Re: Thankfully, I missed it!! Why call it a session?
Neither was something I'd like to have attended. The first one was mikes, big PA, attentive audience, musicians on a stage, professional dancers, lots of distance between listeners and players, little spontaneity. It's a paid gig in a pub, under the guise of a "session." Not my idea of a friendly session.
The second was the typical large urban "session," with two big loud accordions, audience at a remove from the players, and probably a paid gig. Very different from small, informal, local, friendly rural sessions.
YMMV, but my idea of a session is a friendly, relaxed gathering of friends and neighbors who enjoy each others company -- rather than a videotaped presentation for the benefit of the commercial establishment.
First one amazed me -
who could believe something like that just happening, just like that? I mean, what are the odds? All of those talented people just happen into the same public house, same evening, even a sound system already in place, the dancers must have been coming home from a gig as they were in costume...
But seriously --- I must agree with David.
Neither was a "session" as i always perceived the thing. It might have been in a pub, there might not have been reserved seating and a covercharge, but they were clearly carefully arranged formal performances.
I prefer more of a "drop-on-in" session, something fairly open where anyone brilliant can happen in. The same thing applies for open mikes/folk nights (quite the institution around here) - too calculated and inbred and it becomes a dessicated and dead thing.
Ah, well.
My base and narrow bigotry is revealed at last.
Fair enough, the links aren't exactly sessions, still, it would have been nice have known that they were on and to be there listen. And what about all the other actual real sessions mentioned? Cavanagha's, The Corner House, The Crubin, The Thomond, Le Chateau, Charlies, The Long Valley, The Sin E, The Rob Roy, Jushua Tree, An Realt Dearg, The Ovans and The Gables. All these sessions are within a mile or must less (sometimes just next door) of each other. I did get to some of the actually sessions but very few of the venues. Anyone get to them and what did you think of them?
I reckon both were paid gigs. In fact, I wouldn't mind betting that all of the "Lee Sessions" are paid gigs. Having said which, it looks to me like they may be doing something to support trad musicians, and I'd have to applaud them for that.
In answer to the question, though, gtag, it seems to me that it's simple. Just folow the instructions and either go to the Lee Sessions website or get on their mailing list, if you're interested.
david: i agree with you that it is not open to the public. notice the use of the term "sessions" rather than session (e.g. "bbc transatlantic sessions"). i think this is similar to the use of the word session in professional music recording, "session musician" is someone you can hire to go to a (recording) "session."
now, i'm not going to say that they aren't purposely being misleading. but think of it this way. when (if) you tell your friends about it, do you imagine the organizers want you to say:
1. "i went to a great session last night, in cork city."
OR
2. "i went to the lee sessions last night, in cork city."
i would venture to guess they want you to say the second one. notice that you are not watching a video of "a" lee session, but a video of "the" lee sessions, even though only one is happening.
so, let's think of them as free gigs you can go see in pubs. i do agree, however, that it'd be annoying to continue to hear the word session in the plural having a different meaning than in the singular.
Rather like The Highland Sessions, or The Trans-Atlantic Sessions. A bit of a longer drive in the banger, eh?
(BTW, I am not knocking any program that is spreading and sharing ITM, let alone paying artists to entertain with this lovely stuff. Good all around, say I. )
I say that the second one was out of proportion. there were no uillean pipes, no flute, no whistles. A good session has to have at least a good flute, in my opinion.
They weren't what you or I would like to go to and have a few relaxed tunes with some pals. But they - the seoncd one in particular - were nice stuff, and supported trad musicians. Can't be bad.
I blinked and missed it!!
I blinked and missed it!!
What wonderful session(s) did you miss lately?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lz4ksZHNQYE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlrGblTIZQ0
# Posted on October 16th 2011 by gtag
Re: Thankfully, I missed it!! Why call it a session?
Neither was something I'd like to have attended. The first one was mikes, big PA, attentive audience, musicians on a stage, professional dancers, lots of distance between listeners and players, little spontaneity. It's a paid gig in a pub, under the guise of a "session." Not my idea of a friendly session.
The second was the typical large urban "session," with two big loud accordions, audience at a remove from the players, and probably a paid gig. Very different from small, informal, local, friendly rural sessions.
YMMV, but my idea of a session is a friendly, relaxed gathering of friends and neighbors who enjoy each others company -- rather than a videotaped presentation for the benefit of the commercial establishment.
# Posted on October 16th 2011 by David Levine
Re: I blinked and missed it!!
First one amazed me -
who could believe something like that just happening, just like that? I mean, what are the odds? All of those talented people just happen into the same public house, same evening, even a sound system already in place, the dancers must have been coming home from a gig as they were in costume...
But seriously --- I must agree with David.
Neither was a "session" as i always perceived the thing. It might have been in a pub, there might not have been reserved seating and a covercharge, but they were clearly carefully arranged formal performances.
I prefer more of a "drop-on-in" session, something fairly open where anyone brilliant can happen in. The same thing applies for open mikes/folk nights (quite the institution around here) - too calculated and inbred and it becomes a dessicated and dead thing.
Ah, well.
My base and narrow bigotry is revealed at last.
# Posted on October 16th 2011 by Piece
Re: I blinked and missed it!!
Fair enough, the links aren't exactly sessions, still, it would have been nice have known that they were on and to be there listen. And what about all the other actual real sessions mentioned? Cavanagha's, The Corner House, The Crubin, The Thomond, Le Chateau, Charlies, The Long Valley, The Sin E, The Rob Roy, Jushua Tree, An Realt Dearg, The Ovans and The Gables. All these sessions are within a mile or must less (sometimes just next door) of each other. I did get to some of the actually sessions but very few of the venues. Anyone get to them and what did you think of them?
# Posted on October 16th 2011 by gtag
Re: I blinked and missed it!!
I reckon both were paid gigs. In fact, I wouldn't mind betting that all of the "Lee Sessions" are paid gigs. Having said which, it looks to me like they may be doing something to support trad musicians, and I'd have to applaud them for that.
In answer to the question, though, gtag, it seems to me that it's simple. Just folow the instructions and either go to the Lee Sessions website or get on their mailing list, if you're interested.
Simples!
# Posted on October 16th 2011 by ethical blend
Re: I blinked and missed it!!
david: i agree with you that it is not open to the public. notice the use of the term "sessions" rather than session (e.g. "bbc transatlantic sessions"). i think this is similar to the use of the word session in professional music recording, "session musician" is someone you can hire to go to a (recording) "session."
now, i'm not going to say that they aren't purposely being misleading. but think of it this way. when (if) you tell your friends about it, do you imagine the organizers want you to say:
1. "i went to a great session last night, in cork city."
OR
2. "i went to the lee sessions last night, in cork city."
i would venture to guess they want you to say the second one. notice that you are not watching a video of "a" lee session, but a video of "the" lee sessions, even though only one is happening.
so, let's think of them as free gigs you can go see in pubs. i do agree, however, that it'd be annoying to continue to hear the word session in the plural having a different meaning than in the singular.
# Posted on October 16th 2011 by daiv
Re: I blinked and missed it!!
At least the second clip had "some" similarity to a session ...
... but the giveaway was the slick changes on the call of "hup", indicating that everything was pre-planned and pre-arranged.
# Posted on October 16th 2011 by Mix O'Lydian
Re: I blinked and missed it!!
.. not to mention the call of: "Play when you're ready!" at the beginning of the clip...
# Posted on October 16th 2011 by Mix O'Lydian
Re: I blinked and missed it!!
If those are sessions, then what we see on reality TV must portray reality...
# Posted on October 16th 2011 by AlBrown
Re: I blinked and missed it!!
Rather like The Highland Sessions, or The Trans-Atlantic Sessions. A bit of a longer drive in the banger, eh?
)
(BTW, I am not knocking any program that is spreading and sharing ITM, let alone paying artists to entertain with this lovely stuff. Good all around, say I.
# Posted on October 16th 2011 by Piece
Re: I blinked and missed it!!
Dancer was a pretty girl; points for that.
# Posted on October 17th 2011 by Adrian W.
Re: I blinked and missed it!!
I say that the second one was out of proportion. there were no uillean pipes, no flute, no whistles. A good session has to have at least a good flute, in my opinion.
# Posted on October 18th 2011 by an fidleir
Re: I blinked and missed it!!
And there was me just thinking it sounded nice. I can be so naive ...
# Posted on October 18th 2011 by ethical blend
Re: I blinked and missed it!!
Both clips were great performances, ethical, I enjoyed them, too. They just weren't sessions...
# Posted on October 18th 2011 by AlBrown
Re: I blinked and missed it!!
Do you really want to go there, Al?
# Posted on October 18th 2011 by Batgirl has left the GPL ;)
Re: I blinked and missed it!!
They weren't what you or I would like to go to and have a few relaxed tunes with some pals. But they - the seoncd one in particular - were nice stuff, and supported trad musicians. Can't be bad.
# Posted on October 18th 2011 by ethical blend
Re: I blinked and missed it!!
I guess we failed to notice that the glass was half full!
# Posted on October 19th 2011 by AlBrown