Hamilton Guitar Association: September 2012

Saturday, September 29, 2012

This weeks HGA meeting , oct 1, 8:00 at the WINKING JUDGE, 25 Augusta Street, Hamilton.

Featuring the fingerstyle guitar of visiting performer Thomas Radcliffe , hosted by ALFIE SMITH.
( Check out this link for an artful piece performed on the spanish ``LAUD`, `Perfect Love Song (for META)`.)

If you`re like me and...... have been longing for those old days of SOFGA.... and

have determined that the plucker doesn`t have nearly enough beer taps...and

thought,...why doesn`t Alf host more of these shows..

you are going to be pumped for this weeks meeting.

Saturday, September 15, 2012

First meeting of 2012

Come out everyone to the annual , HGA first meeting of the year, 2012

Mon. Sept. 17 , at the good ol Pheasent Plucker, 20 Augusta Street, Hamilton

7:30 sign in, show starts at 8:00

Hope you`ve had a great summer of, playing campfires and patios, festivals and bush parties, droped charges and bail money, and completed all your community service during the amazing weather.

We have a great year planned and featured performers at the ready.

Here`s a calender with dates for the club ( after Monday)
See you Monday,
Mark

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S.O.F.G.A.

Southern Ontario Fingerstyle Guitar Association

Some five years ago, I typed finger style guitar into a search engine because that was the type of playing I wanted to explore. Mostly because I was tired of replacing all my lost guitar picks. What I found was the SOFGA, a club dedicated to this guitar style and encourageing new people to learn by providing a non competative performance environment. They met right here in Hamilton, I knew that this was something I had to check out.

What I found was a community of people enjoying each other's music, company and friendship. And the amazing music! Cutting edge acoustic, celtic, old blues , entire bands seems to leap from guitars held by one person. No fake effects or back tape. Each meeting, one great player after the next would play. Then, one of them would take some time to show you thier style.

This is where I found my guitar teacher and mentors and some realley good friends. Though I was just a beginner, these people seemed to have a genuine desire to hear my music. This encouragement was pivital, at a time when the rest of the world just wanted me to forget the whole guitar thing .

Some five years later, when it comes to music, I still don't have it all together most of the time, but I've come a long way, mostly thanks to SOFGA.

Now , it's called the Hamilton Guitar Association but the goal and spirit are the same. That's why I'm happy to slug all the gear up the stairs at the Pheasent Plucker every other week, set up the mics and board, then, watch it all unfold.

Mark V