North East Areas 2005 moved to 26th-27th February

[jambo]

Apparently due to an 'admin error' the Dolphin centre has not been booked for the proposed date on the 3rd weekend in March.

To this extent we have to now have the areas a month early!

For all those bands competing at Butlins, we're going to have a busy start to the year!

Your thoughts...

Couldn't organise a ..........up in a brewery springs to mind.

Perhaps we should have used this oppertunity to find a better venue....after all, the basket ball court we have at the Dolphin centre isn't exactly accoustically brilliant for a brass band contest is it...or anything like for that matter....and the bar is too small!

 

[The Cornet King]

hmm,

This should make life interesting for us all. Means we cant go and listen to how the Yorkshire area lot do it!!

It does seem that the organisers have made a bit of a royal balls up, but i suppose that means we get to set the ball rolling does it in respect to all the areas?

I agree with Jambo, somewhere where the bar is bigger would have been nicer! :guiness

 

[Straightmute]

That's fantastic. We'll have the pick of the hotels in Kensington!

D

 

[jambo]

That's fantastic. We'll have the pick of the hotels in Kensington!

D

Good call! Hopefully we'll need one!

 

[The Cornet King]

That's fantastic. We'll have the pick of the hotels in Kensington!

D

Do i detect a wee bit of confidence there Mr Mute???
Meet you in the bar afterwards and we can both discuss the hotel our bands shall be sharing for the finals...

 

[JR]

Apparently due to an 'admin error' the Dolphin centre has not been booked for the proposed date on the 3rd weekend in March.

To this extent we have to now have the areas a month early!

For all those bands competing at Butlins, we're going to have a busy start to the year!

Your thoughts...

Couldn't organise a ..........up in a brewery springs to mind.

Perhaps we should have used this oppertunity to find a better venue....after all, the basket ball court we have at the Dolphin centre isn't exactly accoustically brilliant for a brass band contest is it...or anything like for that matter....and the bar is too small!

Am I right - the Yorkshire Area is the week after??
This is hot news James - looks like I'll be able to take Lockwood after all (if theyll have me!) - now it doesnt clash with our trip to NZ!

john r

 

[jambo]

Am I right - the Yorkshire Area is the week after??
This is hot news James - looks like I'll be able to take Lockwood after all (if theyll have me!) - now it doesnt clash with our trip to NZ!

john r

Yes its right John, had a letter off Alan Hope yesterday.

Not sure about Yorkshire dates but North East is deffinately that weekend.

See you up there.

 

[DublinBass]

Perhaps we should have used this oppertunity to find a better venue....after all, the basket ball court we have at the Dolphin centre isn't exactly accoustically brilliant for a brass band contest is it...

While I symphathize with the change in dates, I have attended 6 high profile events now in the UK and noticed that none of them use a band shell. Is this not popular for a reason here?

 

[ersop]

I can confirm that it was indeed the Dolphin Centre made the error not the Regional Committee, and this resulted in the contest being brought forward 3 weeks. This was the closest free weekend to the original date.
Other venues were also considered but none were available for the whole of the weekends in question. Bear in mind whilst we now have the Sage, it is extremely expensive to hire, other venues that have housed the Area contest in the past weren't ideal when we had 35 bands attending let alone 50.
I can appreciate bands are going to be busy, mine included, but as of today there are still 22 weeks to the regional event and we all know what piece we are going to be playing.
Organising any contest is a huge job and takes a lot of (often unsung) time and effort, but if anyone thinks they can do a better job than the current Area Committee they why not come along to the AGM on October 4th and volunteer your services.

 

[Hot Lips]

Venue

I think the City Hall in Hull would make a cracking venue for the areas. There was talk years ago of using it for the Yorks area but I believethat was around the time that all the east Yorks bands were shipped off to Darlington.

 

[flugel4rent]

The advantage with the sage would be that we could have all the sections on one day as there are a number of concert halls. It would also raise the profile of our area as a whole, holding the regional contest in such a venue. Not to mention going out in Newcastle afterwards for a few drinks!!!!!

Oh well back to the dolphin centre and all its faults. Still at least its cheap, that will cheer up whichever band had the fire alarm go off mid way through their performance last year.

 

[davethehorn]

Bringing the area contest forward sounds like a really good idea, how about doing the same for the West of England regionals. That way any band lucky enough to qualify for the finals can find a hotel at a decent price and close to the venue of the competition.

We poor folk in the West of England (traditonally the last area to compete) have to put up with paying through the nose for hotels or staying hours from the contest. No joke when the draw at Harrogate is at 8.30AM.

See what you can do for us in 2006 Mr Elliott please!

 

[jambo]

I can confirm that it was indeed the Dolphin Centre made the error not the Regional Committee, and this resulted in the contest being brought forward 3 weeks. This was the closest free weekend to the original date.
Other venues were also considered but none were available for the whole of the weekends in question. Bear in mind whilst we now have the Sage, it is extremely expensive to hire, other venues that have housed the Area contest in the past weren't ideal when we had 35 bands attending let alone 50.
I can appreciate bands are going to be busy, mine included, but as of today there are still 22 weeks to the regional event and we all know what piece we are going to be playing.
Organising any contest is a huge job and takes a lot of (often unsung) time and effort, but if anyone thinks they can do a better job than the current Area Committee they why not come along to the AGM on October 4th and volunteer your services.

I im sure we do bare in mind that we have the sage and other venues around the area. Every other area contest bar 1 manages without having to have the contest in a basket ball court with considerably more bands than the 47 that entered our area last year. Such areas as Yorkshire had 83 i believe in a hall with 1 changing room divided in half and no facility for leaving gear around either. Thats just the norm elsewhere.
As for the comment regarding 22 weeks...we all know how banding works and with 3 contests between now and the areas and a significant concert aside from the normal engagements...like everyone im sure that the extra 3-4 weeks would have been very welcome...whens that meeting...?

 

[Mrs Fruity]

I think the City Hall in Hull would make a cracking venue for the areas. There was talk years ago of using it for the Yorks area but I believethat was around the time that all the east Yorks bands were shipped off to Darlington.

I played there as a student in the 80's with Hull City Youth band etc - nice hall but the changing facilities are AWFUL (or at least they were then)
The city hall at Newcastle and M'brough Town Hall are both fab venues but have similar problems...

 

[Benyboy]

I think that the Dolphin Centre have shown no loyalty to the Northern Area by making us move our contest.

I dont know one band that enjoys competing there. We all say the same, the acoustic is poor for brass bands and the background buzzing spoils quiet playing. Loud playing sounds edgy and the changing facilities are poor. Theres no where to warm up to enable players to play to their best.

Then why dont all NE bands insist to the committee that we move the contest elsewhere?It is us players that make the contest. The organisers do a job without thanks i know. But without us players then there would be nothing to organise.

I think this date change should be the start of the "move the NE area to a suitable venue campaign". These are only my personal views and do not represent any of the bands i am involved in. Would like to hear any other strong feelings.

Agree/Disagree??????

Chris BENTHAM

 

[Delbert]

West of England Area

Bringing the area contest forward sounds like a really good idea, how about doing the same for the West of England regionals. That way any band lucky enough to qualify for the finals can find a hotel at a decent price and close to the venue of the competition.

The West of England Area is now on 12th and 13th March (along with the Welsh, Scottish and North West!) which technically means we are the in the 3rd group. I believe there is another area the weekend after us.

I just hope with all these areas on the same weekend that the contest committees manage to find an adjudicator available!!

 

[Mrs Fruity]

The venues I've thought of in the North East all have the same problem - no changing/socialising facilities - the best I can think of (loads of dressing rooms/ huge bar/ pubs close by) is Sunderland Empire theatre - not much good for you Yorkshire bods in our area though...

 

[jambo]

All the halls suggested have ample facilities. If nearly twice the amount of bands can cope with St Georges Hall in Bradford then we can cope with City Hall Newcastle or Boro town Hall.

If it means we have to shift our gear straight away then so what and both are very close to loads of bars and pedestrianised areas so your not hanging around on a main road.

Esp City Hall now that the road is a dead end...you could line the busses up there now and cause no hassle at all.

 

[JR]

I think that the Dolphin Centre have shown no loyalty to the Northern Area by making us move our contest.

I dont know one band that enjoys competing there. We all say the same, the acoustic is poor for brass bands and the background buzzing spoils quiet playing. Loud playing sounds edgy and the changing facilities are poor. Theres no where to warm up to enable players to play to their best.

Then why dont all NE bands insist to the committee that we move the contest elsewhere?It is us players that make the contest. The organisers do a job without thanks i know. But without us players then there would be nothing to organise.

I think this date change should be the start of the "move the NE area to a suitable venue campaign". These are only my personal views and do not represent any of the bands i am involved in. Would like to hear any other strong feelings.

Agree/Disagree??????

Chris BENTHAM

I agree the Dolphin Centre is nowhere near ideal but the acoustics, believe it or not are still miles better than Harrogate Conference Centre.
I've conducted off and on at the Dolphin for over 10 years now and have done a stint in the box - at least the box is in the right place - and I didnt have any problems hearing everything.
I would welcome a change of venue though it would have to be North East hall - I don't think it will be too long before a boundaries commission has the Hull and North Yorks bands back in St Georges Hall Bradford (centre of the universe..)

john r

 

[Benyboy]

I dont think the acoustic suits bands at all. We have had some of the best conductors around take Reg Vardy during the last 20 years. They have all had to adapt the volume of the band (quiet & loud) and particularly balance of percussion because of the Dolphin Centre.

I agree with Jambo. The City Hall, Newcastle should be used. Yes it has its problems but the arena is excellent for a Band and this should be the main consideration. Newcastle uni is within 100 yards to get changed in. If you ask spectators they dont like the Dolphin Centre either.

Having competed in the Corn Exchange, Cambridge and the Symphony Hall, Birmingham recently, I have to say the Dolphin Centre is very poor. We, ie the NE bands, deserve better.


Chris BENTHAM