Jammin’ with The Jackdaws

I always bring my accordion when I’m out for a beer — the accordion has proven time and again that it’s a machine that magically transforms music into free drinks. Last Saturday, I was out for beer along with anachronistic fun at Tampa’s Bay Area Renaissance Festival with Anitra:

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While at the festival, we made sure to catch the Gulfport-based Irish-American band The Jackdaws’ performance on the Pirate Pub stage. At one point, their guitarist, Whiplash, saw the accordion at my feet and said “Hey, an accordion in the audience! Do you know how to play that thing?”

“Yes, I do!” I replied, and that’s when he extended an invitation to join them on stage for a number.

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After giving me a quick rundown of the chords to Three Gypsies — D minor and A major — we launched into the number, where they kindly gave me a solo in the middle. At the end, they led the audience in a rousing cheer of “Joey! Joey! Joey!”:

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To thank them, and because they’re great musicians, I bought their CDs at the end of the performance. My thanks to The Jackdaws — Courtney, Roxy, and Whiplash — for letting me join them onstage!