Hi all - I am so excited that we have three events on the horizon. I am including a few blurbs about each below. We hope to see you in person for one or all of these events - but for those of you unable to attend, stay posted to social media (and this site) for updates, photos, videos, etc.
Drinking Songs at The Fieldhouse
April 14, 6:40pm
We are so excited to host our first event at the Inside the Five Fieldhouse. If you haven't been, it is an awesome venue. With over 20 taps, including beer, cider, and seltzer - they also offer a full bar. Additionally, they recently launched an Inside the Five food truck that will be available for our event.
So what can you expect at the event? First, it is an opportunity to sing all of the drinking songs you know and love from our other events. Many of those songs are featured in our Songs for Drinking songbook - which is available as a free download. If you want the words to follow along to, download the songbook pdf to your device before the event. We will, of course include favorites like the Barley Mow, Rye Whiskey, and Charlie Mopps - and also give you another opportunity to make it through the Rattlin' Bog.
We will also perform several new songs, all celebrating and extolling the virtues of booze, including some early American from the hills of Appalachia. This is an all singalong event! Do you have to sing? I guess not, but it is a chance to make your voice heard, down a few pints, and enjoy a great night out with friends. We hope you will come and support us at this first event at a new venue.
Sea Shanties at Earnest Brew Works Downtown
May 18/19
Alright ye land lubbers - gather up yer best mates and bring the crew to downtown Toledo for a night of Sea Shanties. Do you have to dress like a pirate to attend? No. Should you? Yeah, probably. This annual event is another all singalong event - an evening filled with the best shanties and songs of the sea. It's a raucous evening of song & drink - and the last event in our 24/25 Song & Drink series. From Drunken Sailor to Blow the Man Down and Wellerman to Nelson's Blood - it is not to be missed.
Fancy Sounds at the Glass City Pavillion
June 12
This is the event I am most excited about. Most of you know w&ea. from our Song & Drink event. We are absolutely thrilled to bring you this more formal choral concert, featuring some outstanding music by living composers. Why is it called "fancy sounds"? To be honest, it is a bit tongue in cheek. We hope that we bring you some "fancy sounds" at all of our concerts (I mean, we do sing Brahms at Oktoberfest!). But this concert will certainly be a bit of a contrast to our other events.
Featuring 16 singers performing an evening of all a cappella music, this will be your chance to hear w&ea. in a totally new way. When I formed this group in 2012, this is really what I had in mind. I always wanted to do both the "casual" and the more "formal" events - because in my mind, they aren't really any different. Music is music, and the way we share and interact with that music should always be fun, inviting, and open to anyone. That is to say, I often feel like there are barriers to entry when it comes to classical music. We try to bridge that divide by singing in bars, but we also want to be able to share this more "artistic" side of things.
So - what can you expect? We will offer a cocktail hour before, and reception after the event - and you will certainly be able to enjoy a drink during the performance. We will also absolutely be featuring some singalong opportunity from our audience during the concert (and maybe after). And it's possible that we will share a couple drinking songs with you during the reception. In contrast to our Song & Drink events, this will be an opportunity to dress for the occasion, and of course the music will be a bit more subtle and demanding of your attention.
As far as the music itself goes, some of those details are still being ironed out. If you follow us on social media you will see announcements about personnel and set list in the coming months.
This is a FREE concert with seating for about 100 guests. If you make it to only one event, this is the one to put on your calendar.
We appreciate you being so supportive. You are the reason we are able to continue putting on events.
Cheers, folks.