Renaissance Performers & Merchants

Interview Questions for Renaissance Performers and Merchants

1. What is the name of your act? Twisted Knickers

2. Where are you located or where is your home fair? We’re proud of our hamlet and all that it has to offer. We’re proud to be from Lakewood, Washington. It’s a beautiful place with towering evergreens and stormy seas. We’re proud of our hamlet and all that it has to offer.

3. What is it that you do? We’re an eclectic band that always brings the party to the fair. We mix in a bunch of Irish drinking songs, twisted novelty tunes, and some original material, add a dash of the pirate, Renaissance, and folk music, and what do you get? Twisted Knickers! We always bring the fun, ranging from family-friendly silliness to stein-rousing raunchiness. So come on over and enjoy yourself! We guarantee you’ll have a blast!

4. When did you start performing at Renaissance Faires? In 2014, Captain Fallstaff gathered together a group of musicians who loved nothing more than making music. We were all already deeply involved in the Society of Creative Anachronism, Inc. music scene. Coming together in 2014, we combined our love of Middle Age music with our desire for flights of fancy and began to perform at a variety of Ren faires & Pirate festivals. We want to share our love of music and fun with audiences of all ages, bringing joy and happiness everywhere we go.

5. What inspired you to start performing? We’re a fun-loving group of friends who are inspired by Ren, Pirate, and Celtic music. We enjoy sharing our joy with others through our performances. I’m Serena, and for me, music is a huge part of who I am. I discovered the Ren scene in my junior year of high school when I went on a date with a cute guy. I heard the lovely sounds of a Medieval dance tune called “Jenny Pluck Pears” and I was instantly hooked. It was like diving off a plank into the unknown, and I started my journey into Renaissance music. Since then, I’ve learned a lot about music from the Medieval to Elizabethan Eras. I know everything from beautiful English ballads and Broadside tunes to rowdy Pirate shanties and songs of the sea. If you see us performing, be sure to ask the others in the band about their origin stories. We love talking to people about music.

6. What would you say to someone just starting in this business? Becoming a successful Renaissance Festival band takes hard work and dedication. It’s important to find the music that inspires you and makes you want to keep going. Branding is also key; let others know who you are and what you’re about. It’s essential to make friends and build a good reputation in the community. Performers need to be flexible and reasonable, as well as courteous and open. When you’re not performing, take the time to watch other bands and mingle. And don’t forget to promote, promote, promote! The more exposure you can get, the more gigs you’ll book. Finally, have fun with your costumes. We like to dress in “dockside” clothing from the Tudor/Elizabethan Era, but feel free to express your own style. There’s so much more to being a successful Renaissance Festival band, but we hope this gives you a good start. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Thanks!

7. What would you say nicely to a promoter or producer of a fair/festival? Hello, it’s nice to meet you. I am the manager of a band called Twisted Knickers. We play lighthearted songs that are sure to put a smile on everyone’s face, young and old. We would love to come and play at your fair, and we’re confident that we can add to the magical atmosphere that you’ve created. Please send us a contract and we’ll fill it out as soon as possible. We’re looking forward to working with you.

8. Why are Renaissance fairs/Festivals a venue? We love performing at Renaissance fairs because we get to interact with like-minded people and share our music with them. It’s a great opportunity to learn new songs and meet new people. We always have a great time at the fairs and we consider the Renaissance crowd to be part of our extended family.

9. Do you travel from fair to fair or do you just have one fair that you are steady at? We love traveling to different fairs and festivals to share our music with new audiences. We always have a blast performing at the Shrewsbury Renaissance Fair, and we’re looking forward to doing it again this year. We also love being able to explore new places and meet new people. It’s always a great time when we get to perform at a pirate festival like Rusty Scupper’s Pirate Daze in Westport, WA. Thanks for everything, Fairgoers!

10. Plug your website/fan page here: We have a website: The Sound of Twisted Knickers, a Facebook Fan Page: @twistedknickersband; a YouTube channel:@TwistedKnickersBand

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Author’s Note:

Thanks to Twisted Knickers for letting us feature them this week! Again, we highly recommend you do your own research as this is just a promoting platform.

If you, your group, your troupe, or we’ve even featured authors (as long as the novel is Renaissance Related, we’d love to interview you!

Huzzah!