Cambridge Live Music’s Pack the Pub

Lately, I’ve enjoyed keeping close tabs on what’s happening in Waterloo Region’s independent music scene.

This past Sunday I “officially” became a part of that scene, performing at Cambridge Live Music’s (CLM) 8th Pack the Pub open mic session at The Black Badger pub.

This was not a traditional open mic session where musicians just showed up to play. Instead you had to sign up weeks in advance so CLM could promote the event and the musicians who would be performing. Since they’d never had a bagpiper at one of their gigs, CLM was excited about my performance and happily advertised that I was going to be there.

An R&B singer, a bagpiper and a bluegrass family band walk into a pub. What happens next IS EPIC! – Cambridge Live Music

Naturally, this caused some extra anxiety on my part, as did the fact that I was performing a few new tunes. All and all, the performance went off without a hitch and I look forward to participating in more CLM events to help increase awareness of the great local, independent music scene.

(Skip to 1:30 to see my performance.)

This was one of the first gigs I’ve played in the region that I contacted the organizers to offer my piping services. In the coming months, watch for me at other local fundraisers and heritage events. If you have a similar event that you would like to have a bagpiper perform at, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

CLM not only promotes the performances of local musicians. They also encourage them to form other groups and create new music, something I hope to be able to do some day. To learn more about Cambridge Live Music, visit their website, and for more pictures from this event, like them on Facebook.

— Andrew