WTF! What the Folk!

We had a grand time at What the Folk the other night at Chebucto Coffee. Lots of fine songs, stories and laughs. Joleen Gordon also brought us a gift of a beautifully woven Mik'maq style tall basket that she made herself. We use this fine example of folk craft to hold free-will donation money for WTF nights! Thanks Joleen!

Our next WTF night if Friday, March 9th and the theme is Irish.
6:30-9:00...or a wee bit later.
Last time, Mike had featured Seafood Chowder along with the regular fare.
Great coffee, fine tea, yummy baked goods,delish panini's, succulent soups!
Come for supper!
Cheers!
Cindy

Rose and Kettle Concert Sessions

The Thursday, March 1 edition of the Rose and Kettle Concert Sessions
beginning at 7 p.m. features a unique combination of three different
instruments in the hands of some accomplished musicians. Our evening
will feature Kate Dunlay on Fiddle; Alys Howe on Harp; and Nick
Zwaagstra on the accordion. Each of these amazing performers will
showcase their instrument in solo pieces. For a real treat, they have
come up with a few tunes which combine the voices of these three
"intriguing instruments". This will be an impressive evening for sure!

Sunday March 4:
A brand new feature of the Rose and Kettle Concert Sessions will occur
on Sunday, March 4 when we hold our very first Sunday evening
Play-Around-Sing-Around. Bring an instrument, a tune, your voice or
just your ears to enjoy a great evening of musical sharing and fun.
Same time as our regular Thursday night session running from 7 to 9.
As usual, lots of treats from the Rose and Kettle kitchen. June
Trenholme facilitates this great way to spend a late winter Sunday
evening


Find us at the Cole Harbour Rural Heritage Farm on Poplar Drive, just
off Otago Drive in Cole Harbour across from the Cole Harbour Shopping
Centre.

Watch our blogsite for updates on the rest of the line-up, a few
youtube videos of our performances, and a few highlights from past
shows. Just google "Rose and Kettle Concert Sessions" or go to:
www.roseandkettleconcertsessions.blogspot.com

The Rose and Kettle Concert Sessions are a weekly series of musical
presentations produced by volunteers in collaboration with the Cole
Harbour Rural Heritage Society and the Harbour Folk Society. All
proceeds from the sale of refreshments go to support the Cole Harbour
Heritage Farm Museum and all free-will admission donations support
the musical performance.

WTF! February 24th starts at 6:30pm - New Spot

Hi gang,

Those of you who were there last week at WTF's inaugural night at
Chebucto Coffee know what the rest of you missed. It was freaking
amazing! Singers and players we'd never seen before at WTF! in the
previous two years at Just Us! seemed to come out of the woodwork.

Bill Plaskett treated us to three gorgeous a cappella traditional
standards that had us singing along in glorious (mostly) harmonies;
Dan MacKinnon's twelve-stringed Guild guitar's voice almost rivaled
Dan's for power and beauty; Bob Ardern ventured all the way from
Lunenburg to preview two compelling instrumentals from his soon to be
released CD; and a most accomplished young harpist, Alys Howe,
recently arrived from the other coast, sang an exquisite Gaelic song
and then played a blistering set of Cape Breton tunes on the harp.
[Drop jaw here]

And the best part... we get to do it all over again next Friday the 24th!

Come early and have supper. The food is great and the hospitality even
greater!Music starts at 6:30 and goes until 9:00 or if it's anything
like last week... even later.
And like last week... we remain theme-leth. You can thing any thong
that thuith your fanthy :-)

xoxo Margo

WTF: What the Folk!
folksongs folktales folklore folkcraft
Friday February 24, 2012
Open Mic Format: Cost Free Will Donation
Chebucto Coffee
6430 Chebucto Road
Halifax
6:30 starts.
Come for Supper too! This Friday's feature on the menu: Seafood Chowder!
Reasonable prices, delish food, coffee and tea.
WTF meets the 2nd and 4th Friday of every month.

WTF! What the Folk exceeds expectations!

Oh my! Oh my! It's been two nights and I am still high!
High on the folk spirit from Friday night's What the Folk at Chebucto Coffee!

It was a record turnout! Folkies just kept comin in the door! I couldn't believe the turnout: our regular folks, new folks, young folks, old folks, folks we hadn't seen in a dog's age.
And the music! Gee-tars, Banjo's, Fiddles , Harps kept hands clappin , toes tappin and a few tears of joy!
And the performers: Dan McKinnon, Alys Howe, Bill Plaskett, Bob Ardern, Jim Smith, Vince Morash, Don Burke, Sean Hall, Kate Dunlay, David Greenburg, The Dory Bungholes(with honorary Bungs), Leo Feinstein, Susan and Chris Godwin, Marian Chisolm , Mike McInnes and of course Cindy Campbell and Margo Carruthers, yer singing hosts!

Our new place, Chebucto Coffee, was wonderful to us. The hospitality was superb and so very welcoming. Big thanks to owner, Mike McInnes and staffer, Mr Goode for taking care of us and being very flexible and patient with the ever expanding crowd.
Mike even closed the night with a couple of songs on the guitar. Nice!

A fantastic night!
With a big sigh of contentment,
Cindy

WTF! Tonight!

Hope to see everyone at the new place: Chebucto Coffee., 6430 Chebucto Road (corner of Chebucto and Kline - kinda at the end of North Street)

We start at 6:30pm and can go until nearly 9pm.

Come earlier and grab a bite to eat. There are lovely soups and chili and panini, cookies, muffins, coffee and tea for sale. Yum!

All welcome!Bring singalong voices and instruments or just enjoy the hand clappin and toe tappin good time! We're a fun bunch.

Cheers!
Cindy

WTF: Has a New Home Starting February 10th!

Well...

Just when you thought there would be no music this week...
SURPRISE!!!! Not only will there be music... you will also be able to
hear it. WTF! has a new home!

Our new home is Chebucto Coffee, 6430 Chebucto Road [corner of
Chebucto and Kline].
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Chebucto-Coffee/154237034609082

They are ecstatic to have us and gracious in their willingness to help
iron out any kinks that may arise. Truly... they have gone out of
their way to extend the most welcome of welcome mats.

And did I mention food? Real aromatic food? Tasty food like chili,
soups, biscuits, panini, baked goods, etc....AND a delicious selection
of coffee and teas!.

This Friday, February 10th we will embrace 2012 in this comfortable
new space and hope see both old and new friends. The MUSIC WILL START
AT 6:30 and run until nearly 9:00. Come early and have supper why
don't you?

Due to the late notice, it will be a potpourri evening. Bring anything
you may have prepared for the postponed theme nights or something
completely different. Maybe you just want to watch. Whatever the
case... please bring yourselves... we have greatly missed you.

The Anniversary Party is still a go. Details TBD.

Margo and Cindy

WTF! on Febraury 26 - CANCELLED!

Sorry Folks. WTF has been cancelled for February 26 because Just Us Cafe is closed on Fridays in January.
WTF Resumes on Friday February 10th with a blast celebrating 2 years of WTF!

WTF! What the Folk!
The Helen Creighton Folklore Society will be celebrating its 2nd WTF! Anniversary:

Friday, February 10th, 7-8;30 pm
Just Us Cafe, 5896 Spring Garden Road
Featured Host: musician, author & folklorist, Clary Croft.

Open Mic format. Expect a good time via singing, storytelling and allegedly fabulous door prizes! Bring a song or story from the Helen Creighton Collection to be eligible for the night's bonus prize.

WTF! meets every second and fourth Friday of the month at Just Us Café.

Finger Lickin' Good: Stories from the Sack, Part 2

I just heard about this group who meet to tell stories in Halifax.They meet about every months.The next meeting is in February.
Check it out,
Cindy

From Blowhard on Facebook:

Thanks everyone who came out to last night's Lost and Found - a great night! Blowhard's next theme will be part of the Sex Festival on Monday Feb 27th - Finger Lickin' Good: Stories from the Sack, Part 2. We are looking for your sexy stories including any leads for a sex neurologist, a gigolo and an abstainer - email blowhardpresents@gmail.com!

A bit o' background:
Why do we tell stories? “Because it’s how we understand the world. It’s how we learn. It’s how we form memories” says Stephanie Domet. Domet is one of the four storytellers who have brought Blow Hard to Halifax. Blow Hard is a public storytelling session that happens about once every three months.

For the cost of five dollars, there is food and plenty of entertainment.

Founded by: Stephanie Domet, Andrea Dorfman, Tara Doyle and Jackie Torrens, they wanted the public to experience the gift of a told story. The evening also serves to give storytellers, both amateur and professional,a chance to ply their craft.

Storytelling is how people pass on their knowledge and wisdom. It is the craft which formed our creation myths. Though ancient, the experience of a told story is mesmerizing. Even though society revels in 3D movies on the IMAX screen, the experience of one person relaying a story to a handful of other people is as captivating as the newest media form. Andrea Dorfman, another of Blow Hards organizers, shares that storytelling “made me connect to different people in a different way. It’s profound.” From these recognitions, Blow Hard was born.

On a cold December morning, three of the four Blow Hard organizers met with me at the Smiling Goat cafe on South Park St. in Halifax. Getting three storytellers around one table meant a symphony of sounds - there was no need to ask questions. The three women recounted there experiences and there thoughts.

The women shared how anything goes at Blow Hard. But there are two rules that storytellers should adhere to.The first rule is that the told story must be true and the second rule is that no written notes are allowed. However, if a storyteller chooses not to heed the advice of the organizers, the only repercussion is that the audience’s experience is diminished. With paper “you’re not telling a story anymore, you’re reading it. There’s almost a glass wall [between you and the audience]” explains Tara Doyle.

A Blow Hard evening consists of four prepared stories, each told by a different presenter. These are four members of the community who have prepared a tale to last about ten minutes. Each storyteller is introduced by a member of the organizing team who may take the opportunity to recount a story themselves. As a half-time show, Blow Hard opens the microphone to the audience so that anyone itching to tell a story has a forum to do so.


Blow Hard advertises by word of mouth (appropriately) and through their website. Organizers are involved because they love the craft - not for any monetary return.

The Blow Hard session held on Monday, November 2nd focused on the topic of Sibling Rivalry.


Veronica Simmons was the first presenter. That evening, Simmons detailed how her perception of her sister influenced who she became and how she later had to work to overcome the internal stereotyping that she had done.


“I try to pick a couple of people in the audience to connect with and gage their reactions to what I am saying,” said Simmons. It is this connection formed between the audience and the storyteller which helps make the evening so magically intimate.


Organizer Stephanie Domet notes that it’s this intimacy which Blow Hard tries to capture. Each evening’s performance is different and each session is different. But it is always extraordinary.


Blow Hard has had about 20 sessions over the course of four years. The 80 people in attendence in November was probably the biggest crowd the event ever attracted. Held at Fred’s on Agricola street in Halifax, Domet says if the evening attracts an even bigger audience they will have to start turning people away. “The space right now is perfect. We wouldn’t want to move anywhere.”
~ Jen Powley