How stupid an idea is it to bring my guitar to the State Fair Dem Booth

[LittleClarkie]

When I can't really play anything without music.

I might be able to eke out "This Land is Your Land" or bits of "Alice's Restaurant" or "City of New Orleans" and I think I could manage "Where have all the flowers gone."

So, how stupid an idea is it to bring it along anyway, to maybe spice things up at the booth?

[jane_pippin]

1. Hey, do it!

I went to it last year (WI state fair) and there was NOBODY at the damn dem table at all. I just wanted a button in an election year, you know, maybe give them some money, nothing important. :sarcasm:

I'm going out of town and won't be able to get there at all this year, so I say go, get some food on a stick, and play your little heart out.

[LittleClarkie]

7. Tell me about it. When I got there and they didn't have anything

I ran to HQ and brought a sticker and button care package back. Got a bit expensive going back and forth and parking, but damn it, there were all these Dubya buttons everywhere and the Dems at the fair were getting desperate.

We had one night that didn't get staffed this time (Friday) and the Waukesha and Milwaukee Dems are using that fact to get more volunteers. Apparently a Dem from California is selling stuff next door, and told somebody that the Repubs were laughing at us that night. "DON'T LET THAT HAPPEN AGAIN! VOLUNTEER!" has been the rallying cry.

But it's only an info booth, not like the Repubs selling stuff. We didn't spring for the extra money. But, I'm told, it's the first time we've had a booth at all on an off-election year. So that's something.

I've helped out three time so far this week.

[jane_pippin]

14. ...

The W stuff was totally obscene last year--everywhere you looked! Puke o rama. My friend had a ton of kerry stuff in her car so she ran out, got it, ran back to the Dem booth and took it over until someone made her leave.

Good to know that it's there at all this year. Someone should haul Kennedy's butt down there if they haven't already.

Good on you for helping out this year. Bad on me for slacking off.

I've got some packing to do and then I'm outta here for a while, but on my list of things to do when I get back is figure out the best way to help out locally. I'm in Milwaukee, so I just might PM you about it when I get back home.

:toast:

[Coyote_Bandit]

2. You won't have to worry about it

if you leave it at home.

If you take it then you should be prepared to pass it around and let complete strangers take their turn. People you don't think have ever touched a musical instrument will suddenly want to share their skills.

I speak as a guitar hack of sorts. And I like to keep my guitar safe - from theft, from inadvertent damage, from damage due to temperature changes, etc.

Edit to add: it could be fun just know what you might be getting into....

[LittleClarkie]

3. Thanks

it's a slightly fragile Gremlin. So not to expensive, but with sentimental value.

And at 5' tall, a three/quarter guitar is just about my size. My other one is an Epiphone electric/acoustic which ain't goin' no place.

I'll think about what you said, and the fact I have to take it on the bus.

[livetohike]

4. Great idea!

It will draw people to the Dem. booth. Don't worry about having to use music. No one will care about that. :-)

[Blue-Jay]

5. Any time there are a sizeable number of Dems around,

you'll find at least 5-10 who can play guitar pretty well.

That's an incontrovertible fact.

[Blue-Jay]

6. whoa. I duped.

dupe dupe dupe dupe dupe.

Funny word, "dupe".

dupe dupe dupe dupe dupe

[Debi]

9. I wish I could nominate a post for greatest page!

This would be it!

[AnarchoFreeThinker]

8. depends on how much you like your guitar and your teeth.

[LittleClarkie]

10. Meaning?

What?

[AnarchoFreeThinker]

11. meaning, with great sarcasm, that some disgruntled listener might

use guitar on teeth. Smile, though, just a joke. I'm sure your performances won't elicit any kind of reaction like that.

[LittleClarkie]

12. Unless I harrass the Repubs with it

And there will be Repubs.

[gmoney]

13. You could try the old Woody Guthrie trick...

Before he was famous, he'd walk into a bar with his guitar, order a beer and just sit there nursing it. Eventually, someone would say "is that a guitar?" and he'd say "yup" and go back to his beer. Then someone would ask "can you play it?" and he'd say "yup" and go back to his beer. After a while, people would be offering him money and buying him drinks to get him to play, so finally, he'd give in... and he'd play the hell out of the best song he knew. He'd get drinks and tips all night long to keep playing... worked a LOT better than going into a bar and talking to the bartender and ASKING to play. :)

Just a thought... polish up one song REAL well, and see how it goes.