Once you get a regular session going, at a pub, is it just like playing in someone's home? Most of my sessioning has been in various friends' houses. Is it that much different in a pub?
In a pub I feel most 'at home' when the punters & players are free to do as they like. There seems to be a sweet time when all the players can hear one another. But the sweetness drifts away with more people & more volume.
Oh yes, no formality at all. That's what we enjoy here, and that's what we strive for at our sessions. We prefer and patronize places that treat us and their customers as one of the family.
if you want formality you'll have to talk to my agent. [switches hats]
"Hi, this is SWFL FIddler's agent, would you like to book him for a gig?"
My local sessions are very casual and cozy. Just friends and neighbors sitting down at the pub for tunes, craic, and pints. One happy listener often brings homemade cookies fresh from the oven. Between tunes, there's lots of visiting, gossip, joking, and everyone's included, not just the players.
Hey, Random_notes. Sometimes it's all in the character of the particular bar. Is there more than one age groupe there? More than one socio-economic, and political view? Is the beer good? Are you assured of having good talk there as well as good music? Is it a bar in a big city, or a small town? (Great bars can be found in both places) Is there a high, or low eejit quotient? A public session has more chances of the fortuitous un-expected. These easily outweigh the not-so-fortuitous, in my book.
Having played sessions in both people's homes and various bars and restaurants, I would say there is a definite difference between playing music in someone's home and in a bar and/or a restaurant.
Because when you are playing music at someone's house, they can decide and control who gets invited and who doesn't. Whereas, in a public place such as a restaurant and/or a bar, you don't have that much control over who wanders in.
Random_notes, what is a "punter"? Someone who plays a "punt"? I have seen that term in several discussions and am wondering what it means.
Our sessions are pretty informal, but most people seem to like to sit in the same place evry week. does that happen in people's houses? I only get to pub sessions.
mehere I try to sit in different chairs. Hopefully over time I will be able to sit next to each player.
That is just me though it gives me an opportunity to listen more closely to individual players. Some people play softly & I have to get as close as possible to really hear them. We have a harpist & it is a treat when I sit next to her. For the accordion Sitting directly on his right is often too loud. Then I might hear nothing but accordion. Is that right or did I reverse things ~ no, no your other right.
Thanks for the replies ~ good to hear about your (pub) sessions.
Of course, normally people keep to the same chair for each session - mainly because they've got their instrument / coat / pint / "stuff" with them. It might be fun to change seats every 30 mins - though I can't see that being popular in practice. However... it got me to thinking, whether the "bad" sessions you sometimes experience are purely "bad" because of who you're near - there may be others sitting elsewhere in the same session who think it's the best thing ever.
at a session you would always get a chance to chat to non players and listeners.and really get to know them as good friends who always speak when ya meet during the week.go out for a smoke and get a drink. etc etc ...
in a house its too controlled..... the difference comes across in the playing and delievery of every playerand their control of their instrument etc etc etc
amen
In your own house you feel constrained, as the host.
In a pub it's more relaxed, unless you get a funy character coming in.
We thought we had a nice relaxed session going on in our local pub, then the landlord suddenly asked us to leave. I just don't understand some people.
When we talk about pubs it reminds me of Steen's Place.
My grandfather owned a 'beer joint' years ago in Arlington. Texas. There wasn't Irish music but everything else you talk about was there. I think people enjoyed A.B.'s bar. In another time, in another, it was a pub.
I believe if ii were still open today, if it was still standing, I think an Irish session would fit in comfortably. That's where I'd go for craic. These days. in the states, people play in homes if they cannot find that . . in a bar. .
A few years ago, our publican started complaining that he didn't have enough chairs for the musicians. Not wanting this to be a recurring problem, I picked up some cheap folding chairs and brought them in during the next session. And the next week, since we still had a problem, I brought in two more. What I didn't know was the publican was trying to minimize the number of chairs for musicians so he didn't have to provide so many free beers, so I was thwarting his efforts. Those chairs still reside in the corner by the fireplace, and I still sit in them, as the metal chairs offer a more stable seat than the wooden ones around the tables....
One pub session I go to has the policy that only the first eight musicians to arrive get a free beer each. That session starts on the dot every time at 8:30, with at least a quorum of 4 or 5
At one time all the musicians got a free beer, with about 6-10 turning up, so there was no great problem. However, on one notable occasion a few months ago we had over 20 turn up unexpectedly, and it was this event that caused the landlord to re-think his free drinks policy.
I have never played music at a jam session where the musicians got free alcoholic beverages but that may be due to the very restrictive local drinking laws here. If I was drinking something non-alcoholic, though, I didn't have to pay for my drink.
Since I play an instrument which has to be plugged in, I don't have much control over where I sit and usually have to sit in the same place at every session.
One solution to the lack-of-chairs problem is for some of the musicians to play standing up - fiddles, whistles and flutes in particular (very Baroque style). The follow-on problem (from my observations of session musicians) is likely to be that some of them would keel over after 10 minutes or so
I should perhaps mention that an alternative to free drinks is food for the musicians late in the evening; this has the advantage that it's significantly cheaper for the landlord, and can be more acceptable to those who don't want to drink too much. One of my regular sessions does this - we might be offered assorted sandwiches, fries 'n' dips, sausages 'n' fries, or (as last time) freshly cooked spare ribs.
Offering the musicians free food is a good suggestion lazyhound but the restrictive local laws probably won't allow that either. Instead of complaining about this, I would try to get the laws changed but I cannot afford to bribe any members of the Arkansas General Assembly.
--a drunken punter giving you a "friendly" headlock (this happened to me at a session with great musicians but with rowdy folks at the bar),
--or a seemingly drunk homeless guy standing right over you when you play because he likes you playing (at another pub; I had to ask the dude to back off),
--or finding your local mellow session jovially and very loudly invaded by a large band of Dublin university students in the US for six weeks (we could barely hear ourselves play, but we really enjoyed their zany, boundless energy and enthusiasm for the music; they put American partiers to shame; I think my ears are still ringing from their belting out Irish pub songs--LOUD!!).
A chair at the pub
A chair at the pub
Once you get a regular session going, at a pub, is it just like playing in someone's home? Most of my sessioning has been in various friends' houses. Is it that much different in a pub?
In a pub I feel most 'at home' when the punters & players are free to do as they like. There seems to be a sweet time when all the players can hear one another. But the sweetness drifts away with more people & more volume.
# Posted on July 24th 2008 by Random_notes
Re: A chair at the pub
Oh yes, no formality at all. That's what we enjoy here, and that's what we strive for at our sessions. We prefer and patronize places that treat us and their customers as one of the family.
if you want formality you'll have to talk to my agent. [switches hats]
"Hi, this is SWFL FIddler's agent, would you like to book him for a gig?"
# Posted on July 24th 2008 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: A chair at the pub
It varies (widely) from one session to the next.
My local sessions are very casual and cozy. Just friends and neighbors sitting down at the pub for tunes, craic, and pints. One happy listener often brings homemade cookies fresh from the oven. Between tunes, there's lots of visiting, gossip, joking, and everyone's included, not just the players.
# Posted on July 24th 2008 by Will CPT
Re: A chair at the pub
Hey, Random_notes. Sometimes it's all in the character of the particular bar. Is there more than one age groupe there? More than one socio-economic, and political view? Is the beer good? Are you assured of having good talk there as well as good music? Is it a bar in a big city, or a small town? (Great bars can be found in both places) Is there a high, or low eejit quotient? A public session has more chances of the fortuitous un-expected. These easily outweigh the not-so-fortuitous, in my book.
# Posted on July 24th 2008 by Atahualpa Quigley
Re: A chair at the pub
Having played sessions in both people's homes and various bars and restaurants, I would say there is a definite difference between playing music in someone's home and in a bar and/or a restaurant.
Because when you are playing music at someone's house, they can decide and control who gets invited and who doesn't. Whereas, in a public place such as a restaurant and/or a bar, you don't have that much control over who wanders in.
Random_notes, what is a "punter"? Someone who plays a "punt"? I have seen that term in several discussions and am wondering what it means.
# Posted on July 25th 2008 by fauxcelt
Re: A chair at the pub
A punter for our purposes is a customer or regular at the pub where the session is being held.
In reality, punters would be the paying audience, or a person having a bet, or......
# Posted on July 25th 2008 by bodhran bliss
Re: A chair at the pub
Thank you for the explanation of punter, bodhran bliss. I can easily think of people like that at the sessions where I play music.
# Posted on July 25th 2008 by fauxcelt
Re: A chair at the pub
Our sessions are pretty informal, but most people seem to like to sit in the same place evry week. does that happen in people's houses? I only get to pub sessions.
# Posted on July 25th 2008 by mehere
Re: A chair at the pub
mehere I try to sit in different chairs. Hopefully over time I will be able to sit next to each player.
That is just me though it gives me an opportunity to listen more closely to individual players. Some people play softly & I have to get as close as possible to really hear them. We have a harpist & it is a treat when I sit next to her. For the accordion Sitting directly on his right is often too loud. Then I might hear nothing but accordion. Is that right or did I reverse things ~ no, no your other right.
Thanks for the replies ~ good to hear about your (pub) sessions.
# Posted on July 25th 2008 by Random_notes
Re: A chair at the pub
Of course, normally people keep to the same chair for each session - mainly because they've got their instrument / coat / pint / "stuff" with them. It might be fun to change seats every 30 mins - though I can't see that being popular in practice. However... it got me to thinking, whether the "bad" sessions you sometimes experience are purely "bad" because of who you're near - there may be others sitting elsewhere in the same session who think it's the best thing ever.
# Posted on July 25th 2008 by Mark Harmer
Re: A chair at the pub
...course, if it's always bad wherever I'm sitting, it could be me!!
# Posted on July 25th 2008 by Mark Harmer
Re: A chair at the pub
at a session you would always get a chance to chat to non players and listeners.and really get to know them as good friends who always speak when ya meet during the week.go out for a smoke and get a drink. etc etc ...
in a house its too controlled..... the difference comes across in the playing and delievery of every playerand their control of their instrument etc etc etc
amen
# Posted on July 25th 2008 by bud an asal
Re: A chair at the pub
In your own house you feel constrained, as the host.
In a pub it's more relaxed, unless you get a funy character coming in.
We thought we had a nice relaxed session going on in our local pub, then the landlord suddenly asked us to leave. I just don't understand some people.
# Posted on July 25th 2008 by Guernsey Pete
Re: A chair at the pub
'funny" character.
Sack the proofreader.
# Posted on July 25th 2008 by Guernsey Pete
Re: A chair at the pub
ya need a fear an ti in a pub session....some one to call it inline as it were.to keep everything in order......
# Posted on July 25th 2008 by bud an asal
Re: A chair at the pub
When we talk about pubs it reminds me of Steen's Place.
My grandfather owned a 'beer joint' years ago in Arlington. Texas. There wasn't Irish music but everything else you talk about was there. I think people enjoyed A.B.'s bar. In another time, in another, it was a pub.
I believe if ii were still open today, if it was still standing, I think an Irish session would fit in comfortably. That's where I'd go for craic. These days. in the states, people play in homes if they cannot find that . . in a bar. .
# Posted on July 25th 2008 by Random_notes
. . .in another time ...
. . . in another place . . .
# Posted on July 25th 2008 by Random_notes
Re: A chair at the pub
A few years ago, our publican started complaining that he didn't have enough chairs for the musicians. Not wanting this to be a recurring problem, I picked up some cheap folding chairs and brought them in during the next session. And the next week, since we still had a problem, I brought in two more. What I didn't know was the publican was trying to minimize the number of chairs for musicians so he didn't have to provide so many free beers, so I was thwarting his efforts. Those chairs still reside in the corner by the fireplace, and I still sit in them, as the metal chairs offer a more stable seat than the wooden ones around the tables....
# Posted on July 26th 2008 by AlBrown
Re: A chair at the pub
One pub session I go to has the policy that only the first eight musicians to arrive get a free beer each. That session starts on the dot every time at 8:30, with at least a quorum of 4 or 5
At one time all the musicians got a free beer, with about 6-10 turning up, so there was no great problem. However, on one notable occasion a few months ago we had over 20 turn up unexpectedly, and it was this event that caused the landlord to re-think his free drinks policy.
# Posted on July 26th 2008 by lazyhound
Re: A chair at the pub
I have never played music at a jam session where the musicians got free alcoholic beverages but that may be due to the very restrictive local drinking laws here. If I was drinking something non-alcoholic, though, I didn't have to pay for my drink.
Since I play an instrument which has to be plugged in, I don't have much control over where I sit and usually have to sit in the same place at every session.
# Posted on July 26th 2008 by fauxcelt
Re: A chair at the pub
One solution to the lack-of-chairs problem is for some of the musicians to play standing up - fiddles, whistles and flutes in particular (very Baroque style). The follow-on problem (from my observations of session musicians) is likely to be that some of them would keel over after 10 minutes or so
I should perhaps mention that an alternative to free drinks is food for the musicians late in the evening; this has the advantage that it's significantly cheaper for the landlord, and can be more acceptable to those who don't want to drink too much. One of my regular sessions does this - we might be offered assorted sandwiches, fries 'n' dips, sausages 'n' fries, or (as last time) freshly cooked spare ribs.
# Posted on July 26th 2008 by lazyhound
Re: A chair at the pub
Offering the musicians free food is a good suggestion lazyhound but the restrictive local laws probably won't allow that either. Instead of complaining about this, I would try to get the laws changed but I cannot afford to bribe any members of the Arkansas General Assembly.
# Posted on July 26th 2008 by fauxcelt
Re: A chair at the pub
In a house session, you don't run the risk of:
--a drunken punter giving you a "friendly" headlock (this happened to me at a session with great musicians but with rowdy folks at the bar),
--or a seemingly drunk homeless guy standing right over you when you play because he likes you playing (at another pub; I had to ask the dude to back off),
--or finding your local mellow session jovially and very loudly invaded by a large band of Dublin university students in the US for six weeks (we could barely hear ourselves play, but we really enjoyed their zany, boundless energy and enthusiasm for the music; they put American partiers to shame; I think my ears are still ringing from their belting out Irish pub songs--LOUD!!).
All part of the craic...
# Posted on July 26th 2008 by InSearchofCraic
Re: A chair at the pub
Laurence, perhaps it depends whether the pub is geared up to serve cooked food - as many British pubs now are.
# Posted on July 26th 2008 by lazyhound
Re: A chair at the pub
You are never gonna have a good diddle in a pub unless that pub is home from home.
# Posted on July 26th 2008 by llig leahcim
Re: A chair at the pub
"Time, ladies and gentlemen! Have ye no homes to go to?"
# Posted on July 26th 2008 by lazyhound
The big rock candy mountain
I'm not turning
I'm headin for a land that's far away beside the crystal fountains
So come with me we'll go and see
# Posted on July 26th 2008 by Random_notes