So I want to take a few minutes today to get down my recollections from the release concert Saturday night, before it fades. I’ll be sharing pictures and video probably later in the week for those who couldn’t be there…but I want to take a breath and step back and let my work be out there for people to enjoy if they wish, and get out of the way.
Category: bardic
Last night was amazing. We had some twenty thirty people in the house for the release party for Hidden Gold, and I got to perform the album in its entirety with a backing band. More thoughts, and photos and video, will follow. Initial sales of the album, at the event and online, are promising.
For now, I’m going to wish you all a happy Father’s Day, and spend some time with my family as well as my chosen family. I feel like a piece of metal that spent hours in the forge. It’s not a bad thing, but I am super tired. I wish everyone a happy Father’s Day, and enjoy the rest of your weekend.
As promised, a new song is now available for you to hear. Episode 3 of The Knowne World Bardcast is now online (and available on iTunes and SoundCloud). It’s “Kingdom Anthems Part II”, but Gideon had space for a bonus track: “The Bastard’s Tale”!
A reminder, for anyone following this, that there will be a release party and concert at our house in Paramus, NJ Saturday night, June 20, starting at 7 pm to celebrate the release. We’ll have CD’s for sale, and I’ll be performing the album all the way through with a live band one time only! I’m very excited that my teacher, Mistress Zsof, is coming all the way out from the Midrealm to be part of this. (She will be singing with me!)
If you plan to come, we can give you the address. Contact me via email at drakethebard@gmail.com, or if you’re on Facebook or G+, you can indicate you’re interested in the event:
We’d love to see you there if you’re available.
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New Twitter Account
[EDITED 11/8/2022: Account deactivated.]
In case there are some of you that haven’t heard yet, an intrepid adventurer by the name of Gideon ap Stephen has taken upon himself to drag the bardic, and the larger SCA, community into the 21st century by launching a bardic podcast. The Knowne World Bardcast made its debut this week on SoundCloud (And should be available on iTunes and other podcasting outlets very soon). To my honor and delight, I was invited to be part of the panel discussion about building bardic community, which appears in the second half of the show. There is now internet radio for bards! This is a thing!
As Maistre Lucien de Pontivy of the East Kingdom and Mistress Sofia “Zsof” Tyzes of the Midrealm have now announced, I concluded my year of study with Lucien and began study with Zsof this past Twelfth Night. We had a lovely private ceremony of sorts between the three of us, with family present. Gifts and kind words were exchanged, and there was much embracing. I am incredibly grateful for both of these opportunities, and very filled-up emotionally.
Took a while, I know. But it’s time for the final part of my 3-part reflections from last month’s Pennsic War.
So: “Ain’t We Sexy?” The great thing about Pennsic, as an extension of the SCA in general, is that, like other large-scale events, it showcases collaboration and teamwork, because it requires so much of it for anything to happen. My personal theme this Pennsic, I came to realize, was “belonging”, and I got to experience belonging. I got to see close-at-hand, and participate in, more of the making-it-happen than I ever have before this war. I am profoundly grateful for the opportunities to learn from and help to whatever degree all these amazing groups of people.
Ah, the unseemly part of sharing about a major event as a performer: showing off. (Not because I find it uncomfortable–sadly, I really really enjoy it. But I know it’s uncouth to do in excess, especially in the SCA. On the other hand, there’s a long history in period of boasting, so within certain limits it is considered acceptable.) And so, like a cat laying dead mice at your feet, I give you the “Look at Me!” part of my Pennsic recollections:
I’m feeling momentum building on the album the last few months. Paul Butler (Arden of Icombe) just spent the afternoon with me, and we have now recorded most of the strings for “Call Me Will”. We also cleaned up the strings for “Tam Lin of the Elves” and “The Last Plantagenet”, something I’ve been looking forward to for months. (Squee.)
Drake Oranwood 