Blackford Fiddle Group

Old News from September 2006

Some of the links on this page no longer work because the pages to which they refer have been deleted or moved.
In most cases the material will be out of date in any case.

Hit a link here. September 2006   October 2006 November 2006 December 2006
                          January 2007    February 2007 March 2007    April 2007   May 2007
                      June 2007    July 2007

August 2006

August, the time of ripening grain and for coming back from holidays. The long summer days are drawing slightly shorter and by the middle of the month school and work demand our full attention once more. Before you know it you can't remember a thing about the holidays. Those happy, happy days are passed so quickly and September is here. Only 104.5 shopping days to Christmas. Well despair not - for this is the time when the music season really begins. We always lose and gain players about this time of year but by the annual concert/ceilidh comes round we'll all have loads of new tunes, and looking at the gig list we'll have set feet tapping across the county.

August had 4 gigs. It was great to get plenty of people out for the old folks events. Not so many came to the session in Kirriemuir, which was your loss as it was a great afternoon. Avid readers of the Kirriemuir Herald were treated to pictures of us two weeks running. The other gig was a wedding ceilidh in Dundee. Our best wishes to Roos and Peter. What a good crowd there was - the only complaint we got was that the band had to stop to eat. Well you try playing for 4 hours without food and drink! Not strictly August news but on 2 September at the Lade Inn (see bottom of gigs page) we were told a party had come many miles, not to hear David but to hear the fiddlers. Ah! sweet fame. Not only that but they had turned down a chance to see Robbie Williams. Well who wouldn't?

There was a good concert at Horsecross in Perth on 27th. I counted 20 BFG members there. The Old Blind Dogs played a great set, their last with Jim Malcolm. That was followed by Blazin' Fiddles. Now you can call me old fashioned, but those guys sometimes just play too fast and the tunes get a bit lost along the way. (Now we would never do that of course.) But you have to hand it to them, they have done for the fiddle what Ferrari did to the humble motor car.

Fridays
We are running a bit short of "tutors" on Fridays but by the middle of September we should have some new tune books (Music Book One) and we'll divide people up to tackle different parts of the book. It might mean being a bit systematic, but once you have the books you can say what you want to do. The really good news of course is that Pete made it to the hall on 1st September, not to play but to listen. What he said was that we sounded really good, much better than he remembers. Not sure how to take that, but let's just assume we've all got better. Thanks Pete.

10th Anniversary.
There are so many players and so many sets that we can use for dances that this year we are going to run the whole thing as a ceilidh and everyone who is beyond the Twinkle Twinkle stage can play for at least one dance.

Music Page.
Keep an eye on the music page as we are going to put up a list of current tunes that we'll be doing at the hall. (Yes I said that last month - I mean it though! Just need to finish Music Book One first.)

September 2006

September has been an active month, five gigs including the Stirling Bridge Ceilidh at the Albert Halls Stirling, and the weekend away at Westercaputh for some of the adults. There has been a chance for everyone to play in public and when all is said and done that is probably what all this fiddling is about - entertaining folk. We are beginning to rely on a smaller core of people willing or able to give their time to this though. Having said that we have never failed to turn out with 6-8 players which is fine. The Stirling ceilidh was pretty good and was mainly CB2, with just one of the Horrid People (see glossary for explanation.)

Pete has been back at the hall and down to the Allanbank too, still full of praise.

An apology to all those of you who are waiting for the new tune book. Other things (work, domestic chores and similar unrewarding activities) have conspired to delay the process, but as I write I know that the printer is printing the first batch. CDs are already made and all that holds us back is getting the binding done. By the 6th October we should have the first supply of books complete with 52 tunes in 22 sets. The book will cost about £7.50 to members. That will cover costs and a very little more, but does not begin to cover the time that has gone in to it. To be honest it would have been easier to learn 52 new tunes myself than to do the book. Foolishly I have begun Book Two, with the hope that I may get it ready early in 2007.

The last paragrpah was modified the following on 7-10-06.
Tune Book One
The new tune book is out. Despite work, domestic chores and similar unrewarding activities that delayed its preparation it is printed, bound and ready for use. Fifteen copies sold instantly on Friday 6th at the hall. Complete with 52 tunes in 22 sets. the book costs £7.50 to members. That will cover costs and a very little more, but does not begin to cover the time that has gone in to it. To be honest it would have been easier to learn 52 new tunes myself than to do the book. Foolishly I have begun Book Two, with the hope that I may get it ready early in 2007.

The Westercaputh weekend really deserves a mention. With just 10 of us there we played many tunes and even learned a a few new ones. But the real achievement was doing a complete eightsome reel dance at 2.30 am on the Sunday morning. Two musicians (a term used with some flexibility here) and eight dancers (a term used with considerable flexibility) and no witnesses, not even a camera (not enough hands to use one anyway). All that and a bar-b-que breakfast at 9. We know how to live!

Fridays
We are very aware that Friday's at the hall have been a bit hectic recently. With so many new people around, including beginners it has stretched our resources a bit but I think we are just about keeping it all together. If anyone feels that it isn't working for them then speak up and we'll sort something out for you.

10th Anniversary.
The main ceilidh will be at the Aytoun Hall Auchterarder on Saturday 11th November. Tickets are on sale - price £7. For kids this includes all their drinks. Players in full time education are free and other players should pay. This is a change from last year but since we will give the money to a good cause we hope you'll all be happy. Anyway, where else would you get a meal and a dance for £7? A ceilidh will also take place in Blackford on 10th - a smaller food free do for a couple of hours. If you can only make one of these, make it the Saturday please.

Top of page

October 2006

By now you are all used to getting nice friendly news here at BFG and I guess you'll be wondering what witty pearls of wisdom will be on offer for November and what insights and observations will stem from October. Well its too late for that. Its no more Mr Nice Guy. It gloves off time, the moment of truth, time to get down to brass tacks and call a spade a spade. Have you bought your ceilidh tickets yet?   If not, then shame on you. With two events to celebrate the tenth anniversary we need you to buy for yourself and your friends and make it a pair of nights to remember. Remember you are the band, the dancers the audience and the sales staff. If you're not there then it will be a quite night.

Now I've got that little rant off my chest I give you the news. October was officially one of the quietest months on record. The hall was busy-ish but we had only only gig, for which we had a good turn out and played really well. Thanks to those who made it over the great divide in the earth's crust all the way to Crieff. For those who were in Crieff already because you live there, you know you have our heartfelt admiration and undying sympathy.

Music Book One is selling well and I hear people are even using it to learn tunes. Good stuff. Now I have also heard that it isn't as helpful as some folk would like - perhaps the tunes on the CD are played too fast, or perhaps some of the tunes have too many dots. The first would be an error of production and we would like to know so that we can get better - the BFG contribution to the government agenda for continuous improvement and better value. The second problem - the dots - would have to be the fault of Mr / Ms Trad who wrote the tunes. And as the composer is never wrong there is nothing we can do about it. So best to keep trying and in true BFG tradition if you can't fit in all the notes, leave out the ones that are too hard.

Music Book Two. Some time in November I'll put a contents sheet on the web and you can tell me which other tunes you want included. Once we have the two books we will be ready to conquer the world world.

Well no more for now. As this is a special month, with annual ceilidhs and at least 3 other big events I'll update the news mid month. For this enhanced service I will expect double pay and lavish praise. As ever I will handle my disappointment with dignity.

This news page officially invites your own contributions. Stories and other things can be included. emails or scruffy bits of paper handed over at the hall will do. We could start a discussion page. It would be really interesting to know if there is anyone out there (other than the Blackford Pipers who we know gaze with envy at out sophisticated lives.)

Yours as ever
bigish the webmaster

NOVEMBER 2006

NOTE - THERE WAS NO NOVEMBER NEWS HEADING. At the beginning of each month news from the previous month was put up. So at the beginning of December you would have November news, called November. But that looks out of date. So from this point on the heading is for the month the news is posted, not the month to which it applied. So the news above for October was posted in November and that below for November was posted in December. It looks like we missed a month but we didn't.

Top of page

December 2006

Perthshire advertiser report on the Tenth Anniversary here.

MEMBERS' PAGE
The members' pages is up and running. If you don't have your username then email the new address which is members@ the usual bfg address. (If you are not a member you will not get a username, sorry.)

GIGS
Well we can all be glad that's over. November was a hectic month. Eight gigs, including two ceilidhs for our Tenth Anniversary and three other ceilidhs. The ceilidh band - and indeed everyone who played for dancing at the 10th have done a fantastic job. It isn't many years ago that taking on one ceilidh was a challenge, but to do five in a month was quite an achievement. We also have s a few people starting to do some calling for dances and that makes us even more self sufficient. The feedback we have had has been great. What you may not know is that between the 4 ceilidhs we helped to raise over £19,000 for charities. Shall I say that again - £19,000. Only a fraction of that - £500 - was at our own event, which was still a good effort as the fund-raising is not the main idea - the rest was doing if for others. The biggest event by far was the Children in Need event in Stirling where our biggest challenge was organising 100 young children for dances.

The other gigs were a little quieter - in fact they were very quite. There was some confusion over the date of the one at Strathtay House but I'm not sure that made any difference to numbers. Over the years BFG has managed to provide good entertainment for many groups who have been doing us a major favour in return. We get the two things from playing these smaller gigs; experience of playing in public, really with no pressure on players at all, and donations which have paid for everything we do. What now keeps us afloat is ceilidh band income. But we should not rely on that. We have lost most of the original ceilidh band and now some of the next lot are also on the point of going to uni / college or whatever. We need good turnouts for the regular gigs but we know that everyone is busy these days. So if there is anything we can do to help or encourage you to come then tell us. Do you want to play other tunes, to play more slowly or to do solos? Do you need a lift? What about if we offered chocolates? (It has happened before) You tell us. Anyway at the last AGM you were all keen to keep taking on gigs so we'll keep doing it unless you say stop.

CEILIDH BANDS
The horrid people (see glossary on links page) of the original ceilidh band have gone. So the New Ceilidh Band is dead, they are now the ceilidh band. That means that Ceilidh Band Three (whoever you are) are now Ceilidh Band Two and you have 1 year to become a stand-alone band before some members of the ceilidh band disappear to become students. This is your mission should you chose to accept it. No sweat. Piece of cake. Fame and fortune awaits.

FRIDAYS AND MUSIC BOOK ONE
Fridays are still busy, which is great. Music Book One is out there and most people have it. There are still some copies for those who need one. What we might now do is to use the book to structure the Friday sessions. Beginners on the first few pages, intermediates on the next few and more advanced players on the rest. We can then simply get into groups and play the tunes for practice. People can find out their own level and then (you'll love this) go home and use the CD to learn others. There are some new sets to do rather than just going over the old stuff.

MUSIC BOOK TWO
Suggestions for music book two can now be made in person or using the simple form on the members' pages. (See above for username info.)

FESTIVE PARTY AND MEETING
The party is to be on 22nd December at the hall. A short special general meeting will be held to approve a new constitution (we hope) and to consider bidding for lottery funds for th music book and CD.

NEW YEAR HONOURS. Go to the members' page (see link 6 lines above) and send in your recommendations. If you don't you might end up being nominated yourself.

This news page officially invites your contributions. Stories and other things can be included. These can be sent by email or written on old-fashioned paper. This is your web site and my life would be greatly enhanced by your contributions. I know Pete has something in prep so try to get in there first.

by bigfish

January 2007

A new year and a new look news page. It is still under construction but gradually new bits and links will be active. The photo pages really need an update and that will happen soon.
A look back at 2006

Well 2006 turned out to be the busiest year in BFG's history. We played at least 54 times. There were 7 concerts in public, 12 gigs for community groups, 13 ceilidhs/parties, 9 gigs in residential homes and 13 fund raisers, at which £27,000 was raised for good causes (not us!). We played our most remote gig in Provence in the South of France and celebrated our 10th anniversary. We also ran three weekend workshops at Westercaputh. All in all we deserve a rest, but of course we are not going to get one. I won't predict exactly how busy we will be in 2007, although we already have 12 bookings and if our lottery bid is successful there will be much to do to get CDs, music books and workshops underway. So busy we will be. None of this would happen though without everyone joining in, so thanks. Also, I would like to thank Pete for getting BFG underway, for inspiring the group for 10 years and for encouraging us to keep up the good work despite the fact that for the moment he cannot be as active.

Pete has always managed to find new and unique ways of getting people to play with BFG. He mastered the process of enthusiastic banter (often this did have a feel of ridicule and insults, finely judged of course), encouraged a little faking here and there and made us stand on stage and simply get on with it. Now of course he finds himself once again at the early learning stage and has begun to record his views of this in a special BFG column which you will find here on the BFG web page. It will be updated regularly. Just use the Peter's Piece link on the left. Please feel free to email any replies back to him via the BFG email address.

GIGS

Keep an eye on the web and the posters at the hall on Friday. There is a really important gig in Auchterarder on Sunday 11th February. We are playing for a fund-raiser and it is also a good opportunity for local folk to see us. Anyone who feels that that they want a solo slot, of any small group who want to play something together just let me know and we'll try and sort out a programme. Otherwise it will be our usual repertoire so everyone will get a chance to play.

We have done some recording and if it has worked we will know that we are on track to get the CD out later in the year. Of course we depend on getting lottery money through Awards for All so fingers crossed that our application is successful.

Remember to look at Pete's Page.

Still tickets for Altan, fantastic Irish band who have been around for years, and Session A9, the best Scottish fiddle based band of the moment are playing a double bill at Perth Concert Hall on Thursday 12th April. Adults £15, kids go free (2 kids per adult ticket). This is one not to miss. Don't leave it long though - tickets may move fast.

February 2007

As years go this one has started gently for BFG. Just a couple of gigs and two Burns suppers. Now these probably deserve a mention. For 3 years BFG have been asked to supply fiddlers (just 2) for two Burns suppers in Perth, including the Perth Burns Club which is fairly prestigious. In the past we have usually sent a couple of the original Horrid People, partly because they played well and because they don't scare easily. This year we sent some new Horrid People. At the Burns Club Aly and Andrew L (helped or hindered by Andrew B) provided a few sets, while Freya went with Jan and Kay to McDiarmid Park. This is real exposure - 150 people who have paid good money listening to just 2 or 3 players. Give me a ceilidh any day - far less terrifying.

Gigs are starting to come in for 2007. Don't forget 11th February at the Finlayson Hall, Auchterarder. (See Gigs page.) Then we have a ceilidh at the Aytoun Hall on 24th. I don't know who is selling tickets, but if you are not playing why not come for an evening out?

CD. Sorry to say that the CD recording has not progressed much. We have been trying out some music editing software so that we can mix the recordings. We may end up buying this later. Like everything else we do it is done on the basis that it can't be too hard so we'll have a go. Anyone want to help? If you know about sound recording or mixing, or if you don't but you would like to, speak to Andrew B and we'll get you involved. Of course we can't actually do anything that costs us money until we hear from the lottery (Awards for All).

Tune writing. How many of you have tried a bit of tune writing yet? To put together a book of BFG compositions we will need at least 25-30 tunes. The more the better. Later in the year we are going to run a workshop on tune writing (lottery permitting) but I have been putting together some hints on writing tunes that sound a bit traditional. I would really like a couple of people to use my notes to see if they help and to suggest improvements. Any volunteers - just email.

AGM. The AGM isn't a couple of months but it isn't too early to think if there is anything you want to discuss. Who do you want on the High Council? What extra help can you offer / do you need?

Festivals. Every year there are loads of good festivals in Scotland. Anyone fancy organising a BFG trip to go and play / listen to sessions? It can be really inspiring and is to be recommended.

That's about all for now. Don't forget Pete's Pieces. We can assure you that he is getting tunes from the harmonica now. Keep it up Pete, you're on for the ceilidh in Crieff on 16th March!

Pete's Page. New feature on motivation, if you can be bothered that is.

This news page officially invites your contributions. Stories and other things can be included. These can be sent by email or written on old-fashioned paper. This is your web site and my life would be greatly enhanced by your contributions.

Top of page

March 2007

FIDDLES. Over the years BFG has supplied fiddles to at least 60 people. At £60 or more each that is a pretty big thing. Most of those fiddles are still in use and we know where they are. However, there are some that we know are not in use and we have new members all the time that need a fiddle. It would be good to get any back any fiddles that you no longer need. Please bring them to the hall on a Friday or call (see contact page) and we can arrange to collect them. Thanks.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING. Not as dull as it sounds as we'll have a social, dance, food and drink. It is also really important that you come and have your say about things at BFG, vote for your committee and decide what we should be doing in the future.

CONCERT - PERTH. Altan, one of the top traditional Irish bands who have been around for years, and Session A9, the best Scottish fiddle based band of the moment are playing a double bill at Perth Concert Hall on Thursday 12th April. Adults £15, kids go free (2 kids per adult ticket). Have you booked yet?

You may have noticed that the photos have disappeared from the web. Well fear not, I will re-instate the galleries soon, including some new pictures. The web pages have had a slight face lift with the addition of the new menu on the left, but otherwise things are much as before.

Sessions at the hall. We have been very busy on Fridays and at times I expect you thought that it might not be totally under control. Ye of little faith - of course it wasn't under control. Anyway its good to see so many of you there. The new ceilidh band players seem to making great progress under the strict supervision of Kay. Everyone else is getting to grips with the King of the Fairies (well he is seriously outnumbered), Billy Malley and various other tunes. Don't forget to use the music book. Listen to the CD and pick out the tunes you want to do and simply learn them or ask for help.

Gigs. February turned out to be a pretty busy month in the end. We were involved in 3 fundraisers and another gig. The concert at the Finlayson Hall on Sunday 11th was great. We had about 20 players - probably more - and sounded really good. There is no doubt that the audience enjoyed it. Thanks to those of you that came - shame on those that didn't. We know who you are. The last gig was a ceilidh at the Aytoun Hall - again a good gig. The only thing that spoiled these events was the fact that the younger players in particular looked miserable. Come on guys, you can smile.

March gigs. Don't miss playing at the Carnegie Hall, Dunfermline on 9th March. Another everyone gig on 16th in Crieff and 3 ceilidhs. Busy, busy.

Tune writing. I have three volunteers to look through the guide to tune writing. Thanks to you all. At least four people have also written tunes. This is a good start and we will be looking for a volunteer to help organise the workshop later in the year.

New Music Book. I am still working on the final list of tunes for this. Tell me if there are any you want in. There is still a form to fill in for this on the members' page. If you don't have the user name and password email me for it (members only.) If (when?) we get lottery money approved we will bash on with the book and get it ready to print.

AGM. The AGM and social evening will be at the hall on Friday 20th April. Please tell the Secretary if there is anything you want to discuss. Who do you want on the High Council? What extra help can you offer / do you need?

Festivals. Last month I suggested that you looked at the possibility of going to festivals to hear other people playing. We'll add a list of likely ones to the web pages soon and see if anyone wants to go.

Other news. Well there isn't any really. As the month progresses I may find a few snippets to add though.

April 2007

Tara!
Big news - BFG has been awarded a lottery grant of £5000 from Awards for All for the new CD, music book, ceilidh and tune writing projects. More information to follow shortly. There is now going to be a lot to do and we will need volunteers to take on some of the tasks.

FIDDLES. We are still wanting to get back any fiddles that you no longer need. Please bring them to the hall on a Friday or call (see contact page) and we can arrange to collect them. Thanks.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING plus social, dance, food and drink. Members' chance to have your say about things at BFG, vote for your committee and decide what we should be doing in the future.

Sessions
Mad March applied to BFG this year. We have been very busy on Fridays, despite three clashes with gigs, and we have several new starters and lots of regulars. It is my impression that we have been doing well at learning new tunes from Music Book 1. This is really important because we do need you all to come to gigs, so it helps to know the tunes.

Gigs
March was a mega-month for gigs. Six in all including some really impressive events. It all began with a small group doing an event for some South African teachers at Stirling on the 1st. Then there was the Carnegie Hall, Dunfermline on the 9th. Well done to everyone who turned out for that. We had a fantastic time, it seemed to go down well (although the bright lights on the big stage stopped us seeing the audience). Then another everyone gig (not so well attended) was for the Gaelic Society in Crieff. Where were all you Crieff fiddlers then - skivving! Three ceilidhs finished off the month, the most important being the inaugrual ceilidh for the extended Old Farts Ceilldh Band (sorry about the language). Brilliantly played by the older folk - you young things had better watch out or there'll be no rich pickings for you - we'll be doing all the gigs and getting rich.

Music
There are a few new tunes on the music page. Keep telling me what you want there. Also we still need your suggestions for the next muisic book. The tunes bit is almost complete so email your suggestions quickly or go to the members' page and fill in the form there.

AGM
The Annual General Meeting is to be held in Blackford on Friday 27th April, with a dance and social to follow. The meeting should be quite short, although that's up to you. The more you talk the longer it gets. Remember your committee will resign that night and we need nominations for members. You cannot assume the same suckers are going to do it all again. For the agenda summary of accounts etc use this link. AGM papers.

Lottery
The news from the lottery is obviously very good. It means that we can now take a few projects forward activily. We'll be putting together a list of things to do and we will need volunteers. Since we have to account for the money to the Awards for All people we may need to set up a small group to co-ordinate things. We'll discuss this on 27th.

Other stuff
You will see some familiar faces in this link. http://www.geocities.com/perthburnsclub/dinner.html

May 2007

AGM and Report on the year.
The AGM for 2006-7 was held on 27th April. There was a great turnout, a fascinating meeting and then a ceilidh. Full minutes and report will appear on the members' page shortly but just to keep you in the picture this is the the summary:

From 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2007

We played 57 gigs.
At these gigs over £20,000 was raised for good causes.
We had 3 weekend workshops.
We produced the new music book and CD
We were awarded £5000 lottery money by Awards for All
Our income was up and we have the enough money to match with the lottery cash to do interesting things in 2007
We started recording for the new CD
We were very busy most Fridays and have lots of members - new and old - and that's what its all about.

For more details visit the members' page. (Details should be there by about 12 May)

Lottery
The lottery grant is to be used for a new CD, a ceilidh and music book, ceilidh workshops, tune writing work and an improved music page and/or DVD . We will set up a lottery page here on the BFG website soon. Thanks to those who have already volunteered to help with the lottery projects. There will be plenty of jobs, small and large to help with and we will be needing more volunteers soon. (Details will be on the Lottery Page.)

Fiddle Group to demutualise - members' rights to assets to be revoked.
Shock! Horror!
The fiddle group is getting so large we may demutualise. This means selling out assets on the stock market and allowing the directors (The Executive Committee) to run off with the money. Unwittingly the AGM have paved the way for this shock move by failing to read all the small print. But it may not be too late to stop it. If enough members register their disapproval or volunteer to help spend the lottery money we may save BFG from being taken over by a large multi-national fiddle orchestra, or worse - by pipers and banjo players.

Details of how you can save BFG will go on the Members' Page shortly!!

Sessions and Gigs
There are some Friday evenings when I think we must all be mad - packing ourselves into the tiny Blackford Hall, risking stick wounds through careless bowing, hearing loss due the the high decibel level and all manner of other avoidable injury. Why do we do it? I ask myself. Then I find three answers. Its fun. Come on, you have admit that it really is fun. What's more there's no pressure either. Then of course it gets us out to meet with other people rather than staying in to watch TV. And then lastly, we get to go and entertain people, spreading joy and earning gratitude (or something like that.) And that really is what its about. The Friday stuff seems to be working really well - we have loads of folk coming and you are all amazingly patient with tune learning, the occasional lack of people to teach and with general level of chaos.

In April we had just two "everyone" gigsl. Over the years these are the gigs at which people have learned to play in public, with plenty of cover from other players so they don't need to get worried. In time doing this leads to being in the ceilidh band or simply having more confidence when playing with others or in sessions. It was quite disappointing that we had very few beginners and non ceilidh band players at the two gigs in April. At the Kincarrathie House one in particular we were very short of people. So thanks go to those who came - your reward will undoubtedly be fame and fortune. To the rest of you - huh! But seriously, BFG needs the gigs, and we need you to come. We have often asked in the past about booking gigs and you have always been enthusiastic, but we can't lesve it to the same few people to carry them all.

We used to have a telephone contact list for gigs so that we could arrange times and lifts. Since we now put gig details on the web we have relied on people coming or phoning if they need a lift. Gigs are always announced at the Friday sessions too but we may have to get some volunteers to help organise gigs in future. Anyone interested? If a few people took a lead on this occasionally it would be great.

More gigs? Quite a few members now come from the wild west (Dunblane and surroundings). Would it help if we did gigs down your way. If so do you have any suggestions as to where? Email of speak to Jan or Andrew.

Our favourite guitar player.
Jan, our favourite guitar player, was taken into hospital for an operation last week. This has been expected for some time and we are pleased to say that she is doing fine. Now before all you other strummers get upset, you are all our favourite guitar players - goes without saying. As Jan does not have Broadband in hospital she will never see this and it remains to be seen if anyone will pass on the details here. If you do, just stick with the first bit about being favourite. You can add other rubbish like we can't get on without you blah blah. Say nothing about not really being favourite - that might slow down her recovery. Are we all clear on the message here?

This news page officially invites your contributions. Stories and other things can be included. These can be sent by email or written on old-fashioned paper. This is your web site and my life would be greatly enhanced by your contributions.

BFG News - June 2007

A big thank you to everyone who came to play at the two ceilidhs on 15th and 16th June. Both were a great success - the playing was fantastic and got the dancing going in style.

There doesn't seem to be much to say this month. Either I can''t think of anything to say as I have forgotten everything that happened.

Lottery
News and updates on use of the lottery money are on the lottery page - go to the Members' area for the link. Anyone in BFG without the password, just ask. If you can't remember the login details email me.

Last month I tried to get you all to go and look at the lottery page and to volunteer for work. I even claimed that without your help BFG would be taken over by a multi-national fiddle orchestra. It seems you didn't care. Well not many of you did. So from now on the option of volunteering will be removed and you run the risk of being volunteered in the military sense - in others asked in the nicest possible way so you can't refuse.

Sessions and Gigs
May was a very quiet month for gigs. On the other hand the hall was busy. Watch out on the Fridays and Sessions page. There are a few changes for June as we have alot of Friday gigs

More gigs? Last month we asked about arranging more gigs. Since we have members in from west of Dunblane, up to Crieff and out to Dunning we reckon you should be looking out for places where we can do everyone gigs. These might be old folks homes, SWRIs or events. What we all need is gigs that everyone can play together.

Are you coming?
Friday 15th June. BFG ceilidh in Bridge of Earn.In aid of the PRI Stroke Unit. No session at the hall so come to the ceilidh.
Saturday 16th June. Langtoon in June ceilidh. Come to this too.

Anyone who can play a dance tune can join the ceilidh band for these events. Don't miss it.

Date for your diaries.
BFG Ceilidh and workshop 1st September

On Saturday 1st September BFG are running a dance workshop and ceilidh from 12.30 lunchtime to 11.00 in the evening. The afternoon will be spent learning how to dance, how to call dances and how to play for dances. The Thunderdogs Ceilidh Band are going to lead this workshop.

In the evening we will be splitting the playing and the calling with the Thunderdogs and running a public ceilidh. This is going to be a good laugh so do not book anything else in your diaries.

Organisers for this event are Kay, Michael and Jan.

OLD NEWS. You will find all previous web news details by visiting the old news page.

FIDDLES. We are still wanting to get back any fiddles that you no longer need. Please bring them to the hall on a Friday or call (see contact page) and we can arrange to collect them. Thanks.

This news page officially invites your contributions. Stories and other things can be included. These can be sent by email or written on old-fashioned paper. This is your web site and my life would be greatly enhanced by your contributions.

BFG News - July 2007

A big thank you to everyone who came to play at the two ceilidhs on 15th and 16th June. Both were a great success - the playing was fantastic and got the dancing going in style.

Sessions and Gigs
June has been a mad month for gigs. The ceilidh band has been working overtime with 4 ceilidhs, all of which went well. The first of these was a fundraiser at Bridge of Earn for the PRI Stoke Unit and about 20 BFG members were in the band. What a great night. Pretty well everyone managed to play for most of the dances, which only goes to show that the ceilidh band is well within the grasp of every BFG member.

The next gig was the outdoor ceilidh (held indoors because of the weather) for the Langtoon in June weekend. Thanks again to all those "extra" players who came and joined the old hands of the ceilidh band. Andrew was stand in caller - a sign of desperate times - which left Aly to run the tunes. Milestone after milestone in the history of BFG has been passed this month. The following weekend was one of contrast - first an international conference ceilidh in the Great Hall of Stirling Castle, followed on the Sunday with a front room ceilidh session for a 60th birthday party in Auchterarder. Now this one got me thinking. How many BFG members have birthdays? I guess that most of us do. How many have front rooms? That would be quite a few. So that means that every year there are loads of opportunities for you to have your own little ceilidhs. You just need 4-6 players and a few willing dancers, a front room and a birthday (or similar celebration). This of course is the sort of event that has kept traditional music alive. So go for it. Have your own ceilidhs at home. Never go to a party without your fiddles. For many years there have been impromptu BFG ceilidhs in Blackford and Auchterarder and long may that continue.

Lottery

Ceilidh Workshop and ceilidh dance Saturday 1st September - see below.
We really need your help for this - please put it in your diaries.

MUSIC BOOK TWO. Your lack of complaint while waiting for Book Two is either a sign that you don't really care or of great patience. Well we're nearly there. There are now over 180 tunes together with dancing instructions, chord charts and ceilidh advice. We are hoping to get it printed in July. What we won't have is the CD of the tunes, partly because we want lots of BFG members to learn a few tunes each and to record them for others. This will take the idea of "self-help learning" on to a new stage.

Music Book Two will be between 140 and 150 pages long. It will cost about £10 to make each copy (that would be about £20 if I costed my time and that of the other contributors) but since the bulk of costs will be met by the lottery there will be one free copy to each BFG family, although you might be asked for donations. After that you can buy additional copies. The charge to non-bfg members will be around £20 I think. Still a bargain.

CD recording is about to recommence. We'll be calling for help with that soon. We are still struggling for venues for recording - any ideas would be most welcome.

Tune writing workshops are being planned. We expect to have the services of a real tune writer and at the moment the preferred date is 20th October ( a Saturday). If anyone has written a tune then bring the dots down the hall so some of can have a listen. If the tune is not written down we can help with that.

Lastly, there is the ceilidh workshop. See the box below and put 1st September in your diaries.

Date for your diaries.
BFG Ceilidh and workshop 1st September