KFFC June 21st John Conolly Venue Change

Subject: KFFC June 21st John Conolly Venue Change
From: Banjiman
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 03:19 PM

As many of you are aware there has been a threat of closure hanging over the KFFC venue, The Black Horse, Kirkby Fleetham, for a number of weeks. The pub will now close on June 11th.

Are we down hearted?…..well a bit, as it has been an excellent venue for the Folk Club and February's Winter Warmer Weekend.

Will it stop the music?.....of course not. We are changing the June 21st afternoon from a "farewell/ save our pub" afternoon to a "Welcome to the Village Hall" party. We have run gigs in Kirkby Fleetham Village Hall before and it is also a fine venue. It means that the barbecue will be easier to manage as it has its' own kitchen and grounds.

The afternoon concert and singaround (1pm- 8pm, free) will now be run in a marquee on the Village Green, next to the Village Hall (Tai Chi until 4pm in the hall, hence the marquee) and the evening concert with John Conolly & The Doghouse Roses will be actually in the Village Hall (8-11.30pm, £5).

The ancient rite of "Marquee Raising" will take place at midday…it would be great if a few strapping lads (and lassies) could turn up for this. Please let me know if you can.

As we only found out today that the pub is shutting this week we do not have enough time to apply for a drinks licence, therefore please feel free to bring your own. I will be buying quite a lot of beer and wine and if you would like to share in the cost of this (and drink some of it, of course!), just bring some money on the night. For those of you coming for the afternoon, the village shop also sells beer and wine.

If you are bringing your van/ caravan, I have negotiated to allow you to continue to use the pub car park, but there will be no over night facilities, so please bring your own! If you were expecting accommodation at the pub, I am busy trying to find you somewhere to stay with some of the locals, bear with me, but be confident!

….and the future?

Club funds are healthy and attendances have generally been very good, as long as this continues we will try and continue!
The current plan is to shut the club for July & August and re-launch in The Village Hall (or The Black Horse if a sympathetic tenant takes over) on September 20th with The Grand Re-opening Party with Roger Davies as the main act and Wendy Arrowsmith with Blind Summat as the support, £5. (A note to the acts booked for July & August, if I haven't already spoken to you, I will re-book you for a slot at some point next year assuming the club survives the transition OK).
We will then continue with the planned acts on the planned evenings; October 18th 2008: Dave Gibb + Sue & Dave Swales + Pearson Clan. December 13th 2008: Vicki Swan and Johnny Dyer + Phil Drane January 24th 2009: Brother Crow + Kathryn Davidson & Dan Walsh.

At this stage I will have to post a major warning re the Big Birthday Bash Weekend in November and Winter Warmer Weekend II in February as the Village Hall is not a suitable venue for these types of events. I will make a decision about these by the beginning of August and keep everyone informed. If we can use the pub or find a suitable alternative venue I will go ahead. If not, I will salvage what I can from the line-ups and run either a club night or a 1 day special event…..unless anyone has any other bright ideas?

We will definitely be looking to run weekend events sometime, somewhere and obviously look to re-book as many of the excellent acts that we have lined up as possible.

So, we'll see some of you on the 21st and hopefully everyone else at some point in the future.

Paul

Subject: RE: KFFC June 21st John Conolly Venue Change
From: Rasener
Date: 09 Jun 08 - 04:50 PM

Bad luck Paul, but at least you had other possibilities available.
Village Halls aren't bad places to be in for Folk Music.

Subject: RE: KFFC June 21st John Conolly Venue Change
From: Banjiman
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 03:08 AM

Hopefully everyone has got the message about the venue change?

Paul

Subject: RE: KFFC June 21st John Conolly Venue Change
From: wrotham-arms-jen
Date: 11 Jun 08 - 04:21 PM

Paul,
Very sad to hear of this...wish we were closer and could help!

Still promise to get up there sometime...

Jen x

Subject: RE: KFFC June 21st John Conolly Venue Change
From: Banjiman
Date: 12 Jun 08 - 02:33 PM

Thanks for your words of support Jen. I wish you were closer too, we could do with a decent pub around here!

We'll see you next year down there if you don't get up here beforehand.



Accommodation now sorted for acts and visitors displaced by by the pub closing. Still looking like we should get a very healthy turn out......thanks one and all.

Paul

Subject: RE: KFFC June 21st John Conolly Venue Change
From: Banjiman
Date: 16 Jun 08 - 04:33 AM

Welcome to the village Hall Party now pretty much planned (though I would think there maybe some changes to the afternoon running order)

1.15pm        Zeke
1.30pm        Pearson Clan
FS        
2.00pm        Martin Dent
2.15pm        Henry Clements
2.30pm        Ian McKone
3.00pm        Tevor Lister
3.15        Karen & Karen
3.30pm        Whipstaff
3.45        John Wilson
4.00pm        Wendy Arrowsmith & Blind Summat
FS        
4.50pm        Susie Fox & Jack
FS        
5.30pm        Richard Grainger
FS        
(6.00pm Barbecue)
6.15pm        Phil Drane
FS        
7.00pm        Peter Taylor
7.15- 8.30         singaround

8.30pm: Doghouse Roses
9.30 & 10.30 John Conolly

Full details at:
kffc

Hopefully see some of you there.

Paul

Subject: RE: KFFC June 21st John Conolly Venue Change
From: theleveller
Date: 19 Jun 08 - 05:34 AM

Paul, is it still OK to park the caravan in the pub carpark? We'll be setting off as early as we can and hope to arrive around 11.30. Really looking forward to it - hope the rain stays away.

Subject: RE: KFFC June 21st John Conolly Venue Change
From: Banjiman
Date: 19 Jun 08 - 11:29 AM

Pete,

Shouldn't be a problem.....Phil said what ever is happening we should still use the Car Park. If there is any issue, I have an alternative planned anyway of course......

See you on Saturday, looks like it should be pretty busy.

Cheers

Paul

Subject: RE: KFFC June 21st John Conolly Venue Change
From: Banjiman
Date: 20 Jun 08 - 03:33 AM

Tomorrow!

Subject: RE: KFFC June 21st John Conolly Venue Change
From: GUEST,Cliff
Date: 20 Jun 08 - 05:35 AM

Tonight (20th) John Conolly is appearing in Guisborough at the Football Club.

This is the alternative venue to the Globe which had to close its doors recently.

Too many venues being lost !!

Subject: RE: KFFC June 21st John Conolly Venue Change
From: Sailor Ron
Date: 20 Jun 08 - 11:01 AM

And John is on at Fleetwood Folk Club, THe Steamer Hotel, Queens Terrace Fleetwood on Thursday 26th June.

Subject: RE: KFFC June 21st John Conolly Venue Change
From: theleveller
Date: 20 Jun 08 - 11:04 AM

Way-hay, nearly time to head for home, pack up the caravan, tune the instruments and lubricate the vocal chords ready for an early start in t'morning.

See you all there.

Subject: RE: KFFC June 21st John Conolly Venue Change
From: Banjiman
Date: 20 Jun 08 - 12:15 PM

....John might be on at all these other places (Hi Cliff, Hi Ron!!)but he has assured me he is doing his "special" show at KFFC....so come see him here!

If anyone else has a show they would like to advertise, please feel free to do so on this KFFC thread, I really don't mind!

Paul

Subject: RE: KFFC June 21st John Conolly Venue Change
From: Banjiman
Date: 21 Jun 08 - 06:24 AM

Today.....sod the rain, come and have fun at KFFC!

Subject: RE: KFFC June 21st John Conolly Venue Change
From: Rasener
Date: 21 Jun 08 - 01:48 PM

Hope it goes well Paul.

Subject: RE: KFFC June 21st John Conolly Venue Change
From: Banjiman
Date: 22 Jun 08 - 01:03 PM

Thanks Les,

Yes went very well:

Upside:
Good turn out (considering the torrential rain!)
Excellent sets from amongst others; Richard Grainger, Doghouse Roses and especially John Conolly.
Blind Summat (yes our band) found a fiddle player and sound engineer.
All costs covered!
Spending time with good friends from all over the place.
Looking forward to KFFC grand re-opening bash on 20th September.


Downside:
Rain!
Rescuing blown away marquee at 8am this morning!(with a touch of a headache!).
Hard work of putting on catering etc with the pub now being shut.
No KFFC grand reopening do until Roger Davies on September 20th.
More rain!


Village Hall worked well as a venue though.

Paul

Subject: RE: KFFC June 21st John Conolly Venue Change
From: GUEST,bobcat
Date: 22 Jun 08 - 05:36 PM

Well I finally made it to Kirkby Fleetham. What a great day and evening and sod the rain.Take my hat off to you Paul and helpers...not to be deterred by closed pub and torrential rain. Thanks for a great night and for the organic barbie.Superb music throughout.
For those of you who didn't make it you missed a treat. long live KffC

Subject: RE: KFFC June 21st John Conolly Venue Change
From: theleveller
Date: 23 Jun 08 - 03:27 AM

I'll second (and third) that, bobcat. It was a really great day and we met some lovely people and listened to some great music. The doctors say that they can save most of Jools' toes, despite them turning purple. Thanks to Paul and Wendy for all their hard work, it was well worth it - even the hairy trip back in the wind with the caravan (nearly came a-cropper on the blind summit!).

I think what made it for me was hearing so many songs that were rooted in the coast and countryside of North and East Yorkshire (Oh, and John Connoley's Lincolnshire songs, of course) - this is the real charm of folk music; that sense of place that comes from listening to local performers who write songs about the area they live in. There were times when I had a tear in my eye - especially when Richard Grainger and Blind Summat were singing (no, it wasn't the banjo, Paul, that was excellent).

We hope to be back in September - and, hopefully, on many more occasions in the future. Thanks, once again, Paul and Wendy.

Subject: RE: KFFC June 21st John Conolly Venue Change
From: theleveller
Date: 23 Jun 08 - 03:55 AM

In all the rushing around, we forgot to say thanks to Wendy for joining in on 'Jack and Jill'; it sounded great (even in the wind and rain).

Subject: RE: KFFC June 21st John Conolly Venue Change
From: Banjiman
Date: 23 Jun 08 - 05:56 AM

My thoughts (for what they are worth!)

Well there you go, I think the apprehension about losing our venue proved unfounded, it seemed to go OK in the village hall.....anyone got any thoughts?

It was harder work though than if we had still been in the pub as we had to organise food, beer, other drinks, a marquee (see later).....though this load was shared with many people but special thanks to Joolz, Glyn, Zeke, Jenny and our new recruit, Lee doing sound and the high bits on the marquee.

We managed to get the marquee up in only light rain (and no wind) ... we were ready to go at about 1.15 and had a bit of a jam, with Rebekah (and her new guitar) as the first "act". Her singing is lovely and her new guitar is fab! Plenty more top entertainment followed from Whipstaff (thanks Pete and Jools), The 2 Karens (lovely unaccompanied singing), Trevor Lister (v. amusing and a good singalong) and Harvey did a couple as well....always welcome and so did John Wilson, who is always a treat. Henry Clements gave us 3 of his great, great songs....I only wish we had had time for more as he made the effort to come up from the Southwest.

Lots of stiff upper lips as we pretended we were totally enjoying ourselves (the rain began to get really impressive) in the marquee as we counted down to the end of Tai Chi in the village hall so we could get into the warm and dry.....

We got into the hall, no-one stayed in the marquee (the wind was getting up a bit and it was p*ss*ng down) and the audience had a laugh as I got into a flap setting up the stage, sound and lights....my nerves were saved by Lee taking over and doing a professional job on the stage set up…..thanks.

Blind Summat were first up on the "dry" stage, as I was playing I guess I better let others comment on that! Needless to say we had a good (and warm) time. Susie Fox and Jack did a few of beautifully arranged songsand we had a couple more from we had a couple more from Whipstaff. Great set from Richard Grainger with lots of imagery from N. Yorks, Teeside and the adjacent North Sea. Fluffy end of the lollypop for Phil Drane as the Barbie was ready as he started his set which meant people were wandering in & out a bit….if you missed him, he's on again for a full 50 minute set support Vicki Swan and Johnny Dyer on December 13th and he is worth catching. A couple more from Rebekah, Joolz Cavell and Wendy Arrowsmith and we were into the main part of the evening.

Dohouse Roses were very, very good……really stunning guitar playing from Paul (think Bert Jansch etc) and nice harmonies. Stunning smoky singing from Iona (and top beer drinking skills!), some great songs of their own and interesting arrangements of other (including Burns)….top stuff, we hope they enjoyed their sojourn south from Glasgow.

John Conolly was just solid, great entertainment. His stagecraft and "pacing" of his set is second to none. Great songs, well played. He even did part Les Barker's parody of Fiddler's Green…..I like a man who doesn't take himself too seriously. Great stuff! He had us laughing and crying in turns.

Sat drinking whisky with Jon and Vere until some unearthly hour and catching up on the last 35 years since we last saw him, my Mum was really tickled!

Major downside was waking up as dawn broke and hearing the wind…..I immediately thought of the marquee which we had left standing……and worried that we hadn't pegged it down properly (at all?). Ended up with Wendy and I chasing it across the village green at 8.30 am…..still, no lasting damage done………. to the tent at least and hopefully not our marriage, I'll let you know when she is speaking to me again!

After the recent challenges, my enthusiaism has now returned and I'm really looking forward to the "grand" reopening on September 20th. The fine "Northern" songwriter Roger Davies is the main guest ably impeded by the mighty (?) Blind Summat (that's Wendy Arrowsmith, Joolz, Rebekah (our new fiddler) and me! See you here?

Paul

Apologies if I've forgotten to mention anyone who helped or sung! It is not intentional....pleas don't be offended.

Subject: RE: KFFC June 21st John Conolly Venue Change
From: theleveller
Date: 23 Jun 08 - 06:39 AM

Paul, that's an excellent summary of the day – sorry we weren't around to help fly the big kite – we were safely tucked up in bed in the caravan in the pub car park (famous last words: we won't need to peg it down, there's no wind)!

I think the village hall worked really well: nice atmosphere, good acoustics, plenty of room – oh, and warm; wonderfully warm!. And the barbie was great, even if was hard work for you and Wendy. Jools and I are old hands at village hall concerts as we don't have a pub in our village. I know we live 70 miles away but if, in the future, we can give a hand with the catering, we'll be pleased to help. I did actually have my own catering company for a while and just after we moved into our house we managed to produce lasagne for 100 people, without even a proper kitchen, so I'm sure we could transport a couple of pans of chilli or something up the A1. Anyway, just let us know if we can help. See you at Pickering, if not before.

Subject: RE: KFFC June 21st John Conolly Venue Change
From: Banjiman
Date: 24 Jun 08 - 03:37 AM

Pete,

Glad you all enjoyed yourselves, thanks for your music and presence. Thanks for the offer re catering, it is highly like that we will take you up on it if we do any more full day events.

I'm also glad you thought the village hall worked as a venue. I have now committed that we will use it for this year and next..... in return for a reduction in the hire fee. We also have to put a representative on the hall committee (big redevelopment plans afoot including built in staging, sound and lights)....... any offers!

Good to see you Bobcat and really pleased you enjoyed yourselves.

Paul