Tom Kitching - 'Busk England' blog

Subject: Tom Kitching - 'Busk England' blog
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 31 May 18 - 06:06 PM

The fiddler Tom Kitching(Pilgrims' Way) has started to write an interesting blog based on his busking experiencs.

Everywhere I’ve been around the world, I’ve taken my fiddle with me. This massively changes how you are perceived. You can be the English tourist, defined by your nationality, or the musician, defined by the instrument. My best and most personal experiences have always come off the back of the fiddle. Music is universal. The fiddle is the key to unlock other cultures.

I’d like to turn that trick inward and use it to meet my own country. I’m going to travel across the nine regions of England, busking in towns, villages, and cities. Not always in the obvious places, not always even for anyone other than myself.
I want to see if there’s a common thread of Englishness, if the term ‘English’ even has any universal meaning.

http://www.tomkitching.co.uk/busk-england/ 

Subject: RE: Tom Kitching - 'Busk England' blog
From: Howard Jones
Date: 01 Jun 18 - 05:26 AM

As well as being a brilliant fiddler Tom is an excellent and perceptive writer, this is well worth a look.

Subject: RE: Tom Kitching - 'Busk England' blog
From: GUEST,Joe G
Date: 01 Jun 18 - 06:10 AM

I've been very much enjoying these. Somewhat bizarrely his blogs have been mentioned in the Daily Mail horoscope column! I should immediately stress that I don't read that neo fascist rag but it has been pointed out on Facebook

Subject: RE: Tom Kitching - 'Busk England' blog
From: GUEST,Ian Hendrie
Date: 01 Jun 18 - 09:38 AM

Tom's blog is an excellent read and his observations of the English towns he has visited both insightful and humorous. His writings are well worth reading and, if you enjoy them, you can help him on his busking way with a few 'coins in the hat' (via PayPal).
I envy those passers by who get a chance to listen to him.

Subject: RE: Tom Kitching - 'Busk England' blog
From: Brian Peters
Date: 02 Jun 18 - 09:36 AM

I had a chat with Tom about this trip a while ago, but hadn't got round to checking his blog up to now. Really enjoyed the first one I read - he can give Bryson a run for his money.

I recommend this if you want to find out a few home truths about contemporary England. Coins duly thrown into hat.

Subject: RE: Tom Kitching - 'Busk England' blog
From: Mr Red
Date: 05 Jun 18 - 04:35 AM

not in the west country yet.

Tome, if you are reading, Stroud is quite a popular busk.

Subject: RE: Tom Kitching - 'Busk England' blog
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 20 Jun 18 - 01:34 PM

West Bromwich & Smethwick
"... I try to spend much of what I take back in the communities, always buying food and drink from local shops. I filled a huge bag with all sorts of produce and took it to the owner. He half glanced inside and said “One pound please.” It was a generous gesture.

As I drove home I recalled that this area was alleged to be a ‘no-go zone’ for white people like me, if certain alarmist sections of the press are to be believed. Well, there’s no substitute for experience, and mine had been thoroughly pleasant. ..."
https://buskengland.wordpress.com/2018/06/16/west-bromwich-and-smethwick/

Subject: RE: Tom Kitching - 'Busk England' blog
From: GUEST,Joe G
Date: 20 Jun 18 - 06:32 PM

A particularly excellent extract - there is more that unites us.....

Subject: & to Dudley
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 23 Jun 18 - 05:32 PM

& to Dudley
"... The Sikh flower seller came by and said that whilst he didn’t mind the music, perhaps I’d do better on the other side of the street. He paused, then flipped me 20p to prove his sincerity. I gave it a go. It didn’t work.
When I moved back, there was a Eastern European piano accordion player in my place. I gave him 50p. He was noodling without any apparent aim, but it was nice enough. ..."

Subject: RE: Tom Kitching - 'Busk England' blog
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 23 Jun 18 - 06:30 PM

https://buskengland.wordpress.com/2018/06/23/dudley/

Subject: RE: Tom Kitching - 'Busk England' blog
From: Mr Red
Date: 25 Jun 18 - 03:09 AM

I e-mailed Tom with contacts for busking in Stroud at the best Farmers' Market in the land (by award!)

I hope he makes it here.

I five years** he will be able to make it on Spey up the Stroudwater.

**if the Cotswold Canal Trust get the full HLF grant and Network Rail build a new bridge and... and... so maybe 7 years.

Subject: RE: Tom Kitching - 'Busk England' blog
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Jul 18 - 06:10 PM

Some more great writing.
A couple of quotes from his day in Stourbridge.

"There was a slight niche in the pavement that set me back enough for people to pass without problem. I soon discovered that it was also the unofficial turning circle for mobility scooters as well. That was fine, there was space for all of us, if the scooters all used the litter bin as a roundabout..."

"The busker winks out of existence once they pack up, disappearing down side streets or alleyways, anonymous and withdrawn..."


https://buskengland.wordpress.com/2018/07/19/stourbridge/

Subject: RE: Tom Kitching - 'Busk England' blog
From: GUEST,Flora Green
Date: 01 Aug 18 - 03:12 AM

I was recently at the Beggars Fair, a one day event in Romsey and along with the set stages and pub venue, they had marked 5 busking spots. With 6 adults, a mobility scooter and 2 dogs there was not room for us in the session pub, so we set up in one of the spots. The good people of Romsey gave very generously and the nearest charity shop had an unexpected increase in revenue that day.

Why I am mentioning this is that its the first time I've seen a festival mark out busking spots, and I thought what a good idea it was.
Flora.

PS. Have you read Laurie Lee and his travels in Spain with his fiddle. Still one of my favourite books.

Subject: The Busking Pitch
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 08 Aug 18 - 04:39 PM

"The Pitch"

! Flora, In this one he quotes some advice from LL.

But here's a bit from his own musings
   
... I love narrow streets with tall, uncomplicated buildings opposite, whose walls funnel the sound down the road. I play to the acoustic, growing notes on the string before letting them off like soft arrows.

At least that’s what I think I do! It certainly encourages me to think tone and clarity. On a bad day in a bad spot, the notes die, forced and unresponsive. On a good day, I can even take it right back, confident in the sound cutting through, drawing the listener in. It can become a Zen-like space, lost in tone.

https://buskengland.wordpress.com/2018/08/04/the-busking-pitch/

Subject: RE: Tom Kitching - 'Busk England' blog
From: GUEST,Joe G
Date: 08 Aug 18 - 06:36 PM

Beautiful! So looking forward to reading the book

Subject: RE: Tom Kitching - 'Busk England' blog
From: DaveRo
Date: 09 Aug 18 - 02:19 AM

Feed: https://buskengland.wordpress.com/feed/

Subject: RE: Tom Kitching - 'Busk England' blog
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 18 Sep 18 - 06:00 AM

Leek, Staffordshire

Two older ladies came to put money in my case. They stopped at the cusp, suddenly worried they might be doing the wrong thing and asked “Are you English?”. The implications of the question troubled me. If I wasn’t? Presumably the money would not be forthcoming.
But why did it matter? The thought of a foreigner on their street was clearly an issue.
Leek suddenly felt like a designated safe space for the already safe. On reflection I should have said something like ‘No mate, I’m Sri Lankan’ in my best North West accent to see what happened.


https://buskengland.wordpress.com/2018/08/29/leek/

Subject: RE: Tom Kitching - 'Busk England' blog
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 25 Sep 18 - 07:14 AM

Hastings

It was a good morning. The clean air and sunshine coming after the rain seemed to have put a smile on people’s faces and I made money fairly steadily. A small girl was walking a large dog on a lead. The dog stopped a few paces before me, suddenly afraid of my music, and began backing up, going straight between a surprised man’s legs, followed quickly after by the small girl. I was so overcome by laughter at the situation that I had to stop playing for a moment.

https://buskengland.wordpress.com/2018/09/04/hastings/

Subject: RE: Tom Kitching - 'Busk England' blog
From: Will Fly
Date: 25 Sep 18 - 08:22 AM

Great blog - read it all just now. As someone said, gives Bryson a run for his money. I hope it turns into a book eventually.

Worth a click on the PayPal button.

Subject: RE: Tom Kitching - 'Busk England' blog
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 01 Oct 18 - 05:23 PM

Deal

Between the sea and the land is a broad walkway, almost entirely lined with memorial benches, backs to the land, views trained on the shipping lane the cannons once covered. It is the modern way. In our 21st century England, benches represent an acceptable way of taking the dead from their designated resting places and bringing them back into society. The shore was a long and narrow mausoleum, each bench a personal monument with a small apologetic brass plaque excusing their continued presence among us. “He loved this view.”

https://buskengland.wordpress.com/2018/09/11/deal/

Subject: RE: Tom Kitching - 'Busk England' blog
From: Jack Campin
Date: 02 Oct 18 - 11:06 AM

Have you read Laurie Lee and his travels in Spain with his fiddle. Still one of my favourite books.

Laurie Lee may have got the idea from Walter Starkie, who travelled with his fiddle through the more Gypsy-frequented parts of Europe after WW1. Starkie over-writes a bit, but sometimes that really hits the mark - his description of D'Annunzio rallying a crowd in Trieste to annex Rijeka/Fiume is a brilliant picture of demagoguery at work.

Subject: RE: Tom Kitching - 'Busk England' blog
From: GUEST,FloraG
Date: 05 Oct 18 - 05:40 AM

LL might have got the idea of the book, but not, I think, the idea of the travel. He was only 17 and from a sheltered background when he started. But I shall look out for a Starkie. Do you have the name of the book?
FloraG

PS. love Deal. One of the years highlights is the sea festival in the middle of September, raising money for the RNLI. However, if you want dead mens benches go to Eastbourne. OTT or what!

Subject: RE: Tom Kitching - 'Busk England' blog
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 05 Oct 18 - 06:09 AM

FloraG,

Raggle-taggle: Adventures with a Fiddle in Hungary and Roumania

Walter Starkie

J. Murray, 1933 - Folk music - 399 pages

some info here
https://books.google.co.uk/books?redir_esc=y&id=_DBCAAAAIAAJ 
& there is a link to Abe Books

Subject: RE: Tom Kitching - 'Busk England' blog
From: Jack Campin
Date: 05 Oct 18 - 06:24 AM

I've read Starkie's books about Eastern Europe (Raggle Taggle) and Italy (The Waveless Plain). There are two about Spain which are said to be just as good. It's better if you can find old hardback copies - Penguin left out the photos.

He's pretty good on Gypsy music (includes some notated tunes) though he stuck to the professional stuff (nobody carrying a fiddle would have got anywhere with Gypsy folk music).

Subject: RE: Tom Kitching - 'Busk England' blog
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 23 Jan 19 - 11:30 AM

!! WEDNESDAY 23 JANUARY 2019 !!
8pm
Flixton Cricket and Sports Club,
Lawrence Rd, Urmston, Manchester
M41 8UU

"Leading traditional fiddle player, Tom Kitching, will be performing a very personal concert of music and spoken word charting his so far 10 month busking trip around England.
£10/£8 unwaged.
Cash, card, contactless, Apple and Android Pay accepted.
Bar."

https://m.facebook.com/events/1211319399020536 

Subject: RE: Tom Kitching - 'Busk England' blog
From: GUEST,JoeG
Date: 23 Jan 19 - 06:33 PM

I wish this was closer - it is sure to be a fascinating and entertaining evening

Subject: RE: Tom Kitching - 'Busk England' blog
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Oct 19 - 08:21 PM

An interview about his busking with Genevieve Tudor on
BBC Radio Shropshire
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p07nrjz3
skip to 1:01:30

Subject: RE: Tom Kitching - 'Busk England' blog
From: GUEST,Joe G
Date: 07 Oct 19 - 06:07 AM

Thanks for that

Subject: RE: Tom Kitching - 'Busk England' blog
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 22 Jan 20 - 10:23 PM

From April 2020 he's touring 'Busk England' as a show(^^ see Jan 2019) promoting the 'Busk England' book & 'Busk England' album.
It's partly quotes direct from his blog(&book), partly chat, plenty of music.

http://www.tomkitching.co.uk/upcoming-gigs/

He's still got dates to fill if you're interested!
e.g.between Cornwall \ Bedfordshire - June 13 14 15