Music
Ryan & Brennish Thomson
Updated Dec 12, 2024
Music
Updated Dec 12, 2024
December 19, 2021
Fiddling Thomsons perform at a private gathering at the Wayside Inn, in Sudbury, Massachusetts.
December 12, 2021
Ryan hired to fiddle Irish session at Dwyer’s Pub, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire,
December 11, 2021
Fiddling Thomsons play the Worcester Contra Dance in Massachusetts.
December 5, 2021
Ryan hired to fiddle Irish session at Dwyer’s Pub, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire,
December 2, 2021
The Fiddling Thomsons perform at a private gathering in Rye, New Hampshire
November 28, 2021
Ryan hired to fiddle Irish session at Dwyer’s Pub, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire,
November 21, 2021
Ryan Hired to fiddle Irish session at Dwyer’s Pub, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire,
November 14, 2021
Ryan hired to fiddle Irish session at Dwyer’s Pub, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire,
October 27, 2021
The Fiddling Thomsons performed a concert of fiddle tunes at a private gathering in Rye, New Hampshire.
October 9, 2021
The Fiddling Thomsons played for a barn dance as part of a 9 piece band led by Dudley Laufman calling, at the Burleigh Farm, Holderness, New Hampshire
October 2, 2021
The Fiddling Thomsons performed again this year on the Harvest Stage at the annual Deerfield Fair, in New Hampshire.
September 25, 2021
The Fiddling Thomsons performed for back to back Irish Weddings in both Campton, New Hampshire, and at Hardy Farm, in Fryeburg, Maine.
September 10 - 12, 2021
The Thomsons performed and taught at the Greenwood Furnace Folk Gathering music camp in Pennsylvania. We have done this event for a number of years.
August 29, 2021
The Fiddling Thomsons presented a concert, outside on the lawn, at the Parsons Memorial Library, in the town of Alfred, Maine.
August 27, 2021
The Fiddling Thomsons played for a cajun dance in a large barn at Meadow Wind Bed and Breakfast in Hebron, New Hampshire.
August 21, 2021
Ryan Thomson fiddled at the 8th Annual Durham Farm Day in Durham, New Hampshire. I enjoyed seeing goats, ducks, and other animals. The first time that I performed for a farm day in Durham was in the 1970’s.
August 14, 2021
The Fiddling Thomsons performed an afternoon of fiddle tunes for a private event in Warren, Vermont.
August 8, 2021
The Fiddling Thomsons and friends performed lively fiddle tunes and played for a Barn Dance at the Shag Festival in New Preston, Connecticut, sponsored by the Spring Hill Arts Gathering.
July 31, 2021
The Fiddling Thomsons lead a contra dance band at an outdoor dance in Kingston, New Hampshire at the Fiddler’s Loft.
July 30, 2021
The Fiddling Thomsons performed a concert of their favorite fiddle tunes at a private event on the banks of the Saco River, in Conway, New Hampshire.
July 10, 2021
The Fiddling Thomsons performed a concert of French music and dance, in Lincoln, New Hampshire.
July 9, 2021
The Thomsons are hired by Dudley Laufman to play a private dance in Holderness, New Hampshire. Over a hundred dancers attend.
June 12, 2021
Rya is hired to fiddle at an Irish performance at a pub in Portsmouth, New Hampshire
May 30, 2021
Fiddling Thomsons perform Irish music for a private event in Marshfield, Massachusetts.
May 29, 2021
Fiddling Thomsons play for a cajun/zydeco dance in Portland, Maine
May 20, 2021
Fiddling Thomsons perform an outdoors public concert of Scottish music in South Berwick, Maine, for the historical society.
May 16, 2021
Fiddling Thomsons perform for a private out door event in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, mid-day. Later in the afternoon they perform for a private outdoor event in Andover, Massachusetts.
May 15, 2021
Fiddling Thomsons perform for an out door private event in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts.
April 24, 2021
Fiddling Thomsons perform for an outdoor private event in Fort Edward, New York.
November 5 - 8
Brennish is hired to do online tech work in helping to produce the first online Fiddle Hell. Also, the Fiddling Thomson teach a workshop in twin fiddling.
October 10, 2020
Fiddling Thomsons perform for a wedding at the Barn on the Pemi, on the Daniel Webster Highway, in Plymouth, New Hampshire. We were outdoors, wore masks, and kept ourselves well away from the wedding guests.
October 3, 2020
Fiddling Thomsons perform a concert, outdoors, while socially distanced, at the American Independence Museum, in Exeter, New Hampshire.
August 22, 2020
The Fiddling Thomsons play an outdoor wedding, socially distancing themselves from the wedding guests, and also wearing masks.
August 8 - 9, 2020
Ryan attends an outdoor, masked, and socially distanced gypsy jazz jam.
The Thomsons spend much of the next few months on indoor projects at home, including working on material for new recording projects.
March 25, 2020
Fiddling Thomsons move their weekly in-person jam session to a remote Zoom jam
March 15, 2020
Fiddling Thomsons, as part of the Boston Rovers, perform at the Westin Golf Club, in Massachusetts.
March 14, 2020
Fiddling Thomsons, as part of the Boston Rovers, perform Irish music at the Atkinson Country Club, in Atkinson, New Hampshire.
March 7, 2020
Fiddling Thomsons perform at Merrimack Public Library, Massachusetts
February 23, 2020
Fiddling Thomsons perform at a public Mardi gras event in Sundown, New Hampshire.
February 14, 2020
The Thomsons play a dance with Dudley Laufman at the Seacoast Waldorf School, in Eliot, Maine.
January 25, 2020
Ryan performs with a band at the Book and Bar club in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
January 19, 2020
Ryan was hired to play Irish fiddle at a gig at the Tributary pub in Kittery, Maine
January 18, 2020
Ryan played cello in an all day O’carolan workshop.
December 31, 2019
Thomsons join the Boston Rovers to perform at a New Years Eve Celebration in Rockport, Massachusetts.
December 27, 2019
Thomsons play a dance with Dudley Laufman at the Newfields Town Hall, New Hampshire.
December 22, 2019
Ryan performs Irish music at Chaple and Main, in Dover New Hampshire.
December 14, 2019
Ryan plays keyboard for the Gilmanton contra dance held in the old town hall at the Iron Works, in New Hampshire
December 8, 2019
Fiddling Thomsons perform for the “Festive Scottish Holiday Tea,” at the Blaisdell Library in Nottingham New Hampshire. Besides pay, at the end of our performance, we each received a 2019 one ounce silver coin as a tip.
November 29, 2019
The Thomsons perform at a private function at the Pickering House in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. After a music performance, Ryan calls a dance for the guests.
November 25, 2019
The Thomsons do a school dance with Dudley Laufman at the Glover School, in Marblehead, Massachusetts.
November 24, 2019
Ryan plays Irish music in the band at the Tributary pub, in Kittery, Maine.
November 7 - 10, 2019
Thomsons attend Fiddle Hell, in Westfield, Massachusetts.
October 26, 2019
Fiddling Thomsons play for a contra dance in the Kingston Town Hall, New Hampshire.
October 20, 2019
Fiddling Thomsons perform at the annual Old Ways Days at the Emerson Farm in Canterbury, New Hampshire.
October 5, 2019
Thomsons play a dance with Dudley Laufman at the Exeter Town Hall, New Hampshire.
September 29, 2019
Ryan plays in the Balfor band for a French dance in the Acworth Town Hall, New Hampshire.
September 27 2019
Fiddling Thomsons perform on the Harvest Stage at the annual Deerfield Fair, in New Hampshire, in the afternoon. In the evening they play a school dance with Dudley Laufman in York, Maine.
September 10, 2019
Fiddling Thomsons perform for a private event at Edgewood, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
September 6 - 8, 2019
Fiddling Thomsons on staff, performing and teaching classes at the Greenwood Furnace Folk Gathering, in Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania.
September 1, 2019
Fiddling Thomsons perform for a private function in Gloucester, Massachusetts.
August 15, 2019
Fiddling Thomsons perform for Smokey Bear’s 75th Birthday Celebration, at Franconia Notch State Park in New Hampshire.
August 12, 2019
Fiddling Thomsons perform for a conference by the University of Utah, held at the USS Constitution Museum, in Boston, Massachusetts.
July 27 - August 4, 2019
Thomsons attend the Appalachian String Band Festival in Clifftop, West Virginia.
July 12 - 21, 2019
Thomsons attend, teach, and perform at the Sweetsmill Music and Arts Institute in California.
June 27, 2019
Thomsons play with Dudley Laufman for a dance in Raymond, New Hampshire.
June 25, 2019
Fiddling Thomsons perform for a medical convention held at Sunday River, Maine.
June 22, 2019
Thomsons play with Dudley Laufman for a private function in Lee, New Hampshire.
June 15, 2019
Fiddling Thomsons perform a private concert in Jefferson, New Hampshire.
June 8, 2019
Fiddling Thomsons perform at a private function in York, Maine.
May 31, 2019
Fiddling Thomsons play a contra dance in the Newfields Town Hall, in New Hampshire,
May 30, 2019
Fiddling Thomsons perform for the New Hampshire Historical Society in Concord, New Hampshire.
May 26 - 26, 2019
Fiddling Thomsons perform and teach classes at Folk College, in Juniata, Pennsylvania.
May 11, 2019
Fiddling Thomsons perform at the Rogers Memorial Library, in Hudson, New Hampshire.
April 27, 2019
The Fiddling Thomsons host a visiting dance band from Romania at a jam party in the Thomson home.
April 13, 2019
Fiddling Thomsons attend and perform at the New England Folk Festival and assist Steve Brown with teaching his rhythm bones class.
March 24, 2019
Ryan plays Irish music for a private party with an Irish step dance school, in Epping, New Hampshire.
March 21, 2019
Fiddling Thomsons perform Irish Music at the British Brewing Company, in Manchester, New Hampshire.
March 17, 2019
Fiddling Thomsons perform Irish music with Boston Rovers band at The Westin Golf Club, in Westin, Massachusetts in the morning, and then in Lowell, Massachusetts at Dudley’s in the evening
March 16, 2019
Fiddling Thomsons perform Irish music for a private function in Summit, New Jersey in the afternoon, and then for a second private function in the evening in Colt’s Neck, New Jersey.
March 15, 2019
Fiddling Thomsons perform along with the Boston Rovers at the Atkinson Country Club, in Atkinson, New Hampshire.
March 14, 2019
Fiddling Thomsons perform Irish music for a private function in Milton, Massachusetts
March 7, 2019
Fiddling Thomsons perform Irish Music at the British Brewing Company, in Manchester, New Hampshire.
February 24, 2019
Brennish demos guitar and violin amplification systems by Your Heaven Audio, at a luthier’s gathering in Somerville Massachusetts.
February 7, 2019
Fiddling Thomsons perform Irish music at the British Brewing Company, in Manchester, New Hampshire.
February 1, 2019
Fiddling Thomsons perform a concert at the Wilton and Gregg Free Library, Wilton, New Hampshire.
January 24, 2019
Fiddling Thomsons perform at the British Brewing Company, in Manchester, New Hampshire.
January 18, 2019
Fiddling Thomsons play the Providence Community Contra Dance, in Providence, Rhode Island.
January 5, 2019
Fiddling Thomsons on staff, teaching and performing at “Taste of Folk College” in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
January 4, 2019
Fiddling Thomsons perform at Websters Bookstore, in State College, Pennsylvania.
December 31, 2018
The Fiddling Thomsons, as part of the Boston Rovers band, perform for the New Years Eve Celebration in Rock Port, Massachusetts.
December 28, 2018
The Thomsons play a contra dance with Dudley Laufman at the Newfields Town Hall, New Hampshire.
December 27, 2018
Fiddling Thomsons perform at the British Brewing Company, in Manchester, New Hampshire.
December 8, 2018
Fiddling Thomsons play for the Worcester Contra Dance, in Massachusetts.
November 29, 2018
The Fiddling Thomsons give a presentation on traditional music from New Hampshire at Granite Stage College for OLLI in Manchester, New Hampshire.
November 24, 2018
The Thomsons play a dance with Dudley Laufman, in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire.
November 19, 2018
Thomsons play a school dance with Dudley Laufman in Marblehead, Massachusetts. After the dance they attend an Irish session at the GreenBriar, in Boston.
November 10, 2018
Fiddling Thomsons perform at the Byfield Cat in the Cradle Coffeehouse(BCAC) in Byfield, Massachusetts.
November 1 - 4, 2018
Thomsons attend Fiddle Hell in Westfield, Massachusetts
October 26, 2018
Fiddling Thomsons play for a contra dance in the Newfields Town Hall, New Hampshire.
October 22, 2018
Fiddling Thomsons perform along with the Boston Rovers band at a private function in Woburn, Massachusetts.
October 21, 2018
Fiddling Thomsons perform at the annual Old Ways Days, at Emerson’s Farm, in Canterbury, New Hampshire.
October 5, 2018
Fiddling Thomsons play the Quiet Corners Contra Dance at Patriot’s Park Lodge, in Coventry, Connecticut.
28, 2018
Fiddling Thomsons perform on the Harvest Stage, at the annual Deerfield Fair, in Deerfield, New Hampshire.
September 22, 2018
Fiddling Thomsons play the GALA contra dance, in Wolfboro, New Hampshire.
September 15, 2018
Fiddling Thomsons perform for a wedding in Alton Bay, New Hampshire.
September 14, 2018
Thomsons play a dance with Dudley Laufman at the Brixham Montesorri School, in York, Maine.
September 7 - 9, 2018
Fiddling Thomsons on staff at the Greenwood Folk Gathering, performing and teaching classes, in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.
August 31 - September 2
Thomsons attend an old time music camp at Lake Genero, Pennsylvania.
August 12, 2018
Fiddling Thomsons perform for the annual Pancake Breakfast at Nottingham Square in New Hampshire.
July 29 - August 5
Thomsons attend Appalachian String Band Festival in Clifftop, West Virginia.s
July 13 - 22, 2018
Thomsons travel to California to attend, teach, and perform at the Sweetsmill Music and Arts Institute.
July 6, 2018
Fiddling Thomsons play for a barn dance in Sanford, Maine.
July 3, 2018
Fiddling Thomsons perform in the VIP lounge for the Durham Rotary Club, at the UNH stadium, Durham, New Hampshire.
June 24 - 29, 2018
Fiddling Thomsons attend and perform at Acadia Trad School, Bar Harbor, Maine.
June 7 - 10, 2018
Fiddling Thomsons hired to provide music for the annual Bonesfest, held this year in Lincoln, New Hampshire.
June 3, 2018
Fiddling Thomsons perform at Shaker Village, Canterbury, New Hampshire.
May 25 - 27, 2018
Fiddling Thomsons perform and teach music classes Folk College, in Juniata, Pennsylvania.
May 11 - 13, 2018
Thomsons attend and perform at the Indian Neck Folk Festival in Falls Village, Connecticut.
April 27 - May 7, 2018
Fiddling Thomsons along with the Boston Rovers band do a performance tour to Beijing, China, sponsored by the Chinese Ministry of Culture.
April 14, 2018
Fiddling Thomsons play a dance in Wolfboro, New Hampshire.
March 29, 2018
Thomsons play a school dance with Dudley Laufman in Marblehead, Massachusetts.
March 25, 2018
Fiddling Thomsons perform at the Old House and Barn Expo, in Manchester, New Hampshire.
March 18, 2018
Fiddling Thomsons, along with the Boston Rovers band, perform Irish music at the Weston Golf Club, in Weston, Massachusetts.
March 17, 2018
Fiddling Thomsons perform Irish music at an afternoon private function in Summit, New Jersey, and then travel south to perform at a private function in Colt’s Neck, New Jersey, in the evening.
March 16, 2018
Fiddling Thomsons along with the Boston Rovers perform Irish music at the Atkinson Country Club, in Atkinson, New Hampshire.
March 14, 2018
Fiddling Thomsons perform Irish music at the 100 Club, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
March 10, 2018
Ryan performs Irish music at a private function at Nevins Adult Community, Londonerry, New Hampshire.
February 25, 2018
Ryan performs Irish music with a band at the Tributary pub, in Kittery, Maine.
February 16, 2018
Ryan performs in a concert at Philips Church, in Exeter, New Hampshire.
January 12, 2018
The Chinese Ministry of Culture treats the Thomsons, along with the Boston Rovers band, to tickets to a Chinese musical show in Boston. (The Boston Rovers had performed in China)
December 31, 2017
Fiddling Thomsons, along with the Boston Rovers, perform at the New Years Eve Celebration in Rockport, Massachusetts.
December 19, 2017
Ryan is hired to perform accordion and pennywhistle on Stephen Smith’s recording project in Gilford, New Hampshire.
December 13, 2017
The Thomsons play a dance with Dudley Laufman at the Waynefleet School, in Portland, Maine.
December 9, 2017
The Fiddling Thomsons play the Worcester Contra Dance, in Worchester, Massachusetts.
November 3 - 5, 2017
The Thomsons attend Fiddle Hell, in Westfield, Massachusetts.
October 21, 2017
The Fiddling Thomsons, as part of the Boston Rovers, perform at a private function in Malden, Massachusetts.
October 7, 2017
At 11 AM the Fiddling Thomsons with Crawdad Wranglers cajun and Zydeco band performs at Rochester Octoberfest, in Rochester, New Hampshire. At 3:30 PM the Fiddling Thomsons perform for a wedding in Deerfield, New Hampshire. In the evening the Thomsons play a dance with Dudley Laufman in Exeter, New Hampshire.
October 1, 2017
Fiddling Thomsons perform at annual Deerfield Fair, in Deerfield, New Hampshire.
September 30, 2017
Fiddling Thomsons perform at a private function for a 75th birthday, in Durham, New Hampshire.
September 29, 2017
Fiddling Thomsons play the Newfields, New Hampshire, contra dance.
September 21, 2017
Fiddling Thomsons performed at Edgewood assisted living home, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire
September 15 - 17, 2017
Fiddling Thomsons on staff, teaching and performing at the Greenwood Folk Gathering in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.
September 9, 2017
Ryan plays for a contra dance at the Universalist Unitarian Church in Haverhill, Massachusetts.
August 25, 2017
Fiddling Thomsons perform a public concert at Central Square, in Rochester, New Hampshire.
August 20, 2017
Fiddling Thomsons perform at Shaker Village, Canterbury, New Hampshire.
Aug 6 - 12, 2017
Thomsons attend the Swannanoa Festival in Black Creek, North Carolina
July 28 - August 5
Thomsons attend the Appalachian String Band Festival in Clifftop, West Virginia.
July 14 -23
Thomsons travel to California to attend, teach, and perform at the Sweetsmill Music and Arts Institute.
July 8, 2017
Fiddling Thomsons perform for an outdoor BBQ in Raymond, New Hampshire.
July 7, 2017
The Fiddling Thomsons play for an outdoor dance in Candia, New Hampshire.
July 5, 2017
Fiddling Thomsons perform for a outdoor public concert at the Durham Library, New Hampshire.
June 25 - 30, 2017
Thomsons attend attend and perform at Acadia Trad School in Bar Harbor Maine.
June 17, 2017
Brennish performs with the Erin’s Guild band at a private function. Later the Thomsons perform at Plaistow’s Old Home day.
May 26 - 28, 2017
Fiddling Thomsons on staff at Folk College, in Juniata, Pennsylvania, teaching and performing.
May 15, 2017
Thomsons play a dance with Dudley Laufman in Harvard, Massachusetts
May 12 - 14, 2017
The Thomsons attend and perform at the Indian Neck Folk Festival, in Falls Village, Connecticut.
May 6, 2017
Brennish win a cash prize from competing in the Vermont Young Tradition contest in Burlington, Vermont.
May 5, 2017
Brennish wins first place at the Pittsfield Fiddle Contest. Ryan, still suffering from a broken shoulder, plays piano one handed to back up several contestants at the contest, in New Hampshire.
April 29, 2017
Fiddling Thomsons along with Smoke and Mirrors, play for a contra dance at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts.
April 22, 2017
Fiddling Thomsons play a contra dance in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. Ryan can’t actually fiddle due to his broken shoulder, but played pennywhistle for the dance while Brennish Fiddled.
April 17, 2017
Fiddling Thomsons perform a concert at Nichols College in Dudley, Massachusetts. Ryan had just broken his shoulder a week before due to a skateboarding accident. He couldn’t fiddle but found it relatively easy to play one handed keyboard and solos. He could also play pennywhistle with both hands since Brennish had built a mechanical device which attached Ryans broken arm to a chair so that it was supported and immobile while he played the whistle.
April 1, 2017
Thomsons play dance with Dudley Laufman at the Scandanavian Nordic Hall in Waltham, Massachusetts.
March 31, 2017
Fiddling Thomsons play for wedding at Stone Mountain Arts Center, Brownfield, Maine.
March 25, 2017
Fiddling Thomsons play GALA contra dance in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire.
March 18, 2017
Fiddling Thomsons perform Irish music at rivate function in New Jersey.
March 17, 2017
Fidlling Thomsons perform Irish music at Kelley’s, Somersworth, New Hampshire
March 16, 2017
Fiddling Thomsons perform Irish music at a private function in Oxford, Massachusetts.
March 12, 2017
Fiddling Thomsons perform Irish music with Boston Rovers at the Weston Golf Club in Weston, Massachusetts.
March 11, 2017
Fiddling Thomsons perform for a wedding at Church Landing in Meridith, New Hampshire.
March 4, 2017
Fiddling Thomsons play for dance at the “Chilifest Hoedown,” at the Norfolk Grange, Massachusetts.
February 15 - 19, 2017
Thomsons attend the National Folk Alliance annual conference in Kansas City, Missouri.
January 21, 2017
Fiddling Thomsons play for the Tin Mountain contra dance in North Conway, New Hampshire.
January 6, 2017
Fiddling Thomsons perform for a corporate event at the Marlowe Hotel in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
December 31, 2016
Thomsons perform with the Boston Rovers for New Years Eve Celebration, Rockport, Maine.
December 10, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons play for the Worcester, Massachusetts contra dance.
December 3, 2016
Thomsons perform at a Celtic Christmas concert in Kennebunk, Maine
December 1 , 2016
Ryan hired to play for a contra dance in Dover Town Hall, New Hampshire.
November 30, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons play for a barn dance in New London, New Hampshire.
November 4 - 6, 2016
Thomsons attend Fiddle Hell, Westfield, Massachusetts
October 30, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons perform on a local radio station.
October 22, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons play for a barn dance in Raymond, New Hampshire.
October 21, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons play for the Providence, Rhode Island contra dance at the Mathewson United Methodist Church.
October 16, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons perform at Old Way’s Days in Canterbury, New Hampshire.
October 15, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons perform at a Civil War reenactment in Turner’s Falls, Massachusetts
October 9, 2016
Thomsons play a dance with Dudley Laufman in New London, New Hampshire
October 8, 2016
Thomsons perform with the Crowd Wranglers at October Festival, Rochester, New Hampshire.
October 7, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons play for Quiet Corners contra dance at the Patriots’s Park Lodge, in Coventry, Connecticut.
October 4, 2016
Thomsons perform at a Phillips Exeter Academy faculty concert, Exeter, New Hampshire.
October 1, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons perform for a contra dance wedding with Smoke and Mirrors band, Londonderry, New Hampshire.
September 30, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons perform at The Pines, assisted living center, in the afternoon, and then play for the Newfields, New Hampshire, Contra dance in the evening.
September 29, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons perform at the Deerfield Fair in the New Hampshire Farm Museum building in Deerfield, New Hampshire.
September 24, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons perform for a wedding at the Grey Havens Inn in Maine.
September 17, 2016
Ryan performs in a band at the Stone Church, Newmarket, New Hampshire
September 16, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons play for a barn dance in Hollis, New Hampshire.
September 9 - 11, 2016
Thomsons performing and teaching on staff at Greenwood Folk Gathering, Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.
September 2 - 4, 2016
Thomsons attend Lake Genero Old Time music gathering
September 1, 2016
Ryan Thomson is hired to play at a contra dance in the Dover Town Hall.
August 26, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons perform at the Music in the Square Concert Series in Rochester, New Hampshire.
August 20 - 21, 2016
Ryan Thomson attends the Snap 4 gypsy jazz reunion in Derry, New Hampshire.
August 19, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons perform for a wedding reception at Woodmans Restaurant in Essex, Massachusetts.
August 3 - 17, 2016
Thomsons visit England and Wales and perform at the Bath Folk Festival in Bath, England.
August 2, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons lead the Tuesday open Irish session at the Barley House in Hampton, New Hampshire
July 30, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons perform mid day at the Canterbury Fair in New Hampshire, and then late afternoon for a wedding at Evermore Farm.
July 28, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons perform at the Franklin Historical Museum, in Franklin, Massachusetts.
July 11 - 27, 2016
Thomsons travel to California to perform and teach at the Sweetsmill Music and Arts Institute.
July 10, 2016
Thomsons play a contra dance.
July 5, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons lead the Tuesday open Irish session at the Barley House in Hampton, New Hampshire
July 3, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons perform at the Baker Farm, Stratham New Hampshire
June 27 - July 2, 2016
Thomsons attend and perform at the Acadia Trad Festival, Bar Harbor, Maine
June 21, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons lead the Tuesday open Irish session at the Barley House in Hampton, New Hampshire
June 14, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons lead the Tuesday open Irish session at the Barley House in Hampton, New Hampshire.
June 12, 2016
Thomsons play the East Walpole school dance with Dudley Laufman
June 11, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons play the Worcester contra dance, Massachusetts.
June 7, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons lead the Tuesday open Irish session at the Barley House in Hampton, New Hampshire
June 5, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons perform and lead Sunday session at the Riverwalk Cafe in Nashua, New Hampshire.
June 3, 2016
Brennish Thomson wins a prize at the Pittsfield Fiddle Contest, New Hampshire.
May 31, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons lead the Tuesday open Irish session at the Barley House in Hampton, New Hampshire
May 27, 2016
Thomsons play the Newmarket contra dance in the Mill Space, Newmarket, New Hampshire.
May 24, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons lead the Tuesday open Irish session at the Barley House in Hampton, New Hampshire
May 17, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons lead the Tuesday open Irish session at the Barley House in Hampton, New Hampshire
May 14, 2016
Ryan Thomson performs Irish music with Boston Rogues at The Tap Brewery in Haverhill.
May 10, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons lead the Tuesday open Irish session at the Barley House in Hampton, New Hampshire
May 6 - 9, 2016
Thomsons attend and perform at the Indian Neck Folk Festival in Falls Village, Connecticut.
May 3, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons lead the Tuesday open Irish session at the Barley House in Hampton, New Hampshire
May 1, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons perform and lead Sunday session at the Riverwalk Cafe in Nashua, New Hampshire.
April 26, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons lead the Tuesday open Irish session at the Barley House in Hampton, New Hampshire
April 24, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons perform and lead Sunday session at the Riverwalk Cafe in Nashua, New Hampshire.
April 19, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons lead the Tuesday open Irish session at the Barley House in Hampton, New Hampshire
April 15 - 17, 2016
Thomsons attend and perform at the New England Folk Festival, Mansfield, Massachusetts.
April 12, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons lead the Tuesday open Irish session at the Barley House in Hampton, New Hampshire
April 10, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons perform and lead Sunday session at the Riverwalk Cafe in Nashua, New Hampshire.
April 5, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons lead the Tuesday open Irish session at the Barley House in Hampton, New Hampshire
March 29, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons lead the open Irish session at the Barley House in Hampton, new Hampshire
March 27, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons perform and lead Sunday session at the Riverwalk Cafe in Nashua, New Hampshire.
March 26, 2015
Fiddling Thomsons play at GALA contra dance in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire.
March 22, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons lead the open irish session at the Barley House in Hampton, new Hampshire
March 15, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons lead the open irish session at the Barley House in Hampton, new Hampshire
March 13, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons perform and lead session at the Riverwalk Cafe in Nashua, New Hampshire.
March 12, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons perform Irish music at a private party in New Jersey.
March 10, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons lead the open irish session at the Barley House in Hampton, new Hampshire
March 8, 2016
Thomsons perform with Boston Rovers at a college in Massachusetts
March 1, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons lead the open irish session at the Barley House in Hampton, new Hampshire
February 29, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons perform and lead session at the Riverwalk Cafe in Nashua, New Hampshire.
February 23, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons lead the open irish session at the Barley House in Hampton, new Hampshire
February 16, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons lead the open irish session at the Barley House in Hampton, new Hampshire
February 9, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons lead the open irish session at the Barley House in Hampton, new Hampshire
February 2, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons lead the open irish session at the Barley House in Hampton, new Hampshire
February 14, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons perform and lead session at the Riverwalk Cafe in Nashua, New Hampshire.
February 9, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons lead the open irish session at the Barley House in Hampton, new Hampshire
February 5, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons play for Quiet Corners contra dance Coventry, Rhode Island.
February 2, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons lead the open irish session at the Barley House in Hampton, new Hampshire
January 31, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons perform and lead session at the Riverwalk Cafe in Nashua, New Hampshire.
January 17, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons perform and lead session at the Riverwalk Cafe in Nashua, New Hampshire.
January 3, 2016
Fiddling Thomsons perform and lead session at the Riverwalk Cafe in Nashua, New Hampshire.
December 31, 2015
Thomsons perform with Boston Rovers at Rock Port, Massachusetts New Year’s Eve event.
December 6, 2015
Fiddling Thomsons perform at the Riverwalk Cafe, in Nashua, New Hampshire
December 5, 2015
Fiddling Thomsons play for a contra dance in Newmarket, New Hampshire in the old mill building.
November 18, 2015
Thomsons do school dance with Dudley Laufman at the Glover School in Marblehead, Massachusetts.
November 14, 2015
Fiddling Thomsons perform at fundraiser for Wentworth House at Spring Hill, South Berwick, Maine.
November 10, 2015
Thomsons do school dance with Dudley Laufman at the Glover School in Marblehead, Massachusetts.
November 6 - 8
Thomsons attend Fiddle Hell
November 3, 2015
Thomsons do school dance with Dudley Laufman at the Glover School in Marblehead, Massachusetts.
October 30, 2015
Thomsons play with Boston Rovers at Marion High School in Framingham, Massachusetts.
October 26, 2015
Thomsons play a school dance with Dudley Laufman in Rye, New Hampshire.
October 24, 2015
Thomsons Play dance at the Grano Barn, in Loudon, New Hampshire, with Dudley Laufman.
October 21, 2015
Thomsons perform with the Boston Rovers in Concord, New Hampshire
October 17, 2015
Fiddling Thomsons perform at the Paul Wentworth House in Rollinsford, New Hampshire in the afternoon and then play a contra dance with Dudley Laufman in North Hampton.
October 10, 2015
Fiddling Thomsons perform with the Crawdad Wranglers at the October Festival in Rochester, New Hampshire.
October 5, 2015
Thomsons perform with Boston Rovers for an Irish themed history event at Framingham University in Massachusetts.
October 3, 2015
Thomsons play a dance with Dudley Laufman at the union Congregational Church in North Reading, Massachusetts.
September 29, 2015
Thomsons perform in a Faculty Concert at Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, New Hampshire.
September 26, 2015
Fiddling Thomsons play for a wedding at Camp Wazi, in Waterford, Maine
September 25, 2015
Thomsons play a school dance in York, Maine, with Dudley Laufman.
September 19, 2015
Fiddling Thomsons perform at the Gaining Ground Farm in Concord, Massachusetts in the afternoon. In the evening they do a concert along with Cillian and Niall Valley at the Community Church in Durham, New Hampshire.
September 18, 2015
The Fiddling Thomsons play for a Barn Dance in Wilton.
September 10 -13, 2015
Fiddling Thomsons performing and teaching classes at the Greenwood Furnace Folk Gathering, Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.
September 4, 2015
Fiddling Thomsons play for contra dance in the Francestown Town Hall, New Hampshire.
August 28, 2015
Fiddling Thomsons perform at Factory Court Concert Series, Rochester, New Hampshire
August 27, 2015
Fiddling Thomsons perform at the Baker Farm, Stratham, New Hampshire
August 20, 2015
Fiddling Thomsons perform at the Baker Farm in Stratham, New Hampshire.
August 15, 2015
Fiddling Thomsons perform for a wedding reception in Rutland, Vermont.
August 13, 2015
Thomsons perform at the Baker Farm, in Stratham, New Hampshire.
August 7, 2015
Thomsons play for a wedding in Newbury, Massachusetts at the Spencer Pierce Little Farm.
July 24 - Aug 2 , 2015
Thomsons attend the Appalachian String Band Festival, Clifftop, West Virginia.
July 10 - 19, 2015
Thomsons attend Sweetsmill Music and Arts Institute, Auberry, California
July 6, 2015
Fiddling Thomsons play contra dance at the Thayer House, in Medway, Massachusetts.
July 1, 2015
Fiddling Thomsons perform concert at the Otter Creek Community Center, in Bar harbor, Maine.
June 19, 2015
Fiddling Thomsons perform at the Castle Restaurant, in Rochester, New Hampshire.
June 5, 2015
Brennish wins a prize at the Pittsfield Fiddle Contest, New Hampshire.
May 30, 2015
Fiddling Thomsons perform for a wedding in Barrington, New Hampshire.
May 23, 2015
Fiddling Thomsons play the GALA contra dance in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire.
April 29 - May 8, 2015
Thomsons on tour to China with Boston Rovers, performing in Beijing at various venues.
April 25, 2015
Thomsons perform and teach at New England FolK Festival.
April 12, 2015
Fiddling Thomsons perform at the Beara Pub, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
April 11, 2015
Thomsons perform with the Boston Rovers at Marion High School in Framingham, Massachusetts.
March 17, 2015
1. Late morning Irish performance with Boston Rovers at the Maritime Museum in Well Fleet.
2. Fiddling Thomsons perform Irish music at Stafford Hill, assisted living, in Plymouth, Massachusetts, early afternoon.
3. Fiddling Thomsons perform Irish music with the Boston Rovers at Finnegans in Hudson, Massachusetts in the evening.
March 14, 2015
Fiddling Thomsons perform for an Irish event at the St. Joseph’s Church in Lincoln, New Hampshire.
March 13, 2015
Fiddling Thomsons perform at an Irish event at the Pelham Senior Center, in Massachusetts, in the afternoon. In the evening Ryan plays in a fund raiser in Dover, New Hampshire, to support the Murray Academy.
March 4, 2015
Fiddling Thomsons perform at the Nottingham Library, New Hampshire.
February 21, 2015
Thomsons perform with the Boston Rovers in Wrentham, Massachusetts.
February 7, 2015
Fiddling Thomsons play for the Storrs contra dance in Connecticut.
December 6, 2014
Brennish performs on fiddle at the Swedish Festival in Boston
November 14, 2014
Thomsons perform with Boston Rovers for the Lexington Historical Society in Massachusetts.
October 25, 2014
Fiddling Thomsons play for a wedding at Bluewater Farms in Andover, New Hampshire.
October 24, 2014
Thomsons perform with the Boston Rovers at Marion High School in Framingham, Massachusetts.
October 21, 2014
Thomsons play a school dance with Dudley Laufman in Rye, New Hampshire
October 19, 2014
Fiddling Thomsons perform at Old Ways Days in Canterbury, New Hampshire.
October 18, 2014
Fiddling Thomsons play for a wedding at the Burlington Country Club in Burlington, Vermont.
October 15, 2014
Fiddling Thomsons play for Sandywoods contra dance in Tiverton, Rhode Island.
October 11, 2014
Fiddling Thomsons perform at October Festival, Rochester, New Hampshire in the afternoon. They perform again at a private party in Kittery, Maine in the evening.
October 5, 2014
Thomsons play a school dance with Dudley Laufman in Kennsington, New Hampshire.
October 4, 2014
Fiddling Thomsons perform at a private party in Newton, New Hampshire.
October 2, 2014
Fiddling Thomsons perform at Pine Acres Campground.
October 1, 2014
Thomsons recorded for a national game show - Ask America
September 27, 2014
Thomsons perform with friends at Punkinfiddle Family Festival, Wells, Maine.
September 20, 2014
Thomsons play for a wedding in York, Maine
September 11 - 14, 2014
Fiddling Thomsons perform and teach music classes at the Greenwoods Folk Gathering, in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania
September 4, 2014
Fiddling Thomsons perform at Barkers Farm in Stratham, New Hampshire
August 30, 2014
Fiddling Thomsons play for a wedding at Dextor’s Inn, in Sunapee, New Hampshire.
August 14 - 29, 2014
Thomsons attend a music camp in California
August 1, 2014
Brennish’s band, the Gypsy Hoppers, wins first place in the youth division at the Appalachian String Band Festival in Clifftop, West Virginia.
July 25 - August 3, 2014
Thomsons attend the Appalachian String Band Festival in Clifftop, West Virginia.
July 24, 2014
Fiddling Thomsons perform at the Barker Farm, in Stratham, New Hampshire
July 12, 2014
Fiddling Thomsons perform at the Fort McCleary Restoration Benefit, Kittery Point, Maine in the afternoon. They perform again for an evening wedding reception with the Boston Rovers in Manchester by the Sea, Massachusetts
July 11, 2014
Fiddling Thomsons perform at the Newmarket band stand, Newmarket, New Hampshire
June 30 - July 4, 2014
Thomsons attend Acadia Trad School, Bar Harbor, Maine.
June 26 - 29, 2014
Thomsons attend the Old Songs Festival in New York.
June 17 - 22, 2014
Thomsons attend Django in June gypsy jazz music camp.
June 14. 2014
Thomsons perform with the Boston Rovers at the ”Summer of Celebration” in Wareham, Massachusetts, mid- day.
Fiddling Thomsons play for a wedding in Lee, New Hampshire
June 8, 2014
Fiddling Thomsons perform at Wood Day, in Canterbury, New Hampshire
May 31, 2014
Fiddling Thomsons perform at the Newmarket Heritage Festival at 10 AM. in Newmarket, New Hampshire. They perform again for an afternoon wedding in Newport, Rhode Island, under a big tree in a vacant lot. The wedding party arrived in limousines.
May 17, 2014, 2014
Fiddling Thomsons play for a wedding in Ipswich, Massachusetts
May 16, 2014
Fiddling Thomsons perform at a dock side event in Newmarket, New Hampshire to welcome the Gundalow.
May 9 - 12, 2014
Thomsons perform at the Indian Neck Folk Festival, Falls Village, Connecticut.
April 28 - May 5, 2014
Thomsons on tour in China with the Boston Rovers, perform at the Chaoyang Pop Festival in Beijing, the Tibetan Cultural Center in Shanghai, etc.
April 25 - 27, 2014
Thomsons attend and perform at The New England Folk Festival, Mansfield, Massachusetts
April 17, 2014
Thomsons play a dance with Dudley Laufman at the High Plains Elementary School in Andover, Massachusetts.
April 5, 2014,
Thomsons perform with the Boston Rovers
April 4, 2014
Fiddling Thomsons perform for the Lee Historical Society at the Lee Grange, Lee, New Hampshire.
March 15, 2014
Fiddling Thomsons perform at the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance Old House and Barn Expo in Manchester, New Hampshire.
March 1, 2014
Thomsons play the Deerfield Dance with Dudley Laufman, in Deerfield, New Hampshire
February 25, 2014
Thomsons perform with the Boston Rovers in Salem Massachusetts.
February 21, 2014
Fiddling Thomsons play for the Mystic Pie Dance, contra dance, in Mystic Connecticut.
January 18, 2014
Thomsons perform for a baby shower at James Gate, Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts.
January 12, 2014
Fiddling Thomsons perform at the Universalist Unitarian Church in Durham, New Hampshire
November 30. 2013
Fiddling Thomsons perform for the annual downtown Holiday Stroll in Nashua, New Hampshire
November 16, 2013
Thomsons perform at Nashoba School, Massachusetts
November 2, 2013
Fiddling Thomsons perform at Hillside School in Marlborough, Massachusetts
October 27, 2013
Thomsons play for a dance with Dudley Laufman in Sanbornton, New Hampshire.
October 19, 2013
Thomsons play for a school dance with Dudley Laufman in North Hampton, New Hampshire.
October 11, 2013
Thomsons perform at Pickwick Mercantile, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire
October 5, 2013
Thomsons play for a wedding in Bedford, New Hampshire.
October 4, 2013
Thomsons play for a wedding rehearsal dinner at the Sagamore in Lake George, New York.
September 24, 2013
Thomsons perform at a Faculty Concert at Phillips Church at Phillips Exeter Academy, in Exeter, New Hampshire.
September 13, 2013
Thomsons play a dance with Dudley Laufman at the York Middle School in York, Maine.
September 6 -8, 2013
Fiddling Thomsons on staff to perform and teach music workshops at Greenwood Furnace Folk Gathering in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.
August 31, 2013,
Thomsons play a dance with Dudley Laufman
August 30, 2013
Fiddling Thomsons perform at the Factory Court Concert Series, in Rochester, New Hampshire, in the afternoon.
Fiddling Thomsons perform at Pickwick Mercantile, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in the evening.
August 24, 2013
Crawdad Wranglers with the Thomsons play a cajun dance a a private party in Chester, New Hampshire.
August 17, 2013
Fiddling Thomsons perform at Gilsum, New Hampshire’s 250th birthday party in the afternoon.
Fiddling Thomsons perform for a barn dance in Hollis, New Hampshire in the evening
August 8, 2013
Fidling Thomsons perform at a private party in Deering, New Hampshire
August 2, 2013
Fiddling Thomsons perform at a wedding in Kennebunk, Maine
June 27 - 30
Thomsons attend the Old Songs Festival in New York
June 15, 2013,
Brennish edited and helped produce a short film that was screened today at Sweeny Hall Auditorium, at New Hampshire Technical Institute, Concord, New Hampshire
Fiddling Thomsons perform at a wedding in Haverhill, New Hampshire in the evening.
June 1, 2013
Fiddling Thomsons perform at an out door festival in Hudson, New Hampshire, mid-day.
Fiddling Thomsons perform at Wood Day, Canterbury, New Hampshire., afternoon.
May 31, 2013
Fiddling Thomsons perform at Pickwick Mercantile, Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
May 10 - 14, 2013
Thomsons attend and perform at the Indian Neck Folk Festival, Falls Village, CT.
May 4, 2013
Fiddling Thomsons perform for the Heifer Parade at the Shaker Village in Canterbury, New Hampshire.
April 27, 2013
Fidding Thomsons lead a contra dance at the Ossipee Town Hall, New Hampshire
April 23, 2013
Thomsons perform at Phillips Exeter Faculty Concert, Exeter, New Hampshire.
April 19 - 21, 2013
Thomsons attend the New England Folk festival in Massachusetts.
April 14, 2013
Fiddling Thomsons perform at a private barn party in Topsfield, Massachusetts
March 2, 2013
Thomsons play the Medway public contra dance with Smoke and Mirrors band in Medway, Massachusetts.
March 1, 2013
Thomsons perform at O’Neils Pub in Salem, Massachusetts
January 1, 2013
Thomsons do a dance with Dudley Laufman at the Little Harbor School i Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
December 1, 2012
Thomsons play the Medway contra dance with Smoke and Mirrors band.
November 18, 2012
Thomsons perform at a private Harvest Festival in Fremont, New Hampshire.
November 17, 2012
Thomsons perform at the Nashoba school in Concord, Massachusetts.
November 8, 2012
Thomsons play a school dance with Dudley Laufman in Epping, New Hampshire.
November 3, 2012
Thomsons do a contra dance with Smoke and Mirrors in Medway, Massachusetts, in the evening.
November 3, 2012
Thomsons perform at Hillside Farm Day, Marlborough, Massachusetts, in the afternoon
October 27, 2012
Thomsons do a dance with Dudley Laufman, Brentwood Library, New Hampshire.
Oct 22, 2012
Thomsons do a school dance with Dudley Laufman, Rye, New Hampshire.
Oct 9, 2012
Thomsons perform at Phillips Church, Exeter, New Hampshire
October 6, 2012
Fiddling Thomsons perform for a wedding in Berwick, Maine.
September 28, 2012
Thomsons do a school dance with Dudley Laufman in Epping, New Hampshire.
September 22, 2012
Fiddling Thomsons perform at the Newmarket Heritage Festival, New Hampshire.
September 21, 2012
Thomsons play a dance with Dudley Laufman at a school dance in York, Maine.
September 7 - 9, 2012
Thomsons perform and teach at the Greenwood Furnace Folk Gathering, in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.
September 3, 2012
Fiddling Thomsons perform on a community radio station, Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
September 1, 2012
Fiddling Thomsons perform at the annual Tuck Field Pig Roast, Hampton, New Hampshire.
August 31, 2012
Fiddling Thomsons perform at the Factory Court Summer Concert Series, Rochester, New Hampshire.
August 23, 2012
Fiddling Thomsons perform at a private event in Newmarket, New Hampshire.
August 6, 2012
Thomsons perform at private event in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
August 3, 2012,
Thomsons perform with the Jolly Rogues band, Milton, Massachusetts
July 15 - 22, 2012
Thomsons attend, perform, and teach at the Sweetsmill Music and Arts Institute, Auberry, California
July 1 - 8, 2012
Thomsons attend the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes, Port Townsend, Washington State.
June 7, 2012
Thomsons perform for the New Hampshire Made association, at Grappone Center, Concord, NH.
May 29, 2012
Fiddling Thomsons perform at Central Square, Rochester, New Hampshire.
May 27, 2012
Thomsons perform a private in Moultonboro, New Hampshire
May 16, 2012
Thomsons perform a private event in Fremont, New Hampshire
May 15, 2012
Thomsons perform in the Phillips Church, Exeter, New Hampshire.
May 11 - 14, 2012
Thomsons attend and perform at the Indian Neck Folk Festival in Falls Village, Connecticut.
May 6, 2012
Thomsons do a dance with Dudley Laufman at the hall in Sanbornton, New Hampshire
April 21 - 22, 2012
Thomsons attend and perform at the New England Folk Festival
March 24, 2012
Fiddling Thomsons perform for the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance, Manchester, New Hampshire
March 17, 2012
Fiddling Thomsons perform Irish Music at Maple Suites, Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
March 15, 2012
Fiddling Thomsons perform a concert to benefit Meals on Wheels, Brentwood, New Hampshire.
March 8 - 10, 2012
Fiddling Thomsons are hired to perform a concert in New York City for the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation
March 7, 2012
Thomsons play a dance with Dudley Laufman at the Barnard School, in South Hampton, New Hampshire.
March 3, 2012
Thomsons in the Smoke and Mirrors band play a contra dance in Medway, Massachusetts.
February 11, 2012
Thomsons do a dance with Dudley Laufman at Nottingham Community Center, New Hampshire.
February 4, 2012
Thomsons play a dance with Dudley Laufman at Scruton Pond, Barrington, New Hampshire.
January 28, 2012
Fiddling Thomsons play the GALA contra dance in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire
January 26, 2012
Thomsons play a dance with Dudley Laufman at the Little Harbor School in Portsmouth, New Hampshire
January 21, 2012
Fiddling Thomsons perform at the Acoustic Cafe, Wadleigh Memorial Library, Milford, New Hampshire.
January 20, 2012
Fiddling Thomsons perform for a fund raiser at the Durham Community Church, Durham, New Hampshire
January 7, 2012
Thomsons play with Smoke and Mirrors band for the Medway Contra Dance, Massachusetts
December 15, 2011
Thomsons play a school dance with Dudley Laufman in East Kingston, New Hampshire.
November 31, 2011
Fiddling Thomsons perform with a country band at Starbucks, in Manchester, New Hampshire
November 21, 2011
Thomsons play a school dance with Dudley Laufman in Marblehead, Massachusetts
November 14 2011
Thomsons play a school dance with Dudley Laufman in Marblehead, Massachusetts
November 9, 2011
Thomsons play a school dance with Dudley Laufman in Epping, New Hampshire
November 7, 2011
Thomsons play a school dance with Dudley Laufman in Marblehead, Massachusetts
November 6, 2011
Brennish Thomson performs in the Homeschool Talent Show at the Exeter Town Hall, New Hampshire.
October 29, 2011
Fiddling Thomsons play the Medway Contra Dance in Massachusetts along with the Smoke and Mirrors band, in the evening.
October 29, 2011
Fiddling Thomsons perform for Hillside Farm Day at the Hillside School, Marlborough, Massachusetts, in the afternoon.
October 27, 2011
Fiddling Thomsons play a school dance with Dudley Laufman in Rye, New Hampshire
October 15, 2011
Fiddling Thomsons play a barn dance with Dudley Laufman in North Hampton, New Hampshire.
October 9, 2011
Fiddling Thomsons play a barn dance with Dudley Laufman in Kennsington, New Hampshire, in the evening.
October 9, 2011
Fiddling Thomsons perform for Quarkfest, at Brookfield Farm, Rollinsford, New Hampshire, in the afternoon
October 8, 2011
Fiddling Thomsons perform for a wedding at the Brass Heart Inn, in Chocorua, New Hampshire.
October 1, 2011
Fiddling Thomsons perform a concert at the Universalist Unitarian Church, Durham, New Hampshire
September 25, 2011
Fiddling Thomsons perform at the Newmarket Heritage Festival, New Hampshire.
September 17, 2011
Thomsons play a dance with Dudley Laufman in York, Maine.
September 15, 2011,
We received a glowing review from Celtic Beat magazine of our CD! The text of the review follows:
Music For Both Hands
Fiddling Thomsons
This is one family album I truly dig the most. The continuity of a family is a truly religious thing and it is doubled when there is more thanDNA. That's what makes this CD so great. I have known Ryan Thomson since antediluvian times(back in the late 1970s I recollect) and I have watched the path to this CD through the years with the coming of age of his son Brennish. They truly make a great team and when you hear them live or hear this CD you really get the notion of the root and the branch, of family tree, in the truest sense.
Now for the music that binds this father son team together. The music of the Thomsons is that of a seisiun, of a dance that is fun and informal, inviting, like their recent performances at the Nashua Public Library and the Downtown Stroll we were at. Particular favorites here were cut 2 with "La Bastringue"/"Pays de Haut," And where Ryan builds upon his longtime affinity with Tex Mex and Cajun , in his own composition "Sean's Squeezebox"and in"Bayou Two Step."
Another clear sign of the versatility of this duo is in the strident and powerfulEnglish tune(reminding me of Breton works) "Nonesuch" from the 1600s. And the Hungarian "Friss Czardas." Ryan Thomson performs with both ease and spirit and that he has imparted also to his son, at an early age a musician to watch.Added to this international and also very American repertoire are classics of Irish and Scots music, two being "Connaughtman's"/"My Darling Asleep"/Morrison's" jigs and "The Mason's Apron" respectively, just to name two.
I have to mention that in addition to great music inside, this CD's physical persona is a great cover and a family album of the Fiddling Thomsons on the inside. What a true link of the root and the branch.
AK, Celtic Beat
May 15, 2011
The Fiddling Thomsons performed live on the Folk Show, FM 91.3 WUNH in Durham, New Hampshire, USA. We played several sets of music from various countries - french Canada, USA bluegrass and old time, Ireland, and Scotland. The Hippo, an arts and entertainment newspaper published in Manchester, NH, did a nice feature story on us this week.
May 14, 2011,
The Fiddling Thomsons along with several other performers donated a musical set to benefit the Lebanon, Maine, school music program. More than $700 was collected from the evening concert at the Lebanon Town Hall.
May 1, 2011,
The Fiddling Thomsons new CD is out, titled simply - "Fiddling Thomsons, Music for both hands." We're excited about it since we're getting a lot of great feedback. Its available both as a physical CD and also as a digital download from iTunes, CD Baby, Amazon, etc.
January 12, 2009
I've posted many new videos on You Tube, including from Equest Family Farm Festival, fiddling in the Anza Borrego desert, Balboa Park, and other places in California, from The Fiddling Thomsons concert on New Years Eve at Portsmouth First Night, The Newmarket Heritage Festival, and other performances.
August 17, 2009
On Friday the 16th Brennish and I performed for Gilmanton, New Hampshire, Old Home Day. In between sets we had the "bean hole supper" with 6 different choices of home made pie! Then it was off to a private party gig in Wells, Maine later that night. Last night, the 16th, I called a barn dance in Vermont. It was great fun!
August 13, 2009
I received feedback from a Fiddling Thomsons performance at the Lawrence Farmer's Market this past wednesday:
"Hi Ryan, - I would like to thank both you and your son for your performance at the Farmers Market in Lawrence, MA yesterday. It was a lively and fun show. Everyone enjoyed it!!"
Sandra Frechette - Program Manager, Livelawrence.org
April 28, 2009
I enjoyed running my booth at the New England Folk Festival this past weekend. It was fun to reconnect with many old friends and make many new ones as well. My latest project is to post videos of my playing on You Tube. These include former bands that I have played in, TV interviews, and many solo clips of me playing my favorite tunes on several different instruments. These can be found in several ways - searching "ryan thomson fiddle," for example, or going to my Youtube channel with the user name "4stringjoe." I expect to be posting new material every week.
November 2, 2008
The New Hampshire State Council on the Arts has published the Fall 2008 Arts News which includes an article about a artist entreprenurial grant that I received to study traditional fiddling.
June 1, 2008
I've written an article on traditional fiddling. The journal - Music for the Love of It, has accepted it for publication in an upcoming issue. The Lincoln Center for the Arts, in New York city, will be including excerpts from my book - The Fiddlers Almanac, in an upcoming educational program in traditional music.
April 29, 2008
The new web site is up and running. I spent the past weekend at the New England Folk Festival manning the Captain Fiddle booth.
March 24, 2008
I'm gearing up to teach my fiddle classes at Kittery Adult Education. I'm editing lots of video of past performances and am gradually including it into the Captain Fiddle web site.
Nov 14, 2007
I just received word from Rachel Cole that her new CD is close to completion. I was invited to play zydeco fiddle and accordion on a song along with fellow Crawdad Wranglers bandmate Paul Mangion who provided the rub board sound.
September 22, 2007
My son Brennish and I performed at the Newmarket Heritage Festival and did a workshop on folk music. Someone in the audience videotaped a portion of it and placed it on YouTube.
July 1, 2007
I'm attending the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes in Port Townsend, Washington in July. This trip is supported in part by by a grant from the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
June 21, 2007
I've completed a new educational video entitled - Irish Fiddling, First Lesson, by Ryan Thomson
March 18, 2007
A nice article about my music making appeared in a local paper - Foster's Daily Democrat. Click here to read it.
Fall, 2006
I've been busy performing, writing, teaching. My articles on music education have been published in Quarter Notes, and The Utah Music Educator's Journal, among others.
June 10, 2006
Notable events:
I've made a video DVD demo of my week long residency for the Brookline Schools. A sample copy is available by request by other schools who may be soliciting arts educators for programs ranging from single day to longer residencies. I specialize in hands on programs involving traditional music and dance.
Release of a Contra Dance CD by Smoke and Mirrors.
Release of a multi-instrumental folk roots CD by the Squeezebox Stompers. We have also posted several short video clips of us playing in concert, and for cajun and zydeco dancing.
November 24, 2005
A friend called me today and said, "Hey, the 'Spotlight' column in the paper has done a review of your web site! So I looked it up, and sure enough, there was an interesting piece in the Portsmouth Herald. Out of a possible 5, my site got a 4 for "coolness," and a 5 for "content." The reviewer dodn't give me a high score for "web design," but then I design my site to load very fast, and avoid all of the modern bells and whistles. Here's the review:
"Capt. Fiddle Rocks His Site"
By John Shore
I learned something new today. The man who taught it to me was Captain Fiddle. Ryan Thomson is his real name and he doesn't even know he taught me anything. See I'm a musician in a rock band. I love rock music. I think other types of music are fine but never really imagined myself listening to much of anything else. Well along came Captain Fiddle.
I came across his Web site and figured I'd give it a once-over. Little did I know I would really like the music. There are Mp3 clips on the site that showcase the multi-instrumental talents of Captain Fiddle, which include, fiddle, piano, accordion and flute. Some of these tunes really rock. I now have a new appreciation for other types of music.
I have to say that this site probably won't win any design awards. The quality of the photos used is not great and the link buttons made me dizzy with all the colors. There really aren't any graphics to speak of but please don't let this discourage you. This site is packed with info about Ryan, his teaching, recording, and his involvement in nearly 10 different bands and groups.
The site has a link called Ryan's Writings that is absolutely fabulous. He covers scads of topics like how he got started playing, performing at interesting venues, sharing the stage with famous artists, experiencing floods, poison ivy, auto accidents and the list goes on. This guy has seen it all and does a terrific job writing about it.
There are CDs, books and DVDs for sale on the site that cover everything from learning to play the fiddle to instructions on how to build a wash tub bass. Some Web sites have a few testimonials. This site has 27 years worth of unsolicited letters singing the praises of Captain Fiddle. Now that's a solid endorsement.
August, 22, 2005
I've released a new fiddling book - Captain Fiddle's Tunes and Variations. In it I've provided transcriptions of several versions of each of 32 different tunes that I play on my "teach yourself" Fiddle learning CDs.
July 1, 2005
The Heart of New Hampshire featured me in their on line publication today. I've released a new CD of 72 waltzes designed to accompany my book - Waltzes for Folk Instruments and Country dancing.
April 25, 2005
I've been busy doing educational programs in local public schools, hands-on instruction in various folk instruments - clogging, bones, pennywhistle, and an introduction to other various folk instruments such as fiddle, banjo, flute, etc. Schools this month include Oyster River High School and Stratham Middle School in New Hampshire.
My DVD video instruction courses in pennywhistle and celtic flute are now being distributed by Sweetheart Flute Company.
March 20, 2005
Captain Fiddle Publications is proud to announce two new Instructional DVDs: Celtic Wooden Flute, and How to Make and Play the Wash Tub Bass, both instructed by Ryan Thomson.
March 11, 2005
I enjoyed performing for an American Red Cross benefit for Tsunami victims in the North Shore Community College gymnasium. I taught a cajun dance workshop and sat in with my old band from the 80's - the Boogaloo Swamis.
February 20, 2005
I've produced a demonstration video DVD of a live concert performance of the "Captain Fiddle Band" at the Lynn Coffeehouse. This video is available on request for presenters of coffeehouses, festivals, and any public or private events. Last night I played with Dudley Laufman for a contra dance in Tamworth, New Hampshire. Today, it off to Watertown to play for an Irish ceili dance with Ceol Tradisiunta na h'Eireann.
February 17, 2005
I've produced a demonstration video DVD of a recent class I taught, in "How to play in a contra dance band." This DVD is available on request to institutions interested in hiring me for teaching workshops, classes, and residencies.
February 7, 2005
We (the Crawdad Wranglers) had a great fat tuesday mardigras performance at the Loon Mountain ski resort in Lincoln, New Hampshire. During our cajun and zydeco concert/dance the folks at Loon gave away an all expenses paid trip to New Orleans, plus a number of other prizes. The event was sponsored by Loon Golden Ale, a fine product of the Woodstock Inn Brewery. There were lots of people dancing to our music, including transplants from Louisiana, and skiiers just off the slopes.
January 29, 2005
I enjoyed fiddling at our local St Andrews Society Burns Night Dinner. A beautiful Haggis was piped in, and I fiddled along with my cohorts from the New Boston Fancy band. There were solo step dancers, story tellers, and course we played lively tunes for group Scottish dancing to "Strip the Willow." It was altogether a fine evening.
January 15, 2005
The new year brings a new instructional DVD - Fiddling For Beginners DVD, designed to accompany my previous book of the same name. The previous audio CD which accompanied the book was very good, but the new DVD video is a big step forward!
December 15, 2004
I've been busy with early winter performing jobs: playing jazz violin for a local public dinner/event, playing fiddle, flute, piano for several contra dances, playing bluegrass at a house party, entertaining at a wedding in Vermont, performing for the Nashua Downtown Stroll, etc. I donated my services to perform for an association of disabled individuals. I've also just published a new clawhammer banjo instructional DVD. Its available as a single item, and also as part of a complete kit for learning old time banjo right from scratch!
Oct 27, 2004
I performed as official fiddler for the ground breaking of the new wood chip fired power plant at Gosling Station, Newington, New Hampshire. In attendance was governor Benson, state senator Sununu, the president of Public Service company of New Hampshire, and various other dignitaries. A nice photo of me playing fiddle at the event was published in the Portsmouth Herald. I also performed this month at a number of weddings, business gatherings, and barn dances, including one where I played fiddle solo and called the dance at the same time.
September 20, 2004
Ellen Carlson, a director of the Fiddle Heads music camp, wrote this comment about my teaching at the camp, which goes on every year in September, "Ryan is a very versatile musician -- offering instruction in fiddle, piano, accordion, banjo, clogging, cajun dancing, and many other things. This brings a great variety to our camp. The most important thing is that he is especially a great teacher -- particularly with beginners. He is clear, easy-to-follow, and a lot of fun."
Sept 18, 2004
I enjoyed performing at the Newmarket Heritage Festival despite the heavy cool rain through much of the day. I was outdoors under cover and I dressed warmly for the occassion. My job was to entertain passersby with lively music on several instruments including accordion, fiddle, banjo, flute, and pennywhistle. The local press found my music entertaining and I was photographed by both the Manchester Union Leader(while playing Irish pennywhistle tunes), and Fosters Daily Democrat(while playing polkas on accordion). After a day of music making at the festival, I was off to Tuftonboro, New Hampshire, to fiddle at an old fashioned barn dance in the evening.
Sept 1, 2004
I returned this week from Prince Edward Island and two weeks of teaching at the Spud Blossom music camp. I had a blast, and had many enthusiastic kids and adult learners in my classes and in private lessons. I've sold out of the first printing of "Playing Violin and Fiddle Left Handed," and have ordered a second printing of this book.
July 7, 2004
I've just published a new book of interest to folk dancers. Its a reprint of an early 19th century instruction manual for clogging, entitled - The Clog Dance Book.
June 28, 2004
I had a busy week. I fiddled for a scottish wedding reception at the 100 Club in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Guests danced to the lively strains of Dashing White Sergeant, the Gay Gordons, Atholl Highlanders, Maiiri's Wedding, and other Scottish Country Dances. I also finished up a new educational video - "Piano Accompaniment to Fiddlers, First Lesson, with Ryan Thomson."
June, 20, 2004
After almost 20 years of playing my accordian in jam sessions from California to England I decided to put together an instructional video on DVD entitled - Accordian, Jam Session Style, First Lesson, with Ryan Thomson.
June 13 th, 2004
I enjoyed playing Irish piano with both the Ceol Traidisiunta na H'Eireann ceili band, and also The Boston Comhaltas ceili band at the Irish Cultural Center Festival this weekend in Canton, Massachusetts. The best part is watching the set dancers while we play.
June 2, 2004
I had a busy past couple of weeks. I played Irish fiddle at a wedding in Jackson, New Hampshire, Irish piano for a wedding in Salem, Massachusetts, and various instruments at the annual banquet of the McManus Clan in Boxborough, Massachussetts. I played french music for a gathering of the Winchester- St Germain french/american twin city group. I led the Crawdad Wranglers at a wedding reception at Calumet Resort, in Freedom, New Hampshire.
May 26, 2004
Seacoast New Hampshire.com, (seacoast.nh.com) has posted an article about me today.
May 20, 2004
I've just finished a new instructional video on DVD and VHS entitled - Banjo, Clawhammer Style, First Lesson, with Ryan Thomson.
May 5, 2004
I had many public and private performances last month, and finished up my present series of Contra Dance classes in Kittery, Maine. I've been very busy in the studio recording some new projects. Two new instructional videos for beginners have been completed, one on pennywhistle, and the other on playing fiddle left handed.
Feb 5, 2004
After numerous requests I've written a book for beginning fiddlers. The interesting twist is that its
THE WORLD'S FIRST INSTRUCTION BOOK FOR PLAYING THE VIOLIN LEFT HANDED!
Its a "Teach Yourself" method similar to my other books, but focussing on the needs of lefty musicians who prefer to use their left hand to bow the violin on a fiddle with reversed strings. Lefthanded people have long been discriminated against for prefering to use their left hand to hold a pencil, or to bow a violin with their left arm, so here's the easy solution: Left Handed Fiddling for Beginners, which includes a video DVD and book.
July 9, 2003
I've returned from Port Townsend , Washington, from teaching fiddle at the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes. It was a great trip. I enjoyed the teaching and meeting lots of fine musicians from many areas of the country.
May 25, 2003
The Book Review Cafe has posted an author interview with me about my Playing the Violin and Fiddle Left Handed book. This month I've been busy with recording: mixing two new CDs of the Crawdad Wranglers, and recording a CD of my contra dance band, Smoke and Mirrors. I've played for several Irish dances in the Boston area, and did a cajun performance at Riverfest in Jaffrey.
April 2, 2003
A new book is announced by Captain Fiddle Publications:
Playing Violin and Fiddle Left Handed, by Ryan Thomson, which is a compendium of info on left handed playing from the experiences of over 100 other lefty players.
December 8, 2002
Two new books are announced by Captain Fiddle Publications - Dobsons New System for Banjo, a reprint of the original 1877 Ditson edition written by George C. Dobson, a professional 5 string banjo player and composer, and Modern Quadrille Call Book and Dancing Master, a reprint of the original 1902 edition written by dancing master A.C. Wirth.
I enjoyed playing back to back contra dances this past weekend with the Smoke and Mirrors band: at the Windham Town Hall, New Hampshire, Frank Woodard calling; and in Medway, Massachusetts, at the Christ Episcopal Church, Linda Leslie calling.
November 20, 2002
My contra dance class at Kittery Adult Ed finished up with a bang. The student musicians: fiddles, banjo, hammered dulcimer, piano, and tin whistles, graduated with honors by playing for a contra dance in the school cafeteria . It was a pleasure for me to call the dance with their solid playing keeping the dancers moving in a lively manner.
November 17, 2002
A new book is announced by Captain Fiddle Publications - The Practical History of the Violin, originally published in 1911, which includes a list and biography of 1200 violin makers and illustrations of 778 violin labels. I am also presently readying a reprint of a vintage dance caller's manual, originally published in 1902, which includes detailed descriptions of quadrilles, round dances, cotillions, lancers, and other popular dances.
November 1, 2002
I am putting the final touches on a new book to be published by Captain Fiddle Publications, with an historical look at past violin makers. I've enjoyed doing several private barn dance jobs with Dudley and Jacqueline Laufman this past month. I played for two contra dances in the Kingston Town Hall. My "how to play in a contra dance class" is going very well at Traip Academy, Kittery Adult Education. We have worked up up some fine medleys of jigs, reels, waltzes, couple dances, and more.
Oct 22, 2002
I've had a busy summer and fall, playing for many dances: cajun, contra, Irish, and Scottish. I played for a wedding where the entire wedding party rode an open chair ski lift to the top of a mountain for the ceremony, high heels and all! My performance venues have included: Pats Peak, Codman Farm, Hampton Seafood Festival, Mainewoods Folk Dance Camp, and performing for the Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce at the historic Langdon House.
July 9, 2002
I'm back from Seattle from the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes. I had a great time with lots of good jams with all sorts of fiddle music. The good news is that I've been asked to be on staff as a Fiddle Tutor" for next year at the festival! It was fun to play fiddle in the Seattle airport while waiting for my plane to fly out. Before long, several other musicians gathered.
June26, 2002
Last Saturday I gave a clinic on folk fiddle bowing techniques to violinists and string teachers sponsored by ASTA, the American String Teachers Association. Yesterday morning I was up bright and early to play bluegrass and country fiddle tunes at 8 am in the marble lobby of a downtown Boston financial building. It was a "Texas" and country music theme event day for the various tenants of the building and I was greeted with many smiles as I played tunes such the Yellow Rose of Texas, Sally Goodin, Sally Johnson, Midnight on the Water, Bill Cheatum, etc.
June 18, 2002
Well, I'm a bit remiss in keeping up to date in this section, but I'll describe some recent highlights. I played for 5 dances last week: with two different ceili bands, Saturday and Sunday at The Stonehill College Irish Festival, a barn dance in Candia, New Hampshire with "Two Fiddles," Dudley and Jackie Laufman, a 30 minute dance for every class of the Kennsington Elementary school, and a private function square dance at 9:00 am in the morning in the rain! Playing an outdoor dance in the rain is a first for me. I left the fiddle indoors, borrowed a raincoat, and played my pennywhistle.
November 23, 2001
I've finished recording a new CD. The title is "Ryan Thomson, Tune Collector, Let's Jam!" This is my first recording which includes most of the styles of music and different instruments that I play, all in one place. It includes: fiddle (old time, cajun, celtic); banjo (clawhammer); pennywhistle (Irish); piano(swing - jitterbug); accordian(cajun, tex-mex); and flute(Irish).
October 22, 2001 -
I wrote an arrangement of the New Hampshire Hornpipe for string quartet, and greatly enjoyed hearing it performed by a chamber orchestra in Swampscott, Massachusettes.
October 7, 2001 -
Go to this link for information on some good sessions I've attended recently, and some other topics of interest to me.
September 30, 2001 -
Steve Brown and I performed at the Antrim Celtic Festival as Shake, Rattle, and Bow. I taught the beginning pennywhistle workshop earlier in the day. I got great satisfaction in seeing people who had never previously played the whistle learn how to play a simple tune during the course of the workshop!
September 11, 2001 - I've been pretty busy this past summer traveling to many music events. I visited the Augusta Heritage Center, Ashokan Fiddle and Dance camp, the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes, the Rocky Mountain Fiddle Camp, and the Fiddleheads Stringband Camp where I on on staff teaching fiddle, music theory, celtic ornamentation, and clogging.
August, 2001 - Strings Magazine published my article on playing left handed violin in their August issue, and included a picture of me playing two violins at the same time.
July 13, 2001 - Here's an excerpt from the Foster's Daily Democrat, Dover, New Hampshire, July 13 issue:
Durham - Silver Squares enjoyed an outstanding program of chamber music presented by the "For the Love of It" string quartet recently at the Community Church of Durham. Guest artists included Loiuse Foreberg Kandle of Durham, first violin; Ryan Thomson of Newmarket, second violin; Jean Alvord of Kittery, Maine; and Fred Greenberg of Durham, cello. Selected movements were featured from quartets by Mozart, Haydn, and Dvorak. The group received a standing ovation at the close of the performance."
June 8, 2001 - I received this note today: Congratulations! Captain Fiddle has been named as the "Band of the Week" by NHTunes and HippoPress Manchester. Please checkout the web posting (gig of the week) on NHTunes.com and the printed article in HippoPress Manchester (available
everywhere in Manchester)
May 4, 2001 - The new version of my Chord Encyclopedia for fiddle tunes and country dance melodies is about to go to press. I've added 300 tunes to the collection for a total of 1400. This new version comes in two sizes: the orginal compact sizeand alarge 8 1/2 by 11 inch format with easier to read large type. My session at Biddy Mulligan's pub is turning into a lot of fun.
March 25, 2001 - I had the honor to be invited to play with the Comhaltas Ceili Band for a filmed documentary on Celtic music, which is to be broadcast in France in May. The band is led by Larry Reynolds, who organises the Boston Comhaltas chapter. We were filmed by a french film crew in Boston, on Sunday, March 25th.
March 24, 2001 - The Crawdad Wranglers played their 12th or 13th annual cajun dinner/dance at the Newmoon Coffee House! (We've lost count of the actual number of times we've done the dance)
March 17, 2001 - St Patrick's day was low key for me this year. My band, TWA, played for a contra dance at the Down East Dance festival in Lewiston, Maine, during the afternoon. I purposely didn't do a gig that evening, though, so I'd have lots of energy for the "Breakfast." in South Boston. It was fun. I got to meet the new Heavyweight champion of the world who made a guest appearance. I sat next to Mayor Menino(of Boston) and acting governor of Massachusetts, Jane Swift, who claimed she liked the band. I played a lot of flute and accordian.
Its funny that with such a fancy gig, there is no provision to feed the band, so I ended up eating much of Mayor Menino's untouched corned beef and cabbage after he left the hall! Everybody made lots of jokes about Governor Celluci, but he seemed happy with his appointment as ambassador to Canada. The Nobel peace prize winner from Ireland gave a serious talk, but ended with a song. There was a lot of singing, including a Mass state trooper in full dress uniform who sang all of the verses to Danny Boy. The various singers kept the band scrambling, as we struggled to figure out what keys they were attempting to sing in!
June 17, 2000 - I enjoyed the Celebrate New Hampshire festival. There were approximately 30,000 people attending over its 5 day stretch. I played piano and banjo for several barn dances as accompaniment for "Two Fiddles," Irish fiddle for ceili dancing, Scottish fiddle for couple dancing, and helped host the scheduled open jam at the Picnic Grove. In between, I had to periodically leave the New Hampshire state fairgrounds to perform at other local events: a fiddling performance at the opening festivities for Market Square Day, a performance on Market Square Day itself at the Ranger Foundation stage, and to play piano at the Stonehill Irish Festival with the Ceol Tradisiúnta na hÉireann ceili band .
June 1, 2000 - I finished teaching my two 5 week fiddle classes at Kittery Adult Education. I had 15 enthusuastic fiddle students!
April 18 , 2000 - The big news for me this month is that the Smithsonian Folklife Festival has contacted me to take part as a musician in Hopkinton in June in the "Celebrate New Hampshire" program. This past weekend I led my annual "Fiddling for Beginners" workshop at the New England Folk Festival.
March 18, 2000 - Wow, I'm getting behind in keeping up to date! This year has started off with a bang. The Crawdad Wranglers performed for the 4th time In Quincy, Mass for New Years eve. I accepted a position teaching fiddle classes at the Kittery, Maine, Adult Education school, starting in April. I'm working up tunes for a new CD, I'm writing a tune book of all of my original music, I'm playing a lot of wooden flute lately, mostly Irish tunes.
Luckily our New England weather has been cooperating, and there has been very little snow to shovel, giving me more music time! My book, The Fiddle and Violin Buyer's guide has been consistantly in the top 10% of books sold through Amazon.com!
December 16, 1999 - Myself and fellow Crawdad Wrangler Brian traveled to Ipswich, Massachusettes to do a musical program(see photos) for students at two elementary schools. The kids were enthusiastic participants, clapping and singing along, and coming up with great questions about how all of the folk instruments made music.
September 19, 1999 - Myself and two other members of the Crawdad Wranglers ran in a local 4 mile road race. After a shower and change of clothes we headed over to the Newmarket Heritage festival where we performed two sets of lively cajun and zydeco music.
September 18, 1999 - I won a local fiddle contest today, played an afternoon gig at the historical Jackson House in Porstmouth, New Hampshire, and then played fiddle for a contra dance in Concord, NH.
July 3, 1999 - I've finished a new book - Banjo Tab Book, which consists of transcriptions of the old time clawhammer banjo tabs from my Great Bay Stomp CD. I've also just finished recording a new CD album - Newmarket Duets, Ryan Thomson and friends. I play fiddle, accordion, banjo, and flute, with friends playing guitar, hammered dulcimer, Irish harp, jaw harp, bones, triangle, and guiro.
April 7, 1999 - I released my popular fiddle learning tapes in CD form. They are completely indexed for finding tunes quickly and easily on the CD.
April 2, 1999 - I released a new CD of southern style squaredance tunes that I played solo on the fiddle. Its entitled Flop Eared Mule.
Mar 14, 1999 - Saint Patrick's Day Breakfast with Senator Stephen F. Lynch - The same as last year, the breakfast took place in the Iron Workers Hall in South Boston. I was again asked to be part of the band to entertain for the festivities. We opened the celebration with fiddle tunes and songs. There were numerous featured guests and speakers including: Stephen Lynch, The Governor and Lt. Governor of Massachusettes, the major of Boston, delagations from Ireland, and dignitaries from throughout New England.
Dec 31, 1998 - The Crawdad Wranglers performed for the second time for First Night Quincy . It was a fun job again.
October 14th, 1998 - The Crawdad Wranglers performed for the "Governor's New American Appreciation Awards," in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Governor of Massachusetts and other important dignitaries attended and spoke. The highlight of the fancy dinner that followed included some tasty raspberry tarts for desert.
October 10th, 1998 - I had 12 students at my cajun fiddle workshop in Kingston, NH. It was a very rainy day, but we were cozy and dry in the "fiddler's loft" in the barn!
October 4, 1998 - I fiddled traditional fiddle tunes for the North Andover Historical Society Festival at The Parson Barnard House. A photo.
September 18/19 - Fiddlehead camp was a rousing success! We had a good turnout of fiddlers at all levels. We are now gearing up towards an expanded offering for next year. I taught workshops in "music theory for fiddlers," "dance fiddling," did individual instruction, and called some evening dances. The food was remarkable, and the camp site on the sandy shores of Newfound Lake, in New Hampshire, was one of the best music camp sites I've ever been to.
September 9, 1998 - The Crawdad Wrangler's live recording is finished! The Cajun Dance Party CD contains on-stage recordings at dances and music festivals in New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
August 21, 1998 - I've returned to New Hampshire and I'm back in the studio. I've finished up my new album of original celtic tunes, and the New Hampshire Hornpipe album is now available and in the Captain Fiddle catalog.! I'm now finishing up a CD project for my cajun band, The Crawdad Wranglers. I've also issued a CD version of my Fiddling for Beginners kit.
July 12 - July 18 - Augusta Heritage Center. This week's focus was swing and blues. I worked on my blues and swing fiddling, and did a little jitterbug dancing on the side.
July 4- 11 - Augusta Heritage Center, Elkins, West Virginia. I drove from New Hampshire to WV on the 4th July, with surprisingly little traffic, and the benefit of fireworks displays along the highway at dusk. Augusta has a series of specialty music programs and this first week focused on cajun and zydeco dance, music, and culture.
June 28, 1998 - La Kermesse French Festival in Biddeford, ME. The Crawdad Wranglers performed cajun, zydeco, and French music onstage at this event.
June 27, 1998 - Wood Day, at the Shaker Village in Canterbury, NH - I played solo fiddle on stage as part of a weekend event featuring music and wood working exhibits. I played mostly selections from my new album project, "New Hampshire Hornpipe," which I've finished recording at Fishtraks Studio in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Final mixing will take place when I return from the Augusta Heritage Center in August.
June 9, 1998 - Ryan's Rag, Wood Chopper's Reel, Barn Dance Tonight, CDs - I've taken many of my old recordings which originally came out on cassette, and have remastered them to CD format. In the process I've added a lot of tunes that I had never previously released, and have also changed the selection order of the various tunes on the albums. These three CD's are all solo fiddle recordings, with no accompaniment.
June 7, 1998 - Southbridge Concert, at the town common in Southbridge, Massachusetts. The Crawdad Wranglers performed a cajun and zydeco concert under cover of a large gazebo on several acres of green lawn. We were discouraged at first because of the rain, but the common was situated in such a way that automobiles were able to line both sides of the common to face the stage. A few brave souls were in front of the stage dancing in the rain, but a count of approximately 250 people in their cars were also actively enjoying the performance. We discovered this immediately after our first song when there was a clamoring of car horns and flashing headlights! It was a different type of audience applause than we were used to, and quite fun.
May 28, 1998 - Great Bay Stomp, solo banjo album - I finished my solo banjo album for CD release today. It is essentially a re-release of my previous album on cassette, but with the addition of another tune, a Kerry polka, which wouldn't fit on the cassette because of a space limitation.
April 25, 1998 - New England Folk Festival, Natick, Massachusetts - I gave my 15th annual "Fiddling for Beginners" workshop which was packed as usual. In fact, every event by many talented performers and teachers was well attended by thousands of enthusuastic dancers and music makers.
April 17, 1998 - Thistle Inn, Boothbay Harbor, Maine - I performed traditional celtic music with my partner Rich on flute. This is the first non-smoking pub I've performed in. The dinner specialties are supposedly very good here, but they ran out of food sometime during our performance and offered us pizza instead, which was good. The owners have done a nice job of restoring the historical site.
March 28, 1998 - Bob McQuillen's "50 years of playing piano for contra dances in the Peterborough Town Hall party." I had the honor of playing fiddle with Bob for a lively dance in New Hampshire. The hall was packed with dancers from several different states, including the west coast, all in attendance to honor Bob. If you've read my some of my other materials, you already know that I consider Bob my favorite dance piano player. I also have the honor of being the recipient of one of Bob's original compositions, "Ryan's Reel," which is in Bob's Tunebook #10.
Mar 15, 1998 - Saint Patrick's Day Breakfast with Senator Stephen F. Lynch and Vice President Al Gore - The same as last year, the breakfast took place in the Iron Workers Hall in South Boston. I was again asked to be part of the band to entertain for the festivities. We opened the celebration with fiddle tunes and songs. There were numerous featured guests and speakers including: Stephen Lynch, Senator Kerry, The mayor of Boston, Ray Flynn, the US Olympic Women's Hockey Team, and many others. (Senator Kerry told the best jokes, Stephen Lynch was the best singer, the hockey players were the cutest, and Al Gore stole the show)
Highlights for me included: Al Gore coming up on stage and shaking my hand on national television; watching the secret service dogs sniffing my fiddle and accordion cases carefully, to be assured of their quality, I assume; playing some rousing sets of tunes for the assembly; and finishing up Al Gore's cornbeef and cabbage after he left the building.(He hardly touched his food, and I didn't want to see it go to waste)
Mar 4, 1998 - I've finished up my part of a locally done recording project. I was invited to play claw hammer banjo on one track of the CD, and some sets of traditional Polish mazurkas on fiddle on two other tracks. I had fun doing the recording. I'm also happy to have added some Polish pieces to my "international" repertoire. I'm now planning to start a recording project of my own!
Feb 11-15, 1998 - I attended the Folk Alliance Conference in Memphis, TN. This was a great opportunity for networking with other professionals, and jamming with musicians from around the world.
Dec 31, 1997 - The Crawdad Wranglers performed for First Night Quincy in the council chambers of the Quincy City Hall. It was a fun job, with Boston's TV channel 4 news team filming the event. Outside, in front of the building, loudspeakers played cajun and zydeco music to fit the mood. President John Quincy Adams probably rolled over, and then did the cajun two step, in his grave.
Nov 22, 1997- My cajun band, The Crawdad Wranglers, performed for a cajun dinner/dance in Stow, Massachusetts. We had a packed house, a surprising number of kids, and incredibly good food. I'm picky about my pecan pie, but it was the tops, and also the pumpkin! I taught cajun dance steps and everyone had a fine time!
Nov 14,15,16 , 1997- I attended the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance Conference in Lake Harmony, Pennsylvania. This event is dedicated to the "business" end of folk music: getting hired, making recordings, etc. There are also lots of opportunities to jam and network with other folk music professionals.
Nov 7,8,9, 1997 - I attended the Northeast Music and Dance Festival in Newtown, Connecticut and enjoyed dancing, jamming, and leading the cajun session. This is a great dance festival run by some really nice folks who are dedicated to promoting traditional folk arts.
Oct 18-19, 1997 - I attended the Fall Festival in New Jersey, a weekend of music, song, dance, and jams at a YMCA camp in the mountains. This fine event is sponsored by the Folk Project. My review.
Sept 26-28, 1997 - I attended the Heritage Dance Festival in Philadelphia. I took classes in many varieties of ethnic folk dancing and played fiddle for the English country dancing, contra dancing, international dancing, and sessions in Klezmer and Irish music. My review.
Sept 21, 1997 - America's Stonehenge, Fall Equinox Celebration, Londonderry, New Hampshire. This archeological site has been dated at over 4000 years old and includes many stones set into astrological patterns. We performed celtic music on a stage in alignment with the setting sun and ancient stone markers. We finished our performance shortly before sundown and then joined audience members at the hilltop site to watch the sun sink and see its rays line up with the huge granite boulders set into the earth.
Sept 5-7, 1997 - Wheatland Music Festival, Remus, Michigan. Can you imagine a festival with 15,000 attendees that sells out of tickets two months before the event!? East Coasters don't hear much about goings-on in Michigan, but I've got a new event to put into my top ten USA festival list.
My review.
Sept 4, 1997 - I arrived in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Thursday night, just in time for the local ceili dance. I had meant to come and dance but had brought my fiddle along as an afterthought. My friend introduced me to the band, (all members named David, no kidding!)who immediately invited me to join them and play. Afterward, we all went out for a bite and a pint. I thoroughly enjoyed the evening.
Aug 23-25, 1997 - Northumbrian Piper's Convention, North Hero, Vermont. I've seen lots of bagpipes before, but never so many different kinds all in one place: Polish, Spanish, Greek, Scottish, Irish, and other varieties, some quiet, some loud, some even louder. I heard a Northumbrian quartet perform a chamber music type piece in four parts. Piper Alan Jones organizes this annual piping extravaganza. I had plenty of opportunity to play fiddle, particularly with the Irish style pipers. Review of Piper's convention.
Aug 9 -16 ,1997- Summer Acoustic Music Week. This was my first year on the staff of this week long music camp located on the beautiful shores of Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire. I taught an enthusiastic beginning guitar class, organized the dance band workshop, and called the evening dances throughout the week. SAMW web site.
Aug 2, 3, 1997 - I attended Clifftop (The Eighth Annual Appalachian String Band Music Festival) I finally made it this year after hearing loads of good things about this festival, located at Camp Washington-Carver in West Virginia. There was more old timey music concentrated in one place than I could ever imagine. On Saturday night the high energy old time dance ended at 2 am, I was in my sleeping bag by 3 am, and the campground jam sessions continued in full force till 7 am when I awoke to one last tune to go to breakfast with my camping partners. Review of Clifftop.
July 14 - Aug 2, 1997 - I attended Augusta Heritage Center in West Virginia. I went 3 weeks straight for a healthy dose of traditional folk music: Swing, Irish, French Canadian, and lots of dancing. More about Augusta.
June 27 - July 7, 1997 - Traveling to Washington State. I stayed in Seattle for the first couple of days, jamming with some friends. I visited the Dusty Strings music store. Harps and hammered Dulcimers are a specialty, although they had a large selection of other instruments, books, recordings and supplies. It is staffed by informed and friendly persons. Be sure to visit them when you come to Seattle!
I also attended the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes in Port Townsend, learning lots of new tunes and visiting with fiddling friends from around the country.
Wed, June 18 1997 - Performing old time fiddle and banjo music for a staff party at Citizen's Bank in Mancester, New Hampshire. We posed between numbers and a photographer sent me this picture.
Sat May 17, 1997 - Calling a barn dance for the New Hampshire Farm Museum. One of the advantages of being a fiddler and barn dance caller living in New England is that I get to actually call dances in real barns! In this case the dance was held in a large working barn built in the mid 1800's with hayloft, cows, chickens, hogs, goats, and assorted field mice present. When I got up the next morning I noticed that my clothes still retained a bit of "barn" smell, an authentic touch for the previous night's festivities.
Fri, Sat, Sun, Apr25, 26, 27, 1997 - Attending the 53rd Annual New England Folk Festival. This was my 21st year at the festival, and my 11th time hosting the "Captain Fiddle Booth." My favorite part of the festival is visiting with my folk music friends from around the country. I had to leave the festival for a while on Saturday since I had two back to back wedding gigs, but was back in time to sample lots of good dancing, music, and tasty ethnic cooking.
The weather was sunny and warm which meant lots of outside dancing and music making. There were lots of great jam sessions with ethnic music of all types. My fiddle workshop on Sunday was well attended and I was impressed with the increasing interest in learning traditional music by kids. They asked more questions than the adults!
Fri, Sat, Sun, Apr 11, 12, 13, 1997 - Attending the Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann National Convention in Danvers, Massachusetts - This year the Irish music and dance convention was only a short drive for me and I was able to attend most of the activities and still play at my regular sessions. There was continuous music and dancing from morning till morning. I left an active Sat session at 4 am Sunday morning in order to get a little sleep to be back later in the day. The highlight of this years convention for me was playing in an impromptu ceili in the hotel lobby on Sunday night at 8:30 pm, long after the official events had ended. A few musicians had gathered near the grand piano which I was playing while giving my fiddle a rest. The group grew in size to about 15 fiddles, accordions, flutes, banjos, and bodhrans and the musical energy rose in intensity. Before long, dancers appeared on the scene and soon there were sets forming. At one point the band was playing a medley of spirited reels with an accordion leading. A banjo player next to me informed me of key changes coming up. The dancers in 3 sets danced 10 straight figures of of 3 different set dances. I estimate that we played 15 to 20 reels in a row!
Sat, April 5, 1997 - Playing fiddle at the "Brain Trust" Birthday Party, at Massachusetts Institute of Technology - The Brain Trust is an organization dedicated to providing support, information, and online applications for people who are personally affected by neurological disorders. It is a nonprofit organization founded by Samantha Jane Scolamiero. I met Samantha(Brain Woman) at the New England Folk Festival in 1996. We hit it off immediately since we were both interested in fiddling, and had both suffered from neurological disorders. At the party/meeting, I played lots of fiddle tunes and met some very interesting folks. I wish Samantha all the best, as her organization grows.
Tues, March 25, 1997 - Attending an Irish Session at The Blarney Stone in San Diego, California- The only regular public Irish pub session in San Diego is at the Blarney Stone on Balboa Avenue, Kearney Mesa, on every Tuesday evening at 7:30. I try to attend every time that I'm in San Diego. By chance, a number of old friends that I played music with while living in San Diego in the 70's also attended this particular evening. We had a good bout of jigs, reels, and songs with about 15-20 musicians present.
Toward the end of the evening someone started singing a song in a tongue foreign to my experience, and a group of women stood up and began dancing in a slow undulating fashion. As I stared with my mouth wide open, the person seated next to me turned and whispered in my ear that the singer (from Ireland)had married a Maori from New Zealand, and that this was a traditional Maori song and dance.
Sun, March 16, 1997 - Saint Patrick's Day Breakfast with Senator Stephen F. Lynch - The breakfast took place in the Iron Workers Hall in South Boston this year. I was hired as part of the band to entertain for the festivities. We opened the celebration with traditional fiddle tunes and songs. There were numerous featured speakers including: Stephen Lynch, Governor Weld, Senator Kerry, The mayor of Boston, Ray Flynn, and a live call in conversation with the vice president - Al Gore.
Highlights included: backing up Stephen Lynch on some Irish songs, (He's a good singer), backing up a duet between Governor Weld and John Kerry, (arms around each other singing a parody of "Side by Side) and sampling the corned beef and cabbage meal after we were done performing. Every time that there was a lull in the scheduled events some one would point to the band, and we'd be off on a spirited version of Drowsy Maggie, or the Mason's Apron.
June 30, 1987
Ryan Thomson fiddles with the Boogaloo Swamis band for a wedding in Barre, Massachusetts.
June 23, 1987
Ryan fiddles with the Boogaloo Swamis band for a concert and dance at Tufts University, Massachusetts.
June 27, 1987
Ryan fiddles with the Boogaloo Swamis band for a wedding in Amherst, Massachusetts.
June 28, 1987
Ryan fiddles with the Boogaloo Swamis band at the Portsmouth Jazz Festival, New Hampshire, in the afternoon. Then in the evening the band performs at the Plough and Star in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
June 30, 1987
Ryan fiddles with the Boogaloo Swamis band at the Tam restaurant and dancing, in downtown Boston.
July 4, 1987
Ryan fiddles with the Boogaloo Swamis band on a float in a parade in Norwood, Massachusetts.
July 18, 1987
Ryan fiddles with the Boogaloo Swamis band at the Stone Church, Newmarket, New Hampshire.
August 2, 1987
Ryan fiddles with the Boogaloo Swamis band at a concert in Mary O’Malley Park, in Chelsea, Massachusetts.
September 12, 1987
Ryan fiddles with the Boogaloo Swamis band at the Grog, in Newburyport, Massachusetts.
September 19, 1987
Ryan fiddles with the Boogaloo Swamis band at the Eiesteddfod Folk Festival, in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts.
September, 26, 1987
Ryan fiddles with the Boogaloo Swamis band at a wedding at the Boston Tea Party, Boston, Massachusetts.
October 3, 1987
Ryan fiddles with the Boogaloo Swamis band at the Homegrown Coffeehouse, in Needham, Massachusetts
October 7, 1987
Ryan fiddles with the Boogaloo Swamis band at Wheeloc College, Boston, Massachusetts.
