Such really
sad news to hear that the current “Fishermen’s Friends” Tour has been blighted
by the dreadful death of their Tour Manager Paul McMullen and the serious
injury to one of the ensemble members, Trevor Gill when a heavy metal door fell
on them at the G Live venue in Guildford.
I’m sure the thoughts of the folk Community are with the families and
all those associated with the Shanty singers.
News of New
Year session openings, closings, new venues and day changes. Confused?
I was.
The return
of an old friend gathering of musicians, “Hangman’s Corner”. This is to be a regular Monthly event on the
second Friday, at The Bridge. Yes,
you’ve missed the first one, although I did try to get news out in the catch up
Emailing last week. It’s a set programme
of local artists doing their thing, and I guess (says he) that performance is
by invitation. In other words it’s NOT
an Open Mic.
My spies
tell me that the first one The Bridge was packed out, mainly I’m told for the
free Pork pie on offer, and to listen to a wild Tim Cleverley on guitar and beer glass. But it’s great to be able to report yet
another musical session success in 2013.
In fact it’s
currently all looking good. The Thursday
Bridge Session is currently doing brilliantly, with players and an audience
coming in from all over the Borough, and the monthly session at The Butchers
Arms, Braithwell had a near sell out attendance.
The Black
Lion, Firbeck session is sadly no more.
Apparently the Land Lord was not making enough on the beer to cover the
cost of the very nice chips he used to serve up. This is a complaint I have heard many times
recently, folkies are simply not drinking enough! Could this be because we no longer
appreciate good ale? Is it a comment on the price of a pint? Or is it simply we
are financially wiped out by the Government?
Personally I think it’s because we’re having to travel by car to venues
and thus, drinking is a no, no. Good
news for Black Lion supporters, Keith has found a new home for you at The
Hadfield Arms at Laughton but be warned it’s now the 4th THURSDAY of
the Month.
Paul
Davenport’s Maltby Sword Dancers are currently looking for a new home for their
practice as the White Swan has been closed and is up for sale. I’m sure Paul is looking but I suspect he
would appreciate a heads up to any available space in the Maltby area.
Finally a
change of day to report. “Dermot’s –
Ferry Folk” a session hidden away in the
wilds of outer Doncaster, THE CROOKED
BILLET, SOUTH STREET, OWSTON FERRY DN9 1RT now meets on the third Thursday of
the Month.
Those of a
certain age will like this very strong rumour………….. the word is on the Street that Rotherham’s
Club area will soon have a Bar catering to mainly Northern Soul and other
seventies / eighties music. Stay tuned for details.
I think I’ve
updated our listings page accordingly and of course thanks to Masher John for
reporting his findings.
Big news out of RAE / Acoustic Rotherham
section is that our quarterly Acoustic Rotherham Showcase Events are to be
re-launched. We’re up to number 17
now (some of you may have seen number 18 banded about, it was a lie) and for
the first time will be moving out of spiritual home of Rawmarsh to take this
unique music experience into Rotherham……….
Hohoho. So come on down to The Bridge on the 7th April. I’m currently drawing up my list of folks
who want to play so just to make sure that I’ve not forgotten you please drop
me an Email HERE to give me a
kick. I’m told that Tony has heard
rumours of the marathon nature of the event and has promised one of The Bridge’s
super Buffets – worth putting in your Diary for that alone.
Don't know about Acoustic Rotherham Showcase Events? Where have you been? find out more HERE
It’s great
to report that the second Live At The Trades, featuring local band Tram 13 was another rip roaring,
rocking success. I was particularly
interested in the two young acoustic indie solo acts who warmed the audience
up, Del Scott Miller and Brandon Gray
– names to watch out for in the future.
Showing
fantastic energy Tram 13 performed around
two hours’ worth of high tempo rock,
with just a ten minute break to consume drummer Richard’s birthday cake, (he was 49) a true survivor having
lived through years with Phil Murray and The Boys From Bury. Another example of a local band providing excellent
live and real music entertainment. There were some fantastic comments from those
who came along and help generate a great atmosphere again.
Live At The Trades moves on. Our next promotion is the Manic, Mega, Music Riot Weekend, with The
Psychedelic Warlords playing a
special Concert on FRIDAY 1st March and an amazing six Band Indie Rock Night on SATURDAY 2nd
March.
Fingers
crossed, but I hope to be able to announce some really exciting news, well
exciting for us, by the end of the week.
Just waiting for Official notification, before broadcasting to the
World.
Fantastic
news for the real Folkies, or those who simply want to find out more about Folk
Music. Topic Records, who have been
involved in the recording of working class grass roots music since their traced
origins with The Workers Music Association since 1939, have released a
catalogue of eighty digitalised albums, many of which have been unavailable for
some time. You can find it HERE.
For those interested this is a chance to discover the fantastic
depth of folk in the UK and Ireland, and to catch up on some of the early
recordings. Well worth some your time.
While in
Folk mode, it seems that Mike Harding has had to fork out £3K of his own money
to buy all the Licenses that he has needed to launch his online Radio
Programme. It goes out fresh on a Sunday
tea time, but is then looped like a podcast for the rest of the week. Anyone wishing to donate a small sum to keep
the show going can find a link HERE.
Funding for
anything is not going to get any easier during 2013 and that applies to the
Arts as much as to all public services. The days of rich pickings have gone, as are
the days of lazy project Management.
Personally
in some respects I don’t think this is a bad thing. While it would be nice to have the Arts
Council running around Rotherham and throwing money at us, I feel that the
policies of the past have led to lazy Management, planning and thinking. Arts Council Grants have been so taken for
granted in the past that very little effort had been put into developing links
with the business Community etc., with a view to developing projects and work
that Commerce may be prepared to Sponsor.
Hey and don’t
get wrong. I have many issues with how
Arts Council funds are used nationally, but that’s another essay.
In Rotherham
we have several Independent Art organisations all of which will be seeking to
dip into a dwindling pot, a pot I’m sad to say that might have run dry for some
activities, Festival Performance being one of them.
There is
also a danger that once everyone has got their act together that local business
will simply get completely fed up with organisations knocking on their door and
asking for money. Which is why I believe
that groups like The Rotherham Culture Group and Rotherham Art Events and
others should be joining forces in a co-ordinated fund raising attach.
It won’t
happen. Why not? Because there are few that truly recognise
just how difficult it will be from here on in to raise Funds from public
sources. The politics will get in the
way.
That’s why
RAE are not messing about. We know that
we have to come up with a Business Plan that does not assume grants or
Management Fees, even of the pathetic levels of 2012, so we have appointed
Beverley Casson who will be working in a Volunteer role to sale Sponsorship and
Advertising. It will clearly take
Beverly a few weeks to get read in and set up, but she will become the new
first point of call for Commercial Fund Raising for our Festivals and
activities.
The Rotherham Culture Group will be
looking to provide support to the Hindu Holy Festival; Black Culture Month and of
course provide the music / performance stage at the Rotherham Show, better
known as The Diversity Festival.
Donations can be sent HERE
For what RAE are up to you’ll have to head HERE Where you will find Donate buttons
he laughs.
Just heard that
those well-known folkies Munford and Son
have just won a Grammy. Congratulations.
A fairly
quiet week ahead, although as soon as someone reads that the Inbox will be full
of important happening things.
Just draw
your attention again to the Rotherham’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans
history month Exhibition currently on view at The Old Market Gallery, continues
Tuesday to Saturday. I’ve not seen it
myself yet, but hope to pop in on Thursday.
On Wednesday
you’ll find that rumours that my old mate Phillip
Hartley would be giving up singing for Lent are completely untrue, when he
hosts The Crown Session. That’s The
Crown Albert Road in Heely, Sheffield.
All the
standard Sessions and Clubs will be meeting as usual.
If this week
is quiet the next week positively jumps with activity as previously reported. On Friday 22nd Dave Berry will doing his stuff at The Rock,
Maltby. Always a good value evening
of music. For those with pockets that
are not quite so deep there’s Makeshiftz
and Friends at The Chequers in Whiston.
Then on
Saturday it’s a rush around Town. From
4:00pm in The Bridge upstairs room there’s a Festival of Underground Heavy Metal Music, entry £4. (For those not in the know, this is the Metal
genre that seems very melodic in places but then goes into screaming breaks –
sorry guys – just old man comment – I really must discover more about it). At The Old Market Gallery, Stan Skinny and company will be
performing their “Wordsmack Caberet”
entry £5.
At The
Trades Venue Rotherham Trades Council are providing the finance to promote The Banner Theatre. Promote might be too grandeur word. I have tried to help things along by making
sure the support Band The Hurriers from Barnsley had a PA, and by putting up an
Event on Facebook, running a Poster ad on our listing page. The result yet more pathetic Monty Python
Life of Brian like comments about who is behind the event is the RAGC or the
RAC, or RSNHSC WHO CARES!! – WE HAVE A
WORLD CLASS THEATRE COMPANY COMING AND NO ONE KNOWS. There’s not even a Poster in the Venue!!! So I’ve told people and who knows someone
somewhere might sort something out before they completely waste a whole bundle
of money.
And in Doncaster they have a really
interesting line up for one of their splendid Folk Festival Fund Raising
Concerts.
All the
details can be found of course on the Listings Page HERE
Tickets for
the Wath Folk Festival and the line-up are now available HERE
Live at The Trades updates appear HERE
Rotherham Art Events News and updates HERE
I think we’ve
bored you enough for another week, so we’ll leave it there.
So whatever
you are doing this coming week, have great fun, support your local artists and KEEP IT LIVE.
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