Old News

Hello All

“So, we are moving forward with this, no large building yet, but lots of support and it’s all starting to come together. We’ve been asked to write a blog about how it’s come about to this but like most things time is an issue. The time spent on a blog looking back is time spent away from grant applications and emails and estimates, feasiblity studies, business plans and volunteer engagement to move it forward. There are many things that started this, working with people who have no voice for whatever reason and seeing their confidence grow when they are made welcome and given the chance to play at art, language and music and see each others commonalities; the weariness of sitting in another up it’s arse london ‘venue’ you’ve rushed to from work for the soundcheck, explaining to the promoter that the ‘coach’ with all your supporters broke down so the required number for a rebooking (no matter how good or crap you are) won’t be arriving, waiting your turn, supporting the other acts through theirs and getting your slot moved back, cut short and dismissed; the great gigs that you and like minded people play at, visit or organise and know this can work and all this whilst walking around a town that is so easy to get out of and so hard to play in, surrounded by empty buildings, take aways, glossy coffee shops and a business agenda. Looking around and feeling like you are morphing from fly blown depressed Sunday afternoons in 1975 to a generic airport lounge where there is so much choice in coffee but no choice at all in anything that lifts our everyday hearts in everyday ways and asks ourselves, ‘where is the ‘us’ in our town?’ It’s time we got it back and made it ours, we presented the idea of a festival, people liked it, it was about being of and in Woking where ever you hail from or travel to and making life a little bit better for everyone, not through what you can buy or wear but just for the stuff we all have that can give to the whole….so, that is basically how it all started and we think people will work together to get, for once, something that is ours, everyones no matter where you live in the town or what or who you know…
There’s no one less and no one more, no age, gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, ability, that has the monopoly on music or joy…
It started as the Us in our Town….and it’s getting there”