OFGC Pickin’ Parties

Over the first year of the McConnell Art Center’s existence, Ohio Fingerstyle Guitar Club members have been instrumental in helping to get the Thursday Night Concert Series off the ground – as both audience members and performers.  In that time, the MAC has become the unofficial “home” of the OFGC.  The Ohio Fingerstyle Guitar Club is now proud to hold their monthly Pickin’ Parties here at the McConnell Arts Center.

A little background from OFGC…

Our Pickin’ Parties are our major means to accomplishing the club charter of enjoying and preserving thumb picking finger style guitar music.  The primary emphasis of enjoyment is for the guitar players of the club to share the fruits of all their “practice” with each other no matter how expert or amateur their skill level may be. For the first eleven (11) years we didn’t have regularly scheduled meetings because early on we realized that it is especially enjoyable to hear what the masters of our art sound like.  So, we organized these Parties around the availability of Guest Pickers that are generally considered to be the “best” of their craft, and have them give us an up-close and personal mini-concert to kick off each meeting.  (And, help draw enough people to pay for the facility – which had been at the very pleasant Griswold Center in Worthington, Ohio..)

As of October 2010, however, the Ohio Fingerstyle Guitar Club was graciously (informally) adopted by the beautiful new Peggy R. McConnell Arts Center(“the Mac”) in Worthington, Ohio  so, we can now have them on a regular basis:  THE SECOND SATURDAY OF EACH MONTH – 10 am til 4 pm!  Guest Pickers still come to perform for us, but now on a more formal basis as “concerts” in the MAC’s marvelous 213 seat state-of-the-art Bronwynn Theater. (We try to coordinate these to be held on the same day of the Pickin’ Parties, when possible.)

Pickin’ Party Format – “Pickin’-in-the-Round”

We all put our amps in a big circle and each person, in turn, has the opportunity to play one solo, play one to be joined by the others, or requests one be played.  Most of the players that you will hear are self taught “basement” pickers that have had “the sickness” for several years and have practiced thousands of hours in an empty room with only the wall (and the wife and kids upstairs) as witness to how accomplished they have become.  It is absolutely amazing to watch the fellowship in the “circle” as they interact with other “sickies” for the first time.  And, they can produce some fantastic music.

Please remember that ALL levels of talent are welcomed to join us in the “circle.”  We’ve had folks show up that were so nervous they couldn’t play two notes in a row without messin’ up.  But, by tryin’ n’ dyin’ n’ going home and practicing some more – they got better.

Cost:  Donations for coffee, web site and advertising appreciated – but, not mandatory.

So, now we can get back to having our old tyme Pickin’ Parties – where we all meet – put our amps in a circle – and, in turn, pick one, lead a jam, or request one. No “stars” – no hype – just us finger pickers sittin’ around “pickin’ n’ grinnin.” Oh, yea – and drinking coffee.