A new single with the Brobdingnagian Bards and a Bards EP. Last chance to get my Firefly CD on vinyl. A short, new Kickstarter coming? Coffee with The Celtfather returns for its 9th season. Do you really have to put on a show to draw a crowd?
It's all on my monthly update, Celtfather Music & Travel, show #283.
1:04 – SHOWS PLANNED FOR JULY
AUG 13: Tucker Brewing Company, Tucker, GA @ 6:30 – 9:30 PM
AUG 19: Celtfather Live @ 8 PM ET. Tickets $6.
AUG 26: The Lost Druid, Avondale Estates, AL @ 6 PM – 8:30 PM ET
THURS: Coffee with The Celtfather, YouTube (Season 9 returns on Aug 5, 2021) @ 12:00 PM EST
1:58 – RANT: BUSKING SHOWMANSHIP
I heard this quote from Elvis Presley years ago where he said, “You gotta put on a show to draw a crowd.”
CELTFATHER MONTHLY UPDATES
12:31 – PODCASTS
Only one episode of Pub Songs & Stories this month. It highlighted “By Amazing Grace”, my latest single.
The Irish & Celtic Music Podcast had a full four episodes, including a Women of Summer episode. Though I was pretty pleased with the Life Is Too Short episode as well. Amelia Hogan is one of my new favorite Celtic musicians on the podcast.
The Brobdingnagian Bards Podcast came out later than usual. Andrew and I talked about “Songs That Get Stuck in Your Head”. We talk getting comfortable on stage and chipmunk style Bog Off.
Celtfather Music & Travel had a bonus episode where I talked about sound reinforcement at busking gigs.
And Patreon was extra busy this month. In addition the free MP3s, I talked about a big happy success in July. I chatted about MP3s, CDs and streaming music, and I shared an unreleased podcast from Sherwood Forest Faire.
14:41 – VIDEOS
At the beginning of the month I had one of those epic parenting successes. I was practicing music more with my kids. So my wife recorded a video of Kenzie singing “I'll Tell My Ma” while Inara danced and I played autoharp. It was amazing. One of those things I dreamed of, but never imagined would happen.
The big news is the return of Coffee with The Celtfather. Season 9 starts on Thursday, August 5. I'm debating running a Kickstarter campaign to pay for Restream.io so that I can broadcast over multiple platforms. I feel like raising $120 is easy enough. AND since I don't earn much by way of tips, it would better fund the show, and show its profitability outside of Patreon.
I haven't made a commitment yet, but it I'm seriously considering it.
The next Celtfather Live is on Thursday, August 19 at 8 pm ET.
16:38 – IN THE STUDIO
“By Amazing Grace”, was released as a single on July 29. “Peggy Gordon” was released as a single on July 2. “Bright Side of Everything” is the next single. It's scheduled to come out on August 26. That one features the background music and vocals of Celtic rock band Screeched Inn, out of Canada.
I have plenty of songs completed to finish up Selcouth. But there's one more I want to add. It's the “Reavers Drinking Song”. I haven't recorded it at all, as of present. That's at the top of my recording schedule when the girls start back for school in August.
I did record three songs for Another Faire to Remember. This is an EP that the Brobdingnagian Bards hope to release for Dragon Con. I still need to record at least one more song to make it happen.
18:58 – MERCH
Virtual Public House is still on sale. I'm gonna pull it at the end of August. The As Long As I'm Flyin' vinyl album will no longer be available past September. So if you want either of those, you should order soon.
Incidentally, sales for Virtual Public House have not been great. So I'm happy to say there will not be further editions released like this. I say happy because years ago, the Brobdingnagian Bards released Christmas in Brobdingnag, Vol. 1, with the intent that there would be future volumes. And there never were. I thought about naming Virtual Public House in a similar fashion. Now I don't have to.
Instead of releasing Virtual Public House like I have, I'm just gonna continue to release the MP3s via Patreon. And then I might use the CD as a bonus item for Kickstarters.
Meantime, you can download a free MP3 every month from this CD when you sign up to my mailing list.
Merch sales at gigs this month were interesting. At Jordan Con, I didn't sell nearly as well as I hoped. But I did upgrade my merch table with a greater emphasis on my Celtic Heartstring necklaces. I love the look.
Then I did a couple farmer's market gigs. That got me thinking about busking for Gen Con. So I updated my busking setup. It also sent me on a YouTube busking research binge. I watched a LOT of videos on busking. But few focus on merch. That is something I still need to work on. But I feel like my efforts will pay off… just not yet.
Meantime, subscribe to my mailing list, you get a discount code to save 15%.
21:44 – CELTIC TRAVEL
Nothing new to update about the Celtic Invasion of Scotland. However, sometime in August or possibly September, I hope to open up the sign ups for newbies. Details are coming. Sign up to the mailing list at CelticInvasion.com if you want to be one of the first on the list.
22:03 – WEBSITES
I updated lyrics for the Irish Song Lyrics website, including:
22:21 – STATS
Mailing list subscribers = 1131 is up from 1128
Celtic Music Magazine = 4059 is down from 4068
YouTube Subscribers = 5472 is up from 5438
Facebook Likes = 3811 is up from 3802
Instagram = 1884 is up from 1882
Spotify followers: 1813 is up 16 from 1797
# Number of listens on Spotify: 2906 is up from 2652
Latest Spotify Single Stats:
“Hobbit Hornpipe” released Aug 26: 536 is up from 499 (last one)
“Cloghden More” released on April 30: 18 is up from 12 (last one)
“Name On My Soul” released on June 4: 43 is down from 141 (last one)
“Peggy Gordon” released on July 2: 67
Latest Spotify Album Stats:
Flower of Scotland released on June 25 (next month): 230 is down from 239
Most-popular songs on Spotify: “The Widow and the Devil” (1.9K), “Doctor of Gallifrey” (552), “Hobbit Hornpipe” (536), “A Working in the Garden” (297), “Hero of Canton” (257), “Reavers Malcolm Reavers” (202), “Pan-Galactic Gargle Blaster” (191), “Don't Go Drinking With Hobbits” (183), “Beer, Beer, Beer” (149), “Drunken Sailor” (116)
Most-popular songs on Amazon Music: “Doctor of Gallifrey” (538), “Hero of Canton” (379), “The Widow and the Devil” (94), “The Wreck of the Bold Irish Stout” (52), “I'm A Rover, Seldom Sober” (29)
Top albums on Spotify: Sci Fi Drinking Songs (819), As Long As I'm Flyin (614), Scottish Songs of Drinking & Rebellion (253), Kilted For Her Pleasure (250), Going for Brogue (167)
Last year's playlists from this time last year:
Top Irish & Celtic Music: 596 is up from 592
Sci F'Irish Music: 13 (same)
Nagians Only: 22 (same)
Celtfather Experience: 29 (same)
Hobbit Drinking Songs: 5 (same)
Firefly Drinking Songs: 132 is up from 130
Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers: 76 is up from 74
Jedi Drinking Songs: 31 (same)
Marc Gunn Songwriting: 4
– PATREON
Patreon Subscribers: 163 is down from 164
Patreon Monthly Income: $1264 is up from $1249
Thanks as always for supporting my music. Streaming music gives you a quick and easy way to sample all of my music. Digital sales keep my business running. Tips and CD sales allow me to tour. Kickstarter funds physical products like CDs, shirts ,and other merch. And Patreon funds my songwriting!
Join the Gunn Runners Club on Patreon to support my songwriting. You will step behind-the-scenes with new music, bonus podcasts, videos, and live concerts.
Thank you for supporting Sci F'Irish music at Celtfather.com!
#CFMonthly
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