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

Pot luck tea and a handle of moonshine

Well, the weather put paid to our april gathering but here we are  in may – this Thursday to be exact – Moonshine on the Microphone kicks off with our first POT LUCK TEA gathering, starting at  6.00pm. This is so we can hang out together and remind ourselves just how lucky we are to be in such a gem of a community.

It won’t happen without you, so bring some food to share and something refreshing to drink and head on down to Collingwood where the doors of NgaAgs Gallery will be wide open in welcome. And of course, starting around 7.30pm, there will be the very fabulous and very intimate Moonshine on the Microphone open mic session.

The microphone in Collingwood has been a little lonely of late but it is still turned on! Remember the ‘strength in community” mantra….. So you are welcome from Rockville and Bainham, Pakawau and Puponga, Milnthorpe and Parapara and beyond. Come, join in the pot luck tea,!

Moonshine on the Microphone
Thursday 1 May 2025
NgAng’s Gallery
POT LUCK TEA – 6.00pm
Open Mic – 7.30pm. Koha

Pot luck tea and a handle of moonshine

LIVE MIC ACTION

30 Minutes of Glory at the Dangerous Microphone

Here’s where we speak back the darkness and revel in the strength of community! Courageous performances and wonderful audiences line up at the DANGEROUS MICROPHONE every Wednesday at the Dangerous Kitchen. Here,  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.  Here’s the programme!

Wednesday 7 May

DANGEROUS MICROPHONE  6.00pm – 8.00pm.  MIX UP THE JAM from 8.00pm. Bring your acoustic instruments and make the kinda music that replenishes the soul and boosts your playing confidence.

Wednesday 14 May

DANGEROUS MICROPHONE  6.00pm – 8.00pm. 30 Minutes of Glory featuring William  from 8.00pm. Says William, “I am William Hunt and ever since my teenage years, I listened to those french singers, in the days when they were still invited to be at the variety shows on national tv; they shaped my understanding of romance and anarchy and and gave my a channel to feel and express these emotions by singing those songs of love lost, loneliness and rebellion against the norm; Singing is a wonderful healer of the heart; is is the soul coming out.”

Wednesday 21 May

DANGEROUS MICROPHONE  6.00pm – 8.00pm. 30 Minutes of Glory featuring Anzac Ruck  from 8.00pm. Details to come.

Wednesday 28 May

DANGEROUS MICROPHONE  6.00pm – 8.00pm. 30 Minutes of Glory featuring KiwiJam  from 8.00pm. KiwiJam is all about connection, sharing music, being together and growing as musicians. Kristina Jensen, singer-songwriter on strings and Paul Candlish, percussionist and flautist, have been creating original soundscapes and songs for over 30 years together. KiwiJam’s thoughtful, quirky and uplifting lyrics will have you singing and toe-tapping along in no time!

 

 

30 Minutes of Glory at the Dangerous Microphone

LIVE MIC ACTION

ACID IN MAY

Collingwood Singer/songwriter LEIGH STRANGE and local poet MARK RAFFILLS are our guests at this month’s edition of ACID ON THE MICROPHONE presented by Golden Bay Live Poets Society.

Our regular open microphone session for poets and musicians will run from 7.30 to 8.00.  The open mic always throws up 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 glide to.

ACID ON THE MICROPHONE presents
Singer/Songwriter LEIGH STRANGE
and poet MARK RAFFILLS
Thursday 29 May.
Open Mic from 7.30 pm.
Leigh and Mark from 8.00 pm.
 $5 on the door.  Mussel Inn

ACID IN MAY

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

MAY AT THE MUSSEL INN

Saturday 3rd May
MUNDI (world music) + MANDENG EMPIRE(African drumming)
$20 door

Sunday 4th May
JACKIE CLARKE GOES PRIMA DIVA  (AOTNZ)
$25 Tickets $30 door

Saturday 17th
SASSAFRAS  
Bluegrass favourites from North Carolina
$20 door

Saturday 24th May
THE EARLY BOBS
Celebrating Bob Dylan’s birthday $15 door

Mondays 5th, 12th, 19th  May
SINGALONG with CRAIG DENHAM. 7pm All welcome.
Last three sessions for the season

Thursdays 8th and 22nd May
QUIZ NIGHT
All welcome 7.30pm

Sassafras @ The Mussel Inn

Sassafras is based in the Foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Sassafras is a bluegrass band who pays homage to the Bill Monroe and the Flatt & Scruggs era, but also enjoys pushing the edge of progressive Newgrass music. Sassafras also includes a range of other musical styles in their repertoire including country, folk, western swing, and originals.

Sassafras band members have performed at a lengthy list of festivals and venues nationally and internationally – most recently at this month’s Gore Country Music Festival.Band members are Kent Dowell (banjo/vocals), Billy Gee (bass/vocals), Wes Tuttle (mandolin/fiddle/vocals) & Randy Gambill (guitar/vocals).

Hear them at the Mussel Inn, Saturday 17 May.
A treat for sure.

COMMUNITY STRENGTH ON SHOW

AROHA AHORA

AROHA AHORA

Make Use of CRUMB

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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.