Any interest in a West Midlands get-together?

IanSavage

Right, I'm being tempted AGAIN (despite having said at least twice that I'm never putting myself through organising another one ) - between McToot mentioning one of the old 'fests and making me all misty-eyed and the talk of giving UK-based builders/manufacturers a bit of a platform with this forum, I'm kicking around the idea of another meet-up.

For those who haven't been around since this was all fields (aw, the old InterMusic forum days *sob*), a lovely lady named Sian used to put on a charity meet-up down Bristol way known as the 'GASfest' - she put heart and soul into it, gave loads of us really good nights away and raised loadsamoney for the Drake Music foundation (helping people with disabilities play music).

Over the years a few of us put on frankly pale imitiations of her event, usually with more focus on heavy drinking and playing loudly (whilst raising money for charity with raffles and quizzes and such, we're not animals ), in (IIRC) Redcar, Walsall and Swindon (apologies if I've missed any). I did a few vaguely successful ones myself but haven't had the inclination or the contacts to do another as I've been moving around a bit - I'm now settled in Birmingham and have a few contacts with rehearsal rooms, pubs and venues so in a position to put on another one if there's enough interest! 

I'm thinking EITHER a room with a stage, a bar, a PA and a drum kit/backline (same one as we used last time, for the few who turned out) booked for, say, seven to 11pm for the purposes of hanging out, talking bollocks, trying gear, drinking beer and playing loudly, OR if we wanted to go a bit further (i.e. had enough interest from some builders/manufacturers and enough people wanting to make a day of it) could book that room plus a rehearsal room or two from about lunchtime and have the whole afternoon of gear trying/ogling/buying before retiring upstairs for beer and loud noises.

Should you be interested let me know on here - if we were looking at the simple talk/drink/play model could look at it for late October/early November (late enough to get it properly organised, not so late that people are thinking about Christmas), for a full-on job it'd be into next year (and I'd probably have to look into the logistics of getting Joe Public in as well to make it viable for the professional guys).

Anyway, let me know your thoughts/preferences! 

not_the_dj

Sounds good. I think I'll vote for the simple evening get together. Chances are I couldn't make an afternoon thing at the weekends, but an evening would be great (only missed the last one as I had a gig).

Sporky

I will likely turn up. Sorry!

TTony

I'd like to give it a go too.

I'd also like to explore the idea of getting the builders involved too.  Might need to set expectations a little - ie I'd be surprised it too many people took out £2k from their back pockets to actually buy something at the Fest - in that it would be more of a social gathering with a bit of awareness raising thrown in for free, rather than an out-and-out "show".  Unless there was the demand, and we could do something "showy" sometime earlier in the day.

If it's going to be later in the year, we should have increased the forum membership and FB/Twitter traffic substantially by then, and if we use all media, we should reach quite a wide group of potential attendees.  Plus I'd be interested in us doing some post-show write-ups & reviews, to be published on the forum/FB/Twitter, and perhaps we'd have a YT channel by then too.  That could be used to generate more profile for the attending builders (ie more value in attending for them).

 

mike_l

As Sporky, I'll likely be available (unlike Sporky I have no friends), and evening is probably bestest for me.

Roland

I'm in, subject to gig commitments

relic245

I like the idea, I'm away for a week late october but if I'm around I'd be up for it.

RocknRollDave

Subject to gig commitments, I'm up for an evening bash.

digitalscream

I'm potentially up for it, if there's a chance of crashing at yours again. I might even try to avoid throwing all my money at the takeaway guys this time...

Sporky

mike_l said:

(unlike Sporky I have no friends)

I'm not quite sure how that's unlike me.

Grunfeld

I'd be up for it subject to gig commitments.  (Which basically amounts to I've got two Saturdays free in the middle of Oct.)
The last one was good.

:-)

strumjoughlamps

I am up for it if it doesn't clash with any weddings bookings.

mike_l

Sporky said:

mike_l said:

(unlike Sporky I have no friends)

I'm not quite sure how that's unlike me.

You have Lady BMcH........ And a robot army which worships you..........
>:D<

WezV

I could potentially make it

Col_Decker

I too shall come along unless I (a) decide not to, or (b) forget.

 

 

 

IanSavage

Hmmmm, okay; a dozen potentials already, good start! There'd be crash space for four or five at mine if needed, and there's a 'Bloc' hotel (read: basic but clean and cheap) a few minutes' walk from the venue I'm thinking of using. 

Dates next I guess then; shall drop into the Madhouse and see when they could fit us in on a Saturday night mid-October/November! 

Sporky

The Bloc hotel was weird. My room had a fake window. There was a blind, and light spilling around the edges, but when you lifted the blind it was just a recess in the wall with a light in it.

That said it was quiet and clean and comfy and cheap. Just weird. And lacking in breakfast as I recall.

Drew_TNBD

I only go back to the West Midlands for funerals, sorry!

Cirrus

I'm interested, will need to remember to check in here for details! My lock up practice room is about two blocks away from madhouse so it'd be criminal for me not to come if I'm free.

jonnybradford

I'll be up for this Ian.

Sporky

Drew_fx said:

I only go back to the West Midlands for funerals, sorry!

But I want to try the JVM.  :-<