Sasquatch and on ... Huddersfield Jam #2

TTony

darthed1981 said:

Also, everyone paid @TTony their dues? 

The short answer is no.

Difficult to know who needs chasing though, as some of the "attendees" have been rather quiet on the thread, so they might become "non-attendees".  I can let @BridgetHouse & @LegionReturns know who has paid, and they can shake the cash out of anyone else who makes it on the days.  It is borderline viable (financially) though - but I don't really want to go through all of that again.


I'm not going to be there.  I've really enjoyed the sessions that I've been to, and - IMHO - these sessions are one of the real positives out of the forum.  I'd love there to be more of them, and I'd aim to attend more if there are.  In fact, finding an opportunity to play live with decent musicians (as you lot are) has become one of my in-retirement objectives largely as a consequence of me enjoying our sessions!  Now I just need to get to retire ...

But I'm a little doubtful about whether the enthusiasm is shared outside of the hardcore dozen or so attendees who go to most/all of them?  I still remember that "I can play with really good musicians anytime I choose, I don't need to attend your thing" post!  Perhaps we tried too hard to entice more people to get involved, and perhaps we should just have focused on that hardcore and let others turn up if they fancied it ...

Plus they do take a bit of behind-the-scenes organisation, and I'm guessing that Bridge's shoulders might be aching a bit from the work on this one.

I'd been waiting to see the running order for Sat pm / Sun am and the gig, but I don't see that yet, and I've also completely lost track of who's in/out of the various songs that were suggested, and which have been removed for lack of interest.  So, I've had to make a call on whether to attend or not (I was only going to be able to do Sat in any case) and given everything else that's going on, it unfortunately became an easy call.

Hey-ho.  I'll head off back to the shadows again

darthed1981

LuttiS said:

I'm still coming. . The list hasn't been updated in a long time...  I'm sure there are additional attendees saying they're coming across the threads in different sections. 
Also like you said there are those who haven't put down for songs or given a Doctors note.. 

Yeah who is doing the list?  If @ttony still has the keys does someone else need to take it over?  Sorry I don't know how these things work.

Seeing there is a whole thread about it I think we can declare @thomasross20 out, so he can be crossed off and his parts are up for grabs (wahey, etc)...

TTony

darthed1981 said:

Yeah who is doing the list?  If @ttony still has the keys does someone else need to take it over?  Sorry I don't know how these things work.

The detailed who's-playing-what organisation never was me on this one.  BH & LR took it over.

mrkb

I’ll be there- have learnt my songs. Currently hanging out in Bruge until Thursday........

mrkb

I’m happy to organise a smaller Northampton Jam in November if anyone’s still keen.

Bridgehouse

I have the master list - I will publish later when I’m home. 

@TTony is right tho - we have to face up to the fact that the vast majority of members on this forum don’t want to meet other members to play or jam. It just isn’t something that they are interested in at all. 

I have accepted that now and and can move on from it.

TTony

Bridgehouse said:

@TTony is right tho - we have to face up to the fact that the vast majority of members on this forum don’t want to meet other members to play or jam. It just isn’t something that they are interested in at all. 

I have accepted that now and and can move on from it.

Yup.

Future ones might be organised within the forum (ie by like-minded people who perhaps live reasonably close and just happen to be members here) rather than by the forum as forum-wide events.

Still publicise them so that others can turn up if they choose, but the original concept of running these sessions as an opportunity for those with less experience/confidence to build experience/confidence has perhaps run its course?

mrkb said:

I’m happy to organise a smaller Northampton Jam in November if anyone’s still keen.

Leicester/Quad was a better (aka bigger) studio?  But I'd be up for another session.

Snags

@mrkb assuming I don't piss everyone off next weekend, I'd potentially be up for Northampton - it's certainly not such an early start! Would be date/domestic dependent, natch.

Legionreturns

I think the biggest issue with this one is that it's right at the beginning of the Summer holidays. This has meant many people can't attend. 

I'm treating that as a lesson learned. 

Not being able to update the attendee list / check / chase payment etc has been a ball ache, but I'd have found a way around that if I'd had more time. 

In the last few months I've had exam season, launched a new business and the sliced open my hand, so I've been somewhat distracted. 

That said, we have a drummer and enough keen attendees to make this work. 

In the next 24 hours or so I'll do a running order of sorts, and on Saturday we'll work out a setlist for the gig, largely based on the few we've already agreed, plus arm twisting people into doing their studio songs live once they've had enough practice. 

A few people are paying on the day, which is fine given that nobody knew for certain that the PayPal was still working. 

darthed1981

Wow thanks everyone for jumping in again it was feeling too quiet for four days to go!  Was thinking I was going to drive three hours to find @Legionreturns outside holding a sign saying cancelled with a Whippet and some Hovis.

@ttony - do we need to twist your arm to come to Hudds or are you coming, be good to see you?

@legionreturns - I'll happily play on anything at the gig I'm on during the day, as long as it doesn't have to be too impressive and I'm allowed to f**k it up

@mrkb I'm in for a Northampton do again as always, loved the last one

@snags - you have a choice of dates or domestics?  We won't tell if you choose to bring your date but google might!

TTony

darthed1981 said:

@ttony - do we need to twist your arm to come to Hudds or are you coming, be good to see you?

@darthed1981 - did you miss the bit where I said ...

TTony said:

I'm not going to be there.  

... break from work cancelled (I was planning on travelling up on Friday) hotel booking cancelled, I'm not going to be there.

LuttiS

Don't write them off so fast guys... 

I think it's as @Legionreturns says, many can't make it due to holiday season/family season... Which is the majority of the can't go answers. 

Think of the huge interest in the original quad last year and the flow up norf jam. There were people scraping up the walls to get on the list. 

It is possible we flew a little close to the sun on this one, perhaps too big too soon after other jams. What's this the third or fourth this year? 

I'm sorry you've decided not to come @TTony , was looking forward to meeting you. Hopefully you won't take the negativety to heart, there is lots of interest from lots of people. Treat it as lesson learnt about summer holiday - majority here are well hung, good looking, round about middle aged dads. 

Hopefully next time. 

darthed1981

TTony said:

darthed1981 said:

@ttony - do we need to twist your arm to come to Hudds or are you coming, be good to see you?

@darthed1981 ;;;;;

Did you miss the bit where I said ...

TTony said:

I'm not going to be there.   Break from work cancelled.  Hotel cancelled.  I'm not going to be there!

Ahh, err, yes I did miss that, sorry Tony!

Snags

darthed1981 said:

@snags - you have a choice of dates or domestics?  We won't tell if you choose to bring your date but google might!

Silly boy, you know what I mean!

darthed1981

Snags said:

darthed1981 said:

@snags - you have a choice of dates or domestics?  We won't tell if you choose to bring your date but google might!

Silly boy, you know what I mean!

All I can say is ...

Bridgehouse

LuttiS said:

Don't write them off so fast guys... 

I think it's as @Legionreturns says, many can't make it due to holiday season/family season... Which is the majority of the can't go answers. 

Think of the huge interest in the original quad last year and the flow up norf jam. There were people scraping up the walls to get on the list. 

It is possible we flew a little close to the sun on this one, perhaps too big too soon after other jams. What's this the third or fourth this year? 

I'm sorry you've decided not to come @TTony , was looking forward to meeting you. Hopefully you won't take the negativety to heart, there is lots of interest from lots of people. Treat it as lesson learnt about summer holiday - majority here are well hung, good looking, round about middle aged dads. 

Hopefully next time. 

No. Too many people have made it abundantly clear that they don’t see Jam sessions as important or as something they want to do. 

Organising is a lot of work and a ball ache. A total ball ache. 

TBH it’s not worth that effort if it’s not seen as a benefit to the community.

TTony

Bridgehouse said:

No. Too many people have made it abundantly clear that they don’t see Jam sessions as important or as something they want to do. 

Organising is a lot of work and a ball ache. A total ball ache. 

TBH it’s not worth that effort if it’s not seen as a benefit to the community.

It was probably a push too far for Huddersfield, hence me getting pissed off and you having the hassle of trying to fill up a list of players, some of whom aren't that committed to playing.  Whether that's because of summer holidays, because of location, or because of whatever.  

I'm going to get selfish in future.  I want to do other jam sessions, but without so much agg.  So, in future, perhaps smaller groups of people (easier to organise) who are more committed and - because there are fewer of us - spend more time playing.

If others want to join in, then so be it, doors will be open, but I'm not going to bother trying to entice people through them.

There.

darthed1981

For what it's worth @ttony and @bridgehouse the jam sessions have helped me immensely as a player (it might not SOUND that way, but they have ) and been really enjoyable, so from me it's a big thank you.

TTony

darthed1981 said:

the jam sessions have helped me immensely as a player (it might not SOUND that way, but they have ) 

I'm no judge, but I'd say you've got more confident and become a better player & singer, which makes you more confident and then you become a better player (& singer), which makes you ... (etc).

Which really was the original intention of these sessions.  

  

(Except we'd originally hoped that they'd spread a bit further & wider!!)

fandango

Who sang "I'll be there ..." Was it the Four Tops? The Temptations? Ah no ... it was The Jackson 5.

Huddersfield was always going to be a problem for those south of Watford. And the first weekend of August has also proved a difficult sell. Both together and that's genuine double whammy. Not surprised with the sparsity of people going. I even questioned my own sanity when I said yes.

However, barring any road accidents, like the few on the M5 over the last two weeks (and the rather nasty one today going northbound at J4 with a tailback all the way down to J7), I'll be there.

Despite the fantastic weather that meant it's been way more fun to be in the sun, than wilting with a guitar in my hands. Despite the major change in my work situation leaving me little time to practice anyway. Despite the distance. Despite the lack of interest from others. I'll be there. I've booked the hotel so I'll also be there on the Saturday Night .. 

See you at the weekend!

Last one to Sasquatch is a silly sausage!