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One way of getting them in
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One way of getting them in |
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Subject: One way of getting them in From: Vic Smith Date: 08 Feb 13 - 12:48 PM Here is a contribution to the on-going discussion on getting younger performers into folk clubs...... We decided at Folk at The Royal Oak in Lewes that we needed to be pro-active, to seek out young people who we knew perform our music but not in folk clubs and say that we were mounting an evening that was aimed at them. Our decision to try to promote this evening, one of our occasional Open Nights which took place on 7th February, as an evening aimed mainly at younger performers who had not performed for us before was a great success, We had around 60 people there and ten young performers who had never been along to our venture before took part interspersed with our regulars. Three hours long, there was not time to fit everyone in - but the youngsters had first call. They were looking at the the posters displaying our coming programme. One of them said to me, "Wow! Have you really got Bruce Molsky coming here?" Another said, "Is that right? Leon Rosselson?" Well, yes it is. |
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Subject: RE: One way of getting them in From: Will Fly Date: 08 Feb 13 - 01:47 PM Excellent stuff, Vic - and I hope to meet some of them when I come to see the great Bruce Molsky (2nd May). |
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Subject: RE: One way of getting them in From: Vic Smith Date: 08 Feb 13 - 01:47 PM Email from one of the young performers just received says "Thanks for a great time last night, hope to be back fairly soon!" |
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Subject: RE: One way of getting them in From: Harmonium Hero Date: 08 Feb 13 - 03:08 PM it's easy enough to get singers in; the difficulty is in getting an audience. But maybe more young singers - attending regularly - will encourage some younger listeners. I think 'young' in this context means people under 40. It's the generation - now aged from early 40s to early 50s - that's the problem. They just never 'got it' as far as folk song, music and dance is concerned, and it has left a generation gap. And while there are plenty of under-40s involved, they have never attended folk clubs in significant numbers. The gap has broken that habit. Something else that might help would be more young(er) people running clubs. I'm not suggesting that the older generation should give it up; folk was never an age group thing and it should never be so. But the present situation - with most clubs being run by the over-60s - is making it seem so. An encouraging sign is that a new club is opening in Maidstone (there was a Mudcat thread on this about a week ago) run by a 20-year-old. I hope it's a success, and encourages others. John Kelly (Old Git). |
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Subject: RE: One way of getting them in From: Vic Smith Date: 08 Feb 13 - 03:13 PM I think 'young' in this context means people under 40. The ten performers that I am talking about were aged 15 - 25. folk was never an age group thing and it should never be so Hear Hear! |
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Subject: RE: One way of getting them in From: Vic Smith Date: 08 Feb 13 - 03:22 PM Another email this week was for a man - who from the guff under his email signature must have been a lawyer - said that his 13-year-old son talks all the time about want to come to our folk club! Would it be possible to bring him given that it is on licensed premises. I thought it might be a mickey take at first, but replied explaining that there was no bar in the club room, that it would be fine. Back came the reply that the son was very pleased and that he would see us on the Thursday of half-term week. |
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Subject: RE: One way of getting them in From: Harmonium Hero Date: 08 Feb 13 - 03:34 PM You seem to have started something. Just hope it continues - keep us posted. Good Luck. John Kelly. |
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Subject: RE: One way of getting them in From: GUEST,leeneia Date: 08 Feb 13 - 05:53 PM Congratulations, Vic. I'm happy to hear about this. |
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Subject: RE: One way of getting them in From: fat B****rd Date: 09 Feb 13 - 08:06 AM Whilst I have little or no real interest in the UK Folk Music scene, I must congratulate you, Vic, on a fine achievement. All the best for the future Charlie. |
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Subject: RE: One way of getting them in From: greg stephens Date: 09 Feb 13 - 09:25 AM Nice one Vic.A treat to see the future take shape in front of you. |
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Subject: RE: One way of getting them in From: GUEST,John Foxen Date: 09 Feb 13 - 03:02 PM At Haverfolk we were and astounded and delighted when we got a lass in her twenties coming to the club regularly. She's a music teacher at a local school and even persuaded two of her star pupils to join her. They've just started sixth form college and will be a performing a showcase evening at the club later this year under the name Folking Young. Then one of our regulars persuaded his daughter and her cousin (ages 14 and 16) to drop in occasionally and perform. The girls do a beautiful version of Bogle's Leaving Nancy but they and Folking Young both lean towards Mumford and Sons and Florence and the Machine. But they are playing live music in a folk venue which I think is a result. |
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Subject: RE: One way of getting them in From: GUEST,Lavengro Date: 09 Feb 13 - 03:35 PM I regularly attend two folk clubs and I like both of them for different reasons. However in regard to the thread, one of them is very thin on the ground with under 18's and the other (on average) has about 20-30% under 18. Why the big difference? Personally I think it is the attitude of those running the clubs? The one with a broad view of what constitutes folk music has the greater number of young people. The one that has a leadership with a penchant for hill walking, itchy knitwear and pronouncing America as Amerikay in songshas an older membership. As I say I like them both but the second one will clearly fade rather than thrive in the course of time. |
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Subject: RE: One way of getting them in From: Vic Smith Date: 10 Feb 13 - 06:53 AM My message to one of the youth organisations in the town has just brought this late but still encouraging response - Vic, It is one thing to organise a one-off evening of this nature, It is quite another to start to get spin-offs from it. |
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