Monday 5 April 2010

A Non Review but loads of News


So let’s get the important stuff done and that’s to wish each and every one of you a very Happy and Peaceful Easter. 
I always look upon this time of the year as a time for reflection and renewal and this year more than ever with so much happening in my personal life that requiring major changes to the lifestyle that had become the norm.
Thanks again to all of you who have been continuing to enquire about the health issues, a change in the brand of drugs prescribed appears to have settled things down, although we’re still not firing on all cylinders yet.
And so our week started with an excellent practice session at The Bridge Inn.  Yet another new song added to the rep. we’ve added one of our favourite Ray Hearne numbers.  Don’t forget, if anyone wants to watch the blood flow we’ve been well hidden by Ben the Land Lord in the small upstairs room.
On Tuesday we headed over to The Riverside in Sheffield, a new venue for The Mashers.  This was Dave Paskell’s Fund Raiser for the UNICEF Haiti Appeal, and we joined up with our old friends Tina McKevitt / Matt Hegarty, Phillip Hartley and Paul Pearson to put on an evening of acoustic music.  There were also excellent short spots from Dave himself and Al – better known as the Mist Hills Mountain Rambler.
What an evening it proved to be with everyone seemingly on top notch form and turning in some impressive sets.
For a wet Tuesday night in Sheffield the audience size wasn’t all that bad and certainly seemed appreciative of the efforts made by the acts.  It was good to see friends from all over the Region paying a visit.
Dare I say that The Mashers were on red hot form – we really enjoyed our set, even if no one else did.
You can see pictures taken by Linda Gamston HERE
And congratulations to Dave who raised £170 on the night for the UNICEF Appeal.
Saturday was a real downer.   Crossphyre were due to play at The Bridge Inn, that’s Tom and his mate who made their debut at the first Acoustic Rotherham.  
The Boss and I arrived at the point in the evening when we expected everything to be in full swing only to find a very quiet pub, except for a Party going on in an upstairs room. 
It appears that the duo arrived, set up and sound tested, when a couple of vocal Wednesday supporters entered the pub and did there bit for local relations with a few chants.  I’m told it was really nothing.
But that was enough for Tom who walked out of the Pub, and did not return, leaving a very frustrated Land Lord with no live entertainment on a Saturday night.
I’m afraid that I can’t in any way give support to the artist on this occasion.   The minor disturbance did not even happen during performance time. 
Worse, The Bridge Inn currently gives full support to local artists, providing them with an opportunity to showcase their music no matter what the genre.  It’s so unfair, and very unprofessional to leave the Land Lord with an empty venue and having to watch people head off to other venues on a Saturday night and Easter Saturday at that, when he might have expected a good night of takings.  Although, my Wife did her best to help out on that score.
This was to have been Grossfyre’s second appearance at The Bridge, and came after a recommendation from me, which makes me even more cross that the artist was so petulant.
We all have a responsibility to fulfil commitments, even if we may not be “up for it” or the audience is not in tune with what we are doing.  In this case, to storm off before even starting, is just so stupid and selfish.    Perhaps Phillip Hartley’s song “Folk Club Prima Donna” should be played to Tom – several times over.   

And at the risk of being a Prima Donna myself.......  what you'd already sussed that out?  Well, I was well peeved on Thursday night to discover thata Folk Club that will not be named had been put off from booking us because they had heard on the grapevine that The Mashers demand what could only be described as an excessive fee.
I only wish we could demand the sum that was quoted to us, it would have solved one or two problems with the Bank Manager. 
If you want to Book The Mashers then go to our Booking page and give me a call - we do it mostly for fun and we charge nowhere near what is apparently being suggested on the whisper market - in fact as many will vouch, including my Bank Manager most places get us for beer and or petrol.  The Booking page is HERE

As promised I’ve made changes to the Gig Diary on the Acoustic Rotherham Web Site.   I hope that it’s all much clearer now and because of the Diary layout it gives a chance to list all the regular Club Nights as well as the one off events.   To get listed just Email acousticrotherham@jmucreate.com  You can check out the April and May listings so far HERE
The sharp eyed amongst you will have also spotted that there’s a new page.  The Rotherham Political Forum.    I hope the page will grow to include links to various and interesting Left sided activities.  However, it’s not Richard’s page, it belongs to the Political Forum and articles etc. will follow.  
There’s an Open Meeting coming up on the 22nd April, where there might well be a musical interlude of rabble rousing songs from The Mashers, and of course the Festival on 31st May.  More details on the latter coming soon.  
And if you live in Rotherham there’s a sort of feature on Mike Sylvester’s Independent Local Election Campaign for the Wingfield Ward.  HERE

On Web matters.  The Acoustic Rotherham site continues to grow in popularity.  Of all sites globally it’s now placed within the top 700,000 and Nationally 27,000.  Not bad for a localised site. 
I’m not sure what I said last week’s Blog but it proved to be one of the most popular so far – although not coming close to the hits that Richard’s agro Blogs got. 
The Mashers continue to hold the Number Two spot for South Yorkshire in the Reverbnation Charts, translated to the top twenty Nationally, being held off the number one by our good friends (he says through gritted teeth) Jack’s Rake.  What all that means one is not sure as the Reverbnation method of calculating the Equity is always changing.  But it’s good to see that we’re consistent.
The Acoustic Rotherham Reverbnation ranking is slipping though - get to the music to change all that please.
And isn’t it good to know that Bishop FM’s Folk Show, introduced by that Giant of Internet and local broadcasting, Terry Ferdinand, will soon be back on our computers.   What this guy has done for us local Folkies deserves a medal, and what’s more his choice of music gives everyone a chance, which is why his Folk Show wins over many others out there in Local / Community Radio land – there is no questioning of what constitutes Folk music, and no narrow definitions placed upon the genre.  Well done Terry.   You can link up and add Bishop FM to your Favourites HERE
Just to add our name to the folks complaining about the current problems that everyone appears to be having with Myspace.   One feels the message is, if it’s not broke, then don’t fix it”.  In trying to change things and keep up with some the features offered by Facebook they have in fact shot themselves in the foot.   Let’s hope that all the problems are sorted out soon.

So Tuesday you’ll find The Mashers at The Three Tuns Stainton, helping out Sue and Barry in the absence of regular host John, who has chosen this week for a holiday (well earned he says).
We may also be somewhere or other on Monday as The Bridge is closed for Bank Holiday Monday.  
Keep a check on the status bars of Myspace or Facebook or Twitter for everything else.
AND DON’T FORGET TO JOIN UP WITH THE ACOUSTIC ROTHERHAM FACEBOOK PAGE – HERE

No comments:

Post a Comment