Wednesday 2 November 2011

Get it Off Your Chest Son


Yes, it’s time to catch up with all the other issues and stuff happening that I deliberately left out of the Weekend’s News Blog because I did not want them getting lost in all the talk about The Busking Day and The Acoustic Rotherham 3rd Birthday Party.   If you’ve not caught up with the chit chat from those events you’ll need to go HERE where you’ll find the links to all the pictures.

Last week I was listening to Radio 5, as I tend to do, when there was an interesting chat between Richard Bacon and Stephen Merchant. It concerned a Stand Up Show that Merchant was giving.  Apparently he was about ten minutes into his show when he noticed that no less than three members of the audience in the front two rows were holding their mobiles up and apparently recording the Show.  When asked to resist the temptation, the people concerned were most put out and when Merchant invited them back after the Show to explain what they were doing and why he objected so much, the only excuse they gave was that clips of Shows like his drove people to their Web Sites!

It would appear that these people had no thought to the image, intellectual and copyright that they were infringing. 

More and more the work of performing artists of all genre are having their work violated by people who think that the artists in some way work on the basis that they like to have their work shared with the World no matter the standard of the recording or performance.

This applies not only to National Star names, but across the whole spectrum of performance arts, from the top to the bottom.

I know the Masher is quite glad that one or two of his performances have not reached the World of the internet, and judging by some of the material I occasionally find one or two of my good friends in the Region have suffered more than most.

I don’t think it’s unfair that they should be asked or told as part of the Gig Arrangements that they are to be recorded offering the artist the opportunity to view material or adapt a performance for broadcast.  It’s is such bad manners to record and publish especially video without prior consent from the artist.  In my view that is. 

As many will know yesterday (Tuesday) was the Opening Day for The Rotherham Open Arts Festival.  My congratulations to Vicky Hilton who saw the culmination of some very hard work and long unpaid hours in putting a fine Exhibition of art from mainly Rotherham Artists.  And what a turn out for the opening night?  There’s something about a Gallery when it’s buzzing on an opening night.

However, and hate to be a little negative, especially at the start of the Festival, BUT, I was just a little shocked that two of Rotherham’s internationally recognised acts could be treated a little too roughly by the folks in attendance. 

It’s said, quite often by me, that we do not make enough of the people who have done it, gained the reputation and respect of their musical genre, and also gained a reputation throughout the World, and surprisingly at A Rotherham Open Arts Festival they were not given that respect. 

Very little in the way of introduction, no attempt to bring people to order, and regrettably, no thanks at the end of the evening where the artists had fought manfully against all odds to perform.

I think what shocked me was the blatant ignorance of people, especially those who walked in front and behind the artists as if they did not exist.  It was almost unbelievable given that those in attendance were mostly supporters of the Arts.

There was a lounge style piano player in residence who did a fine job.  Well done mate.  However, there was a slight incident where during the Interval by the Band we were treated, and really, you know me I’m not a music or performance snob, can’t afford to be given my level of performance, but it was ten minute interlude that seemed to amount to no more than a guitar lesson for someone who was not on the Bill for the night.   Worse, he seemed to get upset when the main Acts wanted to finish off what one has described as “the gig from hell”.

And I suppose what irks me most is that the artists were doing this Gig for FREE ( having been arm twisted into performing by appealing to their Civic Pride by me!!) so did not even have the satisfaction of picking up the fee and just writing the experience off. 

So my personal apologies to Toein’ In The Dark and Ray Hearne.  In no way should things have happened the way they transpired.   Picture slideshow HERE

I’m sorry for that negative thought.

We move on. 

Tonight with some semblance of organisation, we have the first of the FREE CONCERTS, when Gav Roberts will be giving us the benefit of his highly motivating poetry throughout the evening and Saturday Carol Robson will providing a bit of Poetry between the music performances.

The Email for people wanting to get in touch with Uncle Pete over at South Yorkshire Folk has changed………….. PLEASE USE THIS EMAIL -  crookesfolk@fsmail.net  And I did see in one of his Emails that he is looking for acts to appear on Thursday or Friday nights throughout late December / January / February.   You’ll have to be quick though, spots at this great little Folk venue are snapped up fast.

Coming up this Thursday, is Charlie Barker’s new CD Launch at The Lantern Theatre, Sheffield, dare I say an event not to be missed.  Friday night at The Rutland it’s the Play On Club with Phoebe and the guys – and the rest of this week’s great events can all be found on the Diary Page HERE

OH!!!!  Just want to give you the heads up on what should be a fantastic Workshop next TUESDAY evening at the Old Market Festival Gallery, when Paul Davenport will be shining light on  a collection of songs collected from the residents of the Ravenfield, Stainton, Braithwell and Maltby area back in 1907 (I think the date is right, if I’m wrong Paul will put you right).  Paul & Liz will be illustrating Paul’s talk with the odd song or two.  Watch out to for the publication of their Book on the subject and the complete collection of songs for the first time in one volume early next year.

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