The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: Rafflesbear
Date: 07 Aug 10 - 02:40 AM

A palaver of great magnitude by the sound of it - never mind, when complete you will be able to practice your keyboard skimming at home

cheers

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: Pierre Le Chapeau
Date: 07 Aug 10 - 12:44 AM

Where have I been?
Here,s What I been doing.
I have been digging a huge pond in my back Garden 5000 liters of water and a meter deep.
with pumps filters and a waterfall.
I filled it with water last Sunday night and come Monday morning the pond was empty?

"There was was still plenty of water "but most of it was in the garden next door?

I have had to take the whole lot to pieces which involved shifting half a ton of Cornish Pebbles
along with trying to preserve very expensive water plants? Thank God I decided to await a month before putting Fish in?
The Fish I already have from the previous pond of which this new pond is a extension have spent the last 5days in a Wheelie bIn?
I have solved the problem by installing a double under liner and now the pond is fine.

What a bloody Palaver.
Anyway back to the folk clubs next week starting on Monday at the Stars.
Thats where I have been
See you soon Mate?
Regards Pierre.

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: GUEST,Woodsie
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 12:34 PM

Where hase tou bin Pierre? Hope ye can make it to a session sometime soon!

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: Rafflesbear
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 11:04 AM

Hey Pierre, think of all the advantages -

You've got longer to look forward to it

I doesn't clash with any events in August or September

There's still lots of time to spread the word and encourage more people to go

There should be plenty of water in the Cray for swimming, ducks etc

You can sing the odd Christmas song without it sounding too ridiculous

There's a nice warm pub beckoning if it gets too cold outside

Word is that the Leopards are hoping for four events a year which taken literally would be October, January, April, July - a fest for all seasons. I shall however be personally advising against anything for January 9th :-(

RB

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: Rob Naylor
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 08:59 AM

Acksherly, looking back at my records of climbing trips, in about 8 of the last 10 years the weather between about 25th Sept and 10th Oct has been very good in the southern UK...there's usually been a bit of an "Indian Summer" period of warmish, stable weather. So we may be lucky.

Rob (Glass half full kinda person)

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: Pierre Le Chapeau
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 08:52 AM

I,ll invite that famous Eskimo folk singer "Nanook of the North" .
He enjoy playing his Whale bone harp down by the frozen cray river.

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: Pierre Le Chapeau
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 08:47 AM

Have
I GOT THIS RIGHT ?
Cray folk day at The 7 Stars is the 9th October .
"I,ll bring me bloody Ice Skates.
Why October?

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: Rafflesbear
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 06:27 AM

The website has been revamped, updated and has increased content

latest Crayside Folk website

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: GUEST,Dave
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 10:49 AM

What a good night on Monday. Certainly is becoming very popular. It was really good to see some of the locals joining in. Just linked up the site from Folkmob and mine. See you next week if not before.

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: GUEST,pete
Date: 04 Aug 10 - 01:16 PM

meant to add said young lady seems to like most everything we all do-nice getting such expressed affirmation of our efforts

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: GUEST,pete
Date: 04 Aug 10 - 07:17 AM

i will try not to let it go to my head!im sure at my age it wont go to the charts.

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: Rafflesbear
Date: 03 Aug 10 - 06:36 PM

We now have a facebook group

Crayside Folk Club

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: Rafflesbear
Date: 03 Aug 10 - 03:34 PM

and you now have a young lady fan Pete - stardom beckons :-)

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: GUEST,pete
Date: 03 Aug 10 - 08:27 AM

appx 10 participants with varied songs,a good evening with ron t b making a wellcome appearance

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: Rob Naylor
Date: 02 Aug 10 - 09:14 AM

Can't make it this week , AGAIN (clashes with my climbing club committee meeting and we only have those every 2 months so can't really miss it).

I will, though, definitely, 100%, make it next week!

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: Rafflesbear
Date: 02 Aug 10 - 08:42 AM

three YouTube links added to the website - one from our early days at the Fox and Hounds, Knatts Valley and two from our time at the Foresters in Wilmington

Crayside Folk - video links

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: GUEST,pete
Date: 01 Aug 10 - 06:30 PM

what a noble feller you are-and there was me thinking you liked the stuff!!seriously though agree on the tea/coffee

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: Rafflesbear
Date: 01 Aug 10 - 12:24 PM

So you see Pete, when we're knocking back the pints it's not that we are alcoholics or anything like that, it's simply that we are doing our best to keep the club going ;-) They do also offer us tea and coffee mid evening if that's more to your taste and it's a bargain at 70p

Can't see you getting dismissed Pete as one of our long standing regulars who helped keep us going through the lean times

As for the bellydancing, that's too expensive for me, you'll have to make do with my Carl Perkins rendition!

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: GUEST,pete
Date: 01 Aug 10 - 09:44 AM

it seems i have displayed my ignorance on the alcohol/pub/etc and certainly never intended any offence to anyone.in my defence i did assume that a pint of pure beer would be at least as much as a pint of shandy at £3:20 which is the most i have paid for it,not that i mind as i dont have a great thirst.i cannot disagree with your calculations;nor wish to but i would assume on your conclusions that the foresters ran a heavy loss hosting a much smaller club.i do however concede to your reasoning that IF everyone only spent £2 25 it might not be worth opening up for the musos and audience.see you monday hopefully-unless im dismissed for underspending!BTW raffles i didnt know you could bellydance;that would be entertaining!

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: GUEST,woodsie
Date: 01 Aug 10 - 07:28 AM

I think you are probably being conservative in your estimation

Bear in mind Minimum wage = £5.80 ph and employers have to pay an NI contribution

Barmaid = £20.50


20 x pints cost price mote like £35.00 (including tax & duty)

Electricity and other hidden costs £5

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: Rafflesbear
Date: 01 Aug 10 - 06:05 AM

Hi Rob

No, that's not my style either - it was a comment following the post of 29 Jul 10 - 06:45 AM suggesting the landlord should be grateful to us even if we bought just one pint each and my follow-up of 29 Jul 10 - 09:02 AM

BTW I have now rewritten the website and added to it having found out that FrontPage is now obsolete

cheers

RB

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: Rob Naylor
Date: 01 Aug 10 - 05:49 AM

Rafflesbear: say we have a good night with twenty people [...]
each person buys one pint of Courage best

ONE pint??? You're easily pleased up there in the Crays!

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: GUEST,Dave
Date: 31 Jul 10 - 08:01 PM

See you Monday,

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: Rafflesbear
Date: 31 Jul 10 - 04:39 PM

The cats are away this Monday, so the mice can play !!

The Leopards are at Sidmouth

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: Rafflesbear
Date: 30 Jul 10 - 12:07 PM

Form an orderly queue please!

I don't know if this is exactly right but I make this calculation -

say we have a good night with twenty people

Sales
each person buys one pint of Courage best @ £2.25 -       total £45

Costs to the pub
20pts beer plus associated costs of staying open            say £15
the government takes in tax                              approx £15
the barmaid costs £5 ph for 3 hours 8:15 to 11:15               £15

the rest is sheer profit to the landlord !! :-(

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: GUEST,Dave
Date: 30 Jul 10 - 11:45 AM

Totally agree with Woodsie.

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: GUEST,Woodsie
Date: 30 Jul 10 - 05:01 AM

I agree 100% we must encourage spending at the bar. I know that a few don't actually drink alcohol, but they can always show willing and buy me another pint!

:)

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: Rafflesbear
Date: 29 Jul 10 - 09:02 AM

Pete, the sad fact is that it is not good enough. Before we went there the pub was closed from 8pm on a Monday so the Landlord had no overheads.

broadstairs-jen used to run the highly successful and crowded sessions at the Wrotham Arms in Broadstairs so she knows about these things - she writes on the Broadstairs thread :-

"a plea to everyone: please remember that a full pub is not necessarily a pub making money and the sessions are notoriously weak on the takings front. please support the sessions by buying your food and drink at the venues."

The licensed trade is in free fall and within 4 miles of the Seven Stars these and more pubs have gone under -

The Birchwood
The Woodman
Deja Vu
The Red Lion
The Crayfish
The Anglesea Arms
The Blue Rose
The Greyhound
The OldStar
The Anchor and Hope
The New Moon

It is not for us to save a pub single handed but a night out for a fiver would still give change from two pints of real ale. The Seven Stars is a commercial business, not a local government facility and I think that I get very good value for my money - 2 1/2 hours of folk music with drinks - for comparison you can get one hour's belly dancing for £8, no drinks

see you Monday I hope

Rafflesbear

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: billybob
Date: 29 Jul 10 - 08:51 AM

brilliant web page!

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: GUEST,pete
Date: 29 Jul 10 - 06:45 AM

well done raffles.just a note on site guidelines-if everyone buys only one drink thats still a lot more than if we were not there and though a nice venue we are doing len a favour really!ps-quite right on my spelling-though you didnt hang around on that one either!

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: Rafflesbear
Date: 29 Jul 10 - 03:40 AM

blush !!

:-)

thanks Woodsie

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: GUEST,Woodsie
Date: 28 Jul 10 - 12:20 PM

Well done Raffles a really professional looking website!

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: Rafflesbear
Date: 28 Jul 10 - 09:48 AM

We now have a new website, please have a look round and let me know if there is anything that does not work etc

Crayside Folk at the Seven Stars, Foots Cray, Kent DA14 5HJ

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: Rafflesbear
Date: 28 Jul 10 - 07:34 AM

I look forward to your interpretation of Masters of War Pierre - by the way, that is on one side of my Barry McGuire single and Eve of Destruction is on the other - that could be another one that suits you!

Guest Pete - I reckon that's meant to be a quirky Carl Perkins rather than a quicky Carl Perkins - just for clarification :-)

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: GUEST,pete
Date: 28 Jul 10 - 06:09 AM

great offerings from the bears'biscuits and quiky carl perkins.

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: Rafflesbear
Date: 27 Jul 10 - 06:04 PM

Or a keyboard version of Poohsticks where we throw them in the river on the upstream side of Foots Cray bridge then race back across the road (remembering to look right, left and right again and WALK across the road in case any children are watching), order a pint from Danielle, run out into the garden without spilling any and drink the pint before the keyboards go past.

The person whose keyboard goes past last pays for the pints

watcha reckon?

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: Pierre Le Chapeau
Date: 27 Jul 10 - 05:43 PM

There again we could alternately have a Keyboard player River skimming competition. whereby we throw them in the Adjoining Cray.

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: Pierre Le Chapeau
Date: 27 Jul 10 - 05:38 PM

A very good night. Nice Lavender Cookies to boot.
I have kept one to harden up and will use it when I enter the next Pond skimming stone competition on Eltham Duck pond held on the six week of every month?
Yes Raflesbear" I will learn Masters of War.

!I will endeavor to try to introduce a Keyboard skimming competition on Eltham Duck pond which should sort out the above Fiasco?
Regards to all Pierre.

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: Girl Friday
Date: 27 Jul 10 - 05:46 AM

Good session - though less people than last week. Predominance of guitars though - and did we really need another keyboard? Please, somebody drag a fiddle player, or a box player down, come back Graham with your dulcimer!

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: Rafflesbear
Date: 27 Jul 10 - 02:33 AM

Really enjoyed your last song (not specifically because it was your last one!!) - do you do Masters of War??

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: Pierre Le Chapeau
Date: 26 Jul 10 - 09:40 AM

I,ll be there at some point?

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: Rafflesbear
Date: 26 Jul 10 - 07:13 AM

Looking forward to tonight - the Lavender biscuits are ready and will be available if I haven't eaten them all by then :-)

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: Girl Friday
Date: 25 Jul 10 - 06:58 PM

Evocative indeed - I think the moment was captured very well Mick. Thanks

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: GUEST,pete
Date: 25 Jul 10 - 03:00 PM

nice pics-evoking a most enjoyable evening;thanks.

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: Rafflesbear
Date: 25 Jul 10 - 07:15 AM

Nice pics Woodsie, thanks for publishing

Looking at the forecast it seems we'll be inside tomorrow. Hoping for another good turnout, the Landlord has had someone enquiring at the bar during the week

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: Pierre Le Chapeau
Date: 25 Jul 10 - 06:09 AM

Well done mICK some great photos there mate.
Regards Pierre.

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: Mick Woods
Date: 25 Jul 10 - 05:20 AM

I'll post it again as the guest post may get deleted!

Some Photos from last week.

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Jul 10 - 05:16 AM

Some Photos

from last Monday some are a bit dark - well it was outside at night!

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: Girl Friday
Date: 24 Jul 10 - 05:52 PM

Hiya Wendy. We have a promise of lavender biscuits this coming Monday, but I don't think that you can log in to Mudcat with those. We were up your way on Thursday for a funeral. I'd have rung you to blag a cup of tea, but didn't have my phone- in fact, it doesn't have your number on it. Didn't have a lot of spare time either, between venues.
Look forward to seeing you soon. X

Subject: RE: The Seven Stars Sessions - Kent U.K
From: billybob
Date: 23 Jul 10 - 12:03 PM

Hi Sue, yes the guest on the 20th was me I had lost my cookie( or is it biscuit?) Will try and come down in October.....meanwhile I may try and get a bit of a marquee do up in the wilds of Essex. Watch this space!
Wendy