CRUMB #34

MAY 2025

THE WORD

strength in community

Sometimes it is our own voice that opens the door to the light. Sometimes belief in ourselves holds back the darkness. Sometimes it is our presence in places where the community gathers that adds strength to those we gather with. And I’ve been thinking, what a community of love and support our open microphone events have proved to be. They have been a catalyst of hope, a creator of confidence and a pool of encouragement for performers and audience alike.

The open microphone continues to hold a place individually and collectively for performers and audience; it has become a garden of nourishment and strength; a field of laughter and joy and amazing treasures.

This month the open microphone features a pot luck meal at NgAnga’s Gallery in Collingwood, three beautiful acts at The Dangerous Kitchen and some stunning words and songs from locals Leigh Strange and yours truly at The Mussel Inn.

Love to hear your voice and be in your presence sometime this month at an open microphone event near you. All the details are on the following pages.

Peace
Mark Raffills
Golden Bay Live Poets Society

through the grey shadows

At the top of the valley
A crowning sheen of cloud
As thin as white lace
Drapes itself over
The mountain tops
And steep slopes
It covers them
As in a dark cupboard.

Here the falcon flies
Brown eyes seeking
A landing place
Caught in the breathless
Downdraft
Plummets earthwards
Through the suffocating
Darkness of forests
And  tall trees.

Yet in the morning
A golden thread
A ray of sun
Weaves itself through
The layer of lace
Opens the cupboard
Breathes in deeply
The sweet taste of grace.

Mark Raffills

LIVE MIC ACTION

MOONSHINE in MARCH

with POT LUCK FEASTING

Moonshine on the Microphone with Pot Luck Feasting is  back this Thursday 5 March! And if last month is anything to go by, we are in for a beaut.

Last month we spoke with out feet and gave a resounding ‘yes’ to the continuation of these monthly gatherings. So come on down to NgAng’s Gallery in Collingwood, bring some food to share, something to drink, a poem or two and a song to sing. Or if singing is not your thing, just try humming!

The POT LUCK FEAST will start around 6.00pm with open mic kicking in from around 8.00 pm.

Love to see you again if you can make it!

Moonshine on the Microphone
Thursday 5 March 2026
NgAng’s Gallery
POT LUCK FEAST – 6.00pm
Open Mic – 7.00pm.
Koha

MOONSHINE in MARCH

DANGEROUS MICROPHONE

Skipping a week of Dangerous Mic

That’s the deal. No Dangerous Microphone this week – Wednesday 4 March – as Neal and Mark are both away.

But come Wednesday 11 March, we will be rolling throughout the rest of the month with courageous performances and strong community connections you can’t buy!  So make sure you line up for your dose of entertainment, challenge and pure joy for the magnificent month of March.

No 30 Minute of Glory sessions so every week will be pure open microphone action from 6.00 pm to 9.00 pm.

Make the Dangerous Kitchen your go to place every Wednesday where the food and beverage service is fantastic and the hostesses and hosts make you feel right at home. Meet your neighbours and and enjoy the Ministry of Connections with travellers and visitors!

Performance list open from 5.00pm.
Remember, even angels sing at the mic!

Wednesday 11, 18 and 25 March
DANGEROUS MICROPHONE 
Open Mic All Night 6.00pm – 9.00pm. 

 

 

Skipping a week of Dangerous Mic

LIVE MIC ACTION

In March there is Acid on the Microphone

Story teller JACE HOBBS is our guest for the March edition of Acid on the Microphone.

But first of course, it is our wildly entertaining open mic session for poets and singer/songwriters where a whole lot of good vibes happen.  Poets get to speak of those things that matter (speaking of which I wonder sometimes where are  the poets, why have our voices gone silent, why do we let the microphone stand alone?) and singer/songwriters get to lift our souls with their song.

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

 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
Jace Hobbs, story teller, from 8.30 pm
Thursday 19 March 2026
$5 on the door.  Mussel Inn

 

In March there is Acid on the Microphone

SONGS AND POEMS LIVE!

ash, poem and song

 Poems & Songs by

MARK RAFFILLS & LEIGH STRANGE

Thursday 29 May 2025
Acid on the Microphone
Mussel Inn

The soulful voice and late-night piano of Leigh Strange meet the star-spangled poems of  Mark Raffills to create moments of sadness and joy; of  despair and redemption.

This one-hour show, originally crafted for the Nelson Fringe Festival 2025, brings together one local musician in Leigh Strange and one local poet in Mark Raffills. Their collaboration came about after an open mic session at the Mussel Inn a couple of years back where Leigh was singing Janis Joplin and Mark was telling poems and thinking these voices might work well together.

“It took some time to get organised,” says Leigh, “but having the courage to commit to a deadline, like the Fringe Festival, helped us turn our music and words into dance partners.”

The resultant show of mostly original songs and poems has a relaxed and intimate feel about it. Nothing rushed or too urgent. It’s lounge-room setting allows the audience to sit back and soak up the words and music created by Leigh and Mark.

As one observer noted, ‘their voices fill the space where the lonely wander, where the moon filters through the dark shadows in thin rays of light; where a small coin is sufficient to buy back a soul grown cold.’

Another opportunity to catch our own community in action. Love to see you there.

Ash, Poem and Song
Leigh Strange and Mark Raffills
Thursday 29 May. 7.30 pm.
Mussel Inn
$5 at the door.

 

 

ash, poem and song

LIVE AT THE MUSSEL INN

OCTOBER AT THE MUSSEL INN

Sat 4th
ALBI AND THE WOLVES – FUN RAISER TOUR.  tickets $20 door $25

Thurs 9th
QUIZ NIGHT – All welcome

Sat 11th
THE GREAT COMMISEBRATION –
Local council election day gathering. All sides welcome!  6pm

Sun 12th
SILENT MOVIES LIVE.  Charlie Chaplins “The Kid and A Dogs Life” accompanied by original scores. Tickets $30. 7.30pm

Mon 13th
He’s back!
SINGALONG ‘ROUND THE PIANO
with CRAIG DENHAM – All welcome 7pm

Tues 14th
LORD ROCHESTER  –
Scotland’s Greatest Rock And Roll Band (Pictured left)
Tickets $30

Thurs 16th
ACID ON THE MICROPHONE
a BIG open microphone night

Mon 20th
SINGALONG ‘ROUND THE PIANO
with CRAIG DENHAM – All welcome 7pm

Weds 22nd
ANTIPODES
$20 tickets $25 door

Thurs 23rd
QUIZ NIGHT – All welcome

Sat 25th TOO MANY CHIEFS
$30 tickets $40 door

Mon 27th
SINGALONG ‘ROUND THE PIANO
with CRAIG DENHAM – All welcome 7pm

Fri 31st
THE RIWAKA HIGHROLLERS
$15 door

OCTOBER AT THE MUSSEL INN

COMMUNITY STRENGTH ON SHOW

July @ Aroha Ahora

July @ Aroha Ahora

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.