CRUMB #29

3 NOVEMBER 2024

THE WORD

LONG ROAD, SHORT ROAD

Here’s another crumb falling off the table. A little sustenance for the month ahead in terms of open microphone action somewhere close to you.

Some revamped plans for the Dangerous Microphone as we kick into year number three at the Dangerous Kitchen. We want to keep Wednesday evenings as fresh as we can so we outline a modified programme over the page somewhere.

Golden Bay Live Poets Society celebrates 30 years of spoken word with a jam-packed anniversary concert of poems and songs. The concert will be happening at the Mussel Inn on Thursday 14 November. Over the page somewhere you will find all the details.

Sometimes a little quietness is what we need; sometimes you can find that at NgAng’s Art Gallery where you can engage in a low-hum conversation. Moonshine on the Microphone has got that feeling. Details over the page.

There are not too many long roads around here, so not too far to travel to make it to one of these decidedly invigorating sessions. Hope to see you somewhere down the end of a short road!

Peace
Mark Raffills
Golden Bay Live Poets Society

The long roads of America

Down the long roads of America
A solitary star quietly winks at me
And I am bound by my heart
To travel in the beam of its one headlight
Singing the song of the highway
Rolling down the New Jersey turnpike

Good morning America how are you
I’ve just woken from the longest dream
Where every song I ever learned
Was like a bag of silver in my hand
And I spent every single coin
Paid my fare through the promised land

This is the voice of America
This is the throne of God left alone
Where the prayers are as cold
As the etchings on the bullet shells
Clattering on the empty streets of promise,
Dallas, you hide your secrets oh so well

You won’t find America in a politician’s eyes,
It’s lying somewhere down the road
In the words of a poet
Written in the dust on the ground
There hope is measured by a dropped stone
And a little faith can still be found

Down the long roads of America
Looking for redemption from a life of crime
I sing the words of every stolen line
That sweet song of salvation flees
from the chains of the broken law
What’s mine is yours, what’s yours is free.

Mark Raffills

ACID ON THE MICROPHONE

GB Live Poets Society celebrates 30 YEARS OF SPOKEN WORD

Way back in 1995, the late Mr Joe Bell commenced Golden Bay Live Poets with a little help from his friends. Joe led the monthly gatherings of poets at the Mussel Inn for 17 years before his death in 2012.

After Joe, pictured left, Mark Raffills held the space until he moved north for a while. Then Sacha Horton performed the duties before Mark returned and resumed the MC role running the monthly gatherings under the name Acid on the Microphone. Admin duties have been carried out by Rose Michel von Dreger and Jane Dixon from the Mussel inn who have secured very valuable support over the years from Creative Communities Funding.

During the life of Golden Bay Live Poets, guests have come from all over the country to perform. Sam Hunt, David Eggleton, Brian Turner, Bernadette Hall, Fiona Farrell, Apirana Taylor and Vincent O’Sullivan have been among them. And there have been many more – a veritable list of who is who from the poetry world.

Regional poets with a national reputation have also featured, including the late Rachel Bush, Gordon Challis, and Panni Palasti, along with Jessica Le Bas and Cliff Fell. And an array of local poets too have held the microphone on different evenings including, in more recent times, Jude Zwanikken, Murray Rogers, Penny Hall, Sam Blanchard, Redwood Reider, Emma Callaghan and The Sherrif.

continued over…

GB Live Poets Society celebrates 30 YEARS OF SPOKEN WORD

ACID ON THE MICROPHONE

continued

A special anniversary concert will be held at the Mussel Inn on Thursday 14 November 2024, starting at 7.00pm. $5 on the door.

The life blood of Live Poets has been the local performers who have fronted up to the open microphone month in and month out, written words until their fingers bled and their hearts almost burst. These warriors of the word set about to entertain, and to be encouraged by, the ever-present audience.

Over the years, first-time tentative readers have developed into accomplished performers, scrawled pieces of paper have become published collections of poems and performers have gone on to represent the region at the national Poetry Slam, won poetry awards, performed at festivals and toured their own works around the country.

And there have been many voices we will not hear again. In 1996 Golden Bay Live Poets published a book of collected poems called On Cloth of Gold – a selection of original poems from those who helped the momentum in those early days. Many of the poets are still in the Bay, others have faded into the shadows of time.

Now, as it was and always will be, the role of the poet and poetry is an ever-brightening light in a gathering darkness. The spoken word affords opportunity to light a candle, plant a flower and speak its mind. Thirty years of Golden Bay Live Poets has been a fruitful season indeed. It has given great exposure to poetry in the Bay, and introduced people to an art form they might never have considered before.

The format of the anniversary concert will include invited performances by those who have been part of Golden Bay Live Poets over the years, invited singer/songwriters will share their music and a roll of honour section where poems from some of our late, great Golden Bay poets will be read.

Love to see you there!

LIVE MICROPHONE

MOON RISES ON THE MICROPHONE

Come Thursday 7 November, the moon will rise on NgAng’s GALLERY as MOONSHINE ON THE MICROPHONE settles in for another night of poems and songs.

Come on down with your thermos flask of hot tea and a picnic basket of sammies and chill for a while among friends. Super casual. Super friendly. Super connected.

And let’s have a chat about how we may add some spice to the future Moonshine on the Microphone gatherings. Come with any suggestions for getting the moon to shine brighter!

MOONSHINE ON THE MICROPHONE
NgAng’s GALLERY
THURSDAY 7 November
LIVE MIC :7.30PM. KOHA

MORE LIVE MICROPHONE

Untouchable Dangerous Microphone

The new Dangerous Microphone format that rolls out every Wednesday night at the Dangerous Kitchen is proving to be untouchable!

The first Mix It Up Jam session was pure joy and the next one, this Wednesday 4 December promises to go a notch higher. Led byDavid Dwyer, the jam has room for acoustic instruments and an audience who like to do more than just sit and listen. See you tomorrow night!

30 Minutes of Glory last month featured Barrett Newton, Bing Brabant and Mihi. Brilliant performers all and a very generous and supportive audience. This month we feature Hera Livingston and Rye Morganon Wednesday 11 December and MJ Kennedy and Callie Lamont on Wednesday 18 December.

Live Microphone is still loud and strong with 12 slots available. performers can sign up on the night from 5.00pm.

18 December will be the last Dangerous Microphone before the Christmas/New Year break. we will resume again on Wednesday 23 January. Keep coming back here to see who will be our 30 Minutes of Glory performers for 23 and 30 January. Of course the Dangerous Kitchen will be open throughout – apart from 25 Dec and 1 January.

THE DANGEROUS MICROPHONE
Performer sign up from 5.00pm
Show kicks off 6.00pm.
4 December – Mix It Up Jam
11 December – Hera Livingston and Rye Morganon
18 December – MJ Kennedy and Callie Lamont

30 MINUTES OF GLORY

30 Minutes of Glory performers December

Rye Morgan and Hera Livingston along with an evolving trois in the menage on percussion. Sometimes known as Kabra Kadabra, playing Balkan Gypsy music, and more recently delving into an eclectic mix of tributes to the many wonderful world musicians across the ages. We bring you a set with heart, a little tear, and a big laugh.. Kick off your shoes and come down to see us, KK @ DK, Wednesday 11 December!

Local folk ‘n country duo, singer/songwriter’s MJ KENNEDY and CALLIE LAMONT will feature in 30 Minutes of Glory at the Dangerous Microphone this month. Callie and MJ will perform a selection of original songs along with a few covers. Their vocal harmonies go together like marmalade and toast – delicious to say the least! Fiddle and guitar come to the party too, ricocheting off each other like gun fighters at a shoot out. be warned, get in the firing line and you will be smitten with the rhythm and beat of the music.
Wednesday 18 December!

ESSENCE OF AROHA

POSSIBILITIES CENTRE

The Monthly Schedule – FEBRUARY 2025
(subject to change)

Monday nights:
Mahjong games 7pm onwards
Thursdays:
Games 2pm, Worship singing & prayer 3.30pm -5pm, Games 7pm.
Fridays:
5pm Yoga flow.
Saturday 1st:
Soul Collage Workshop.

Café & Community Hub

Open til 10pm most nights for chill out space, Vegan Cafe food and drinks.
See you soon! Love Aroha*

Talk to Aroha on 03 5256111/ 027 2317447 to book a space, book dinner or to offer help in running an event.

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.