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Jam Clubs Alive and Well
There has been a lot of concern about the “loss” of the Jam Clubs. I have explained numerous times that we have not lost the Jam Clubs. My explanation seems to strike others as one of those “non-answers” that strives only to console, but has no real solution.
I wish to reproduce the amazing answer provided by @Dom_T and the supportive reply by @Levi .
The question was: “No more jam clubs? I only discovered this feature during COVID and was so looking forward to going to my first jam club here in my area when things went back to normal.”
Dom’s real solution answer: “Jam Clubs existed before TAC decided to support them and give them the name “Jam Clubs”. The originators of the existing Jam Clubs, I guarantee, are chomping at the bit to be able to resume in-person jams/gatherings/whatever you want to call them. So, it is important for each member to give some info in their profile as to where they live, which will give those that host these gatherings the ability to contact those in their area where and when the events start up again. Some of the clubs existed well before TAC recognized them, and will continue even if TAC no longer officially wants to support them.”
Levi’s revealing reply: “Thanks, Dom. This is exactly right. It will soon be far easier to connect with local TAC members once members begin completing their profiles. We’re still waiting to fix a few things so the location fields work correctly.”
What Dom’s answer reveals is that Jam Clubs were never a function of TAC, and therefore the changes to TAC’s website cannot erase them.
What Levi’s reply reveals is that Tony, Levi and the TAC Team support Jam Clubs whole heartedly, but now realize their best role is to support the communication necessary to build and run Jam Clubs but not add complication and distraction to their website.
In this way, removing the Jam Club feature from the TAC website actually does more to support Jam Clubs. Here on TAC, we maintain the Fun and Focus that Leads to Progress. That progress adds to the motivation to join or start a grassroots group that plays together. Then, that grassroots group becomes a venue to show off the progress. The progress leads to more fun, and we come back to TAC for more clear focus to make more progress. And around and around the Fun Focus Progress Wheel goes.
MG 😀
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25 Replies
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Where can I find these alleged Jam Clubs?
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Hi @lisa18wheels.
First, “alleged” is an unjustifiable word to use for Jam Clubs. Those who host (which isn’t simply, “Hey come over”), do a LOT, and put MUCH effort into creating a fun and safe environment for those attending. I and my wife started inviting local TAC members in 2015, and the attendance has grown from 5-8 folks, to at times, 25-30 folks, including spouses, and sometimes their kids. We’ve even added the occasional house concerts for after dinner (yes we serve dinner) recording artists to perform in our back room for a small fee from those attending.
SO……I assure you Jam Clubs are NOT alleged. A while after that first gathering, Tony and Levi, and staff became big fans. As teachers, isn’t it a huge bit of gratification and joy to see your students gathering ON THEIR OWN, to share what they have learned from your teachings? In this case, Tony’s Acoustic Challenge.
TAC loved it so much they decided to ask us to provide a location where we live. It doesn’t have to be exact, but enough for those wanting to invite folks to a jam, to learn who, is or isn’t “local”. We are based in the NE Philly suburbs. And, as we have discovered, “local” is an interesting word, since we personally have had members from upstate NY and Virginia (near DC), Maryland, Connecticut, Pittsburgh, etc. 3 hr trips, and longer, just to get together with musical family we would have never had our lives enriched by if it weren’t for TAC.
ERGO, Jam Clubs are NOT alleged. SO if every member would be so kind as to put in their profile an idea of where they live, Jam Club hosts, with the help of some on-line search functions, will be able to invite folks, when we get together in person again.
Right now some of those functions may not work perfectly or might not be implemented at all yet, but they will be. After all, this new website was and is a huge undertaking, and isn’t getting the lessons themselves available to all members the key to TAC and why we log in everyday? Priorities……..
Also, folks getting mad at the TAC gang for things like this is not valid, and not fair. They support us 100%, but the main thrust of this new website is to help folks like you and me to get better at playing guitar. It’s why we joined, no?
To all members: DO YOUR PART to assist in getting everything running as best as possible. Yes, a lot of it is not in our control, but what IS in our control, is our duty to complete. We are “members”. We are “family” via learning together. Helping the cause is what we do, isn’t it?
I guarantee that TAC East (Friends With Strings), and all the other jam clubs will indeed start looking for members in their locale, and there could well be communications via Community posting alerting folks to such gatherings. At such time it will be up to the individual to decide if they are local enough, or not.
Meanwhile we do exist, but currently are not listed in the new website like we were in the old one. You all know where you live, share it in your profile, then, while it is still available, please go here and look under Jam Clubs. There is a good chance your local Jam Club is listed there, Take hold of the info for the future, which God-willing will be sooner than later.
tac.tonypolecastro.com/clubs
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Dom, thanks for posting this link, it will help me greatly.
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I am glad to assist. It IS what we still do, right?
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Thank you @Dom_T . 🤩
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The problem with social forums, as I see it, is words can be misconstrued, or worse. Without spoken inflections and body language, a person’s intended meaning can be mixed-up.
I had been gone from TAC for eight months, and had completely forgotten about the clubs. When I saw mention of them yesterday, I was very excited at the prospect of sitting down and playing with others. Of course, because of the website changes, I couldn’t find any info. That led me to my question, and my confused meaning.
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Hey @lisa18wheels , thank you for asking your question. In fact, thank you for asking the question in that particular way. You see, I wanted to highlight this topic. Well, my post would never have generated the response it did without your question. So a big thank you to you for helping to raise awareness of this topic.
And Lisa, please don’t think @Dom_T meant any offense. I know for a fact that Dom and Sharon would welcome you into their house if you were ever in the area for a Jam Club. They are as hospitable a couple as you could ever hope to meet. Is he passionate about TAC and Jam Clubs? Yes, obviously.
If you ever get the chance to meet Dom and Sharon you will see for yourself. 🤗
MG 😀
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Dom, you are the man! The TAC east aka Friends with Strings is what kept me going with TAC even when I was not active on the web site. So I am sure Tony and the gang understand the value of the jam group and will facilitate the groups when the opportunity is there again, and it will work with the new site; even if there is no official jam club page.
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There you are friend. How have you been? @mpmoran0315
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This reply was modified 4 years, 11 months ago by Dom_T.
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This reply was modified 4 years, 11 months ago by
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This reply was modified 4 years, 12 months ago by DennyS.
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This reply was modified 4 years, 12 months ago by
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Hi Lisa,
There are many jam clubs that have formed in different areas in the US and abroad all under different names. For now the info on what clubs are where can still be found on tony’sacousticchallenge.com. Cut and paste the link below into your browser.
https://tac.tonypolecastro.com/clubs/
For now covid is/has prevented in person meeting but I believe the clubs will revive activities as soon as meeting is permissible. If one of the clubs listed on the old site is near enough that you could attend when it resumes send a DM to the founder of the club so they will make sure to invite you when they do.
I can tell you that the TAC East Jam Club has become much more than just a jam club. We are a fast group of friends in touch with each other daily sharing info about all manner of things including our musical accomplishments and challenges.
If you have any trouble finding the nearest club DM me (DMart) and I’ll try and find the one nearest you and a contact.
Lisa the closest club to you in Warner Robins appears to be Atlanta which is 2 hrs wish away. its called:
The Greater Atlanta Pickin and Grinnin Social Club
It’s lead by Scott Mckee or tTAC name ScottMc.
Shoot him a message and see what he’s thinking.
DMart
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<div>@Mike-Gaurnier , thanks for posting this info. I’m hoping the fixes @Levi mentions will indeed happen, actually, I have no reason to doubt that they won’t. 😀 I was all in on the Jam Club concept and got on board 100% by starting the Chicago club which has definitely been a great thing for those involved. FYI, below is a portion of a thread I posted on Fletch’s resent post, in which I mentioned Jam Clubs.</div>
“And what happened to the Jam Clubs, bam, gone. It would have been nice as a Club Owner, to have been made aware of this so I could take steps to confirm I had all my member info, because for the 10 or so new members in the past 3 months, I haven’t enough info to contact them, and that’s sad.”
<font face=”inherit”>In my mind, the way they went about this change is what bothers me. </font>
<font face=”inherit”>Levi mentions in the comment above, that is will be easier to connect with them, which I’m guessing he’s saying JC owners to </font>connect with TAC members.<font face=”inherit”> I hope there will still be a </font>separate forum topic for jam clubs so TAC members can easily find a JC in their area. Looking forward to this.
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Mostly I’m surprised that the <font> tag is still used! 😛
sorry, i had too
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🤣
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You can’t stop the Signal! 🙂 Jam Clubs will go on, as stated here already, and I’m eagerly waiting for the days when we can all gather again safely. I was an active attendee to 3 different Jam Clubs, and I wholeheartedly recommend attending these gatherings. While not officially affiliated with TAC, like the Zoom Open Mic nights, they give you a fantastic venue to practice the lessons taught and I know that the TAC team appreciates the efforts of the event organizers.
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😃
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I’m sorry, but the Jam Clubs were part of the YouTube commercial I watched before I joined. They were, absolutely, a part of TAC. One of the things I really admired about the community was that, when the pandemic made in person Jams impossible (or at least unsafe), the TAC community adapted and found a way to safely jam together. I know everyone’s trying to put a positive spin on absolutely everything on this site, but it’s a little dishonest to say that the Jam Clubs were not a part of the deal. They were advertised.
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In fact I believe they were called “official TAC Jam Clubs.” Literally.
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Well Jesse, I can only say three things.
Jam Clubs absolutely exist and to give someone the chance to find you please add an address representing at least the general area where you live.
I personally am not aware of the commercial you refer to, so I won’t acknowledge or discredit your comment.
Jam Clubs, while being given a proud ‘thumbs-up’ to them by TAC, are indeed NOT officially sponsored/supported by TAC as a part of TAC that you are paying for by joining.
So, at this point the real question is, do you wanna join one or is the concept of no interest to you? As I suggested in my post earlier on here, go to http://www.tac.tonypolecastro.com/clubs. If, by chance you live near us, we’d welcome you to join us. It’s all about fun and friendship.
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This reply was modified 4 years, 12 months ago by Dom_T.
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This reply was modified 4 years, 12 months ago by
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Jesse, you said “it’s a little dishonest to say that the Jam Clubs were not a part of the deal”.
Like @Dom_T , I don’t know what commercial you are talking about. But I do know That there are tens of thousands of TAC members all over the world. And there were only about 40 some Jam Clubs, mostly in the US, and even there, mostly in some larger cities. What this means is that Jam Clubs were never available to most members of TAC. So it does not seem likely that Tony would ever had made Jam Clubs “part of the deal”. That would be a huge liability.
But, Jam Clubs are most definitely “part of the deal” if you are talking about the opportunities open to you by being a part of TAC. There was no Jam Club in the US city I live in when I joined TAC. The opportunity I had as a member of TAC was to find other TAC members and create a Jam Club. And that’s what I did. That was not guaranteed to me in exchange for the money I spent. But it never would have happened without the boost TAC gave to my Acoustic Life and the amazing community I joined.
One of the reasons I love TAC and want to defend it is because Tony and everyone on the TAC team have good motives. They sincerely want to help you and me have more joy in our guitar journey and make improvement in our guitar skills.
The upshot of all the positivity here on TAC is “no harm, no foul”. Dom has given you an invitation to join a jam at his house if you are ever in the area. You can look me up and see where I am. I, too, will gladly invite you to a jam if you are ever in my area. That’s how we roll. 😁😎😍
MG 😀
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So, Short Story (which Mike, Dom and I are not famous for using), in the Old Forums (tac.tonypolecastro.com) there is a “Jam Clubs” link, and opening it gets you all of those TAC ever recognized. Find the one closest to you, geographically.
Each of the “Owners” and “Leaders” are still there (click on “Members”). If you really have a desire to get to one of these when they go live, contact the person(s) in that (those) categories, by PMing them in either forum (as long as the old one keeps running), or by asking for an invite in the Jam Club listing.
It is going to happen.
I “own” (hate that term) the Mile High Jammers, and we will have live Jams again when the State of Colorado opens it up enough. I have been contacting everyone North of Castle Rock on the Front Range up to Wyoming, and if you get one of those messages, feel free to let me know that you want us to do.
Dom and Mike, thank you for explicitly making our status and existence clear.
Guitar Geeks Unite (or at least go Jam something).
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😃
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The issue as I see it is :
There was nothing wrong with the old TAC site and they fixed what wasn’t broken…
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Some folks see a tree and some see whole forest. I can only see my piece of the puzzle but when I get together with others and look at their pieces of the puzzle and we work to put them together I can see a bigger picture.
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I don’t agree. I thought there was a lot wrong with the old platform. I think the new is much better. Obviously, Tony and Levi thought the old platform needed improvement. But we all have to make our own decision. I hope you don’t make a decision to leave until this site is running smoothly. Then, you will have a basis for comparison to the old site.
MG 😀
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