Site Activity
Last Forum PostsLast Forum Post RSS Feed
Most Recent Images
Site Contributions
1
 
Upcoming Crickhollow Events!!
 

Department of Harmony & Song

 

Meet the Department
of Harmony and Song

Performing every 3rd Sunday on the Bree Festival Stage 1pm on Landroval

What's the story behind your band's founding?

We have a wonderful story about the band's origins written by a member of our kin:

A long, long time ago, brave adventurers met while taking Hobbits to Isengard and evacuating lost Dwarves from the mines of Moria. Someone suggested, "Friends, we have grown close as kin through these ordeals. Shall we not continue to adventure together?" And they did! Thus the Department of Holbyt Security was born.

Some time later, several of them were sitting by the fire in their large house in the Delving Fields, playing music for each other. Someone suggested, "Friends, we have played these tunes for each other for some time. Shall we not form a band and play for the world?" And they did! Thus the Department of Harmony and Song was born.

And they have been having the grandest time playing music for the finest audiences in the world ever since!

How did your band get its name?

We wanted to use the initials DHS so everybody suggested possibilities and we voted. Department of Harmony and Song won.

How did your members meet one another?

Most of us originally met during former Community Manager Sapience's Take the Hobbit to Isengard and S.H.I.E.L.D. runs. We enjoyed the interaction so much we decided to create an in-game kinship so we could play the game together. The band was born after we spent 4 or 5 hours playing music for each other at our first New Year's Party.

How would you describe your band's music?

Eclectic. We have members from the U.S., Britain, Sweden, and Finland, with ages ranging from around 20 to 60+, so our musical tastes are far-reaching and every member of the band creates songs for us to play.

How do you decide which songs to play?

Before a concert, I post an 'assignment' for band members - to create lists of the songs they want to play that fit the 'theme' of the concert we're putting together. Then I compile the list, make the final selection, arrange them in a hopefully pleasing flow and create an instrument assignment list and special concert folder so we all know what we're playing when, and everyone has the right version of the songs we're playing. 

Do you have a signature song?

We have two or three that we play frequently that could be considered signature songs, including America's "Last Unicorn" and Baltimora's "Tarzan Boy" (we love playing this one!). However, I think the best song for our 'signature' song, would be "East Bound and Down" which we play as "Isengard Bound" as it describes the route to Isengard from Bree that we use for our Anniversary Hobbit Runs every year.

What's the highlight of your band's time together?

Playing the mountaintop at Weatherstock last year.

Do you have any embarrassing stories about a time when things didn't go so well?

Hmmm. There was the time the band leader forgot to load her plug-ins before taking the stage at our first major concert... 

Does your band play a regular concert? If so, when and where?

We play every 3rd Sunday (barring special events like Shirefest) at the Bree Festival Grounds Stage at 1 p.m. (server time) on Landroval.

Does your band have a website, Twitter feed or links to any performances?

Several of our performances have been recorded by Hollyberye and can be found on her YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyWrV-dmm_oWHnc50YKSVnA

What's the one thing we should know about your band above all else?

We love playing music! While we use a couple of boxed band alts, the band consists of 9 real people, though a few can't always make it to performances due to RL issues.