Anyone Going To Swaledale?

[lildogturpy]

I am spending most of 2006 in Glasgow and so I'm attending events in the UK I normally can't get to. I'm planning to be at the Swaledale weekend (19th - 21st May) Not really sure what to expect but I'm looking forward to it. I noticed a post by trickcyclist saying they planned on being at Swaledale. Is anyone else planning to go?

[stuart estell]

Yep! See you there!

[Nick Oliver]

Ann and I will be there as well - We'll take the Bflat McCann Duet (see Buying blind - Stuart's note a few days ago) but only if anybody is interested in it. It is a Lachenal with raised wooden ends, serial no 2000.

 

Nick Oliver

[Brian Peters]

I'll be giving anglo classes including cross-rowing, funny keys and song accompaniment.

See you there.

[trickcyclist]

I've got beyond planning to go and I'll now definitely be there. However I'll be bringing a mandolin as well as my concertina skills are pretty rudimentary and I like to be able to join in at sessions.

[stuart estell]

Great, quite a few people bring extra instruments - there were fiddles, guitars, melodeons and pipes last year, amongst other things.

 

Some of us, of course, are completely incapable of travelling light

Edited May 2, 2006 by stuart estell

[Roger Gawley]

Great, quite a few people bring extra instruments - there were fiddles, guitars, melodeons and pipes last year, amongst other things.

 

Some of us, of course, are completely incapable of travelling light

 

I am going. You forgot the horn, Stuart

[stuart estell]

Great, quite a few people bring extra instruments - there were fiddles, guitars, melodeons and pipes last year, amongst other things.

 

Some of us, of course, are completely incapable of travelling light

 

I am going. You forgot the horn, Stuart

 

- or the "gas bass" as Samantha called it! Yes, how could I forget that!

[lildogturpy]

I must say that I had a fantastic time at the Swaledale Squeeze. The venue was spectacular, for the hour or so when you could see more than 10 feet The North-East Squeeze in I've been to a couple of times and the Swaledale meet has a slightly different atmosphere. Everything was focused on the concertina, as opposed to all free reed instruments.

 

I met some wonderful and welcoming people over the weekend. There were many talented musicians there and I have a huge collection of fantastic tunes to work my way through. I think the highlight for me was hearing the Northumbrian tunes for the first time, some of the comments in other forums (fora?) on the differences between reels and rants makes a lot more sense now.

 

At the NESI the workshops are set up very informally by requesting or offering a workshop once you arrive. At Swaledale the workshops are announced in the program in advance so it's a bit easier to plan ahead. One thing I should have thought about a bit beforehand was how many of those workshops I went to were going to put on a performance in the final concert. It was great to see everybody getting a chance to go up and perform though.

 

The informal singing and tune sessions had some great music. I don't think I've heard Lou Reed and Dire Straits on the concertina before, quite impressive. I also enjoyed the impromptu Peter Bellamy theme that Stuart began in the singing session.

 

The workshop from Pauline de Snoo will stay with me a long time I think, I can't seem to play stacatto now without thinking of those paper balls! It really helped to get the idea of what we were trying to achieve into our heads before even picking up the concertina.

 

I would like to thank Sandra Kerr and Dave Ball for inviting me to sit in with them playing in the final concert, I had a blast.

 

Lastly I would also have to say that Jane and Dave did a terrific job of organizing everything and making sure everthing went so smoothly. I don't think I heard a single comment over the whole weekend that wasn't positive.

 

Even though by this time next year I'll be back in Montreal I'm seriously considering coming back for a Squeeze in 2007.

[Roger Gawley]

Be fair: the sun shone for nearly three hours on Sunday and there was a moment near the end of the Friday walk when you could see where you were going.

 

I came at it from a different angle (well Durham in fact) so Northumbrian tunes are less of a novelty to me but you are right about the talented musicians along with several players not much better than I am.

 

Some of the workshops only decided late on to perform. The stars of the "Playing in Pairs" workshop decided that they could not do it any better than the final "rehearsal" so that group did not perform. But, a huge but, Ayliffe and Foss who have been stars of the dance at both Swaledales I have been to were kind enough to dance again on Sunday while we played. This was something like fulfilling a lifelong ambition. Some of the sublety of Paul's tune was sacrificed for better rhythm but the dancers wanted that and, if Paul was upset, he was kind enough not to show it.

 

The rest of us would like to thank Sandra and Dave for inviting you to play with them too.

 

Please do come back, it was good to see you.

[Paul Woloschuk]

As Swaledale was my first squeeze-type event of any kind, I was not too sure what to expect, but despite the long drive, I returned home absolutely refreshed and invigorated (obviously I wasn't drinking enough Black Sheep Ale!).

It was great to meet so many talented and friendly people....Stuart E, Trickcyclist, Paul McCann and many others....not forgetting Madeleine the rag doll!

[geoffwright]

What an excellent weekend - it is great to catch up with friends old and new - I didn't exert myself too much, taking things very steadily (untill the Irish reels started).

Well done to all the organisers - especially the short notice ones.

 

I am determined to learn push and pull chords in D and F if it kills me (metaphorically).