CRUMB #25

1 MAY 2024

THE WORD

HOLDING THE SPACE

Holding the space is a consistency thing. Keeping our open microphone sessions going takes time and effort and a heap of goodwill. We have been blessed over the years with tremendous support and love. These are the things that light our fire and build up the community, both in front and behind the microphone!

Both audience and performers hold the open mic space and keep it for its intended purposes. Takes courage sometimes to stand up for the constructive space and not give way to those who would try and turn it into a destructive space – but courage is something that grows the more it is exercised!

A big thanks to all who have made sure our open microphone sessions continue to be fit for purpose, providing one of the best nights entertainment in town and offering a platform for emerging and established talent.

This month we continue with six fabulous evenings of positive late-autumn entertainment. Find the microphone at The Mussel Inn, Onekaka, the Dangerous Kitchen, Takaka and NgAngA’s Gallery, Collingwood.

Special guest at Acid on the Microphone this month is riveting storyteller Aralyn Doiron – “I enjoy telling human stories with my work using humour, irony and hidden images,” says Aralyn.

Craig Denham is back with Monday night sing-alongs at The Mussel Inn too.

And Golden Bay Bluegrass will be headlining 45 Minutes of Glory at the Dangerous microphone on Wednesday 22 May.

All details on the following pages.
Love, as always, to see you in one of these open mic spaces.
Peace
Mark Raffills
Golden Bay Live Poets Society

THE SPACE

By this night
the full moon
holds court,
breaks the hold
of darkness,
lights up the space
the traveller
inhabits
and makes the way
sure.

By this day
the yellow sun
warms the earth
and every heart
that travels on it,
by the heat
and fire and light
the space is kept
open
and secure.

By this season
the garden
grows by rain
and clear skies,
the soil is turned,
the seed
sown
in the space,
the traveller
tends the harvest.

Mark Raffills

OPEN MICROPHONE

THE OPEN MICROPHONE IN JUNE

MOONSHINE ON THE MICROPHONE
THURSDAY, 6th June!. NgAngA’s Gallery, Collingwood.
This one is getting more intimate by the day. You would swear you hadn’t left your own comfy living room as you relax in the galley with friends and locals. Come on down to Collingwood for an evening of poem and song- the best open mic in town! Starts sometime after 7.00 pm. Koha.

ACID ON THE MICROPHONE
Thursday 13 June. The Mussel Inn.
Featuring EMMA CALLAGHAN & MARK RAFFILLS

Limited open mic session runs from 7.30 pm to 8.00pm.. Bring your poems and songs. Register to perform on the night. Don’t let other people get your kicks for you!. Door charge $5. See details further on – WASH AWAY THE STAINS

THE DANGEROUS MICROPHONE
THIS WEDNESDAY 5 June and then 12, 19 and 26 June . At the Dangerous Kitchen. Register from 5.00pm. Kick off 6.00 pm. Could be the dark evening nights of winter are upon us but inside the Dangerous Kitchen the flames are in the fireplace , the sounds are sweet and the words are as silky as ever! Come and be treated to some of the finest entertainment going down in town.

ACID ON THE MICROPHONE

LISTEN TO A PIN DROP

Aralyn Doiron, storyteller, live at The Mussel Inn

Since that anonymous neanderthal took a charred stick to the cave wall to record the tale of a hunt–stories, the telling and re-telling of them has run like a golden thread connecting all of humanity. There is not one culture known that does not use storytelling-it underpins everything we do: entertainment education, healing, commerce and activism. Our belief systems are stories. The stories that every culture has left behind are all the distilled essence of human experience, so it could easily be called the language of humanity.

And speaking that language, Aralyn Doiron, story teller, will be the featured guest at this month’s edition of Golden Bay Live Poet’s Society’s gathering, hitting the stage at the Mussel Inn.

Weaving words with delicate skill into spellbinding tapestries, Aralyn captures the hearts and minds of both old and young. She knows how to look at things back to front, upside down and right way up! That way, she says she’s got everything covered and can spread her net of words wide and on both sides of the boat, so to speak.

“The first time I was called a “storyteller”, I did not know much about story telling and my reaction was not a pleasant one,” Aralyn, explains.
“ Like many people, I had the idea that “storytelling” was boring, baby-voiced cuteness or stodgy men rehashing dusty irrelevant tales with heavy handed morals and I was not one bit interested. “

“ But when it was pointed out to me that all of my artwork, teaching, healing and performance was actually storytelling –a queen-sized piece of my life-puzzle fell from the sky and landed smack on my head!”

From that point Aralyn’s way of being in the world and her diverse passions, made complete sense. She plunged headlong into this world of story to study with the renowned tellers and teachers of the International School of Storytelling, Ashley Ramsden and Sue Hollingsworth. This training gave even the most mundane tale of a cold breakfast the glimmer of wonder.

Aralyn enjoys telling timeless tales and autobiographical stories. She occasionally offers storytelling workshops to share skills and magic beyond the words.

“This is story telling at its finest, notes Golden Bay Live Poets spokesman Mark Raffills. “A pin dropping on the floor would shatter the silence with a thunderous roar; such is the ability of Aralyn to transport the listener to other places and times, oblivious to the reality of the present. We are going to be in for a treat, that’s for sure.”

Acid on the Microphone
featuring
ARALYN DOIRON
at The Mussel Inn
Thursday 16 May
$5 on the door.

45 MINUTES OF GLORY

featuring GOLDEN BAY BLUEGRASS
live @ The Dangerous Microphone

It’s a new thing. Periodically the Dangerous Microphone will bring you a featured guest in a slot entitled 45 MINUTES OF GLORY. The aim is to give some of our regular performers a bit more time to showcase their songs and poems.
On these nights, The OPEN MIC session will run from 6.00pm to 8.00pm with 12 slots for performers. 45 MINUTES OF GLORY will kick off at 8.00pm. There will be opportunity to support the featured guest via the koha bowl.
Last month KABRA KADABRA lit up the evening with their rousing blend of world music.
This month – 22 May – GOLDEN BAY BLUEGRASS will dance across the floor of the Dangerous Kitchen flirting with 45 MINUTES OF GLORY!
The band line-up includes, on guitars, Jed Bright and Neal Bonner, Callie Lamont on fiddle while Dave Schorr handles the double bass. And when it comes to the vocals, rest assured, harmonies abound!
Golden Bay Bluegrass will lead you on a foot-stomping romp through old and new bluegrass classics as well as a few distant cousins!

Pencil it in,
45 MINUTES OF GLORY
Wednesday 22 May
@The Dangerous Kitchen
featuring
GOLDEN BAY BLUEGRASS
Koha

NICK FEINT LIVE @ THE MUSSEL INN

Shadow To The Light Single Release Tour

Golden Bay singer/songwriter Nick Feint is on the road playing his new single along with a set list from his previous recordings and live numbers. And he will be stopping off at the Mussel Inn!

Nick will be joined by an array of top local musicians, including Levity Beet on bass, Callie Lamont on violin and John Black on lead guitar.

Also featuring sets of awesome original songs from Wellington based Rachel Hird and Taranaki based Pete Norris and Farley Hokopaura.

It’s going to be an excellent night of fine live original music.

“Bearing traces of Billy Bragg, Nick’s musical mix of wordplay and direct emotion makes for a strong and satisfying set. Make sure you check out this live show.” Charlotte Yates, Musician.

NICK FEINT
Live @ The Mussel inn
Saturday 18 may 2024
8.00pm. $15

SING YA HEART OUT

MONDAY NIGHTS AROUND THE PIANO

MONDAY NIGHT SING ALONG IS BACK
Monday night sing-a-long with Craig Denham has started again at theMussel Inn. The sessions will run right through until Christmas. So bring your voice and love of song at 7.00pm every Monday. Acoustic instruments welcome too!

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.

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.