The sun was shining, there was a light breeze to carry the sound of Barnbuskers Ceilidh Barn Dance Band music across the park and there was lots of shade to provide comfortable seating for our audience. Bearing in mind the extreme heat warnings, we opted to hold the ceilidh dancing on the shady side of the bandstand. It was an idyllic setting for an afternoon of traditional music and the sort of country dancing that has been thrilling people of all ages for hundreds of years.
Antony provided a wonderfully solid bassline, Sarah provided the chords and rhythm, and yours truly alternated between the dark sounds of the clarinet and the lightness of the whistle. Barnbuskers band leader Judy played her violin to make it a four piece band, when she was not calling the dances. Sadly, one of our favourite callers, the ever popular Bridget, at the last minute, had lost her voice so Judy, who is an expert dance caller too, stepped in to lead the dances. Plan B swung into action and the afternoon went smoothly with audience, dancers and musicians all having a great time.
Speaking of plan Bs, Barnbuskers prides itself on having plan Bs for those unplanned events that inevitably occur with live performances. Whether it is a free ceilidh in a public park, a special birthday celebration, an anniversary or wedding, these are very important days in people’s lives. The show must go on, It means that we back up almost everything in case of sickness or equipment malfunction. We carry a spare PA. Our wireless equipment and in ear monitors are backed up by wired connections. We even have reserve musicians to call upon, and the fact that many of our musicians are multi instrumental, also provides great flexibility.
If you were at Vivary Park, Taunton, Somerset (or even if you were not) and are thinking of celebrating a special private birthday party, anniversary or wedding with a barn dance or ceilidh, Judy, our intrepid band leader and organiser would love to hear from you to help you with your planning. We love doing events open to the public, like Vivary Park, but we also do many private dances in local village halls throughout Somerset and Devon. For more information about our band simply follow the link to Barnbuskers Ceilidh Barn Dance Band or to get information about our availability, visit our Barnbuskers contact page.
We’re also on social media. As well as Barnbuskers blog, we can be found on Facebook, Threads, Instagram, X or Bluesky. There is also a mailing list. Our band leader and organiser, Judy (photo below), is also available for information via this WhatsApp button. If you need help finding a ceilidh band, we look forward to hearing from you!
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