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I don`t know if you find this, but whenever I`m really looking forward to an event, something always seems to come up to make it problematic to attend. I`m pretty sure this didn`t happen so much in my younger days, so maybe it`s to do with being old.
Anyhow, despite the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, I did make it to part of the Emerge Festival. I can`t comment on the event as a whole except to say it had been troubled by strong winds and heavy rain. We shall put those aspects behind us and concentrate on a few positives.
My own personal stars of the show were Siyaya (http://siyaya-arts.com) from Zimbabwe. I believe Siyaye as a whole are quite a large ensemble, but only a small group appeared at this event. Siyaye are ony the second Zimbabwean act I`ve seen and I`m by no means an expert on their music. I would say that they provided an infectious mixture of melody and energy which was well received by an audience who in many cases had probably never heard any African music before.
Let`s digress for a moment. Listening to Siyaya I couldn`t help noticing a resemblance between their music and early-to-mid-period Toots and the Maytals, something I seem to remember noticing with the other Zimbabwean band I`ve seen. I wonder why this would be ? I have always wondered why the Maytals sounded so different to any other reggae act and wonder if they absorbed an African influence along the way. I shall reign in my digressions, but it`s interesting.
Matt Henshaw (photo by Ilsonowl*)
An unexpected pleasure was an improptu appearance by local lad Matt Henshaw (www.matthenshaw.com) , formerly of the band Censored, who filled in with a few songs when another act were not quite ready to go on stage. Ordinarily I am not always keen when earnest-looking young men appear in a tent accompanying themselves on an acoustic guitar, even when they`re wearing rather fetching red boots as young Matt was on this occasion. I always worry that they`re going to perform songs with titles like `The Day I Had a Migraine` or something. It`s not that I don`t like acoustic music - I do - it`s just that if you`re going down that road it needs to have a bit of heart and soul. Fortunately Matt has those qualities and, while it`s not really wise to recommend an artist on the basis of a handful of songs, I would urge interested parties to check out this red-booted troubador.
A few weeks before Emerge I attended an event to mark 100 years of Trent Barton busses where entertainment was provided by, amongst others, singing bus driver James MacDonald. I`ll admit that singers performing a set made up entirely of cover versions to pre-recorded backing tracks is not really my thing, but I`ll have to say our melodious transportation operative does have some points in his favour. Opening with a faultless version of Stand by Me, he performed a set that included what I would think are rather challenging songs for a singer, notably Sir Duke and Walking Through Memphis. If he had a weakness, I`d suggest that the sheer variety of styles he attempted (Fly Me to the Moon and All My Loving were among the other tunes in his set) may tend to make him rather faceless. Having said that, a singer who likes a challenge and can perform competently - sometimes brilliantly - in a variety of styles may well find a career as a session singer. Ultimately, anyone who can sing Stand by Me as well as that is OK by me !
Other bands that appeared at the Trent Barton event were iSurrender, Mark Upton and The Spitfires.
I`d also like to mention folk act The Feathers who I saw in Derby recently, and who played an upbeat, energetic and tuneful set to lunchtime punters in the Square. Well worth looking out for.
That`s enough from me. Here are a few other events going on in the area ;
Ripley Music Festival (various dates, ending 18 August) (http://www.ambervalley.info/articleviewevents.asp?id=6272)
Larks in the Park (Belper River Gardens, various dates ending 25 August)
(http://www.ambervalley.info/eventdetail.asp?eventid=2659)
Rock & Blues `Old School` Weekend (Pentrich, 25 - 27 July)
(http://www.ambervalley.info/eventdetail.asp?eventid=2456)
Live and Local (ongoing)
(http://www.liveandlocal.org.uk)
Music in the Square (Beeston, various dates in August)
(http://www.broxtowe.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=9073)
* The photo is one I found on Wikipedia and as I understand it, can be re-used freely. Normally, I like to contact the photographer concerned even when I know that its` OK to use it, just as a courtesy. On this occasion I`ve not been able to contact Ilsonowl, but would like to give credit where it`s due for the picture anyway.
Somewhat belatedly, we turn our attention to this month`s good cause.
This is a relatively recent project of mine, whereby each month I highlight a cause (usually charitable) which I believe to be worthy of your attention
The idea is that over a year I will `kinda sorta` strike a balance between local, national and international initiatives.
This time I`m going for a local flavour and a slightly different type of issue to those I`ve highlighted in the past.
Not so long ago, I attended a `boat rally` near my home.
The occasion was the 40th anniversary of the Erewash Canal Preservation and Development Association (http://erewashcanalpreservationanddevelopmentassoc.org.uk) and the 45th anniversary of the clearing of the site of the Great Northern Basin, which was where the event took place.
There was music from the Holymoorside Brass Band (www.holymoorsideband.co.uk) , and stalls/displays promoting various waterway/conservation bodies, including Shardlow Heritage Centre (http://homepages.which.net/~shardlow.heritage , www.canaljunction.com/museum/shardlow.htm), Inland Waterways Association (www.waterways.org.uk), Friends of Cromford Canal (www.cromfordcanal.info) and the Derby and Sandiacre Canal Trust ( http://derbycanal.org.uk).
There was a lot to see and I don`t doubt that there were other equally interesting groups present which have slipped my mind.
The two I`d like to highlight this month are these ;
Friends of Cromford Canal, "a charitable organisation whose aim is to see the restoration of the historic Comford Canal for the benefit of the general public" and who "advocate and promote its` restoration to navigation, connecte to the national inland waterway system."
and
Derby and Sandiacre Canal Trust, "a registered charity whose objective is to restore the canal to a navigable waterway" with a "multi-user towpath to enable acess to all."
I`ve selected these for the sheer scope of their ambition and for their resourcefulness - the restoration of a canal is no small undertaking and if either or both can bring their plans to fruition it will be pretty impressive.
I`ll close by recunting a rather puzzling conversation I had with one of the private stallholders as I made a purchase. "Are you from one of the boats or are you local ?" she asked. i replied, naturally enough, that I was local. "Oh" she replied, with obvious surprise "you don`t seem the sort."
Still trying to work that one out !
Previous Causes
I`d like to also higjhlight the causes I`ve endorsed in previous months -
June 2013 - NHS Blood and Transplant (www.blood.co.uk)
May 2013 - Anti Slavery (www.antislavery.org)
April 2013 - Derbyshire Blood Bikes (www.derbyshirebloodbikes.org)
March 2013 - Brake (www.brake.org.uk)
Good causes one and all, and I`d encourage you to find out more by clicking on the links provided.
A few years ago an old friend of mine died of an industrial disease contracted whilst working with asbestos in his youth.
For that reason, I like to do my bit to promote Action Mesthelioma Day, which takes place on the first Friday in July each year.
Unfortunately little information has been forthcoming this year and I must admit the event had slipped my mind.
The day involves local, community-based groups, often organised by families affected by asbestos-related disease, running events promoting awareness of the issues and of their own activities.
The event is co-ordinated by Mesothelioma UK, who can be contacted via http://mesothelioma.uk.com . I`m sure they will be only too happy to provide, or indeed receive, information about AMD events taking place around the country.
While we`re on the subject, I`d like to mention Derbyshire Asbestos Support Team, a well-respected and long-established local charity that works to support those affected by asbestos-related illness.
DAST works with charities, community groups, trade unions and others as you`ll see from their latest newsletter ; http://asbestossupport.co.uk/doc/DAST.pdf .
Lastly, I`d also like to mention the Asbestos Victims Support Groups Forum UK (http://www.asbestosforum.org.uk) . This seems to be a very worthwhile initiative that provides much-needed support and advice to many.
At present the group is running a petition in respect of the 2013 Mesothelioma Bill,. You can learn more about this by clicking on the link they provide. I hope that some of you will consider signing this, as I have done myself.
Good news for music lovers is that Derbyshire`s Emerge Festival, will be taking place this year, on Sun 23 June 2013.
Emerge is a daytime event that prides itself on it`s musical diversity and takes place at Shipley Country Park. It`s future has been in some doubt for a while, and for quite a time now it has only taken place once every two years.
For this year at least, Emerge has been moved forward to co-incide with Shipley Park`s annual Open Day.
Past festivals have provided lucky punters with the chance to hear a range of music, with one year being especially memorable for a headlining performance by jazz singer Helen McDonald, an artist I have seen live many times and who turned in an excellent set despite the disadvantage of having to appear late afternoon as the event was coming to a close.
Further details ; www.ambervalley.info/eventdetail.asp?eventid=2727
Helen McDonald
The story of the Arctic Convoys and the struggle of survivors to achieve the level of recognition they felt was appropriate has been well-documented. Those unfamiliar with the story may wish to click here ;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21583176 .
What about the individual stories of those involved ? Once again, the nation`s smaller newspaperrs have a lot to contribute here.
Two stories which caught my eye recently appeared in my local newspaper, and can be found here ;
http://www.ripleyandheanornews.co.uk/news/war-hero-recalls-arctic-missions-1-5661799
http://www.ripleyandheanornews.co.uk/news/local/arctic-convoy-hero-finally-gets-medal-70-years-on-1-5623125
The first concerns itself with Dennis Yates of Marlpool, Derbyshire, a shipwright on HMS Scylla, whilst the second concerns itself with George Eyre of Codnor, a wireless telegraphist on HMS Duke of York.
Small newspapers in other areas have comparable stories. Naturally I can`t track down and list them all, but the others include ;
Unsigned - `Pensioner George Yorke Receives Medal...`, posted 19 May 2013 at www.dailyecho.co.uk
Unsigned - `Arctic Convoy Medal for Veteran Bob Watkin`, which appeared in The Citizen and was posted at www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk 31 May 2013
Emma Rigby - `Hartford Man Ernie Nelson Will Receive the Medal...` , posted 31 May 2013 at www.northwichguardian.co.uk .
Articles about Jock Dempster appeared at www.dailyrecord.co.uk , www.scotsman.com , www.heraldscotland.com , www.deadlinenews.co.uk , http://forargyll.com and www.eastlothiannews.co.uk and many others.
However belatedly, it`s only right that we commemorate the men who made the journey that was so dangerous that amongst themselves they referred to it as the `suicide run` and which Churchill once called "the worst journey in the world."
Without wanting to repeat myself too much, here`s another plug for Small Charities Week 2013, which takes place 17 - 22 June 2013.
Further info ;
http://smallcharityweek.com
http://www.thefsi.org
