This week I
really don’t have a lot to say – that’s why this week’s Blog is late going up
on line, or one of them.
It was after
all the week after Easter.
Typically,
loads of people I needed to talk to had all cleared off on a “Spring break”
which meant I have been left to twiddle my thumbs.
However,
before getting into what my thumbs have been twiddling at, my spies have been
reporting good things about The Sheffield Folk Session Weekend Festival that
went off over the Easter weekend. While
attendances at the various venues was middling, and including of course many of
the “usual suspects”, it’s said that there was enough to promise better things
in future years.
Being out
and about during the week into Easter, I have to say that publicity about the
Event was minimal, indeed I only came across the glossy Flier on the
Thursday. But we should be used to this. One of my spies who ventured down the Parkway
to take part in the event tells me that signing and mapping of events was, at
least for him, was not that clear. But
any sort of criticism of a “grass roots” event of this sort is rather
churlish.
One Concert
that was by all accounts a rousing success was the Hallamshire Traditions Sponsored “Rarely Heard” Concert. The Concert, hosted by Paul & Liz
Davenport, featured the talent of Pete Smith,
John Bowden & Vic Shepheard, Tagwen Roberts, Simon Haywood, Hugh
Waller with a Band made up of Raymond Greenoken, Patrick Walker and Kate
Green. It was one of those I would have
loved to have been at.
From what
I’m told it was a fantastic way to kick off the Easter weekend.
Congratulations
to all involved for all the work that went into the planning and promoting of
this Festival, it’s one that will for sure establish itself on the South
Yorkshire Folk Calendar.
And thank
you Paul, I’ve nicked one of your photographs.
My time has
been mainly spent working on the new look to the Acoustic Rotherham Web Site, HERE which is now totally a standalone
Site. Think it looks a lot better and
reflects the more professional approach that needs to be made now that Acoustic
Rotherham has an important part to play as part of Rotherham Art Events, Web Site HERE
The key
pages will be converted; however, using my stats as a guide I shall be pruning
back on the site and concentrating all efforts on the most popular pages. However, I will provide links to some of the
older pages under an archive. I will not
be changing the pages but it will give some opportunity to dig back if
necessary.
Unfortunately
as I write I also have a problem with my Email people which I hope will be
sorted in short time, hence the lack of an update last week.
Preparations
for the Banners High Festival
continues well. We’re still waiting on
Speaker Confirmation before the main publicity goes out. Details and tickets, £10 for the whole day or £5 for the afternoon and £5 for the evening if bought in advance. Unwaged concession on day ticket only £5 More details HERE
You'll also find details of the Banners High T Shirt.
Yesterday
(Monday) I received what I think was intended to be a friendly Email from
“Official Sources” suggesting that one or two people may have got the
impression from my Blogs that the Council were spending tens of thousands of
pounds on the Mayors Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Street Party to be mounted in the
Town Centre on the 2nd June. Well, let’s be honest, I did say it in one of
those moments where I must have been in a ruthless mode. So I’m
happy to put the record right by stating that for “tens of thousands”, read “potentially
thousands of pounds”.
I have based
this on the sketchy outline we were given of the Street Party. Unless someone know differently I personally
fail to see how the event can be mounted for less than thousands, via both
direct cost and internal costs to the Council.
It was
pointed out that the Entertainment planned for the event has in the main been
donated, again, and contributing, despite all the fine words, to a culture of
Rotherham Art on the cheap. It’s clear
that this is going to be a hard nut to crack, but RAE will be doing everything
it can, with the support of Equity and other artist and arts based
Organisations will be seeking to change.
It might take time but if Rotherham cultural Festivals and Artists are
to be taken seriously at all levels from pro – to semi pro – emerging talent
then we must be seeking to invest in their efforts.
I know,
Dickie is a fine one to talk, but hey a start has to be made somewhere, by us
all.
The Email
also questions the loss of 200 jobs in the 2012 / 2013 Rotherham Borough
Council Budget as reported by the Advertiser.
Granted this
sort of stat taken in its raw form can be misleading as with natural wastage,
etc., the actual number of people losing jobs never quite reaches these heights. My humble view is that there is no difference
between natural wastage and sending out redundancy notices, it all amounts to
the same thing, less jobs.
And of
course this does not account for the jobs that will be lost as a result to
“cuts” to frontline services provided via other organisations.
However,
I am more than happy, and relieved to report, that these cuts have not affected
the RMBC Arts Services. Indeed many Councils have made major cuts in
the Arts, and so it’s great to see that Rotherham Council recognises the
importance of the Arts within the Community.
Finally,
well almost finally, the contents of my Blog, while seeking to inform, also
contain many views that are personal to me, which is what Blogging is all
about, some people may agree with what I have to say, others may disagree, and
for those who feel really strong about what I might say the comments box for
each Blog always remains open and unless clearly abusive, and I’ve never had
that (touch wood) remains unedited.
Long-time
readers of The Blog know only too well that it is not unknown for The Masher to
unintentionally upset someone, or on some occasions to directly upset some
people – even, dare he say, to get a fact wrong here and there. Normally such matters are sorted quickly
Let’s be
clear, The Masher does not in any way speak for the whole of the Rotherham
Arts.
I would
suggest that Banners High is one of those waves that come along from time to
time and that we need to ride out, and then once 2nd June is out of
the way we’ll be flying in full co-operation mode, towards Slamfest at the end
of July.
Let us not
forget, Banners High is after all a celebration of how the Arts can be used as
a tool of protest, and we’ve covered all the bases from a Rally, to an
afternoon of creative words and music, to a Concert providing a more light
hearted mode of protest, (the spoonful of sugar approach lol)
As such,
it’s not surprising that a few waves have been whipped up and it demonstrates a
healthy debate one hopes.
What makes
me choke though is that while I’m using my Blog to support various people and
processes within Rotherham Arts not a word is said, indeed the good folks do
not have the time to bother to read what is being put out, it’s only when there
is sniff of controversy that all of a sudden my Blog becomes the most important
piece reading in the Town. It does
explain why this past week has seen a record number of back issue hits. I would also add as one parting shot from this
section that all the basic information about Rotherham Art Events and Acoustic
Rotherham can be found on the relevant Web Sites, which stated earlier, have
recently been greatly improved.
So my hand
slapped and retaliation delivered we move on.
The first General Meeting of Rotherham Art
Events will take place at The Bridge in Rotherham on 25th April 2012
7:00pm Upstairs. Everyone is
welcome, especially those who have something to bring to the Organisation or
has a project or idea that might be used at Slamfest or The Fringe
Festival.
Mainly
though it’s a getting to know you exercise as while some people may be quite
well known many people on the Committee have not really been involved in what
might be described as the mainstream of Rotherham Art productions in the past.
As a real
special treat, and a sort of carrot, I’ve managed to talk Kurt Sawalies, who is
in the UK on a Tour, into providing us with a Concert to follow the
Meeting. We might also talk someone into
doing a support spot, but one thing is for certain it will be a Masher free
zone. So no excuses for not coming.
Poet and
great supporter of the Arts in Rotherham, as well as editing the Poets Corner
on the Acoustic Rotherham Web Site, Carol
Robson, has been going through a rough period. When she had her breast implant surgery done
the Surgeon used PIP implants which on checking were found to be leaking. After considerable hassle she has found a
surgeon who will do a replacement operation, but at considerable cost. The original Clinic having been taken over
and the new owners refusing to accept liability for the PIP Implants.
Many women
find themselves in this dreadful situation.
Quite often the impression is given that breast Implants are a cosmetic
procedure, a vanity opt in. However, for
a lot of women, Carol being one of them, the procedure was essential, and to
now find that they have been let down by the Carers to whom they trusted the
work.
Carol is undertaking a Sponsored Creepy
Crawly event, where she will be exposing herself, sorry, will be playing
with some of the little critters. The
event is organised by the Trusted PIP Group, and will be taking place at a Wild
Life Park in Hertfordshire. You can
find the Sponsorship Form in Poets Corner, from Friday. Please Sponsor Carol, download and
print off a form and send it to her.
These ladies deserve our support.
Great news is the release of the Papa Legba’s
new EP Four Shots. And about time
too some would say. Now what was it Tim
told me say. The EP is a masterpiece of
modern musical engineering, featuring Rotherham’s favourite band at their eccentric
very best. One suspects that copies will
be available at all their Gigs at a very reasonable and democratic price.
I look
forward to a Review copy by return………………………….
I’d give you
a HEADS UP to a great evening of music on the 27th April at The Old
Market Gallery on Corporation Street, featuring the Rotherham Red Choir, Toein’ In The Dark and Ray Hearne. It should be a very special way to celebrate
the start of May Day.
And on Saturday 5th May there will
be a traditional march starting at the Town Hall Square 10:30am followed by a
rally in All Saints Square, with music from The Rotherham Red Choir and who
knows? Perhaps even the Rawmarsh Mashrer.
We should know by then if the Country will have sent a message to the
millionaires in Government that the current austerity programme is
unacceptable.
Over 45?
Play the guitar? Sing songs? Then why
not enter the Wath Folk Festival Silver
Roots Competition? An interesting line
up is developing, and of course it’s all going to be introduced by The Rawmarsh
Masher who will be passing on some of his slick guitar tips. Keen followers of the Mashers will know that
he has 101 variations on the three basic chords…………….. It’s
free entry, and runs from 1:00pm at The Red Lion on Saturday 5th
May. Email me at acousticrotherham@jmucreate.com
I shall be
at both events.
Art
Organisations from all genres interested in talking to Schools have a great
opportunity on May 3rd at The
Arts Interchange, which is being held at the Old Market Gallery. The event runs from 4:00pm. If you would like a stall / take part, then
please Email Matt Butt at ROAR matt@rotherhamroar.org
Starting the
26th April a new Exhibition starts within the Imperial Building
Gallery, “The Creativity of Rotherham” mounted
by ROAR. This Exhibition is open to all
genres, from text to fine art, and if you have a piece that is A3 mounted then
pop into the Gallery for more detail or see the poster alongside this
paragraph. The Exhibition ends on 24th
May.
Anyone
around the Cotswolds area this weekend have a real treat in store. It’s the Oxford Folk Weekend where Paul &
Liz Davenport will be performing, and the Cheltenham Poetry Festival will be in
full swing.
And of
course all the usual stuff will be going on so check out the Diary Listings
Page HERE
So whatever you are doing this week, have fun, support local music, and keep it live.
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