GRID Session, Halifax, First Report
August 11th saw our first GRID at the Grayston Unity. We've done a lot at the Ferret in Preston and the Grayston's general vibe is similar - independent venue run by a highly dedicated team, now trying to survive in difficult times partly by putting on the wider range of events.
Putting the CBS idea to the venue these days isn't 'we'll play a gig you'll pay us £200'. It's much more 'can we get use of a good space, you provide the resources, so we can come and do whatever we want?'. Tom, the events manager, was really helpful. Like anybody who has been carefully nurturing something over a period of time, he was a bit nervous about what we would do in/to the venue... This is the weird and wonderful not the commercial, it's going to pull a smaller but devoted group. A bit like open mic, a lot of people in the room will be players (here 10 players, 8 audience). Grayston have a great downstairs cellar-type music room which meant we could make noise without upsetting people at the bar. There was a n other event happening on the top floor but there was enough separation that the two didn't tread on each other's toes.
We did two pieces 30mins and 40mins. The first understandably quite nervous with a number of the players not having done 'anything like this' before. This is often the case at the start of things and actually gave it a really nice quality; people were gently suggesting things, playing around held and sustained notes a lot and at a low volume. Debbie, someone who has played in countless pub sessions but not 'anything like this', positively commented it was more sound than music.
After a short break, the second part evidenced a little more confidence, leading to different creative content. There was a very interesting dynamic, one aspect of which was Colin on sax (that he noted was impossible to play quietly!) who was at points playing insistently and atonally, whereas some of the other instruments were sticking much more to traditional chords and scales e.g. lots of D and G coming from the mandolins. Should the sax have moved to join the mandolins, or the mandolins to the sax, or is it ok for the two approaches to exist in the same sections/times? Andy G had earlier asked whether movement or voice was ok - which of course it was. As the session continued, players movement towards each other in the space along with some unamplified vocalisations appeared to demonstrate their efforts to explore and communicate - possibly simply to hear and see each other better.
One of the brilliant things about such sessions for me is that I get to meet and jam with new musicians. Ian (runs Technical Difficulties at the Puzzle in Sowerby Bridge) brought along his friend John who did some live spoken word. I really enjoyed that, but more importantly he obviously felt it was ok to do it in the environment that we had set up, which is exactly the creative-melting-pot atmosphere that CBS looks to create. When I saw John was reading off his phone I was initially disappointed, until I found out that what he was reading was largely material that he was writing as the session progressed.
An interesting session that opens up a new chapter in the Cold Bath Street story. Grids will now be in Preston AND Halifax monthly. Next Halifax session is on September 8th, again arrive at 1 to start playing at 2, bring your own kit inc small amps as we don't use the house PA. Ferret dates to follow.
Zoom recordings
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