Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)

Subject: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 05 Jan 10 - 06:58 PM

OK, after much blandishment, and Paddy and the landlord Peter both having bribed me with alcohol, and having taken due account of the risk of re-appearing on the 'cat, here is the eagerly awaited announcement of the Lower Coke (Upper Dogsbotham) winter sings, on the ground that no-one else appears to be doing anything competitive. Folkies do not compete, they co-exist. It is the music of the people.

Right. Here is the plan.

From opening time until closing time or earlier surrender to darts matches, darts competitions for the Sunday joint (meat, what else might I have meant?) foolsball on the square eyed God - usually till about 6-ish or 7-ish on the following Sundays: -

Jan 31
Feb 28
Mar 21.

Where? Oh, silly me! The Nag's Head, Lower Stoke, Near Rochester, Kent, ME3 9RD. It's in Hogarth's diaries doncher kno?

Promises of a real fire (maybe 2), roast spuds, maybe some Yorkshire puds, proper beer under gravity on the bar, and great acoustics thanks to the wood floor. NB if you have specific real beer requests for Kentish Beers or Beers of Kent, PM me URGENTLY as beer arrangements are likely to occur on Monday 11 Jan. Beer ties being what they are suggestions for non-Sheps beers will be treated confidentially, hint, hint.

If I like you selected invitees may, in my discretion, receive squidge in my gaff over the road on termination. Squidge comes in variants. Basically there will be veggie (actually I mean Vegan for the real fanatics) stoo, plus the adjuncts to vary it: there may be a pot of meat stuff to turn the meat into meat stoo, and a pot of very peppery and chilified stuff to turn either the meat stoo or the Vegan stoo into dragon fuel – stand back and strike match (at either end). At least that is the plan. Remember I have a dog and my lodger has a cat, so allergenists may be discommoded.

You will then kindly please F orf to assist me to be unpleasant at work on Monday.

Paddy is back in the village and may bring his banjo, so please encourage him. I propose to message Jeff, perhaps the best serial murderer on the clawhammer guitar in the county. I have just tonight met a traveller who may invite some of the local travelling families who remember the old songs to come (this is a long shot, I have been after one of the Rai to come and sing old songs for some time, to no avail – he prefers Elvis.)

All guarantees warranties and/or conditions and/or innominate terms, express or implied, whether statutory or otherwise, save as expressed above are hereby excluded. I accept no liability of any kind or nature whatsoever.

Any attendee by act or omission causing any actual or alleged damage or liability to me will on demand keep and hold me fully and effectually indemnified against any cost claim or liability of any nature whatsoever arising out of the event or their attendance.

I can keep exclusion clauses up for hours. All of them apply.

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 05 Jan 10 - 07:35 PM

Ah, I should have said, there is an evil rumour that pubic transport has been re-instated and it may be possible not only to get a bus into Lower Coke on Sundays in the morning, but it may also be able to get one out again, at about (well, sort of about) 7 pm ish. Wonders will never cease. If you are lucky Dead Horse will not be driving it.

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 06 Jan 10 - 02:28 AM

WooHooT! Yay for the Nags Head session. In my diary. Thank you thank you RB and thank the landlord.

Yay again like!

If lucky, Dead Horse will NOT be driving but instead WILL be in attendance, as well the dancing lady.

Will hopefully be bringing Crow Sister, but we have a bigger car so 2 more muso's can be accommodated if any live between Chelmsford and Lower Stoke and need lift. PM me.

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: naughtyforty
Date: 06 Jan 10 - 04:41 AM

I will do my very best to attend at least one of these sessions. If there are buses that may be the best way for me - where do they go to?

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: romanyman
Date: 06 Jan 10 - 04:55 AM

yup will try, spesh as some of the rai may be in attendance

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: melodeonboy
Date: 06 Jan 10 - 05:30 AM

Great news! I should be able to come to one or two of them.

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 06 Jan 10 - 06:02 AM

I believe the bus comes from Chatham Pentagon. It is the 191. I have just checked and if the internet bus timetables are up to date the last one back leaves Lower Stoke at 1648 on Sundays reaching Strood Canal Road (near Strood station) 1728 and Chatham station (stop B) at 1733. Strood connects across country to Cuxto, Halling, Snodland etc. Chatham connects to London via Dartford and to Charing X, and via Bromley to Victoria. For getting to Lower Stoke you could use the same service Chatham Rail Stop A 1147, Canal Road Strood 1152, Lower Coke 1232.

There is one very odd thing. There is a 191 out of Lower Coke to Grain at 1832, and obviously it must go home to bed in Chatham so that will bring it back past and possibly through Lower Coke at about 1845 - but it is not on the timetable. It may be worth ringing Timetable information: 0871 200 2233

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: naughtyforty
Date: 06 Jan 10 - 06:20 AM

Thanks for that I will check out trains now. I think I can get to Strood OK so that will obviously be the best place to pick the bus up from I think.

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 06 Jan 10 - 06:34 AM

You'll need to find out EXACTLY where the bus stop is - it may not actually be at the station in Strood, or it may. Who can tell?

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: melodeonboy
Date: 06 Jan 10 - 07:27 AM

If you're going to London via Dartford, you wouldn't need to go to Chatham; Strood's on the Charing Cross line!

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 06 Jan 10 - 08:01 AM

True, but the proximity of St. Rude station and the bus-stop may be a matter of happenstance, even if both are in Canal Road...

And the time saving by cutting out Chatham (or, indeed, Rochester) is minimal.

Keep it Simple!

Catham (where the catamites come from) is also good for the line down to Faversham (hint, hint, Marian Button, Gordon, et al from that direction. )

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: My guru always said
Date: 06 Jan 10 - 10:44 AM

Fantastic, well done! Have put Jan & March into diary, February definitely not possible as I'm on the list at Alcester. However, we will try to attend at some point, hopefully!

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: Girl Friday
Date: 06 Jan 10 - 11:31 AM

Warming news in this mini-ice age. Global Warming? Wot global warming?

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 06 Jan 10 - 12:31 PM

problem is the warming is happening on the ice caps causing weird weather every where else.

Wonder can we ship this snow to the poles? What kind of carbon foot print would that make?

I plan to dress warmly and will not be taking Odetta out in the cold again. She did not like the cold trip too and from GI Wassail. Trying to tune her caused strings to break.

I still have not restrung her. Afraid too.

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 06 Jan 10 - 01:10 PM

Odetta should be fine in a gigback on the back seat or in the boot of a car. Consult Rodgers as to strings, I think he put Newtones on for you, the same gauge he uses. If you are feeling exceptionally self-doubting he will for a fee supply strings and put them on during the interval at the event at which you meet and tune the guitar for you there and then - but you are grown up now and should be able to do it for yourself.

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: Dead Horse
Date: 06 Jan 10 - 08:27 PM

Richard queeried "There is one very odd thing. There is a 191 out of Lower Coke to Grain at 1832, and obviously it must go home to bed in Chatham so that will bring it back past and possibly through Lower Coke at about 1845 - but it is not on the timetable. It may be worth ringing Timetable information: 0871 200 2233"
I think you will find that this bus does not, as it were, come back.
It goes as far as Stoke, then only towards Grain if passengers require, switches its lights out and goes like (merry hell) non-stop back to depot. A further anomily is that running with internal lights OUT is called "running light" :-)

P.S. How is the snow Richard? Are the helicopters getting through?

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 06 Jan 10 - 08:56 PM

There is very little snow here. Should we send you food parcels? The turkey is only slightly green.

YOur helpful comments about "running light" make me wonder if you wanted to write a parody of the old Cliff Richard "Travelling Light" about the last bus out of Lower Coke...

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 07 Jan 10 - 03:35 AM

I have the strings. Newtone Heritage 12 - 51. I just have never done a very good job of applying strings, having never been taught. Maybe I will google instrux today.

We have lots of snow here and more coming down.

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: Girl Friday
Date: 07 Jan 10 - 11:36 AM

Tam.... think you'll like thisYou'll need the sound with this

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 07 Jan 10 - 12:36 PM

so that's what my produce gets up to when i am at work? love the blender trap on the fruit golf course.

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: Pierre Le Chapeau
Date: 07 Jan 10 - 01:44 PM

Excellent news Richard I ,ll be there Jan.
I always enjoyed the Stoke sessions.
Feb last year was the last one I attended and the summer session 2009 was a maybe at The Nags but sadly never happened so this is good news.

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: Girl Friday
Date: 07 Jan 10 - 03:27 PM

We thought much the same, only my produce seems to do that at night. Some really weird sounds emanate from the kitchen.

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 07 Jan 10 - 03:32 PM

Sue, that's Len raiding the 'fridge and maybe rehearsing for your "matrimonial" song that does require some odd foodstuffs.

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: Pierre Le Chapeau
Date: 07 Jan 10 - 03:35 PM

Len,s got a secret stass of Monkey paws hidden in the fridge Sue.
You may not eats Monkey?

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: Pierre Le Chapeau
Date: 08 Jan 10 - 08:59 PM

Booked the day off looking forward to the event. I,ll bring the new 12 string. Hopefully will be able to hand over to Rogers at the same time.
He is going to put the same saddle on my 12 string has you have on your 12 string Richard.
It does,nt come cheep but it will be worth it in the long run.

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 09 Jan 10 - 06:22 AM

Refresh

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 09 Jan 10 - 08:35 AM

Since my monthly session was snowed out last week, I am impatiently awaiting the end of January.

Fervently hoping Don_WYSIWYG_T gets something going in the interim.

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 09 Jan 10 - 08:53 AM

Hasn't Don got something regular going on in Cuxton or Halling?

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: melodeonboy
Date: 09 Jan 10 - 09:21 AM

That'll be his sessions at The Bull in Snodland. I believe they're the last Tuesday of the month.

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 09 Jan 10 - 09:29 AM

We need weekend sessions at that distance.

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: Girl Friday
Date: 09 Jan 10 - 09:31 AM

Mumblin' Len says "That's Gnus to me.!"

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 10 Jan 10 - 05:03 AM

refresh

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 10 Jan 10 - 08:30 PM

OK then, no-one cares what the beer is so I'll just leave it to Peter the landlord to get a barrel of whatever to put on the end of the bar. That may well make it Masterbrew or Kent's Best, although personally I think I will press him for the Burns Night special if Sheps are doing it again this year: it was wonderful last year.

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: GUEST,woodsie
Date: 11 Jan 10 - 04:06 AM

I had a loverly beer at The Good Intent once. Whitstable IPA.

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: melodeonboy
Date: 11 Jan 10 - 05:32 AM

"OK then, no-one cares what the beer is.."

You're joking, mate!

Anything by Shepherd Neame's acceptable, although Canterbury Jack's by far the poorest of the lot and Bishop's Finger's too strong and claggy for a session. I prefer Master Brew, although I know that you find it too sulphury! (It must be the devil in me!)

That's my two penn'orth!

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: melodeonboy
Date: 11 Jan 10 - 12:31 PM

Having had my say on the beer, I should point out that I'm gigging on the 31st., so I shan't be there! I shall, however, do my very best to get to the other two sessions.

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 11 Jan 10 - 07:00 PM

I shall try to get more beery info in the morn.

I would hope that we might have some of that Burns Night Special - it was truly wonderful if a little strong, last year.

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: Girl Friday
Date: 12 Jan 10 - 10:13 AM

Maybe I'm just woman and therefore a poor judge, but Melodeonboy, "Canterbury Jack's by far the poorest of the lot" is an unfair statement. I am liking that, also St Austell Tribute as served at The Foresters is gorgeous! Whitstable is good stuff, Sheps' Bishops Finger is good, but you can keep Spitfire and Masterbrew. Greene King's Abbot Ale is good too.

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 12 Jan 10 - 10:57 AM

I think Canterbury Jack is often pretty foul too. Not keen on Shitfire, and Masterbrew is a bit sour and sulfur-y at the finish. Kent's Best is usually OK.

Busy now will check pub later

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: Pierre Le Chapeau
Date: 12 Jan 10 - 11:26 AM

Hi Folks
How far in miles is it from Strood station to Lower Stoke?

From Rochester station to Lower stoke?
and from

Chatham station to lower stoke?

I believe Strrod station is the closest but Im not 100% on that?

Fisheye is bringing me but if that for some reason does not happen the above info will be very helpful.

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: GUEST,woodsie
Date: 12 Jan 10 - 11:44 AM

I will try and get Kay to either give us a llift Pete!

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: Pierre Le Chapeau
Date: 12 Jan 10 - 02:13 PM

Ok Woodsie off the scene a while me Dads poorly
Fisheye already offered

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 12 Jan 10 - 02:46 PM

It is too far to walk. About 10 miles or so. If no lift and determined use train and bus as set out above.

I have popped over to the pub and Peter the Landlord is not there but Mary the Barmaid was having a snifter on her night off and apparently the beer has not been ordered yet for the 31st but she will try to persuade him (on my election) to order the Shepherd Neame Burns Night Special.

You may remember that that tickled our fancies and made us very jolly last year.

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: Pierre Le Chapeau
Date: 12 Jan 10 - 04:52 PM

10 miles from Strood thats fine?

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 12 Jan 10 - 06:05 PM

Pierre

We can collect you from Strood or Rochester and drop you back there if needed. PM me.

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: Pierre Le Chapeau
Date: 12 Jan 10 - 06:27 PM

Dropping me back would ,at Strood be great Thanks Tam .
Has I say Fisheye is bringing me but always good to have a different plan,
No Offense

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 12 Jan 10 - 07:03 PM

RAC says 8.61 miles - strood to pub - much of it on dangerous high speed roads with no footpaths. NOT a good plan to walk.

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: Pierre Le Chapeau
Date: 13 Jan 10 - 11:28 PM

I have no intention of walking Richard just making sure I can get there by train and establishing the nearest station.

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 16 Jan 10 - 05:29 AM

Refresh. I will try to check the beer situation later today. I have sampled the Late Red elsewhere and it is very nice with a hint of a sweetness in comparison to say Master Brew (that is not actually sweet, but more sort of round and less bitter) and a tinge of nuttiness - and a smooth finish.

The Sheps tasting notes say: -

"Late Red is a complex, richly-flavoured autumn hop ale. With an appropriately Autumnal auburn hue, this premium beer achieves a perfect balance between rich, dark malt flavours, and a strong, robust hoppiness.

A deep sweetness combining burnt notes with toffee and honey characterise this Autumn ale. The fresh water from the Brewery's Well balances the Cascade hops, specially grown in Kent, with their resinous note of Autumn leaves."



Of the current seasonal (Jan/Feb) special, the Sheps website says: -

"AMBER ALE
SEASONAL ALE FOR JANUARY/FEBRUARY

A golden brown ale with a fruity aroma and zesty citrus, complementing the full malty palate."




I am hoping to have a rocked-up version of Sir Patrick Spens ready, and maybe a Rolling Stones song I have not previously done in "Folk style".

Subject: RE: Lower Coke Winter sings (Kent, UK)
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 16 Jan 10 - 06:31 AM

mmm the Late Red sounds nice. I like sweet.


We should be bringing new toy, Sony Camcorder. TSO will be manning the cam. Will only post to youtube with permission from performers.