STOURBRIDGE BRANCH

STOURBRIDGE BRANCH - MAY 2013

MALCOLM'S REPORT

Although there were not too many players at the May meeting, it enabled time for everyone to play more numbers & a longer interval & a group thrash at the end. It was a great evening and some from the Stourbridge Branch were seen on BBC4 in another showing of The Frank Skinner on George Formby & it was on twice that week. I enjoy watching it in any case & the other programme about George which was on Melvin Bragg Sunday programme some years ago & that was also produced by Daniel Wylie. On the 9^th of July I have been invited along with Ned Williams to open a Wetherspoons Pub, the former Avion Cinema in Aldridge, which was a cinema opened by George Formby on 26^th September 1938. I feel very highly honoured J D Wetherspoons are very good at taking on such buildings and keeping the originality. I wish they would take on Dudley Hippodrome & save it from the latest statement that Dudley Council have mentioned to demolish it & that’s going against public opinion. Again I am asking if there is anyone who attends the Stourbridge Branch who would like to join Me in putting on a show at the Station Hotel to raise funds for the Hippodrome project. The L & H society have already done that last year & raised £200. All the passes have been sent out for the 1940s weekends on The Severn Valley Railway at the end of June & first full weekend in July. Sadly I will not be there because Glenys will be in hospital on 26^th for a operation on 27^th June. However the Branch have been invited to play a few numbers at The Red House Glass Works Wordsley for their 1940s weekend 13^th 14^th July. I received a e-mail from Gabriela informing me about a show that is taking place Friday 26th & Saturday 27^th July at Guildhall Theatre Derby its called Formby & all the characters are played by one person who also plays the Uke Ewan Wardrop. It is on the same time as Morecambe Winter Gardens that I am most interested in, it so much like the Dudley Hippodrome project I have noticed that a group of Uke players are taking part in the concerts in the Dudley concerts in the park series this year. An event to look forward to Leamington Spa first ukulele festival on 20^th July 2013 at Newbold Comyn Arms Leamington the first & only time I have ever been to Leamington was when I was a contestant in The Whitbreads Senior Citizens talent Semi Finals at the Spa theatre Leamington in the late 1990s it was a experience being in a theatre & waiting until the curtains opened for your performance memories Big Bear records Birmingham have invited the branch to play on weekends from 21^st June –13^th July outside their shop in the Great Western Arcade Birmingham. Well that's all for now sorry for being late again with the report. Very many thanks for all who attended the May meeting especially David, Christine, Jonathan (& His assistant Cameron Aitken), Matthew Richards & Bernard Francis for PA & backing & My assistant Micheal Adcock who was collecting names for all who appeared Alan Bartlam for the music stand & Sarah & Adam & the staff at the Summerhouse & to all who attended – The September meeting may be brought forward to the 2^nd Tuesday Gabriela has some visitors over from Sweden Ukulele society & they would like to visit the Stourbridge Branch & because they will be going home on the Monday before our usual meeting on the 3thd Tues they would not be able to attend I have to find out from the Summerhouse if it will be Ok. To anyone who as not been able to attend the meetings due to illness We all think abut You & get well soon work is still taking place on My other instrument the Wurlitzer Organ in the Buttermarket Shrewsbury its mostly tuning once everything is 100% organ concerts can re-start again. Turned Out Nice Again Your Roving Reporter Malcolm Palmer

Ukulele Strings Paul Langston who attends our meetings from time to time & the photo was taken on Sunday 9^th during the public meeting about the Hippodrome at The Station Hotel.