tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11783225.post-1138656404734410142006-01-30T13:07:00.000-08:002006-01-30T13:30:52.163-08:00We got some *very* good news late last week!<br /><br />On Thursday, I wrote an email to the Entertainment Director of Scarborough Renaissance Festival (its new name!) asking for passes and permission to busk for the band to visit our favorite Texas faire for their opening weekend.<br /><br />A bit of backstory: A couple of weekends ago we attended and performed for the Scarborough Academy of Performing Arts (SAPA, the Scarbourough cast) Renaissance Character Camp, at a pre-civil-war fort near Mexia, Texas. The cast loved us so much that they insisted we come and visit for a weekend during the run of faire.<br /><br />Well, since we're committed to performing all four weekends of OKRF in Muskogee, that would leave us with a choice of the first four weekends of Scarby. We figured that opening weekend would be best, and made our request.<br /><br />On Friday, I had email from the E.D. offering a contract, once again, for the first two weekends of Scarborough! So it looks like we're hired after all, and we're just as excited as we can be. We fell in love with Scarborough years ago, and after getting hired for the first two weekends last year, we were heartbroken not to be going back. <br /><br />Looks like the start of a busy season!<br /><br />Speaking of which, Scarlet's Mid-Winter Renaissance Faire is now in the record books. It was an outstanding production, as all Fox Moon Productions always are! We had a great time entertaining all-full shows, and working with some other great performers! <br /><br />Nothing is quite as funny at a faire closing as seeing the Bilge Pumps in Mermaid Tails. We laughed so hard we almost couldn't finish the Celtic Jam Session that we were holding near the entrance to the Hobbies, Arts and Crafts building at the OK State Fairgrounds in Oklahoma City.<br /><br />This was also Julia's debut with us as a full-time fiddler; she hasn't quite decided whether she's going to "officially" join the band or not, pending mundane commitments as she settles down in Oklahoma with job and the like, but we're sure hoping. Many who hadn't heard a fiddler with Queen's Gambit yet were thrilled at the lovely descants and counter melodies she adds to our songs, and here's something extra: she has a lovely voice as well, which you can look forward to hearing at Norman Medieval Faire!<br /><br />Off The Board is still in production, after a major setback involving some computer files and a crashed computer. We're still plugging away at it and hope to have it out by Norman.<br /><br />In one last piece of news, Bob Brinkman, the "Modern Bard" who recently reviewed our CDs, came up with an idea for a compilation CD, and teamed up with Marc Gunn of the Brobdingnagian Bards on the idea. We contributed a track to the CD, and the proceeds of all sales go to benefit Hurricane Katrina victims. You can find the CD, which includes the Bedlam Bards, Queen's Gambit, Three-Quarter Ale, Empty Hats, Dogs in Doublets and many others at http://www.celticmusic.org/The_Circle.shtml<br /><br />Blessings to all and see you at Faire!Queen's Gambithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14997021458894794692noreply@blogger.com