Wednesday 5 September 2012

It's a Play On Romping Slam into Shows and Festivals News Blog.


Travelling in and out of Rotherham all week and seeing the worried looks on Parental faces I was reminded of the final run in to the New School Year that take up twelve years + of most our lives.

My two lads are big boys now, but I do remember those post August Bank Holiday weeks that turned into complete chaos as the cherubs appeared to produce new requirements so as to be set for school like a conjurer producing rabbits from a hat, or rather like Mother finding School letters hidden at the bottom of brief cases and duffel bags!! That had never been passed on.

You’re nearly there guys, soon at eight in the morning those banging feet will herald their departure to School and a relaxed undemanding few hours instead of a day’s torture of demands.

Love ‘em.

It’s been a sort of, nice week.

Some fantastic creative stuff and some boring administrative stuff.    

Nothing but top marks and brilliant reports of Rotherham’s Tom Kilner Band following their appearance at The Great British Rhythm and Blues Festival, where my spies tell me Tom held the audience spell bound with his outstanding musicianship. 

We were lucky enough to book the Band (Nigel Kilner on Bass, Graham Shaw on drums and Tom vocals and guitar) onto the Park stage for Slamfest, and you know when there is a special talent at work when you see a large gathering of musicians mesmerised by a performer and this was certainly the case on that July Saturday.  

Tom will be making a few local appearances over the next few weeks, next Sunday on the Diversity Festival Stage at the Rotherham Show during October at the Fringe Festival, and in December he will be playing The Bridge. 

Surely you can make one of the nights!   You’ll not regret it, and in fact as Tom stretches his wings and starts Touring, opportunities to see him locally will become rare. 

In the meantime, to help finance his touring and the Band Tom has produced a special T Shirt, they cost £10 and can be ordered by PMing The Tom Kilner Band Facebook Page HERE.  Modelled by the entire Kilner family here.

Talking of the Diversity Festival / Stage for the Rotherham Show; it’s all coming together, and the line-up for both days is looking really good, with a real diversity of arts and ethnic performance on  show.     More details HERE

It’s not all about music and dance, Open Minds Theatre are presenting some Theatre called "Climbing the Matterhorn" it’s  a piece exploring the group's experience of bullying.  It takes to the stage at mid-day on Saturday.

The Rotherham Show is the County’s biggest Free Town Show attracting thousands from around the Borough and surrounding area, and is well worth getting to Clifton Park to take in.  Everything from Vintage Cars to Dog Shows, and of course the famous Folk and Jazz Tent, details of the Folk HERE

I would just remind all the local folkies, that Rob will again be running an afternoon of the best local Folk and session singers in the Wall Garden room  ON THE SUNDAY


And I was privileged enough to get a chance to be a part of a more locally based Community Festival.  Funfest draws upon the people of Eastwood, which is one of Rotherham’s most culturally diverse Communities.   It was a pleasure for The Masher to be part of it, even if it was not one of his finest hours, while being a typical Masher outside broadcast.  The intriguing attempts to get a sound balance from a set up that vocals going through a 1000w PA why the guitar was going out through a 10W practice amp, and not plugged into the main system in anyway.   Then I had the joy of the sinking mic stand!  Lol  during the first song I was almost on my knees having bent myself in two.  I gave up.   Fortunately there were only a couple of people paying attention enough to this shabby performance to be worried.  Lol  At least it didn't rain.

Congrats to all who managed to get the show on. 

A bit concerned that there appeared to be so many “Public Information” Stands while “Fun” stands / amusements were just a little limited. 

Good fun though if you could get to the front of the climbing frame or big plastic balls.  I didn’t.

The other lesson learnt by The Masher is that he has to get his new guitar set up before the end of the week.

On Wednesday I popped along to 25 Wellgate, Rotherham.  It’s currently an empty shop that has been picked up by Point Blank Theatre who were seeking out ideas for it’s use for the Arts. 

Shall we say that space is limited.  We will.  However, I did hear some interesting ideas.  I think it’s main value will be in providing exhibition space and Office facilities to Arts Groups, perhaps a “print unit” which is so necessary in the production of cheap fliers, posters etc.  

Met up with Rachel who amongst other projects is also heading up Nodding Dog.  The rather big project her Theatre Company has planned for the old B & Q has eventually been given funding approval, which is great news, especially for those technicians and actors who would like to work in something that is completely off the wall.

I also bumped into Carol Robson, which is always a pleasure, who was most excited at the publication of her first collection of fifty poems called “Words of Darkness and Light”, a copy of which she pressed into my hands. 

Carol has had a fantastic life journey, overcoming battles within herself and with prejudices in Society and her poetry which she only started to write again in 2010 reflects this in shovel loads.

This is no easy read as Carol takes one on a roller coaster of emotions from dark times in her life Another Psychosis, to lighter moments as Charity Shopper at Heart provide, but the insightful reader will though note that even in the humour there are dark corners.  There’s political comment and protest, along with personal observations about Christmas, Valentine’s Day and love, some warm while others cold and reflecting something else, perhaps a vulnerability or loneliness.

This for me was a fine opening collection and well worth an investment of £6.99, just one suggestion I think given the nature of the work I would have liked to have seen the year each poem was written in, as I feel it would provide a greater understanding of Carol’s thinking and development.  

You can buy a copy on Ebay or simply PM Carol through her Facebook page HERE and she’ll sort something out for you. 

Work on the Fringe Festival moves forward.  This week we announced that “Saxon (ODS)” Will be playing.  Quite a little coup for RAE for The Fringe, and tickets are a real bargain at only £5.  Availability will be published later this week.    Whoops, the important detail is 13th October, Rotherham Trades Venue (Club)

Also confirmed is the rather cleverly named 2 X 1 Person Show evening, joint starring Tina McKevitt performing the work she wrote with Matt Hegarty, “A Poor Prospect: Tales From The Workhouse” and the hilarious Stan Skinny performing his brilliant and insightful “The Tesco Chain Store Massacre”.   Tickets £5, availability will be announced soon and the venue is to be the Old Market Gallery (he says holding his breath).

An Online Booking Office will soon be available for the John McCullagh / Alan McGee event at The Charters at the end of the Month.  

You can keep up to date with all the Fringe and ROAF Festival News by joining The Mashers Mailing List and by checking in regularly on the Facebook Page HERE or the Web Site HERE

Busking Day will be upon us in a flash.  I’m pleased to say that one of the main features of the Day will be the Rotherham Urban Piano project, which was recently featured on Look North.  The project involves bringing together unwanted pianos, and placing them into shops around the Town Centre and Borough  (with JADE taking charge of applying art to one at Kiverton) and making them available to music makers to play, no matter what standard - know Chop sticks you can play - or learn to play.  Some will be going through an artistic face lift as per the piano you can find in the Library Exhibition area, where a piano artistically transformed by Kasabian’s Rotherham based keyboard player Ben Kealey can be found, and played.

This is part of The Gallery Town project.  As many will know I’ve been a bit negative about the pictures that have appeared around the Town with little or no explanation to the viewer or indication as to where the viewer might find more out. 

This Piano Project is something completely different and RAE are more than happy to collaborate.  I can promise super things on the 29th September when the event is launched.

Incidentally, if you have an unused piano, in any condition, then please contact Lizzy HERE you can bet your bottom dollar that she’ll find a home, and if needed find someone to transform it into something wonderful.

More about this next week.

We’re still trying to sort out a bit of Dance for the Busking Day and I really would love to hear from any poet who might like to get involved as the 29th September is also 1000 Poets For Change Day.    Contact the folks HERE   We would also be interested to hear from anyone within the spoken word genre who would like to organise something for National Poetry Day on 4th October.

While we’re over in the spoken word camp, it seems I’ve ruffled a few feathers with our friends at ROMP with last week’s Review of the Buddy Wakefield event.  Whoops.  All I would say to those upset is that there was nothing personal in it and it reflected the way that I personally experienced what was a very uncomfortable night for me and one or two others.  I had in previous Blogs praised the organisers for bringing a name like Buddy to the Town and mounting such an evening.

Talking of alternative views there is an excellent alternative  to widely held live muscian view about Karaoke from Mike O’Brian, that’s he of Pocketful of N’owt fame, that you can find HERE

All my scan results are now in.  A bit of a mixed bag of news.  There’s a probability that I will not be around for some of the Fringe Festival, so the repeated call goes out for Volunteers to help Mick, Jane and our other devoted Ladies deliver the Festival as planned.  Email Jane HERE

New venues opening up folks.   Richard from Storm Tree’s, aided and abetted I’m sure by Judy are hosting a new monthly session at the The Butchers Arms in Woodsetts, (That’s one just outside of Dinnington).  First Monday of the Month . 

Strangely the homeless Braithwell Folk Club (formerly the Red Lion) have also found a new home for themselves at a pub called The Butchers Arms, and maintain their traditional first Tuesday of the month Diary placement in Braithwell. 

Memories.  It was the home of my last good evening out with Myke, and in the company of our good friends Paul and Catherine.   Unfortunately, won’t be able to make it myself this month but hopefully I’ll press someone into giving me a lift before too long.   

Besides these two events, it being the first week of the month, with Play On over at The Rutland on Friday, with the ROMPers meeting at The Bridge in Rotherham, sorry guys, but I’ll be practicing (yes the Masher does practice and don’t let anyone say anything different), so you’ll have to wait another month for the lynching.  

Also on Friday is "Slamjam" not to be confused with Slamfest lol   Slamjam is a none alcoholic event to be held the Civic Theatre in Barnsley,  the event starts 5:00pm with tea or coffee and runs through live music, spoken word (I think some of the ROMP posy are heading over, poetry, guerilla poetry (could be interesting and of course open mic - with a few guest spots.  The event is promoted by Creative Recovery who to use their own words are "a group of artists and facilitators who use and promote all kinds of arts (music, fine art, drama, knitting!) to help in the recovery from addiction and various mental health problems. Knitswell have been yarn-bombing the town centre and Recovery Through Art have produced a number of murals around town that reflect on addiction and recovery; including the amazing painting opposite Albert Street Cafe."    It sounds an excellent programme to me and only wish I could get over there to show my support.  Be sure that they will always get the Acoustic Rotherham / RAE thumbs up.   

And after spending Saturday drifting around The Rotherham Show, I’m off to Wirksworth for the Street Music Festival on Sunday, always a great celebration of music and performance.  

A Big shout to for Wyrd Folk 3 At The Riverside this Sunday (9th) - A great evening from seven with  Joe Solo, Steve Chapman Smith, Phil Hartley,Misk Hills Mountain Rambler.  Serious entertainment from some serious musicians - they told me to say.

In fact the week’s events that we know of can be found HERE on the listings page.

 Late, but I'm sure it wont stop you from having great fun, supporting your local artists and KEEPING IT LIVE.

No comments:

Post a Comment