Foxwood Steel Play Cafe Bliss

We had planned to play in a gazebo outside the café on Chapeltown Road, but a hurricane announced its intention to blow the north down so we took over half the café inside instead.

The acoustics were surprisingly good. We expected to drown everyone out. Not so.









We were me [Victoria], Bex, Vicky, Fehmina, Gary, Charlotte, Amy, Sophie, George, Natalie, Millie S.

Gary complained he was always at the back. Amy was wondering why she was at the front again. And why oh why do drummers have to be where no one can see them! Not that the drummers ever complain. [We need a mini light-weight stage.]

You can please some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time . . . . .

I must admit the second row is my favourite, but if you're counting in to an ending, it's not a place to do it from.

We got out the Christmas books out and sight-read our way through thirty odd songs, collapsing heaps of hysteria as we trashed a couple of the harder ones. Sleigh Ride and I Believe in Father Christmas were casualties.

Thanks to Peter for the space; thanks to Ted for me permettre a parler en français; thanks to Emma for filming; to the rest of the audience [though I think we may have outnumbered them!] for tapping their feet; thanks to my wonderful band for being such great players and such lovely people.

Foxwood Panyard playing Leeds Carnival Monday at Cafe Bliss Carnival Village

It is five years since Foxwood's services were no longer required at Leeds Carnival itself. In 2013 Rhiannon and I, and 2012 Sophie and I went down to march pan de neck - dressed as Greeks! -with Nostalgia at London Carnival.

Then Annette decided we should be back in Leeds, and with her untiring support, Foxwood Steel popped up at the side of Chapeltown Road in Savile Park which we did in a sunny 2013 and a rainy 2014. 

We thought we would get moved on but the Carnival-goers just took us for part of Carnival proper. Perhaps we should have kept the name, Foxwood Steel Bandits! Then in 2015 Hilary and George and Mexican rescued us, and put us on at Rhythms now Café Bliss Carnival Village.

Here's some shots of setting up.

And then again this year. Now we don't just use our own private steelband but we are able to plan, to practise and to take community band, East Steel, and some older Sparrows [well those not at work or at LeedsFest] as well as ourselves.

First on Bank Holiday Monday is Leeds Pan Central. We are me [Victoria], Bex, Vicky, Amy, Wanda, Charlotte, Joyce, Lynn, Anne, George, Sheeks, Chloe, Georgia G2, Sophie. Maddie.

Second and third sets today go to Carnival Foxwood and Sparrow. Now we are me [Victoria], Bex, Vicky, Gary, Gig, Georgia, Sophie, Amy, Charlotte, Wanda, Chloe, George, and, towards the end, a rare sighting of Claudia! [whose very mother it was who got us back into Leeds carnival]. Yay. Guest Jermaine on shaker. And a surprised Tamanna finds herself also playing along on one number [still in her motor memory]. [Still in our set!]

Perhaps the best moment was when the DJ [who was himself black] discussed aloud, at some length, and into the microphone, that steel pannistes could be black, they could be white [to quote Johnny. We felt so welcome after all these years. And just as well as there would only be Jermaine and Claudia today! And then Mexican asked the audience to applaud and they did, and they did, and they did. We hit the Red Stripes after that.

Three Foxwood Panyard Steelbands play Leeds Cafe Bliss Carnival Village Sunday

First up it is Leeds Pan Central - a combo today mostly of Foxwood Steel and East Steel. We are
me [Victoria], Vicky, Wanda, George, Lynn, Sophie, Sheeks, Ash, Emma, George,











This is Mexican's Cafe Bliss and Rhythms fifth Carnival Village, neatly nestled at the side of Chapeltown Road, just up from Savile Park where Foxwood Steel popped up in 2013 [sunny] and 2014 [rainy].


Before Hilary and George rescued us.






At 4pm East Steel played on their own.

Now we are me [Victoria], Vicky, Sophie, Lynn, Joyce, Anne, Maddie. Here's Ash arriving to drum for us.





Trying to keep the sets as different as possible, we massacre The Flood.  Moving on.

At six thirty three of us change shirts to be Foxwood Steel, and now we are me [Victoria], Vicky, Sophie, Gary, Here's Sophie actually changing vest!











Out of a potential eight Foxwood  drummers, we only have Sheeks, who is doing her best to get out of it. I contact John, Jermaine and Byron, am about to message Theo when Jermaine agrees, telling me he is not very good. He and Sheeks spend the set trying to get each other to drum. We have the odd disaster, but they are both great.

Foxwood is Gazza, me, Sheeks, Vicky, Sophie, Wanda, Jermaine, Chloe, Gig and Patrick, who wore his matching Red Stripe shirt. 



There was a sort of Battle of the Gazebos into Bags later, then I got a lift home with Sheeks. I don't know what everyone is complaining about, but I had had a few cans!