Palegoldenrod

Yesterday I finally made it down to the Bennett Hotel in Hamilton to catch the local Celtic Session.

For those who don’t know, Celtic music is traditionally an aural tradition rather than a written one. You pick up tunes by ear, usually at jam sessions called Sessions. There is a bit more to it than that, but generally speaking that is what they are.

Now Newcastle isn’t that big a place, so when I stumbled on a note at the session saying that Newcastle had a regular event, I was very pleasantly surprised. For one reason or another I have been unable to attend this event for the last few months (something always seems to come up!). But yesterday I was finally victorious.

I arrived at the Bennett just after 4:15pm to find about four or five people already playing – a guitar, three fiddles and a mandolin I think. I took a seat at the bar nearby and ordered by signature Fire Engine. By the time I had finished that, the rest of the group had pretty much arrived. I think all up they had:

• five fiddlers
• three guitarists
• a mandolin (or were there two?)
  
• a tin whistle
• a concertina
• a keyboard (who later changed to what I was told was a traditional Scandinavian fiddle… drool)

It was great! They played a few songs together, and then while people rested, had a drink etc, someone would play – either a bit of bluegrass guitar, a solo fiddle, a bit of unaccompanied singing (an old Scottish air this time). I really enjoyed it even though I had to leave early.� They are a friendly bunch too – I had a chance to have a chat to a few of them for a while before I left. They were very welcoming

I didn’t know any tunes, but that’s OK because I didn’t take my instrument. I was there to watch and listen and learn. And I did, I think. I saw a few things that the fiddlers were doing which have helped me already – how they were hitting some of those quick tricky high notes with little finger movement, how they got some of those great starts to notes by using the bow a certain way. All awesome.

I also found out about a whole group that I didn’t know existed – Newcastle and Hunter Valley Folk Club. And they have a fair bit going on, too. I’m hoping to check out some of the other cool stuff they are getting up to – it looks really interesting.

OK, here are some details for you –

The Celtic Music Session

• Date: 3rd Sunday of every month
• Time: 4-7pm
• Place: Bennett Hotel, Hamilton (corner of Steel and Denison Streets)

I plan to be at the next one (Amos will probably be there too, with flute or piccolo in tow) – I hope to see you there!