Fretboard Jam - South Edition

Bridgehouse

I'm putting this in Guitar for now to get some exposure - I will move it to Events a bit later on.

We have now had 3 very successful Fretboard Jams in the last 6 months: Quad in Leicester, Northampton, and now Huddersfield.

I'm learning as we go along, but the feedback has been very positive, they have been well attended, and we have had some really good times actually playing some music rather than just talking about it!

We are keen to keep the format going - there will be a Quad Jam and a Huddersfield Jam in 2018, and I'll start planning them in the coming weeks. 

However - we don't yet have a southern Jam.

I have a ready to go formula, and all the collateral we need to do one - I'm missing a person who is based down south to act as "local liaison/organiser" - like @Legionreturns and @markblagdon have done recently. Broadly it involves finding a venue, liaising with them, and helping with the setup. I personally don't have the time to do all the organising for all of the Jams - at the rate we are going there will be 6 a year (!) 

I'd like to know if there is an appetite for a southern jam, and if there is anyone who fancies helping? Exact location will to an extent depend on who comes forward (if anyone!) 

Ask anyone who has been to a Jam and they will tell you just how much fun they are - if any Jam attendees want to chip in and give an opinion on the Jams we have had so far to encourage then please do.

mrkb

They are great fun and good learning experience for the bedroom warrior to use as a stepping stone to playing in public. If someone could arrange one near Weymouth or Hampton court I would appreciate it as I could use is as a family visit weekend and keep my wife happy 

poopot

What’s required?

Bridgehouse

poopot said:

What’s required?

Someone local to:

- Find a suitable venue, visit and check it out
- Book said venue and liaise with them
- Help out with getting people booked in on the day, collecting the cash and paying the venue
- Helping out (a bit!) with the song list, running order etc
- Posting directions to the venue and timing, and being available to take queries from people who are lost etc.
- Being about on the day to liaise with the venue and sort out any issues

I'll run the format, the actual jam logistics on the day, the song list and the song choices. 

This seems to have worked well for Northampton and Huddersfield. 

poopot

More than happy to help out with this... may even be able to drag the drummer and singer along.

what size room is needed?
will backline be required or do folk normally bring their own gear?

TTony

poopot said:

More than happy to help out with this... may even be able to drag the drummer and singer along.

what size room is needed?
will backline be required or do folk normally bring their own gear?

@poopot
There have been "Southern" events organised in the past, though I've not attended any pers@poopot ;

@McToot and @Timmyo might have some input - I'm pretty sure that they've both been involved previously.

Essentially;

• location is probably somewhere close to the southern arc of the M25, and preferably with a train line too, just for the logistics.  It needs to be accessible for a large number of people so that 30 or so will actually commit and turn up.
•  the Quad session worked well because there were a few rooms that could be used, so main event in one room, but with a jam session going on in another, gear chat in another, etc.  So it needs to be a large-ish venue.
• either a venue *with* it's own backline, or attendees who are happy to have their kit used all day.  Swapping amps around takes too long, and mucks up recording levels.
• somewhere where recording is reasonably easy to arrange, like a studio!

poopot

@TTony  In principle im in.

I will have a think as to where would be suitable. There’s a couple of rehearsal places near me that would suit (if a little grubby). I’m fairly quiet this coming week so I will do some investigating.

Im assuming this would need to be a weekend day?. How long would the session need to last? also when in the year? 

Bridgehouse

poopot said:

@TTony  In principle im in.

I will have a think as to where would be suitable. There’s a couple of rehearsal places near me that would suit (if a little grubby). I’m fairly quiet this coming week so I will do some investigating.

Im assuming this would need to be a weekend day?. How long would the session need to last? also when in the year? 

Assume something like 11am to 6pm on a Saturday. 

As for when, I guess most sensible would be May this year I think.

poopot

Well if no one else want to do it. I’ll give it a fair crack. 
I have a few places in mind. A couple of studios and a pub with a music venue above complete with stage and recording facility’s... (could be good for refreshments).

TheBigDipper

I don't have the time to help organise, but I'll certainly turn up and play.

TTony

poopot said:

Well if no one else want to do it. I’ll give it a fair crack. 
I have a few places in mind. A couple of studios and a pub with a music venue above complete with stage and recording facility’s... (could be good for refreshments).

Another criteria is going to be parking.

If you've got 30-odd people turning up, assume that most will be arriving by car.

McToot

I'm happy to be involved too. We have had a fair few 'gearfests', but those are all about nosing around other people's tasty kit and not really about doing anything more constructive. Having not played live since 1988, I would dearly love to make myself sick with nerves have a go. I'm in Haywards Heath about 10-15 mins from the M23 and 25 mins from J7 of the M25.

@Fez, @Flanging_Fred @dindude @hubobulous ; - any suggestions/interest from you chaps?

poopot

TTony said:

Another criteria is going to be parking.

If you've got 30-odd people turning up, assume that most will be arriving by car.

This is darn sarf!!! We don’t do parking spaces

McToot

I have hired rooms out at Audio Empire, which is just 100 yards of the A23, just south of Crawley. They have a pretty big room and plenty of parking. It doesn't tick the boxes in terms of catering, etc but we could get around that. There's also a pub in central Crawley - it's a bit grotty but it has a separate room with stage for gigs. That could work. 

Edit, the more I think about it, the more Audio Empire could work. It has recording facilities at least two big rooms and a couple of smaller ones, plus a lounge area. It's not that close to a train station but would be £10-15 in a taxi from burgess hill. It also has a Premier Inn very close by. 

Fez

I could supply PA. Certainly interested.

Legionreturns

Anywhere within striking distance of the Caterham area will see me migrating South to stay with folks or friends and coming to this. I love these jams and don't need much of an excuse. You can count me out of organising though! I'm content with sorting out the next Huddersfield jam, bigger and better...possibly a weekender

Although it goes without saying that anything I've learnt from doing the northern one I'll be happy to share

TTony

Audio Empire is sounding good @McToot ;

poopot

there are are a couple of places near me that I think would suit.

1) tweeters-leatherhead. Has one very large room and 4 smaller rooms. It is however quite grubby. However, the sound is quite good in there. 

2) AirPlay-sunbury. Not overly big rooms and tbh a bit bright sounding but does have one room rigged up to a control room for recording. Also like tweeters a bit grubby.

3) water rats-Woking not been here but have heard nothing but good things about it. Has a large live room linked to the control room.

4) the cricketers-Kingston. Has a music venue above with a stage, full pa and desk for recording. Could be good in the sense it would be more of a “gig” for everyone... could also bring wags to watch on in admiration  plus it’s a pub!...

happy to sort and organise this for everyone. I’m going to pop down to water rats tomorrow anyway just to have a nose.

This would mean the jam being sw london/Surrey. All venues are in or just off the m25.

Legionreturns

@poopot , Quad was very clean, modern and with large rooms. Sasquatch was down and dirty, a bit grubby but more authentic. Felt like somewhere built with rock in mind. Both worked very well for different reasons. Don't let grubby put you off!

poopot

Grubby is fine with me... we were in tweeters Tuesday just gone... 

Bridgehouse

Well done @poopot - let’s chat on PM and sort something out.

Everyone else - who fancies a southern Jam sometime around May-ish?