In the Wake of A Dreaming

In the Wake of  A Dreaming

~ Damh the Bard's Final Concert in Australia ~

(as published in The Australian Pagan Magazine) 

by

Michala Lee

~ Mystique Mish ~

The Magical, Musical Caravan winded it's way from the first concert by the magnificent Spiral Dance and their sensational guest, Damh the Bard, in Sydney down the many kilometres of open road to it's Melbourne concert.

Needless to say, this roaming troupe of Minstrels have captured the hearts, souls and imagination of all who attended their performances and left the audience wanting more. 

From Victoria, they took on a splendid adventurous journey down and along the Great Ocean road to the three day spiritual gathering of the Beltane camp in the Adelaide Hills. Due to personal and financial constraints I was unable to attend this marvellous event.  By all reports it was an up-lifting Gathering of the South Australian pagan community.

I must admit I felt a little devastated when informed by the organisers of the event that the opening Friday night concert was only for those who attended the weekend event.

The previous year of 2012, both my ex-partner and I were unable to attended the English Ale to catch up with our good friends, Damh the Bard and his lovely partner Cerri Lee. This cause a great deal of heartache for our little girl Madelaine who have adopted the couple as her “God” parents, so I volunteered to look after our son Liam for the day so both Dragonfly and Maddy could catch up for coffee in Hahndorf with the pair before they flew out.

It was during this meet-up that I had Maddy and Dragonfly introduce Damh to D.D.Rock, a little stuffed duck that I had my good friend transport to America to start his Magical Journey around the world -  http://thecosmiccauldron.net.au/DDRock/

Yet there was still the yearning of seeing my friends again and so when I was informed that a Special concert had been arranged at the Singing Gallery in McLaren Vale, I leapt at the chance to not only see my good friends again but feel the Magic of the Music of the  Bard from Albion.

I was also, overwhelmed that our family had been allocated table No. 1 and that my dear friend acknowledged from the stage that both Dragonfly and I, were  instrumental in bringing both himself and his good wife to South Australia for the first time. Damh also mentioned, and rightly so, that in November 2009 he played his first concert  here in the Singing Gallery, his last in Australia before heading home.

On that special night I felt humbled and stopped to pause and remember the event that Dragonfly and I had created which lured this great man to our shore and it has been far to long that I have failed to mention those who helped us make the Druid's Dreaming happen; to make Magic Happen.

It is in the context of this article, that I wish to set things right and acknowledge all those who had helped make the Druids Dreaming possible. It was with the Significant financial support from Ziggy Smith and my recently departed American  friend Robert Victor Moroni, Financial and administrative support from Mystic Grove and the backup and support by positive people like Jamie McPherson, Caroline and Allan Peek and Mike and Kym Kuijpers as well as the Eternal Flame Coven(Vic)

As I sat there listening to the Maestro perform, his songs took me back to the first time I heard him perform live at that 2009 event and I felt a re-connection to all who was there, all who performed and all who helped.

The spark was rekindled.

On this night at the Singing Gallery he performed both old and new songs.  In his second set after a break he performed a song which had had me and my ex-partner feeling overwhelmed with parental pride as our daughter Madelaine took to the dance floor and danced an Irish reel to the song “Hail An Tow” that she had choreographed herself. It was her gift to a man she has adopted and loved since she was four.

On this his last trip to Australia, Damh performed a song which he performed at all his gigs in 2013. A song he started to compose when he left our shores in 2009. It is a magical song which is dedicated to all us Australian fans and kindred called “The Dreaming” from his new album “Antlered Crown and Standing Stone”  This is an album that everyone should purchase and can be obtained from”http://www.paganmusic.co.uk/ 

There is a massive difference between attending a regular music concert to that of a Pagan concert. At a regular concert, you pay for your ticket, sit down and listen to the music or stand and dance along to the music and then after the concert you leave. There is seldom any chance of interacting with the performer or performers.

A Pagan Concert is much more like a Gathering and a meeting of Kindred Spirits and even those there who may not know you or even like you are civil and seemingly accepting of who you are and the greatest joy is you do get to interact with those who have lifted your spirit through their magnificent music inspired by their deities.

This was not the first time that the Bard from Albion and the pride of pagan folk music here in Australia, Spiral Dance,  had banded together to present shows which had energy pumping, feet tapping and hearts soaring and nor, we hope, will it be their last.

MUSIC  IS  MAGIC

* The Essence of The Druids Dreaming *

by

MiC Lee-Price AKA Michala Lee

(Mystic Mish)

Since ancient time, primitive man has used some form of music in Ritual. Whether chant, drumming, didgeridoo, pan pipes or guttural songs, music has been a very important part of Magic.

Like our Ancestors, Musicians speak to their Deity or Deities through their Music.

The Shamans and Druids lead Rituals with Music. The Druids were healers, prophets and Clan leaders. They had the Ovates and lawgivers but the most important member of their order was their Bards; their poets and musicians; their soul singers.

Music helps people forget the troubles of the world and their own personal problems for a while. People find solace in song and contact with their deity or deities in chant, Music is the Spiritual Essence of Worship. No Matter What path you follow.

Music Gives a Soul to the Universe. Wings to the Mind. Flight to the Imagine and Life to Everything.

Music has always been an important part of my life and my spiritual path. To me without Music there is NO Magic.

Music can help Bring about Change.

Music has changed my life in many ways. I was fortunate to have been taken under the wing of some notable and even notorious people during my youth. As a young musician, I played in bands as a member of ,or a session musician with, Dingo, Lunar Sea, Gold Rush, Radio Birdman, as well having worked as a roadie for Billy Thorpe and the Azetcs, Brian Cadd, Stevie Wright, Richard Clapton, my good friend Barry Leef and several others.

I have always had a Dream, to have a Gathering of Musicians; to orchestrate a Cultural Festival. Not to big note myself but to fulfill a Dreaming.

In 2008, I stumbled across a man who inspired me to follow that Dream and negotiated with him for almost a year for him to come to Australia and bring with him his unique style of Music.

With the assistance of my ex-partner Dragonfly we began to structure an Event feauring this talented Bard and include as many brilliant musicians as we could to create another “Woodstock” or “Sunsbury” but it took time and money.

It was a massive task and many times I felt like giving up. I would have had. if it had not been for Dragonfly who took over the task as Administrator and Event Co-Ordinator leaving me to be the Creative Director.

There were many huddles to get over to ensure the Musical Gathering happened. Our first venue was closed because of Fire Restrictions. The second venue that Dragonfly had source reneged on the verbal agreement between them and her and refuse us permission to hold the event because they “Didn't want us kind of people using there campsite and ground as they knew what Pagans got up to”. The final venue was a small Hall in the Adelaide Hills.

On November 13^th 2009, the hottest November in South Australian history unfortunately, the Druids Dreaming occurred.

With open arms Pagans gathered to Welcome Damh the Bard and his lovely partner Cerri Lee to Australia for the very first time.

Unfortunately due to the heat wave and the changing of venue several musicians and bands pulled out of the event.

Yet still the Gathering; The Druids Dreaming happened.

On stage musicians and performers such as Wyverne Ogma Vyvyan, Jamie McPherson, +Crimson Fyre  & RavenWolf,  Burn'Collect, Lizzie Rose and the sensational Wendy Rule gave there all on that smothering hot day.

The evening was brought to a brilliant conclusion by the remarkable word-smith and musician himself +Damh the Bard 

What a magnificent day and what a mind blowing event.

The Druids Dreaming Happened. Magic Happened and Music is Magic.

The Druids Dreaming was not a huge financial success and in the long run it cost me dearly emotionally and mentally but I want to do it again.

The Druids Dreaming continues and lead me to create The Pagans For Peace project . I am blessed to have so many great musicians as friends, pagan and otherwise, especially a man I have came to admire, Damh the Bard who is and forever will be, not only a friend but the Patron of The Druids Dreaming.

Copyrighted by MiC Lee-Price AKA Michala Lee 18^th October 2013. All Rights Reserved. Permission MUST be requested prior to republishing. Written for publication in The Serpents Star.