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[exiletaff]

I hope there is plenty of room on the back row of the classes as I intend to skulk as well.

Alun

[heartshaped1]

Put me down for the back row too! First time at Witney, don't know ANYONE who is going (except one of the tutors), don't know anyone else that plays box at all, only been playing eleven months, and the downloaded music is vaguely terrifying! Despite all this, really looking forward to it!

See you all there! 
Vicky

[Helena Handcart]

<Need sympathy>

So it's the night before Witney and I've shut my fingers in the car door  Nothing broken as I can move the joints (just) but very, very painful. Left hand so could be worse but still pretty awful.

</need sympathy>

[malcolmbebb]

<sympathy> Aah, there there! </sympathy>

[Mike Carney]

<Need sympathy>

So it's the night before Witney and I've shut my fingers in the car door  Nothing broken as I can move the joints (just) but very, very painful. Left hand so could be worse but still pretty awful.

</need sympathy>

Really sorry to hear this Helena. Glad nothing broken.
Mike

[Anahata]

Ouch!

[robotmay]

Well I called The Hollybush earlier this afternoon and the member of staff said they'd get the manager to call me back, which uh...hasn't happened yet. Will bug them tomorrow and call around any other pubs I can find if I'm unsuccessful.

Sorry to hear about your hand Helena, hope it heals up a bit by the weekend. Some ibuprofen might be helpful! I'll update here tomorrow as to if I need someone to go bash on some pub doors (with your good hand)!

[Bob Ellis]

Sorry to hear about your hand, Helena. I hope it doesn't impede you too much over the weekend. Being a woman, of course, you won't make the drama out of it that we men tend to do! 

[Oscarmouse]

Did we not end up in the back room of the Angel last year with something that was more flash mob than session with even the local teens joining in. Or did I imagine it,  it was certainly mad enough?

[robotmay]

What's the Angel like for space? Might give them a call shortly too and see if they wouldn't mind us turning up. There's quite a few pubs in the general area, just trying to find one that isn't serving stately dinners, or a disco

[Steve_freereeder]

What's the Angel like for space? Might give them a call shortly too and see if they wouldn't mind us turning up. There's quite a few pubs in the general area, just trying to find one that isn't serving stately dinners, or a disco

The Angel can be a bit cramped, but the main problem as I recall is the huge plasma television which, although it's in the main bar room, has a big following of sports viewers who tend to object to any extraneous sounds (such as melodeon playing) competing with their cheering.

Signing off for now. Have a safe journey one and all and see you in Witney.
Over and out!

[robotmay]

The Hollybush is a no-go, as apparently they're incredibly busy this evening with diners and such. Trying The HorseShoes now and a few others if that's unsuccessful.

Current status:

Hollybush is a no, unless they're not as busy as they say they are later in the evening I guess.
HorseShoes is also a no, as they're a "dining experience" on a Friday/Saturday
Eagle Tavern is a maybe. They didn't sound super excited about the idea, but they didn't flat out refuse.
Angel Inn probably a no, as they have a gig on tonight at 8:30.
The Fleece is a firm no, as it doesn't fit in with their image or something.

Right, sod the rest of them, The New Inn would be thrilled (quote!) to have us, and they're just up the road from the rest. They don't do food but there's plenty of beer, and the landlord sounded excited by the idea. Here's a map with the location. And their Facebook page has photos of morris dancers, so that sounds more like it.

So: Session at The New Inn after we finish in the school at 9:30pm.

[Helena Handcart]

Thanks, see you there. We're just arriving in Witney now.

[malcolmbebb]

I think the New Inn was a success. As was the whole weekend, from what I saw. As normal, of course. Just got to remember it all now.

[robotmay]

I had a great time this weekend, met some great people, and got to listen to some great music. And the session went rather well too, even if it's rather obvious that I know very few standard session tunes

Emmanuel's class on chords and accompaniment was especially useful for me, and I've learnt a lot about what I want to play and learn. I also learnt how to clap and walk at the same time

[Mike Carney]

I'd like to echo the comments of Robotmay. As a first time attender at Witney I found it very enjoyable and I learned a lot from each of the tutors. It was great to meet other players and  put faces to some more Melnet names! Interestingly I hadn't really logged that the third workshop offered a more in-depth opportunity due to being a little longer than the others, but that was needed in my case!
Last but not least, I had a little play on Bob's gorgeous Clement Guais!
Mike

[heartshaped1]

I had a great time this weekend, met some great people, and got to listen to some great music. And the session went rather well too, even if it's rather obvious that I know very few standard session tunes

But you played them so well it didn't matter! :)

I had such a good time at Witney - another first timer, and scared witless to start with, met some top people, everyone was so friendly and willing to share their knowledge.  The tutors were all brilliant and so utterly different, they really showed the broad scope of what can be done, lots of food for thought.  Session was amazing, my first time at a session, I am assured there are not usually that many melodeons in one pub!  As with Oysterboy I hadn't appreciated the third session was significantly longer than the Saturday ones, but so pleased I chose Pete Coe, I think he has just changed my life and certainly my playing and learning!

Oh, and I seem to have signed up to a morris team as a musician!   
Bring on 2015!!!!

[nigelr]

I had such a good time at Witney - another first timer, and scared witless to start with, met some top people, everyone was so friendly and willing to share their knowledge.  The tutors were all brilliant and so utterly different, they really showed the broad scope of what can be done, lots of food for thought.  Session was amazing, my first time at a session, I am assured there are not usually that many melodeons in one pub!

A very similar experience for me as well.  It was great to meet everyone and spend a whole weekend immersed in playing and learning.  Thanks to all involved - it was a blast.  Nigel

[Selam]

Been a long while since I posted on here... Had a great time at Witney. Met lots of enthusiastic and inspiring people and got back a little of the spark that made me want to play in the first place!

Particularly enjoyed Steve's workshop on "Passion and Darkness" - there are more keys than just E minor... Am and Bm.... :)

And I've impulse-bought so I *have* to keep playing...

Sel

[robotmay]

I had a great time this weekend, met some great people, and got to listen to some great music. And the session went rather well too, even if it's rather obvious that I know very few standard session tunes

But you played them so well it didn't matter! :)

Haha thanks! I'll try my best to actually learn some more popular tunes for next year. And hopefully after Steve's lovely performance on Saturday everyone else has gone away to learn some great Welsh tunes (it's certainly making me revisit Machynlleth)

I think my biggest takeaway from the weekend is that I really want to learn to sing in tune, if only to be able to better work out accompaniments. I'm starting to work on that from today, though I suspect it's going to take a long time!

Then I just need to learn more French music, which it turns out is really fun when you actually understand how the structure works and get to hear it being played by people like Emmanuel and Myriam (I think that's how her name is spelt).

And I've impulse-bought so I *have* to keep playing...

And what a good impulse purchase it was too!