Sunday, August 10, 2008
Words from our Honored Musical Guest
Here's a bit more about our guest, Paul Mitchell, from the man himself;
Paul Mitchell is an English folk musician who specializes in satire aimed at the pagan community. His songs aim to reflect the many different aspects of the modern pagan spiritual movement, the characters, the politics and most of all the nonsense that pervades so much of it. He pokes fun at us all, from those who would take positions of responsibility in a spiritual context simply because they have some time on their hands, rather than the skills and spiritual development to do so, through to those who let them. He uses images of the absurd to encourage listeners to stop and reflect. He has been kissed by Bobcat (Emma Restall-Orr, writer and babe), but yet to snog Phillip Carr-Gomm (OBOD chosen chief and also bit of a babe).
Paul will come to the gathering having performed at a wide range of events over the summer in the UK. Performances have included the summer assembly of the largest druid order, the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids; a gathering of Druids from across many paths at Druid Camp (hosted by The Druid Network), and the Tribal Dream Gathering hosted by one of the UK’s most influential pagan musical and magical working groups, The Dolmen. Amongst those who inspire and support Paul’s music are his friends Paul Newman http://www.myspace.com/sunshinepaul and the well know Dahm The Bard http://www.myspace.com/damhbard. These people, along with the likes of Rob Chapman http://www.myspace.com/alittlebitofsacred and Jim Fraupel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnS0TzBtPrY , The Dolmen http://www.myspace.com/thedolmen and many others are forging a path in the UK pagan community of high quality music and entertainment for pagans across the land. Like Dahm in the past, Paul comes to the United States, in part, with the hope of sharing this drive and blending the pagan scene of the USA into his works. Paul’s Friday slot will be aimed at providing a little “background” music for those who might wish to mingle and quietly chat. With songs drawn from the British “tradition”, a few folk songs from elsewhere, and a few more songs besides, he hopes to offer a performance demonstrating how music can be linked directly to our ancestors, both recent and older. He will offer songs of modern histories and older, and you may choose to listen closely, or you may choose to drink beer! And then comes Saturday night. He has promised to try to slow the songs down so that his crazy English accent doesn't get in the way to much. He will sing satire at you and hope you get the joke and the point. These are not songs for the faint hearted, and he does swear during the set. Don’t come along if you take yourself too seriously, unless, of course, you are willing to sit back and reflect. Paul offers no great truths or life changing visions. He does offer and often jaded look into some aspects of the modern pagan scene, but at it’s heart is a love of the many kind and gentle souls who have inspired him along the way.
Paul has advised that his best gigs are the ones where the audience provides plenty of good quality beer and good looking women. As a gathering we may want to make sure Paul gets these things as he is travelling an awfully long way and is very nervous. Why not drop by his MySpace www.myspace.com/pagansatire , leave him a note to let him know you are coming along?
Paul Mitchell is an English folk musician who specializes in satire aimed at the pagan community. His songs aim to reflect the many different aspects of the modern pagan spiritual movement, the characters, the politics and most of all the nonsense that pervades so much of it. He pokes fun at us all, from those who would take positions of responsibility in a spiritual context simply because they have some time on their hands, rather than the skills and spiritual development to do so, through to those who let them. He uses images of the absurd to encourage listeners to stop and reflect. He has been kissed by Bobcat (Emma Restall-Orr, writer and babe), but yet to snog Phillip Carr-Gomm (OBOD chosen chief and also bit of a babe).
Paul will come to the gathering having performed at a wide range of events over the summer in the UK. Performances have included the summer assembly of the largest druid order, the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids; a gathering of Druids from across many paths at Druid Camp (hosted by The Druid Network), and the Tribal Dream Gathering hosted by one of the UK’s most influential pagan musical and magical working groups, The Dolmen. Amongst those who inspire and support Paul’s music are his friends Paul Newman http://www.myspace.com/sunshinepaul and the well know Dahm The Bard http://www.myspace.com/damhbard. These people, along with the likes of Rob Chapman http://www.myspace.com/alittlebitofsacred and Jim Fraupel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnS0TzBtPrY , The Dolmen http://www.myspace.com/thedolmen and many others are forging a path in the UK pagan community of high quality music and entertainment for pagans across the land. Like Dahm in the past, Paul comes to the United States, in part, with the hope of sharing this drive and blending the pagan scene of the USA into his works. Paul’s Friday slot will be aimed at providing a little “background” music for those who might wish to mingle and quietly chat. With songs drawn from the British “tradition”, a few folk songs from elsewhere, and a few more songs besides, he hopes to offer a performance demonstrating how music can be linked directly to our ancestors, both recent and older. He will offer songs of modern histories and older, and you may choose to listen closely, or you may choose to drink beer! And then comes Saturday night. He has promised to try to slow the songs down so that his crazy English accent doesn't get in the way to much. He will sing satire at you and hope you get the joke and the point. These are not songs for the faint hearted, and he does swear during the set. Don’t come along if you take yourself too seriously, unless, of course, you are willing to sit back and reflect. Paul offers no great truths or life changing visions. He does offer and often jaded look into some aspects of the modern pagan scene, but at it’s heart is a love of the many kind and gentle souls who have inspired him along the way.
Paul has advised that his best gigs are the ones where the audience provides plenty of good quality beer and good looking women. As a gathering we may want to make sure Paul gets these things as he is travelling an awfully long way and is very nervous. Why not drop by his MySpace www.myspace.com/pagansatire , leave him a note to let him know you are coming along?
Camping and attendance Park fee clarification
FYI all;
Seeing as we (the hosts of the event) are not charging for attendance to this Gathering, but White Tanks Park does have "use fees", I figured it would be a good idea to clarify;
We (your hosts) have paid the Group Area Campground reservation fee so that no other group could come in and take our (quite large) spot from us at the last minute...which would have certainly put a damper on things...and have made arrangements that if additional camping space is needed, we have access to it.
White Tanks Park charges the following fees for use;
1) Entrance to the park for one day is $6 per VEHICLE (not per person). So, carpool (as we should anyhow, being ecology conscious individuals) and the cost will be quite cheap on a per person level (depending naturally on how many you have packed into the vehicle).
2) The camping fee for one night is $12 per VEHICLE (again, not per person) and you do not have to pay the "Day Use" fee in addition to that.
So, carpool, help the environment, and save money on the Park fees!
Remember, these fees go directly to the park to help maintain the park facilities, not to those of us hosting the event.
Seeing as we (the hosts of the event) are not charging for attendance to this Gathering, but White Tanks Park does have "use fees", I figured it would be a good idea to clarify;
We (your hosts) have paid the Group Area Campground reservation fee so that no other group could come in and take our (quite large) spot from us at the last minute...which would have certainly put a damper on things...and have made arrangements that if additional camping space is needed, we have access to it.
White Tanks Park charges the following fees for use;
1) Entrance to the park for one day is $6 per VEHICLE (not per person). So, carpool (as we should anyhow, being ecology conscious individuals) and the cost will be quite cheap on a per person level (depending naturally on how many you have packed into the vehicle).
2) The camping fee for one night is $12 per VEHICLE (again, not per person) and you do not have to pay the "Day Use" fee in addition to that.
So, carpool, help the environment, and save money on the Park fees!
Remember, these fees go directly to the park to help maintain the park facilities, not to those of us hosting the event.
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