Re: [Harp-L] Jamming Etiquette

[Grant Walters <grant@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

In pubs:

Have to agree...I played many Irish gigs and always sat out the traditional sets.
Best left to Brendan Power and others like that...  Dancers are great too.

I am trying to put a name to the music played in the pubs..that everybody knows the words to.
Do you call it a Show Band...

I can never describe the music that happens around the San Francisco Pub scene.
Troubadours sing what is mostly Americana and the Rare Auld Songs...of Ireland...
When the evening wears on  and the amps get turned up...It's all good..Rock a bit.
The Pogues and Dubliners are fun and it amps up just shy of the Thin Lizzy approach.

Mostly I dig the old songs with the harmonies... mostly acoustic.
Aongus, could you put a name one the genre that does allow for the amplified harp...in irish pubs
I can't put my finger on it?  (non-traditional?)  Everybody knows the words.
please let me know if you have a term for this music.

Grant Walters.


On Jun 2, 2010, at 9:51 AM, Aongus Mac Cana wrote:

> Joining in as a stranger to Irish trad sessions can be tricky. A safe rule
> is never to do it unless invited.This applies to all instruments. 
> As regards mouth organs Harp amps are strictly a no! no! 
> Some of the stuffier and more unfriendly local player groups actually have a
> policy of tuning their fiddles a semitone up to confuse and discourage would
> be interlopers.
> Beannachtai
> Aongus Mac Cana
>