On Feb 4, 8:54*am, basilisk wrote:
On Fri, 4 Feb 2011 05:25:03 -0800 (PST), Robatoy wrote:
On Feb 4, 8:00 am, "HeyBub" wrote:
I had no idea violins could be had so cheaply.
Heck, they're cheap enough to use for DECORATION, even if one can't play it!
Unless played expertly (there aren't many), violins should only be
used as decoration.
Bag pipes are in the same class of instruments with the notable
distinction that there are no expert bag-pipe players. Bag-pipes can
not be used as decoration unless mounted like a deer's head with a lot
of bullet holes.
Tambourines and bongos belong on that list, decorative at best and
never to be played.
Notable exceptions to the 'no violin' rule are fiddles in Irish pubs,
where the fiddle players are back-up for singers like myself once we
are over-served. Same thing goes for the Maritimes-style pubs.
In limited doses, Alison Krauss can be entertaining... as is old
footage of Henny Youngman.
I like bagpipe music(is that the right term?), but I don't want to make a
steady diet of it.
When I got hitched, the wedding was in a field alongside a large lake
pretty much in the middle of nowhere, we hired a piper to play the wedding.
Not too expensive and easier to move around than a grand piano.
When the piper arrived, he told me he needed a place to warm up and
and to get the pipes limbered up, I took him over a little rise and
into a scope of trees, thinking he would be somewhat unobtrusive
and less annoying while trying to get the damn thing started.
This is where the fun starts, in a bush nearby there was possibly one of
the
largest red wasp nest known to mankind, further more, red wasp take great
exception to bagpipe music (it is now only moments from time to walk the
plank) we are engulfed in a cloud of wasp, the piper in full dress is
having a fit, slinging pipes losing valuable articles of clothing and
bagpipe pieces and generally running in circles. Meanwhile in an effort
to keep this guy from fleeing the premises, I'm trying to fight the wasp
off of him and manage to get stung all over the hands and arms.
We managed to escape and gather all his equipment and only ran a few
minutes late with the wedding.
I was in great pain and somewhat dizzy from the excitement and toxins,
but the real swelling didn't start until later that evening. 
That is a great story. God, I've been to so many weddings at so many
bland and boring places. Nobody at your wedding will be forgetting it
anytime soon.
I agree with you on the bagpipes. I like the music just fine - in
moderation and with appreciable breathing space between listenings.
Roba, how do you feel about Natalie McMasters? I caught her at the
Newport Folk Festival some years back and she totally kicked ass. And
looked damn fine doing it.
Here's her accompanied by bagpipes, just for you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9r1VEoSZ4I
and here she's step dancing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HuwuZG_HFo
At the Newport show she danced while playing the fiddle. If she's not
a good reason to clone people, I don't know what is.
R