The dust settles. ....
We’ve got to be honest and say that we’re still buzzing a
bit from the stress of last weekend, but hey, on reflection, it was just so
good. ....
We’d like to thank all our friends who made contact with us,
deep into this week, as they caught up with The Masher Spam, it’s good to know
so many people take an interest in what we do. ....
There’s still some tidying up to do after Acoustic Rotherham
5, one of the best on reflection, and it’s given us extra energy to make
Acoustic Rotherham 6 even better. ....
So watch out all you artists that have already played at an
Acoustic Rotherham we’re sending out a survey to get your views on how we can
do it better. It will be in your Inbox
soon. ....
The South Yorkshire Times ran a story about the happenings
with The Monkwood, you can find the article HERE. I think we can all draw our own conclusions.
....
The Mashers long weekend continued with Nellie Folk. Rotherham’s Nellie Deane’s has now re-named
itself, back to it’s original name, The Bridge Inn. So now it’s Nellie Folk at The Bridge Inn. Confused?
We were!! As if that is anything different. ....
The evening was a good one, not hot on numbers again, but
the quality was right up there. ....
I couldn’t resist bringing the assembled Folkies attention
to the BNP issue – it being still very raw – and the renditions of Be
Reasonable and Dance On The Grave of Mrs Thatcher were delivered with a bit of venom. ....
I don’t think that one of the organisers really appreciated
our hijacking the Club for fifteen minutes, but hey, what’s new there. What’s the point of singing “right on”
political songs if there is nothing in the make up of the band to give the
words a bit of credence?....
As the week progressed the telephone calls from the BNP dried up. That was a relief. Some of the comments left on my answering
machine were really quite funny in a perverse sort of way, yet some were really
scary. ....
And Friday night – wow – how refreshing – a full Folk
Club. Yes hats off to Charlie Barker and
her team for Last Friday Folk. ....
And what a line up of floor spots, The Mashers amongst
them. The standard was just simply outstanding and
the range of music genre was amazing. ....
And need we fear about the future of Folk Music, well
certainly not on the evidence of a young band from Halifax “Folk On Fire”. If you get chance to see these young
teenagers in action take it, they are fantastic. And what commitment to travel so far for a
couple of tunes. ....
Top of the Bill for the evening was Down Trodden String Band,
typically at their best singing their brand of American roots music. Brilliant stuff. ....
And it was back to The Bridge Inn on Saturday night to see Tim
Cleverley’s Band in action. A rocking
performance for Halloween – and what an effort they put in – the stage area
dressed for the event and of course plenty of fancy dress on display. ....
I took my hat off! I
think that was scary enough for everyone.
Oh and Myke was also in the audience, although his big night comes on
the 5th November when we hope to make a few bob pushing him around
the streets as living Guy Fawkes. ....
A good night of music though. Well done Tim and of course his side kick
vocalist Rachael. ....
So onto other Masher News.
....
Our spat with The Monkwood about it’s involvement with the
BNP left us without a practice room.
Thankfully The Bridge Inn has come to our aid and we’ll be up out of the way
in the Small upstairs room as from Monday 9th November. ....
So if anyone really wants to go through the torture of a
Mashers Open Practice session, that’s where you will find us from now on. ....
This week: ....
We’re playing Myke’s
home Club Play On on Friday at The Fat Cat – always a great evening for singers and musicians.
....
On Sunday 8th November we’ll be heading to
Manchester for Jamboree at the Fuel Café Bar.
We’re intrigued by this, it’s sub titled an Anti Folk Night. Check out our News page for the Full details
HERE....
Acoustic Rotherham 5 pictures are up HERE....
David Kidman has posted three new Reviews for you to digest;
top of the pops as far as we are concerned is the Ray Hearne CD The Wrong
Sunshine – a fantastic bit of work – go check out what David says HERE.....
The slow improvements to the Acoustic Rotherham site
continue. We hope that you’re finding
that the pages down load quicker and more efficiently. If you come across any broken links then
please get in touch with me. ....
Also please note if you Email us – all the Email addresses
that end with .freeuk.com have been deleted – so please send mail to any of the .jmucreate.com addresses.....
And a sad note to finish on.
Phil Archer has passed onto the big Farm in the sky, and so ends an era
which for me has lasted for 36 years of listening to The Archers. His warm voice will be greatly missed.