I got to play with Rufous (Melissa Coffey on fiddle, whistles, and spaceship, Nick Leininger on guitar, and me on fiddle) at Emerald City Contra Dance on Friday, July 26th, 2024.

Victoria Fox called, and Alan Roberts was on sound.

This was Rufous’ very first time playing out!

Favorite Moment

Nick was so into our final set that he broke a string in Dinky’s and dropped out while he swapped instruments!

This was a little bit terrifying; especially as a new fiddler on a challenging tune to keep up at dance tempo. But then I noticed that by now the dancers knew the dance, and their feet were sounding out the rhythm on the dance floor.

Oh, I’m playing with them, I thought - and I did, and it felt so great. It reminded me of one of the things that drew me to contra in the first place - everyone in the hall is contributing to the creation of this awesome experience.

Setlist

Frederick Reel
by Tom Hinds
Reels
Deer Walk (Portland 1) [D]
Hollow Poplar [G]
Billy Church Memorial Breakdown [A]
by Anita Dolen
Culver City Contra
by James Hutson
Reels
Flying Home to Shelley [G]
by Paul Gitlitz
Through the Gates [D]
by Russ Barenberg
Johnny, Johnny, Don't Get Drunk [D]
Hocus Pocus
by Lisa Greenleaf
Marches
Todd Hill [A]
by Jim Prentice & David Kaynor
Campbell's Farewell to Redcastle [Amix]
Garfield [D]
Tranquility
by Linda Leslie
Reels
Camel Hump [Em]
by Danny Noveck
Swinging on a Gate [G]
The Adirondack [A]
by Ethan Hazzard-Watkins
Another Flirty Attempt
by Marian Hepburn
Jigs
Split Rock [Bm]
by Kevin Burke
Marche au camp [G]
by Jean-Paul Loyer
Perpetual Fall [A]
by Thea Bolton
The Judge
by Bob Isaacs
Reels
Amy in the Bog [D]
by Larry Unger
Paddy on a Bun [D]
by Dave Bartley
The Judge [Am]
by Larry Unger
Waltz
Everything Is Slightly Broken [Em]
by Thea Bolton
Break
3-33-33
by Steve Zakon-Anderson
Reels
Shoo Fly [D]
Shove that Pig's Foot a Little Further in the Fire [G]
Kitchen Girl [Amix]
Winter in Summerland
by Jeff Spero & James Hutson
Reels
Haymaker's Hoedown [A]
by Jay Ungar
Bulldog Miller [G]
by Rodney Miller
Catharsis [Gm]
by Amy Cann
Birds from Urbana
by Isaac Banner
Jigs
Le Tourment [Gmix]
by Jean-Paul Loyer
Out on the Ocean [G]
Maison de Glace [D]
by Réjean Brunet
Dancing on the Train
by Michael Karcher
Reels
The Wren [Bm]
Dinky's [Amix]
Brenda Stubbert's [Am]
by Jerry Holland
Waltz
Yet Another Waltz [G]
by Thea Bolton