Foxwood one EastSteelette and an Unexpected Sparrow play Fair Trade event at Leeds Civic Hall

Now then Debs,



 Five weeks post-op and it's three gigs inaweek!

But this one is for Fair Trade, and that is a cause that I'm up for. We have done this gig a couple of times before, hanging out on Briggate with people in banana outfits. Back in the days when taking kids out of school was an educational experience worth giving them

And, do you know Debs, it's not about the recycling of those 12 songs; it's the parking, the loading of pans, from school to van, from one van into another, from van into my hall, back out, carparks, lifts, stairs, locked doors, turnstiles [pans over them] stages, clearing the stage while the Lord Mayor or guest VIP is speaking [bottoms up! See below].

Then it's paperwork, songsheets, permission letters, phone calls about loading entrances, receptionists, parking, and, if you're playing in Leeds centre you definitely can't be the band leader and a driver. Being a wheelchair-user, Bart is able to park just anywhere, and also we can stack several stands on his knees at one time. Who know which will give out first: His knees or his wheelchair!


I had wanted to bring a primary school steelband to the Civic, but just not possible from the old sick-bed, well not legal either, now you mention it. So, an email out to any Foxwood or East Steel on lunchtime, or available any old how [no questions asked]. Anyway, a good cause and we have me, Vicky, Wanda, Chloe [an unexpected Sparrow], Gig, Fehmina, Bart and Danielle.

 . . . . which is when we discover that the double guitars that we have ready for Music For Youth are out of tune! Next!

I love Leeds Civic Hall. It reeks of history, display cases stuck in time - I hope they never modernise them, rich carpets red and gold things, balconies, huge, huge high ceilings, delightfully wasteful of space and heat [but keeping body smells at bay, as new-build school occupants will tell you!]. The names of the great and the possibly good from Leeds Days gone past. Huge sweeping stairs.

And, yes, nice set. Thanks to Bankside headteacher for suggesting a steelband and to Hannah for asking us. [Thanks to Trish for saying she would if we really needed her, but as it happens we were nearly in double figures!]

Sparrows play GMB Equality Conference at Leeds Marriott

Well Debs, when the surgeon and I were fixing the date for my little sojourn at Jimmy's, I mentioned Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake [which keeps coming up as Ryan Lake on my mobile!] in London, and he said, "Yes that's fine, we'll do it the week after that."

"Oops," he then said, "I'd better check that I have a slot available that day. Ah yes", he looked at his computer diary, 'That's fine".

"Hang on'" replied our intrepid heroine [ie me], "Let me just check that I am free that day too." Fortunately Mr C had a fine sense of humour. And that was me four and half weeks ago, in the aforementioned fetching nightgown, and this is now: Leeds Marriott Hotel.

My first gig since. Ah, so good.







Sparrows wobbled a bit on first few numbers, then settled into a lovely connection with a lovely audience. But in the end, it was Maya who stole the show, and the union president who stole Maya.

Thanks to Laura at the GMB for finding and inviting us, and thanks also to the speaker who asked for the encore, and who was so complimentary at the end, observing what we are known for and proud of: that our players come from diverse backgrounds and ethnicities [and also, actually life experiences]. And there are people in there who have played for years, confidently bouncing around and improvising [stop it, Peter!], and two slightly nervous players, for whom it was their first gig. What they all have in common is their talent and their potential.

Players were Georgia G2, Chloe, Peter, Millie S, Ashley S, Ashley H [to be known as Ash from now on], Stephen, and staff and carers were me, Gig, Bex, Bart, Vicky, Mark and Sarah.

We were playing for the GMB euality conference - steelbands, equal ops and unions - that ticks three of my buttons! And Leeds city centre - that's four.

York Conference for Music for those with Additional Needs

Well Debs

Fresh from walking down to the Brudenell on Thursday, I decide to try my luck going to sit at a stall at the York Conference. But first I will share with you my abhorrence of the term Special Needs, or Special Educational Needs, which it has been my working life experience since I joined the Leeds Music Service in 1996. [Before that they were just "Foxwood kids"!]

I think that it is both patronising and inaccurate, and have been trying to use the term Additional Needs for a number of years now, since I fixed on it for myself as the best description going. Sort of neutral, factual. End of very minor rant.

Sue S picked me up and we headed for the Ron Cooke Hub at out of town York Uni. Diane [and Maggie] was/were already there and had set up the YAMSEN:SpeciallyMusic Stall, which was already brightly in place, and attracting customers. I sat on the stall and attended two talks [loved Phil Mullen's on Hard to Reach children - my favourite type of child, and adult!] from 11am till 3pm, until Sue took me back, and to my door.

Hullo sofa. I'm yours for the evening.

Danielle's Going to Dublin!

Well Debs, what have you started!

First you're in Dubai; now Danielle is off to Dublin. However Danielle is going to come to and fro and still make the Foxwood gigs. Phew! Any chance you could move nearer? [What do you mean: it's cold, and Michael Gove is still on the throne!].
























We send her off, as is standard, in the Brudenell. There was me, Danielle herself, Vicky, Bex, Bart and Gig. The barman took pics and I took some shots of her wonderful tattoo now that it has settled down. Here it is newly printed and now.

Last pic is me and the flowers the Sparrows sent me, sitting on the sofa that has been my perch for four weeks now!.

Royal Park the Last Vigil, Lola is Seven

Well Debs


It's February 21, Lola's birthday and the last day of half-term. It's three weeks and one day since the op.





















I survive a visit from three of my kids and four of the grand kids. Everybody plays the piano. Maya slightly misses the point. [Not all pics from same day].






We are Walt and Stella, Daisy and Lola, and Georgia and Jordan and Maya.

In the evening Rick gives me a lift down to take part in the vigil outside Royal Park School, before the cultural vandals get their bulldozers out. And Amit drives me back.






Here were former staff, governors, students, local residents and building users, some who occupied it. We all campaigned to keep this beautiful stately building in the heart of its community and we will never understand or forgive the Council who voted its life away.

Leeds Silver Steel Sparrows play Leeds City Varieties

On January 30 the Sparrows played the Leeds Child Friendly Awards at Leeds City Varieties.


And on January 30 I was having a minor op at St James' Hospital Leeds. As the Sparrows' band leader I was sadly unable to count to four and rifle through files of songs as is my wont, but now find myself in a fetching hospital gown, and leaving the steelband honours to Bex, Bart and Georgia with sterling support from Vicky.

Players were Peter, Millie S, Claudia, Georgia, Chloe, and they fitted snugly into the space in front of the stage. No space for a drum kit, so we were subtle. (I say, we, cos I was there in spirit).

We received this thanks from organiser, Richard C:

 

I would like to say a massive thanks to all the Sparrows for doing a stellar job at the Awards last Thursday. If you remember, we had a group of young people planning the whole event. They specifically requested to have a steel band as they thought it would give the event a warm and happy atmosphere at people arrived and thanks to you all this is exactly what the 300+ guests got.

 

I received several bit of praise about you from members of the audience who I talked to after the event and on behalf of myself, the young people who organised the event and the rest of the planning team – THANKS!. Please could you also pass on our thanks to all the players on the evening.

 

Thanks again for filling the auditorium full of the happy sounds of steel pans!

 

Regards

Swan Lake

On 25 January Mig and I went to London see Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake at Sadler's Wells. This was his Christmas present to me.













First I attended the Anti-Academies' Alliance AGM in Camden, then we met up in Bayswater at our hotel. As I plan to be rude about the breakfast I won't identify it. On our way over to Islington we came across a professional head-stander, standing on his [or her?] head in a bucket, with a sign advising us not to try this at home. Supper was a wrap eaten walking down Roseberry Avenue.










My first surprise was that the ballet contained female dancers. So it wasn't an all male Swan Lake; it was an all male swan troupe, gang, flock, what ever a lot of swans in one place are called. [and I know I am not the only one!]. As you can't do pics of the ballet here are some of Mig and me in the streets.

Anyway they were gorgeous; I cried a bit, and we took the tube back to Bayswater for a mini pub-crawl, where we definitely put the world to rights.

Breakfast was an adventure that should have been avoided. Here's a pic. After that we went to the Turner exhibition at the Tate. [Here's mine and Turner's selfie, and below some January trees.]

Then over to Covent Garden to see Rhiannon busking on cello again.

From here Morgan and I went our separate ways. I met Grafton, Charlotte and Sky in Peckham, talked rubbish about steel pans for an hour. Grafton gave me and Wanda's steel pan a lift to Liverpool Street, whence I tubed it to King's Cross,  arriving too close for comfort for departure.