CRUMB #49

OCTOBER 2026

THE WORD

Yesterday, today and the next day

Here we go again then. Typing up reminders for ourselves about the way things were, the way things are and the way things are going to be. Well, we can’t do much about the way things were, except perhaps to apologise for what we need to apologise for; and to learn a lesson or two from what happened then. And our future, in a sense, is out of our hands. Except that what we sow today will be the harvest we reap the day after tomorrow. So, we live a generous life today; we look after the cents and the dollars will take care of themselves.

We lend our presence to a bunch of open mic events today, and we build tomorrow’s community; we support participants who stand behind the microphone and turn them into confident performers tomorrow who in turn sing and speak and draw community into being.

What a good thing we humans are fortunate to be part of in this magnificent Golden Bay. Let’s get together and feel alright as we join in a month of open microphone action at all of our favourite venues in Takaka, Onekaka and Collingwood. This Thursday (tomorrow!!)  1st October at NgAnga’s Gallery; every Wednesday at The Dangerous Kitchen and Thursday 15 October at The Mussel Inn where our guests will be The Pete Flynn Project.

Come on down to these little moments of now and sow for tomorrow.
Love to see you as always.

Peace
Mark Raffills
Golden Bay Live Poets Society

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Yesterday, today and the next day

THE POEM

Among the wolves

You fear to walk among the wolves
but tramp instead upon the drifting dust
of cruel and cold despair,
while your shoes are shined and polished
and hidden away somewhere.

They are buried beneath excuses
that blind your eyes with fear,
they shackle your feet and hold you back
from bringing peace
to town and village square.

Your discontent is savaged
by the razor teeth of greed
while lilies in the roadside fields
bloom and bow and sway with grace,
knowing little of want or need.

And woe to you at journey’s end
whose words have not been spoken;
you never stood on holy ground
but lay instead with your face cast down,
the bones in your feet all broken.

Yet in that hour of darkness
when no travelling can be done
prophet’s words appear as lamps
guiding those on stumbling stones
who wrestle in the dust alone.

And you who only carry shoes,
you drown your feet in pleasure,
you will never walk on water;
and the wolves will never know your measure;

the wolves will never know your measure.

Mark Raffills

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Among the wolves

OPEN MICROPHONE

OCTOBER MOONSHINE

with POT-LUCK FEASTING

This Thursday – tomorrow – 1 October ’26, beneath a full-blooded moon  the microphone will be humming at NgAng’s Gallery in Collingwood.

I know sometimes time is tight and sometimes getting out is a bridge too far. But sometimes it is a good thing, once a month, to bolster one another as we build this little bridge of community support. A bridge built n peaceful times will be strong and sturdy when it is needed in not so peaceful times. What we build today will stand us in good stead the day after tomorrow.
You will find us, down-town Collingwood at NgAng’s Gallery where the craic is good and the food healthy and hot. So come on down and bring some food to share, something to drink, a poem or two to speak and a song to sing. Or if singing is not your thing, just lend your support with a rousing round of applause to the array of performers.

The POT LUCK FEAST will start around 6.00pm with open mic kicking in from around 7.00 pm.

Love to see you again if you can make it down from the valleys and down from the coast and down from around the corner.

Moonshine on the Microphone
This Thursday 1 October, 2026
NgAng’s Gallery, Collingwood
POT LUCK FEAST – 6.00pm
Open Mic – 7.00pm.
Koha

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OCTOBER MOONSHINE

OPEN MICROPHONE

The Dangerous Microphone October

This last month at the DANGEROUS KITCHEN has seen our audience treated to some  outstanding performances,  You won’t want to miss the DANGEROUS MICROPHONE in October.

So, grab your friends and family and come on down for your weekly night out. Pencil Wednesdays in your calendar as the evening to meet friends and neighbours around the fire.  Enjoy the on-going connections with travellers and visitors as you devour a night of great pizzas,  splendid entertainment and warm company. At the Dangerous Kitchen the food and beverage service is fantastic and the hostesses and hosts make you feel right at home.

This month we have open mic all night, every Wednesday night. A great opportunity and space for new performers and first-timers to have a go. And an opportunity for  established performers to develop new material and spread their wings a little further.

All open mic performances are limited to 7 minutes, so performers, time your selves at home!!
Performance list open from 5.00pm.

DANGEROUS MICROPHONE
Wednesday  7, 14, 21 and 28 October ’26
Open Mic all night from 6.00pm to 9.00pm

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The Dangerous Microphone October

OPEN MICROPHONE

ACID on the MICROPHONE now!

THIS IS WHERE where poets get to speak of those things that matter and singer/songwriters get to lift our souls with their songs. Together they make for a wildly entertaining open mic event at the MUSSEL INN where the  fire crackles in the hearth, stories are told and a whole lot of good vibes happen on Thursday 15 October.

As always, the open mic will uncover some unexpected treats as new and established performers present their work.  Participants can put their names on the performance list on the night from 6.00pm. Musician alanjahjah will kick the evening off from around 7.15pm with dinner music to dine to.

After the open mic session we introduce our guests for the evening, THE PETE FLYNN PROJECT, featuring Pete Flynn, Neal Bonner and Paula Flynn. . Read more over…

ACID ON THE MICROPHONE is presented by Golden Bay Live Poets Society and gives you poems, stories and music too!

ACID ON THE MICROPHONE presents
Open Mic  from 7.30pm – 8.30 pm
Guests: PETE FLYNN PROJECT after 8.30 pm
Thursday 15 October, 2026 at The Mussel Inn
$5 on the door

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ACID on the MICROPHONE now!

LIVE AT ACID ON THE MICROPHONE

the pete flynn project

Live at ACID ON THE MICROPHONE Thursday 15 October….

The Pete Flynn Project is an Indie Folk/ Rock band based out of Nelson. Combining music and storytelling with infectious melodies they perform original songs drawn from life’s ebbs and flows. Whilst mainly performing locally throughout Nelson and Golden Bay, they have been touring further afield having recently headlined the Wunderbar in Lyttleton.

Their Dangerous Kitchen session last month saw them perform a best-ever set and we are looking forward to another entertaining evening of  fresh music and engaging performance with a couple of observations of our human condition woven throughout the lyrics! Be sure to catch them at;

ACID on the MICROPHONE
Thursday 15 October
Open mic: from 7.30 pm
Peter Flynn Project; After 8.30pm.

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the pete flynn project

OTHER THINGS

Word Savvy Poetry Group

Every Tuesday,
Takaka Library.
10.30 am to 12.00pm.

Write poetry, read poetry, bring your favourite poem and discover new poets with other poetry lovers.

 

REGIONAL POETRY SLAM

The Golden Bay/Nelson Regional Poetry Slam was a stunner.

The best ever  some are saying! 13 performers! A packed Mussel Inn. Astounding performances. A night to remember. Any number of the poets would have held their own at the national final to be held in November in Wellington. Congratulations to Emma Callaghan who gets to represent us all at the NZ Poetry Slam final. We will keep you posted on the Wellington date and on Emma’s performance.

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Word Savvy Poetry Group

LIVE AT THE MUSSEL INN

Live at the Mussel Inn

Saturday 3rd  October
HOBNAIL $20 door

Sunday 4th October
THE EARLY BOBS –  play HIGHWAY 61 REVISITED $25 door

Monday 5th , 12th, 19th, 26th October
SINGALONG around the piano with CRAIG DENHAM. 7pm. All welcome. koha appreciated

Tuesday 6th October
ACOUSTIC TUNESDAY – afternoon concert 2pm  pay what you can

Thursday 8th and 22nd October
QUIZ –  7.30pm  All welcome

Thursday 15th  October
LIVE POETS – ACID ON THE MICROPHONE   Featuring The Pete Flynn Project. Open mic from 7.30. Pete Flynn Project after 8.30pm. All welcome $5 door

Saturday 17th October
MILLYCLOWNsupported by poet JULIA HARDIE & songwriter BOB RARELY 8pm $15 door

Sunday 18th October
TIM MAHON & KERFUFFLE – from Blam Blam Blam to The Plague $20 tix $25 door

Saturday 24th October
CUMBIA BLAZERA

Wednesday 28th October
MARK LAURENT & BRENDA LIDDIARD (Pictured left)

Saturday 31st October
RIWAKA HIGH ROLLERS – SPOOKY SET

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Live at the Mussel Inn

Make Use of CRUMB

subscribe to CRUMB

In CRUMB you will find all the events sponsored by Golden Bay Live Poets Society plus a few other gigs and community happenings.

If you would like to be kept up to date with open microphone events happening around the Bay, then subscribe to CRUMB here

And you can even submit a gig or event that you want us to know about.

 

 

 

 

 

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GOT A GIG, EVENT, NEW BOOK or RECORDING COMING UP ??

Got events or gigs coming up that you’d like to let CRUMB readers know about, please email the details, jpeg pics and jpeg posters to: mark@drycrust.com  or use the link below:

submit a gig or event 

And if you have a new book of  poems, stories coming out, or a new recording of songs, let us know and we can let our small but dedicated readership in on the action.

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