It’s busy, busy, busy.
But let’s start this week’s Blog by paying a tribute to Bert Jansch, probably the finest guitar player of his generation within the Folk genre. I suspect most acoustic / folk music lovers will have Pentangles “Basket of Light” in their collection and of those most will have at least one Jansch solo album on the shelf to.
I only got to see him twice, both in my formative years. He appeared solo at The Railway Folk Club, in Fratton, Portsmouth, and was one of the few acts not to sing the “Wild Rover”, my note on the evening says! Then again a couple of years later when he was out on the road with Pentangle where their amazing harmonies and truly interesting and ground breaking musical arrangements of both traditional and their own material held a packed audience at Portsmouth Guildhall in their hands. Great memories.
RIP Bert. His Web Site is HERE
Another sad story reached my Inbox this week. The highly popular Birdsedge Live Folk Concerts organised by Jacey Bedford are to come to an end. Perhaps it’s a sign of the times, but the Village Hall Committee decided to more than double the rent on the use of the room, and as the Concerts have only just about been breaking even then in Jacey’s words “there seemed little point in struggling on”. Of course the irony of the situation is that the Birdsedge Live Concerts were born as part of the fund raising campaign to re-vamp the same Village Hall that has now decided to increase the rent so violently. People’s memories tend to be short, and loyalty these days is in very short supply.
Birdsedge Live has one remaining Concert this Autumn, and decisions are yet to be made about two firm bookings that Jacey has made for 2012. See the November Diary page for details and additional links.
Another Club under threat is the G String Club at The Angel, in Topcliffe who are going through the torture of the multiple Manager change. Steve has contingency plans in place should things become really difficult. A big pity though as the free supper which was a feature of the Club, is now under threat.
Reading through the reams or should it be pages of comments and articles on the Internet suggests that Folk Clubs in general are going through hard times. The age demographic in particular is of great concern, with most Clubs populated by the fifty plus age group, and my own empirical evidence suggests that Clubs are kept going by the usual suspects. It is something that needs to be addressed at all levels of Folk Club, be they Guest Clubs or Singer Clubs.
The UKFCN are at least trying to do something about it. They are looking into the reasons for market resistance to Clubs, etc. although I have to say that one or two comments I read cause me concern e.g. ”It’s my Club and we’re not going to change”.
YOU CAN GIVE YOUR VIEWS!! I would urge you to follow the links and answer the Online Survey HERE
Without a doubt we need to understand our audiences far better, and our Venues, and the more input into this survey the better the understanding will be.
Watch out to for news of the Regional Events that are currently in the process of being organised.
Well, this week I was allowed out under the armed guard of Son Number 1, but only because it was my birthday!! Mrs Masher is looking ahead to what looks to be a manic end of October and November and feels I need to build up my strength.
But I made the most of it, and managed to fit in two venues and Bands in one evening.
My first port of call was the Woodlands Club, that’s one hidden away opposite Clifton Park. I think this was the launch of Florin, the Quartet, bongos and light drums having been added to their more familiar sound.
Those ardent readers of the Blog will know that while having full respect for the technical musical brilliance of the Band members I always felt that there was something missing.
From the evidence of the forty minutes of their show that I was able to stay for I can tell you that all my reservations have been shattered. The hard work that the boys have clearly been putting in during the down time will certainly bring their rewards.
I think most of the work has gone into the musical arrangements of the material. The vocal harmony between Rob and Bob is now more relaxed, and Rob’s mandolin now reflects the needs of the music, rather than what had sometimes appeared just a need to do something. The new additional percussion provides an interesting understated rhythm and I felt blends brilliantly with the overall sound mix.
Best of all though, as an overall performance they have at last put some thought into their Set List. Instead of the previous similarity between each song we now have a set list that lives, each song contrasting with the other and the introduction of the Irish Jig thirty minutes in is a master stroke, revitalising the audience at that dangerous moment in any performance.
There’s more. I had chat with Bob before the show and besides telling me about how the boys have been working, he let it slip that he is writing more original material. This is good news, as Bob is a brilliant and original song writer, I know he’ll hate this, but if you go listen to “The Yorskshire Gypsey” you’ll see what I mean, as it demonstrates his ability to write both melodically using clever lyrical rhythms.
And the set list reflected Florin’s use of Bob’s material.
Of course I can’t close this review without a mention for the NEW SINGLE “Just Can’t Last” a Bob composition. This is Florin at it’s very best, and all I do is urge you to get your hands on a copy or demand that they load it up to Reverbnation.
So, well done lads, proof positive that you have a passion for the music you are playing and work hard that it can all come together. OK a negative, Bob was rather understated with his introductions, those he was up front with were great, maybe he was just a bit nervous – but more witty observations between songs, especially given the intensity of the music would be most welcome. But I know from experience, playing to an audience made up of musico’s can be very daunting, particularly when you’ve a new message to give.
I recommend that if Florin are playing near you soon that you go take a look, I’m just sorry that they are one of the local Bands that we couldn’t book into the Rotherham Open Arts Festival Concert season because of their work commitments.
That Florin single - live - with thanks to Linda HERE
That Florin single - live - with thanks to Linda HERE
Then a short drive up the road to Vascos at Wickersley.
Yet another heaving venue, and on stage, The Storm Trees. When you see this Band you’d be right to recognise the two key members, lead guitarist Richard and lead singer Julie, for together they have been wowing local audiences as Eskimo Kissed! . Storm Trees are the rocky quartet version, adding drums and bass to the mix.
Yes the venue, like the Woodlands was packed, but the audiences were very different. Instead of the intimate audience made up of folks who had come along to listen to the music Vascos was packed with Friday night revellers. The Mashers played one or two of these, and it requires a slightly different mind-set to the performance.
I should also add, the twenty minute set I got to see was Storm Trees first in public, and a fine start it was to.
Playing a mixture of their own material and popular covers they held the audience brilliantly, with Julie whipping the sagging drunks up to tap their toes and a few to even dance.
Once everyone in the band relaxes they are going to get even better and on the evidence of this debut we have a lot to look forward to, and I’ll be looking to catch Storm Trees again in the not too distant future.
In the immediacy you’ll be able to sample the delights of Eskimo kissed! At the AcousticRotherham Third Birthday Party (ON STAGE TIMES ARE UP) and at a couple of the concerts. And who knows you might also catch them out during the Busking Day.
I also bumped into Mel and Biff, for those uneducated people, they are the moving force behind Leather Zoo, who perform just amazing punk and sometimes I feel are one of the Regions best kept secrets. It’s exciting times for Leather Zoo for having built up a huge fan base in Europe they are heading out to the States this week to play sixteen dates in three weeks. If you’ve seen their performances you will know that this will be a fantastic stamina achievement let alone breaking their music in the USA.
Their next UK appearance will be in December in Manchester. But keep an eye on the listings folks and if they are playing near you I can’t recommend as evening in their company enough, especially if you want to see punk as it should be played. Their Web Site HERE
Slowly but surely the Web Site is undergoing it’s change. The good news is that at long last a link to the site will now appear on the Arts Community pages of the Rotherham MBC site. A major step forward as we try to illustrate to all the fantastic talent that is currently making Rotherham such a rich place for live music. You can check out the addition HERE
As to the Festival News (Rotherham Open Arts Festival 1st – 30th November) I’ve brought our Festival page right up to date, HERE
You will find that added to The Old Market Gallery programme is a Workshop on the 8th November delivered by Paul Davenport supported by his Wife and music partner Liz. The subject matter is The Gatty collection, which is a collection of songs from the Braithwell, Bramley, Ravenfield, and Stainton areas made by Gatty when he was visited by Vaughan Williams in 1907. The songs are to be published in one volume for the first time in early 2012 after some brilliant research by Paul & Liz. I’m sure that historians and particularly those of music and song will find this a great evening. It is of course a free event.
I’ve also added the key links that you will need to book seats for the main Dance events at Magna, and if you’re a Morris Dancer or Clog Dancer reading this you may be interested in taking up the opportunity to work with the Retina Dance Company and take part in their performance. If you check out the link I’ve posted to the Rentian Web Site you can see exactly how subtle you’ll need to be, and I’m not yet sure if tights are included. ARTISTS APPEARING AT THE FESTIVAL CONCERTS WILL ALSO FIND A LINK TO THEIR ON STAGE TIMES HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE PAGE. WHICH IS HERE.
It’s all systems go for the Busking Day on the 29th October in Rotherham Town Centre. I’m pleased to be able to say that folks are beginning to Register the latest being the Rotherham Red Choir.
This is a complete Fun Day, no stars etc., no Bill headlining. We just would like as much of the performing arts talent in Rotherham t come onto the Streets.
Even if your Band cannot make the day as a group, why not Register and come along and bang out a few of your back bedroom favourites. It doesn’t matter what your standard is we want YOU to join in.
Advanced Registration HERE would be preferred but if you make your mind up late then you’ll be able to Register on the day at The Imperial Building. The link also provides you with other information.
And of course preceding all the Festival activity there will be the exciting opening of ROAR's new premises at Westgate.
Just a bit of heads up, a lot of the Festivals are making 2012 tickets available on very special Very Early Bird Rates. It’s well worth searching for your favourite must not miss Festival to see if their tickets are already on sale.
“ROY BLACKMAN – Rotherham’s Man of Memories” a CD celebrating the music and poems of our Roy and made possible by The Myke Barritt Music Trust took another step towards it’s realisation this week. The initial recordings are now with us, and the CD has now been constructed from the tracks we have available.
We’ve a bit more work to do on the production side and the artwork to finalise before the CD can go into full production. Our target release date remains mid – December. However, we hope to have enough together to allow for pre-orders from the 1st November.
The recording quality and production is brilliant, and I’ve put a teaser track up for you to enjoy, it’s not one you’ll find on the CD so I’m not spoiling the surprise. You can find it HERE
And so we come to look at the week ahead.
Besides the regular weekly events you’ll find that it’s Burton Street on Tuesday, it being the second of the month for Hillsborough Folk, everyone welcome from around 8:00pm in the bar. Thursday the Ring O Bells session at Silkstone with String Theory is I’m told a super evening of music. On Friday you’ll find the fantastic ROMP (Rotherham Open Mic Poets) meeting at The Bridge in Rotherham. You’ll need to get in early, but it’s lovely way to spend an evening in great company. Florin are playing live over at Wensleydale also on Friday Night.
A special mention for a new evening making it’s debut this week. An informal evening of Bluegrass at the Huntsman, on Manchester Road, in Sheffield, featuring the Sheaf River Band with Chris Macshane. The evening kicks off around 8:30pm
Into the weekend and at The Monkwood on Saturday night you’ll find a Festival of local Bands playing under the Bean Fest banner. A brilliant night of music for charity, and the Wortley Folk Club has some special guests at The Venue over in Stocksbridge.
Further up north you’ll find that our good friend Chris Milner is promoting a special evening for RODNEY CORNER AND JOHN-PIERRE RUDOLPH, who are celebrating 40 years on the road together on Friday in the good Town of Stanley, (I remember it well from my Durham days) The aforementioned G String Acoustic Club will be meeting at The Angel Topcliffe on Sunday evening unless you hear something different.
All the details and locations can be checked out on the Diary page HERE
And that’s It for this week folks. Whatever you are doing have a great time and KEEP IT LIVE
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