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Songsmith Sessions at The Alma (Canjo) - My first time playing in a pub!!

The Songsmith Sessions are held every Weds in The Alma in Cambridge.
I'd been along to watch a few times to see if I could imagine playing there, but was a bit daunted by the really high standard of musicians!!
As it's getting so cold busking though, I thought I'd brave playing in a nice warm pub.
Getting my little Canjo out, when people had been playing their super duper instruments was pretty scary, but it went down really well!
A slightly surreal experience having people join in and dance : -)
Tom was saying "Harold" as when I started it reminded him of the music from Steptoe and Son http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRaiiT3ZnJw
I did three songs as well with a Cigar Box Guitar which I'll post some clips of soon.
A really enjoyable evening, and good to feel it was ok to make mistakes - I forgot to put my capo on on one song, forgot to switch a pedal on on another...in fact I think I made some kind of false start on all of them, but it was OK!!

The guy joining in is Tom Dalpra, one of the guys running it. Check this vid of him a few decades ago, brilliant!!! (he's the lead singer in the orange top) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEEYRdoLtUE

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Tags: Alma, Cambridge, Canjo, Dalpra, English, More…

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Comment by bemuzic on December 14, 2011 at 4:50am: lol!

Comment by Ice Bob on December 13, 2011 at 9:45pm: we always say (the more you drink the better we sound) and the sooner we get rehired

Comment by bemuzic on December 9, 2011 at 5:58pm: @ Pyno, thanks, I'm amazed that people haven't danced to your stuff!!!

@ Andomando thanks, yeah feels good doesn't it?!

Comment by ANDOMANDO,,also known as ANDY on December 9, 2011 at 5:22pm: Well done,i know the feeling too well having played pubs for years..keep it up.

Comment by Pyno on December 9, 2011 at 2:46pm: Blimey well done, don't recall us ever getting people to dance, great stuff

Comment by bemuzic on December 9, 2011 at 12:34pm: thanks all! Yeah Keni it's weird, I was very nervous as the other people played really great and complicated stuff and mine was very simple, but as you say complicated is not always what gets people. Rhythm seems to have a lot to do with it I think? .... and making a connection. The novelty of having instruments that people hadn't seen before helped. (won't be able to rely on that next time though!)

Comment by Craig bluesbox williams on December 9, 2011 at 11:57am: i second Keni Lee's statement!

Comment by Roadkill a.k.a. John Maw on December 9, 2011 at 11:53am: I think that getting people to dance spontaneously in a British pub is a really achievement (unless you had plied them all with free drinks first). Really brave. Well done.

Comment by Keni Lee Burgess on December 9, 2011 at 10:37am: Nice. Playing guitar as performance art is certainly a lot more than the music. A song can be simple and easy, but if it engages the audience, it can be more powerful than any intricate or complex arrangement. I like the street and festivals much more than the stage. Being able to be up close and personal with my listeners, it a lot more fun for both of us. Judging by the applause, you did it right. Enjoy, Keni Lee