Mid-winter Scottish & Irish Music Festival, Valley Forge, Pa.

NO there are 3 other folks coming. I got e-mails from them today. So you had better come with a wallet full of money to pay for their beer. I'll have MM!
Since you are paying, make it a double!

We are now up to 6 people attending this festival!

Where is everyone? Do you guys ever get out?

Hi everyone, I'm kind of new to the board. I've been a member for awhile and watch the posts but never get a chance to post anything myself, except for advice to Annabelle about the Bethlehem Celtic Classic last September. I'm lucky to live in an area right in the middle of many Celtic Festivals throughout the year. I already have my tickets for Saturday. Haven't been to a festival in a few months and I'm about to go through withdrawal!! I'll keep my eye out for you guys in the celtic radio t-shirts. Hope to see you there.


Nancy

Nancy, as far as I know, nobody is wearing a CR shirt. Annabelle will most likely be wearing her Gordon Tartan kilt, as in the one in the Bethlehem pictures. I have no idea what I'm wearing yet but check the Bethlehem picture thread for the two of us standing next to the light pole and you'll have an idea what we look like.

I know Dave (or his son, Mike) from the Infamous Welsh Cookie Company will be set up in the middle of the convention floor. Let him know that you are there and we will check in with him frequently. That will be the easiest way to find each other.


Or........Come to the Hampton Inn on Rt. 202, across from the Mall and have breakfast with us.


See you on Saturday.

Hi Ho Nancy!

If you see me, grab me!

Yep, I'll be wearing my Gordon Tartan, Black Boots and Leather Jacket!


So do come up and let me know you are there! Always glad to have other members join us at festivals! The more da betta!

The rest of you guys need to get there!

I'll be looking for you both! I'll be there midafternoon sometime. I really want to see 7 Nations and they don't go on until later in the evening. I'll be with my hubby and two kids (unless I can get a babysitter). Annabelle, we have similar styles, when I go to watch my husband's band I usually wear a kilt, black stocking and black boots. I may or may not be wearing the boots, they tend to kill me after a few hours! I have red hair, (just like three quarters of the people attending most likely). But my hubby has lots of blond curls, you can't miss him if you tried!

I'll keep my eyes open for you!

Till tomorrow,
Nancy

You guys know that I'd be there if I didn't live so darn far away! Hope you are all having loads of fun!

Annabelle and Mike, It was so great meeting you guys at the festival. Annabelle, you are truly a die hard festival fan for traveling all over the country to go to these things.
Oh, I figured out that the Green Lane festival is the beginning of September. The 10th and 11th. Here's the website:
http://www.montcopa.org/parks/scottishfest...ival/schdl.html
The site is still under construction so there is nothing listed yet, but you can check back in a month or so and they should have something up on the site. I believe
the Glengarry Bhoys, Halali, and the Hooligans are performing. The location is lovely, it's a beautiful park with rolling green hills and there's even a lake with Nessy swimming around!

Anyway, hope you both got home safe.

Slainte,
Nancy

Nancy,

We went looking for you after the Hadrian's Wall show but never found you. Annabelle, went out during the Gaelic Storm show and took some pictures while they played and she said she didn't see you then, either. We hooked up with Rocky and Kellie, from U.S.A. Kilts and went down to Kildare's and hung out with them for a while. The Hooligan's canceled out at Kildare's and The Danny Boys took their place. They let Rocky get up sing a few songs with them. Hope Rocky made it back to the fest in the morning, he was having way to much fun to go home.

Nice to meet the two of you and hopefully, we can all hook up again in Bethlehem in September.

Hey! We were hanging out on the fringes of the Gaelic Storm show. Yikes! It took them forever to get on! We had met up with some of the other members of our Pipe band and had a beer or two while waiting for the show to start. I was kind of disappointed in the sound system. That sound guy should be sacked! Anyway, I kept my eyes open for you guys, unfortunately you were nowhere to be seen. I assumed you went to Kildare's. Rocky is a nut, but I guess you figured that out, no?
We kept bumping into Barleyjuice fans from all over. People from the Renn Faires, festivals, even people from private parties they played for...It was really amazing.
We left in the middle of Seven Nations. The band I most wanted to see. I was so disappointed! The sound was bad and they don't play any real traditional stuff anymore. I liked Brother's sound, but again, where's the celtic stuff?? Gaelic Storm...the same thing...they are all turning into to rock bands with bagpipes and digeridoos! That's why I like my Barleyjuice, traditional stuff that's rocked out a bit!
Sorry to be so negative, I guess it's just a Tuesday morning after a long weekend

Let's get that campaign to get Barleyjuice to Bethlehem going!!

Nancy

Annabelle and I said the same thing Sunday morning when we had breakfast. All the bands at Valley Forge this year were more like rock bands. Even the big bagpipe bands were missing this year. There's nothing like having 30 bagpipes up on that main stage.

Not sure what promoter, Bill Reid, had in mind this year with the lineup he put together. It should have been a great all around show but it turned out to be somewhat boring. We actually had more fun checking out the vendors and hanging with Rocky and Kelly from USA Kilts and Henry from Highland Tide Wear.

Even Kildare's was more entertaining but that can be expected when you have Rocky along. Kildare's is on the list of places to hit again for next year. Good food and drink and certainly a fun crowd.

Not sure what Bill had in mind either. I think he secretly wants to be a rock promoter. Apparently he has the same line up for the summer festival as well. At least that's what I heard at band practice last night. That is one festival I won't be going to unless Barleyjuice is in the mix somewhere. And a pipe band or two wouldn't hurt either!

I'm afraid I have to agree totally with Nancy and Mike!
Music wasn't up to speed on this one!

I went to see Shamus Kennedy at Brittingham's on Friday guess what?? Bill Reid was there! We had a really nice conversation and I asked him about the whole Gaelic Storm problem and how none of the bands had any real celtic influence. He explained that Gaelic Storm messed up his sound system because they insisted on using their own ear piece monitor system and their sound guy didn't know what he was doing, thereby cutting the entire system off. So Bill couldn't even make an announcement to tell the crowd what was going on!!
He agreed that there wasn't much in the way of celtic music on the main stage. He said that the bands seem to be steering away from the traditional stuff. I told him I had spoken to many disappointed people during and after the festival. He realized this and said he would try to have more of a variety in the future.
I also did a little shmoozing with him about Barleyjuice and when we were leaving he told Keith he would be in touch!! Keep your fingers crossed!

ALRIGHT NANCY!!!


That's been one of my favorite fests to go to every year and I was greatly disappointed this year. Guess we need to keep after Bill on correcting this for next year.

Good job.