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Our Facebook Main page has news, discussion and just pure fun going on at Fiddler's Dream.
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Help keep the dream alive after Fiddler's Dream was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic by making a donation via PayPal:
We need your help... Fidd's is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, and our coffeehouse engine needs volunteers to keep it running. Please consider helping out - greeting guests with a smile, making and pouring coffee and drinks, taking admission and even being an emcee. And you will get free admission for the night! What a deal!
To find out more about being a Fiddler's Dream Volunteer, contact our volunteer coordinator by SMS-texting your contact info to 602-997-9795. If you don't have a mobile phone, call and leave a message on our VMS at that same number. It's that easy!
The Dream Big CDs have arrived! All net proceeds to benefit Fiddler’s Dream!!! A minimum $10 is requested. If you’d like to purchase one but aren’t within driving distance for one of our pickup events at Fidd's (check our Fidd's Facebook page), let us know via FB message, or text message to or call 602-997-9795, or email nia@yellowdogs.com and we can figure out mailing details.
Update: KN95 masks may be used in lieu of N95 mask, but masks remain required.
We are continuing our live and in-person events! We still observe mitigation methods and precautions, to do the best we can to minimize the chance for sharing more than beautiful music! We are doing our best to be inclusive to all who would like to attend, to include those in high risk or immune compromised status. N95 or KN95 masks are required inside the music room area (except for the performer while performing), and are available at the venue for you if needed, at no cost. Beverages will be available for enjoyment outside in the lighted courtyard area; beverages may be enjoyed inside during the performance, just move your mask, take a sip, and return your mask to regular operating position (and fasten your seat belt)! We continue to improve our ventilation and air circulation - sometimes that means a door is left open, so please dress to suit the climate! Our goal is to get back to live music, and remain open for that beautiful exchange of energy that happens in the room - and we want our indoor area to be as safe as possible for all attendees. Please check our event listings for details on individual events.
Our Open Stage night is completely acoustic, and lots of fun whether you wish to play or simply enjoy the evening as part of the audience.
We recommend arriving before 6:29pm (if you are a musician, that will get you in on the first rotation, and if you just want to enjoy the music, you'll be there from the start!).
Doors will open by 5:30pm (often a bit sooner), and we start playing at 6:30pm. We do a one-song rotation and a time limit of no more than 4 minutes per turn. Play your turn - please no substitutions or giving your turn to another performer. Give the performer their time: unless you are invited to play with the performer, please don’t play-along with your instrument. Join the audience and listen! And please don’t play music outside, except to tune your instrument or quietly warm up a bit. Since we are all acoustic, sound does carry inside! Thank you for having fun with us as we celebrate 2023, our return to live music, and our 36th Anniversary!
Admission is $10 at the door. Cash is always appreciated, as we are not always able to take cards at this time.
We are opening to live events while keeping the safety of our audience and our performers in mind as our primary concern. The regular Fidd's room will have a capacity of 32, and masks will be required while in the room, N95 or KN95 (except for the performer while performing), and are available at the venue for you if needed, at no cost. Each performer may choose to remove their mask while on stage for their turn. We'll have hot coffee, hot water, cold water, and pop available for purchase for attendees to enjoy outside, with limited beverages inside - talk with the kitchen volunteer if any questions! Dress for the evening climate, as we have been leaving at least one of the south doors open to improve ventilation and fresh air flow!
Season’s Greetings!
Please join us in person at Fiddler’s Dream for an informal evening of Traditional Tales and Tunes to welcome the coming season. The season includes such themes as Winter, the Winter Solstice, Light into Darkness, Advent, St. Nicholas, St. Lucia, The Virgin of Guadalupe, Christmas and Hanukkah. We will have two glorious hours together to reconnect with each other, honor the past, and reawaken our kinship with nature.
The evening will commence at 8:00pm. There will be a break between the two hours to grab a cup of tea, coffee or hot cocoa and a snack. Come to the first half, the second half, or stay for the whole time!
Let us create beauty together!
Chrissy and Rachelle Dart are curating this delightful evening of story and song. The art of Traditional Storytelling is very special, and Fiddler's Dream is honored to be a part of this event.
Admission is $10 at the door. Doors open at 7:30pm and the evening of traditional story and song begins at 8pm.
We are open for live events while keeping the safety of our audience and our performers in mind, and doing our best to be inclusive to all who would like to attend, to include those in high risk or immune compromised status.
The room has a capacity of 36, and N95/KN95 masks are required to be worn properly while in the room. Masks available at the door. We'll have hot coffee, hot water and a variety of teas, cocoa, cold water, and pop to enjoy, with beverages fine inside-just take a sip, then put your mask back on and keep enjoying the night! Dress for the desert evening climate, as we have been leaving at least one of the south doors partway open to improve ventilation and fresh air flow! We appreciate your support as we wind down 2023, our 36th year of showcasing musicians, poets, storytellers, and more, in an intimate, listening room setting.
Saturday, December 9 at 8pm: Dan Possumato shares a bit of what made him the fine musician he is today:
I was born a long time ago on St. Patrick's Day in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I can clearly recollect my earliest birthday parties that featured harps and shamrocks on the cakes, going with my parents to watch the big parades downtown, and of course the Irish music that always filled the air. One year, I remember being much impressed by a float that had a ceili band seated on a flat bed truck, a jerry-rigged speaker system strapped on board. The crowd applauded loudly for them as they passed by, and I believe it was then that I first became interested in Irish traditional music.
In 1977 I bought the classic vinyl LP of Jackie Daly and Seamus Creagh, which for several days I played almost continuously. It prompted me to go out and buy my first melodeon off the shelf, a Hohner Black Dot Double Ray. I took one thirty-minute lesson from Terence Winch, the accomplished box player and writer who now lives in the Washington, DC area, but other than that I am mostly self-taught. Had Terence been less encouraging, I might have taken up needlepoint as a hobby. As it was I soon bought a one-row melodeon, which I learned to play in the old push and draw manner. Even today I only use one row at a time on the D/G button accordion that I also play.
I moved to Germany in the early 80's, and off and on I lived there for a total of fifteen years. During that time I was fortunate to hook up with several Irish musicians there who helped me progress in my playing, most notably the Cork fiddle player Imelda Morrison. I often traveled to Ireland for the fleadheanna and sessions, spending much time in both Clare and Galway. There is certainly great music played in the towns and villages of those two counties!
I moved to Anchorage, Alaska in 1997, and I was both surprised and delighted to find such a vibrant and first-class Irish music scene there. In 2007 I moved to Portland, Oregon, which has an even larger and more established Irish music community. I moved back to Pittsburgh in 2011 after 43 years away. When you've been a Nomad all your life, it's a bit easier to pull up stakes. Being semi-retired now also helps, as does having a loving wife who will come with me to ensure I stay out of trouble! Ellen and I now live in Maine, and we are enjoying life up here in the north country very much. I sincerely hope that you enjoy the music.
9:05pm: Jamie O'Brien is so much more than a singer-songwriter. Yes, he sings and is a prolific songwriter. But he also accompanies himself on guitar and ukulele and plays a dozen more instruments for fun. Looking back on a musical career that stretches back decades, he counts not only on being a solo performer, but also leader of his band, the Launies, a collaborator with many fine players and as an accompanist for other musicians. Add to that the variety of styles he has delved into over time: Celtic, Americana, Hawaiian... the list goes on.
His travels have taken him from his South London home, across Europe, then the United States, including Hawai'i. He has performed at festivals large and small, from the North Texas Irish Festival in Dallas, TX, to the McLain Celtic Festival in Carlisle, PA; in theaters (including Tucson's Berger and the Paliku on Oahu); in concert series, like the Mukilteo Coffee Company Concert Series on Whidbey Island, WA, and Pennsylvania's Coatesville Traditional Irish Music Series; coffeehouses from Norway, ME (the Nomad Cafe) to Thomas, WV (Purple Fiddle). He has played in retirement communities, hospitals, colleges and airports, for organizations such as the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the VA and the East Maui Watershed Partnership, as well as at the Pennsylvania State Capitol.
Jamie has worked with many musicians through the years, including from the world of Irish music, singer Aoife Clancy and Nancy McCallion, pipers Kieran O'Hare and Eliot Grasso, accordion players Dan Possumato and Billy McComiskey, fiddlers Jim Eagan and Rosie Shipley and banjo player, John Walsh and multi-instrumentalist Gary Mackender. Among the many Americana/bluegrass/old timey musicians are singer and multi-instrumentalist and singer, Henry Koretzky, singer/guitarist Dede Wyland, and bass and guitar player, Karl Hoffmann. He has also played with George Kahumoku Jr., Ozzie Kotani and many other Hawaiian musicians.
He has released six solo CDs to date: "My Wild Irish Boy", "Many's The Mile, Love..." and "Celtic Shades" (all Celtic albums); "Chasing Ghosts" and "A Long Way From Lambeth" featuring mostly original songs, and a Hawaiian music album, "O'Brien Sings Hawaiian".
Whatever the genre, no matter the venue, Jamie is available with his soulful, eclectic approach, always performed with a feeling for the origins of the music and a certain touch of humor.
Jamie now lives in Tucson, AZ, and in Honoka'a, HI. Check out his website at www.launies.com.
"Irishman Jamie O’Brien’s unique and expansive song repertoire is not limited to Irish, but includes other traditions such as English, Scottish, and Hawaiian. He has performed throughout the British Isles, Europe, mainland USA, The Hawaiian Islands and Western Canada. He has established a deserved reputation as a fine singer and inventive accompanist, and he is a mainstay of the folk scene in his adopted hometown of Tucson, Arizona. In 2016 Jamie's CD Celtic shades won the Hawaii Media Arts BIMA award for World Music Album of the Year. Together, Jamie and Dan have an undeniable knack for connecting with audiences large and small, as their musical performances engage listeners in an interactive dialogue from start to finish!" - Sea of Glass
Atlas St Cloud has curated another fine evening of poetry for December! Atlas will be joined by Cassandra Lilith and Jason Lalli, and invites you to join them as they "create some Moments - Come by and hear some quality sh*t from your favorite trio of guttingly honest poets."
Admission $10 - doors open at 7pm - masks are required and are available at the venue (KN95 and N95). Your admission includes your beverage of choice (we make some fine coffee, just saying)
8pm: To Be Determined but definitely will be something wonderful! Check our social media sites for updates to our schedule: Facebook, Twitter , Instagram, and Meetup.
9:05pm: Cole Clark, a Phoenix-based musician, is a dedicated picker and country music vocalist with a deep-rooted passion for bluegrass and acoustic folk. With 15 years of commitment to the guitar, his musical journey has been profoundly influenced by legendary singer-songwriters like Jim Croce, Norman Blake, and Merle Haggard.
An active participant in the vibrant Phoenix music scene, Cole is a regular performer at local country bars, such as The Stillery and Belle’s Nashville Kitchen. On Saturday nights you can catch his honky-tonk band, High Horse, at the Horse and Hyde Barroom Saloon from 8 to 11. Within a year of relocating to Phoenix, he has established himself as an exciting new voice in the Phoenix music scene.
Before making Phoenix his home, Cole's personal journey took him to various corners of the United States, including LA, Nashville, Vermont, and Montana. He grew up in rural New Jersey, where he first discovered his love for country music and the storytelling traditions of singer-songwriters.
Cole's sounds are a genuine reflection of his deep love for country music and his diverse experiences, inviting his audience on a musical journey through the heart of American music.
Admission is $10 at the door. Doors open at 7:30pm and the music starts at 8pm.
We are open for live events while keeping the safety of our audience and our performers in mind, and doing our best to be inclusive to all who would like to attend, to include those in high risk or immune compromised status.
The room has a capacity of 36, and N95/KN95 masks are required to be worn properly while in the room. Masks available at the door. We'll have hot coffee, hot water, cold water, and pop to enjoy, with beverages inside- just take a sip, then put your mask back on and keep enjoying the music! Dress for the desert evening climate, as we have been leaving at least one of the south doors open to improve ventilation and fresh air flow! We appreciate your support as we wind down 2023, our 36th year of showcasing musicians, poets, and more in an intimate, listening room setting.
8pm: Begged and Borrowed are Shannon Schumann (harp, flute, whistle, vocals) and Rick Boyle (guitar, bouzouki, vocals). For their annual Christmas gig, they're pleased to feature Bernadette Smith on vocals, fiddle, guitar, and piano. For the holiday set they'll add a Celtic flavor to seasonal songs and tunes, with trad jigs and reels as well as O'Carolan's compositions. We hope you can join them for their special holiday set, starting 8:00pm Saturday, December 16!
9:05pm: Keith Anderson fell in love with the hammered dulcimer when he first heard multi-instrumentalist folk musician John McCutcheon play one at a concert at Oberlin College in 1982. A year later, while camping in the Smokies with less than $50 to his name, he stumbled upon a craft fair, where he met Jim Miller, who let him take his first hammered dulcimer home without a cent down. Years later, Jim would explain his trust thus: "I've never met anyone who wanted to buy a hammered dulcimer who would ever rip me off. It takes a special breed of human being to want to tune a hammered dulcimer, let alone play one." Two months later, after selling his electric guitar, Keith sent Jim what he owed him. Though Keith first learned the guitar and banjo and, later, the mandolin, this evening he plans to devote entirely to the instrument that stole his heart all those years ago. Over the years he's played it at folk festivals and weddings. He hopes for 90 minutes or so to replicate in his audience that mesmerizing intrigue and supreme joy he experienced upon first hearing songs played on this amazing stringed instrument that sounds, as he's often described it, like a harpsichord made love to a guitar, and they had a baby.
Admission is $10 at the door. Doors open at 7:30pm and the music starts at 8pm.
We are open for live events while keeping the safety of our audience and our performers in mind, and doing our best to be inclusive to all who would like to attend, to include those in high risk or immune compromised status.
The room has a capacity of 36, and N95/KN95 masks are required to be worn properly while in the room. Masks available at the door. We'll have hot coffee, hot water, cold water, and pop to enjoy, with beverages inside - just take a sip, then put your mask back on and keep enjoying the music! Dress for the desert evening climate, as we have been leaving at least one of the south doors open to improve ventilation and fresh air flow! We appreciate your support as we wind down 2023, our 36th year of showcasing musicians, poets, and more in an intimate, listening room setting.
Check our social media sites for updates to our schedule: Facebook, Twitter , Instagram, and Meetup.
Fiddler's Dream is located one block north of Glendale Avenue on 17th Street, on the Southeast corner of 17th Street and Cactus Wren. Use the newly opened Sprouts grocery at 16th Street and Glendale as a landmark - we are one block further East on Glendale Ave, and when you reach 17th Street, turn North and go one block to Cactus Wren, turn right (East), and the next right takes you into the parking lot. We are on the grounds of the Phoenix Friends Meeting (Quakers).
1702 East Glendale Ave, Phoenix, AZ, 85020 is the street address to plug into your map app.