Lady Vagabond checks in, pre-Arisia
Many, many donations for gafferbear since my post last night, and that's only what I know about from my watch. Thanks, gang. :D Well done. I look forward to hearing soon that it was more than enough.
Tonight we journeyed west to sing with our sister in a sweet little room, under the kind brass gaze of Ganesha, surrounded by quartz and amethyst on every flat surface. Kellianna, veteran of Glastonbury chant-magick-making and so many other amazing things, is always a treat to share stage time with, and she brings the Valkyr-goddess energy with a voice like a clear hunting call, power like a thrown spear--not to mention an irrepressible grin. Everything went smoothly tonight, in a dreamlike way. Our costumes all matched, even, with no prior discussion. This has started to happen to me and stealthcello a lot lately, but tonight Kellianna also showed up wearing purple. I had to smile.
stealthcello joined Kellianna on many songs, having done so at concerts previous, and I enjoyed letting the efforts of these two wonderful women wash over me for a while. The crowd did, too. I lent a little bit of vocals and drum mojo to Kellianna's song "Warrior Queen" and to her cover of "Rhiannon", right at the end of her set.
After a quick changeover, Betsy and I brought the magick ourselves, ebbing and flowing, laughing and commanding.
Hadley, MA 1/13/2010, surgery anniversary; Inspirit Common with Kellianna:
1. The Drowning (Our show mate had clearly taught this one to her chant circle folk. They'd already proven themselves strong singers during her set. It was great to have them singing along with us, too.)
2. Goddess (dedicated to Kellianna, herself herself)
3. Ravens in the Library (A year ago tonight I was in a hospital bed, with a bright slash across my center. This year is better. You, my Ravens, helped.)
4. Girl with the Lion's Tail (I have missed performing this one. We nailed it.)
5. Cold Sunshine (ditto.)
6. Alligator in the House (Kellianna doing a barely-suppressed tango-wiggle in the back, us cutting up in front, and the lovely crowd laughing along in the middle! Oh, it was good.)
7. Salad of Doom (I had no omnisti with his fork to get everybody on top of the "nom nom"-ing! It was weeeird! Still fun, though.)
8. Hymn to Herne (the WHOLE ROOM sang along and whooped and growled in all the right places. Kellianna had told me ahead of time that we had to put this one in the set, because her chant circle people adore it. Boy, do they! Yum.)
9. Were-owl (one of the audience members was another 2xcreative participant, and I got to hear about the story she wrote, as well as the found-objects loom that was created hand in hand with it! Looking forward to reading and seeing them both here tomorrow, after some rest. Thank you, Helene!)
10. Witch's Rune (by multi-voiced request!)
11. Heart Beat (Nailed it again, let the dragons come in and sing through me, and it felt good. Another prayer lifted for those in need of a little liberation.)
I am so lucky, to sing to other Pagan folk indoors as well as outdoors. The dark of the year was just as welcoming tonight as the spring.
Thinking of writing a song, poem, or a strange story about tonight in its peacefully surreal goodness. The last thing that happened before we headed back to Boston was that we met Kellianna's oft-mentioned sweetheart Chris, who lives up to all the reports of his gentle spirit. Chris, who joyfully admired my little guitar Dragonfly and Betsy's Raven, is a good source of antiviral tinctures and remedies and things. He made sure before we left that Betsy and I were hooked up with antiviral and sleep remedies. In the car, I said to Betsy, "we may have to write a song or something about trading with the man who bottles sleep." She agreed.
under dark stars we traveled to a land i always see beneath old snow
to sing with our sister, come down from her mountain
in the dark of massachusetts, we plied our singing trade
for folk who'd traveled far as we
i let the dragon ride me, sing me, sang until my flesh grew weak
while betsy traded half her pay to the man who bottled sleep...
and now, to sleep in truth. Safe, warm dreams to you, my friends.
(it wasn't actually half her pay, of course. We did well.)
Tonight we journeyed west to sing with our sister in a sweet little room, under the kind brass gaze of Ganesha, surrounded by quartz and amethyst on every flat surface. Kellianna, veteran of Glastonbury chant-magick-making and so many other amazing things, is always a treat to share stage time with, and she brings the Valkyr-goddess energy with a voice like a clear hunting call, power like a thrown spear--not to mention an irrepressible grin. Everything went smoothly tonight, in a dreamlike way. Our costumes all matched, even, with no prior discussion. This has started to happen to me and stealthcello a lot lately, but tonight Kellianna also showed up wearing purple. I had to smile.
stealthcello joined Kellianna on many songs, having done so at concerts previous, and I enjoyed letting the efforts of these two wonderful women wash over me for a while. The crowd did, too. I lent a little bit of vocals and drum mojo to Kellianna's song "Warrior Queen" and to her cover of "Rhiannon", right at the end of her set.
After a quick changeover, Betsy and I brought the magick ourselves, ebbing and flowing, laughing and commanding.
Hadley, MA 1/13/2010, surgery anniversary; Inspirit Common with Kellianna:
1. The Drowning (Our show mate had clearly taught this one to her chant circle folk. They'd already proven themselves strong singers during her set. It was great to have them singing along with us, too.)
2. Goddess (dedicated to Kellianna, herself herself)
3. Ravens in the Library (A year ago tonight I was in a hospital bed, with a bright slash across my center. This year is better. You, my Ravens, helped.)
4. Girl with the Lion's Tail (I have missed performing this one. We nailed it.)
5. Cold Sunshine (ditto.)
6. Alligator in the House (Kellianna doing a barely-suppressed tango-wiggle in the back, us cutting up in front, and the lovely crowd laughing along in the middle! Oh, it was good.)
7. Salad of Doom (I had no omnisti with his fork to get everybody on top of the "nom nom"-ing! It was weeeird! Still fun, though.)
8. Hymn to Herne (the WHOLE ROOM sang along and whooped and growled in all the right places. Kellianna had told me ahead of time that we had to put this one in the set, because her chant circle people adore it. Boy, do they! Yum.)
9. Were-owl (one of the audience members was another 2xcreative participant, and I got to hear about the story she wrote, as well as the found-objects loom that was created hand in hand with it! Looking forward to reading and seeing them both here tomorrow, after some rest. Thank you, Helene!)
10. Witch's Rune (by multi-voiced request!)
11. Heart Beat (Nailed it again, let the dragons come in and sing through me, and it felt good. Another prayer lifted for those in need of a little liberation.)
I am so lucky, to sing to other Pagan folk indoors as well as outdoors. The dark of the year was just as welcoming tonight as the spring.
Thinking of writing a song, poem, or a strange story about tonight in its peacefully surreal goodness. The last thing that happened before we headed back to Boston was that we met Kellianna's oft-mentioned sweetheart Chris, who lives up to all the reports of his gentle spirit. Chris, who joyfully admired my little guitar Dragonfly and Betsy's Raven, is a good source of antiviral tinctures and remedies and things. He made sure before we left that Betsy and I were hooked up with antiviral and sleep remedies. In the car, I said to Betsy, "we may have to write a song or something about trading with the man who bottles sleep." She agreed.
under dark stars we traveled to a land i always see beneath old snow
to sing with our sister, come down from her mountain
in the dark of massachusetts, we plied our singing trade
for folk who'd traveled far as we
i let the dragon ride me, sing me, sang until my flesh grew weak
while betsy traded half her pay to the man who bottled sleep...
and now, to sleep in truth. Safe, warm dreams to you, my friends.
(it wasn't actually half her pay, of course. We did well.)