Anderida Gorsedd Conference at Southwick

This was the Pentacle Drummers first appearance at a Druid Conference, and we had a wonderful time. The Community Centre where it was held was incredibly easy to find, we followed the A259 all the way from Eastbourne to Southwick, turned right under the railway bridge, and it was a few hundred yards up the road. If only all venues were that simple to locate.

The doors opened at 10.30, and we were due to perform on the lawn at 1o.45. As we gathered together, a few drops of rain fell. We edged closer to the building for a bit of shelter, and prepared to play in a downpour. It happens all the time. So we were pleasantly surprised when we were told we could play in the theatre instead.(It was a very up market community centre.) Not only in the dry, but also on a stage. Damh the Bard introduced us, and off we went. We only played a couple of tunes, but the audience definitely liked us.

Then we went off for a cup of tea, and a good look round. During the next few hours, there were interesting talks, by Philip Carr Gomm, Levanah Morgan, and Rae Beth, in the theatre. Mythago Morris danced their hearts out on the lawn, and then gave people the chance to try it themselves. While indoors there were lots of stalls, selling everything from jewellery and books, to pictures, and musical instruments. Everybody was friendly and having a good time, the Community Centre was beautiful, and there was plenty to do and see all day.


About 5.15 we went onto the lawn again, but this time it was warm and sunny. There was a large crowd who applauded loudly at the end of every tune, and then someone called out jokingly, "You call that drumming? I've heard grannies play louder than that!" That was all the encouragement we needed to let rip. We formed a tighter circle and called the audience to come closer. As they surrounded us we threw ourselves into the last number. People were dancing, and clapping, and bouncing around to our music, the energy poured out of everyone. It was fantastic, and by the time we finished, we were dripping with sweat and grinning from ear to ear. It was the best gig we have had so far this year. We are hoping to be invited back next year.

The day started very early for us all.
7am we had to be ready to go on the coach up to London.
With a couple of detours to pick up some other people we arrived at Red Lion Square at 10am.
As we approached London the rain started to fall...
The closer we got, the harder it was.
Luckily we actually found a parking space big enough for the coach in Red Lion Square.

We all bundled out of the coach, ran to get our drums and ran to Conway Hall to collect our wrist bands.
After we were all labelled up, as we have done the past few years, we stand outside the Hall to entertain those people who have arrived early to join the procession.
As the drums played, louder and louder, the clouds parted and the rain stopped.

After half an hour or so the procession was ready to go.
Unfortunately the Bogies were not able to make Beltane Bash 2008, so we were given the honour of taking pride of place behind the Jack.

Off we set, making our way through the streets to Russel Square, beating a path for all those behind us.
The Police were enlisted to stop the traffic along the way and performed wonderfully. Many thanks go to them.

Those that were driving through London at that time were all staring in awe and wonderment at the procession.
Busses full of tourists taking photos of us all were everywhere.
The march to Russel Square is not long at all and very soon we found ourselves at the fountain in the middle ot the park.

We gathered to one side of the fountain and began to set the rhythm. After a few minutes, One of the Ravens spoke and invited people to enter the fountain and go mad...
Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time, so in went Greg, drumming right through the middle! (luckily he had a spare set of clothes)
Soon after, many many people followed suit and got themselves soaked, revelling in the atmosphere, dancing and drumming.

We drummed for what seemed like hours until it was time to make our way back back to Conway Hall via the British Museum.

Arriving back at Conway hall, once again we gathered in front of the entrance to entertain the people while they waited.

Once we were inside Frank from The Dolmen approached us and pleaded with us to perform at their Stonehenge Ritual.
So keep your eyes and ears peeled...

After a few tunes we were all ready for a well earned break so we retired to our dressing room to relax for a while, and to get dry.

Our next performance was at 6pm, supporting The Dolmen.
As always happens the show was running about 5 mins late which in the greater scheme of things is not bad at all.

This year we decided to start our performance outside of the main hall and march into the hall to the thumping rhythm of 'Nines'

We lined up and gave it our best.
The audience seemed to love our drumming and soon people were dancing, taping their feet or playing along with us.

The power and resonance of the drums in the hall was truly awesome. The energy coming back to every one of us then being pumped out again like some primal feedback loop was fantastic.
Within a few tunes we were really going hell for leather, sweat dripping off of us but that just spurred us on more.

After another couple of tunes Adam shouted out 'Do you want some more' to which people shouted back 'Yesssss' I though the audience could do better though so I bellowed at the top of my voice 'He said, Do you want some more' to which the audience really out did themselves and screamed back at us.
They wanted more.

The reception and applause we received was truly fantastic, something we will remember for a long,long time to come.

We had wondered, from a personal point of view, if we could top last years performance at Beltane Bash, and I think we did.
Now we worry if we will top this years performance.

For the next hour we sat back and enjoyed The Dolmens set.
After The Dolmen set I popped down to say goodbye to a few people, when The Dolmen guys said how much they loved our drumming and it set the tone for their performance.
One of the best compliments we could have received.

So all in all, an awesome day at Beltane Bash 2008.
Many thanks to to those who facilitated the event.

Hengwah.

PF Conference in Brighton

On the way to Brighton this morning the rain was pouring down, and it looked like it would stay that way. However as soon as we got to our meeting place at the Unitarian Church, the sun came out and it turned into a beautiful day.

We had our photo taken on the steps of the church, and then began our first set at the foot of them. A small crowd soon gathered around us, and all enjoyed it, except for a lady from a nearby massage clinic who wanted us to stop. We played for about twenty minutes, then went into the building to look at the stalls. Some of our members had fun taking part in a poi workshop, while others went for a stroll in the warm sunshine.

Just before noon we met up by the steps again, crossed the road, then starting playing as we made our way to the King and Queen Pub to open the second part of the conference. The pavement wasn't very wide, but somehow we all fitted on and did about twenty minutes out the front of the pub. Cars honked their horns in support as they drove past, and the audience applauded at the end of every tune. Then we took off our drums, and went up to the room above the pub where the stalls were.

It was cramped in there, but there was lots of interesting stuff to look at, and the organisers had even allocated a table for us to leave our drums on. While we were mooching around and parting with our money, we were told that we could play on the green across the road for as long as we liked. Big smiles all around and five minutes later we were ready to go.

The grass area was huge, but we stayed opposite the pub and told people what was going on over there, while we were getting ready. The sun was shining, the drumming was great, and all was right with the world. It felt more like summer than spring. When we finished, Mythago Wood Morris took over entertaining the crowd. They were wonderful, and danced for ages.

It was a great start to the summer season, and now we are looking forward to Jack In The Green.

Battle Bonfire

The dark clad figures of the Pentacle Drummers stood outlined before the magnificent form of Battle Abbey, which was bathed in the golden glow of spotlights. It looked like the opening scene of a film, but was in fact the closing of our first set of the evening.


Thousands of onlookers watched from behind the safety barriers, or upstairs windows across the road. While we were playing, various people had come inside our drumming circle to take photos and videos, but we didn't let ourselves get distracted and played as well as ever.


When the photographer had finished, we marched down the main road and formed another circle, in the road. We were under the impression that the roads had all been closed for the event, but soon realised our mistake, and had to retreat to the kerbside several times to avoid being run over. But we did it without missing a beat, despite frequent looks over our shoulders to see if any more cars were coming along.

Then we made our way to the gathering point for the start of the procession. The event was going smoothly and happily, until Cliffe Bonfire Society who were directly behind us, started throwing fireworks at us. A brief arguement ensued, but it did no good and they carried on doing it all evening.

When the procession began to move things picked up again. There were hundreds of flaming torches in front of us, and thousands of onlookers on both sides of the road all the way through town. The atmosphere was great, and because the fireworks had made us all a bit deaf, it didn't seem too noisy. We walked through the main road and past the Abbey, down to a roundabout, and back to town. Then back past the Abbey again, and down to the roundabout once more, but this time we turned into a field on the right.

There was a narrow muddy path through the fields, and it was a bit of a trek, but the fireworks were worth it. As we had finished drumming for the night, we all relaxed and watched the fabulous display. As well as the usual ones that go bang and explode, this time there were also ones that spiralled and whistled, some that hung in the air like red jellies, and a load of new ones that beeped and buzzed at the same time as filling the sky with colours. An excellent display, followed up by a large bonfire, and a bit of effigy burning. Who could ask for more?

Hastings Bonfire Parade 2007

It was a warm autumn evening when we started to drum near the far end of Hastings seafront. Thick crowds had gathered along the pavements on both sides of the road, and the town was out in force. Children played with glowsticks, adults ate take aways, and all around us performers in various costumes lined up as the procession was forming.

Suddenly a load of runners came pounding down the road, all proudly carrying flaming torches above their heads. They shot past the crowds, and all heads turned to watch as they ran up the cliffs to set the beacon at the top of it alight. All we could see from below were tiny dark figures, and a rapidly growing fire waving it's flames into the night.

The procession began after the runners returned, and it took a long time for all the groups to get onto the road. There were many bonfire societies, all bearing flaming torches which looked good up close, but spectacular when seen en mass from a distance. There were also a fire eater, a couple of other bands, some dancers, and other acts we couldn't see on account of being in it ourselves.

The first road we went up was the one that leads to Ore, and once again the pavements were overflowing with happy onlookers, cheering and waving glowsticks. We stopped for a minute at the top, while the traffic was held up for us, then crossed and came down the high street. One of the groups in front of us had lit a red flare which turned the air and marchers all around it red too, and as we marched down the hill towards it, it looked like the route into hell.

After taking in the rest of the seafront and the town, we wound up on the beach near the bonfire. It was huge, and giving out masses of heat. All the performers were allowed inside the fire area, but the public were only allowed to the edge of the beach. The firework display was fantastic. Things banged and fizzed, spun and whizzed, or shot across the sky and exploded in gigantic patters, and all the time a steady fallout of cardboard pieces was landing on our drums.

There was a lull for a while after the last one exploded, but then the effigy of Guy Fawkes head released more fireworks, for another stunning display, before the head itself exploded. After that the evening was over, but we are looking forward to coming back next year.

Out of the Ordinary Festival

We gathered outside the entrance to the festival just before 10, when we were due to perform. A van blocked the road, and there was a queue for the ticket office, then we had to drive round the back of the field before gaining access to the car park. By the time we were all parked it was 10.30.



As we had been told to play anywhere on the site, at any time we liked, we gathered in the centre of the field and began to drum. As soon as the first tune ended a lady came over and asked to go away and be quiet, as a grief session was about to start. So we shut up and went away.



Ten minutes later when nobody had arrived for the session, we started again. As the atmosphere in the field was a bit odd, we only played for 20 minutes. However we got lots of applause, and decided to come back in a couple of hours for our next performance.



After wandering around the site, meeting lots of nice people and having a free lunch, (which was a pleasant surprise) we started again. We decided to go in the large tent this time, but were told to go away as a man was telling a story.

We moved to the other side of the field so as not to upset the story teller, and formed a circle. But just as soon as we picked up our sticks some bloke came over and asked us to stop. After some discussion with Greg, it was agreed that he would speak to the organiser and see if we were allowed to perform, though he was convinced we weren't.



We began again, and waited to see what would happen when he came back. Luckily he didn't so we carried on. Afterwards, several people came over to say how much they enjoyed our music and one man asked me when we going to really let rip, and turn the volume up. I told him we would love to, but as we'd had complaints we were finished for the day.



Most of the festival goers were lovely, and happy to hear us play, but as for the others.............

If they didn't want us to drum why did they book us????????????????

Herstomonceux Medieval Festival

At 10.30 on the 25th August, we all met up under the shade of an oak tree opposite the tea-rooms for our first gig of the festival. It was already hot and we had no idea how much hotter it was going to get.



We drummed until the procession halted some way up the road from us and we were given the signal to stop, then stayed quiet until all the horses passed by. When they were about 100 yards up the road, we started again and stepped into the road in front of the soldiers. They looked wonderful with the sunlight shining on their polished armour, and we led the knights through the smelly horse droppings, through thousands of spectators, past the castle and the Buxom Wench, and then turned left into a field. After doing a circle through all the stalls selling medieval wares and clothing, we returned to the castle and drummed until the battle began. So far so good.



At 12.30 when the battle was over, we played outside the castle and although the crowd had thinned out we still had a large appreciative audience. When we finished, we all went our separate ways to get some lunch.



By 2.30 we were back at the tree again for the afternoon procession, and the heat was almost unbearable. It would have been hot enough in normal clothes, but as we were all covered from heat to foot and wearing several layers we were sweating before we even started drumming. We navigated our way through the horse droppings, past the Buxom Wench, and into the field again, but this time we went right across the field to the entrance to the next one. We lined up on both sides of the path and carried on drumming as the knights approached. Suddenly there was a thud as Greg hit the ground. We stopped at once and waited anxiously to see if he was alright. Luckily he was, and came around a few minutes later after having some water. Then Nicky took him to Heather and Gary's stall to have a rest and recover.



Half an hour later we were on again, but the heat was taking its toll on all of us and we weren't at our best. When we finished it was a relief to get some shade, and another drink.



On Sunday it was the same routine, but this time Anya fainted.



Nobody fainted on Monday, which was a bonus.



When the public left at 6 each day, the place took on an entirely different life. The stalls closed up, the horses went to the fields, and everybody let their hair down. Most of the evening's activities centred around the Buxom Wench. On Friday night it was Angels and Devils fancy dress and a live band, Saturday was Cowboys and Indians, then on Sunday there was cricket outside, followed by fire dancers in the evening. There was also a spot of impromptu drumming near the castle from Greg, Anya, Claw and friends, which lasted until somebody asked them to stop so the band in the pub could play. With everybody on site meeting there at some point each night for food and drink, making new friends and greeting old ones, it was a very friendly place to spend some time.



The prettiest sight had to be the castle which looked fabulous in the light of the full moon, with mist hovering over the moat. And the funniest sight was when a group of knights who had been marching into battle, suddenly started dancing as they went past us on their way into the field.



Despite the heat it was a fantastic weekend with good drumming, good crowds, and good friends. Roll on next year.