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The Celtic Classic festival in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, a huge festival held at the end of September every year, will have a Celtic songwriting contest this year:

Celtic Song Writing Contest

Yep. That's our local festival. I am planning on an entry. Trying to talk one of our kids or two into entering as well.

They want a song played on guitar. Sure I can play guitar and sing. But what's so Celtic about that? That is rather limiting in my mind. But I suppose I will comply.

Brus wrote:The Celtic Classic festival in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, a huge festival held at the end of September every year

I am sure it is my advancing age but Celticfest hasn't been exactly thrilling the last few years - mostly "please buy more beer" bands playing. But it is what it is. And it's what we've got.

Feadoggie

The Official Rules wrote:1 to 5 points will be awarded in each of 3 categories:
...
3. Performance - does the performer do a good job singing the song and selling it to the audience?

If this is 1/3 of the criteria, then it's not a songwriting contest.

MTGuru wrote:If this is 1/3 of the criteria, then it's not a songwriting contest.

Right. I think this will go to the song that best whips the audience up enough that they want to go running to the beer and whiskey vendors. That's the Seamus Kenedy rule.


Seamus in flight.

We are hatching a plan based on that criteria - that's where the young ones come in. A little social engineering maybe.

Then again the audiences at these contests do tend to be the family members of those on the stage. At my age I will surely be out of my element. I'll head over to Godfrey Daniel's for the open mic afterwards.

Feadoggie

Feadoggie wrote:Sure I can play guitar and sing. But what's so Celtic about that? That is rather limiting in my mind. But I suppose I will comply.

As for "what's so Celtic", I suppose it will have to be the content of the songs.

Yes, it does seem a bit limiting, compared to the fiddle competition, where accompaniment is optional. Like wise the singing (not songwriting) competition they did some years ago.

I am sure it is my advancing age but Celticfest hasn't been exactly thrilling the last few years - mostly "please buy more beer" bands playing. But it is what it is. And it's what we've got.

Hmmm. I can't say I've been too disappointed. But then, with six stages going, I wouldn't really want all the bands to be ones I absolutely can't stand to miss. I can't be six places at once.

From last year: Burning Bridget Cleary, Searson, Maggie and Cassie MacDonald are groups I definitely wanted to see for every performance across the weekend.

John Whelan, back for the first time in years, was worth watching, especially with the young up-and-coming Genna Gillespie and the super-young Haley Richardson.

The Glengarry Bhoys really haven't done anything new in years, but they're still worth seeing once a year. And the Tannahill Weavers.

The Four Leaf Clovers are fun. Great version of "Lily the Pink".

Besides music, it's always worth watching the border collies do their thing.

I always try to catch at least one full performance of the O'Grady-Quinlan dancers.

And I managed to watch 90% of the highland athletics last year without missing any music I wanted to see.

Brus wrote:John Whelan, back for the first time in years, was worth watching, especially with the young up-and-coming Genna Gillespie and the super-young Haley Richardson.

Right. It is good to see John Whelan out and about.

I think the only other performers I really enjoyed last year was Comas with Aidan Burke, Isaac Alderson and Philip Masure.

So, Brus, are you in the Lehigh Valley?

Feadoggie

Feadoggie wrote: So, Brus, are you in the Lehigh Valley?

Nope, closer to Altoona.

Whew, that's a healthy hike to get to Bethlehem.

I'm just a few miles from Bethlehem. I can get to the festival by bike on the Lehigh River canal towpath. But my wife doesn't like to ride on the handlebars. So we take the car.

Feadoggie

What's a celtic song?

s1m0n wrote:What's a celtic song?

It's a song from that mystical magical land of the celts.
And according to the rules it's this:
Song must be original
Song must be played on guitar
Song must have lyrics (I personally love songs with lyrics.)
Song must be no longer than 3 minutes 30 seconds
Also:
1. Lyrics - easy to understand, do they rhyme, and do they convey the story/idea of the song?
2. Melody - good tune, catchy, easy to sing and to listen to?
3. Performance - does the performer do a good job singing the song and selling it to the audience?
So I wonder, is the song to be sung in english or
the mystical magical language of the celts?

oleorezinator wrote:

s1m0n wrote:What's a celtic song?

It's a song from that mystical magical land of the celts.
And according to the rules it's this:
Song must be original
Song must be played on guitar
Song must have lyrics (I personally love songs with lyrics.)
Song must be no longer than 3 minutes 30 seconds
Also:
1. Lyrics - easy to understand, do they rhyme, and do they convey the story/idea of the song?
2. Melody - good tune, catchy, easy to sing and to listen to?
3. Performance - does the performer do a good job singing the song and selling it to the audience?
So I wonder, is the song to be sung in english or
the mystical magical language of the celts?

So, pretty much anything, really?

s1m0n wrote:So, pretty much anything, really?

Somewhere in the lyrics a word like "shamrock" or "heather" should be included.

In the context of the Celtic Classic, I would think that singing about one's heritage and the use of family names like Guinness or Jameson might also be acceptable.

And it must be on guitar. Forget about the harp.
That's Irish anyway not celtic. Bouzouki is Greek
so that's out. Oh well.

I suppose these are out as well, all of them : Clare songs and singers