NOTE: This archived newsletter may refer to events, links etc that have since been updated and may no longer be valid. Please read this article as a historical record rather than a source of current information.
NEWSLETTER 2 - Date January 26th 2008
Greetings all
Well it's all afoot now and Frances 2008 is looking like it'll be another cracker. There's been so much hard work done by so many brilliant people and all that's needed now is your wonderful selves (and all the friends and families you can muster) to get along and make it all happen.
What's happening?
Sessions, concerts, and workshops a-plenty. As usual Frances will be ‘make it what you want it to be' with plenty of opportunities to join in sessions, share a workshop, do a blackboard spot and get into that crazy Mixed Grill.
There's the wonderful Bowling Club Barbecue at 6 on Friday and we've a grand Opening Concert to set the weekend rolling with invited guests offering great entertainment. There's also a ‘country-style' concert at the Footy Club on Saturday night.
Coming along are bluegrass band Hardrive, a special guest - a renowned singer/songwriter - and there's the meeting of the Victorian and South Australian Trade Union Choirs – all great additions to the fantastic Frances mix!
Join in the Mixed Grill – go on, have a go - this year there's a new twist with the required theme only being revealed by the good people of Frances on Friday evening! This fantastic event is only such fun because or your talents, enthusiasm and madness – it's never disappointing is it?
This year there's a Future Folk Youth Marquee a dedicated space for young folk to perform, enter competitions, practice their stagecraft and their technical skills at sound mixing. There's children's entertainment with Jingo the Jester providing workshops for children on Saturday and Sunday, and Michael the Balloonologist will be holding workshops for youth on Saturday and Sunday in the youth marquee.
The Coopers Competitions are back again with wallops of cash prizes and a heap of categories - why not have a go yourself – or at least have a look and encourage someone you know to enter?
Saturday evening also sees the tightly contested Bandemonium – who'd miss it? Come on all you bands – strut your stuff and go for a prize. You can enter on-line - in fact that's the easiest way. You won't need to wait in line on the day - and risk your category filling up!
What a range of Workshops we've got too…there's guitar, harp-building, piano accordion (which, accordion to Peter, will be great) (which makes him Peter the Great!). There's voice with the TU Choirs. There's some of the less well-known songs and poems of the weird Les Barker (currently recovering from a heart attack but he's doing OK) and there's Bluegrass with Hardrive. Kerry Dancing hops in again and there's a songwriting workshop for a Frances songwriting competition for 2009. And poetry has its read-around – will there be more emerging broadcasters this year?
Maybe Mossy will take us to the stars at night and don't forget ye gumboot will be tossed (do I hear mumblings of de-Cider again?). Could Chris Ward be singing the intro here? I reckon the Pipe Band is appearing again on Sunday and will Simon John be heard on Sunday night?
Fancy a dance? Because it's on again, the wonderful Frances Bush Dance with a very mysterious line-up – come and have a stretch and a different kind of fun.
Then there are the sessions – make ‘em up, join in, whatever. They'll happen whenever and wherever – in the pub, outside the pub, in the marquees alter on. There's a total chorus songs session in the Pub Dining Room on Friday and the voice session there on Saturday – poems and songs combined.
A preliminary program has been released, but there's more excitement in store. We'll reveal all when you actually get there!
Have you explored the website? It might be worth a look because there's a mass of great work been done on it and it's developing by the day. If you're camping please check out the notes there as we've had to rethink the camping this year. We'll also put some thoughts about doing the right thing in sessions and what the blackboard's all about – how it's run, how to make the best use of your spot etc.
Please don't forget to help spread the word – to print off flyers, direct folk to the website and to keep Frances ‘on the map'.
Please keep your suggestions, ideas and gripes coming in through the email. We'll also be tring to get back your thoughts on this Frances Gathering from you over the weekend.
Don't forget…to be part of the Gathering and not just at it
AND…don't forget Next Year's Dates - 20th – 22nd February 2009 – it's our 10th birthday and it'll be special!
See you at Frances – all the very best in fun and friendship.
Steve Keirl on behalf of the Frances Volunteer Team.