onionbagblog

To Sunny Colch! …on Saturday afternoon for the second Colchester Free Festival, staged in the splendour of Castle Park. As I had to carefully explain to @AnnaJCowen on the Wivenhoe FUN Express train - all that you need to know is that this is a FESTIVAL, being staged in COLCHESTER and whaddya know: it’s FREE.

Splendid.

This was the “difficult second album” syndrome for the Free Festival, something that Ben Howard of the festival team explained to me later in the day. The unexpected and triumphant success of last summer had led to much expectation second time around.

Could the Sunny Colchester kids pull it off? Is Bob Russell a self-styled arts philistine?

Um…

Much of the early morning was spent cloud busting. It was a big gamble to shift the festival to the Bank Holiday weekend. Mr BBC Weather Man seemed to have doomed the event on Friday night, with a big black blob of BLEURGHHH hovering over Britain’s Oldest Recorded.

Never trust a weatherman wearing an over-sized suit is the mantra in which I live my life. He’s probably got something to hide down below the waistline, and is no doubt trying to divert your attention away with meteorological myths of Biblical flooding at the Free Festival.

I put on my Speedos as an act of defiance, and invited the locals to rub factor 50 in all the places where Mr BBC Weatherman wanted you to stay away from. I wasn’t alone in my actions, but that’s enough about my bruncheon at The Minories - what about the Free Festival, I hear you ask?

With four main stage areas, you needed a map to negotiate your rites of passage. @AnnaJCowen and I stumbled across the Castle Stage first, found a vantage point and then settled down for the next six hours, assuming that this was the Main Stage.

It was only at around the time that the sun was setting over Castle Park that we realised that we had missed most of the Free Festival.

Only joking.

It was clear early on that the fears of a Bank Holiday wipeout weren’t justified. Half of Colchester had come out to have some fun, celebrating the magnificence that is Castle Park, and keen to put aside the misconception that culture in Colchester can best be found in the Kingdom of the Wild at Colchester Zoo.

We manoeuvred down to the Main Stage, just in time to hear Ady Johnson start up his set with Pink Flamingos. Boosted by a brass and strings section, yer man Ady was also supported by a brief rainbow appearance towards the back of the park.

It started somewhere near Stanway, with the pot of gold located close to the Greenstead roundabout. Or maybe it was the Trotters Real Ale and Cider bar towards the back of the site?

Chin chin.

My plan of attack for the afternoon was to be the wandering sprit of the Free Festival. Have flip cam, mp3 recorder and SLR - will travel. Bugger that I thought as Housework, Colchester’s hardest working house band bounced on to the Main Stage to start the afternoon party.

Housework in Castle Park is 1,000 times better than housework back at base for a Saturday afternoon. Polished to perfection - and that was just the backstage toilets.

Time to wander - time to try and capture the free love feel of the Free Festival with my camera. A slight Goth photo mishap en route to the bandstand - apologies Sir. Or was it Madam?

Moving on…

The historic Castle Park bandstand has no doubt been host to many a dignified and worthy performance throughout its proud history. Adding to that list now is the rather mangled mini-rave that was in full swing come mid-afternoon.

It took me right back to my University dancehalls days underneath the podia on a Friday night. Glo sticks, grins and gabba gabba - keep close, @AnnaJCowen - you may just cop a thick ‘un.

We were caught in some generational time shift. Too old for the yoof of Generation YYY, and with no kid accessory as was required for the lovely, lovely Kidstival area.

We’ll find some sanity over with the little people, was the idea. Instead we found Daleks being chased, Digging for Victory in the makeshift beach and delightful cup cakes to add that extra afternoon energy kick.

“Head for El Buffalo Tanque” it what we had been hearing all week. What’s not to like about sustainable living with a salsa South American feel? Johnny Buffalo and his bonkers team of recruits had staged something quite special along the side of the old Castle.

Attacking armies throughout history have nothing on the crazed minds of El Tanque. I feared for the museum artefacts within Colchester Castle, laid siege with a heady mix of inter-gender mud-wrestling, fish eye galleria and burlesque.

Blimey.

It was as though Guantanamo Bay had come to Britain’s Oldest Recorded, fuelled up with strong South American alcohol to add a friendly fire approach to the madness. Either that or an overweight Slipknot tribute act had been booked in to play.

I wasn’t sure of the camera etiquette inside the burlesque tent, and given the sexual dominance of the buxom lady performer, I wasn’t going to take any chances. I was looked over for the audience participation - which is just as well, seeing as though my own Buffalo Tanque was showing some slight interest down below.

And then whaddya know - tonight Matthew, I’m going to be a burlesque dancer, aided with the very kind audience participation of a Colchester Goth.

Cripes.

The Goth gave a good show, and was very good-natured in playing along for the ride. “I don’t fancy yours much,” I whispered to @AnnaJCowen as we left the tent, trying to half-conceal my own pale faced head that was still giving me cause for concern down below.

It all got a little giddy with the gaffa tape orgy that we walked straight into. This seemed like a suitable time to try and clear our heads from all of the Mexican madness that El Tanque had corrupted us with for most of the afternoon.

As ever, I blame the Bike Guru - I would gladly have wrestled the bike spanner waving bloke, had I not been too busy trying to record the current contest, and failing miserably to capture any of the actual wrestling action.

A healthy recuperation was found at the Hollytrees Stage, with a David Essex look-alike (pre-Eastenders) performing the Ballad of John and Yoko. That’s not something that you are likely to see down the road at V Festival.

A charming chat with the folk from Colchester Circle, and then Wivenhoe’s Moving Image by the @15QueenStreet bus, and then CAV OK came-a-calling back down by the Main Stage.

But what about some Animal Noise first? Nope - nothing to do with Goths and giving head, but the remarkable power trio of unlikely local lads that were adding some acoustic folk energy (seriously) to the main stage.

I’ve come across Animal Noise before @15QueenStreet. Playing a hush hush unplugged front room gig, the rising stars of the Colchester scene apologised for keeping it quiet. Truth to be told and the Noise Abetment folk almost came round.

These boys can ROCK.

But only in an acoustic, mixed up messy folk type of way, you understand. Which sort of makes it all right.

We took up an ACE backstage view [get you] and saw at first hand just how to work a Colchester crowd, who were clearly loving the noise being made by… Animal Noise.

Headliners next year, I tell ya.

The Funk Soul Brothers backstage seemed to be having the most fun of the afternoon behind the Main Stage DJ booth. You can’t beat a good bit of skanking on a Saturday afternoon. It was infectious stuff, and I confess to skanking my way all over to the toilet portakbain.

I met en route young Ben Tyler, genuine guitar hero of CAV OK, the band who had the unenviable task of following Animal Noise. I asked Ben about his latest release, which was about to be made in a portakabin backstage.

Boom boom.

Definitely not toilet humour, but still squeaky clean bum time was my catch up with the good @nickjbarlow, the Colchester Borough Councillor for Castle ward. Nick is very supportive of the Free Festival - he is also partial to a little foot tapping whilst doing the semi-politico talk.

Enough of the very good Cllr, what about the slightly more than OK CAV OK?

CAV OK have a considerable following and it’s easy to see why. The boys in black (well, three fifths) look the part as much as they sound. I lost @AnnaJCowen during the set, knowing that the girl had drifted off into her rock star fantasy world. You have more chance with the David Essex look-alike, luv.

Follow that, Modern English. Or even back to Ben Howard, first…

And then with perfect hyperlocal comic timing, just as the homecoming headline heroes of Modern English were set to play their most important Colchester gig in more than three decades, @AnnaJCowen and I had to bugger off back to base to feed the cat.

Whoops.

All aboard the Wivenhoe FUN Express once again, and we reflected upon the afternoon that had just played out. The Colchester Free Festival is better than the Lambeth Show - this is HIGH praise indeed.

In just two years the festival has found its own identity, sticking with a fearsome local approach that is clearly appealing to the good folk of Colchester. The energy of the local music scene, accommodating the kids and even El Tanque - this is a festival that can only take place at Castle Park.

Many many thanks to all those who volunteered to help entertain - Ben Howard, Andy Winmill, Marc De’ath, Lee Carter, Jo Caldwell, Johnny Buffalo, Jonathan Doyle, Nial Harrington, Lee Pugh and a whole army of others, some of whom may *or may not* be Goths.

Mr BBC Weather Man never did get to lob his great big black blob of BLEURGHHH all over Britain’s Oldest Recorded. Sunshine and smiles, all the way until next summer, folks.

Splendid.

Full flickr feed over here.

You know that the Wivenhoe summer has truly arrived when you have to get out the wellies once again for a short stroll along the Trail and a wade up and down in the glorious estuary mud.

Whoops.

Failing that then there’s always that staunch season signifier of a copy of the esteemed Wivenhoe Society Summer Newsletter to tell you that it’s probably about time to start looking forward to the start of the new football season once again.

Any soul searching for the estuary summer is soon forgotten about, with the proud picture of Front of House winner Jill Bailey proudly displaying her certificate in her seasonal - and not at all waterlogged - summer garden.

Congratulations, Madam. I am in awe of the arrangements of your beautifully laid out borders. Thirty-five entrants took part in the competition. All funds raised will be split between Wivenhoe Helping Hands and St Mary’s.

But it’s not all about letting it hang out at the front. The Message from the Chair delivers the good news that both a Minutes Secretary and an Honorary Secretary have both been sourced for the Wivenhoe Society.

Hurrah!

Or rather the two into one role has been very kindly taken on board by Rachel Allen. Here’s hoping the left and right hand can both meet in the middle.

Not quite rising to full attention, but Mr Chair then raises the issue of Wivenhoe Town Council’s plans to commemorate the Queen’s Jubilee next summer:

“I suspect they may soon be asking for money”

I suspect Mr Chair is correct.

The Wivenhoe Townscape Forum is given a decent write up by Sue Glasspool:

“Good progress is being made. The members of the group have walked every street in Wivenhoe and looked at all open spaces to identify historic buildings, areas, vistas and other assets which could go on our draft local list.”

I wonder if the Townscape Forum has had the good fortune to walk along *cough* Chapel Road of late?

Moving, or walking on in a brisk manner…

Jane Hughes reports on the outstanding success that was Wivenhoe Open Gardens 2011:

“The weekend was sunny and warm, and visitors started arriving early on the Saturday morning to enjoy a splendid show of gardens. There were 28 open in all…

It was great to have several new gardens open, and new ventures represented, such as Transition Town Wivenhoe and Millfields and Broomgrove Schools.

The weekend raised profits of £3,400 which will be divided between St Mary’s Church and the Wivenhoe Society, whose share will be given to Wivenhoe Helping Hands.”

Great things come from green fingers. My prize courgette continues to grow to an unfeasibly large size.

Changes to recycling and rubbish collection days are also highlighted in the newsletter. Police matters are updated with details of the new police.uk site, as well as flagging the 101 non-emergency telephone number.

If you are part of the Wivenhoe twitterati then you could also follow the splendid @SgtLouMiddleton - “handcuffs with humour,” as one online wag observed of late.

Resting her Minutes Secretary and Honorary Secretary role for Wiv Soc, the good Rachel Allen then multitasks to the extreme, with an update on the Helping Hands AGM, of which she is also… Secretary.

Splendid.

“The mission of Helping Hands was reiterated - any job will be considered regardless of age and ability within the bounds of Wivenhoe - and although we cannot directly help with children, we can help with parents who may need some shopping or a prescription collected if their child is ill.

Our band of 42 volunteers [blimey] will attempt a whole range of minor tasks from taking people to doctor’s appointments to putting out bins. We do not operate an emergency service, but there is a dedicated phone line.”

THAT NUMBER AGAIN… 07834 452 764.

In these austere times when we are constantly reminded by gurning fools on TV that “we are all in this together,” it is genuinely nice to be reminded by someone who isn’t gurning, and most definitely isn’t a fool that yep, we really are all in this together and so let’s help each other out.

The Treasurer’s Report breaks down the funding of Wiv Soc and comes to a rather pleasant conclusion:

“Recently we have accumulated a small surplus each year and the Committee thinks that we could donate some money without running our reserves too low.”

The Youth Hub, both primary schools, the Ferry Trust, Christmas lights for the Legion, Helping Hands, Wivenhoe in Bloom, planting trees, replacing notice boards - all have benefited from Wivenhoe locals all being in this together.

“Remembering the aims of the Society, which are to preserve the amenities of Wivenhoe and generally make it a pleasant place in which to live, the Committee would like the views of members on how any money could best be spent.”

Suggestions via email. Inviting gurning fools that we see on TV to have a look around a barren patch of land that should be a new Health Centre, probably isn’t the best use of surplus Society funds.

The new gravel garden located by the Co-op / Jardine / Eyecare Wivenhoe / Bermuda Triangle is featured on p.7:

“The perennial plants were chosen for their propensity to thrive in a sunny, dry spot.”

As for the funding?

“Although there is a restricted budget made available by Wivenhoe Town Council for planting up the floral tubs throughout the town, Wivenhoe in Bloom are managing to pay for additional planting through fund-raising. Their plant stall at the May Fair raised an impressive £320.”

An incredibly generous £250 donation from Jardine has also helped, as has the Wiv Soc contribution of £200.

Some hapless hyperlocal type hails the first six months of the Wivenhoe Forum on p.8. Whaddya mean you haven’t… blah blah blah. Oh - just join. 243 members (and counting…) can’t all be wrong. Or even online bores.

Moira Collett reflects on the first year of Moving Image - twelve months with many ups and down, but overall an incredibly positive place to be after just one year of supporting an independent community cinema in Wivenhoe.

Having had to let go of the “ambitious plans to turn the St John Ambulance Hall in Wivenhoe’s very own cinema,” Moving Image has found a base at the Philip Road Centre. The Lakeside Theatre at the University was also experimented with, although “the audiences were never large enough,” and sadly this will not continue.

Taking Moving Image out into the community with the bicycle powered cinema at the May Fair, screenings at The Station and at the Cricket Club have been highlights. After a short summer break, Moving Image returns on 10th September with The King’s Speech.

Keeping the uplifting mood and what we all need is a picture of a semi-naked Mayor of Wivenhoe teasing all with a fine barrel chest and a towel wrapped around his torso in the style of a handsome Roman warrior.

Cripes.

The fantastic sport that is Mayor Robert Needham poses - in a very decent fashion - outside the newly re-opened outdoor swimming pool up at Broomgrove School:

“The swimming pool was originally built over thirty years ago but inevitably over the years it had fallen into a state of disrepair. The Wivenhoe Society gave £540 towards the pool’s refurbishment costs.

This saw the start of a major fundraising drive. The Broomgrove School’s Association managed to raise over £4,000 to add to £2,000 from the BSA reserves.”

Fine work from local parent and bathroom installer, Leigh Haig from LH Installations, who volunteered to complete the work at no cost. Seeing a semi-naked Mr Mayor in print is but a small price to pay.

And then finally on p.11 we have the New Town Map and Sign story:

“Wivenhoe First, an organisation that promotes local businesses, is responsible for the appearance of a new Wivenhoe map and notice board which has appeared in front of the floral boat outside the public car park.”

And most splendid it looks to. I got lost the other day simply leaving the house and putting the rubbish out. You’ll be telling me that there’s life north of the Co-op next.

Until next time…

The summer season of films has just been released by Moving Image, the independent community cinema group in Wivenhoe. Five screenings in total will take place, covering cricket, social media and a small town coming of age flick.

Which is more or less my life story.

The Social Network (ACE) The Secret in their Eyes, Life in a Day, The Last Picture Show and Fire in Babylon make up the schedule. The first four films are being screened at the Philip Road *cough* Multiplex.

Fire in Babylon, the documentary about the Windies team of the 70′s and 80′s, is being shown rather appropriately at Rectory Road as part of the Wivenhoe Town Cricket Club cricket festival.

Once again Moving Image is showing great initiative in extending the screenings out into the community. The Philip Road Centre, The Lakeside, the KGV, The Station pub - Wivenhoe seems to have become a network of pop up cinemas overnight.

The Philip Road Centre remains the flagship location (stop sniggering…) Dave Gladden and Amanda Smith have recently put in place some heavyweight lightproof curtains to help with the black out. Rick Cawley has been sourcing a new sound system as well.

Following these summer screenings, Moving Image is taking a short break until September. This has been a fantastic first year for the vision of an independent community cinema in Wivenhoe. As ever, volunteers are always needed…

You can download a copy of the July poster to display around the town over here.

When Saturday Comes and all you want to do with your Wivenhoe weekend is to read the papers in bed, take an afternoon wander down to the Quay and then stumble out of The Station sometime before the National Lottery winners are announced.

No chance.

To the Farmer’s Market! …was the rallying call to kick start the weekend for @AnnaJCowen and I. The Congregational Hall had the usual fine local produce on sale, as well as some charming conversations with traders who like to talk, rather than concentrate on the hard sell.

We didn’t come out with a wicker basket brimming with North Essex country fare, but a rucksack stuffed full of sausage meat and beetroot. These will come in handy, believe me.

The Wivenhoe Community Safety Neighbourhood Watch Group also had representation. It’s good to be a local busy body etc, but don’t have nightmares. The recent police crime map for this area in April may look a little alarming, but out of the eleven incidents of violent crime, only four were reported in Wivenhoe, with the remaining seven coming from our friends over in Rowhedge.

must.pay.a.trip.to.rowhedge.later.in.the.day

But first off, how about keeping up the busy body theme and poking yer face around local garages?

Blimey.

Nope, it’s not a new obsessive architectural peccadillo that is affecting the North Essex estuary, but the Grand Garage Trail kindly organised by the good folk of St Mary’s Church.

Hurrah!

Originally started by Cansdale and Ross under the Wivenhoe Braderie banner two years ago, the Grand Garage Trail is now a glorified car boot sale taking place around the town.

Maps were purchased the day before, and then much like the splendid Open Gardens of last month, we wandered around Wivenhoe and were welcomed into the properties of various folk around the town.

The event was as broad and as bonkers as you wanted it to be. Many garages were doing great business in re-selling on children’s toys that have been outgrown. Local art also featured heavily. I was disappointed in not being able to walk away with the underground safe on sale along the High Street.

It all got a little lost as we wandered into the Loveless Hall by mistake - often the best way to wander into the Loveless Hall - and found that we had strayed into a separate sale organised by the Colchester Twins Club.

Double cripes.

Cake was on hand to calm us down, and to give us a kick up the backside to take on the remaining Grand Garage Trail down towards the Quay.

A quick chat at Curiosity, and we reflected on the quality of the stock sold within. But time and tide wait for no Grand Garage Trailers, and as we exited left along Station Road, we saw that the legendary Grand Garage dinghy has been bought, and was already being prepared for a launch at the Rowhedge Regatta later in the day.

No worries.

The girl and I made up for our nautical loss with some lovely bargains of our own. A pair of panniers, a darts board, a kitchen chair and a chopping board (free from Builder Mark, natch) - all clocked in at precisely £10.

The panniers in particular were quite a find - the conversation that followed was priceless. It seems that I’m not alone with my Moulton collection within Wivenhoe.

The town undoubtedly has many talents, but topping the list for me is the claim to fame of the chap I purchased the panniers off - he only test rode the original Moultons back in the day.

Chapeau!

Seedy exchanges followed, with an ill met by iPhone fading light presentation of the bonkers multi-coloured Moulton. I’ve still to actually ride the machine around the town. @AnnaJCowen reckons that even the ‘homosexual meets the beast‘ hybrid of the design is a little risqué, even for Wivenhoe.

Was that the day done, Comrades?

Nope - we’ve barely started. Booze had yet to feature, and there’s nothing I like more than a Wivenhoe lunchtime tipple whilst admiring quality local artwork and enjoying local conversations.

To the Wivenhoe Gallery! …etc for the opening of the Spanish Paintings exhibition by local artists Michael and Julia. Running for two weeks down at the Wivenhoe Business Centre, the rich Mediterranean landscapes are most certainly worthy of a visit.

The love of the Spanish culture came across in the artwork, and the conversation that followed with Michael and Julia. I pressed them on the possibilities for their future muse, and was pleased to hear that Wivenhoe landscape painting is certainly a work in progress.

With my lunchtime muse of red wine having fired me up, I was ready to stand on the edge of the Quay, survey the Rose and Crown customers and gaze out with a glazed over eye across the estuary and declare:

“To Rowhedge!”

Oh Lordy.

The fighting talk of the red plonk has sunk many a galleon, but not the Wivenhoe and Rowhedge Ferry. This was Regatta Day for that other lot on the opposite banks of the Colne. It only seemed polite to turn up and see how our near neighbours can put on a party.

We weren’t alone in our Wivenhoe wanderings. It seemed that half of the town had pitched up at either The Anchor or The Albion, observing the sea crafts of differing sizes sail past. There was always the possibility of some riverside rubbernecking as a particularly graceful smack came close to cutting up a kayak.

Whoops.

Crabbing, as ever, was incredibly popular. The hit and miss weather seemed to fit perfectly with the Dark Side theme. With the waters of the Colne disappearing faster than my pint of Kent Best, concern soon turned towards how the chuffers we could get back to base.

No one wants to be stranded in Rowhedge on a Saturday evening, but the Kent Best booze was making a decent job of damage limitation. A catch up with the fine @Colchester101 - whoops there goes another pier, whoops there goes another pint of beer, etc.

Anything that Wivenhoe can do, Rowhedge of course likes to think that it can do better. We don’t like to talk about *shhh* the May Fair police helicopter, and I’m sure Rowhedge folk were a little weary of the chopper action overhead on Saturday.

I’m not usually one to deal with rumours (oh no, not me, Sireee…) but talk did turn to the possible return of the random Rowhedge tired and emotional swimmer.

Oh Lordy.

One thing that Rowhedge definitely does do better than Wivenhoe is to assemble together a group of local males who then tug away on a large rope in tandem.

“We’re from Wivenhoe - we drink beer, not pull rope” was the rallying cry that was later rolled out to justify the slip slidin’ spectacle of the Wivenhoe Tug of War team.

The Rowhedge chaps may be great at tugging away, but no so brilliant on the booze front. Chundering quayside just ahead of the grand Tug of War final is not quite dignified estuary etiquette, Sir.

With the estuary water now looking as limp as the Wivenhoe tug of war team effort (said the poncey bloke watching from the sidelines…) contingency plans were needed for the Great Escape.

Cometh the hour, cometh the good @Colchester101, who kindly drove us all the way down to the Hythe, and then back up Clingoe Hill once again. There was to be one more surprise waiting for us back at base - a new houseguest staying in the shed.

Meowww.

Moving Image was on our Saturday evening radar. Ever one to keep it local, the screening of Fishtank was trumped by a lovely, lovely hyperlocal invite to… go round next door for an evening of games and booze.

Brilliant!

And so just another quiet Wivenhoe weekend, you say?

Wivenhoe - you are wearing me out. But you wear it out oh so well.

Full flickr stream over here.

A weekend downpour of Biblical proportions, which can only mean that it’s time for the summer publication of Wivenhoe News.

Blimey.

Sea Defences Saga Flows On is the lead story.

See what they’ve done there?

“There has been much anger and dismay caused by the stripping of vegetation from the seawalls in Wivenhoe alongside our tidal river, both downstream and upstream from the flood barrier.”

The bad science justification that was bungled out by the Environment Agency is also re-published, as is a very kind plug for *cough* the Wivenhoe Forum thread.

What’s new here is the offer by the Natural England - the spineless body that rubber stamped the destruction - to re-plant 5,000 “compensatory trees” - you break our legs and we say thank you when you offer us crutches.

Eight hundred and fifty have been put aside for the North Essex estuary. Don’t go getting your digging spades out just yet, Comrades:

“In the Colne Estuary they [Natural England] have provided 850 small tress to Brightlingsea Town Council for a site to the east of the town.”

If you stand at White House Beach on a clear estuary morning, and then squint out over the water with one eye closed, you may just be able to see the benefits of the trees bestowed upon our beloved Brothers in Brightlingsea.

Cheers.

No worries. What we need is a smiling picture of a lovely local lady to add some cheer to the sea defence doom:

“Workers of Wivenhoe - Shelia Scammell, Lollipop Lady.”

Lovely.

Wivenhoe May Fair 2011 gets the p.2 treatment, in something of an after the Lord Mayor’s Show airing. Time to move on, time to plan and time to restore May Fair as a community event for 2012.

Speaking of Mayor’s, Cllr Sinclair is captured in one of his final acts of civic duty in what has been a busy year. The Guide’s Wedding Party is all part of wearing the Wivenhoe civic chains.

But it’s not all about the Brownies or Girl Guides. On a more serious note, there is a plea on p.2 for a new Scout Leader for Wivenhoe:

“Let’s not beat about the bush: twenty youngsters, full of energy and enthusiasm [and then some] raring to take up the opportunity offered by the Scouting movement.”

This is a BIG role that really needs filling. The Wivenhoe News editorial on p.3 plays with similar themes:

“Off the Rails seems to be looking for pretty much a whole new team, the Wivenhoe Society is limping along with no Secretary and a very small committee, the WEA has been without a Chair for a year and is about to lose its Secretary.

One of the things that you often here in praise of Wivenhoe is ‘there’s so much going on here.’ Well folks - things only happen because people organise them.”

Wise word, but maybe it is a reflection of the work / life balance? There are only so many hours in the day and bills still need to be paid. It’s no secret that I have had to severely cut back on my out of hour’s unpaid activity of late.

On a more lighter note and any news article that contains the phrase: “superb French folk music, played on hurdy-gurdies [geddin there!] and bagpipes” has to be a winner. The Town Meets Gown event gets a mention on p.3.

Dr Philippa Hawley and Halcyon Palmer pen a simply superb local historical account on the various Wivenhoe surgeries dating back over the past Century. It is apt timing, what with the STOP / START / STOP farce of the new Wivenhoe surgery by the Fire Station continuing to stall.

I’m not going to re-publish any of the copy here - this article is worthy of your purchase of Wivenhoe News alone. More of the same please.

The Two Ronnies of Wivenhoe local politics, Cyril Liddy and Dave Purdey, are given the It’s Goodbye From Me, and It’s Goodbye From Him headline.

With sixteen and eight years respectively serving as unpaid Town Councillors, both Cyril and Dave are rightfully given a short column to say a fond farewell.

Of sorts…

Along with Sheila Scammell and her lovely Lollipop Lady tales on p.8, Alison Kent also carries an ACE interview with Ray the Rubbish, the retiring litter picker of Wivenhoe:

“I think you should try to keep the front of your property clean, like the old days. Have pride in where you live.”

Hear, hear.

I didn’t realise that the job was only fourteen hours a week - Ray has seemed to be ever-present during my short stay here. Good luck to James, Ray’s replacement.

Aquatic matters are the concern on p.11. Lifeboat Week gets a deserved plug, as does the Wivenhoe branch of the Royal British Legion:

“Remembrance is a very large part of the Legion’s ethos. Those who attend the Legion Wednesday evenings will know that those who have given their lives in Afghanistan and other places in the service of their nation are individually remembered.”

The building fund for the Legion has been boosted by a donation of over £2,000 from the Boxing Day walk staged by WORC. £690 was also raised at the ACE fireworks display. October 29th is already in the calendar for one of the best nights that Wivenhoe is able to offer.

Next door but one at The Nottage and there is a plug for Water Marks - the Summer Exhibition, featuring local artists Alison Stockmarr, Barbara Peirson and Pru Green.

The exhibition is open on Sundays from 2pm - 5pm until 11th September, and on Regatta Day on 23rd July. It is VERY good. There’s a blog post already being lined up…

Speaking of the Regatta, Wivenhoe News reports:

“There will be the usual wacky races and about thirty stalls and a brass band. The pram race will take place on 22nd July.”

Wivenhoe Youth Hub continues to grow and develop new ideas and partnerships. Page 12 updates with reports on the gig at the Philip Road Centre by local band Rising Soul, a go-karting event organised with Brightlingsea’s 4Youth (reckon we got the better name…) as well as the ACE archery and rowing evening.

What is rather humbling about The Hub is that those involved offer so much more back into the community. There was a considerable presence at the WivSoc riverbank clean up, help offered at May Fair, as well as support for the Crabbing Competition next month down by the Quay.

Likewise good news coming out of the ADP Theatre School:

“Angie Diggens has booked the Colchester Charter Hall for a show with her Wivenhoe students, combining the best of her last two shows at Clacton.”

Saturday 25th June at 7:30pm, £12 a ticket, details on 282020.

Helen Chambers writes a review of the Gilbert and Sullivan Society production of Oklahoma! at the Loveless Hall:

“The singing was faultless, the whole cast strong and talented.”

And keeping with the Wivenhoe artistic feel, Andy Brooke writes a well-deserved homage to Moving Image:

“It’s great to see people you know in the audience and have a genuine community atmosphere, rather than renting a DVD at home.”

Further details of the Moving Image summer schedule are up on m’blog over here.

The rock ‘n roll rollicking rollercoaster ride that is Radio Wivenhoe (blimey) get a plug on p.14, as does a call for “journalists, bloggers and poets” for Off the Rails. The Wivenhoe Poetry Prize looks forward to the 2011 results as part of the poetrywivenhoe evening at The Greyhound on the 23rd June. Meanwhile a new University of the Third Age art group is starting at the Loveless Hall on 14th September.

All ‘appening - all ‘appening I tell ya.

The good folk of Wivenhoe Bookshop have an entire page to plug future activity, such is the depth of the programme that is on offer. Too much to condense into a throwaway blog paragraph - my suggestion would be to head to the Bookshop for a perusal and a polite chat.

Or even access the new Wivenhoe Bookshop @audioboo account.

Blimey.

Fine work, ladies, mighty fine work.

Open Gardens on p.16 is caught between the publishing deadline and the sheer splendour that was the most splendid event this spring. It remains the highlight to date of My Year in Wivenhoe - wonderful, wonderful community spirit and pleasure.

Keeping it green fingered and Wivenhoe Bloom explain a little more about the brilliant use of dead space on the Wivenhoe Triangle that is overlooked by the Co-op, the opticians and Jardine:

“The site belongs to Highways - it’s classed as a verge - but WTC has a licence to plant. Jardine has contributed a very generous donation of £250 towards the cost of materials and plants.”

I have no shame in plugging local businesses that put something back into the community. An excellent gesture and kind contribution, Cristian. Jolly good work, Jardine.

The Parish Paths Partnership column penned by Helen Evans on p.16 puffs out a huge PHEW after finding out that Essex County Council continues to support the hyperlocal initiative.

Three Wivenhoe rights of way have been worked on by P3 to day: the side of Broomgrove Schools, the back of the houses in Broome Grove and the path along the top of the sea wall - you might have already heard about the latter…

So successful is the Wivenhoe P3 project that the group has now become a roving project. It is the A-Team of parish paths partnerships. If you have a problem with some overgrown bramble around the North Essex estuary, this crack team of cleaners should be first on your To Call list.

Cripes.

The joyous news coming out of p.17 and the WAGA update is:

“Spring is finally here.”

Hurrah!

Mayor Needham (woh!) explains more about the recent Beating the Bounds walk around Wivenhoe:

“The tradition of beating the bounds came from a time when no one, except the rich, could leave the parish without permission. It was a method of ensuring that local youngsters knew the limits of their parish.

It involved choir boys, the Parish Clerk and clergymen, leaving from the church armed with wands or sticks.”

Splendid. Soft lot, nowadays. The tradition was restored on 5th June this year. No young child was hurt in reviving this most excellent local tradition.

Wivenhoe bird watcher supreme Richard Allen explains very helpfully the difference between swifts, swallows and martins on p.18. Recent local sightings include:

“Nightingales have arrived in good numbers with a particularly vocal bird near the railway underpass along the Trail. Butterflies have enjoyed the good early weather.”

The ever-observant @AnnaJCowen (blimey) has also spotted a Jay along the Trail.

It all gets rather saucy at the foot of p.18 with Spoons, Spurtles and Spatulas.

Oh Lordy.

“Members of the Wivenhoe Woods Working Party recently attended a day’s course in green woodworking. Instruction was given on how to turn wood on a pole lathe and make spoons and other utensils using knives and a shave horse.”

Phew.

A Personal View of Transition Town Wivenhoe by the good Bob Mehew on p.19:

“I considered Wivenhoe a good place for a Transition Town: strong community spirit; a great awareness of climate change, environmental and sustainability issues; a willingness to get involved, to learn, to educate, to participate.”

TTW continues to grow and innovate. Wivenhoe is all the better for it.

The Wivenhoe Townscape Forum (*not* the Wivenhoe Forum…) gets a deserved article on p. 19:

“There is much in Wivenhoe of historic interest. There are 73 buildings in the town which are included in the English Heritage list of buildings of national interest.

The local list of historic assets is being carried out with the support of WTC and WivSoc, in order to list some of the best historical features of Wivenhoe which have not yet been recognised so that they do not become forgotten in the huge amount of new building and development.”

Bill Ellis writes a brilliant personal account of life at Cook’s Shipyard when the order books were full, with comparisons of the modern day site. Photos of the new jetty accompany this on p.22.

We return to the seawall clearance on p.24 with Peter Kennedy, the esteemed Editor of Wivenhoe News, explaining the depth of debate that this has delivered:

“We have received many pages of emails and submissions, and I shall attempt some sort of overview.”

A summary of comments and complaints follow. The consensus is that the Environment Agency has been crap at communication.

Fine work then from Wivenhoe News, which has put some direct Q’s to the EA, and received some rather direct answers:

“Q: Were any badgers found during the Wivenhoe work?

A: No - there were no badgers found for the Wivenhoe work.

Q: Are any of the proposed sites for compensatory replanting located in the Wivenhoe area?

A: No. Wivenhoe Marsh has found to be unsuitable.”

That’s what happens when you rip the entire natural habitat out, fellas.

Whoops.

The Surgery Saga Grinds On is the p.25 message from Bernard Jenkin, MP. Nothing to do with your national coalition NHS policy, I trust, Sir?

To be fair to the MP for Harwich and North Essex, our Conservative colleague airs a sense of frustration over the continued delay:

“The Government’s decision to review its health legislation raises the immediate concern that the new Wivenhoe GP surgery will be beset by even more uncertainty. There is no case for this. There is no excuse for further delays, and I have made this clear to the CE of the PCT.”

Speaking of the impact of coalition policies on a hyperlocal level, p.26 explains more about the £9k (!!!!) tuition fees that @Uni_of_Essex proposes to introduce.

Some PR fluff from the University is then re-printed. Twenty-one summers ago and I was fishing around for a University place. £9k (or the inflationary equivalent) would have put me off considerably. I wouldn’t have heard of Wivenhoe. I wouldn’t have moved here.

Oh how fickle is the Invisible Hand that pushes and prongs us through the life’s great adventures.

Blimey.

Town and Gown fiscal relations are restored with news of the £2,200 raised at November’s dinner at the Nottage, and now handed over as a bursary to five grateful local Wivenhoe students.

Broomgrove Infants updates on p.28 with reports of the Royal Wedding celebrations; Broomgrove Juniors explain more about the Outside / In project with Slack Space in Colchester.

Celebrations also at Millfields - a fond farewell to Angela Eglington after twenty-five years of teaching, as well as the school’s very own 30th birthday.

WivSoc rightfully reflects on the success of the riverbank clean up, with seventy volunteers stepping forward to help clean up the Colne. The sad winding up of the Wivenhoe Youth Theatre is lamented, with more positive news coming from the Colne School Choir’s recent performance in Wivenhoe.

Councillor Sinclair reflects upon his past year of civic service wearing the gold chain on p.30:

“I would have like to have seen a healthy election this year as we are entitled to 13 Councillors. Sadly there were only eleven candidates, hence no WTC election.”

Plus:

“A planning application has been lodged to demolish the St John Ambulance Hall for replacement with a privately owned project. I am part of a project to save the building. A group of people have come together, with funds, to keep it as a usable community facility.”

Mayor Needham writes on p.30 about the challenges that lay ahead for his administration:

“The proposed medical centre, a future for the former police station; reaching a satisfactory conclusion to the planning gains associated with the Cook’s Yard development and keeping an eye on the gains that maybe derived from any further development.”

The local politicos were caught cold ahead of publication deadlines. Columns from Essex County Councillor Julie Young, Colchester Borough Councillors Steve Ford and Mark Cory, were all penned before the re-election of the latter two.

Great fun to watch from the sidelines, mind.

On the sporting front and Wivenhoe Tennis Club has a call for new members; Andrew Nightingale, the Chair of the Wivenhoe and District Sporting Facilities Trust is also asking for help - financial help - for Broad Lane. Anymore updates on the mystery Mr X and his millions?

And to finish on some hyperlocal happiness - Wivenhoe Helping Hands publishes a rather humble piece, explaining more about the volunteer work of this organisation and how it is genuinely helping folk around the town.

Wivenhoe News is sold at the Co-op, Crossways, the Post Office, Bryans Newsagents and the lovely Wivenhoe Bookshop.

Putting on my best Simon Cowell evil smirk, and pulling up my trousers so that they rest just underneath my armpits - it’s time for another blog post of Wivenhoe’s Got Talent.

Blimey.

I’ve blogged before about the brilliant singer / songwriter talent of local lad Lou Terry. The young chap’s appearance at the May Fair, and a possible set at the Colchester Free Festival are testimony to my hyperlocal entertainment empire building ambitions.

I like to think in a few years time, Lou will be on MTV - or whatever online platform fits the purpose of the time - with a video shot by Wivenhoe local Sam King.

Yep: Introducing Sam King…

I first came across the talented local filmmaker whilst out on a reccie one Friday night at the Sailing Club. @AnnaJCowen and I were doing the meet ‘n greet, and hopefully sweet talking our way into Sailing Club membership.

By pure chance there was a screening by the banks of the Colne from Sam, showcasing a series of local films that he has shot. The Sailing Club video featured below was introduced as an attempt to try and capture the essence of Wivenhoe sailing.

Mission successful, I would say.

I wanted to hang around for a chat with Sam, find out his local story and then bend his arm about being able to embed some of his fine films on m’blog. The meet ‘n greet (and booze) of the Sailing Club got in the way.

No worries - back at base this week and my twitter stream struck gold with a tweet from @SamKing13245 linking to a local video made all about the May Fair this year.

I told you this Wivenhoe twitterati lark is starting to help make local connections…

Tweets were exchanged, and Sam has very kindly agreed to allow me to showcase some of his work on m’blog. The May Fair film in particular is a rare beast of local cinematic beauty. It is shot with a professional eye, and contains sufficient local knowledge to show an understanding of his subject matter.

Much has been made of the May Fair this year by folk who aren’t really local and should know better. @TheGazette continues to abuse this position of supposed local power, completely overlooking the good news story of the £4,500 raised for charity, and getting turned on instead by the minor, minor scuffles.

Sam instead chooses to look at the community volunteer element to May Fair, He presents a short film that encapsulates to perfection the spirit of May Fair that I found down at the KGV a couple of weeks ago.

If any local organisation is in need of some video work, then I would strongly recommend working with Sam. His work is highly professional, with a local passion to match.

I know that Moving Image has floated the idea of helping to showcase local filmmakers, by perhaps screening some hyperlocal shorts ahead of the main presentations. Sam would seem to fit this suggestion perfectly.

You can subscribe to Sam’s youtube channel over here, or follow him on twitter @SamKing13245. Even better - contact the young chap and see how he can help to bring to life any work that your group or organisation is trying to promote around the town.

So that’s the local singer / songwriter and the filmmaker taken care of. Any young local folk out there care to teach me how to dance?

Another season of summer blockbusters has been scheduled to screen at the Philip Road Centre by the good folk of Moving Image: Avatar, Independence Day and The A-Team will all be screened on a MASSIVE 500 metre 3D screen, with the latest in surround sound technology that will be heard on the other side of Elmstead Market.

That will liven the stiffs up.

Only joking.

It’s not the Moving Image way of staging an independent community run cinema. Sure, there is room in the schedule for the odd blockbuster (still having sleepless nights over Kick Ass…) but a more thoughtful and inclusive range of films has just been announced for the summer season.

Starting off we have Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, being shown on Saturday 11th June:

“Set on the campus of a small New England college, the film focuses on the volatile relationship of associate history professor George and his hard-drinking wife Martha, the daughter of the college president.”

No parallels with that lot up the road at the University of Essex then…

A week later on the 18th June and Fishtank is the next film in the summer schedule:

“Fish Tank is a 2009 British drama film directed by Andrea Arnold. The film won the Jury Prize at the 62nd Cannes Film Festival. Mia is a volatile 15 year-old. She resides on an Essex council estate with her single mother, Joanne, and foul-mouthed younger sister, Tyler. Mia is a loner and does not seem to have any close friends. Her only source of escape is hip-hop dance, which she practices alone in a deserted flat.”

The Only Way is Essex, etc.

Of Gods and Men makes an appearance at the Philip Road Centre on 2nd July:

“Of Gods and Men is a 2010 French drama film directed by Xavier Beauvois, starring Lambert Wilson and Michael Lonsdale. The film opens with a quotation from the Book of Psalms, Psalm 82:6-7: I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most high. But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes. It closes with a spiritual testament by the prior Christian de Chergé, written for the occurrence of him being killed.”

Not quite The A-Team then.

And then on 9th July we have something for the Wivenhoe modern interweb *cough* twitterati masses, with the ACE The Social Network being screened at Philip Road:

“The Social Network is a 2010 drama film about the founding of the social networking website Facebook and the resulting lawsuits.”

Sit next me to me on the back road and I’ll probably poke you, etc.

Meanwhile the artier aspect of Moving Image is explored up at the splendour of the Lakeside Theatre at the University. The Monday evening run of films continues with Monsters on 13th June and Children of Men on 20th June.

All films start at 7:30pm. Which *means* 7:30pm. Oh yes. No legging it down the High Street, still half eating yer evening meal and forgetting to brush your teeth. Oh not. No me…

May Fair 2011 - how was it for you? The music, the conversations and the friendships made it fantastic for me. The police sirens late in the day did put a bit of a downer on the experience. A brief trawl through twitter - that ever reliable and factual source of information - shows that *most* folk at May Fair 2011 came away with sunburns and smiles.

Everyone will have their own unique May Fair stories and experiences. You can’t capture the essence of May Fair in a throwaway blog post - you probably wouldn’t want to either.

May Fair for me was very special. My experiences of the afternoon are unique to me, and this blog post is primarily for my purposes, to capture, document and remember what was something of a rather special afternoon.

Along with @AnnaJCowen and the pneumatic recovering house guest, I came close to being up the wotsit creek without a paddle. We were keen to show the pneumatic recovering house guest the delights of the Rowhedge Ferry. Time and tide wait for no May Fair man. Swimming to the KGV almost became a possibility.

Midday tea in the Rowhedge Heritage Hut was when we first heard the chords strike up across the Colne. Time to board the Ferry back to base, time to join the queue of twenty, thirty, forty ferry passengers, all with the same idea.

Whoops.

The good skipper had the foresight to make short shuttle runs across to Ferry Marsh. But with the water fast disappearing, the roundabout route back to the Quay was required.

We did the mental maths and worked out that we may just make the final sail before the ferry became stranded. The boat had become something of a booze cruise, with Rowhedge folk crossing the Colne with boxes of beer.

Anything to declare, Sir? We really should tax that other lot once they land in Wivenhoe.

Back on dry land and we snaked our way around the station, over the foot bridge and towards the KGV and beyond. By 1pm and it was clear that May Fair 2011 was simply MASSIVE.

We missed local lad Lou Terry up on the Sunrise Stage, such was the effort involved to walk from one end of the KGV to the other. An age demographic was clearly in place - fresh-faced yoof were down towards the rear of the field, with the more mature crowd camping out at the top. I have no shame in stating that I was two thirds up, with a preference to continue the ageing process.

Conversations followed - an ever present smiling Mr Mayor and the Lady Mayor, as well as two separate catch ups with middle aged men whom I usually associate with my semi-naked experiences every morning in a steam room out towards the Hythe.

Hot pants appeared to be the May Fair fashion accessory for this spring. I don’t think I’ve got the legs to carry it off, but then again I would also struggle with the balding Goth look, another fashion favourite for 2011.

Transition Town Wivenhoe, Wivenhoe in Bloom, Moving Image - all the great and good of local groups were out in force. The pneumatic recovering house guest came close to a cure in the Healing Field. I pitched in with a rather random and unexpected offer for work with a local organisation.

I’m not sure what happened to the Main Stage running order, but we took up a strategic position towards the right, just in time to catch the ace @AdyJohnsonUK. A shortened set from Colchester’s finest, but one that seemed perfect for the occasion.

Pink Flamingo peaked as MY May Fair moment. Only a couple of months earlier I had been privileged to catch Ady singing a short secret set @15QueenStreet. Seeing the songs from the Worry Doll album being transferred to the Wivenhoe May Fair, and still working with all the intimacy from earlier, had to be a highlight.

The pneumatic recovering house guest had to head back to the big city, and so our May Fair was cut short around 5pm. We walked back down towards the train station, seeing Wivenhoe Wood become a temporary toilet for the afternoon. Not great but hey - at least the greenery got a well needed watering.

The first police sirens started soon after, and then whilst back at base catching the close of play at the cricket, the helicopter action started. I didn’t personally witness anything, and so I’m not going to let it get in the way of MY May Fair 2011.

However if I were in the HEADLINE act, CAV OK, I’d be pretty peeved to be told at the last minute that the set has been cancelled.

Seeing this rather fine chap below wave us a Wivenhoe farewell is the memory that I would like to leave with.

*Heads up Mr Mule

Full flickr set over here.

Sunday evening in Wivenhoe: a bonkers film exploring Cardiff and Patagonia connections through the international language of screaming, chips “blessed by God” down by the Quay and then five lads from Wivenhoe who shook, um, the Station Hotel with some rock ‘n roll music.

Any old way you choose - it’s not exactly your typical Essex Bank Holiday experience.

Blimey.

To the Philip Road Centre first for a screening of Separado! as part of the Moving Image May Fair weekender schedule of films. The black out curtains just about survived the late afternoon sunshine streaming in from the High Street. Sadly my tired and emotional state from the night before didn’t as I battled with a back and forth head rocking motion and sleep deprivation.

Missing the odd stolen seconds here and there didn’t exactly aid me with the mad as a wet hen story about searching for your musical roots in deepest Patagonia. The plot centres on Gruf Rhyss of the Super Furries going in search of his long lost exiled wing of his Welsh family over in Argentina.

A “horse race that went wrong” in the 18th Century was the reason behind the exodus. The outcome is that there will always be a corner of South Wales somewhere in South America with a penchant for crazed pagan psychedelic music. Passing this message on in an old school hall in Wivenhoe on a Sunday evening somehow just about made artistic sense.

Music may be the food of love, but with an evening of booze to follow, it was that time of the evening when a young man in Wivenhoe goes in search of chips. With the pneumatic recovering houseguest for the weekend looking a little pale around the gills after an afternoon stretch out towards Alresford, we punched the air in celebration when strolling along East Street and found that Papa’s was still frying.

The conversation within is always lively and worthy of your loose change alone for the entertainment value. Never mix religion and politics, but mixing secular beliefs with a big fat saveloy seemed right of a Sunday evening.

Refueled and ready to rock, The Station Hotel was next on the set list. Dan, Daryl, Martin, Phil and Roddy were performing for one night only (actually there may be more to come…) The Beatles back catalogue with a Wivenhoe twist.

I wouldn’t go as far as calling it WivRock, but the punk take on the traditional standards seemed to fit the spirit of the occasion. Unofficially a May Fair warm up, The Station became Shea Stadium (seriously) with She Loves You through to Hey Jude being carried along on a wave of pre-May Fair anticipation and five pints of Carlsberg.

With the town about to change beyond all recognition for Bank Holiday Monday, this was a Wivenhoe moment, with many familiar faces welcoming the May Fair madness that is about to come.

The recovering pneumatic houseguest is as confused as he is enthused.

“Is this what you do every Sunday evening around these North Essex parts?”

Oh no - Antiques Roadshow, Evensong and half shandy in The Greyhound is my usual Sunday evening exuberance. That’s enough to make anyone look a little pale around the gills.

God knows what he’s gonna make of May Fair…

OK, Comrades - so here’s the calling card to signify that THE biggest weekend is almost upon us. I have some grubby fivers stashed away in the arse end of my jeans, a fridge full of Special Brew (blimey) and a weekend away ticket back to the mean streets of South London.

Only joking.

There is something of a mini May Fair fringe weekend, dahhhling, becoming established around Wivenhoe this year. Wilds horses wouldn’t keep me away - or even pneumonia, as is the case for a close friend that is coming to recuperate from a recent run of ill health by taking part in the Wivenhoe Run.

Good luck, fella.

But why wait until Bank Holiday Monday for all the madness to begin? The May Fair Fringe (NOT a haircut and NOT a phrase that you would be wise to repeat at The Station come closing time) starts on Thursday.

Where can you look for the highest cultural delights that can be found within Wivenhoe during a weekend when the whole town looks likely to fall over before the Bank Holiday comes crashing down?

How about some poetry?

Cripes.

Poetry Wivenhoe (or is it poetry wivenhoe, poetrywivenhoe or even poetrywivenhoe? These literary adjustments matter to the wordsmiths, apparently…) are putting on The Joy of Six.

I’ll ‘av a bit of that, thank you very much.

“The Joy of Six offer much more than a traditional poetry reading. Their vibrant multivoice performances blend five very different voices and styles into a seamless, unpredictable whole. Their style has been likened to a great jazz quintet, only with voices.”

Upstairs at The Greyhound, and another grubby fiver on the door should gain you entry on Thursday evening from 8pm.

The good folk of the Bookshop are staging the second of their Unplugged nights on Friday. This doesn’t mean a book reading with no words, but a very, very intimate acoustic performance in the back room across the sofa.

Hot Club / Tub Gitane will be performing, ahead of an appearance at the May Fair itself on the Sunrise Stage:

“The extraordinary Hot Club Gitane are purveyors of Manouche Jazz (Gypsy Jazz), and play an intriguing melange of Hot Club de Paris swing (Django / Grappelli) and French / German cafe standards of the 1930s / 1940s (Edith Piaf / Marlene Dietrich).”

Smells Like Teen spirit ropey covers probably aren’t included in the set. My sources tell me that only a few tickets are remaining, on sale at the Bookshop for the bargain price of a fiver.

But it’s not all about Gypsy Jazz.

Phew - Rock’n Roll and all that, which brings us nicely to Saturday evening and the Moving Image screening of The Runnaways. Billed as “an in-your-face look at teenage life and the rock scene in the 1970′s” - the setting of the Philip Road Centre seems perfect.

Essentially the story of Joan Jett, expect sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll. But probably not on the back row of the Philip Road Centre.

Assuming that the pneumatic friend is still standing, then it’s time to sit down once again on Sunday afternoon. Moving Image is staging a double bill, a feat in itself that requires stamina of epic rock ‘n roll proportions.

Separado! and Oil City Confidential are being screened, in a carefully thought out mini May Fair season of films that seems to fit the mood perfectly.

But sometimes you just need to get back to the music, man. Which is why I plan to shoot off down The Station (steady) sometime on Sunday evening to catch the very good Mr Mule and friends performing some Beatles covers.

Ace.

“There is a Beatle-ish gig at The Station Hotel, night before the May Fair. Probably about 8 to 8.30. I must point out here, that this is not MY band per se. It’s a fun occasional project. There are five of us, Roddy, Darryl, Dan, Phil and me. What we do, as we did for one night only last Christmas, is to try and recreate about 20 Beatle songs, from the entire canon, 1963 -1969, as accurately as we can.”

Well shake it on baby now, etc.

Which all leaves the rather minor event of May Fair itself on Monday. The line-up of local artists is impressive. Ady Johnson is the rising star of the Sunny Colch circuit. The former Fuzzface singer looks set for wider recognition, and so now is a good time to catch him in Wivenhoe.

CAV OK are a little more than OK, and Housework are a damn hard working and tight funk rock band. Local lad Lou Terry on the Sunrise Stage should also be put aside as a time to take it easy on the Special Brew and appreciate this incredibly special local talent.

Elsewhere around the site (oh OK - the KGV then…) and you’ll find Moving Image and Transition Town Wivenhoe working together and showing a series of locally produced films, all powered by the Revolutionary Pedal Powered Cinema.

The Open Mic stage is brought to you by the same good folk who have made such a success of late of the Open Mic nights down at the Black Buoy. Any local performers wanting to do a turn (oooh) should sign up from midday when the stage opens.

Stalls of course will be aplenty. Some will be selling ethical, worthy and rather worthless tat, but hey - it’s got to be better than a burger van. Some will be selling wonderful local Wivenhoe produce and deserve your loose change (hellooo Wivenhoe in Bloom.)

Others will be selling booze. You should pitch yer tent up here.

If you still want more (more? MORE?) then I’m sure you can navigate your way around to the back door entrances of the well know watering holes around Wivenhoe. I’ve been told that many will have a local’s only policy later in the evening - which may make it a little inbred, but yeah, I’m up for that as well.

And so that’s the Wivenhoe May Fair fringe weekend. If pulling a sickie at 7am on Tuesday morning is required, consider coming down to the KGV at 10am to help out with the clean up.

Oh yeah - *cough* Bowie, Comrades…