Marc's Musings: There and Back Again, A Bard's Tale

MARC'S MUSINGS -- October 1, 2008

- Marc's Music News
- Bilbo's Birthday Party
- Brobdingnagian Bards Split
- New CD: Real Men Wear Kilts and New EP
- FenCon, Browncoat Ball, and Space Madness
- Celtic Invasions Vacations

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Marc's Musings

Greetings Amici,

I had the most-amazing weekend. I spent it in The Shire celebrating Bilbo Baggins' birthday. It was an event unlike any other I've experienced. An absolute perfect weekend, magical. You can read about the event on my website.

But if you saw the Lord of the Rings movie, you know what happened, complete with a crowd of people shouting "PROUDFEET" and Bilbo Baggins magically disappearing. I really hope they do this event again. I want more people to experience the magic!


MARC'S MUSIC NEWS
There's a bunch of news since last I wrote in August. First on the list is that the Brobdingnagian Bards are no more. We have two more shows together, and then we are officially going our separate ways. You can read about it on our website. Andrew is starting a new group with Michelle Hedden (an amazing bodhran play who's recorded on several of my albums) called Flynn's Follys. They are currently in the studio working on their album. Watch The Bards website for details.

As for me, you can read my Plans for the Future here. It includes plans to move to New Orleans, record more, and keep my podcasts growing. I also mention my Celtic Invasion Vacations, which you can read about in the next section.

All in all, this means lots of new music for you. In fact, the Brobdingnagian Bards finally finished our long-awaited CD Real Men Wear Kilts. It will be on CD Baby in a couple weeks. But you can pre-order it here. And I also have a brand new demo...

A couple weeks ago, I went back into the studio and recorded three new songs with Rich Brotherton and remixed a fourth. They sound Incredible! The songs will eventually be released on a new CD, but for now I'm releasing them as an EP. However, you can't buy this EP. You can only get it for free.

If you want to hear my new recording of "Wild Mountain Thyme", it is featured in this week's MarcSongs Podcast.



MARC GUNN LIVE!
Your last chance to the Brobdingnagian Bards perform together is in the next two weekends with FenCon and the Browncoat Ball. Then on October 17, I kick off my first official show as a soloist at Elysium when I return for more Space Madness. Check the link to find out how you can get a special gift at the show.

Oct 3-5, 2008
FenCon
Addison, TX

Oct 10-12, 2008
Browncoat Ball
Austin, TX

Oct 17, 2008
Space Madness @ Elysium
Austin, TX

Now that I'm gonna perform solo more, you really should sign up at eventful. That's one way that I plan to keep track of fans and find out where I should tour to. And I can always use new people on my Street Team.



CELTIC INVASION VACATIONS
While I was living it up in Ireland this summer on the Brobdingnagian Bards tour, I resolved to myself that I want to keep visiting other places with you. But I didn't want to do it by spending days on end in a tour bus. Thus came the Celtic Invasions.

The idea of the Celtic Invasion Vacations is to take a small group of people to a destination, for a vacation. This is not a tour that you spend in a bus, driving around non-stop, it's a vacation. During the day, we relax in the area we're visiting, or we see and experience the local sites. At night, we gather in fellowship, and I play music for you. Or we might have a jam session. The goal is to spend it together.

I organized my first invasion already. I'm taking a small group of people to my home away from home, Italy. We're gonna spend eight or nine days living in Tuscany and visiting Rome. We will see Siena, Volterra, and Florence. And we will live la dolce vita (the sweet life) relaxing under the Tuscan Sun.

The vacation is nearly sold out, and I just announced it last week on my website. How quick was that!? However, I do have a waiting list if you want to see Italy with me. Please visit the website and join the mailing list for details and pricing about this trip.

If this goes well, then I have two other destinations I am tentatively planning for next year. There are so many great places to see and experience. I hope you will consider joining me in some of them.

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Many thanks for your continued support. Slainte!
- Marc Gunn

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Quick Links to Marc Gunn

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• MarcSongs Podcast
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• Brobdingnagian Bards

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About Marc Gunn

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Marc Gunn is Celtic Geek songwriter from Austin, Texas with a strange affinity for ballads, Irish drinking songs, acoustic Alternative Folk, podcasting, Sci Fi, and cats.

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posted by Marc Gunn @ Thursday, October 02, 2008