World Culture, Durham-style
Aug. 3rd, 2006 09:40 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shewhomustThis is not what I was planning to post about today, but it snuck up on me: Durham County is involved with an arts project called World Culture 2006, and there are a number of things happening at the local museum (called dli, which used to be capitalised and stand for Durham Light Infantry, but has now become lower case, to encourage us to "discover - learn - imagine"). A couple of weeks ago we were there for the opening of an exhibition which included a series of pictures by our friend Richard Grassick - I didn't have time to post about that then, and I don't now, but a certain ambivalence about that show may have seeped into this post.
Also advertised in the World Culture brochure are a number of music events, including two lunchtime concerts with Sid Griffin, free and in the museum grounds. All I knew about Sid Griffin was what it said in the publicity, plus a vague memory that he had been associated with the Coal Porters, which has to be one of the best band names ever. Justification enough for going to a free concert - or two: we'd have gone yesterday, but yesterday lunchtime the rain was pelting down, and the museum weren't answering their phone when we called.
Today was dry, and mild, and we set off in plenty of time: which was just as well, because when we enquired at the museum reception where the performance was happening, we were told that since yesterday had been so wet, it had been transferred indoors, and we would therefore have to pay the museum entry fee. This isn't exorbitant (OK, it's £3 a head), and we pay it when we want to visit the museum, but that wasn't what we'd come for, today we'd been promised a free concert. The man on the desk was polite but regretful: it wasn't his decision, nothing he could do. But we were obstinate, and more people were turning up, and it was decided that Sally, the event organiser, should be consulted. After a while, a young woman appeared; she too was polite but regretful - the artist would prefer to play indoors, the damp played havoc with his tuning, the museum had imposed the charge, she couldn't change that (and the person who could was in a meeting, and couldn't be reached) but she could try to persuade the artist...
Who did indeed prove persuadable. By now I was feeling pretty guilty, and more so when it became clear that no-one had really planned where he could perform, and that the most suitable stage was also a thoroughfare giving disabled access to the café. But eventually the audience settled on the available benches or on the grass, a suitable chair was produced, and we were off. And as Sid Griffin got into his stride, and the sun came out (and the café were persuaded to turn off the very noisy air-conditioning which they had just turned on), we all relaxed and began to enjoy ourselves.
From something Sid Griffin said fairly early on, I think he had been asked to put together a set which would illustrate how the songs came to be written - and his choices ranged from the traditional John Riley, through the blues of Leadbelly to the bluegrass end of country music, with songs by Bill Monroe and Gene Clark, and beyond to his own compositions. Every song came with a story, whether it was about transmuting Willie Dixon's Spoonful into a bathtime lullaby for his daughter, or about meeting Bill Monroe, or about writing his Harriet Tubman's Going to Carry Me Home as a song that Pete Seeger could record.
It wasn't the easiest of venues - even with the wall at his back, Sid Griffin clearly found the acoustics challenging, not to mention being distracted by the sight of two small boys playing football down by the pond, while their parents enjoyed the music. He described himself as a competent guitarist and mandolin player, which was modest - and his own website offers a variety of downloads, so I shall have fun exploring what he can do in more formal settings. But today's concert demonstrated his skill as an entertainer, someone who can communicate his enthusiasm about his music (he said "I'll just play you a couple more songs" at least three times, and no-one showed any sign of complaining) and spin a good story while he's doing it. Not to mention taking an audience who were confused and disgruntled by that reception, and sending them off with memories of sunshine and good music.
Also advertised in the World Culture brochure are a number of music events, including two lunchtime concerts with Sid Griffin, free and in the museum grounds. All I knew about Sid Griffin was what it said in the publicity, plus a vague memory that he had been associated with the Coal Porters, which has to be one of the best band names ever. Justification enough for going to a free concert - or two: we'd have gone yesterday, but yesterday lunchtime the rain was pelting down, and the museum weren't answering their phone when we called.
Today was dry, and mild, and we set off in plenty of time: which was just as well, because when we enquired at the museum reception where the performance was happening, we were told that since yesterday had been so wet, it had been transferred indoors, and we would therefore have to pay the museum entry fee. This isn't exorbitant (OK, it's £3 a head), and we pay it when we want to visit the museum, but that wasn't what we'd come for, today we'd been promised a free concert. The man on the desk was polite but regretful: it wasn't his decision, nothing he could do. But we were obstinate, and more people were turning up, and it was decided that Sally, the event organiser, should be consulted. After a while, a young woman appeared; she too was polite but regretful - the artist would prefer to play indoors, the damp played havoc with his tuning, the museum had imposed the charge, she couldn't change that (and the person who could was in a meeting, and couldn't be reached) but she could try to persuade the artist...
From something Sid Griffin said fairly early on, I think he had been asked to put together a set which would illustrate how the songs came to be written - and his choices ranged from the traditional John Riley, through the blues of Leadbelly to the bluegrass end of country music, with songs by Bill Monroe and Gene Clark, and beyond to his own compositions. Every song came with a story, whether it was about transmuting Willie Dixon's Spoonful into a bathtime lullaby for his daughter, or about meeting Bill Monroe, or about writing his Harriet Tubman's Going to Carry Me Home as a song that Pete Seeger could record.
It wasn't the easiest of venues - even with the wall at his back, Sid Griffin clearly found the acoustics challenging, not to mention being distracted by the sight of two small boys playing football down by the pond, while their parents enjoyed the music. He described himself as a competent guitarist and mandolin player, which was modest - and his own website offers a variety of downloads, so I shall have fun exploring what he can do in more formal settings. But today's concert demonstrated his skill as an entertainer, someone who can communicate his enthusiasm about his music (he said "I'll just play you a couple more songs" at least three times, and no-one showed any sign of complaining) and spin a good story while he's doing it. Not to mention taking an audience who were confused and disgruntled by that reception, and sending them off with memories of sunshine and good music.
