Animaterra Posted June 11, 2004 Share Posted June 11, 2004 Anyone going to Old Songs in Altamont, NY? It's the highlight of my year. Among other points of interest to free-reeders, John Williams will be there, as will John Roberts, Tony Barrand, and Louis Killen. Great singing, good folks all around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jggunn Posted June 11, 2004 Share Posted June 11, 2004 Yes, I am working in the performers' sales booth. I imagine Dave Barnert will be around. It looks as if it will be more Anglo than English, and the Button Box people do not seem to set up there anymore, but the Folk opera may include some concertinas. John Gunnell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted June 11, 2004 Share Posted June 11, 2004 I imagine Dave Barnert will be around. It looks as if it will be more Anglo than English.... Well, Dave plays Hayden duet. But you've missed out many that I know just among the performers: Mike Agranoff - English Tony Barrand - used to play English; haven't heard him do so recently Michael Cooney - English (baritone, as I recall) Louis Killen - English John Roberts - anglo and English George Ward - English Neil Wayne - anglo Dave Webber - anglo John Williams - anglo I may have missed a couple, but you get the idea. A fairly even English/anglo balance. And of course there will be many others among the audience. I remember them from when I was there a few years ago. I'm very sorry that I'm not likely to make it this time unless I win the lottery. A wonderful festival altogether, though I have to admit that I consider myself even more of singer than a concertina player. If you only like Irish, it may not be your cup of tea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Morse Posted June 11, 2004 Share Posted June 11, 2004 ... and the Button Box people do not seem to set up there anymore.... Yes, unfortunately not. We were a regular "vendor" for many years until they came up with a policy for vendors to pay 10% of their sales as a "fee". As our markup is minimal as it is, plus that we pay wages to our staff being there for the weekend, and pay for mileage, food, etc. we really got creamed the first year. The subsequent couple years we simply tacked on 10% to our prices (with a prominent note explaining why), but the extra amount apparently was enough to dissuade folks from buying much. Sales plummeted. Also there were strange things happening where many buyers would take an instrument on perusal (one of our regular ways we let folks try-before-the-buy) and the day after the festival ended would call our shop to let us know that they liked it and would buy it therefore getting around Old Song's policy as they technically didn't buy it at the festival.... The Old Songs folks got wind of this plus weren't pleased that we were not considering repairs performed, delivered or picked up, nor special order sales to be a part of the weekend's accounting.... They were NOT pleased... and we haven't been back (at least as a company) since. You would think that festival organizers would want to encourage vendors, particularly ones that foster music and dance (I won't get into the oblique vendor parasites I see common at some festivals). NEFFA charges $25 to register and "hold your spot". When you show up for the event they refund the money back to you. The Washington Irish Festival PAYS us to be there AND puts us up in a hotel WITH breakfast. Grump, grump.... It's nice to know that we've been missed but nicer to be there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jggunn Posted June 11, 2004 Share Posted June 11, 2004 I found Richard's explanation of the Button Box absence very interesting, and I can fully understand the rationale for that absence. The policy, of which I was unaware, certainly does seem to inhibit relevant vendors. We have been involved with the festival since its inception, and it was originally a very intimate and informal atmosphere. I suppose increasing size tends to create more structured and impersonal procedures. The Button Box venue was always a busy and popular place and where I, and I am sure many others, first became interested in this wonderful instrument. JGG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted June 12, 2004 Share Posted June 12, 2004 The policy, of which I was unaware, certainly does seem to inhibit relevant vendors. It does seem to penalize businesses like The Button Box, which are actual businesses, as opposed to craftspeople and small-item resellers that have no store or paid staff. And a fee of 10% of sales suggests that they don't understand the difference between cash flow and income. A pity. Were vendor sites free before that, or did they charge a fixed fee? I'd be curious as to the difference in income from the two policies, and in what that difference has been used for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Morse Posted June 12, 2004 Share Posted June 12, 2004 Were vendor sites free before that, or did they charge a fixed fee? I'd be curious as to the difference in income from the two policies, and in what that difference has been used for. They had charged a fixed fee before that which if I remember correctly was something like $200. While this still seems steep, we were able to make a go of it as we consider community awareness, repairs and sales down-the-road, networking, etc. to be (a somewhat less tangable) "income". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Edgley Posted June 12, 2004 Share Posted June 12, 2004 Interesting. It is worthy to note that Warren Robinson, who has run the Goderich Celtic College and Festival does not charge vendors or artists for CD sales, at all. The festival attracts many craftspersons of the highest quality, and "plastic leprechauns" etc. are NEVER seen. He considers the high quality booths a part of the festival's attractions and part of what the attendee pays for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Posted June 12, 2004 Share Posted June 12, 2004 Oh wow, Frank, all the more reason to go. Next year for sure. Helen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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