Re: [Harp-L] RE: Buckeye Cancelled

[Joe Leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Apr 19, 2011, at 9:44 PM, Jim Rumbaugh wrote:

> Points discussed
> 
> 1) general public venue
> 2) attracting new members
> 3) numbers going to harmonica festivals.
> 
> 1) For 9 plus years, in Huntington, WV we have met at a coffe shop. Not a church, not a bar.  Membership is SLOWLY growing. (Less than 1 member a year).  I have always been sad that some of the area's better players do not come.

It has been my experience that when one joins a group and they meet somewhere, they discuss new business and then everyone does some open mike. People usually go up according to seniority. So it takes an hour to accommodate 10 players. If there are 20, you're looking at 2 hours. A better player will get disalusioned after sitting there for 2 hours listening to these players that aren't in their league. This may be why they don't want to come. 

> I have often wondered if it was the lack of alcohol.

No, I am not timid about hitting the ole libation, but that was never an issue. At least with me..or the other drinkers I knew. 

>  OR, that there were too many amatuers and that the level of playing is not good enough.

It's not the level as much as the wait. Newer members tend to have to wait their turn. And if they hadn't come when the whole thing started, or soon afterwards (but like, for instance, a year later), they will probably BE the new guy/girl. 

> OR that we play both straight and cross harp tunes.  But I am guessing that every change made, you gasin a few, and you loose a few.

I would think that cross harp and bluegrass would be THE thing in W. Va. I know it was when I lived in Somerset. Our group, Stoney Brooks, was always playing both the W. Va. and Md. panhandle areas. 
> 
> on another note. The Java Joint is closing. We have 3 invitations to try. One is a famous local pizza parlor that serves beer. I will listen to the gang. It may be better, it may not. (beer = more enthusiastic hell raisers = more energy and fun.  Bigger public audiance = begginers afraid to perform or join in,  ??? who knows??? )
> 
> 2)Attracting new members is allways a question.  For people to come there has to be "something in it for them".

Exactly. I know for a fact that some people have dropped coming to functions because they don't get any play time. In other cases. people have just 'dropped'. Danny said he needed 35 more people to keep the fires burning. I know at least 15 people that used to go but are either too old now, too sickly, lost a spouse, moved too far away, or are they themselves gone.  And if you add a wife, girlfriend, husband, that in itself would come to almost 30 people.  

>  That is probably why we have a lot of intermediate players that want to improve.  But we have blues players and traditional players.  It's kinda like oil and water.  We try to mix it up, but some times it just don't work. (tonight we played "Blues Night and Spagehti Dinner" at a local elementary, Even though the people liked the blues, they SANG ALONG to Camptown Races, Happy Wanderer, Etc.)
> 
> 3) Sooner or later I will hold some type of event in Huntington,WV.  I'm not sure what yet, but from this club I have learned to start small and watch it grow.  I "REALLY" wanted to go to my first Buckeye. I attended my first VA Harmonica Fest this year.

I hope you liked it. Weren't some of those acts something else.  

>  I wanted to see how these events run. I have also attended Augusta Blues week, in Elkins WV.  Since I am a diatonic player, I may focus on the diatonic. But from 2 sources I have heard different views. #1"The chromatic players are the ones that spend the money" #2"The chromatic players are on a fixed income and can't spend the money, focus on diatonics".

The chromatic players tend to be older and BOTH. Some are quite wealthy, while others are relatively poor. Some get hit with unexpected expenses. I have to get a surge protector on my water main. It's the law. It will be $400.oo. I recently had to replace my pool pump. That's $550.oo and I did the work myself. Right there cancels out a festival.  

>  So is there a right way??? I suppose you still need to have something for both, just like my club, but I may slant it towards what I know best, diatonics (The first time I heard about Buckeye, 5 years ago, I heard, as soon as the blues or diatonics started playing, most of the crowd went away. hmmmmmm. is that why??????????? )

Not true. People went away...literally. Several have passed away. I moved 1222 miles. But I was still making it to Buckeye nearly every year. I played the evening shows in 03, 05, 07. This year I couldn't make it as I had already committed to play at New Jersey and Williamsburg. 

smo-joe

> 
> I have rambled enough.  I will add one more thing.  June 17th, 18th and 19th (fri,sat,sun) The Harmonica Club of Huntington, WV is playing on the streets at Central City Days. ANYONE that wants to come join in can contact me/us via our web site theharmonicaclub.com or hhcwv.com.  We play on the streets from 9 to 5. The merchants will pay $10/hour per man and you keep any tips(but there wont be many). You could earn enough to pay your room and board. If enough people show interest, there is a NICE cabin 3 miles away that we can share and make it a 3 day group event. Last year, Danny G and David Payne were the only "outsiders" to make the trip.  Don't be afraid to ask for details.