RODFEST!

It was just one of those occasions when you had to be there. But I'll try to do it justice, for those who missed it and had wanted to be there. I'm sorry for you if you did miss it, for it was memorable event. One massive collaboration, to pay homage to a great singer, writer guitarist and performer. Mr. Rod Felton. What a tribute, that so many turned out, proving that acoustic ethnic music, whether traditional, self-penned, blues or contemporary, can still fill a big room, midweek, in these cynical times.

I've never seen the music room at The Humber Hotel full to overflowing. Not a chair free, not a space left in the Car Park nor in the streets outside. An audience which spilled out into the garden and into other rooms. Like his funeral and the Wake at The Whitefriar, people came from far and wide to share the slowly easing grief of losing him, and to celebrate his life.

So many people to thank before we even get on to the performers. Karen, Rob Armstrong and Sheila, for seeing the concept through to reality. Volunteers like Sue Phipps, working tirelessly to lay out and clear away the catering. Chris Tobin for masterminding the sound throughout, and thereby sacrificing the opportunity to play himself. The bar staff, soldiering on gamely, as a big crowd, clearly in the mood to enjoy themselves, damn near drank the place dry. And I'll say it (as no-one else will) , the whole show was inimitably and seamlessly compered by Folk's Ant and Dec, Geoff Veasey and John McKintosh.

And then, let us salute the performers. Many with a tale to tell. All bar one (the Mighty Aral-of which more later) with a song or two to sing. Keith Donnelly,Carol Gillespie, Stephen and Sara Bennett, Dan Gascoigne, Kathleen Fear and Sally Ann Veasey, Dennis Clarke, Julie Neale, Thruppn'y Bits, Terry and Jan Wisdom, Sean Cannon, Pete Willow,Joe Beale, Rik Middleton, Black Parrot Seaside, Terry St Clair, and to close the show, Rob Armstrong,Sheila Rigg and Nick Wroughton.

Dennis, Rik, Pete and ourselves were amongst those to bravely tackle a Roddy song. For let me tell you, so complex are they, in notation and vocal phrasing, that they take some copying. And those who knew his performances well will tell you that he often changed words around and rarely let anyone see his guitar tunings.

Aral (or Arul) is a stalwart of The Tump, and has turned up at Parrot gigs way back into the Rock area. ( That giant SkyRocket, going rogue and creating havoc in the Police Tent during one of our sets at an early Godiva Festival? Did he have a hand in that? He just grins whenever I remind him of it!). He did a comedy routine involving imaginary chewing gum and Keat's poem “The Wreck of The Hesperus”, which combined mime, Chaplinesque comedy and circus clowning. Brilliant.

Katherine Fear and Sally Anne Veasey were good together. I'd not seen that combination before. It works. They should resurrect it. Jan and Terry (or is it Terry and Jan?) got our feet tapping, Julie Neale tugged heartstrings with “ Tears In Heaven” and the Thruppn'ys made us smile with two of their more vulgar routines. The young Bennetts and Dan Gascoigne brought youth and guitar wizardry into the equation and Sean Cannon was, well, as always... Sean Cannon.

As for us-The Bold Parrots-newly cemented as a permanent foursome (we've made David Parr sign up on contract), we were a little anxious beforehand about doing “Curly.” It's probably Rod's greatest song, and I knew it had personal sentiment for some people in the room. But we were well pleased with our rendition (after only one rehearsal) of it. We wrapped up our spot with two BPS originals “The Odeon” (which Rod told me, first time he heard it,” that's a keeper, mate!”) and “ Albert Balls” another one which always used to make him laugh.

Before the Show, as is my custom when appearing at The Tump, I'd got the bus into Cov. and spent some time lost in reminiscence and nostalgia. I had an early pint in The Whitefriar-one of Rod's favourite haunts. Then I walked past my old school, my old house, where I used to play on bomb sites and in factory yards, and across where the old railway line used to be. Deep in memories. Up Northfield Road, where I used to live. All student bedsit land now. And into The Humber Hotel.

Admission was free last night, but by donations and via the raffle, £516 was raised for The Felton family's nominated charity, the Tibetan Education and Relief Association. Was I conscious of Rod's spirit anywhere? In The Alehouse and in the streets of Stoke, no, not in truth. But in that room last night? Oh yes. He was there. As so many people said, “He'd have loved it.”

One final thought. We have generated together so much love and goodwill, first at Rod's funeral, then at the Wake, then last night. We have filled rooms, chapels, pubs and concert venues. With song, laughter, networking and fund-raising. Need it all end here? Need that momentum now be forgotten and then lost? Couldn't we make RODFEST an annual event? What better way to make our tribute permanent?

Bleating wonderful night at Ridge Lane

    One might have expected August to be a quiet month in terms of AFC. One would be wrong. Although some regular performers were away or indisposed, that did not affect the quantity of acts on show at Church End Brewery Tap on Wednesday. Nor the quality, judging by the audience response. ( I would say that though wouldn't I, as Black Parrot Seaside, having booked their spot ages ago, were honoured by being given the privilege of rounding off an excellent night?)

    Phil Benson and Steve Beeson kicked off both halves, and the room was full. It remained so throughout. Steve was looking and sounding distinctly woozy, due to the onset of what he described as Man Flu' and the absence of his partner (and FITJ band member), Anne. The spectacle of Steve singing as  Phil rushed to and from the Mixing desk during choruses (or was it vice-versa?), so he could adjust the sound settings, was spectacular.

     Our first AFC Virgins of the night were Ben Donnelly and James Ross. Members of “Finnegan's Wake” but without their third instrumentalist, they still managed to give us a lively and vibrant display of traditional Celtic-based tunes which belied their obviously tender years. No dropping off when these boys are on. (Steve!) They are relatively local, and looking to recruit, so hopefully we'll see more of them in months to come as the network local venues. One little tip chaps: I hugely enjoyed your enthusiasm-but stick to the allocated timings. It will make you even more popular! 

Ben and James

     The thoroughly likeable Mark John put in another accomplished set. I think it might have been his debut here too, so he seemed particularly self-deprecating to start with. No need to be-for once he has that guitar in his hand, he always sings and plays well. I will forgive him nicking “Between The Wars.” We hope to entice him out to Nuneaton during the remainder of 2014 to give us a few songs. But not that one if I'm there. It's mine.

Mark will have his eye out with that guitar!

   Dragonhead were as tight and professional as ever. They swung us through Traditional and Cajun music and added some Country. I've not paid sufficient tribute to Dragonhead for trying to keep acoustic music alive in Nuneaton with their Beacon Folk Club. Hopefully we'll fill the niche left when the club folded-and succeed in bringing good Folk music back into Town. We'll have to get them in at The Crown some time to acknowledge that contribution properly.

      Comharsa were deceptive. As a band setting up, they just kept on coming onto stage, and Phil looked ever so slightly harassed temporarily as he began to run out of leads and mikes. Vocals, fiddle, banjo, whistle, percussion, accordion and guitar. (Think I've covered it all?). They literally filled the performance area. Both with bodies and sound. I loved their opener which began deceptively slowly and built up progressively into a full blooded Craic. They gave us a sequence of good honest over the water tunes including "I'll tell me Ma " "Leaving of Liverpool " and "The Irish Rover. "  I've played venues (which shall remain nameless) where big format Irish-sounding bands on the same bill as us turned up, brought their own audience, played, whipped the few indigenous punters up and then left, taking their own faction with them. Comharsa did not do that, and I respect them immensely for staying to the end and joining in with our songs as enthusiastically as we all did with theirs. Very professional, that. Cheers guys-good luck to you

Comharsa

    The indoor temperature shot up noticeably during that powerful first half  and I began thinking during the interval “Blimey-that was good-it's gonna be tough keeping this crowd going after all that!” So we came to the raffle and then it was a three piece Parrot-Dave Parr, Arnie and myself-left to wind things up. I need not have worried. We started as we always do now with “All Over Now” and this audience eclipsed the boisterous singing we heard at Bedworth last week. They insisted on singing not just the choruses, but the verses too. What a good start!

     And it continued. Despite having a fair percentage in who hadn't seen us previously, the chorus singing in “The Odeon ,“  “Down Our Street”and “Albert Balls” was spectacular. Their were audience members copying the Auntie Hazel actions too-that's a first! We added in “Need Your Love So Bad,” for a bit of balance and to quieten things down a little, before finishing with “What a Folking Liberty.” Well their faces were a picture. Even the bar staff came round. All picked up that gauntlet and ran with it. With enthusiastic calls for an encore, we felt confident enough to run our gorgeous Beyonce tribute, “If I were a Goat” by them They tackled that with great enthusiasm too. Their chorus bleating must have startled Ridge Lane sheep for miles around.

      A cracking night overall, a diverse and rich tapestry of entertainment for a big audience, very enjoyable for us and lots of positive feedback on our set afterwards. Good promo too for Nuneaton Folk Club (did I mention that?) and our Launch Night on October 1^st.

Singalonga Bedduff

     With Nuneaton Folk Club having moved seamlessly (!!) last week from the planning  stage to  reality in October 2014, Bedworth Folk Club Host Malc Gurnham was obviously determined to be on his toes on Wednesday. He was out to flex his muscles, just up the road from Nuneaton, on a Wednesday night. With a bright new Club  banner, increased promotional activity, higher profile advertising on Facebook,  slick background lighting and a bill of no less than 16   floor singers, (one of whom was Phil Benson, host of Atherstone Folk Club). The gauntlet  was well and truly laid down. The benchmark would be set high.

     Actually, there is nothing other than very friendly rivalry between these three members of The North Warwickshire Folk Triangle.  Malc has been a lifelong supporter of Black Parrot Seaside, and vice versa. It was Phil and Malc who finally  persuaded BPS recently to take on the new venture and who have both pledged their support.  Malc regularly  plays bass guitar(s) with The Parrot,  and Phil has acted  as Sound Engineer for us. We all get on swimmingly.

 

  And Malc Gurnham himself is the epitome of Club hosts and Show organisers. No-one could replace or eclipse him, and nobody would ever want to. Malc is an iconic role model for Folk Club and Folk Festival organisers everywhere. He works tirelessly to promote the Folk and Acoustic genre. He encourages newcomers and young talent, but also cajoles people out of retirement to come and play for him. Either playing and singing solo or singing alongside Gill Gilsenan, he puts on a very enjoyable musical package in his own right. He creates a friendly welcoming atmosphere at all of the Bedworth venues he uses. No wonder people were queuing up to help him raise funds for the Bedworth Festival 2014. Probably the country's biggest Indoor Winter Festival, it starts this year on the weekend beginning Friday 28th November and continues merrily all the way   through to the Sunday.

 

     What a feast the audience were treated to!  Joe Roberts, Phil Benson, David Parr (another Parrot!), Sue Sanders, Thrupp'ny Bits, Dave Fry, Martin Banks, John Kearney, John and Elaine Meechan, Maria Barham, Katherine Fear and Jon Harrington, Kim Lowings (and (she claims)-her dad -he looked far too young!):   Jan and Terry Wisdom and Black Parrot Seaside. All topped and tailed by Malc and Gill. We even Skyped Claire Latham into the room,  courtesy of Phil. So many songs, of every time and genre and such magnificent audience singing that there is no space or time to describe them all. But honourable mentions must go to:

•  John Kearney leading the company in a version of Petula Clark's "Downtown"-it was like something out of the Muppet Show:
•  a stunning Bedduff debut for the excellent Kim Lowings:
• More inspirational group singing during Maria's "Californian Dreaming":
• the Thruppny's adorable Labrador, Spangle, making a break for it-cunningly scooting her lead reel along the floor with her, as Des relaxed:
• Malc doing a "Bosworth" with feedback on Maria, inadvertently nudging the volume up beyond 11:
• the incomparable Terry and Jan Wisdom showing us all how to do it. Again!



      Coventry City were being despatched by Cardiff City on Sky in two other rooms, the Bitter ran out and so did the seats. But it was a great night. I even won a bottle of Rose in the raffle.

 

 

The Parrot is out of the Bag

NUNEATON FOLK CLUB

THE CROWN INN, BOND STREET, NUNEATON, WARWICKSHIRE CV11 4BX

FIRST WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH.

Nuneaton was until recently the largest town in the Midlands (pop. 81,900) without a regular established Folk Club. This new venture brings Folk,Blues and Acoustic music back into the Town Centre each month. The Crown is a CAMRA-affiliated pub, adjacent to Nuneaton Railway Station. Nuneaton Bus Station is opposite and with its central position, taxis are plentiful and cheap. Evening parking is available (£1, 6am-8am) nearby.

Offering free WiFi and a discount to any CAMRA members, The Crown boasts TEN Hand pumps, dispensing seven real ales and three draught ciders. Guest Ales are changed weekly.

Nuneaton Folk Club meets at The Crown each month, in a large upstairs Concert Room. Featured guests usually take the main spot. Floor spots can be booked by prior appointment, on a first come, first served basis. The new club is a joint venture between popular Warwickshire Folk Band Black Parrot Seaside (who host and compère the venue) and The Crown's landlord Julian Harkins. After running another celebrated music venue, “The Nags Head”, Julian has since built at The Crown, a nationally recognised reputation for Live Music of all kinds. In the past this has included occasional Folk concerts- (Shkayla, Quill and Tir Na Nog have all played there). Now it's time to bring Folk home for good.

 

                                                 Folk Club website:    http://blackparrotseaside.weebly.com/

BLACK PARROT SEASIDE INFO AT:

www.blackparrotseaside.co.uk

email:squawk@blackparrotseaside.co.uk.

BLOG at http://blackparrotseaside.blogspot.co.uk/