not long been home from my firstest ever session! i was excited but realllllly nervous about going. once i got there, however, everyone was really nice and welcoming. don't know what i was scared of!
so do you remember your first session (that must be a 'yes')and what was it like?
ya i remember my first session, twas only during the summer. i was really nervous too!! I didn't play my best, but as the weeks went on i got more and more relaxed. i'm not the most confident player in the world but i can honestly say that i'm nowhere near as shy as i was as at the beginning of the summer! sessions are relly enjoyable and get better every time! i hope it's your first of many!
My first session was at the Poet & the Patriot pub in Santa Cruz CA around 1981 when I had just started dabbling with the concertina. There were two fellas hosting that night; a very good local fiddler there named Chris. (RIP) and a banjo player named Jim. I think there was a guitar player too, but my memory's fading. I do remember that the fiddler wasn't there at the table when I arrived – only his fiddle. I sat down and was asked by the banjo player, Jim, to suggest something. I suggested the Boys of Bluehill because it was the best of the three and a half tunes I knew. We played it, and then he asked if I knew any others – so we played the other two and a half tunes as well, and then Jim started craning his neck to see where the fiddler was. He couldn’t seem to locate the fiddler so he suggested we play them all again -- and I was delighted... so we did. During the tunes Jim was craning his neck around the corner the whole time... still no Chris. Then we sat for a moment and Jim said, "What shall we play now?" And I think I suggested the Boys of Bluehill. Then Jim started yelling, "CHIS... CHRIS... CRIIIIIIIS!!!!" Finally Chris showed up and the tunes got really good -- I sat and listened.
Since that first encounter I have become good friends with the banjo player. Every now and then at the right moment he reminds me of that night. Occasionally someone will walk into our session that reminds me of myself on that night as well. It's helpful on those occasions to remember what it was like on my first night.
I played my first session when I was nine. I was really scared as I had no idea how it would be. Plus, I only knew like two or three tunes. But all the people were so nice that at the end of the evening I was dying to go back.
My first proper session (and by that I mean no parents or supervising adults around) was when I was about 14. Gary Duffy the great Belfast flute player brought me along to Madden's one Saturday night. I had heard about various sessions from the McSherry's and Eamon Dillon and Róisín Dillon and I was very excited. It was even better than I hoped - the music was brilliant and people were very friendly. I'll never forget it. I especially remember the first sight of the wooden floors and furniture, the open fire and the smell of strong beer. I felt like I was privy to a meeting of some secret organisation.
Flisstle thanks for coming along today; it was a real pleasure to meet you and hear you play. Sorry about the dodgy key change!
:¬)
Jack, my first session as a punter would have been in Santa Cruz around 1979 or 1980. Do you remember the Thursday night sessions at Cafe Pergolesi (in the alley behind Bookshop Santa Cruz)? They seemed like closed sessions and were anchored by an uilleann piper...it was the first time I'd ever heard ITM; certainly as memorable as my first proper session as a player.
Keith, I wasn't familiar with the scene there and was only in town that one night. I lived in Santa Cruz in 1976, but I had barely any awareness of ITM let alone a session scene at that time.
A week ago! I was in Vancouver, BC for a conference. I was doing the tourist thing shopping on Granville Island when I overheard a young lad whistling an irish tune (whiskey before breakfast, I think)- I asked the lad if he knew of any good sessions and he pointed me to the Wolf and Hound. I too was very intimidated- in fact, I left my fiddle in the car initially. Once the tunes started I quickly ran out to get my fiddle. I felt very out of place as I didn't know if there were rules (like which area of the pub musicians should be seated)- in the end, it was awesome. I played along (or tried to) with tunes I knew and listened and learned with tunes I didn't know. There were at least 20-25 musicians, includung some young'ns that could really play! There was one fiddler, a dude, who was kind of the "leader" if you will. He was an amazing player as were many of the others!
I realized that I have a lot to learn- for many of the songs which I thought I knew- I probably hit every ninth note- at least thats how it felt! For the one or two songs that I know well enough and could keep up-- it was amazingly addicting!
Which evening of the week did you attend the Wolf and Hounds?
There are several sessions a week there, all of them quite different.
The one linking feature is that if you can brandish an instrument, drinks are half price (not free).
glad you had a good time frisstle! Hope we see you at plenty more London sessions.
My first time? God, I was so excited - I found out about the Thursday session on the Monday, and discovered this site on the Tuesday, so I badgered boardmembers by enthusing at length about getting to go to a real session. Thursday night came, and it was pure magic. For the next two years the whole world revolved around Thursday nights
Actually, the "first session" isn't usually a problem, You'll find most people *are* welcoming. It's the second, third, and subsequent sessions you have to worry about where you(I'm talking generally here and from experience) are expected to progress, to have learned the various aspects of etiquette e.g. not to noodle etc . Also, the novelty of your first visit will have worn off and the people there may not be as nice unless you have "earned their respect".
Hope I'm not putting any of the session newbies off here. You'll still be all right there as long as you go there with the right attitude and desire to "fit in" as required.
Oldstrings- It was a Monday night at the Wolf and Hound- they didn't advertise the 1/2 price drink thingy...After all, I had that newbie/tourist smell- they probably charged me double!
I was living in Monterey in '81 and heard a lot of rumours about an Irish session, but I never found it. So 20 some-odd years later you guys finally out it.
this is a belated response to the post by phantom button about his first session at the poet & patriot. i know both the bar and the fiddler, chris, who he referred to. i forwarded that post to a friend of mine, who was chris' partner for many years. she sent back the reply below, that she asked me to post here.
sarah in portland
===========
It was great to see this account of someone's first session, and especially to read of someone's memory of Chris. It happens that today (October 29th) was his birthday. Chris Reader was such a unique character, a wonderful fiddler and very fine singer with a tremendous
passion for the music, and possessed of an unbelievably wild wit --
as many who knew him will remember. He was also my sweetheart for
many years, including during the time described, and I sheepishly admit that I could have been somewhat responsible for Chris's very delayed response to Jim that night! Apologies! Still, I know that whenever he did finally show up, yes indeed, the "tunes got really good." He lives on in the memories and music.
Wow, it's amazing to read an account of that same night here. I guess Chris was well distracted and didn't hear the lame concertina in the other room or we might never have seen him return at all. Thanks for posting that. He was a very good fiddler indeed.
my first session!
my first session!
not long been home from my firstest ever session! i was excited but realllllly nervous about going. once i got there, however, everyone was really nice and welcoming. don't know what i was scared of!
so do you remember your first session (that must be a 'yes')and what was it like?
# Posted on October 23rd 2005 by flisstle
Re: my first session!
ya i remember my first session, twas only during the summer. i was really nervous too!! I didn't play my best, but as the weeks went on i got more and more relaxed. i'm not the most confident player in the world but i can honestly say that i'm nowhere near as shy as i was as at the beginning of the summer! sessions are relly enjoyable and get better every time! i hope it's your first of many!
# Posted on October 23rd 2005 by siobhánmc
Re: my first session!
My first session was at the Poet & the Patriot pub in Santa Cruz CA around 1981 when I had just started dabbling with the concertina. There were two fellas hosting that night; a very good local fiddler there named Chris. (RIP) and a banjo player named Jim. I think there was a guitar player too, but my memory's fading. I do remember that the fiddler wasn't there at the table when I arrived – only his fiddle. I sat down and was asked by the banjo player, Jim, to suggest something. I suggested the Boys of Bluehill because it was the best of the three and a half tunes I knew. We played it, and then he asked if I knew any others – so we played the other two and a half tunes as well, and then Jim started craning his neck to see where the fiddler was. He couldn’t seem to locate the fiddler so he suggested we play them all again -- and I was delighted... so we did. During the tunes Jim was craning his neck around the corner the whole time... still no Chris. Then we sat for a moment and Jim said, "What shall we play now?" And I think I suggested the Boys of Bluehill. Then Jim started yelling, "CHIS... CHRIS... CRIIIIIIIS!!!!" Finally Chris showed up and the tunes got really good -- I sat and listened.
Since that first encounter I have become good friends with the banjo player. Every now and then at the right moment he reminds me of that night. Occasionally someone will walk into our session that reminds me of myself on that night as well. It's helpful on those occasions to remember what it was like on my first night.
# Posted on October 23rd 2005 by Phantom Button
Re: my first session!
I played my first session when I was nine. I was really scared as I had no idea how it would be. Plus, I only knew like two or three tunes. But all the people were so nice that at the end of the evening I was dying to go back.
# Posted on October 23rd 2005 by Red Crow
Re: my first session!
My first proper session (and by that I mean no parents or supervising adults around) was when I was about 14. Gary Duffy the great Belfast flute player brought me along to Madden's one Saturday night. I had heard about various sessions from the McSherry's and Eamon Dillon and Róisín Dillon and I was very excited. It was even better than I hoped - the music was brilliant and people were very friendly. I'll never forget it. I especially remember the first sight of the wooden floors and furniture, the open fire and the smell of strong beer. I felt like I was privy to a meeting of some secret organisation.
Flisstle thanks for coming along today; it was a real pleasure to meet you and hear you play. Sorry about the dodgy key change!
:¬)
# Posted on October 24th 2005 by Conán McDonnell
Re: my first session!
Actually, David, my unfortunate predilection for noodling came later after I gained more confidence and knew a few more tunes.
# Posted on October 24th 2005 by Phantom Button
Re: my first session!
Jack, my first session as a punter would have been in Santa Cruz around 1979 or 1980. Do you remember the Thursday night sessions at Cafe Pergolesi (in the alley behind Bookshop Santa Cruz)? They seemed like closed sessions and were anchored by an uilleann piper...it was the first time I'd ever heard ITM; certainly as memorable as my first proper session as a player.
# Posted on October 24th 2005 by Keith Dubinsky
Re: my first session!
Keith, I wasn't familiar with the scene there and was only in town that one night. I lived in Santa Cruz in 1976, but I had barely any awareness of ITM let alone a session scene at that time.
# Posted on October 24th 2005 by Phantom Button
Re: my first session!
A week ago! I was in Vancouver, BC for a conference. I was doing the tourist thing shopping on Granville Island when I overheard a young lad whistling an irish tune (whiskey before breakfast, I think)- I asked the lad if he knew of any good sessions and he pointed me to the Wolf and Hound. I too was very intimidated- in fact, I left my fiddle in the car initially. Once the tunes started I quickly ran out to get my fiddle. I felt very out of place as I didn't know if there were rules (like which area of the pub musicians should be seated)- in the end, it was awesome. I played along (or tried to) with tunes I knew and listened and learned with tunes I didn't know. There were at least 20-25 musicians, includung some young'ns that could really play! There was one fiddler, a dude, who was kind of the "leader" if you will. He was an amazing player as were many of the others!
I realized that I have a lot to learn- for many of the songs which I thought I knew- I probably hit every ninth note- at least thats how it felt! For the one or two songs that I know well enough and could keep up-- it was amazingly addicting!
# Posted on October 24th 2005 by scjandy
Re: my first session!
Which evening of the week did you attend the Wolf and Hounds?
There are several sessions a week there, all of them quite different.
The one linking feature is that if you can brandish an instrument, drinks are half price (not free).
# Posted on October 24th 2005 by oldstrings
Re: my first session!
lol @ jim's dodgy doorstopper
glad you had a good time frisstle! Hope we see you at plenty more London sessions.
My first time? God, I was so excited - I found out about the Thursday session on the Monday, and discovered this site on the Tuesday, so I badgered boardmembers by enthusing at length about getting to go to a real session. Thursday night came, and it was pure magic. For the next two years the whole world revolved around Thursday nights
# Posted on October 24th 2005 by Q
Re: my first session!
Actually, the "first session" isn't usually a problem, You'll find most people *are* welcoming. It's the second, third, and subsequent sessions you have to worry about where you(I'm talking generally here and from experience) are expected to progress, to have learned the various aspects of etiquette e.g. not to noodle etc
. Also, the novelty of your first visit will have worn off and the people there may not be as nice unless you have "earned their respect".
Hope I'm not putting any of the session newbies off here. You'll still be all right there as long as you go there with the right attitude and desire to "fit in" as required.
# Posted on October 24th 2005 by Johannes J
Re: my first session!
everybody noodles, just some think they are starting a tune and..............................................,,,,,,,,,!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
# Posted on October 24th 2005 by mcknowall
Re: my first session!
Oldstrings- It was a Monday night at the Wolf and Hound- they didn't advertise the 1/2 price drink thingy...After all, I had that newbie/tourist smell- they probably charged me double!
# Posted on October 24th 2005 by scjandy
Re: my first session!
I was living in Monterey in '81 and heard a lot of rumours about an Irish session, but I never found it. So 20 some-odd years later you guys finally out it.
*sigh*
# Posted on October 25th 2005 by Owell Mabee
Re: my first session!
this is a belated response to the post by phantom button about his first session at the poet & patriot. i know both the bar and the fiddler, chris, who he referred to. i forwarded that post to a friend of mine, who was chris' partner for many years. she sent back the reply below, that she asked me to post here.
sarah in portland
===========
It was great to see this account of someone's first session, and especially to read of someone's memory of Chris. It happens that today (October 29th) was his birthday. Chris Reader was such a unique character, a wonderful fiddler and very fine singer with a tremendous
passion for the music, and possessed of an unbelievably wild wit --
as many who knew him will remember. He was also my sweetheart for
many years, including during the time described, and I sheepishly admit that I could have been somewhat responsible for Chris's very delayed response to Jim that night! Apologies! Still, I know that whenever he did finally show up, yes indeed, the "tunes got really good." He lives on in the memories and music.
# Posted on October 30th 2005 by eleyne
Re: my first session!
Wow, it's amazing to read an account of that same night here. I guess Chris was well distracted and didn't hear the lame concertina in the other room or we might never have seen him return at all. Thanks for posting that. He was a very good fiddler indeed.
# Posted on October 30th 2005 by Phantom Button