Mine is usually mild interest, if I even process the weather report.
Of course, I am still fairly weather ambivalent. The weather is not something I can typically change, and usually I don't let the weather change my plans. Also, half the time the weather is predicted incorrectly (particularly when it comes to snow and how much of it). My outlook was bolstered from working at the "rain (sleet) or shine," Renaissance Faire, at which I learned that you can survive in all sorts of weather!
However, in the midstate, once the weatherman says the "s-word," it seems all of Central PA utters a collective "whoah-no!" and rushes to the foodstore to stock up on supplies (because no American could survive two days snowed in without bread and milk) then huddles in expectation inside their houses.
Luckily, our Christmas show at Warm Hearts was scheduled before the fifteen inches of snow hit (laugh if you want, I was laughing to, until my dad was out shoveling all day).
Even though the weathermen were warning that the snow would come "late tonight," we had quite a lot of fans brave the yet unsnowy roads and join us at Warm Hearts for quite a full show!
If you came to this show, you might have noticed a rare habitual change in the band that night: we were EARLY. How this came to be, I don't know. If you know our style it is more "sail in flustered (myself) and chill (Peter) at the very last minute." However, we actually made it with ninety minutes in which to tune, set up, and grab a bite to eat (God bless Pete Hamel, owner of Warm Hearts, for feeding all of Seasons for free!) And guess what? We used every bit of the time alloted to get ready. This made me wonder how we ever get our act together in fifteen minutes, which is usually how much time we have, but I suppose the amount of time directly affects how hard and fast one works (think of the all-nighter...)
There were actually three other "firsts" for Seasons at this show, making it somewhat historic:
1. This was the first time Mary Callaghan sang "Eventide Lullaby" live. At first when Mary told me this I was skeptical. Come on, it has been three years, you think that she would have sang it live with us somewhere! However, on further consideration, we realized that while a variety of people have covered "Eventide" (I believe the count is up to around six people) Mary's schedule had in fact never gelled with ours around the Christmas Seasons until now.
2. This was also the first time that we performed "Listen to the Angels" with a nearly full cast, having Seth Bird, Mary, and Katie Bird singing. The only one missing from the recording was my cousin Rebekah Callaghan, our violinist. Once again, I wonder what in the world we were all doing for three years, but if Mary hasn't been able to make a Christmas show in that long...I guess that matches up.
3. To pull it all together, the Warm Hearts show was the first show where Seasons sheet music was offered for sale. I had written out the melody and chords for "Eventide Lullaby," "Stable Song" and "Listen to the Angels," quite diligently on my "finale" program (and discovered the challenges of transcribing music from scratch, especially music with dotted eight notes). We actually had one taker from an auto harp player, which I found rather exciting. So if you are looking to purchase some sheet music, I am looking to supply some, hint hint...
Other highlights of the show were a new arrangement of the Hobbit Dance with "Deck the Halls" which I cheesily called "Deck the Halls with Bounds of Hobbits," until Peter pointed out that the halls are decked with "boughs" of Holly, not "Bounds," so my hearing error has led to what might be a permanent and silly song title.
I also got to sing a cover of Sarah Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson's "Wintersong," which Katie Bird. However, I am not sure if got on tape, so it might remain an ephemeral performance never to be repeated (okay, so we probably will sing it again because I love it so much)!
One final highlight, Pete Hammel, the owner of Warmhearts, got a text from his daughter, who was at the Scythian show in Lancaster, saying that "the boys" told us to have a great night and to rock on!
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