9/29-30/12  Greenhill Medieval Faire And Highland Games

  This was another fine event put on by the Medieval Fantasies Co.
We've had some challenging times with the weather in recent years
but this year, the weather held and it was pretty glorious both days.
That gave us a record-breaking turnout!

  For myself, I had some excellent sets at the tavern and some good
times busking between.  But MFC kept me good and busy.  Aside from
my tavern sets, I also had two short sets leading Maypole dances,
played two tunes for the Masquerade, and led the End or Day Tavern
Sing/Singalong.

  The Maypole Dances went very well.  Well, by very well, I mean that
they were utter pandemonium where the kids had loads of fun dancing
about with ribbons and sometimes weaving a Maypole braid with them.
This is always a blast to do, and I'm slowly getting better at
coaxing something resembling a Maypole out of a random pack of
rambunctious younguns.

  I'm loving the two tunes I play for the MFC Masquerade.  The
Maltese Bransle is always loads of fun.  But their dance "Going To
Jerusalem" (a variant on Musical Chairs) is proving to be tons and
tons of fun.  I get to pick snippets of music, both fitting and
surprising, and well, sometimes be really Evil.  As of now, some of
the more fun things I get to put in include: The theme from "Black
Adder", "Arthur's Theme" and "The Ballad of Brave Sir Robin" from
_Monty Python And The Holy Grail_, the theme from "Game Of Thrones",
and in a blatant bit of demographic based pandering,  "The Hero of
Canton" from "Firefly".

  The end of day "Pubsing/Singalong" is becoming a big hit and
something I'm really starting to look forward to as well.  I'm
finding some awesome songs to rotate into it, and this time there was
a great moment.  As I led the folk assembled in a rendition of
"Martin Said To His Man", I paused to announce that if anyone had a
good verse to add into the mix, or perhaps had made one up on the
spot, they should raise their hand, and I'd call on them to sing it.
A young lady raised her hand, but, I fear, was unclear on what she
was to do, and proceeded to shrink in embarrassment under the gaze of
the crowd.  So instead, I made up a verse starring her, on the spot.
Go Bardic Superpower!

  So this was a successful, fun, and unstressful gig.  And there was
some excellent socialising, hanging out, and mellow carousing after
hours as well.