Mutual Musical Support for the Season

If you’re a punter (Traditional Music Listener/“toe-tapper”) or a trad musician, you’re acutely aware of the mounting energy toward the upcoming Saint Patrick’s Day season. Season. Yes. It’s a holiday season alright. Established local sessioners (is that a word?), trad bands, and pub bands have booked themselves solid. Punters have planned their pub crawl schedules and itineraries. Irish pubs and brew pubs of all relations have placed their orders with distributors, cleared out space in their cellars, walk-ins, and sheds for the incoming stout, red ale, and whiskeys. Extra wait staff and bar tenders have been scheduled according to expectations. It’s mounting.

So, a hope and note to all. Be careful. Have fun. Keep it paced and keep it kind. Schedule and plan your designated drivers, your meals, and your water intake, too. It’s a celebration of culture and, for some, a holy day, as well.

And if you’re a musician booked to the brim and you have a few hours between sets, why not take a supportive turn and go listen in on fellow musicians’ performances?

Raised pints and sing-along leads from other musicians always supports and sends joyful energy to those on stage. More of that, my friends!

I earned my street creds in Birmingham, Alabama. And one of the primary elements of that city’s music scene - Jazz, Old Time, Bluegrass, Irish, Blues, New Grass, Indie Folk - was that we all did our best to go to other bands’ performances. Often before or after our own gigs. We did this as a show of support to our musical sisters and brothers, and it was always a highlight of being a part of the overall music scene in that big town. Sometimes we’d bring some of our fans or posse with us and hang with the crowd while enjoying the skills of our lifestyle tribe. It was part of the hang.

Looking out into a crowd from the stage and seeing fellow musicians always swelled our hearts, and we’d sometimes show off a bit for all that.

As a father and husband, it’s not easy to do that, now. But, as often as possible, I take the family to attend events at which my musical friends perform. And I get to teach my children how to support live music and those businesses who support live music. Pass down those values, family musicians.

Operating with the idea that there is plenty of work for everyone is a healthy, positive approach, too. So, cheer each other on, fine musicians! Bask in each others’ accomplishments and joy of playing. Watch and smile as your fellow musicians drive and lift the rhythm, whip up the audience like a wind twister, throw down tunes and overlay arrangements while responding to the typical live-music hiccups, technical glitches, audience gaffs and faux pas, and all the while simply laying it down for the crowd. Celebrate each other along with the season.

Be in that crowd, dear friends. Part of us lives for the music as listeners as well as makers. If you’re a Punter, come out and hang. If your a musician, come out and hang.

Play it all safe and kind and have another great holiday. You’ll have at least three more great stories by the end of it. You can tell them for the rest of the year and laugh your way into the next Saint Patrick’s Day Holiday Season.