Rhomylly Posted May 8, 2004 Share Posted May 8, 2004 Just when I get really feeling like I'm going absolutely nowhere in my music life, I get the most encouraging email! It had the subject line, "Bands for Twilight Festival." Yes, I'm IN! Okay, it's only one time out of a possible eight, but I'M IN!!! I'm performing at Twilight Festival (for you non-locals, a 2-hour downtown arts festival every Thursday evening in June and September. Guess I should explain that, huh.). I officially get paid $30. I wonder if you're allowed to put out an instrument case for tips? Hmmm, better scope out earlier weeks and see if anyone else does it. (let me also point out that $15/hour is half again as much as I make on my day job so yes, it is worth it even without tips) Plus I'm tickled to death that I have been referred to as a "band." I have NEVER been "officially" referred to as a band or even a musician -- until about 20 minutes ago! How legitimizing! I guess the demo CD didn't totally suck as I feared. Speaking of which, does one EVER get used to listening to oneself? I shuddered and wanted to crawl under a piece of heavy furniture the whole time it was being played back for me. PLUS my first real day being a street musician in one of the small historic towns nearby starts tomorrow. I played some a couple weeks ago under the awning of the shop that hired me. It was cold and wet so I didn't want to play long...but someone actually dropped a Susan B Anthony dollar in my case. I am keeping that dollar! First money I ever made playing music! Note to self: find out where coin collectors get those little square plastic sleeves... And I even finished some appropriate 19th-century looking garb today for my big debut. Being a costume history minor (sort of) in college continues to pay off... Someone wants to PAY ME to play CONCERTINA. I am flying... Must go practice... Did I mention lately that I've only been playing since August??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellowbelle Posted May 8, 2004 Share Posted May 8, 2004 Yay! Congratulations, and good luck! What songs or music do you play...I'd assume, 19th-century ones? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Timson Posted May 8, 2004 Share Posted May 8, 2004 .but someone actually dropped a Susan B Anthony dollar in my case. I am keeping that dollar! Interesting! Not having the first idea what a Susan B Anthony dollar was, I googled it. That in turn led me to Sacagawea and all sorts of quirks of American history which are not, shall we say, common knowledge this side of the Pond. Best of luck with the gig. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henk van Aalten Posted May 8, 2004 Share Posted May 8, 2004 Someone wants to PAY ME to play CONCERTINA. I am flying... Hi Rhomylly, This is great for you.... but do'nt fly too high.. just keep in sight with us Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 8, 2004 Share Posted May 8, 2004 Congratulations! May it be your first of many Cheers Morgana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Animaterra Posted May 8, 2004 Share Posted May 8, 2004 Congratulations! You are indeed brave! Let us know how the street musicianing goes, too. Blessings, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Posted May 8, 2004 Share Posted May 8, 2004 WOW! Hats off, Rhomylly, This is terrific. You are really going places. Am I ever proud of you. You've just taken the concertina and run with it. Good for you. Helen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhomylly Posted May 8, 2004 Author Share Posted May 8, 2004 Well, as far as the street busking in Boonville goes, I'm pretty lucky. There was a huge Irish population in St. Louis in the 19th century, large enough that it's okay to assume a lot of the tunes made their way up and down the Missouri River, which just happens to run 3 blocks from the shop I'm playing in front of. I can mostly do my slow-jam tunes and throw in an occasional shanty and the tourists won't really know the difference Got a nice long ruffled skirt and 19th century shirt so I look "right." Oh, and an apron with deep pockets in case I need to empty the tip jar/tip concertina case occasionally. Hopefully. And at the Twilight Festival, the paid gig, I have carte blanche to do anything that is "family-friendly." Which limits me some, but not much My demo CD was Haste to the Wedding (played badly), Wild Mountain Thyme (played well, sung badly), Demeter's Daughter (sung half-way decently) and Planxty Irwin (played quite well if I do say so myself). So, quite a variety! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Posted May 9, 2004 Share Posted May 9, 2004 Rhomylly, Sounds like fun and a great way to get in a lot of practicing. And you might make a few bucks in tips too. Helen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RustyBits Posted May 9, 2004 Share Posted May 9, 2004 Did I mention lately that I've only been playing since August??? You're AMAZING! I'm way too much of a chicken to play for anyone but my Morris buddies, I get a little nervous with them and I've known them all for at leat 12 years. It sounds like a really nice venue to start out with. Who knows, maybe some other musicians will hear youand scoop you up into their band! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 10, 2004 Share Posted May 10, 2004 Lisa - it can actually be less nerve-wracking playing for complete strangers - after all they don't know you, and you will probably never see them again The hardest gig I ever had was playing harp at my little sister's wedding, even though I'd been playing at weddings for years! I was terrified that I'd make a mistake [having a video camera taking close up of the strings whilst I played didn't help either ] Fortunately well went well Cheers Morgana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhomylly Posted May 14, 2004 Author Share Posted May 14, 2004 Okay, after reading the busking article that was posted yesterday on the front page of C-Net, I'm feeling somewhat mollified about my first attempt last week. Needless to say, it didn't go well. Nice sunny day, quite hot, actually (missed a few spots with the 45-proof sunscreen. OUCH!), me in lovely early 19th-century river town attire and sounding as good as I have ever sounded... And people were walking down the middle of the street to avoid me. This is not a good sign. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted May 14, 2004 Share Posted May 14, 2004 And people were walking down the middle of the street to avoid me.This is not a good sign. Keep it up. The thing about performing is that the reaction can be different every time. And it's quite possible that people are avoiding you (if that's really what they're doing) not because they don't like you, but because they're not in a donating mood and they feel obliged to donate something if they listen. Time for a couple of anec/antidotes : First is about the son of a friend, who was supporting himself as a street juggler. (No, not a New York taxi driver. A juggler who busks!) He said the best money he ever made was in Kansas City, but he had to leave, because he couldn't handle the "audience reaction"... or lack of same. It seems that people would stand and watch, with no applause or any other outward reaction, then put lots of money in the hat and walk away. He needed audience feedback, but he wasn't getting any. As for myself, I made some nice spare change busking at South Street Seaport before its yuppie makeover, though never enough to tempt me to quit my day job. When I tried Greenwich Village, on the other hand, what I made was hardly worth counting. BUT... one day I was playing in what should have been a prize spot and getting no money... 25 cents in two hours! I was about to pack it in when a fellow came up to me and said, "Can you play a hornpipe?" I could, and did. He seemed pleased, and he asked for my phone number. And that's how I became Assistant Music Director of an original ballet (choreographed by Edward Villella), and also for a couple of weeks a spare hand and shantyman on the Shenandoah, a wonderful schooner out of Vineyard Haven, MA. You can never know ahead of time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhomylly Posted May 14, 2004 Author Share Posted May 14, 2004 Oh, I'll keep trying! maybe not tomorrow, as I think I may be coming down with something, but I will soon! thanks for the stories, Jim, they were very encouraging. And I must remember that the first dollar I ever made was at that same exact spot on a cold, yukky day. But this brings up another question: just how hot is too hot for a concertina? Unless I want to spring for a shelter (and if I had the money to do that, I wouldn't *need* to busk, lol) I am in direct sunlight all day. And so is the concertina. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Brook Posted May 14, 2004 Share Posted May 14, 2004 Should be fine in the open air even in direct sun light. Just don't leave it alone in the car on a sunny day. No instrument deserves that ever! A friend of mine left his violin in the car for an hour last summer (OK it was the hotest british summer for 28 years) and in that time all the glue and resin melted, leaving him with a very nice flat pack violin kit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Posted May 14, 2004 Share Posted May 14, 2004 Jim, those are lovely stories. Peter, yours was a horror story. Rhomyll, you go girl, nothing can get you down. But do drink lots of water. Someone gave me that very good advice when I started out doing art shows ( for tapestries not music, mind). I wonder how good it is for you to be in full sun, forget the concertina. Take care all. Helen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted May 14, 2004 Share Posted May 14, 2004 ...do drink lots of water. Water alone is usually a bad idea if the weather's very hot. When you sweat you lose salts, too, and other things is smaller amounts. Keep balanced. With the caveat that different people have different requirements, I'll say that I like fruit juices, often diluted with water. A personal favorite is a mix of limeade and grape juice. But when I was hiking with the scouts, the absolute best was grapes: bite-size capsules of refreshment, and difficult to spill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d.elliott Posted May 15, 2004 Share Posted May 15, 2004 In play, concertinas are the original 'air cooled machine', when not in play and if not looked after...................they can cook, twist, crash and burn! Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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