The British Steelies Society

Ron Kew and I are organisisng a Steel Guitar festival for the 1st May Bank Holiday weekend. This will be the Saturday 30 April 2011 and Sunday 1 May 2011.

The main purpose of the festival is get players to play their steel guitars in public and not just in their bedrooms. It will be a great opportunity of players of all standards, from beginners to professionals, to meet and play.

Details are sketchy at present but will become clearer by the early new year. What is clear, at the moment, is the following detail:

Venue: Long Ashton Village Hall
Date: 30 April 2011 to 1 May 2011
Times: 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on Saturday 31 April and 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m 0n Sunday 1 May.
There will be no auditions and every player will have at least one 20 minute slot.
Ticket prices: £15:00 for players and £7:50 for non-players/supporters

Just bring your guitar, we will supply all the amplification. There will be some live backing available.

Anyone wanting more information or volunteering to give us a hand please pm me of Ron Kew, via this forum.

Hi. That sounds great Digby. Do you know if there's a farmhouse bed and breakfast nearby?
It's 215miles but with an overnighter on the Sat, sounds like a great idea, and planning it this far ahead too, that gives players time to write it in their diary and not take bookings on that date.. No hotel or bungalow BB, farmhouses are better, the breakfasts are bigger I will write the dates down today, if you know of anything without me doing the google searches, please email me at [email protected] please and I will book it up..

I am hoping there is interest in this, there's been 94 views and no replies. It's like this, I have just discovered I have a gig on the Saturday, but am prepared to cancel it out if this event shows interest in the next 2 or 3 weeks.

Although, as David points out,there have been no replies to this post,I,m sure MANY are watching this one with great interest!! I know I am. And hoping it will be a big success. This will surely gather momentum as more details emerge. (cancel that gig Dave,your "country" needs you) Regards Graham

As players we are always looking for new venues to attend, well here is your chance to support this new Steel Festival. I think we should give both Digby and Ron our full support and backing in their new venture and make every effort to attend be it, as a player or a listener. As previously stated, todate there have been a good number of viewings but very little commenting, lets have some feedback if only to give Digby and Ron some indication of the level of interest.

Many thanks Richard.

Digby Hardy wrote:Ron Kew and I are organising a Steel Guitar festival for the 1st May Bank Holiday weekend. This will be the Saturday 30 April 2011 and Sunday 1 May 2011.

Great, unfortunately the dates coincide with the Biennial Convention of the Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association, to be held at the Queen Kapi'olani Hotel, Waikiki - Oahu, Hawaii.. "May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii" Pat and I will be there...
(Carlsberg?) ?= Probably ...

Just bring your guitar, we will supply all the amplification.

I'm prepared to bet that more than 90% of the pedal players will use their own amps..

Undoubtedly a great opportunity for the players from the south-west half of the country to attend a cross genre festival.
Hopefully SOMEONE will video the proceedings and put it up on YouTube/Facebook/Daily Motion or wherever, so the rest of the world can see just how many steel guitar enthusiasts there are over here..

Pat and I played at Aston Court Country Club, resident in the autumn/winter of '65, and later in mid '66..
I could never understand why the "Downs" were named such, being as they're 'UP', quite high up, level with Isambard Kingdom Brunel's bridge.
http://www.panavista.eu/#7.2.0

I'll be there, just need to organise overnight accomodation so wont do anything until I know its definately on.

I put my reply on the Euro forum, but I'm definitely planning to be there. Apart from Basil, I've never met anyone from this group, so it will be very good to put faces to names.
I've got two songs ready so far!
It's just a shame it did not happen a couple of years ago when we lived a lot closer.
Cheers
Dave

I have cancelled my gig, and I will be attending this event. I am looking for accommodation this evening.
I am making the effort, let's see a few more names on this thread who are definitely attending.

I am one of many, who,i,m sure, cant wait. David,how about convincing Tony Browne to come and pick?