Natalie McMaster is one of my favorite musicians. She plays Keene every other year and I always drag us there. Every year it’s sold out, and every year but one she’s confused. It seems that normally by the time her show is half over people are dancing in the aisles. In Keene we keep our seats and at the peak of excitement clap in time to the music.
To her this means we don’t like the show. But she also knows the hall is sold out. She knows the hall is always sold out. What gives? The reason I think I understand what’s going on, rather than being confused myself, is that one year someone publicized the concert down in Boston. Half the Nova Scotians in greater Boston drove 100 miles to be here. I saw tickets being scalped. In Keene!
Anyway, that time she was at home. She bantered with the audience, and they did dance in the aisles.
Two years later, full house, dead audience, confused artist.
I’ve seen other performers here with the same puzzled expression, in Keene and also at the Peterborough Folk Music Society. So here’s the clue for you all: Yankees don’t dance in the aisles. They might clap in time. If you get them to sing along you are knocking them dead. They’re not actually gonna move. It wouldn’t be polite.
Wow. I don’t know how someone could *not* dance to Natalie McMaster. When she played my theatre in Southern Alberta, even the Dutch Reform were dancing.