Rodney Miller and "Airdance", "Hotpoint String Band", Albuquerque "Megaband", Ken Kolodner,"Yankee Ingenuity", "Carp Camp" (Walnut Valley Festival, Winfield KS), "Three Bean Salad", Rick Thum.
Formed out of encounters at the FolkMADness Dance Camp, Socorro NM, in May 2004, HANDS FIVE first started performing that Fall, with our original fiddler, Ryan Leary, a 17 yr old wonder from Santa Fe Prep. We had formed expressly to play Contra Dances, and our first dance was at Santa Fe in December '04, followed by one in Albuquerque in January '05. The Contra scene in New Mexico is awash with bands, believe it or not, so we had to depend on concerts, weddings etc for a while, before getting more dances.
Ryan graduated from High School in '05 and moved to Walla Walla WA to attend Whitman College, just before we were to compete at the Santa Fe Bluegrass and Traditional Music Festival, the NM State competition. When veteran Oldtime/Celtic fiddler Bruce Thomson offered to audition for H5, we said "Audition??? You're IN!". We took our new fiddler to Santa Fe, and won 1st Place Oldtime Band!
January '06 found us in Durango CO for our first out of state gigs, a house concert and contra dance. Ryan, back for winter break, joined us and we were "Hands Five + One". We did a Demo CD from the House Concert, which we never sold, because of copyright issues, but a number were given away!
We still look forward to making a "Real CD" in studio, with proper licencing
and production.
HANDS FIVE has continued to play dances in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Durango, have played numerous concerts and other gigs, including opening for the Celtic Band SAOIRSE at their "CD Release Event" in May '07. We have played workshops and mealtime concerts at the FolkMADness Dance Camps in '05, '06, and '07, and we were the featured band for the Harvest "Boo Camp" Dance Camp at Jemez Springs NM in October '06. We have also accepted a job playing as the 2nd band at "Stellar Days & Nights Dance Camp" in Buena Vista, Colorado in February '08, our first out-of-state dance camp.
We play a variety of music for our dances & concerts. Listed as an "Oldtime band", we also play Celtic tunes, Quebecois, "Newtime" (new tunes & songs in the Oldtime format), and even some Hispano-American pieces. We look forward to expanding our repetoire, and our geographical range in the future
Here we are at the ALBUQUERQUE FOLK FESTIVAL '07
with Carp Camp friend Dave Firestine (ROUND THE HOUSE) sitting in on mando!
CRAZY CONTRA WORKSHOP
FolkMADNESS Dance Camp
Memorial Day Weekend '06
NM Tech, Socorro New Mexico
Wendy Graham, Caller
"Ticklin' The Strings" by Sweet Hollywaiians
Amazing Japanese hot string band playing 1920's, 30's, 40's style hawaiian, swing, calypso, blues, italian music and originals,featuring vintage instruments.3 songs with Robert Armstrong and Tony Marcus(from Robert Crumb and His Cheap Suit Serenaders)
"The Sweet Hollywaiians have probably the best feel for this 20's music of any string band working today. They manage the rare feat of sounding relaxed even when their playing is hot, are top notch musicians with tasteful arrangements and a full, rich, warm sound.Plus, they have a nice gamut of tunes, from King Nawahi to Giovanni Vicari to Bobby Leecan. See them live, if you can, for an unforgettable experience. If you can't, buy their Cds!" ~ Terry Zwigoff
I had a BLAST at the folk fest. and i would love to make it to your performance sept. 6th. let me know the time and directions! and are there going to be dance lessons also? have a great 4th of july!
Thanks for your comments. I was listening to your tunes and I really loved Shoes and Stockings. You all have great energy too! I wish I lived in your area so I could come to one of the dances.
