Greetings Gunn Runners

Gather 'round, my friends, because this episode is packed to the brim. This month I'm celebrating a milestone I can hardly believe… my 25th Dragon Con, a full quarter century of performing at my favorite gathering of nerds and dreamers.

I've got a stack of shows lined up, from Firefly Drinking Songs to Hobbit Drinking Songs to a very special Nerdy Pub Songs set with the one and only May Will Bloom. But that's just the beginning.

I'll tell you about the vinyl Kickstarter for Come Adventure With Me and why you'll want a copy even if you've never owned a record player. I'll wrestle out loud with the great dilemma keeping me up at night… do I let a certain "Hallelujah" recording sneak onto an album called Sci Fi Drinking Songs 2?

I've got brand new album pins debuting (wait 'til you see the Celtic Star Trek one), CDs back in print, a Celtic PodFest on the horizon, and a whole lot more. So pour yourself something worth sipping, settle in, and let's go adventuring together.

QUESTION OF THE DAY

POLL:  What show would you most like to see at Dragon Con?

Firefly Drinking Songs

Brobdingnagian Bards through Time

Hobbit Drinking Songs

Brobdingnagian Bards Greatest Hits

Nerdy Irish Pub Songs

UPCOMING SHOWS

Sep 3-7: Dragon Con, Atlanta, Ga

Sep 17: Halfway to St Patrick’s Day Livestream

Sep 27: May Will Bloom at The Lost Druid Brewery, Atlanta, Ga @ 2PM

Oct 2: LUG Con, Atlanta, Ga

Oct 31: Georgia Renaissance Festival, Atlanta, Ga

My projects and upcoming events:

FOLLOW THE VINYL ALBUM KICKSTARTER - The Pre-Launch page to fund the printing of a my album, Come Adventure With Me, on vinyl is still live. I’d like to get another dozen people following there pre-launch before it goes live.

Again, you will be able to own a beautiful large copy of the album on vinyl if you support this Kickstarter. Even if you don’t have a record player, it’s some beautiful art.

BROBDINGNAGIAN BARDS AT DRAGON CON - I was counting the years. I was wrong last month. This is my 25th Dragon Con. My first one was in 2002. And I’ve performed there every year since… for a quarter of a century.

I have lots of shows planned. On Friday, we’re at Evening at Bree and I’m doing Firefly Drinking Songs with Mikey Mason.  There’s a Bards show Saturday night. On Sunday, we have a concourse show followed by Hobbit Drinking Songs in the evening. Then I have Nerdy Pub Songs on Monday morning with Special Guest, MAY WILL BLOOM!

Find my Dragon Con schedule here.

MAY WILL BLOOM CONCERT - May Will Bloom is performing a one hour show on Sunday, September 27 at 2 PM. If you’re able to attend, that would mean the world to me.

More from May Will Bloom.

SONGWRITING AND PRACTICE - There was a lot less songwriting accomplished in August. But that doesn’t mean I was not working hard. I actually learned some new cover songs.

For me, that’s a really big deal. Outside of Irish folk songs, I’ve never really spent much time learning cover songs. On the one hand, who needs them! But on the other hand, they’re really good for helping me to learn new chord structures to songs.

Plus May wants to perform some songs that we love. And it’s a great way for her to build her vocal strength and repertoire.

I’ll get back to writing in the coming month. I’m also going to seriously start recording my next album.

NEW ALBUM - I have written a lot of new songs over the past couple o’ years since Come Adventure With Me came out. There’s enough really good songs to put out at least TWO albums. But most of the songs are not recorded. I’m gonna try my best to spend September recording these songs so I can get additional musicians on them and maybe finance the production of the album next year.

Right now, I think the next album will be Sci Fi Drinking Songs 2. I’ll be honest the MAIN reason I haven’t settled on that as the next album title is because I recorded “Hallelujah” with Rich Brotherton 2-3 years ago… all but the vocals. And I would LOVE to release it on an album. But I don’t know. Stay tuned

NEW ALBUM PINS! - I have a few new album pins that I extremely happy about. They debut at Dragon Con. So come by the table to see what’s new. I’m particularly fond of the Celtic Star Trek pin!

CDS ARE BACK! - I reprinted several of my more popular albums in time for Dragon Con, including: Don’t Go Drinking With Hobbits, Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers, Whiskers in the Jar, Firefly Drinking Songs, Sci Fi Drinking Songs, and As Long As I’m Flyin’.

I also have a new album cover for Selcouth. This one was designed by my older daughter. I LOVE the artwork. If I can get Come Adventure With Me funded on vinyl, I will definitely do this one too.

PUB SONGS & STORIES - Apparently, I forgot to send last month’s episode to my engineer. I hope to get it out after the convention.

Follow Pub Songs & Stories.

IRISH & CELTIC MUSIC PODCAST - The show continues on in its 21st year. If you know of any Celtic artists who haven’t been featured on the show drop me a line.

And if you know any that are local to Georgia, also let me know, because I’m planning the next…

Follow Irish & Celtic Music Podcast.

CELTIC PODFEST AND NERDY ARTS MARKET - The next Celtic PodFest is scheduled for the end of February. I’m launching a Kickstarter for the Celtic PodFest in mid-September. My goal is to raise the funds to pay bands a respectable fee AND to promote nerdy artists. Please follow the Kickstarter Pre-Launch Page.

ARE YOU A NERDY ARTIST? NERDY WONDERLAND - Applications are now open for the next nerdy holiday market. This festival is a HUGE success each year. I would love you to sell your wares to these nerdy fans. Follow Nerdy Wonderland.

CELTIC CHRISTMAS MUSIC - A new episode comes in September. Are you subscribed?

INTERNET CONCERT - The next internet concert celebrates Halfway to St Patrick’s Day. Tickets will go on sale the week before. BUT the show will be free nonetheless. Ticket sales just help me keep doing the shows. So the more you tip, the more reliable I can make these shows. Follow and share the Facebook event page.

CELTIC INVASION HIKING THE ISLE OF SKYE - My next Invasion is filled up.

CELTIC SUSTAINABILITY - Reuse what you already have.

Grab an old jar and turn it into a drinking glass, a vase, or a spot for spare change. It saves money and keeps good stuff out of the landfill.

Try it this week. Reuse one thing before you toss it.

Here's a complete list of What I'm Doing Now.

STATS

Celtfather Mailing list = 1142

Celtic Music Magazine = 3361

Brobdingnagian Bards= 747

Nerdy Wonderland = 245

YouTube Subscribers = 6513

Facebook Likes = 4355

Facebook May = 39

Instagram = 2329

Instagram May = 68

TikTok = 459

TikTok May = 420

Spotify followers = 3037

Spotify May = 10

Spotify Bards = 4242

THANK YOU GUNN RUNNERS ON PATREON!

Listen. I will never be Taylor Swift. I’m a small indie musician who relies on the generosity of people like you to keep making music for a living.

I create something special for a musical niche of niches. In fact, I don’t know of any Celtic musicians who play as much music inspired by science fiction and fantasy as I do. It’s all thanks to my Gunn Runners.

I don’t know if your $5 per month is “worth it” to you for all the new music, lyrics, podcasts, videos, and blogs like this I publish. But it helps tremendously.

So if you’re not yet a Patreon, please support my craft now.

Celtfather Patreon Subscribers: 138 paid, 552 total members

Join the Gunn Runners Club on Patreon to support my songwriting. Because You will step behind-the-scenes with new music, bonus podcasts, videos, and live concerts.

Thank you for supporting Sci F'Irish music!

#CFMonthly