Last evening, I played the pipes for a very nice audience in an old folks home in Quebec city. I played some jigs and reels, they tapped their feet, we paused for Irish coffees and then an old lady in a wheelchair sang a verse of “When Irish Eyes are Smiling” (she had a beautiful voice). One 90-year-old lady told me her brother was a highland piper but he died during WWII. An old gentleman originally from Maine was facinated with the workings of the pipes and asked about how it was made, when by whom, etc.
Not your typical Paddy’s Day gig, but very enjoyable!
Was out on the bevvy and playing tunes from about 3pm to 2am. Had a gig in a pub that was so loud that we could barely hear ourselves, even with a PA, then, after sitting around drinking, staggered to the usual Wed night session pub, where for once we had a bar tab. Had a crackin’ session until they kicked us out at 2.
I played for the annual Mayor’s breakfast and then did a half hour recital/demo/whatever at the large event in town. Afterwards I wandered around trying to find a lucrative busking location. At one spot I got hit in the head by a frisbee . I ended up on the ‘staggerway’ between several bars, where I helped incredibly drunk people lighten their wallets some. Home by 5:45 pm, in bed by 9:30.
I went to work yesterday and put in my time, then went off to the pub to do a gig with the missus and a few friends. It was noisy but fun and we had an appreciative audience of mixed generations - literally 3 months old to about retirement age.
After 1 1/2 hrs of (attempting to) play on a very large stage w. “musicians” who couldn’t play in time to save their lives., a New Yorker came to the foot of the stage demanding, “play some oyyyrish mewwwsick, play some oyyyrish mewwwsick! Loik, win oyyyyrish oyyzzz ah smoilin!” One of that guitarists responded with, " lady that song was written in BUFFALO, NEW YORK!"
At one point, I thought my own life was in danger as the imposed dragging tempo slid so quickly downwards, that I regretted having not rented a anti-gravity-suit for the event…in green of course!
My sister teaches preschool a few blocks from here, so I played for her class of 3- and 4-year-olds. They asked lots of good questions, danced their little heads off, and collapsed on their mats for a nap. I gave my sister a big hug and beat a retreat, but not before collecting my pay in cupcakes.
11 - 2 p.m. in a tent
2:30 - 5:30 p.m. at a pub across town
6 - 10 p.m. at a fancy private party on the 25th floor of a downtown building
But all in all it went well and was a really nice day (comparatively speaking, of course). Only played my pipes at the last gig, where it took them a while to cotton to the concept of air conditioning (and they’re just getting over the winter stuff, poor things), but it went OK.
Played two office parties this year, one Saturday, one yesterday. Nice venues, good acoustics, responsive and appreciative crowds. Couldn’t ask for much more. No pubs, restaurants, 30 second TV spots, outdoor sham-fests competing with Flogging Polly.
I figure any St. Pat’s that doesn’t include someone emptying their stomach contents on my shoes is a good one!
I played for an hour in a pub in exchange for a Guinness. Then did some busking with some friends in front of Tiffany’s in Old Pasadena for what seemed to be an endless parade of police cars.
I played for small children at a day care center, followed by a performance at a “Kindermusik” class at a local community college. Great fun was had by all!
Okay then, here we go… I had to be up at 3am to play at LA’s former mayor Riordan’s restaurant in downtown LA. Joey Abarta and Dan Conroy accompanied me. Braver souls have rarely been seen! It turned out it was a TV bit with dancers and stale pints. After that I went to work. After that I drove half way down the continent to Irvine to do a concert. Long feckin’ day! Got home at two minutes to midnight and gobbled down the first beer of the day!
wow. a much calmer and civilized st. patrick darcy day this year. gave up on the usual pub gigs in favor of a street party in a swanky little new urbanist town… my third guitarist to spontaneously combust so only two of us to play for one school of dance and the party following… then a second school of dance crashed the party and the war was on with the musicians stuck in the middle… second school came in to try to show up the first and poach students… wanted to use our PA et al but since we were there with the first we had to decline… so no go there… funny thing was most of the crowd left after the first school performed as it was pissing down the entire time, so the second school master wound up leaving rather pissed and shown up…
new pipes did okay until the constant rain caused the blocks on the regs to swell up and so i lost the regs for the last hour or so… but no drunks, no electrocutions in the rain, and we managed to get paid even though the evening shut down early due to the weather… sending part of my share to father darcy.
. I ended up on the ‘staggerway’ between several bars, where I helped incredibly drunk people lighten their wallets some. Home by 5:45 pm, in bed by 9:30. 
But all in all it went well and was a really nice day (comparatively speaking, of course). Only played my pipes at the last gig, where it took them a while to cotton to the concept of air conditioning (and they’re just getting over the winter stuff, poor things), but it went OK.
