Christmas Playing

[PeterBale]

Having read Groovy's post mentioning that she will be out carolling at weekends in the run-up to Christmas I thought it would be good to start a thread to see what sort of playing bands do, and how effective you find it.

I've listed a few options as a poll, but realise that many bands will be involved in several of these, so it is more as a starting point for discussion.

For ourselves, we find we are doing less and less street carolling as we are asked to take on more and more other events, including a Civic Carol Service, our local Children's Hospice and visits to clubs, as well as our Christmas presentation (four performances over the weekend of the 20/21st) which involve us in extra rehearsals etc.

We spend one Saturday playing at Sloane Square, splitting the money with the local Centre, who provide us with refreshments throughout the day, and we usually have two evenings inside one of the local supermarkets. On Christmas Eve we visit a couple of old people's homes, take part in a local street party (weather permitting!) and finish up playing at a couple of clubs. On Christmas morning itself, a small group of us spend the morning at Basildon Hospital, which is normally well-received.

 

[Dolly]

All of the above an more!!

 

[Cornishwomble]

Can't vote on one as I normally end up doing all of them

 

[groovy]

Ditto! Mostly a mixture of the high street, and indoors in a shopping centre, but last year we did a few at the local Tesco's. Also a few carol concerts in various churches. First one this Sunday - switching on of the Christmas lights.

 

[dyl]

Guaranteed bookings for December as it stands:

6th – Santa Evening in Llanberis High Street
8th – Shopping Centre
13th– Shopping Centre
14th – Carol Service in a Museum and another in the evening at an RAF base in Anglesey
17th – Christmas Concert in Deiniolen
20th – Shopping Centre – might also fit in visits to a few pubs in the evening
21st - Shopping Centre and visit all wards at Gwynedd Hospital carol-playing to the patients
After Christmas – local old people’s home and a band social day ten-pin-bowling!

So, I guess it's all of the above for me too!

Ho-ho-ho!

 

[Cornishwomble]

I've got my first one tonight playing at BHS, for some reason can't get myself in the Xmas mood
nothing to do with it only being the 12th of November I suppose!!!

 

[Aussie Tuba]

We shall be doing all of the above too . Caroling on warm evenings sure beats the frost bite I remember , Our street caroling will mostly be done from the back of a Truck with lamps hung from the Roof to light the music ,We have a special Module that we lift onto the Truck that has no sides and has seats like an old bus and the players can be seated comfortably and we can cover quite a large area in a short amount of time . Beats walking from lampost to lampost , I might add i've done plenty of that to in my time .

 

[floral_dance]

Like everyone else we do a mixture, some concerts, indoor centres and outside Tescos and Asda. Lets hope the mild weather continues for another few weeks. :?

 

[Seedhouse]

Yeh, do most of the above. Plus i'll be doing a bit of busking to raise money for charity.

 

[JessopSmythe]

6th – Santa Evening in Llanberis High Street

Thats a bit posh, I thought there was only one street in Llanberis

 

[andyp]

We do local restaurants, on Frday and Saturday nights in December, by prior arrangement with the owners/managers (this is very important-people don't generally like you turning up unannounced!). We start at 8, and finish before 10. We also split the band in two, so we can get to twice as many places, and also so that there's room to get us in (20 people , some with Bb's, wouldn't fit some places!). We do the occasional pub, but as the clientele is usually the same every night people get naffed off being asked for money too often. Restaurants have different customers all the time. Our local (to the bandroom) Italian restaurant likes us so much we have to go in twice, once at 8 and once at around 9:30 on the way back for the 'second sitting'!

The diehards also play down "the Green" of the village at 10:00 every Christmas morning, to gifts of whisky and mince pies. One year a cetain bandsman had so much good cheer he fell asleep in his dinner. Literally!
( No, not me, but he is related!)

 

[Big Twigge]

What about radio broadcast?! sitting outside getting very cold playing christmas carols with fake snow all around

 

[T-Horn]

busking the best! just get a few people together and go. u'll make loads of money!!! :lol:

 

[Moy]

Good poll if we had been allowed to tic all the boxes needed.
Think most of us would do loads of these.
:wink: Yip and we have started already and what a hectic schedule we have. I know there are more to add as well.

 

[Vickitorious]

We do mostly indoor concerts but the one's that you do out side where you stand there for ages and get bad backache are the best bacause they're so funny!!
Me my m8 (Kat) her sister my bro and my mum (dinie) go out 4 nights before xmas and play some carols in the local pubs and raise some money. last year we raised just over £400! about 1/4 of that goes to charity and we split the rest between us! well us kids anyway, my mum doesn't get anything but the petrol bill! :lol:
I LOVE playing xmas stuff cus my band always make it really fun it's brill and a great laugh I can't wait until my 1st xmas concert!! yay!

 

[Okiedokie of Oz]

While this year, we aren't doing a Christmas "Concert" per se, we are however having a fairly exciting Christmas.

When we have The Mayor's Chrismtas Carols in a few weeks, my band is the official orchestra. We are currently rehearsing with (useless) singers, and I am working my arse off doing arrangement after arrangement (Carols with Bagpipes????????? :!: ).

Then the following day, we have a small playout in the local shopping centre. Nothing too exciting, but we're doing our bit.

 

[ian perks]

Shopping centres indoors/undercover BURTON-ON-TRENT.

But do a few indoor concerts anyway.
:-D

 

[HBB]

Why do you keep putting things in capitals?

 

[ian perks]

Because I Like To Wind People Up Like You!!!

 

[HBB]

No! Not winding up, just harder to read!