Foxwood Steel at Oakwood Farmers Market May 2016

Well, what more to say about Oakwood Farmers Market. We love them; they love us.

Maybe I should discuss our lovely industrial weight gazebos. These fine edifices were bought after saving up for some time. Easy to put once you know how. Some of the Farmers Market people got very excited when they saw them and gave them a little stroke. And why not!

But you're not reading this blog to find out about weather protection. You want to know if we did any new tunes at all, or was the set list called Oakwood 2016 the same as the one called Oakwood 2014 or even 2012. Well, I managed to slip SOS past them, which we have never played before, and Diamonds are Forever [calypso], which was a bit of a distant memory. Furious discussion ensued that it should be hauntingly slow and not chirpy calypso. They all called for You'll Never Walk Alone. I wondered if it was too close to Hillsborough, but it went down alright.

We were me, Vicky, Gig, Daisy, Sheeks, Amy, Sophie, George, YiBai, Fehmina, Ash.

I was determined to master the art of the single guitar pan, and am doing good on it.

That's it: Oakwood farmers' market, an annual favourite. Loved it.

Foxwood Steel at Oakwood Farmers Market Again

The day started sunny and windless and stayed as such for all our set. Oakwood Clock and surrounding square have been refurbished and the Clock itself is big and beautiful against the blue skies and spring green tree. We were me, Yi Bai, Katie, Bex, Vicky, Charlotte, Sophie, Gary, Daisy, Amy in order of arrival. Please note that I was, and in the van, the first at a gig. This won't happen again, so may as well make this note.

Bex told us she had a small free gig. Was totally puzzled until I put in the hyphen. A small-free gig!

We played 25 songs in 3 sets in 2 and 1/2 hours. Amy said she was too tired to play until Sophie put her straight! Actually that was the level of the excitement. It was the third event this week for four of us [me, Bex, Vicky Sophie at Middleton Park [East Steel], at Wharfedale [massed school bands], now here [Foxwood]. All have been great to be part of. Love playing parks and bandstands, love playing festivals, love playing outside on stone in built-up areas. Thanks to Ian for inviting us yet again.

So that's it. Here's some pics. [And the cloth banner was originally made by Trish Senior for Foxwood at Foxwood School in 1980-something]

If you want to book Foxwood Steel, or any of the bands for an event, contact us on foxwoodpanyard@outlook.com .

Foxwood Steel play Oakwood Farmers' Market at Oakwood Clock

Now then Debs

 

 

 

 

 

Here's a favourite gig:

As a NotSoSmall, I stood at Oakwood Clock most week days for five years and then took the 3 [which is now bizarrely called the 21]  and then either the 1 or the 56 [now still called the 1 and the 56] into town and out to Leeds Girls; after which, for two years I took whatever in the opposite direction to Allerton Grange.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So when Ian first asked would Foxwood like to pay Oakwood Farmers' Market history started tumbling about, and I thought we might.

 

We were treated like royalty, and now we play it every anniversary, and then I still remember myself in my stupid green uniform standing lonely there, but excited for my trek across town. Not feeling sad about this, but warm. Green had used to be my favourite colour. Sometimes met people "by the Clock", and hang out.

On Saturday 15 March 2014, out of 21 possible Foxwood players we were nine! You and Danielle are now in D and D. All four drummers are either at work or in Liverpool;  but hey, thank you Sparrows' drummers, Ash and George for stepping in. We were great. The whole idea that is Foxwood, Sparrows and East Steel yet again works as players step in to support the other bands.

We were me, Bex, Gig, Amy, Sarah, Charlotte, Daisy, Vicky, Sophie, plus drummers Ash and George [who also played pans and cahon]. Guesting with us were Sophie and Josie from the Allerton Grangettes, and a rather surprised lady from a steelband in Cumbria. Also Ianto on djembe, and Theo who had only bobbed in to buy some pan sticks so he could go off to Briggate busking.

 

 

It was a fight but we managed to establish Jar of Hearts and Under the Sea  as regular Foxsongs, with Bridge Over troubled Water as almost a perennial. Talking of which, bought some nice plants from the flower stall as well.

 

 

 

Here, sitting in his pram is yet another steelband orphan, Daniel, Sarah's Small. There's a red shirt and some minipans waiting for when he can provide us with proper cute factor. Is that child-exploitation?

Foxwood Steel at Oakwood Farmers Market

For two or three years in my younger teens, I used to stand at Oakwood Clock every week day in term time to catch the 21 into town, and then change for the 56 to Headingley. Then I lived on Ladywood Road and went to Leeds Girls High School on Headingley Lane/Victoria Road.

So, whenever Foxwood is asked by Ian to play around this little landmark, I have a moment or two of nostalgia. I had passed the 11+ so I could I could have gone to Roundhay, half a mile up the road, and then with a tremendous university entrance record, but my parents were new to Leeds, and it was the moss green uniform on the other side of town for me. Well, until that massive row with Miss Sykes, and, for sixth form, it was the 21 the other way back up Street Lane to Allerton Grange. Not quite as often as was signed in! [Actually, after the day of the roll call for initials in the register compared to sixth-formers present was 18:12, I think they went back to the form teacher taking the register. We didn't really care, and found this quite amusing. This can't be said for the day of our A level results.]

Oakwood Clock with the new Fish Bar, now listed, I believe, and with post office/paper shop where I did a paper round from for six rather inglorious months and where I perfected the art of being late. Who else had their mother drive them to the post office in their dressing gown, and then up Oakwood Lane to the first drop! Still, I never missed a day, and when I finished, they gave me a bar of chocolate for [my mother] never missing a day.

And here we are. On a cold March morning playing all our favourite tunes and having a right good time, getting photographed with an MP a new local councillor and the Lord Mayor. I have to leave early to go to an Anti-Academies Alliance meeting in London. Bex takes over, seamlessly I assume. It's Foxwood's first gig of the season, and we are me, Bex, Daisy, Gig, Lizzie, Tim, Sarah, Amy, Danielle, Katie and Vicky. Nat is teaching, Stewart at Uni, and Charlotte is asleep.

Bex Vicky on Waterfront

Catching the 6.05 back from London, I meet Bex and Vicky and we go to Cheryl's party on the Waterfront. Took several highly unflattering pictures of each other, so the best I can offer as pictorial remembrance is this on the left.

They went on into town. There being no 56 for a bit I took the No 1 up Headingley Lane, rucksack still full of anti-academies stuff and Russian homework. That was a long day.

Foxwood Steel at Oakwood Farmers Market

Hey Debs

Now it's spring at Oakwood Clock again. And Debs, we have run out of drummers. Natalie is at music centre; Joe Mo is working; Alan is in Spain; Joe Mac is in Brighton; Varshika doesn't consider herself a drummer [but she always gives in to popular pressure whenever I attempt, myself to sit at the kit]. Enter Tim, Diane's friend's nephew. And he coped excellently with all the instructions/bullying. Varshika did one number. Here's her pre-performance Dormouse impression.

The fine weather of the previous week is evaporating into droplets of rain and we have a two-gazebo moment. And it's also the third setlist of the season. I have printed off twelve copies and lost two before tune 3. Charlotte tacked a copy to the gazebo pole. Lizzie overslept for her favourite gig of the year! But still made it for most. The picture on the right I call "Wondering".

They love us here, and we love them. So they have booked us a year in advance for next year: March 16 2013; that's plenty of time to lose six drummers in!