The anniversary approaches ...
Let's party like it's 1879!
Hello all,
Hope everyone survived Ophelia in decent shape.
(Yes, I was at this one. It was special. Didn’t take the video.)
Well, it’s been a minute, hasn’t it? Since we last communicated, we’ve shared an Open Mic … played at Eva Perry and North Regional Libraries …
And enjoyed regular uke-ing activities at the church and with the NC Ukulele Collective. We said goodbye to Susan Schmidt :-( We’ve had a few newcomers drop by, too. Welcome all!!
About that party
Our 10th Anniversary Celebration is Thursday, Oct. 19, 6-9 p.m., at the church (Church of the Nativity, Estill House, 8849 Ray Road, Raleigh). Yay!
We’ll start with a pot luck featuring finger foods. Bonnie has circulated a signup sheet at the regular jams for folks to say if they’re coming; if they’re bringing a guest; and what food they’d like to provide.
If you haven’t signed up yet AND you won’t be at the October 5 jam, please email raleighukejam@gmail.com and let us know (including what food you might bring). If you’re coming and you’re not sure about food, just say, “Don’t Know” or something similar, and we can ask you to bring something we may be missing. We will fill in the gaps in our menu around the 12th. Stay close to your email box!
From ~6:30-8, we’ll have special programming, including surprise guest performances. The final hour, we’ll play the Top Ten Raleigh Uke Jam songs as selected by you, the members of this fine organization. I’ve sent an email to our list with around 50 songs we play with some regularity and asked you to pick five. We’ll count down (and play!) the winners that night. If you haven’t received the list, or have and haven’t voted, let me know and I’ll send a list to you.
We’ll also ask for some recruits to help us straighten up after it’s over. We’re such a rowdy group.
It should be a delightful celebration with friends, longtime and recent alike!
There will be giveaways!
Lots of them. Be ready to take home some swag.
Closing out 2023
Once again, we’re joining other Eastern North Carolina uke clubs (Wilson, Fayetteville, New Bern, Oriental, and RALEIGH!) in the NC Ukulele Collective for a performance at the NC Whirligig Festival in Wilson! It’s Saturday, Nov. 4. We play at noon. Final location to be determined.
If you’d like to join the fun, rehearsal videos of the songs are available on YouTube at this link. The song list is available in our Dropbox account in a folder titled “Whirligig Files 2023.” In-person rehearsals will take place:
Thursday, Oct. 5, 6 pm - 6:45 pm (or so), before our regular jam at the Church of the Nativity. If you have any interest in playing Whirligig, and want to go over the songs with others from our group, COME ON DOWN! We’ll have the regular jam after our rehearsal.
Wednesday, Oct. 11, 10 am - 12 noon, hosted by Wilson Ukulele Band at Wilson County Senior Activities Center, 1808 Goldsboro Street, Wilson. (Some get together for lunch downtown afterward.)
Saturday, Oct. 21, 10:30 am - 12:30 pm, hosted by Craven Ukes at First Presbyterian Church, 400 New Street, New Bern. It’s always lovely near the coast that time of year!
Saturday, Nov. 4, before the gig, location and time TBD (to be determined). Stay tuned for details.
Nell has graciously taken the helm for RUJ this year. Check with her for more info.
We’d love to have you participate. There’s something special about hearing several dozen uke players strumming and singing away.
Along with the Whirligig and party activity, we’ll have regular jams at the church October 5, November 2 and 16, and December 7 and 21.
We also will host an open mic November 30, 7 p.m. at the church. Think about the song(s) you’d like to perform!
I’ll soon start lining up our holiday performances for the Total Life Centers and other related locations. We’re crossing our fingers that this year’s anticipated COVID surge will be mild and will allow us to play indoors unmasked. If there are any restrictions, we’ll decide whether to do the show outdoors (weather permitting) or cancel (boo). For instance, unless the weather is truly wretched, we should be able to play at TLC Bond Park Cary outdoors under their lovely portico.
There’s a remote chance our December 21 jam will be downtown at the City Of Raleigh Museum on Fayetteville Street as part of Make Music Winter (the, ahem, winter version of Make Music Day). Seasonal favorites. Again, stay tuned!
Wow, that’s a lot. You may need to change your strings!
See you among the autumn leaves —
Your Humble Correspondent Rick