TheBanyanTree: Ren Festival

[Russ Doden]

Once again I'm playing at a Ren Festival  again this year.  

We are now going into the third weekend of Renaissance Faire at 
The Castle of Muskogee.  It is a 4 weekend event, ending on 
Memorial Day weekend.  That is a good way to end because after 3 
days, everyone is exhausted.  

So far this year we haven't had any rain on the weekend.  The first 
two weekends though we had rain all through the week leading up to 
the weekend.  The Faire gods smiled though and parted the clouds 
for the weekend.  Many people come to this event, and it is fun 
getting to see them.  Many of them I only get to see once a year, 
while others are friends I get to see often.  One of the fun things is 
walking up to people that are customers who don't really recognize 
me in my garb and freaking them out.  

Once again I'm playing with The Bedlam Bards.  This is a duo, but at 
Castle they are a trio - I'm the trio part.  I thought I had my fingers 
toughened up to play 5 sets a day.  Hah.  I get blisters under my 
callous'.  Maybe this weekend I'll really be ready. 

Our schedule has us playing sweet, or at least not nasty songs in the 
morning, then after playing for the noon Maypole dance (I always 
wonder how many of the visitors realize the maypole dance was 
once a fertility ritual) we go into the pub for two "adult" sets then we
open the pub sing at the end of the day at the big outdoor pub that is 
kind of a gathering or "meet me there" place.  The adult sets are 
anywhere from mildly suggestive to downright RUDE.  I find it 
interesting that we get more money from one rude pub set than we 
do from a whole weekends worth of our nice songs set!  

The Bards have one album out based on Firefly/Serenity for any 
Browncoats out there.  You know who you are.  If that doesn't make 
sense, you aren't one.  We can't really play any songs from that 
album because they are from a sci/fi show, but we sneak some in 
here and there anyhow.  

I drive down on Friday night and spend the weekend in my pop-up 
trailer.  The first weekend the winds blew so hard at night I thought 
the sides would pop.  Last weekend was almost perfect for sleeping 
at night.  This weekend looks to be great as well.  By the time 
Sunday eve rolls around, I'm ready to return to civilization though.  

It really is great fun.  Being in garb, and staying in character lets me
really play with people.  A fun thing is to walk up to a couple ladies 
looking at the program map trying to figure out where something is 
and poke my head between them and say something like "'Ere now, 
what we be lookin for.  I canna read but I can see pitchers.  Be we 
lookin fer treasure?  I know know about you, but I just found me 
treasure."  as I put my arm around them.  That always gets a giggle 
or laugh.  Of course after talking with any lass, I depart by kissing 
their hand.  You know you have done it RIGHT when the lass in 
question blushes and her knees start to give way.  

Well, I must get back to ending the week, but I thought I would check 
in and amuse the nobles and peasants alike with my tales.

Anon,
Andrus The Bard