Long Aston Steel Guitar Festival

[Basil Henriques]

The South of England Steel Guitar Festival not being venue specific is shaping up to be a "Place to Be" or not to be, depending.
I'm really looking forward to hearing Dave Hartley and others, AND if there's going to be backing musicians required, Digsby on whatever, Pat on Rhythm, myself on Electric guitar, probably Rosemary on bass, Rod on Uke...ALL are instant sight readers, so there's no excuse if you don't have backing tracks, just bring sufficient copies of the "Dots"

Is it all-right to say that Dig ?
Well anyway, Pat and I offer our services (Musically) to whomsoever desires (Musically). I feel sure Rod Rosemary and Digsby will follow suit. (Sorry Dig about the "Glorianism"I just HAD to throw it in) Should've thrown it out I hear echoing somewhere near the antipode.

By the way South of England Steel Guitar Festival is a mouthful so we should use the abbreviation SESGF, pronounced "sesgif"

So now we have sesgif and sisgif !! Fortunately a good few months apart

[Basil Henriques]

Diplomatiques moi de ne jamais !
I have been taken to task for using the terminology "Wannabe's" unfortunately I can't find an instance of it's usage in reference to other players.. Can you elucidate perhaps ?

[Digby Hardy]

Baz

We decided to rename the event excluding the location, mainly because we would be free to change the venue in the future, should we so wish.

Thank you very much for your open offer to do backing, supply equipment, etc. - much appreciated; more of this will be spelt out once the website is up. The website will be the primary source of information as the event shapes up and develops. I have not spoken to David H yet but I will, and as you know I had intended to meet up with you, Pat, Rod & Rosemary this Friday but alas the snow has kaiboshed that. Still we have plenty of time before the darlin' buds of May beckon us. By the way Happy Birthday for tomorrow!

My current occupation viz. SESGF is to get the website up and running and give people an opportunity to book their slots and contact us directly. At present the programme is very simple: we intend to give each player one 20 minute slot at least. However, depending on how many players commit, we could offer rolling jam sessions - an amplified jam in the hall and an acoustic one outside (weather permitting). It's all pretty plastic at the moment but as you know we have the experience and the ability to give the players an environment in which they create a really great festival.

[Digby Hardy]

Baz I forgot to mention that Digsby is fine but don't blame Bernard for it. It is in fact a Crowbearism. Jimbo always refers to me as Digsby whenever he feels I have been unkind to him.

In fact, when he had his recent rush of blood to the head, and reduced the membership of his forum to practically zero he kept me on but changed my password. So now I can't log on and snap at him, and yet another little pleasure of life is extinguished. But as one door closes another one .. etc. The SESGF website in basic form is now up and running and available for all to see on: http://www.chanos-isgf.org/SESGF I will develop it as we go along.

If anyone finds errors or problems please let me know via the email link on the website. Thanks! For those who buy tickets I would be obliged if you would email me a picture of yourself so I can set up a rouges gallery as I have for the Chanos festival: http://www.chanos-isgf.org/attending%20players.html

[Digby Hardy]

Of course, in my previous post, I meant "rogues gallery" and not a red one.

[Steeliedave]

For those of you like me who may not have been able to find Long Aston on the map it's actualy Long Ashton in Somerset.
Hopefully be there next year
See Yer
Dave.

[Digby Hardy]

Thanks for that information John, Long Ashton village, in the district of North Somerset, lies just south of Bristol.

The Home page of the SESGF website displays a green outline map of England, Scotland and Wales with an X marked at the approximate location of Long Ashton. Underneath the map is the legend

For directions click the X

Clicking the X brings up a Google map with the actual location of the Community Centre, marked by me, with a blue pin. I have added a note to the pin warning that Google maps give an incorrect location if you query "Long Ashton, Community Centre"

[James Crowbear]

thanx for the heads up digsby
no blood pressure rush, just dustin' da broom
membership was reduced from 220 to 170 - it never hit "practically zero"
password was not changed - access was denied
account finally terminated
explanation ?
many men smoke but fumanchu
if the wolf man don't get ya' the khatmandu

[bazzrd9th]

Hi Digby
Am I right in thinking...It wil cost the players £15 to play and the watches £7.50....?
Quote...(Ticket prices: £15:00 for players and £7:50 for non-players/supporters
Cheers
Barry

[Digby Hardy]

Hi Barry

You understand it correctly. The festival is over 2 days and for those who attend, the players pay £15:00 and their friends or supporters pay half i.e. £7.50.
Thanks for your question because it also gives me the opportunity to say that tickets have to be bought in advance so we can plan the play schedule and make up the ID badges.

At the end of February I shall be off to France to start preparations for the fourth Chanos festival in September. Chanos has grown year on year and is now the premier steel guitar festival for players in Europe. If SESGF goes the same way, I believe we will be well on the way to giving the steel guitar in Europe an new impetus - from the bottom up.

Look forward to seeing you and the others in Long Ashton.

Digby