I was a guest at a wedding in Cork at the weekend. Enjoyed it, and I even accepted the fact that my conversation with people I hadn’t seen for years ceased when the Wedding Band started to play. Why do Wedding Bands have to play so loud ? I mean the music was good and lively etc, but it beats me why they spoil it with such volume. Towards the end of the evening it was decided to play ‘The Siege of Ennis’. One of the band members explained to the crowd how to ‘do the dance‘, and I moved closer to see how the band were going to handle the tunes. They didn’t, or couldn’t, but instead they took a break and put a record on. Not even a good old ITM record, but some girl group singing ‘ I’ll Tell My Ma’ to a disco beat. For an old codger like me who played at numerous weddings over the years and for more ‘Siege of Ennis’ dances then I’ve had hot dinners, it was the ultimate insult.
The repeated shight we've come across is the token local troupe of young girls in costume and ringlets and the half hour show their parents and others demand they subject people to ~ with usually a cheap two speaker boom box and a recording that would cause chickens to abort and crops to fail, it is that awful... Where do they get this stuff from? Worse, there are always a few reasonable musicians on hand, except such dancer never seem able to handle 'real' reels...
We have since avoided most ceilis because that usual half hour or more is just too painful. Such an atrocity must have a bad effect on the health of the body and mind, it all being so horribly 'affected'...
On the other side of your tale ~ volume, be glad it wasn't an English ceilidh, where too often bad brass or other orchestral additions are clumsily sewn into the performance, as if doing sutures without anaesthesia... Dear God, aneasthetize me against such raucous horrors acosting my ears... If I'm going to damage my ears at least make it decent music...
Come on guys, why have any expectations for such events never mind high ones? A wedding, even in Ireland, isn't, or, is no more, an event where you're guaranteed to hear good traditional music. You might get better in Scotland, where wedding Ceilidh bands might still have yer traditional fiddle and accordion players....this is in my experience, anyway. But I have to concur, there's no need for the hiked up volume. I hate loud music anyway.
In complete contrast; The recent Gillingham (Dorset) folk festival interspersed each of the performers (Flook, Cara Dillon, Salsa Celtica to name a few of the great acts there) with various morris dancing, mummers and the local Irish dance school. The latter were marvelous, all the better for having live, acoustic musicians playing reels, jigs and slip jigs (&without sheet music). Sounds like we could do with importing back some of these traditions?
Got to add it all segued beautifully - keeping the audience interested the whole time, not at all like the ages standing in the rain between acts that is the usual festival experience...
The siege was a mighty dance for getting a swing out of a girl, if you were quick in the lineup you could get to meet that girl you were look at out of the side of your eye all night.
Weddings now cost about £20,000 for an all in, all inclusive, miserable day, especially for the Bride and Groom who do not get two minutes peace, and are not allowed to be alone. This includes "Siege Of Ennis" style GAMES, not a dance, but a game in the "Aren't we all having fun" category.
The Siege of Ennis - 21st Century Style
The Siege of Ennis - 21st Century Style
I was a guest at a wedding in Cork at the weekend. Enjoyed it, and I even accepted the fact that my conversation with people I hadn’t seen for years ceased when the Wedding Band started to play. Why do Wedding Bands have to play so loud ? I mean the music was good and lively etc, but it beats me why they spoil it with such volume. Towards the end of the evening it was decided to play ‘The Siege of Ennis’. One of the band members explained to the crowd how to ‘do the dance‘, and I moved closer to see how the band were going to handle the tunes. They didn’t, or couldn’t, but instead they took a break and put a record on. Not even a good old ITM record, but some girl group singing ‘ I’ll Tell My Ma’ to a disco beat. For an old codger like me who played at numerous weddings over the years and for more ‘Siege of Ennis’ dances then I’ve had hot dinners, it was the ultimate insult.
# Posted on July 23rd 2007 by Free Reed
Re: The Siege of Ennis - 21st Century Style
YUCK!!!
The repeated shight we've come across is the token local troupe of young girls in costume and ringlets and the half hour show their parents and others demand they subject people to ~ with usually a cheap two speaker boom box and a recording that would cause chickens to abort and crops to fail, it is that awful... Where do they get this stuff from? Worse, there are always a few reasonable musicians on hand, except such dancer never seem able to handle 'real' reels...
We have since avoided most ceilis because that usual half hour or more is just too painful. Such an atrocity must have a bad effect on the health of the body and mind, it all being so horribly 'affected'...
On the other side of your tale ~ volume, be glad it wasn't an English ceilidh, where too often bad brass or other orchestral additions are clumsily sewn into the performance, as if doing sutures without anaesthesia... Dear God, aneasthetize me against such raucous horrors acosting my ears... If I'm going to damage my ears at least make it decent music...
# Posted on July 23rd 2007 by ceolachan
Re: The Siege of Ennis - 21st Century Style
Come on guys, why have any expectations for such events never mind high ones? A wedding, even in Ireland, isn't, or, is no more, an event where you're guaranteed to hear good traditional music. You might get better in Scotland, where wedding Ceilidh bands might still have yer traditional fiddle and accordion players....this is in my experience, anyway. But I have to concur, there's no need for the hiked up volume. I hate loud music anyway.
# Posted on July 23rd 2007 by Rudall the time
Re: The Siege of Ennis - 21st Century Style
Expectations? Who, us? Nah, it is just another chance to share horror stories. Come on Dan-the-man, I know you are dripping with them...
# Posted on July 23rd 2007 by ceolachan
Re: The Siege of Ennis - 21st Century Style
In complete contrast; The recent Gillingham (Dorset) folk festival interspersed each of the performers (Flook, Cara Dillon, Salsa Celtica to name a few of the great acts there) with various morris dancing, mummers and the local Irish dance school. The latter were marvelous, all the better for having live, acoustic musicians playing reels, jigs and slip jigs (&without sheet music). Sounds like we could do with importing back some of these traditions?
Got to add it all segued beautifully - keeping the audience interested the whole time, not at all like the ages standing in the rain between acts that is the usual festival experience...
# Posted on July 23rd 2007 by stripthewillow
Re: The Siege of Ennis - 21st Century Style
The siege was a mighty dance for getting a swing out of a girl, if you were quick in the lineup you could get to meet that girl you were look at out of the side of your eye all night.
http://www.vhi.ie/news/n051206b.jsp
This is the Crack today, literally.....
# Posted on July 23rd 2007 by stevecomputer
Re: The Siege of Ennis - 21st Century Style
Weddings now cost about £20,000 for an all in, all inclusive, miserable day, especially for the Bride and Groom who do not get two minutes peace, and are not allowed to be alone. This includes "Siege Of Ennis" style GAMES, not a dance, but a game in the "Aren't we all having fun" category.
Weddings should now be banned.
# Posted on July 23rd 2007 by bodhran bliss
Re: The Siege of Ennis - 21st Century Style
I'm slipping my daughter £200 to elope !
Even though a lot of my band work is weddings !
# Posted on July 24th 2007 by Guernsey Pete
Re: The Siege of Ennis - 21st Century Style
I told my daughter she could have £100 for the wedding, and use the rest for a present.
# Posted on July 24th 2007 by bodhran bliss