh well. This will be the third time in a year and a half that I've sent my brand new box back to Hohner to fix. CooShite, I tell you. I hope your concertina festival goes well!

I always get asked about what's inside of the peculiar sextagonal case at the airport. I probably look a little suspect. The security guards always delight in seeing a concertina.

Hello Everyone!! I just returned from a three week tour around the United States with my band. I've had the best traveled summer of my life and the most musical one as well. In June, I left Texas for Arran Island, where I met Samantha (who intoduced me to this sight), and I got the opportunity to play in many sessions. From August 6-27, I played in the US. We covered Portland, Seattle, Missoula and Bozeman (Montana), Denver, Akron (Ohio), Brooklyn, Bridgeport (Connecticut), Athens (Georgia), New Orleans, Houston, Winnesboro (TX). We ended up the tour with a CD release party in our home: Denton, Texas. Thank you, America and Scotland. Man, New Orleans if freaking TRASHED. It's pretty stunning to see so much devastation and so little rebuilding (except for restaurants and bars and whatnot.) If you'd like to check out my band, Warren Jackson Hearne and the Merrie Murdre of Gloomadeers, here's our MySpace profile. We've got a few songs posted online. www.myspace/gloomadeer I primarily play upright bass in the band, but I also play concertina and melodica on some songs. If you live in any of the above US places and heard about an invading horde of Gypsy/Folk musicians with a gimp-masked concertina player/bassist, then that was the gig I'm with. Here's a link to a cool video with some concertina: http://www.wolfe-stone.com/videos.html Click on Gloomadeers, "Clove Queen." Cheers!

Hey Samantha. Thanx for clueing me into this wonderful forum. The session was wonderful the other night -- I've always wanted to play with other concertinists. I look forward to corresponding and collaborating with you and the other members of c.net. Cheers. Michael