Playing outdoors is no good for the harp...

How many times do I have to say that?

Considering I have a policy of not playing outdoors with my harps, I've played in some pretty funky outdoor situations this summer....

So for this one, I turned up to a private function only to find it was in a field.

After trying to explain why I couldn't play on grass, the TINIEST of stages was eventually found and some hay bales found to stop the stage from falling over on itself on the very uneven ground.  

Luckily the weather wasn't too bad, a fair cross wind, but it was just light summer jacket/cardigan weather, and a fairly short duration of playing.

Romantic looking = possibly?

Sound projection across a field with a waterfall nearby = zero

Still recovering from last nights orchestral summer pops gig in an outdoor theatre, complete with tarpaulin roof but no side panels on a day with terrible weather across the country - freezing rain and howling winds.

Only 3 strings broke, and for the first time in my gigging career I kept the base covers on during a gig. Had a black scarf luckily to disguise the blue base covers a bit.

Only in the UK, would you do an outdoor orchestral gig in the rain, with the wind howling through playing patriotic favourites, wearing fingerless gloves playing "Thunder and Lightning" polka by Strauss. 

NO more outdoor gigs this year - PLEASE!!!