Singaround, High Brooms Tavern, T. Wells

Subject: RE: Singaround, High Brooms Tavern, T. Wells
From: Rob Naylor
Date: 25 Jun 10 - 11:16 AM

Will: you'll all be welcome again any time. I've just emailed Ian re the guitar.

Acorn4: The Compasses is still there but I don't think it does live music any more. As well as HBT there are sessions/ singarounds at The Beacon and at The Sussex Arms, regular folk gigs at The Beacon and "plugged in" gigs at various pubs incuding Sankeys, High Brooms Tavern and The Kelsey Arms. The Grey Lady has live jazz and the more jazzy/ rocky style of folk from local bands, and The Forum (a converted Edwardian toilet...was probably a brass-rubbing centre in your day!) showcases a lot of young local bands, and also has a knack of picking up relatively unknown bands on the national scene just before they make it big.

The Assembly Hall is a bit of a disappointment usually. Apart from the annual Fairport Convention tour and a couple of other decent bands, they tend to put on either tribute bands or re-formed "one hit wonders" from the 60s and 70s.

Subject: RE: Singaround, High Brooms Tavern, T. Wells
From: Acorn4
Date: 25 Jun 10 - 06:14 AM

It's great to see that live acoustic music is alive and well in TW. I first sang in public in a pub called "The Compasses" there about 35 years ago.

I recognise one or two familiar faces from the "Sussex Song and Ale" in the photos.

Subject: RE: Singaround, High Brooms Tavern, T. Wells
From: Will Fly
Date: 25 Jun 10 - 05:22 AM

Ian Chisholm in Ditchling - about an hour from you - who made my guitars. He's excellent and reasonable.

Great night last night - thanks or having us - we'll see you again I'm sure. :-)

Subject: RE: Singaround, High Brooms Tavern, T. Wells
From: Rob Naylor
Date: 25 Jun 10 - 04:25 AM

Will: Thanks to you and Alan and Di for turning up and participating last night. You seemed to enjoy yourselves, and the rest of us certainly enjoyed your playing and singing hugely. And thanks for suggesting to Liz that she came along...her singing was much appreciated too.

Roger was apparently still on holiday, but with you guys I counted 16 performers again (17 if you count Kelly and Roy as 2!). Only 6-7 non-performing audience this session...down a bit on last time.

I thought there was a good mixture of music, from trad folk up to John's mad "Riot in High Brooms" parody on "Ghost Riders".

The only downside for me was forgetting to change to the Am chord on the first chorus of "Walk Awhile", and cocking up the ending a bit... but it was only the second time Paul and I have tried to play together and we'd only run through the song 3 times before last night.

"No 18" was lovely...thanks for letting me try it out. I wish I'd had time to look at Di's guitar, too, that sounded really nice. With regard to my fret wear, can you recommend anyone reasonably local who could dress the frets etc? The one guiter tech I know locally isn't someone I have a lot of confidence in.

Subject: RE: Singaround, High Brooms Tavern, T. Wells
From: Will Fly
Date: 24 Jun 10 - 11:02 AM

I'll have a blonde on one arm and an ageing concertina player on the other... Oh, and a white sport coat and a pink carnation.

Subject: RE: Singaround, High Brooms Tavern, T. Wells
From: Rob Naylor
Date: 24 Jun 10 - 10:59 AM

Gulp...an ecxellent guitarist, with a fabulous guitar AND a new set of strings!!! I hope it doesn't intimidate the rest of us into passing on our turns :-)

Actually, I changed my own strings on Sunday. Don't know why I bothered as I'll only be chord-bashing tonight. I had hopes of doing "St Anne's Reel" but my practices to date have indicated a sort of musical "Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle" in operation. I can play it at the right speed, or I can play it accurately, but I can't do both at the same time! At least not consistently.

We're hoping for a good turnout tonight. Look forward to meeting you in the flesh. I think I'll recognise you :-)

Subject: RE: Singaround, High Brooms Tavern, T. Wells
From: Will Fly
Date: 24 Jun 10 - 07:20 AM

New set of guitar strings about to be put on - especially for the occasion... :-)

Subject: RE: Singaround, High Brooms Tavern, T. Wells
From: Rob Naylor
Date: 24 Jun 10 - 06:39 AM

Bump: It's tonight!

Subject: Singaround, High Brooms Tavern, T. Wells
From: Rob Naylor
Date: 23 Jun 10 - 04:12 AM

Reminder that there's the "4th Thursday of the month" Singaround at the High Brooms Tavern in Tunbridge Wells on 24th June.

It's an "anything goes as long as it's unplugged" night. The last one was the best singaround I've ever been to, anywhere, with everything from Malcolm Ward's fine unaccompanied shanties to Mike's "Genitalia Of A Fool". The atmosphere was just brilliant.

Pics here:

Slideshow of May 2010 Singaround