There have been several weekends this summer that Rick and I have had several shows. You know, like leave this one to get to the next one, then home asap because you gotta get up and get to another in the morning... and so on. I think we thrive on it. It feels better than it ought!!! LOL
So this weekend, it happened again...
We started Thursday night at a retirement village. Yeah, most of our songs are well-known sing-along type songs there... and then, some folks just nap... and most just listen and rock or tap and then clap when the song ends. They are so appreciative, and I am finding more and more- THAT is why I like to do this. Giving people a good time that they appreciate. Yes.
On Friday, I had to spend a few hours at the place that pays the bills... and then off to a really WONDERFUL tavern, 20 Main, in Au Sable Forks, NY, up in the Adirondack Mtns. We were asked to do a 'Neil Young Tribute'. For many years, Neil Young fans, or Rusties, would gather on a piece of land and play NY music all weekend. We always played at the bar 20 Main on Friday night. Many of the people who were regulars for that weekend are now gone, but many remain... just not enough to make *it* happen. So, we scaled it down and made it a NY Tribute, although we mixed in some originals as well as the usual Rick and Marilyn covers.
What a GREAT time!!! Talk about APPRECIATION!!! A bar crowd that actually LISTENS!!!! LOL!!! What fun! We played well past our advertised stop time, just for the sheer fun we were having. Rick absolutely tore it UP channeling Neil Young, and we kept finding ways to say it again, a little differently... and it ROCKED!
It was a highlight of the summer! A great summer of music, by the way. Rick and Marilyn at all the local Farmers Markets, the Valatie Theater, The Down County Social Club, The Wine and Cheese Festival...
Thanks to all for coming out! Hope to see you down the road....
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Marilyn's CD, What's On My Mind is HERE!
And you have choices on where to find it and buy it (Each choice below contains a CLICKABLE link): 1) Come to a show 2) CD Baby ha...
Monday, August 12, 2019
Sunday, July 7, 2019
July Happenings!!!
Happy summer!! It is SURELY here now.... hot, humid with thunderstorms aplenty!!
Rick and Marilyn just finished an amazing weekend of music, and look forward to another next weekend!!!
We hosted the Open Mic at the Stewart House in Athens on July 4th.... what a wonderful group of people came and played and jammed! Thank you all...
We followed that with playing the Sheffield Farmers Market on Friday and the Millerton Farmers Market on Saturday. Thanks to all who stopped by and said a few words... we very much appreciate it! We often hear that people enjoy our mix of classic folk/rock covers and originals at such venues. Apparently, our set lists are perfect for the folks who like to shop at farmers markets!... and we see those same people at venues like the DCSC (Down County Social Club) at the Race Brook Lodge, downstairs from the Stagecoach Tavern in Sheffield, MA, which we played Saturday evening. It is a wonderfully intimate venue. We feel like we are just jamming for friends we just met when we play there!! FUN!
Now... to tell you what is up next weekend!!! We very much hope to see you at one of these shows!
Friday night brings us to one of our favorite places, The Main Street Public House in Philmont, NY. There is outside seating, the best burgers in the county, and a fantastic variety of local and not-so-local brews on tap!!! AND.... July 12th, 8-10pm, RICK and MARILYN!!! Come and spend some time at this wonderful venue!!! See you there....
Then Saturday, we will be at the Hudson Farmers Market, 10-12. One of the largest markets in the area, come and stock up!!! and listen to music.....
After we pack up there, we will be headed to the Copake Camp Resort for a short set at 2pm.
And then, Sunday, from 1-4pm, you can hear us Under the Tent at Love Apple Farm on 9H. Love Apple Farm has developed in recent years to a place where you can see art, pet animals, grab a (very tasty) bite to eat, followed by Janes ice cream, do your grocery shopping, gift shopping and FRESH fruits and veggie shopping.... AND listen to music!!! Rick and Marilyn will play a rocking show for you, and we surely hope to see you there!!!
I think that catches us up with Rick and Marilyn happenings! If you want a free song of ours that we often play live, A Practiced Speech, sign up for the mailing list over there..........................>>> Come to shows!!! And of course, you have heard the album??? Buy it!! Listen to it above!!
Rick and Marilyn just finished an amazing weekend of music, and look forward to another next weekend!!!
We hosted the Open Mic at the Stewart House in Athens on July 4th.... what a wonderful group of people came and played and jammed! Thank you all...
We followed that with playing the Sheffield Farmers Market on Friday and the Millerton Farmers Market on Saturday. Thanks to all who stopped by and said a few words... we very much appreciate it! We often hear that people enjoy our mix of classic folk/rock covers and originals at such venues. Apparently, our set lists are perfect for the folks who like to shop at farmers markets!... and we see those same people at venues like the DCSC (Down County Social Club) at the Race Brook Lodge, downstairs from the Stagecoach Tavern in Sheffield, MA, which we played Saturday evening. It is a wonderfully intimate venue. We feel like we are just jamming for friends we just met when we play there!! FUN!
Now... to tell you what is up next weekend!!! We very much hope to see you at one of these shows!
Friday night brings us to one of our favorite places, The Main Street Public House in Philmont, NY. There is outside seating, the best burgers in the county, and a fantastic variety of local and not-so-local brews on tap!!! AND.... July 12th, 8-10pm, RICK and MARILYN!!! Come and spend some time at this wonderful venue!!! See you there....
Then Saturday, we will be at the Hudson Farmers Market, 10-12. One of the largest markets in the area, come and stock up!!! and listen to music.....
After we pack up there, we will be headed to the Copake Camp Resort for a short set at 2pm.
And then, Sunday, from 1-4pm, you can hear us Under the Tent at Love Apple Farm on 9H. Love Apple Farm has developed in recent years to a place where you can see art, pet animals, grab a (very tasty) bite to eat, followed by Janes ice cream, do your grocery shopping, gift shopping and FRESH fruits and veggie shopping.... AND listen to music!!! Rick and Marilyn will play a rocking show for you, and we surely hope to see you there!!!
I think that catches us up with Rick and Marilyn happenings! If you want a free song of ours that we often play live, A Practiced Speech, sign up for the mailing list over there..........................>>> Come to shows!!! And of course, you have heard the album??? Buy it!! Listen to it above!!
Monday, May 13, 2019
Musings after the gig....
Musicians are always asking ourselves.... if we are not getting paid, do we take the gig? If our compensation is tips, and we don't make any, do we return? You can find this question with many different answers on the internet. Formulas for deciding to take the gig or not. Admonishments for taking non-paying gigs, which 'make it harder for musicians who gig as their only income to be able to do that'. I get that. Rick and Marilyn decided a while back that we would respect our fellow working musicians and only do charity gigs for free. We don't see this music making thing as a hobby. It is a second job for us, and work that we love and want to continue, and we also respect our peers who need the income to go from day to day.
So, yesterday, we made $3 each over two gigs, 35 miles apart. Disappointing? Hardly. Let me tell you about it.
We got to the Wine, Brew and Beverage festival a little later than we meant to, which meant we carried in our gear. We were first up and there is a small stage which is mostly taken up by a drum set. We decide to set up on either side of those drums. There are a few people milling about. After a nice intro by Lex Grey, who is our host today, we play. Mostly originals, but a few covers. Almost all songs about alcohol. Well?? It fit the occasion. The festival is the major fundraiser for the parks in Catskill, providing equipment for adults and children. There is a little disconnect there... but one of the major sponsors is Columbia Memorial Health. Drink Responsibly. Rick and I felt pretty good about that gig. It was fun! We got to play to help raise money for play areas! YES!
Then a brief break before taking off for Sheffield, MA and Race Brook Lodge... a wonderful, rustic place to stay, with, btw, great meals!! Highly recommended!!! So, after seeing the space, which looks like an underground cave, we decided we didn't need to amplify. When we started playing, we were totally alone in the room. Nope, the bar is upstairs, not even a waitperson in sight. After a while a man came, very supportive, very obviously enjoying what we are doing. He encourages us to go upstairs into the dining area and play one song so people 'could hear' and then come back downstairs. After we realize he is a relative to the owners, we go on upstairs. Everyone appears to enjoy our songs, and we return to the cave. In a little bit, a family comes down. So now we have a small audience, with requests. We can do SOMETHING similar to the artists they wanted to hear, and we laughed and picked out songs to do, and ended up just simply having a WONDERFUL time. I got to sing songs I haven't even thought about for years, Rick got to play songs that were challenges, and the audience was totally forgiving over lack of polish, understanding we were reaching deep for songs by the artists they were requesting. What a fabulous time! We had fun and I think our audience did too, and we played until they were tired out and ready to go. We were too!!
As we were cleaning up, I checked the tip bucket, which was on the side as you come in, with a small sign. We never mentioned it, and I don't know who put in the $6 I found there. Rick and I laughed, but agreed-- sometimes, it is not the money that gives worth to your performance. Sometimes it is the good times, the great fun.
So will we go back? I know we could not recreate last night, even with the same people in the room, but yes, we will go back if given the chance... because we HAD FUN, we HELPED OTHERS have fun, and that is what is really important.
Isn't it?
So, yesterday, we made $3 each over two gigs, 35 miles apart. Disappointing? Hardly. Let me tell you about it.
We got to the Wine, Brew and Beverage festival a little later than we meant to, which meant we carried in our gear. We were first up and there is a small stage which is mostly taken up by a drum set. We decide to set up on either side of those drums. There are a few people milling about. After a nice intro by Lex Grey, who is our host today, we play. Mostly originals, but a few covers. Almost all songs about alcohol. Well?? It fit the occasion. The festival is the major fundraiser for the parks in Catskill, providing equipment for adults and children. There is a little disconnect there... but one of the major sponsors is Columbia Memorial Health. Drink Responsibly. Rick and I felt pretty good about that gig. It was fun! We got to play to help raise money for play areas! YES!
Then a brief break before taking off for Sheffield, MA and Race Brook Lodge... a wonderful, rustic place to stay, with, btw, great meals!! Highly recommended!!! So, after seeing the space, which looks like an underground cave, we decided we didn't need to amplify. When we started playing, we were totally alone in the room. Nope, the bar is upstairs, not even a waitperson in sight. After a while a man came, very supportive, very obviously enjoying what we are doing. He encourages us to go upstairs into the dining area and play one song so people 'could hear' and then come back downstairs. After we realize he is a relative to the owners, we go on upstairs. Everyone appears to enjoy our songs, and we return to the cave. In a little bit, a family comes down. So now we have a small audience, with requests. We can do SOMETHING similar to the artists they wanted to hear, and we laughed and picked out songs to do, and ended up just simply having a WONDERFUL time. I got to sing songs I haven't even thought about for years, Rick got to play songs that were challenges, and the audience was totally forgiving over lack of polish, understanding we were reaching deep for songs by the artists they were requesting. What a fabulous time! We had fun and I think our audience did too, and we played until they were tired out and ready to go. We were too!!
As we were cleaning up, I checked the tip bucket, which was on the side as you come in, with a small sign. We never mentioned it, and I don't know who put in the $6 I found there. Rick and I laughed, but agreed-- sometimes, it is not the money that gives worth to your performance. Sometimes it is the good times, the great fun.
So will we go back? I know we could not recreate last night, even with the same people in the room, but yes, we will go back if given the chance... because we HAD FUN, we HELPED OTHERS have fun, and that is what is really important.
Isn't it?
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