Jo and I have organised several of these annual musical events, tho' we skipped having one in 2013 because we hadn't long moved home. We just set up a gazebo in our garden, put our PA in it, and also set up a bar. And then we invite some friends. If anyone wants to sing or play, they are welcome to do so. Luckily, we know a lot of musicians!
Also, we cross our fingers for good weather. This has worked, most years :-)
We started videoing these parties in 2012. The video of this party, which was our last one in Hook Norton, gives a good idea of what it was like. Fun, for sure! But at our 2014 party (the first in Great Rollright), for some reason I only videoed Frank and Angela's set. And not even the whole of that. So we don't have much here from 2014. Sorry, I must have been distracted! I promise to do better for the 2015 party...
Part 1: Frank Underwood and Angela Mayorga of Austentation. Very short, this one. Not much more than the end of a song followed by well-deserved applause for Frank and Angela. My fault I think!
Part 1: What a nice evening! Martin Thorne playing his set near the start of our musical BBQ/party. Lots of happy faces. And me talking like a fool all the time... (Sorry)
Part 2: The evening continues: the video camera movements get wilder and less controlled, at least until Dave hands the camera over to Jo. Mark and Maggie start their set. Anthony begins to dance. Various people get zoomed-in on, and the sky begins to show sunset colours...
Part 3: O the dancing gets wild and exciting as Mark and Maggie continue their set! Dave continues to talk all the time, of course. And the light fades a little more... a bit of a short recording this. But more to follow.
Part 4: Now it's a round dance! Mark and Maggie are joined by Dave FM and Rob Adkins, and the dancing morphs into a circle!
Part 5: Peaceful early-evening contemplation now. The moon shines down on John Wainwright playing the Northumbrian smallpipes, Anthony dances in the background, candle flames flicker and we all are happy. No more videos of this wondrous evening tho', that's it!
Back up to the 2014 party