Campground Jams?

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Urban Hillbilly

Active member
Joined
Jul 7, 2017
Posts
30
Location
Pikes Peak Region, CO
We are new to RVing. We get our trailer this Thursday, so not even on the road yet.

I'm a musician, piano player/singer with a portable/digital piano. Do people get together at campgrounds and play music together just for fun. How about Sunday gospel get togethers? Is this even allowed?
 
A friend's dad's barbershop quartet has gotten together a couple of times on camping trips to practice. They did gather somewhat of a crowd and even took a few requests! I've never seen any other type of impromptu get together but I'm sure they happen.
 
They happen, just not often enough.  We've been to a couple of RV parks that have organized jams every week.  Check the bulletin board. 

The best jams are the ones that happen in the parking lots of music festivals.

 
when we stayed at Gamble Rogers State Park in FL, I remember them telling us at check in of a planned jam session.  We didn't get teh chance to attend so I can't comment on how it goes.  I think it was a regular thing.....since Gamble Rogers was a musician.
This is the only one I'm aware of....
 
If you put your keyboard outside and quietly played, you would attract listeners. Some of those folks might be musicians who would join. I have a friend who is a good guitarist (not a pro), and he generally attracts listeners who end up singing with him in addition to listening. Not as challenging as a jam with other musicians, but he enjoys it. If you are a long term camper, put up a sign in the clubhouse. I bet you would find other interested folks. Just don't play too loud or play too late.
 
Thanks for the input. We are new, pick up our trailer this Thursday, so I don't know the protocol for this kind of thing. I certainly don't want to raise a ruckus.

I noticed in your list at the bottom of your reply that you have two cats and a dog. We have the same situation and are going through various ideas to make it work. If you any info or suggestions it would be greatly appreciated.
 
Urban Hillbilly said:
I noticed in your list at the bottom of your reply that you have two cats and a dog. We have the same situation and are going through various ideas to make it work. If you any info or suggestions it would be greatly appreciated.
We use a pet gate that has a smaller gate in it got the cats. We leave the little gate open and keep their food and litter box separated that way. The box is under the pull up bed with a hole fit in the side of the bed base (nicely trimmed). The dog takes up a lot of floor space!
 
I'm not a musician, but know that there are plenty of jamming opportunities in the Quartzsite, AZ area during the winter months.  Some jams are held in RV Parks with large meeting rooms and are scheduled.  There are impromptu jams all over the BLM camping areas that surround the town.  There is a Bluegrass Festival each year in nearby Blythe, CA.  I don't know the dates but you could probably google and find out.  Sometimes the jams are in unlikely places ... such as McDonalds.  ;D
 
Occasionally I'll get my guitar out and play a bit. It sometimes attracts notice (so far all favorable), and once in a while may attract another instrument. Not often, though.
 
Friends of ours check with the hosts or rangers when they check in to a campground. If there are no scheduled jams or performances, they bring out their ukuleles and start playing around the campfire. Folks, especially kids, come out of the woodwork, and occasionally musicians bring out their instruments.
 
On lazy days with good weather - I often set my keyboard on a stand next to the coach, grab me a nice glass of bourbon and play for a couple of hours.  It's rare that the afternoon walkers don't stop and comment.  If there are other players in the campground - it's pretty common that somebody in the walker crowd lets me know about them. 

If we're going to be at a campground for any length of time - I usually try to stop in at a local music store and ask about live entertainment in the area - especially where the open mics / jam sessions are.  Armed with that info - I do what I can to find somewhere to sit in.  During our trip to Florida this past winter - this approach worked real well.  I was able to find somewhere to play out at virtually every one of our three month long "stops". 
 
We have a Saturday night jam session every weekend in our seasonal campground - basically the same core group with others coming and going.  Sometimes overnighters will join in as well.  I suggest setting out a few extra chairs and just going outside of you camper and playing a bit.
 
Thanks all for the input. Spacenorman...good to see another keyboard player on the road. Maybe I'm not soooo crazy afterall! Great idea to look for local open jams. Great way to meet the locals, too. I hope to get together with some of you in the future and jam some good tunes.
 
...good to see another keyboard player on the road.

Your message and Spacenorman's motivated me to get the keyboard out of the closet. We're not currently in the coach, and don't normally haul a keyboard on our travels. I'm just getting away with several ukes and a guitar on board, and need to find a hiding space for a keyboard. All my fly fishing poles and related gear are a visible reminder to my other half of the space I'm taking up  :-[
 
UTTransplant said:
If you put your keyboard outside and quietly played, you would attract listeners. Some of those folks might be musicians who would join. I have a friend who is a good guitarist (not a pro), and he generally attracts listeners who end up singing with him in addition to listening. olks. Just don't play too loud or play too late.

If you have any ideas on how to encourage a campground jam at the "esoteric" rally/get together in Lanesboro, MN I would be open to pursuing the idea.  I'm not aware of any musically inclined rally participants but as you know Lanesboro is an artsy community so maybe there are some community folks who would be interested in performing?  Just random thoughts so far. 
 
MN Blue Skies said:
If you have any ideas on how to encourage a campground jam at the "esoteric" rally/get together in Lanesboro, MN I would be open to pursuing the idea.  I'm not aware of any musically inclined rally participants but as you know Lanesboro is an artsy community so maybe there are some community folks who would be interested in performing?  Just random thoughts so far.
Actually I have a friend who was going to attend who is a good guitar player. I enjoy singing too. Another friend is thinking attending (can't commit yet), and that family sings and plays the guitar too. Maybe we can get something started! One of the worst thing about traveling is that I can't be in a choir  :'(
 
As someone with no musical talent, I thoroughly enjoy campground jams. We experienced several in Nashville where we were staying. It was as good if not better than anything you'd pay for.
To the OP. Keep playin!!
 
Bob do you know of any musicians who would be interested in a CG Jam at the October rally in Lanesboro?  Maybe a small stipend?
 
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