Scandinavian Cyber-Posten
Welcome to the Scandinavian Cyber-Posten!
The Scandinavian Cyber-Posten is my blog for the band. Ever since I started reading The Machine's Pump on the Brave Combo website I've wanted my own blog. After all, I'm a creative and intelligent person and I have thoughts on a lot of things. Here's a place where you can read what I think about a variety of topics. I hope you enjoy what you read. If you have any feedback on what I've written, email me at toby@smilinscandinavians.com
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The Scandinavian Cyber-Posten is my blog for the band. Ever since I started reading The Machine's Pump on the Brave Combo website I've wanted my own blog. After all, I'm a creative and intelligent person and I have thoughts on a lot of things. Here's a place where you can read what I think about a variety of topics. I hope you enjoy what you read. If you have any feedback on what I've written, email me at toby@smilinscandinavians.com
Wednesday, March 18
Twentieth Anniversary Plans
Greetings, Scandinavian Fans!
Although it doesn't seem like it to me, in May it will have been twenty years since the beginning of this band. To me, it's just a group of guys who get together and play music every so often. However, a milestone like this gives me the opportunity to look back on what all has happened and ascribe some meanings to it.
The first thing it means is that I'm stubborn. No matter how many times there have been challenges, like the trip to Kimberley, BC in 2010 when the van broke down three times, I refused to give up and stop running the band. Every time there was a problem or difficult issue I just kept plowing through as if I had good sense. A smarter or less persistent person may have thrown in the towel. I possess the stubbornness of several generations of Scandinavians so I'm not inclined to give up on anything.
The next thing it means is that what we have done has become meaningful to many people, particularly many dancers. When we first started out the main goal I had was to play for dances at the local polka clubs. It took about two years to achieve that goal. Since that time we've been playing for the Western Washington Dance Club, the Minnesota-Dakota Club, the Sno-Valley Club, and the Dakota Club. We have come to be one of the favorite bands of the polka clubs and that's a very meaningful accomplishment.
Another thing that our twentieth anniversary means is that we've got a reason to celebrate our accomplishment. To that end, we've got a couple of events coming up where you can participate in the anniversary celebration:
May 9th we're going to be at the Dakota Club Dance at the Renton VFW Hall. Come join the fine folks of the Dakota Club as they dance the night away. They enjoy having new dancers come in so don't be shy about joining in. If you want to learn any of the dances just ask!
May 24th we will make a return visit to the Northwest Folklife Festival. Folklife is one of the best events in the Pacific Northwest. It's a giant family reunion for musicians and we're honored to be a part of it again. We're in the Center House (now called the Armory) at 6pm.
May 30th and 31st we're going to be back in Leavenworth playing at the Gazebo entertaining the folks in town for the weekend. Leavenworth is always a blast; it's the best gig any polka band around here can get and we all enjoy spending the weekend there.
June 6th we're doing our "Official" 20th Anniversary Concert at Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park. It's one of our favorite local venues. We always enjoy seeing all of our fans who come out to visit and hear our music. There was no better possible place to hold our Anniversary Concert. It's at 7:30pm. Come early to grab a seat up close.
June 7th we celebrate again at the Swedish Club Pancake Breakfast. There are few things as much fun as a room full of Swedes eating pancakes. We start playing at 11:45am. Come down, have some ham, and do some dancing. I guarantee we'll play at least one hambo.
All the details about these gigs are on our schedule page at http://upcominggigs.smilinscandinavians.com/. Take a look at the schedule and come join us for one or all of the celebrations!
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