Fond St Pat's Memories

[wgority]

I love playing bars on St Patrick's Day, but one thing always strikes me as odd, if not downright ironic. St Patrick's Day is an Irish holiday....right? So, why do people go absolutely nuts and start pounding the bar as though trying to demolish it (if not hopping up and actually dancing on the bar on some rare occasions) when ya start playing "Scotland the Brave"?

I love it when the Patron Percussion Section is close to deafening.

I know there are plenty of Irish tunes (Rakes of Mallow, St Patrick's Day in the Morning, Rakes of Kildare, Irish Washerwoman, etc.) and I played them. But then again, I believe that the customer is always right. When someone asks me to play "that bagpipe tune.....you know.....not Amazing Grace, the *other* bagpipe tune", I try STB and am usually right in my choice. I figure I'm not there to educate people about the niceties of bagpiping and national repertoires. My whole purpose being there is to set a mood and assist the patrons in having a good time.

This year, the bar dancers could have been up there with *me*. I was booked to play a local "Irish" establishment later on Friday evening. While most places put me in a nice non-quiet section of the floor to perform, this one put me up right dead-center on top of the bar. GOTTA LOVE IT!!! (Especially the young ladies trying to see if yer going regimental under the kilt!) There's nothing like playing a nice jig or two or a march set or ....well, whatever....while up on the bar. I also loved it when a couple of punk rocker-types at the back of the room were trying to skank while I was playing "Tripping Up the Stairs".

I recommend it thoroughly!

Also it was great seeing fellow X-Markser "By Dand" there with his lovely bride. It always makes playing better and more fun when there are friends in the room. (And for the sake of full disclosure, By Dand is the Drum Major in the band for which I am Pipe Major as well as one of my closest friends.)

Bill