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Author Topic: Sessions in UK  (Read 3771 times)

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WestOz

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Sessions in UK
« on: February 24, 2018, 08:32:27 AM »

Prompted by Smiley's inquiry about sessions in UK, I came across this site:
http://www.uksessions.net/index.php
No doubt Melnetters are aware of many more sessions - it would be good if they could add them to the site. If you add session information, note it here, implying "melodeon-friendly"!
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malcolmbebb

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Re: Sessions in UK
« Reply #1 on: February 24, 2018, 09:48:05 AM »

While welcoming the idea, sessions are pretty volatile. Very much at the whim of pub landlords, so keeping up to date can be a challenge.
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Helena Handcart

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Re: Sessions in UK
« Reply #2 on: February 24, 2018, 10:56:03 AM »

There's actually so much missing from that that I wonder if it is worth updating - most of the Surrey session scene and almost the entirety of the Sussex sessions is missing. Also the site is rather old fashioned - makes me wonder if it is still being actively maintained?  Search rankings may also be an issue - obviously typing 'folk sessions in the UK' returns it as a first hit but I think musicians are more likely to search for folk sessions in a specific town or county - trying some searches like  that returned local sites but not this one.

A possible alternative is this - I have no connection with the site, in fact I haven't even listed the session I run (whoops, will sort that)
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Thrupenny Bit

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Re: Sessions in UK
« Reply #3 on: February 24, 2018, 11:02:23 AM »

Agree with Malcolm here.
We have an online website for all things in our county, and that has a sessions page.
Even locally it's not a reliable source sadly, because as Malcolm says, it can change in a twinkle..... Or at the whim of a landlord.

Ah as I type, another thought from Helena. Her link to another website gives a sparse and inaccurate version of sessions in my direct locality.
Such a site is an excellent idea in theory but in reality is difficult to keep up to date and accurate.
Apologies for my negativity.
Q
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Helena Handcart

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Re: Sessions in UK
« Reply #4 on: February 24, 2018, 11:18:48 AM »

Agree with Malcolm here.
We have an online website for all things in our county, and that has a sessions page.
Even locally it's not a reliable source sadly, because as Malcolm says, it can change in a twinkle..... Or at the whim of a landlord.

Ah as I type, another thought from Helena. Her link to another website gives a sparse and inaccurate version of sessions in my direct locality.
Such a site is an excellent idea in theory but in reality is difficult to keep up to date and accurate.
Apologies for my negativity.
Q

I don't think that's negative, just realistic. The local listings pages tend to be more accurate but even then can change. 
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Thrupenny Bit

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Re: Sessions in UK
« Reply #5 on: February 24, 2018, 12:31:08 PM »

True.
This month our 'regular first Tuesday of the month' was transferred to a Thursday as the landlord had a booking on the Tuesday.
Luckily the jungle telegraph worked....
Q
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brianread

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Re: Sessions in UK
« Reply #6 on: February 24, 2018, 02:54:12 PM »

Also the site is rather old fashioned - makes me wonder if it is still being actively maintained? 

It is being maintained, I got a request to "check" my entries a few weeks ago, and a personal thankyou from the maintainer.
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Helena Handcart

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Re: Sessions in UK
« Reply #7 on: February 24, 2018, 03:21:14 PM »

True.
This month our 'regular first Tuesday of the month' was transferred to a Thursday as the landlord had a booking on the Tuesday.
Luckily the jungle telegraph worked....
Q

Always a worry. We have two sessions here in the village, first and third Sunday, one steady speed, one more free-for-all but much of the same peeps in attendance - we have email groups and Facebook pages as well as a web presence so communication is good.  Also we have a network of promoting sessions in neighbouring areas - this works well as we tend to know our neighbours and can react pretty quickly if we find that a session has been cancelled and linking to our neighbours' own websites allows potential attendees to check if events are still happening. 
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Robin Tims

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Re: Sessions in UK
« Reply #8 on: February 24, 2018, 04:03:41 PM »

Confusion also arises because in many locations, certainly in Norfolk, many events listed as 'sessions' are actually sing/playaround 'spots' which inevitably include many Guitar-singers as well as the occasional instrumentalist and a wide variety of music styles, sadly not the same thing at all as a proper (and enjoyable) session. The well meaning people publishing the listings don't seem to be aware of the difference despite our ongoing efforts. Does lead to a few disgruntled faces from 'either side' as you might imagine.

There is also a problem sometimes with mainly 'Irish' versus mainly 'English' sessions.

Rob
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malcolmbebb

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Re: Sessions in UK
« Reply #9 on: February 24, 2018, 04:09:19 PM »

There is also a problem sometimes with mainly 'Irish' versus mainly 'English' sessions.
Rob
Yes - the session nearest me foundered on that one...
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Thrupenny Bit

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Re: Sessions in UK
« Reply #10 on: February 24, 2018, 05:47:47 PM »

I realised there was a 'session' in a pub about a mile away a few months back.
I rang the landlord to be told ' yes come along and book your spot.... to sing a. Song or play a tune. '
I declined.
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Anahata

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Re: Sessions in UK
« Reply #11 on: February 24, 2018, 08:12:38 PM »

Confusion also arises because in many locations, certainly in Norfolk, many events listed as 'sessions' are actually sing/playaround 'spots' which inevitably include many Guitar-singers as well as the occasional instrumentalist and a wide variety of music styles.

Also in Norfolk many sessions similar to the above describe themselves as folk clubs, even though they don't charge for entry and don't ever book paid guests.
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Re: Sessions in UK
« Reply #12 on: February 24, 2018, 08:30:40 PM »

Keep me right here, please? It seems that a session is where a number of people meet regularly (mostly the same people?) and bash out a few tunes on a variety of instruments. And, from what I've gleaned from many posts on here, there are a good number of "favourite tunes" which all session regulars know and which are, presumably, played at most sessions, wherever they may be?
 
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malcolmbebb

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Re: Sessions in UK
« Reply #13 on: February 24, 2018, 08:39:21 PM »

Sort of. But the repertoire can vary widely between sessions. And "regularly" may be an aspiration. I have been to sessions where I knew most of the tunes, and sessions where I have known none.
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Winston Smith

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Re: Sessions in UK
« Reply #14 on: February 24, 2018, 08:56:38 PM »

Thanks Malcolm, I expect that "Sort of" is about as far as I'll get, lol!
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Gary

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Re: Sessions in UK
« Reply #15 on: February 24, 2018, 10:05:32 PM »

And just be aware that some sessions use the circular tour of the room where turns are taken to start.

Others use the jump in when the other tune or song has finished.
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Lester

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Re: Sessions in UK
« Reply #16 on: February 24, 2018, 10:47:24 PM »

<snip> bash out a few tunes on a variety of instruments.<snip>

Just the sort of sessions I prefer to avoid. My preferred session is half a dozen people in a quiet room playing tunes thoughtfully and in harmony with each other.

Winston Smith

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Re: Sessions in UK
« Reply #17 on: February 24, 2018, 10:58:14 PM »

Thanks also to Mr Bailey, that sounds nice enough, only maybe a bit difficult for strangers to join in. But, essentially, still just playing a few tunes.
Overall, perhaps not my cup of tea, methinks. Thanks anyway.
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Lester

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Re: Sessions in UK
« Reply #18 on: February 24, 2018, 11:04:34 PM »

But, essentially, still just playing a few tunes.

You see the difference is between "playing a few tunes" and "bash out a few tunes"

Ebor_fiddler

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Re: Sessions in UK
« Reply #19 on: February 25, 2018, 01:03:26 AM »

"Enjoying playing a few tunes"? I think that might cover both.  :|glug
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