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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
what do you want at a harmonica convention?
what do you want at a harmonica convention?
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Jim Rumbaugh
74 posts
Aug 05, 2009
10:24 AM
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What do you want at a harmonica convention?
Here at The Harmonica Club in Huntington, WV, there is discussion about starting a harmonica convention. This has been brought about by changes in the Buckeye Harmonica Club of Columbus , OH (3 hours away). There may be a group effort to have a Buckeye/Mountaineer Harmonica Convention. At this time, it is just talk, research, and fact gathering. My question to other harmonica players is,"What do you want at a harmonica convention?" I am looking for the elements that make an event that will make people want to come.
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Buddha
918 posts
Aug 05, 2009
10:55 AM
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well you know, I organized and produced the ultimate harmonica convention in the Global Harmonica summit. Everyone will tell you that was the best convention ever.
I had the best players in the world from every genre. They all taught the attendees and gave concerts. They were real concerts in a real concert hall with the public invited as well. three concerts per night, 1000s of people every night and then the grand finale was the outdoor jazz fest with some of the best harmonica players in the world paired with some of the best musicians in the world. There were 30,000 people at the fest.
If you can't top that then you'll have another convention that is under attended and competes with SPAH.
SPAH is great and hard to compete with. I nearly destroyed them and if I had done it the following year, SPAH would be dead by now. I didn't want to do that.
If you do this, don't be dumb and have the hotel by the airport where there is nothing else to do. Don't hire the same people you see year after year at the other convention.
My best advice is. be revolutionary or don't do it.
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Buzadero
116 posts
Aug 06, 2009
6:19 PM
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<>
Amen, Brother Buddha. Preach on.
That is a single statement that can (should) be applied to one's life.
Don't copy, don't mimic, except as tribute or homage.
Run your own race. March to your own drummer. All those cliches are founded in sound advice.
I believe it was the great, 20th century philosopher, Lenny Kravitz who said, "it's your life, do what you want to do".
Back to your regularly scheduled programming.......
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~Buzadero
Underwater Janitor, Patriot
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kudzurunner
646 posts
Aug 06, 2009
7:41 PM
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Jim:
I have an idea. It's something that neither SPAH nor Chris has ever done as an element of harmonica convention programming.
Take advantage of the city of Huntington's willingness to open its arms to the world. Set aside one day as "Busking Day." Solicit demos from players around the world, pick the best 10 harp players (& acts featuring harp players), assign them spots, create a leaflet that tells people where they'll be, and let them go crazy. Encourage people to stroll. Maybe you make this an every-evening affair for three straight evenings. Or a cocktail hour thing: 4-7 PM.
Do it. And have at least one open stage where players, a la Jon Gindick, can get up with a band and break into the busking business for a few minutes.
In other words, don't just have it be about the concert pros. Give it a raw, mountain edge.
The International Busker Fest in Halifax, Nova Scotia did this, but they were for all sorts of buskers, not just the occasional mad harp player.
You need to make it for harp players.
You guys are already headed in this direction with your public performances. This would be a natural outgrowth of that. And--believe me--it would pull both harp players and tourists, if pitched properly.
I promise I'll come and do my thing. I'll come either with Charlie Hilbert or Satan & Adam.
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ElkRiverHarmonicas
130 posts
Aug 06, 2009
7:58 PM
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Moonshine and Hookers.
No seriously, did you ever talk to Phil? How did that go?
I'll do a workshop... It'll probably work better the nearest to Chas as possible, because of the airport.
Last Edited by on Aug 06, 2009 8:00 PM
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RyanMortos
248 posts
Aug 06, 2009
8:00 PM
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I'm already excited to come :D .
yeah that's not helpful. The elements that interest me about these things is the people I can meet, the stuff I can learn, and the fun to be had. Just throw all of that in there and all of the ideas above sound great.
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~Ryan
Pennsylvania - H.A.R.P. (Harmonica Association 'Round Philly)
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