The Session >> Discussions >> Festival versus Regular Pub sessions. Which do you prefer?
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Festival versus Regular Pub sessions. Which do you prefer?
Festival versus Regular Pub sessions. Which do you prefer?
I was looking at the "Our session is dying" thread and decided that one or the main reasons that many regular pub sessions eventually fail is that they can't possibly suit everyone, either in terms of musical ability or preferences. Those which survive tend to have a particular theme with regular and (usually) paid hosts. They don't tend to get too large and are fairly cohesive units. Perhaps, they might even seem cliquish to outsiders but (without starting old arguments again) I believe it's the responsibility of new entrants to respect the conventions of the session, if they wish to take part.
So, I find that the beauty of festivals, especially one like Girvan(just past), is that you can always find something to suit you in terms of both style and standard of music(or song) and your own playing ability. It's also possible to leave one session without appearing rude or feeling that you have to "hang on". So, sessions will emerge, grow, and die or whatever naturally and it doesn't really matter too much.
There are one or two negative aspects about festivals, though. These days, there seems to be an increasing trend by festival committees to organise and/or or interfere with sessions, either by allotting specified times and locations in which they should occur or "planting" musicians and singers in venues to "get them going". I much prefer it when they develop naturally.
Another problem is that festival sessions might not always be quite as "tight" as a pub session where the regulars can develop musically together and "spark" off each other.
Personally, I like the festival scenario as I enjoy a mixture of music, i.e both Scottish and Irish etc, newer compositions, even some of the Eurocelt tunes and listening to the occasional (shock, horror) song.
How about you?
Re: Festival versus Regular Pub sessions. Which do you prefer?
The moving finger writes, and having writ, moves on.Neither shall all thy wit nor piety lure it back to cancel half a line, nor thy tears wash out a word of it.
Wot's more the creek's flooded and all the bloody cows have drowned
Re: Festival versus Regular Pub sessions. Which do you prefer?
Festivals are great because you never know really whats going to happen . In a regular session you can pretty much predict the songs and tunes, atmosphere, etc so things can get a bit matter of fact sometimes.
I've been to festivals and played and heard other strangers perform . . its then when you sometimes get those "magic moments", when you see/here something new and special.
Re: Festival versus Regular Pub sessions. Which do you prefer?
Personally I love Festivals and I really don't get to enough of them, and yes John J Girvan was great. Using Girvan as an example, I am a guitarist and spent all of the festival in the westcliff, there was lots going on but the world and his wife passes through there at some point in the weekend. I love the festival thing of walking into a room a meeting old friends from other festivals / sessions or even from the previous year. I particularly enjoy this venue as I can move from room to room, one room being mostly tunes (and I love backing sometimes, I am a singer but still believe a good tune is at the heart of everything) and the main bar being a mix of tunes and songs (probably more songs.....when I'm there anyway !).
There is of course the other side that it was really nice on the following Monday night to walk back into the regular session and fit right back into a comfort zone....well with a few more tricks learned and a bit more mileage on the clock !
Re: Festival versus Regular Pub sessions. Which do you prefer?
It depends on the festival and the venues available John J. There are a fair choice of pubs where you can session in, at Girvan, you can usually find what you are looking for.
At some smaller festivals, Newcastleton to name but one, you have a lot of people in a small area, and sometimes you have take what's going, not always as pure as you would like.
I rather like regular sessions for reasons of the last point I made.
Festival versus Regular Pub sessions. Which do you prefer?
Festival versus Regular Pub sessions. Which do you prefer?
I was looking at the "Our session is dying" thread and decided that one or the main reasons that many regular pub sessions eventually fail is that they can't possibly suit everyone, either in terms of musical ability or preferences. Those which survive tend to have a particular theme with regular and (usually) paid hosts. They don't tend to get too large and are fairly cohesive units. Perhaps, they might even seem cliquish to outsiders but (without starting old arguments again) I believe it's the responsibility of new entrants to respect the conventions of the session, if they wish to take part.
So, I find that the beauty of festivals, especially one like Girvan(just past), is that you can always find something to suit you in terms of both style and standard of music(or song) and your own playing ability. It's also possible to leave one session without appearing rude or feeling that you have to "hang on". So, sessions will emerge, grow, and die or whatever naturally and it doesn't really matter too much.
There are one or two negative aspects about festivals, though. These days, there seems to be an increasing trend by festival committees to organise and/or or interfere with sessions, either by allotting specified times and locations in which they should occur or "planting" musicians and singers in venues to "get them going". I much prefer it when they develop naturally.
Another problem is that festival sessions might not always be quite as "tight" as a pub session where the regulars can develop musically together and "spark" off each other.
Personally, I like the festival scenario as I enjoy a mixture of music, i.e both Scottish and Irish etc, newer compositions, even some of the Eurocelt
tunes and listening to the occasional (shock, horror) song.
How about you?
# Posted on May 4th 2006 by Johannes J
Re: Festival versus Regular Pub sessions. Which do you prefer?
The moving finger writes, and having writ, moves on.Neither shall all thy wit nor piety lure it back to cancel half a line, nor thy tears wash out a word of it.
Wot's more the creek's flooded and all the bloody cows have drowned
# Posted on May 4th 2006 by mcknowall
Re: Festival versus Regular Pub sessions. Which do you prefer?
OK. I realise that I ask stupid questions at times and start pointless discussions but ?
# Posted on May 4th 2006 by Johannes J
Re: Festival versus Regular Pub sessions. Which do you prefer?
It's all good my friend.
# Posted on May 4th 2006 by mcknowall
Re: Festival versus Regular Pub sessions. Which do you prefer?
Festivals are great because you never know really whats going to happen . In a regular session you can pretty much predict the songs and tunes, atmosphere, etc so things can get a bit matter of fact sometimes.
I've been to festivals and played and heard other strangers perform . . its then when you sometimes get those "magic moments", when you see/here something new and special.
# Posted on May 4th 2006 by Justintime
Re: Festival versus Regular Pub sessions. Which do you prefer?
Personally I love Festivals and I really don't get to enough of them, and yes John J Girvan was great. Using Girvan as an example, I am a guitarist and spent all of the festival in the westcliff, there was lots going on but the world and his wife passes through there at some point in the weekend. I love the festival thing of walking into a room a meeting old friends from other festivals / sessions or even from the previous year. I particularly enjoy this venue as I can move from room to room, one room being mostly tunes (and I love backing sometimes, I am a singer but still believe a good tune is at the heart of everything) and the main bar being a mix of tunes and songs (probably more songs.....when I'm there anyway !).
There is of course the other side that it was really nice on the following Monday night to walk back into the regular session and fit right back into a comfort zone....well with a few more tricks learned and a bit more mileage on the clock !
# Posted on May 4th 2006 by bloodyfiddlers
Re: Festival versus Regular Pub sessions. Which do you prefer?
Why make it an either/or question?
I like both!
# Posted on May 4th 2006 by AlBrown
Re: Festival versus Regular Pub sessions. Which do you prefer?
festival sessions = good
pub sessions = not bad either
I think mcknowall was on his 2nd bottle of shiraz
# Posted on May 4th 2006 by Bren
Re: Festival versus Regular Pub sessions. Which do you prefer?
Festivals because it's considered socially acceptable to get rat-arsed
# Posted on May 6th 2006 by TomR
Re: Festival versus Regular Pub sessions. Which do you prefer?
Pheew, that's all right then!
# Posted on May 6th 2006 by curlew
Re: Festival versus Regular Pub sessions. Which do you prefer?
It depends on the festival and the venues available John J. There are a fair choice of pubs where you can session in, at Girvan, you can usually find what you are looking for.
At some smaller festivals, Newcastleton to name but one, you have a lot of people in a small area, and sometimes you have take what's going, not always as pure as you would like.
I rather like regular sessions for reasons of the last point I made.
# Posted on May 6th 2006 by curlew