Jamming at a music festival
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382146)
Rockingham, Australia
April 19, 2016 8:27am CST
We went to a music festival over the weekend. We joined the queue about 9.45am on Friday and gates opened at 10.00am. Thousands poured into the venue which was once a farm school for disadvantaged children, almost all from England. Some were orphans; others were given up by their parents in the hope that they would have a better life. The musicians were billeted in the various houses in the 'village' while dozens of 'the public' erected tents or brought motor-homes or caravans.
We had a group of nine people and formed our caravan, two motor-homes and bus into a square giving us a communal living space in the middle. Behind us were friends from another small town down the road a bit from ours.
For some, part of the pleasure of the weekend is the chance to jam and get together with others of like mind. The jamming session behind us involved 13 instruments including fiddles, guitars, banjos, mandolins, etc. We thoroughly enjoyed listening to them playing and singing a variety of tunes. I'm sure they loved the chance to get together too.
31 people like this
30 responses
@changjiangzhibin89 (17240)
• China
20 Apr 16
Sounds like it was an unique music festival where people pitched tents everywhere as well as motor-homes.If I were there ,I would bring my violin and erhu (a Chinese musical instrument with two strings) with me and join in the fun .
1 person likes this
@changjiangzhibin89 (17240)
• China
21 Apr 16
@JudyEv Erhu is popular over here and some call it Chinese violin.
1 person likes this
@changjiangzhibin89 (17240)
• China
22 Apr 16
@JudyEv I guess there are not too many differences between them apart from musical style.We compose music with both stave and numbered musical notation.
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@JudyEv (382146)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Apr 16
@changjiangzhibin89 I don't think there are many stringed instruments that only have two strings. Forgive me for being so ignorant but is Chinese music written differently to Western music?
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@Hate2Iron (15724)
• Canada
19 Apr 16
That sounds like a really great way to spend a weekend. I haven't done that since I was a teen!
2 people like this
@JudyEv (382146)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Apr 16
There was a bunch of kids in small tents camped next to us. They all had a great time and one was chosen in a competition to give a performance next year.
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
20 Apr 16
sounds like a lovely time! i miss those sort'a thingies 's they used to get together quite oft back'n the hills. brilliant to form y'all's own lil outdoor room :D
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@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
20 Apr 16
@JudyEv sad, aint't? back when i was growin', e'ery weekend folks'd get together. there'd be food a plenty 'n folks playin' music. seems folks're too "busy" these days :(
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@JudyEv (382146)
• Rockingham, Australia
21 Apr 16
@crazyhorseladycx When we get together with Vince's extended family there is usually a singalong round the piano. One family in particular have daughters who play flute, clarinet, and saxophone and now their children are becoming accomplished musicians.
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@KrauseHome (36445)
• United States
26 Apr 17
Sounds like a lot of fun. I know my husband and I would enjoy something like this even though we do not play an instrument
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@JudyEv (382146)
• Rockingham, Australia
27 Apr 17
We've just returned from the 2017 one which was a lot of fun too.
@toniganzon (77183)
• Philippines
19 Apr 16
Oh i wish i could join some music festival like the coachella.
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@JudyEv (382146)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Apr 16
I don't know the coachella. Is that a festival in your country?
@toniganzon (77183)
• Philippines
20 Apr 16
@JudyEv No, it's a festival in California, USA
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@JudyEv (382146)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Apr 16
@toniganzon I see. Thanks for enlightening me. :)
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@SIMPLYD (90717)
• Philippines
20 Apr 16
I would certainly want to jam in a music festival like that . Although , i would just be a listener to their music as i don't know anymore to play any musical instrument . 
Wow, look at that picture . They are having so much fun , playing their guitars and the like together . 
Wow, look at that picture . They are having so much fun , playing their guitars and the like together . 1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40847)
• Laguna Woods, California
20 Apr 16
What fun! My husband plays the guitar and he would have loved to have been there!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382146)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Apr 16
Anyone who could play anything was welcome in this group and they were having a great time.
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
20 Apr 16
Oh wow, looks like so much fun! I would have been happy to sit and listen to the jam session!
1 person likes this
@davidalicea100 (3495)
• Merced, California
20 Apr 16
Music is a awesome way to bring people together.
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@JudyEv (382146)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Apr 16
It is a universal language isn't it? Many of the groups were of mixed nationalities.
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
20 Apr 16
You do the most exciting things, sounds like a lot of fun and great music too!!
1 person likes this
@acelawrites (19272)
• Philippines
20 Apr 16
It will be so much fun listening to various musical instruments. It is a stress-reliever.
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@JudyEv (382146)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Apr 16
It is certainly interesting to see all the different instruments. There are often groups from countries that use very different ways of making music.
@LindaCPearson (2240)
• United States
20 Apr 16
That really sounds like a lot of fun. I've never done anything like that. I've been to indoor musical events but never anything outside.
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@JudyEv (382146)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Apr 16
The bands were playing mostly in marquees with big sound systems. There were dozens of families and groups camping in a big paddock and on an oval. There were more tents than anything else.
@JudyEv (382146)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Apr 16
We had two full days of music and stayed there three nights. It was awesome.
