This paragraph is from the post published on March 6, 2012,
"...As much as fans like me love hearing about what our favourite guys have been up to during their hiatus from Great Big Sea, when do we over step the boundaries and become invasive and voyeuristic? Basically I believe I had no right to be there even though it was bootlegged by @lyndahere at a respectful distance. It was an American determining what the world should see about this community. And although the bootleg was primarily about Alan Doyle performing it was also about the community as well. The bootleg allowed people who did not attend and who were not part of this community to make comments about the community. Lots of images were also copied of this video and circulated. I believe those involved in a fundraising community event should determine what they want to share and how it should be shared whether via the traditional means of newspapers, radio or television and through social media. There are some things that should remain private and within the community. Because the person doing the performing is well known doesn't mean it should be circulated. And if they choose not to share events with the world then that is their choice and it should be respected."
It has been a very sad yet interesting story following the celebration and mourning of the life, music, illness, death and funeral of a man that had so much influence on musicians and artists in the Newfoundland community Ron Hynes. The story I have been following has been one mainly told by news outlets and some social media posts from many perspectives including the family, community members, music fans, and the Newfoundland musicians and artists whose work he influenced. The articles created by news outlets have been really inclusive of all and have most generously, kindly and respectfully shared their stories through words, music and photographs.
It was the Newfoundland community sharing and telling a story how they wanted to tell it, reaching people like me thousands of miles away on a different continent. While I am one of the first to admit I am not familiar with Ron’s music, I am familiar with its legacy on some of the musicians and artists from a place I know. Like a lot of others it has inspired me to go and research this Newfoundlander's contribution to music on the world. And these actions of fans have attracted a lot of criticism from those in the music industry in that it should be done during the life rather than the death of the musician and artist. A fair enough comment too.
One of the most interesting and wonderful stories was how the family of Ron Hynes and the local community chose to share the celebration of his life and music with the world. They most kindly invited all of those interested in attending the funeral service to join them. This event was covered by the local media including television, live streaming, social media and newspapers. The program, words, stories and songs were shared so beautifully and respectfully on social media around the word. As someone on social media pointed out this was very gracious of the local church conducting the service to break all the rules and let this happen. And this is where it should have ended.
One of the things that struck me most about the Newfoundland community in my journey through this fandom is that they are in all people who are very proud and love to celebrate and share their history, their culture and their stories when and how they wish. However, they also love their privacy as much as the next person. They don’t often share a lot of what happens in their community via the usual means of social media that I have been able to see. Maybe it is the age group of the people I am interested in and their use of social media. I respect their choice whether or not to invite people in through whatever means they want.
However, not all people understand and respect that choice about who determines the sharing. Lynda Elstad or Lynda Here as she is known on social media (and her friend Dr Christina Templeton) attended the funeral and a post funeral reception allegedly for the community. Lynda Here took photographs and bootlegs of the performances and later shared them on social media even though the service was broadcast by the local media. She wrote on her Facebook page “The closing song of Ron Hynes’ funeral service – which so fittingly and not one bit surprisingly turned into a group sing-a-long – from my own vantage point in the Bascilia…” Lynda Elstad failed to mention in the description that she and her friend Christina Templeton were in the front row of the service where they are most concerts they attend. They were not family members or Newfoundlanders and to the best of my knowledge did not know him.
Lynda Elstad and I am assuming Christina Templeton then attended a post-funeral reception in which members of the Newfoundland music community paid tribute at a local hotel. I didn’t hear anything or read anything about this event until Lynda Elstad started peddling the bootlegs she took on her social media accounts. Lynda Elstad stated this event was open to the public (after the event). While she advertised the funeral service on all the media outlets she never advertised the post-funeral reception. She then had the nerve to attend and take some bootlegs of all the performances. They were peddled via her own social media pages (including Twitter and Facebook) and the Great Big Sea Online Kitchen Party on Facebook. Surely musicians and artists can have a get together without her bootlegging and distributing them via social media.
Again it is kind of patronising not to advertise things to community members and then take photographs and bootlegs and peddle them via social media. There was more than enough information shared through social media and the traditional means and that is where is should have stopped unless it was arranged by those involved.
The post I wrote “A community in their own words” post on March 6, 2013 is copied below. I have not included two newspaper articles and some photographs from the original post about community choice in sharing what happens in a community.
Lynda Elstad and her friend Dr Christina Templeton front row at the church service. The photo was taken by a local media outlet.
A community in their own words and images… March , 2013
Our beloved Great Big Sea is taking a hiatus and its members Alan Doyle, Bob Hallett, Kris McFarlane and Murray Foster are busy with their individual projects. For those of us who follow Alan Doyle on social media know he has been writing and producing music for his next album and has been doing his community work for great causes. Causes close to his heart and home and sharing them on social media and in the traditional media along with other members of the community. These included the Bannerman Park skating loop, a school fundraiser, raising awareness and funds for the Shorefast Foundation at Fogo Inn on Fogo Island Newfoundland and a speaking engagement at the Newfoundland Hospitality Conference in Gander.
Alan Doyle, The Bannerman Park Official Facebook page, the schools involved social media pages and community have shared some beautiful photographs and words from the events. Alan Doyle shared some photographs and words on his official webpage Alandoyle.ca, and via Twitter. Other participants in the Shorefast Foundation event on Fogo Island including photographer BrianRicks@BrianRicksPhotos shared some amazing images on Twitter and on his official photography site of a working kitchen in black and white. There was also an article in the local media about Alan’s attendance at the hospitality conference copied below. Together the community created and share the stories in a way they wished to share.
@lyndahere was also there at the Bannerman Park skating loop opening and at a school fundraiser bootlegging and taking photographs which she loaded up onto her YouTube site and shared links to via Twitter and social media. Although I did not pay to go to the school fundraising event, I did watch a 15 minute video of Alan Doyle performing some people’s favourite songs including Thunderstruck by ACDC and Jessie’s Girl by Rick Springfield. It was I must say Alan Doyle with Stickman Tak (his guitar) at his best, informal and funny in front of his home crowd and among friends and family. Alan Doyle was totally brilliant.
As much as fans like me love hearing about what our favourite guys have been up to during their hiatus from Great Big Sea, when do we over step the boundaries and become invasive and voyeuristic? Basically I believe I had no right to be there even though it was bootlegged by @lyndahere at a respectful distance. It was an American determining what the world should see about this community. And although the bootleg was primarily about Alan Doyle performing it was also about the community as well. The bootleg allowed the world in fact, and people who did not attend and who were not part of this community to make comments about the community. Lots of images were also copied of this video and circulated. I believe those involved in a fundraising community event should determine what they want to share and how it should be shared whether via the traditional means of newspapers, radio or television and through social media. There are some things that should remain private and with the community. Because the person doing the performing is well known doesn't mean it should be circulated. And if they choose not to share events with the world then that is their choice and it should be respected.
