Re: [Organizers] Open Bands

I agree with those who say that the open band leadership is key for danceability. It has to be fun/lively for the musicians too, and the quality of the leadership is part of that as well. At our monthly Community Dance we have an open all-comers band (name taken from David Kaynor's occasional dances at the Montague Grange, and philosophy modeled on his and others', such as Lamprey River Band in Seacoast NH - namely anyone with an instrument is welcome to play, even 3 year olds.) We do not mic any of the musicians, partly for simplicity's sake in terms of the hassle of setting up sound for a huge band for a 1 hr dance, and partly to avoid any hierarchy. Works fine since there are usually more musicians than dancers. Two musicians on our committee anchor the band each month, giving stability and focus as well as suggesting some on-the-fly instrumental arrangements, and many of the musicians in a given night are part of another amateur group which plays regularly throughout our region (Belfast Bay Fiddlers). Here's a local filmmaker/tv producer's video of our most recent dance, to give you a taste of the joyous mayhem that is the Belfast Flying Shoes All-Comers Band (39 musicians playing, and sometimes singing, for a bunch of happy dancers, ranging in age from infant to 70s.) http://vimeo.com/34861499 I love open, ad hoc bands for a host of reasons, including the incredible wall of sound and unpredictability of it all -- am looking forward to dancing to the NEFFA Festival Orchestra in April, for example. Chrissy Fowler Belfast, ME