Focsle Music

Focsle Music ‘LIVE’ EVENTS: Tues, October 8th, a second Tues., so at The Guide Dog, with a Singaorund. No genre restrictions [incl. spoken word], provided it's acoustic. Raffle in break, with [usually] alcohol, confectionery & CD prizes. Free entry, with voluntary donation [rec. £2pp] invited. M.C. [t.b.c.] Paul Clarke

VIRTUAL, CHANGED MEET-CYCLE: last Weds. of each month, 8pm [UK time = 3pm NY/ET, = 12noon LA/PT]. focsle.org/
Next Zoom Singaround on Oct. 30th, with no mooted themes, now we've changed to monthly meets.
Open to all genres, but we’d rather no backing tracks, or simply playing pre-recorded material to the ‘room’. Thanks for your understanding / compliance.
Cycle likely to change again in Dec./Jan.: in discussion about reverting to second-&-fourth Weds. with one strand MC'd by Terry SoRelle, and the other by a roster of Hosts, incl. Paul Clarke

VENUE:
THE GUIDE DOG, 38 Earls Road, Bevois Valley, Southampton SO14 6SF The Guide Dog
Now our main pub base*, on most Tuesdays of the month [second, fourth & fifth]. Intimate, atmospheric space, exceptionally well-kept Real Ales, a factor renowned citywide.
Next event, after that in the header, will be a Singaround on Tues. October 22nd.
M.C. [t.b.c.]: Paul Clarke
NOTE, on Tues. 29th, we're due a Guest TOM LEWIS TomLewis.net/ . Have just seen [28/9/24] that there's an unconfirmed Saints home Cup tie that night, so we may have to change venue. As this a/c may have been hacked, thus login may prove irregular. keep close eye on the website www.focsle.org Will update here, too, if I can access the Page.

* see website www.focsle.org/ for a non-pub strand on third Tues. [15th, in October, in Rownhams]

Also inked in for 2024 are Lynne Heraud & Pat Turner lynneandpat.co.uk/ .

FOCSLE Music What’s On Please sign up to FOCSLE Music’s now-monthly Zoomaround list, for info about virtual events, or this one, for in-person Sings and periodic guests.

Not the foggiest why, but FOCSLE Music's main post has been auto-removed. UPDATE: 6am Sat. Think I now get what FBk were spooked by, and have removed that reference, innocently typed. But the act's profile still isn't registering in the replacement post [Oh well! Given me the opp. to add photos of them and the new CD].
Reason given was some process I didn't even know how to do, actively. Any of you give a monkey's if we discontinue posting here?
Paul Clarke doesn't, as I think we've only had a single person attend because of it, in nearly 7 years.
FBk's review will get back to me after the event I'd wasted time writing up, is over.

STEVE FREEDMAN (1957 – 2024), fine, hearty-voiced singer, wit* and sailor

On 30th Sept, a second Guide Dog event to reminisce and sing in memory of Steve, with a collection for British Heart Foundation.
Starting 7pm, and on a Monday [this is not, formally, a FOCSLE Music evening], we' re advised members of his family, friends and prob. folks from the sailing community will be there, as well as some of us.

With a sense of total disbelief, it’s my sad duty to inform you that Steve, aged only 66, was found dead of natural causes on his boat ‘Tyro’ at Sandwich harbour on the morning of 14th June 2024, on a trip to “The Far East”**.
We’ll miss his merry demeanour (a unique combination of harrumphing and joie de vivre!), enthusiastic singing, and his enthusiasm FOR singing. It seems unbelievable that, only on 21st May, some few lucky ones piled on to ‘Tyro’ for a “Live on the Lawn”*** event, a crazy idea he embraced with his usual whole-heartedness.

On behalf of the whole FOCSLE ‘family’, our sincerest condolences go to HIS family, and all who knew him.
Sail on, sunshine.

* e.g. the penultimate e-mail I had from him, on June 10th, reported “heading for Sandwich tomorrow (where I plan to buy a sandwich at the Sandwich Sandwich shop)”. With tears draining from my eyes as I type this, I do SO hope he got his sandwich!

* & ** i.e. Essex and Suffolk…

* & *** he suggested various none-too-serious brandings, in the same style, incl. “Singing at Sea”, “Music in the Marina”, “Bawling on a Boat”, “Wailing on the Water”, “Yowling in a Yacht“ and even “Music on the Mud” [if the tide was out]!!!

Cracking night at The Guide Dog on Tues [Mar. 12]., so full one or two were standing, with Brian Hooper, folk singer and songwriter’s duo mates, Pete Harris [as Double Cross, pic’d: photo-credit Robert Wilson facebook.com/saintsrob ], Tony Fry facebook.com/tony.lehrlefry and Jeff Henry facebook.com/jeffnursling
Exciting events also coming up, with a world premiere appearance on April 23rd of a duo from Somerset, The Scottish Widows; and [tbc] Tania Opland & Mike Freeman’s acoustic World music, in May, back on the road after too long an absence.

This event always anarchically enjoyable. Rare chance to be rude to the MC [something that NEVER happens on Focsle Music's Zoom… ]
https://rhylfolkclub.com/2022/02/19/friday-18th-february-2022/ [scroll to end for recording, but the wry preamble gives a flavour, too].

FRIDAY 18th FEBRUARY 2022 And an impromptu zoom session courtesy of storm Eunice. Luckily there were a few others out there still with power and internet and nothing better to do than come and entertain us at RFC. As always…

Sadly, I must relay news of the death of
Trevor Gilson. 30th December 1938 - 9th December 2021

We would encourage a donation to one of his favourite charities:
Open Spaces Society
https://www.oss.org.uk/what-you-can-do/appeals/
Oxfam
https://www.oxfam.org.uk/donate/
RSPB
https://www.rspb.org.uk/join-and-donate/donate/

With very best wishes from Trevor's sons - Ambrose Gilson, Francis Gilson and Gabriel Gilson

Trevor was one of the stalwart duo who ran the Fo'c'sle Folk Club between March 1997 and December 2012, when Jane Allison, the other half of that partnership, died. As such, he's my predecessor in this 'chair'. He had had Parkinson's for years. His passing, in a care home in Wi******er, was peaceful and accompanied by his family.
Condolences to his family, loved ones, friends and wider circle from the Focsle Music community.
The quiet one of the two, he also, behind the scenes, set up and ran websites for dozens of cultural bodies across the Central South. The Maskers, University Players, and another AmDram group based at St Edmund's, Netley [he appeared on their stages, too], prob. other small community theatre groups, several community choirs, [maybe] Hen Party and Craig:Morgan:Robson, to list just the performance-related stuff; and “The First” Gallery, among the visual arts, all had their sites hosted, probably maintained, and even launched, by him with, typically, no fuss or spotlight.
He patiently taught me some HTML coding, bit by bit, which enabled me to relieve him of some of the chore of doing it himself. All records of these were lost when his family, for security reasons, wiped his hard-drives when he moved from Manchester Rd into more managed care.
Trevor was one of those unsung stalwarts of the cultural scene who enable others to shine and achieve [or, on occasion, take the credit!], with rather fewer noticing THEIR achievements.
I'm certain 'sad face' icons were not the manner of communicating from such an intellectual, so I'm not putting any here!
RIP Trevor, and profuse thanks for your contribution to keeping the club going for over a quarter of its existence.

Charitable Donations to Wildlife & Nature - Donate to the RSPB Donations to the RSPB can come in many forms, from regular giving, to gifts in your will or one off donations to an appeal. Learn how to donate to the RSPB

I'm hopeful that FOCSLE Music ‘live’ will get back into gear before too long. Keep checking back here [say, every Thursday: I've usually uploaded the new header by then]. If you're on our e-mail list, you'll be getting an update soon, anyway.
Our well-attended virtual version continues unabated, every Weds. No theme, as such, for Zoom #100, but do think about how you might mark the occasion. Musical offerings containing “one hundred” are sparser than those with multiple “hundred”s, e.g. in year-dates, quantities of dead, distance and other large figures, so why not include those. Also, centuries of various sorts.
More about the m.o. of our virtual events at www.focsle.org. Bits of it need updating, but personal matters have prioritized lately. Apologies.

LIVE EVENTS: the rowing back of COVID curbs in hospitality venues does not have me rushing back to meeting in person quite yet. Case numbers are still high, even if RATES are falling, so I’m keeping a weather eye on the stats.
In the light of these changes, I will canvass opinion on when to resume meetings face-2-face. Modelling and limited data suggest the peak of new cases was mid-Jan., but those still have to work through the hospital system, and I don't know how much the data take account of the eejit majority’s "Whoooppeee" reactions and behaving as though it's all over.

FOCSLE Music What’s On in‑person events at The Guide Dog were suspended in March 2020, due to COVID19. DogThe Wellington Arms THIS FACEBOOK PAGEBELOW This website WILL get updated to match, but not always as fast.

One of our regulars writes…

Today… yesterday and tomorrow
(on the first day of the injunction to stay at home)

Today… the sky is blue, so blue, so clear… and I see again my mother’s eyes, alight with life, sparkling with curiosity, a long time ago.

I step into the garden, the sun is shining, brighter surely than ever before, and the air diamond clear.
A simple patch of “wooden enemies”, heads nodding, petals shining-white, catch me unawares and in a trice I am a child again, on that magical trip to the woods to pick a posy of wildflowers… was it for Mother’s Day or for Easter Sunday?

Primroses in my garden were never more abundant or beautiful than today, daffodils not more golden, whilst camellias by the garden wall boastfully proclaim bright scarlet and pink blooms against their glossy leaves. Look upwards through the branches of the peartree, see a black tracery bursting with fat buds, ready to open into the annual blizzard of snowy blossom against that sapphire sky.

How can I not be filled with joy? All this wonder, fresh every year!

It is peaceful here today; no sounds of traffic, nor shouts from students in the street, no aircraft overhead; what I hear is birdsong, near and far, proclaiming Spring — and the rustle of a chill wind in the trees…

Outside the world is fearful – and I too – for Covid-19 has turned our lives inside out, so fast! And we, forbidden the outside, must stay in… and wait. An anxious time, a lonely time, this home-alone time.

But in my garden there are such marvels and miracles of life…
Outside a thousand small kindnesses, from friends and strangers.
Courage and creativity all around. Signs of hope, tokens of humanity. These fill my heart. Dare we hope… building-blocks for a better tomorrow?

Jutta E. Manser © 2020

("wooden enemies": a childhood pun on wood anenomes, in case you haven’t guessed)

Enjoy this, courtesy the compiler of the “Acoustic Calendar” DIY music diary, Tony Watts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQ8O0fheA4E&feature=youtu.be&app=desktop&fbclid=IwAR26Nyo0HaZpJU4WUn4Yyso2qcfBtQC7WgM5y_C4g2S23ZjQnrA7AoyyPUs

Talking Covid 19 Blues Lyrics by Tony Watts - Music and singing by Phil Thomas Coronavirus is absolutely no joke...but maybe a couple of minutes of humour can lighten the load a li...

Guest event on MARCH 25th is CANCELLED, and all our activities are suspended until at least June 17th. As at midnight Mar.17th-18th, there's only one performer left to hear from about whether they'd still wish to turn up (for a much-reduced audience, certainly), to complete a clean sweep of our guest-calendar until then. Even whether the pub can survive the C-19 crisis is anyone's guess: pretty grim.
Do check http://www.focsle.org for latest. It's inevitable, now, that we adopt a tin hat approach while listening out for official guidelines. Apologies, but sure you'll understand. Stay as healthy as the situation allows. "We'll all be somewhat wiser when it's over" [I think I'm quoting Brian Hooper's prescient song, correctly. If not, he'll correct me!]

FOCSLE Music What’s On most Wednesdays (exc. first), each monthat The Guide Dog, Bevois Valley,  Southampton  SO14 6SFPLEASE:  no mail to venue — e-mail one of us for address

COVID-19: Weds. 18th’s singaround is CANCELLED.

DAVE HUNT makes his Focsle début this Weds., bringing harmonica-player Dave Roberts to accompany some numbers. Covers and Trad.-style self-penned material. See http://www.focsle.org/?date=2020-03-11
Next week, Bill Thompson runs the singaround, and does some extra numbers when his turn comes round (like a mini-gig, but in bits).
And, on March 25th, Antoine & Owena make THEIR Focsle premiere, too.

FOCSLE Music What’s On most Wednesdays (exc. first), each monthat The Guide Dog, Bevois Valley,  Southampton  SO14 6SFPLEASE:  no mail to venue — e-mail one of us for address

Don't forget our daft act tonight. For the child in all of you…

Tonight (19th) Kevin Barlow hosts our singaround, delivering an extra song each circuit of the room. Like a mini Feature Night, but split into bits. Songs making a point, often with humour, many self-composed. See you later.

Don't forget Americana/Celtic/English songs trio NOMAD at The Guide Dog on Weds.

The two acts above appear this very night! Open 8pm, John on c.9:15, Clare & Mike c. 10:15.
See you there…

5 days away from Focsle Music's first guest night of the 2020s [a wording designed to neatly sidestep any pedantry about decades]. Two fine quality acts.

Singaround tonight (15th) at usual place (see About pane, right). No theme — "come as you are", in musical terms. Pay as you feel and/or buy some raffle tickets, as we don't levy a fixed entry fee.

We gather at The Doghouse this evening for the first time in 4 weeks. 8pm start. Bring your songs, tunes, poems of New Beginnings, Welcome, The Throwing Out Of The Old*, and similar, to create a loose (and non-obligatory) theme of Blowing Away 'Cobwebs' and get the musical decade off to an uplifting start [it sure needs it!]

* by "The Old", I don't mean—— well, you KNOW what I mean!

No meet on New Year's Day, then two singarounds to kick off the year, on 8th & 15th Jan. First guest-night on Jan 22nd: JOHN KNOWLER and CLARE CANNING–MIKE DAVIES DUO. More detail soon…

Ambrose Gilson reports that Trevor is now in Westcliff Hall in Hythe. Less mobile, but otherwise well-managed. Will relay details to anyone who asks , and will circulate e-mail to pastFocsle F C supporters later today (in a rush to catch Xmas post right now (including Trevor's Xmas and birthday!))

Earlier tonight, called at former home of Trevor Gilson [part of Fo'c's'le F C team from 1997 to 2012] to find it clearly fully occupied by builders [though absent,then]. This situation can't have arisen in merely the past week. Anyone have any news of his whereabouts, or even if he's still with us? I've sent an enquiry e-mail to his son, but others on FB may have more up-to-date info.
Landline no. reports as "nor recognized" [no real surprise], and his mobile is still receiving, without bouncing. But it doesn't follow that anyone's monitoring it. Rather concerned.

Early notice of our Xmas Party night. See more at http://www.focsle.org/?date=2019-12-11

FOCSLE Music What’s On most 2nd & 4th Weds. each monthat The Guide Dog, Bevois Valley,  Southampton  SO14 6SFPLEASE:  no mail to venue — e-mail one of us for address

Weds. 13th November, 8pm, and long overdue, a visit from fine singer / guitarist SOPHIE WRIGHT. I wouldn't have nagged various Fo'c'sle organizers for yonks to book her, if she hadn't been worth getting your ears round. Sophie doesn't do many solo gigs, so don't pass up this opportunity. See more at www.focsle.org and please spread the word by reposting this, thanks. For the second half, she'll have some accompaniment from a member of one of many musical and theatre troupes she's part of, Richard Wirdnam (see group photo alongside). We'll pass the hat for them during the evening.