Richard Bleksley
MV Fixture
My time has come to find a better way
Posts: 164
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The Lowdown on PoD, Part 2 - The Revels
« : 03.09.04 at 00:03 » |
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This, the second instalment of information about PoD, should tell you everything else you need to know, including how to book if you haven't done so already.
AMBIENCE
The keynote is informality. Do not expect a slick theatrical type show - we have no backstage or other facilities for that. Everything will be in one room and the "works" will be on show. Remember (if you're old enough) "Ready Steady Go!" with the backdrops that were obviously just that and the cameras zooming about on screen? That sort of atmosphere. Everybody always seemed to be having fun on "RSG" and so, I hope, will we. The idea is not so much to put on a concert, more to have a party. If (for example) you want to ask Pete a question about the song he's just sung, go ahead and do it.
WHAT'S HAPPENING
Doors will open at 1.30 [Admin correction: 1.00] for the all-day attendees and there will be people to meet and greet you at the door. The bar will be open, so go on in, have a drink and mingle.
Your MC for the day (Master of the Revels, in fact) will be Julian Mount, aka Julian the Juggler or JtJ, and the festivities will begin at 2.00 [Admin correction: 1.30] with Pete's traditional welcome session.
The rest of the afternoon will be mainly devoted to supporting acts and volunteer performers.
The booked supporting acts are:
Naomi Hyamson. Something a bit different: a soprano who specialises in show songs and chanson, with a repertoire ranging from Brecht / Weill to Atkin / James.
George Papavgeris. An MV (El Greko on the forum) who has comparatively recently blossomed as a singer / songwriter. Established folk stars have covered his songs and he records for Robb Johnson's Irregular label.
Midnight. A three-piece band including MV David Barrett, who describe their music as "singer / songwriter with attitude, or English chanson with guts." One or two Atkin / James songs may get an airing.
Volunteers are Keith Busby, all the way from Wisconsin, USA; singer / songwriter Alan Neville; and Rob Rudderson with his band Pale Scarlet.
We will have a half-hour break for a cup of tea or coffee around 4.45. The afternoon session will end at 7.00, so if you have booked for supper / evening this is the time you should arrive. The supper break will last for one and a half hours, to give time for those who wish to eat out to do so, and to allow plenty of socialising for those who stay.
The evening session will start at 8.30, but if you have booked for evening only it would be a good idea to arrive around 8.00, to give yourself time for a drink and a bit of socialising. Pete will do two extended sets (about an hour each), and there will be a half-hour interval.
Finally, from about 11.00 onwards, there will be time for one last mingle before the bar closes at 11.30 and we throw you out at 11.45.
FOOD AND DRINK
We will not be providing lunch. The pub does lunches, but may find itself a bit overwhelmed if about 90 MVs and guests descend on it at once!
The cost of the afternoon tea or coffee is included in your ticket.
The cost of supper for those who have elected to eat in is likewise inclusive. Supper will be a buffet provided by the pub. I have chosen (I hope) the option with the most choice for the veggies among you. There will be plenty for carnivores too!
For those who have opted to eat away from the venue, this is not the most throbbingly lively part of Sutton, but there are nevertheless a few restaurants within walking distance. Up the hill along the A24 (away from London) is a parade of shops which contains two Chinese places and one Indian. Down towards London is another Indian restaurant. Half a mile away along Sutton Common Road, towards Sutton, there is a Harvester (The Plough), and a similar distance down the A24 towards London there is another (The George). Not forgetting that you can buy dinner in the bar next door.
The function room has its own bar, which will be open from the time you arrive until 11.30. It should be selling most kinds of drink you would expect to find in a pub, with the shameful exception of traditional cask-conditioned bitter (real ale), for which we are making our own arrangements. The pub's management has agreed to provide a kilderkin (18 gallons = 144 pints) of this nectar for our exclusive use. It will be paid for in advance through a beer fund which Theo Clarke has kindly agreed to administer. There will be no cash sales on the day (which would be a contravention of the licensing laws), so remember: if you wish to drink real ale at PoD you must subscribe to Theo's fund and buy shares in the cask in advance. Watch the "Ale for PoD" thread on this forum for developments.
BOOKING
Leslie Moss' virtual box office is now open, and ticket prices are:
All day with supper: 26.50
All day without supper: 20.00
Evening only with supper: 24.00
Evening only without supper: 17.50
These prices will be discounted for any children attending. Those who booked before the end of May will also receive the (slight but considerable) discount we promised (No, we haven't forgotten!).
Those of you who have already reserved will soon be receiving by e-mail from Andy Love a form telling you the balance due over and above the deposit you have already paid. Print out this form and post it, together with a cheque for the requisite amount, to Leslie - his address will be on the form.
If you wish to come but have not already booked, send Leslie Moss an Instant Message telling him that you wish to buy tickets, and including your e-mail address. (Click on "Members" at the top of the forum home page; scroll down until you find his name; click on it and then on "Send this member a private message") He will then e-mail you a booking form for you to print out, fill in and post back to him together with your payment.
It may possibly take a little while for your tickets to arrive, but do not fret: arrive they will.
CAR SHARING
This should really have been in Part 1, but never mind....
Andy Love (yes, that man again) has agreed to take on the Car Share Czarship (try saying that quickly after a few drinks), so if you are interested in participating watch this forum for his announcement, which will be coming soon.
THANKS....
It would not have been possible for an absolute beginner at such things like myself to have organised PoD without help (ranging from a few words of advice to downright slave labour) from many people. I owe thanks for advice, encouragement and suggestions (in various degrees) to Steve and Carole Birkill, Andy Love, Pete Atkin, my wife Maggie, Mike Powell, and Theo Clarke.
Thanks for more concrete contributions go to:
Leslie Moss, for running the box office;
Simon Reap, for sound engineering and co-ordination;
Midnight, for allowing their gear to be used all day as The PoD Sound System;
Cary Bernard, for performer co-ordination and liaison on the day;
Janice Sim and Roy Brown, for a contribution which will become apparent on the day;
Theo Clarke, for administering the real ale fund;
Andy Love, for being Lord-High-Almost-Everything-Else. Andy has done probably more to get this project off the ground than I have myself, and without his experienced advice, hard work and unflagging enthusiasm there would have been no PoD.
And thank YOU for supporting PoD Y'all have a good time now!
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