Okay - maybe its just a cheerful Friday topic, (or maybe it's a serious discussion of a fundamental element of good sessions).
Do you have non-playing people who are not just "Punters", but are part of your session? (by Punters I mean: incidental customers of the pub, who may indeed enjoy the music, and perhaps even come specially to listen, but whose presence or absence does not affect the ethos of the session).
We have a small number of people who, over the years, have become part of our regular Friday session although they do not play any music, or sing. We have a retired piper, and one or two spouses of players, but we also have a few people who are neither ex-players, nor aspiring players, and are totally unrelated to anyone playing, but who are as much a part of our session as any of the tunemongers. If they are not with us, we are diminshed. We even have a couple who, as far as we can tell, visit us via a timewarp from 1943.
Is our session alone in this - or is it normal?
(Academic pedanticists need not contribute)
We've got Murphy, the landlords' dog. She's a black mongrelly kind of sheepdog thing. Sometimes she sits on the bar to avoid getting trodden on by drunken punters/musicians. It would probably not be fair to name/categorise some of the other regulars
We have a few regular people who attend our Saturday night session and are part of the furniture. Usually they sit at the bar and listen. There is one guy who goes to every Fleadh in Ireland and considers himself a great judge of the music and when anyone new joins the session he comes over and cocks his ear to listen to their playing and nods sagely if they are okay.
Unfortunately we do have a few partners of musicians who insist on sitting beside their musical partners, thus occupying an important space for a player and this drives us mad. Very little you can do though except glare. Never works though!
Try sending the partners on errands, like fetching rounds of drinks. It's a mercy, otherwise they just sit there feeling spare. And if they don't like it - hey, tough one. Maybe they'll think twice next time.
This is a difficult one. You don't want your partner to be a "session widow(er)" It does help that mine plays the whistle a bit but in some sessions, she'll feel more awkward and sit on the outside if she doesn't know many of the tunes. I suppose it can be awkward for the players who don't want to have their partners feel too neglected. If there's space available, then they're not doing much harm.
Of course, if everyone knows each other, they can have a good old "gossip" at the bar. Not being sexist here, as I know that men are the worse gossips.
Dump anyone immediatley who does not play music. They are worthless. Hop straight into bed with the person playing on your immediate left. Male/female two legs/four legs, pretty/mary hearney it doesnt matter. This is the only way to be happy.
I can think of a couple of regular session followers. One is a pure session junkie, does English, Irish, Bluegrass. Nice guy, I got him to come to ours last night. The other guy is an aspiring musician. He's attended an English session for a few years, all the musicians like him. He knows the tumes so well now that he's ever made up dirty lyrics to some of them.
There was a session groupie at some point. A lot less desirable than non-playing sessioners. Unless they broadened the meaning of playing at sessions.
I can't think of any non-playing sessioneers turning up at my sessions (apart from the very occasional partner/friend on a one-off basis), but I'd go along with John J's comment that the bartender/pub manager. Any session will fall flat and go out of existence without good support from behind the bar.
Trevor
Some people really need to get away from this doing things together just cos we're married thing. A bored partner sitting in the ensemble really can be a turn off. My missus doesn't come to our session, and I don't go to her aikido - simple really.
Except for a fiddle player who's currently in Ireland, our weekly session consists of all men and myself. There have been times when a partner/spouse comes to the session and watches like a hawk. Not because she's into the music, but because she's a little insecure and untrusting. (It's a college town and many pretty co-eds in and out of the joint). My vote is leave your jealous partner home. Anyone ever experience the jealous wife/husband/boyfriend/girlfriend syndrome at a session?
Back to the original topic, we do have a "non-playing" woman who comes to the sessions every week, house parties and other Irish music events. She does really like Irish music, but she *really* likes one of the lads who's a fine musician.......and I know he does lurk around here so he knows who I'm talking about ; )
>>Anyone ever experience the jealous wife/husband/boyfriend/girlfriend syndrome at a session?
Not quite, but I did see a woman step over to the session, give one of the musicians a (well-deserved) free character reading ... then go back to the bar to finish her drink. Wild horses wouldn't drag his name from me, but he's a bit of a babe magnet to be sure
Ach gwan gwan gwan gwan go - on!
Tell us Orson, we promise we'll keep it quiet! Still trying to work out who you are, by the way, although I'm sure I've met you. Was St Pat's night the last occasion, perchance?
Well, it's not a one-sided thing, either -- not that jealousy isn't a problem, but sometimes musos don't exactly help. We're by and large an obsessive bunch, and I wouldn't blame a partner for becoming upset that their partner seems to spend a lot less time with family and partner and more with musician friends and instrument. And some sessions are such, from what I hear, that spouses really *should* be worried!
And if someone insists on taking up a chair in the circle next to their partner but doesn't play, I tend to feel that they're feeling rather unwelcome or unwanted or something, so I think that's a good time to get to know them and have a few laughs and introduce them around to everyone else and do my part to help them have a good time, so they have something to do instead of just sitting there wondering what the attraction is of the night out. That's worth not playing a few tunes for -- what's a session about if it's not the people in it?
All that aside, I never expect Pete to come out for any of my stuff -- dancing or music or what have you. (Same goes for his volleyball and golf and such.) I try to make sure he knows he's always welcome to come along and that I enjoy having him there but also that I won't be upset if he doesn't come. Also, if I truly want him to be at something, or he wants me somewhere, or if he needs me to spend time with him instead of going out or vice versa, then our deal is that we have to say so ahead of time, out loud in front of God and everybody. I'm not good at passive aggressive.
Of course, now Pete has taken up the music with a vengeance! He's going to be better than me (mainly because he practises more!) if I'm not careful.
Jealous partners and what to do about them.
Having a handsome husband who plays a bit of guitar, I should have been the jealous one but instead he's jealous on 2 fronts:
My spending evenings making music with like minded people (mostly but not all men) and my playing fiddle and coming along a bit, when he's too lazy to practise his guitar and get better.
But people like that aren't reasonable so instead of trying to placate them and getting upset when they still resent your fun, just p*ss them off! At least you'll deserve the flak you get and you'll still have fun at sessions.
We once looked over and found all the (female) partners and spouses sitting together at a table across the room. Someone suggested they should have a little sign up on the table that said "Ladies' Auxillary". This was not a popular idea...
We do have a couple of non-playing -- or non Irish playing -- friends who come out regularly for the craic and the music. They add a lot to the session.
I remember warning an ex that sometimes I got chatted up when playing at sessions. Of course she just laughed it off, as I'm no oil painting - more of a crayon scrawl.
She'd never been to a Fleadh or anything of that nature so I took her to the Willie Clancy Summer School. We happened to wander into a pub where I discovered a few friends being accompanied by a Swedish girl who had no clue how to play the bodhran. I politely asked if I could borrow it and within minutes there were three local girls over to me chatting away, telling me how much they "loved the Northern accent".
Well yer wan was furious! Of course she got her own back by making a poor piper fall in love with her half an hour later. Once she realised that she didn't have to sit there like a bloody moron while I enjoyed myself, things evened out somewhat.
Me and Mrs Dave must have something right. We're married 25 years in a couple of weeks from now, and I'm still fearfully fond of the old thing. She doesn't mind me having a session girlfriend, although it terrifies me, and I don't worry that on Thursdays she goes off wrestling with an 'Arnold-Schwarzenneggeggerener-in-his-prime' lookalike (how do you spell that name?).
We do occasionally have music widows who come and sit and look bored, but very rarely.
Lol at Michael's poke at the goatskinners. Reminds me of that old joke: Q: "What do you call a groupie who hangs around annoying all the musicians?" A: "A bodhran player."
(Disclaimer: I love bodhrans...we typically have three going at once at our session.)
Our session is supported by Amanda, aka 'Mom,' who graciously ensures that it's not only the singers who get applause now and then. We actually have quite a few non-playing regulars who feel to be as much a part of the evening as any of the musos. They're part of the craic, the conversation, the general energy. Mike and Colleen are there almost every week, and they've had us to their house for sessions and parties. There's Katie, who once passed out after standing up too quickly, and Terry the state supreme court justice, and John and his wife who are coming to the Cody get-together this weekend, and Dan who hails from Chicago, and Samantha who tapes our session to take with her on trips (she's in Doolin now, listening to *us* play west Clare tunes , and my electrician Jim who stands in the back smiling at his pint...okay, by now it's clear that we don't have any room in the pub for punters. But my point is that we do know our regulars as part of the circle, on a first name basis, and I've left out half the crowd (not to mention Tracy and Sarah, our willowy tapstresses, who sometimes follow us to the next pub of the evening).
In short, ours is a true community session, a weekly party of neighbors rubbing elbows over pints and tunes. Wouldn't trade it for the world....
We've had a few characters over the years. There was Joe Walsh, who would poke his red face into the middle of the circle and breath fumes all over us as he declared, "GEORGE WHITES FAVORITE, GEORGE WHITE'S FAVORITE!" He would shake his head as he said it and his jowls would wobble. Thing was -- he always had the right name for the tune.
Then we have Chuck, who is the official session photographer and drink buyer. He's always about like the paparazzi taking snaps. Then he'll show up next time and hand the photos out to his victims. Nobody complains because he buys a round of drinks for all the players.
But one of my favorite punters was this gal who would show up dressed as though she just came from a Broadway Show or ballroom dance or something. She was always wearing some kind of glittery gown that seemed to only be held in place by her ample breasts. She would sit as close as she could and when the music moved her -- she would stand up and start moving to the music. One night our resident Musical Priest, Father John (I
We have a female like that here too. She is the sometimes partner of a musician and she tends to wear the most extraordinary gear, hats with veils and silky dresses and high heels. When the music starts she gets up and does a little jig around the bar smiling insanely all the time. It really looks quite odd. She took a dislike to me as she thought her sometimes partner fancied me and rounded on me one night and tried to banish me from the session or indeed any pub where her man was playing. Thing is I never had any lustful thoughts of same musician although I admire his playing greatly.....
There are a lot of people in this discussion who have no idea how important a non-playing sessioneer is!
I run a session at Irish Murphy's in Geelong Australia every Sunday and we have non-playing sessioneers every Sunday, and they are a VITAL part of the session. If it wasn't for them there would almost be no session. They bring in friends who have been invited because the craic is good and the music is good, and they provide an atmosphere for the session. Without this atmosphere the session would be useless! They also provide more money for the landlord which keeps him happy and he KNOWS it's the session players and the non-sessioneers which do this. Hangers on, non-playing sessioneers, girlfriends, partners, call them what you like, without them our sessions would be useless. Don't ever downplay the importance of non-sessioneers!!!
We have music widows who TALK all through the tunes! They sit in the spaces for musicians and talk louder and louder if the session is in full swing!!
We have two chaps who suddenly sing some song that's meant to be amusing, and one who thinks we want to listen to his poetry!! We are all too polite I think!!!!
I think singing drunks and poetry are part of the deal, Susie-Lee. I dig that stuff. If it really stinks it gives me time to go to the biffy or get a (respectfully discreet) refill.
Anyway, back to the topic at hand, I have one major groupie that always comes to every session and gig and festival I ever play - She even came to Ireland with me for two weeks - those of you offended by cheezy sentimentality should tape over the next couple inches - she's my mom. All the musicians I play with get to know her as well as they know me. My friend Dave has dubbed her my "significant mother". She's pretty quiet - not a major contributor as far as jibes and dirty jokes are concerned, but I always have way more fun when she's around, because a lot of the time she pays for the beer. Plus, in Ireland I could count on her to go book the B&B for "just one more night!" every time we missed the evening ferry back from Inis Oirr because the craic was just too mighty.
Occasionally in sessions we've noticed an artist not too far away with a sketchbook doing pencil sketches of the musicians and perhaps other people in the pub. Presumably this is a useful way for artists to practice their portraiture skills, bearing in mind that a player may be fairly still for several minutes at a time.
Trevor
Hello Dave C., I think everyone in here understands the relationship between the musician - punter - publican, and we can appreciate the financial aspects as well as the critical mass effect that enhances and sustains a session. We're also having a little fun looking at all the unusual punters that add to the atmosphere and make the experience a little more colorful. So why the unwarranted pedantry, do we really need that?
Actually Murfbox this lady was barred from playing her bodhran at our Saturday night session. She then tried to take us all away to another session - naturally we declined her kind offer. She does travel though with a most amazing fiddle player around these parts.
Dave - my experience is, as Dave C surmises, that some players don't acknowledge that anyone who doesn't play can even begin to make a contribution to the session, or even have any real appreciation of the music. An appreciative punter/hanger on soon learns to avoid their sessions. As does the odd player! Funny how variations on this theme keep coming up ... or is it just me repeating myself again? I need a holiday, and me just back from one, an' all! Happy anniversary to you and Showaddymummito. Keep doing right that thing you do right ....
Cath - Apparently not, since
1) my first response on this thread wasn't to its originator, and
2) I'm invited, and turn up (hell, am even welcomed!) to the odd session even without an instrument. (The definition of 'playing at sessions' is broad enough already, without that! )
Her indoors would never miss coming along with me to either sessions or dances, even though she is tone-deaf and cannot play a note - she enjoys it. It is no good marrying a musician then complaining about it.
I have no problem playing louder than the morons who stand in the middle of the session shouting as I play PA (session.org passim). I have even been known to stand up, just to get nearer to them and spoil their inane "conversation". They soon get the message.
I play flute and whistle, but my husband, who is more musical than me, restricts himslef to playing CDs and the odd bit of vinal. He always comes to our session if he's in town - and was described by one of the other muso's as one of the most important parts of the session - the audience!
Non-playing Sessioneers
Non-playing Sessioneers
Okay - maybe its just a cheerful Friday topic, (or maybe it's a serious discussion of a fundamental element of good sessions).
Do you have non-playing people who are not just "Punters", but are part of your session? (by Punters I mean: incidental customers of the pub, who may indeed enjoy the music, and perhaps even come specially to listen, but whose presence or absence does not affect the ethos of the session).
We have a small number of people who, over the years, have become part of our regular Friday session although they do not play any music, or sing. We have a retired piper, and one or two spouses of players, but we also have a few people who are neither ex-players, nor aspiring players, and are totally unrelated to anyone playing, but who are as much a part of our session as any of the tunemongers. If they are not with us, we are diminshed. We even have a couple who, as far as we can tell, visit us via a timewarp from 1943.
Is our session alone in this - or is it normal?
(Academic pedanticists need not contribute)
Dave
# Posted on April 15th 2004 by showaddydadito
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
Yeah, the drummer
# Posted on April 15th 2004 by ...
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
We've got Murphy, the landlords' dog. She's a black mongrelly kind of sheepdog thing. Sometimes she sits on the bar to avoid getting trodden on by drunken punters/musicians. It would probably not be fair to name/categorise some of the other regulars
# Posted on April 15th 2004 by Just a person
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
The most important non playing member of any session is the bartender.
# Posted on April 15th 2004 by Johnny Jay
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
We have a few regular people who attend our Saturday night session and are part of the furniture. Usually they sit at the bar and listen. There is one guy who goes to every Fleadh in Ireland and considers himself a great judge of the music and when anyone new joins the session he comes over and cocks his ear to listen to their playing and nods sagely if they are okay.
Unfortunately we do have a few partners of musicians who insist on sitting beside their musical partners, thus occupying an important space for a player and this drives us mad. Very little you can do though except glare. Never works though!
# Posted on April 15th 2004 by MollyB
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
Try sending the partners on errands, like fetching rounds of drinks. It's a mercy, otherwise they just sit there feeling spare. And if they don't like it - hey, tough one. Maybe they'll think twice next time.
# Posted on April 15th 2004 by Q
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
This is a difficult one. You don't want your partner to be a "session widow(er)" It does help that mine plays the whistle a bit but in some sessions, she'll feel more awkward and sit on the outside if she doesn't know many of the tunes. I suppose it can be awkward for the players who don't want to have their partners feel too neglected. If there's space available, then they're not doing much harm.
Of course, if everyone knows each other, they can have a good old "gossip" at the bar. Not being sexist here, as I know that men are the worse gossips.
John
# Posted on April 15th 2004 by Johnny Jay
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
Dump anyone immediatley who does not play music. They are worthless. Hop straight into bed with the person playing on your immediate left. Male/female two legs/four legs, pretty/mary hearney it doesnt matter. This is the only way to be happy.
# Posted on April 15th 2004 by mackers
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
I can think of a couple of regular session followers. One is a pure session junkie, does English, Irish, Bluegrass. Nice guy, I got him to come to ours last night. The other guy is an aspiring musician. He's attended an English session for a few years, all the musicians like him. He knows the tumes so well now that he's ever made up dirty lyrics to some of them.
There was a session groupie at some point. A lot less desirable than non-playing sessioners. Unless they broadened the meaning of playing at sessions.
# Posted on April 15th 2004 by Cath
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
I can't think of any non-playing sessioneers turning up at my sessions (apart from the very occasional partner/friend on a one-off basis), but I'd go along with John J's comment that the bartender/pub manager. Any session will fall flat and go out of existence without good support from behind the bar.
Trevor
# Posted on April 16th 2004 by Trevor Jennings
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
Some people really need to get away from this doing things together just cos we're married thing. A bored partner sitting in the ensemble really can be a turn off. My missus doesn't come to our session, and I don't go to her aikido - simple really.
# Posted on April 16th 2004 by showaddydadito
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
Except for a fiddle player who's currently in Ireland, our weekly session consists of all men and myself. There have been times when a partner/spouse comes to the session and watches like a hawk. Not because she's into the music, but because she's a little insecure and untrusting. (It's a college town and many pretty co-eds in and out of the joint). My vote is leave your jealous partner home. Anyone ever experience the jealous wife/husband/boyfriend/girlfriend syndrome at a session?
# Posted on April 16th 2004 by JMH
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
Back to the original topic, we do have a "non-playing" woman who comes to the sessions every week, house parties and other Irish music events. She does really like Irish music, but she *really* likes one of the lads who's a fine musician.......and I know he does lurk around here so he knows who I'm talking about ; )
Joyce
# Posted on April 16th 2004 by JMH
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
>>Anyone ever experience the jealous wife/husband/boyfriend/girlfriend syndrome at a session?
Not quite, but I did see a woman step over to the session, give one of the musicians a (well-deserved) free character reading ... then go back to the bar to finish her drink. Wild horses wouldn't drag his name from me, but he's a bit of a babe magnet to be sure
# Posted on April 16th 2004 by Just a person
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
Ach gwan gwan gwan gwan go - on!
Tell us Orson, we promise we'll keep it quiet! Still trying to work out who you are, by the way, although I'm sure I've met you. Was St Pat's night the last occasion, perchance?
Con
# Posted on April 16th 2004 by Conán McDonnell
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
Well, it's not a one-sided thing, either -- not that jealousy isn't a problem, but sometimes musos don't exactly help. We're by and large an obsessive bunch, and I wouldn't blame a partner for becoming upset that their partner seems to spend a lot less time with family and partner and more with musician friends and instrument. And some sessions are such, from what I hear, that spouses really *should* be worried!
And if someone insists on taking up a chair in the circle next to their partner but doesn't play, I tend to feel that they're feeling rather unwelcome or unwanted or something, so I think that's a good time to get to know them and have a few laughs and introduce them around to everyone else and do my part to help them have a good time, so they have something to do instead of just sitting there wondering what the attraction is of the night out. That's worth not playing a few tunes for -- what's a session about if it's not the people in it?
All that aside, I never expect Pete to come out for any of my stuff -- dancing or music or what have you. (Same goes for his volleyball and golf and such.) I try to make sure he knows he's always welcome to come along and that I enjoy having him there but also that I won't be upset if he doesn't come. Also, if I truly want him to be at something, or he wants me somewhere, or if he needs me to spend time with him instead of going out or vice versa, then our deal is that we have to say so ahead of time, out loud in front of God and everybody. I'm not good at passive aggressive.
Of course, now Pete has taken up the music with a vengeance! He's going to be better than me (mainly because he practises more!) if I'm not careful.
# Posted on April 16th 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
Jealous partners and what to do about them.
Having a handsome husband who plays a bit of guitar, I should have been the jealous one but instead he's jealous on 2 fronts:
My spending evenings making music with like minded people (mostly but not all men) and my playing fiddle and coming along a bit, when he's too lazy to practise his guitar and get better.
But people like that aren't reasonable so instead of trying to placate them and getting upset when they still resent your fun, just p*ss them off! At least you'll deserve the flak you get and you'll still have fun at sessions.
# Posted on April 16th 2004 by Cath
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
We once looked over and found all the (female) partners and spouses sitting together at a table across the room. Someone suggested they should have a little sign up on the table that said "Ladies' Auxillary". This was not a popular idea...
We do have a couple of non-playing -- or non Irish playing -- friends who come out regularly for the craic and the music. They add a lot to the session.
# Posted on April 16th 2004 by Gzeg
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
I remember warning an ex that sometimes I got chatted up when playing at sessions. Of course she just laughed it off, as I'm no oil painting - more of a crayon scrawl.
She'd never been to a Fleadh or anything of that nature so I took her to the Willie Clancy Summer School. We happened to wander into a pub where I discovered a few friends being accompanied by a Swedish girl who had no clue how to play the bodhran. I politely asked if I could borrow it and within minutes there were three local girls over to me chatting away, telling me how much they "loved the Northern accent".
Well yer wan was furious! Of course she got her own back by making a poor piper fall in love with her half an hour later. Once she realised that she didn't have to sit there like a bloody moron while I enjoyed myself, things evened out somewhat.
Con
# Posted on April 16th 2004 by Conán McDonnell
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
Me and Mrs Dave must have something right. We're married 25 years in a couple of weeks from now, and I'm still fearfully fond of the old thing. She doesn't mind me having a session girlfriend, although it terrifies me, and I don't worry that on Thursdays she goes off wrestling with an 'Arnold-Schwarzenneggeggerener-in-his-prime' lookalike (how do you spell that name?).
We do occasionally have music widows who come and sit and look bored, but very rarely.
# Posted on April 16th 2004 by showaddydadito
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
Lol at Michael's poke at the goatskinners. Reminds me of that old joke: Q: "What do you call a groupie who hangs around annoying all the musicians?" A: "A bodhran player."
, and my electrician Jim who stands in the back smiling at his pint...okay, by now it's clear that we don't have any room in the pub for punters. But my point is that we do know our regulars as part of the circle, on a first name basis, and I've left out half the crowd (not to mention Tracy and Sarah, our willowy tapstresses, who sometimes follow us to the next pub of the evening).
(Disclaimer: I love bodhrans...we typically have three going at once at our session.)
Our session is supported by Amanda, aka 'Mom,' who graciously ensures that it's not only the singers who get applause now and then. We actually have quite a few non-playing regulars who feel to be as much a part of the evening as any of the musos. They're part of the craic, the conversation, the general energy. Mike and Colleen are there almost every week, and they've had us to their house for sessions and parties. There's Katie, who once passed out after standing up too quickly, and Terry the state supreme court justice, and John and his wife who are coming to the Cody get-together this weekend, and Dan who hails from Chicago, and Samantha who tapes our session to take with her on trips (she's in Doolin now, listening to *us* play west Clare tunes
In short, ours is a true community session, a weekly party of neighbors rubbing elbows over pints and tunes. Wouldn't trade it for the world....
# Posted on April 16th 2004 by Will Harmon
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
Will - yours sounds like ours.
# Posted on April 16th 2004 by showaddydadito
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
Dave, congratulations in advance for 25 years of marriage in a fortnight's time!
# Posted on April 16th 2004 by Cath
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
We've had a few characters over the years. There was Joe Walsh, who would poke his red face into the middle of the circle and breath fumes all over us as he declared, "GEORGE WHITES FAVORITE, GEORGE WHITE'S FAVORITE!" He would shake his head as he said it and his jowls would wobble. Thing was -- he always had the right name for the tune.
Then we have Chuck, who is the official session photographer and drink buyer. He's always about like the paparazzi taking snaps. Then he'll show up next time and hand the photos out to his victims. Nobody complains because he buys a round of drinks for all the players.
But one of my favorite punters was this gal who would show up dressed as though she just came from a Broadway Show or ballroom dance or something. She was always wearing some kind of glittery gown that seemed to only be held in place by her ample breasts. She would sit as close as she could and when the music moved her -- she would stand up and start moving to the music. One night our resident Musical Priest, Father John (I
# Posted on April 16th 2004 by Phantom Button
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
We have a female like that here too. She is the sometimes partner of a musician and she tends to wear the most extraordinary gear, hats with veils and silky dresses and high heels. When the music starts she gets up and does a little jig around the bar smiling insanely all the time. It really looks quite odd. She took a dislike to me as she thought her sometimes partner fancied me and rounded on me one night and tried to banish me from the session or indeed any pub where her man was playing. Thing is I never had any lustful thoughts of same musician although I admire his playing greatly.....
# Posted on April 16th 2004 by MollyB
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
I'm sure there must be one person like that in every session LOL
# Posted on April 16th 2004 by Dr. Dow
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
You're right Dow, there's a person who's playing I admire greatly in our session too.
# Posted on April 16th 2004 by Phantom Button
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
Well it can't be any of the blokes - sounds like they're too busy looking at breasts to think about the music.
# Posted on April 16th 2004 by Dr. Dow
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
sounds like i'll have to move. Over here (little town in belgium) are no sessions and the only reason i'm in to ITM is for the groupies.
# Posted on April 16th 2004 by petercnm
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
There are a lot of people in this discussion who have no idea how important a non-playing sessioneer is!
I run a session at Irish Murphy's in Geelong Australia every Sunday and we have non-playing sessioneers every Sunday, and they are a VITAL part of the session. If it wasn't for them there would almost be no session. They bring in friends who have been invited because the craic is good and the music is good, and they provide an atmosphere for the session. Without this atmosphere the session would be useless! They also provide more money for the landlord which keeps him happy and he KNOWS it's the session players and the non-sessioneers which do this. Hangers on, non-playing sessioneers, girlfriends, partners, call them what you like, without them our sessions would be useless. Don't ever downplay the importance of non-sessioneers!!!
# Posted on April 18th 2004 by Dave Cunningham
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
I
# Posted on April 18th 2004 by murfbox
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
We have music widows who TALK all through the tunes! They sit in the spaces for musicians and talk louder and louder if the session is in full swing!!
We have two chaps who suddenly sing some song that's meant to be amusing, and one who thinks we want to listen to his poetry!! We are all too polite I think!!!!
# Posted on April 18th 2004 by Fiiddle R
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
Hey Murfbox, this one plays the bodhran too sometimes - maybe its the same one!!
# Posted on April 18th 2004 by MollyB
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
I think singing drunks and poetry are part of the deal, Susie-Lee. I dig that stuff. If it really stinks it gives me time to go to the biffy or get a (respectfully discreet) refill.
Anyway, back to the topic at hand, I have one major groupie that always comes to every session and gig and festival I ever play - She even came to Ireland with me for two weeks - those of you offended by cheezy sentimentality should tape over the next couple inches - she's my mom. All the musicians I play with get to know her as well as they know me. My friend Dave has dubbed her my "significant mother". She's pretty quiet - not a major contributor as far as jibes and dirty jokes are concerned, but I always have way more fun when she's around, because a lot of the time she pays for the beer. Plus, in Ireland I could count on her to go book the B&B for "just one more night!" every time we missed the evening ferry back from Inis Oirr because the craic was just too mighty.
# Posted on April 18th 2004 by Kerri Brown
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
Occasionally in sessions we've noticed an artist not too far away with a sketchbook doing pencil sketches of the musicians and perhaps other people in the pub. Presumably this is a useful way for artists to practice their portraiture skills, bearing in mind that a player may be fairly still for several minutes at a time.
Trevor
# Posted on April 18th 2004 by Trevor Jennings
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
Hello Dave C., I think everyone in here understands the relationship between the musician - punter - publican, and we can appreciate the financial aspects as well as the critical mass effect that enhances and sustains a session. We're also having a little fun looking at all the unusual punters that add to the atmosphere and make the experience a little more colorful. So why the unwarranted pedantry, do we really need that?
# Posted on April 18th 2004 by Phantom Button
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
Hey Trev, we have a few of those too. Here's a portrait of yours truly by one of em (I think she aspires to be a wildlife illustrator): http://www.TipsyHouse.com/graph/jack_drwng.jpg
# Posted on April 18th 2004 by Phantom Button
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
Dang, Jack, that's a really good portrait! I'm impressed.
# Posted on April 18th 2004 by Kerri Brown
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
Yes, it could be the same person, Leitrim Lady. Her bodhr
# Posted on April 18th 2004 by murfbox
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
Actually Murfbox this lady was barred from playing her bodhran at our Saturday night session. She then tried to take us all away to another session - naturally we declined her kind offer. She does travel though with a most amazing fiddle player around these parts.
# Posted on April 20th 2004 by MollyB
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
A groupie's a hanger on and only my husband can call me hen, since he's a Scot
# Posted on April 21st 2004 by Cath
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
Ga'un yersel, hen.
# Posted on April 21st 2004 by Johnny Jay
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
Alright John, you as well, but only because your contributions usually entertain me
# Posted on April 21st 2004 by Cath
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
Nor'even poor wee Danny? Or did he try it, and is this the cause of his disappearance? :oD
# Posted on April 21st 2004 by nastyweegirl
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
Have you no shame?
# Posted on April 21st 2004 by Cath
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
Dave - my experience is, as Dave C surmises, that some players don't acknowledge that anyone who doesn't play can even begin to make a contribution to the session, or even have any real appreciation of the music. An appreciative punter/hanger on soon learns to avoid their sessions. As does the odd player! Funny how variations on this theme keep coming up ... or is it just me repeating myself again? I need a holiday, and me just back from one, an' all! Happy anniversary to you and Showaddymummito. Keep doing right that thing you do right ....
)
Cath - Apparently not, since
1) my first response on this thread wasn't to its originator, and
2) I'm invited, and turn up (hell, am even welcomed!) to the odd session even without an instrument. (The definition of 'playing at sessions' is broad enough already, without that!
# Posted on April 21st 2004 by nastyweegirl
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
Danny hasn't disappeared at all, Karen, but I rather wish you would since you don't contribute much here but spite.
# Posted on April 22nd 2004 by Zina Lee
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
Not talkin' fatwahs ...
# Posted on April 22nd 2004 by nastyweegirl
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
Her indoors would never miss coming along with me to either sessions or dances, even though she is tone-deaf and cannot play a note - she enjoys it. It is no good marrying a musician then complaining about it.
I have no problem playing louder than the morons who stand in the middle of the session shouting as I play PA (session.org passim). I have even been known to stand up, just to get nearer to them and spoil their inane "conversation". They soon get the message.
# Posted on April 23rd 2004 by geoffwright
Re: Non-playing Sessioneers
I play flute and whistle, but my husband, who is more musical than me, restricts himslef to playing CDs and the odd bit of vinal. He always comes to our session if he's in town - and was described by one of the other muso's as one of the most important parts of the session - the audience!
lemming
# Posted on April 25th 2004 by lemming