Almost Got Away
Before we get to OVFF, I should jump back one major event and summarize this year's FSGW Getaway.
This was the third year of my on-going effort to expand the repertoire of traditional (and "in the tradition") songs I can pull on at FSGW events. I got a late start on a few of the targeted songs so didn't quite manage to memorize them. But the new adds (notably "San Francisco Bay Blues" and "Fishin' for Chickens") were decently received.
I co-hosted a workshop (theme circle) on "Mythical Creatures" with a fellow RenFestie from Western NY (near Geneva). We had the best crowd I've had for a workshop in several years; just barely made it around the circle in an hour. I kicked off the session with "Green-Eyed Dragon with the 13 Tails".
It amuses me that I seem to be on a Juanita Coulson kick at the moment, having also offered up "Ballad of Alferd G. Packer" as my entry in the Saturday Night concert, which followed my doing "Richter Scale" last year. Seems to be the way I roll. When I first started attending FSGW sings, I pilfered songs from Clam Chowder and the Pyrates Royale. Then I nicked a few off the Poor Clares. Then I went on a Great Big Sea run. Now I'm raiding Juanita's songbook.
A guy could do far, far worse with his sources for songs *grin*.
The Getaway holds a silent auction to fund "scholarships" for folks who are interested in attending but can't afford the full membership rate. I picked up two amusing songbooks. One was the Swarthmore Folk Alumni Songbook, put together by alumni who were active in putting on Swarthmore Folk Festivals in the 1950's and 1960's and still put on an annual folk event during Swarthmore's Alumni Weekend. The other was a copy of Roberta Rogow's "Sing a Song of Trekkin'" songbook offered up by an apparently GAFIAted and suitably repentant fan and filker. (As opposed to us, who are unrepentant...and not gafiated either!) Both are probably bound for the Interfilk Auction at next year's Concertino.
Other fun moments included concerts by Magpie, Joel Mabus, and Ann Mayo and Christine Muir. I amused Christine Muir by pointing out that the_sheryl and I were probably the only Getaway attendees more familiar with her music than her mother's, being long-time fans of her current musical group Hot Soup. We also attended workshops on Food Songs (where I offered "Donuts, Donuts"), Songs for the Earth ("Caretakers"), Comic Songs ("When I Was A Boy") and the Songwriter's Showcase ("Valancy's Gift").
And, in the "It's A Small World After All" (or is that "All The World's A Circle") category of amusements...the late-night jam/sing I like to hang out at/participate in Saturday night of the Getaway is "hosted" by local folkies Sandra and Gene Koppel. Sandra and Gene are part of Adelphi Records, a local record company who produced recordings for the Holy Modal Rounders. One of the Rounders - Peter Stempfel - is married to one Elizabeth Wollheim. Who is currently the Managing Editor of a small publishing house which a few of my friends may have heard of.
Too bad the FSGW Mini-Fest beats Discount Armageddon by a month.
This was the third year of my on-going effort to expand the repertoire of traditional (and "in the tradition") songs I can pull on at FSGW events. I got a late start on a few of the targeted songs so didn't quite manage to memorize them. But the new adds (notably "San Francisco Bay Blues" and "Fishin' for Chickens") were decently received.
I co-hosted a workshop (theme circle) on "Mythical Creatures" with a fellow RenFestie from Western NY (near Geneva). We had the best crowd I've had for a workshop in several years; just barely made it around the circle in an hour. I kicked off the session with "Green-Eyed Dragon with the 13 Tails".
It amuses me that I seem to be on a Juanita Coulson kick at the moment, having also offered up "Ballad of Alferd G. Packer" as my entry in the Saturday Night concert, which followed my doing "Richter Scale" last year. Seems to be the way I roll. When I first started attending FSGW sings, I pilfered songs from Clam Chowder and the Pyrates Royale. Then I nicked a few off the Poor Clares. Then I went on a Great Big Sea run. Now I'm raiding Juanita's songbook.
A guy could do far, far worse with his sources for songs *grin*.
The Getaway holds a silent auction to fund "scholarships" for folks who are interested in attending but can't afford the full membership rate. I picked up two amusing songbooks. One was the Swarthmore Folk Alumni Songbook, put together by alumni who were active in putting on Swarthmore Folk Festivals in the 1950's and 1960's and still put on an annual folk event during Swarthmore's Alumni Weekend. The other was a copy of Roberta Rogow's "Sing a Song of Trekkin'" songbook offered up by an apparently GAFIAted and suitably repentant fan and filker. (As opposed to us, who are unrepentant...and not gafiated either!) Both are probably bound for the Interfilk Auction at next year's Concertino.
Other fun moments included concerts by Magpie, Joel Mabus, and Ann Mayo and Christine Muir. I amused Christine Muir by pointing out that the_sheryl and I were probably the only Getaway attendees more familiar with her music than her mother's, being long-time fans of her current musical group Hot Soup. We also attended workshops on Food Songs (where I offered "Donuts, Donuts"), Songs for the Earth ("Caretakers"), Comic Songs ("When I Was A Boy") and the Songwriter's Showcase ("Valancy's Gift").
And, in the "It's A Small World After All" (or is that "All The World's A Circle") category of amusements...the late-night jam/sing I like to hang out at/participate in Saturday night of the Getaway is "hosted" by local folkies Sandra and Gene Koppel. Sandra and Gene are part of Adelphi Records, a local record company who produced recordings for the Holy Modal Rounders. One of the Rounders - Peter Stempfel - is married to one Elizabeth Wollheim. Who is currently the Managing Editor of a small publishing house which a few of my friends may have heard of.
Too bad the FSGW Mini-Fest beats Discount Armageddon by a month.