The ShadowMusic Web Community

An interesting thing happened at our West Of Wales Shadows and Guitar Club yesterday. Ken Gilbert and myself were having a run through our Shads set for the Newquay Music Festival (see my other post) when we noticed some of the kids who had been playing outside the hall where we meet, pressing their faces up against the glass doors. Soon, curiosity got the better of them and, one by one, they pushed through the doors and stood watching and listening. There were some young kids and some of the dreaded teenagers, and we invited them to come and take a seat. They did, and sat there listening, clapping and genuinely appearing to enjoy the music which must have been totally different from what they usually listen to. It was great to see, once again, the universal, timeless appeal of this fabulous music.

Agree with you Noel, but I think the other major reason, is that it is live music. Kids nowadays don't get much of a chance to hear and see real instroments (what a pity). We once played a charity gig at a school and the response was unbelievable, they just loved it.

I too remember that gig and Alan's spot on. I think it was the fact that here was a live band playing which made the difference - the enthusiasm was genuine and quite amazing.

George

Thats wonderful Noel. I'm sorry I wasn't able to be there to see it.
Hopefully they will turn up again next time and who knows we might get one or two
to pick up a guitar.
Neville

Maybe you could contact your LEA (Local Education Authority) or some of your local schools directly and arrange to go and play there for the kids as part of their music program.

My brother does this in Australia ... in fact he makes a darned good living out of the schools music program (called "Musica Viva") and travels all over the country, as far as the Northern Territory and Western Australia, doing programs in remote aboriginal schools, as well as metropolitan schools in Sydney and regional New South Wales. They play Turkish/Greek ethnic music, which is nothing like what kids are used to these days, but the kids lap it up and dance and sing and have a great time.

So why not with Shadows music; as is suggested it is the live instruments that get the kids in, especially if they can take part by beating a tambourine, drum, tin can or a bit of wood in time to the music, they will just love it.

Tony Kiek