Making a late start to this week’s News Blog.
It’s been one of those bitty weeks that I’m sure we all have from time to time, marked at the start of the week by major communications failures.
First to break down was my mobile, which I can survive without, but when on Tuesday I was working away when suddenly my Internet Connection broke, I was a bit like a blind man tottering at the top of steep stair case!
We are a wasting Society, you know. When I called my Internet Supplier it took over twenty minutes to get myself connected to an operative (at my expense), this following five minutes of telling me how I’d need to be sat in front of my computer; that turning the Computer off and on often solves the problem; turning the router on and off often solves the problem and telling me how valuable my call is to them....... it certainly was.
My problem, and it was quite clear, was that I had no power going into the router. The nice lady at Customer Support ran her Tests, “yes you have a problem” she said. Then I was told that router would have to be replaced, which I was informed would take up to five days!! All for a one pound, if that, power lead.
As it happens I did have a cable that solved my immediate problem, but the whole unit still had to be replaced.
Then the mobile phone. Apparently they had managed to do something that had completely locked me out of the network…………. The answer? Another phone and number!! This time the wait was to be forty eight hours.
We’re all now up and working on all fronts, although my Mobile seems to do everything except scrub my back in the bath, or make the coffee.
With what looks to be a mad six weeks heading my way Mrs Masher is being very firm about my sleeping and resting, and so I have not been allowed out much.
Because of this the outing to Birdsedge on Tuesday to tidy up and finish the recording part of the Roy Blackman project proved to be very nearly the highlight of the week.
I can report that we now have the rough mix of the CD now in the can and that only the mastering has to be done. Once I’ve got the lyric sheets and other odds and sods together it’s all systems go.
Later in the week I had a really constructive meeting with Lizzy at the Council Arts Offices to discuss the Busking Day and a few other exciting projects that might be in the pipeline.
The plans for the Busking Day on 29th October are progressing. I’m pleased to say that more and more folks are joining the list of performers, but we’re still looking for more diversity in the acts and demonstrations on show. Please come and join in the fun and please tell your friends about the event, especially if they are a performer who would like to join in. All the details and Registration are HERE and more details can be gained by calling me 07805699476.
The final piece of the Open Arts Festival was slotted into place when Ray Hearne confirmed the date for his Workshop “Rotherham Utd: A Community Experience”, where intends to explore how the football Club has impacted upon the Rotherham Community. It should be a really interesting and exciting project. November 15th is the date.
For those beginning to panic I’m hoping that we’ll see the main publicity for the season of Concerts hitting the streets in the coming week. You can find the programme HERE
The week ended by being dragged out (if you believe that you’ll believe anything) by Mrs Masher to the Club for an hour or so.
We didn’t last long. A band by the name of Warrior was the offering. I think I’m getting old, I hunger for those days when rock bands had sound mixing desks with a sound man. Here once again the first two songs of the set I saw was taken up with much fluffing around as one of the Groups supporters stood at the back of the room to give the old thumbs up thumbs down, while band members gave various hand signals – only into the third song was the switch clicked and the volume doubled, and the full glory of the mis-balance became clear.
It didn’t do the Band many favours. For this was journeyman performance, performed live with no clever backing tracks and for songs like “Brick In The Wall” to work the band really has to be together, and together it was not quite. (if you forgive the appalling English).
But hey it was fun…………………. And for me it was good to get out for half an evening.
The other half of the evening had been spent watching XFactor. Oh dear!! There is undoubtedly some fantastic raw talent on show, and in the programme I saw there were for me two stand out performances, but the problem was working out if they were because the others were so weak or because these people had the talent to be one step up from the Cabaret Level or as that snob Gary Barlow suggested Cruise Ship standard.
Personally, and I’ll confess to watching some of the audition programmes, and some of the problem I think is in the songs that one or two of the Judges asked their performers to do.
While on the Judges, I have to say that admired the way in which Tulisa sorted out her “Bands” section. All three of the final Bands were her creations from either discarded solo performers or ripped away from their mates to be thrust with some new best buddies. She did an excellent job, although judging by the negative vibes coming from one of the Groups not everyone appreciates the opportunity they have been offered.
I wish though that there was less emphasis on the fame and glitz, and that the acts appreciated that no matter what, they could make a very comfortable living and have a wonderful life style simply by having appeared on the programme and shown their best. When I hear such young souls worrying that they are not being recognised in the street I wonder at their motivation, of course the simple answer has to be to the fame issue, buy a Masher Cap!!
I love Johnny though……………………… he knows what it’s all about.
Enough froth.
The Masher takes to the road, sorry, railway lines next week, playing the KEIGHLEY AND WORTH Railway Beer Festival 22nd October. I suppose that means I’ll have to do a bit of practice during the week ahead. I’m playing in Buffet Car of the Train on the early Saturday Evening. FULLDETAILS HERE
And so having by various devious methods chased off my partners in crime, I’m pleased to be able to announce that my old mate John Statter will be appearing as the Honorary Masher next weekend. He’ll be spending his week perfecting the chords of G and C on his various instruments in readiness for this Gig. We’re doing two 45 minute spots on the train so I hope he’s up for the ride.
The draw of Beer & Steam Trains has to be too much for anyone, so come along and join us, go to the Web Page and get your ticket booked.
Web Sites. Well progress in the re-write is a bit slow now. However the Menu Bar has now been sorted and all the main pages can now be accessed from it. I’ve sorted out that problem on the Roy Blackman page where the Doreen section seemed a bit chopped off, so you can now get to all the recordings that I have. Poor old Roy was in tears listening to those when he came to visit me this week.
Fanfare – the DavidKidman Review Page has been redone and THREE NEW REVIEWS have been added for offerings from Stormcrow, Sibrena Piggot, and Kate Doubleday.
And it’s your chance to get your own back on Tuesday night at The Cross Keys, Handsworth, where David is the main guest of the Handsworth Folk Club. Pop along and write your review. Better still pop along and sing a few songs with someone who is passionate about the Folk tradition.
On Wednesday Paul & Liz Davenport will be having their Ballard Night at the Burton Street Foundation, Hillsborough, where you can expect more brilliant songs from the tradition plus a lot more.
Thursday is one of them packed days. 2:00pm at The Crystal Peaks Library, Ray Hearne will be chatting and singing with the Creative Writers Group. In the evening our friends from the Barnsley end String Theory, are launching their NEW CD, one that I’m really looking forward to getting my hands on, the last one I heard was simply fantastic. But if you llve at the end of Town, then Judy Dalton will be leading the South Anston Folk Club into song.
Please remember that The Pricess Royal meets on the Thursday but NOT – that’s NOT on FRIDAY for this week only, and Uncle Pete says that he only has a few tickets for Wizz Jones left at £8.
All the details and more can be found HERE
And that’s the basic facts for this week folks. So whatever you’re doing this week, have great fun and KEEP IT LIVE
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