President’s Letter
8/01/24
Hello Everyone,
For those of you who might have wondered, the Church Venture Jam/Open Mic/Concert last Saturday went well, with just a couple of hiccups in the beginning related to getting John Fonner’s digital PA setup and connected to my iPad, which John, Dick Males and I were able to figure out and overcome. Overall the system worked very well. Will we be seeing a digital system at Leo soon? Probably not, our current analog system is easier to run, easier to teach to QCB members who are interested in learning how to run the board, and still produces excellent sound. It is good to know what is out there in the world of sound these days.
John Mann reports that he went to Sharon Woods last Sunday looking to jam, but, likely due to the rain threat—John says it was drizzling off and on—no one else was there, so he went for a walk instead.
We are back on our regular summer schedule, Sunday, August 4, 2024 with our summer song circles. See the schedule below.
Here’s the latest QCB news:
Leo Coffeehouse Summer Schedule
Summer Jams at Sharon Woods
Reference Information For New Subscribers (Below my sign off)
Leo Coffeehouse Summer Schedule, 2024
Like the past two seasons, Leo Coffeehouse will be open at Zion UCC on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of June, July, and August, from 5:30-9:00 PM.
On the 3rd Sundays we will have an open mic, with the sound system set up, if sound volunteers want to practice using the soundboard, or without the sound system, if the sound crew wants a break. The sign up sheet will go out at 5:30 PM and performers will start playing at 6:00 PM.
Summer Song Circles: June 2nd, June 23rd (added),
June 30th (added), July 7th, July 14th (added), August 4th
Summer Open Mics: June 16th, July 21st, August 18th
Summer Jams at Sharon Woods
On off Leo Sundays during the summer, some of our folks like to get together at Sharon Woods to jam. The jam starts around 5:30 or so and often runs until the park closes at dusk. Technically a park pass is required, which helps support the Hamilton County Parks, but I'm not sure how you buy one on Sunday evenings since no one staffs the entrance gate at that time. You can buy them online and have it mailed to your home.
The Jams take place in the picnic area near the Pavilion Grove Shelter, located at the Sharon Center parking lot, which is the second drive on your left after you enter the park from Route 42.
To get to Sharon Woods, take I-275 to Sharonville (Route 42) exit then go south on Route 42/Lebanon Road to park entrance on left.
As described by Papa Joe Kretchmer in a past post:
"It’s very impromptu—we just show up with our instruments, find a table or a shelter (if it’s raining), and start jammin’. We usually stop around 9-ish, or when it gets dark. The jam is very much like the pre-show jam at Leo, i.e., it’s a song circle where people take turns choosing a song. It could be something only they know, or a number that everyone can join in on. Sometimes we get a small audience from the other folks at the park.
It’s just fun—and that’s what keeps it going. The first time you come to the park, you need to purchase a summer pass for $10 at the entrance. After that, you get a sticker to put on your windshield that indicates you’ve paid.”
QCB/Leo Coffeehouse Membership
We are keeping our standard annual QCB embership dues at $20.00 for a family, or for a single person plus a guest. Last year, knowing that the pandemic cut into our contingency funds, as we continued to pay overhead expenses with no income, some members donated larger amounts to QCB. We very much appreciate the support of all QCB members at all levels.
We are exploring setting up our website to allow the payment of different levels of dues support. For now, if you’d like to pay the standard dues, you can pay them online here or by a check at Leo. (We’ve discontinued our P.O. Box, I will have a mailing address in the next newsletter for those who wish to mail their membership dues.)
If you would like to donate more than the $20.00 standard dues, you can do so by check, or through our website. When you get to the page with the box to relay instructions, just note that you are paying a larger amount for your dues.
For visitors who prefer not to become a member, a donation of $5.00 (cash) per person helps us pay the rent for our non-profit organization. Donations can be slipped in the box at the welcome table outside our performance room, Founders Hall. If you can’t afford that, pay what you can afford or nothing at all. We will welcome you to join us either way.
That’s all for this Folknotes, I hope to see you soon.
Neil Harrell
President, Queen City Balladeers/Leo Coffeehouse
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