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 and Feasting in November

It seems the mix of pot luck feasting and moonshine on the microphone is going to stay on the menu! Thanks for turning out and being part of this community-making gathering. We need one another in good times and in dark times.  Moonshine and Feasting is happening this Thursday, 6 November, so bring some food to share, something to drink, a poem or two and a song to  NgAng’s Gallery in Collingwood.

The POT LUCK FEAST will start at  6.00pm. Bring some food and drink and hang out together and remind ourselves just how lucky we are to be in such a gem of a community.

And then, starting around 7.30pm, there will be the very fabulous and very intimate Moonshine on the Microphone open mic session.

Moonshine on the Microphone
Thursday 6 November 2025
NgAng’s Gallery
POT LUCK FEAST – 6.00pm
Open Mic – 7.30pm. Koha

Moonshine and Feasting in November

DANGEROUS MICROPHONE

NOVEMBER AT THE DANGEROUS MICROPHONE

Spring is in the air, the blossom is on the trees and the sun hangs low in the sky; this all makes for balmy evenings down the end of a long day at the Kitchen with The Dangerous Microphone counting counting doen the miles.

At the Dangerous Microphone you will find courageous performances and strong community connections which promise to entertain, challenge and inform.
For October the Open Mic Sessions will run every night except for Wednesday 19 November when RACHEL TOVEY will be our guest in the 30 Minutes of Glory spot.
So come on down to the Dangerous Kitchen every Wednesday  where the food and beverage service is fantastic and the hostesses and hosts make you feel right at home. We pass the koha bowl to support our performers on the 30 Minutes of Glory evenings. Performance list open from 5.00pm. Remember, you gotta walk the road while the road is there….

Wednesday 5, 12 and 26 November
DANGEROUS MICROPHONE 
Open Mic all night: 6.00pm – 9.00pm.

Wednesday 19 November
DANGEROUS MICROPHONE
Open Mic: 6.00pm – 7.30pm. 30 Minutes of Glory featuring RACHEL TOVEY  7.30pm – 8.00pm. Open Mic 8.00pm – 9.00pm.

Rachel says, “I am a singer/songwriter living in the Bay. Music has been a pillar of life for me since I was a child, and my mum taught me piano. Now, I express my connection to God through song, often playing at faith gatherings or just with friends. I enjoy music that touches the human spirit and carries themes of hope and healing.”

 

 

NOVEMBER AT THE DANGEROUS MICROPHONE

LIVE MIC ACTION

11/25 – ACID on the MICROPHONE

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

Our Guest this month is Golden Bay poet and spoken word artist ÀINE  BARTON – read about her over the page. Before Àine draws you into her mesmerising world of poetry and image, our open microphone session will open the way for poets and singers to speak and sing their words and songs. So, be in the house at the Mussel Inn , Thursday 27 for the November edition of Acid on the Microphone.

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 presents
Open Mic from 7.30pm
Poet Àine Barton from 8.30pm
Thursday 27 November 2025
$5 on the door.  Mussel Inn

11/25 – 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.