Drake OranwoodI didn’t get the opportunity to post my #WordFameWednesday yesterday, so here goes:
When a big project comes to fruition, it’s vital to acknowledge the people who made it happen. Sing for the East is in many ways the biggest SCA project I have had the privilege to participate in, and required the talent, time, and love of more than two dozen artists and dear friends.
Listen to the full album, now available for purchase:
For #WordFameWednesday, I want to recognize Mistress Linette de Gallardon, who created the original Sing for the East songbook 13 years ago (and is hard at work on Volume 2). Linette’s has dedicated considerable effort to collecting and sharing the creative output of our East Kingdom bards. The new album, which comes out this weekend, would never have existed without her vision, and her guidance was essential in selecting the songs to include in this recorded collection. (In our haste to get the first rush order out for SRWC, this debt was overlooked, but this oversight has since been corrected for the next batch of CDs.)
Linette’s voice and caring deserve to be heard. This has earned her the distinction of reigning Winter Nights champion (and three-time Royal Bard), and her beautiful vocals on “Pennsic Farewell”, as well as on other songs in the collection, will be a piece of the East Kingdom’s legacy. For all these gifts to us, we salute her. VIVAT!
I have now posted a song page for “Concordian Soil”, the new piece I debuted a week ago at Wars of the Roses.
I should, of course, have shared this a week ago, but life (and coordinating the completion and submission of Sing for the East) called my attention elsewhere. Still, last week at Roses included a small but meaningful milestone, as I got to watch a friend receive an award for which I had written the scroll text.
#thelastbrick
There’s a brick-breaking game called “Nervous Brickdown” whose final level was called “The Last Brick”. The very last brick you have to break in the whole game comes to life and duels you in a shoot-out for several screens before it finally succumbs and you win.So I’m back from our fifth Wars of the Roses, and, as often happens about events, I have a ton of things I want to say…but if I don’t write them down right when I get home (which is never a good time to write stuff down because we’re exhausted and need to unpack), the motivation to write starts to drain away.
Still. Better late than never. I had my first real working event as Baronial Bard of Concordia, and it was full of fun, connection to people I love, and wonderful moments. Some of the people who stand out in my memory:
Reminder: Bardic at Wars of the Roses this weekend will be held at the same time and place as last year, Saturday 8:30 pm at the Bardic area. The theme of the competition is legitimacy to rule. See you there.
In service, Drake
I’ve never seen a real stage dive. I’ve only seen them in the movies. It’s a ballsy test of the audience, and a literal leap of faith.
The closest thing I’ve ever done to that was this weekend, launching a pre-order for Sing for the East in hopes of funding the album up front. It feels like testing the love our friends have for our work, their willingness to give of themselves largely sight unseen, trusting our promise to deliver something they will enjoy.
Watching online as people have listened to the first two songs, and as people offer their support and pledge their faith in this project…
I feel as if I know now what it feels like when the audience catches and holds you safe and aloft. It was an amazing start to this phase of the project, and I’m deeply touched, humbled, and excited. Thank you.
Drake Oranwood