Hi
In my first 'Pres Sez' recently, I asked Club Members to contact me about anything they wished to comment about. What has become obvious is the desire for members to have the opportunity to perform more. I understand this has even led to the thought of looking for another venue by some members. Thanks for passing that one on to me. Please contact me first & I will see what I can do. I want to keep it all under the Umbrella of a Club event. After all it is a club for all members.
I have a list of people who I have heard would like to perform.

One idea is that we have an extra Performance session in the next couple of editions of ' Hear Ye' for a 'Live On Stage' night. A suggestion for this special night is to have an evening featuring 4 acts doing equal length sets. A night of Variety. This will give very short breaks for a quick sound check or drinks interval. I am giving performers the option to have their performance recorded, direct from the sound desk for an 'In the Club, Best Of Live' recording to be available to members or their friends,family etc. No re recordings or retakes allowed.. A genuine record of your performance in which you have the final say in it being issued or not. This is not to be confused with a New Club CD, long overdue from what I can gather, if sales are any indication. I know the quality is excellent. I have just had a few CDs done by the same process. Within the club we can arrange to have recordings produced in very small quantities at a minimal cost, or on 'A best of our Performers……….'. Conditions Apply. If this recipe is successful we will make it a regular feature.

May I also suggest that as this is your club, it is the ideal opportunity to invite another member or friends to help you in your performance, rehearse maybe with other instrumentalists? I'd also like to see other seasoned members be open to 'support' those who aspire to perform. We all know how other players can help lift our own playing. May I also suggest that this is a reasonable time to strike up a new musical relationship with any one you have always fancied, musically that is! Who knows what may develop! Nothing to lose, surely. Never be afraid to ask. If they can’t help you , they may have other suggestions.

I'm excited by the prospect of this being a Session for those who want to be a bit more creative.. original material or at least original arrangements of traditional material only. (This would save any issues with copyright problems.) It will also leave more space for the less aspiring who still want a sing around, jam etc at Open Mike and Come all Ye Nights. For those of you who are not already on our support act list, any performer will be considered/added to our list of 'support acts' needed sometimes to 'open' for booked performers to the club. The big hope is to find performers among our members to do their own show.

A Door Charge will be $5 for members and $7 for non members. Pre booked players, free entry. This is to be a strict rule.

I will also be on the look out for performers to feature on my show 'Something For The Weekend'. Plains FM 96.9, Fridays 5pm onward. In recent weeks I have had Davy Stuart and Jon Hooker on, talking, introducing and educating me as a new comer to Kiwi Music. This is to be a regular feature in having key members and performers appearing prior to Gigs and relevant events, especially towards our 40th birthday. It is good to know what music is exciting our members too. Don’t hesitate to contact me with ideas, for the club or programme, remember I am new to it all. We need to have our 4 performing acts booked BEFORE each show. It's NOT a 'Blackboard' event. Electric instruments are allowed as long as they're fed through the sound desk only. (Bass, piano, guitar etc). Hand drums only, to ease set up times.

There is a saying ‘you can't please all the people all the time but in my new role I am trying to please as many as I can’ in the best way I can see for us to move forward. It is apparent that differing groups’ members attend 'The concerts', as do 'Open Mike Nights' and 'Come all Ye's'. I may not be giving more nights to those wanting to tell stories and sing covers etc but by if we specify a 'Creative/Originals night', as a trial, maybe we can move on from there. Hopefully there will be more room on the other nights. To continue positively as a club the bottom line is to get bums on seats. There is a good hook line for a song if ever I saw one!

Best Wishes
Chris Lee