This week...

Greetings fellow humanistas!

There have been a fair few new addresses added to this list recently, so as well as the normal information about Unity and other events going on this week I've included a more general update on developments on a few exciting things locally.

So, what's on in this busy week?

Wednesday

There's a new (nearly) weekly punk promotion starting at the Fidds tomorrow. There is a four band line-up comprising Radicus, Portman, Short Warning (all the way from London) and Citizen Zero. Doors open at 7:30 and entrance is open to anyone aged 16+ with ID. Tax on the door is £4.

Thursday

This week's Unity at Fidds will see acoustic performances from Nick Thompson and the magnificent Irene Rae, as well as a one-off special instrumental show from the amazing Soulflower. Lewis Slack will be joining the usual line-up on saxophone and they will be performing their usual material in an instrumental style as well as treating us to Soulflower style live funk jams. On the decks throughout the night will be Playskool's own Instinct, and Shaggy if you have any energy left by that time of night Shaggy will finish the night with his dirty bassline breakbeat. Entrance is free before 9:15, £3 after.

Friday

On Friday Wake are travelling all the way up to Doncaster to play a 9pm slot at The Leopard. If you fancy a mission give them your support.

The Synergy Project is also on in London's SEOne club, check out http://synergyproject.org.uk for more information on this very special event. There is quite a rake of us going down for it, so if you're up for a different night out get in touch.

Saturday

This Saturday our good friends System Abuse are taking over the Limit (formerly known as the Starlight Suite) for a night of filthy drum & bass. This is an opportunity to hear and feel the 20K SA rig rocking it all at once for the first time since the Verve days! The party is a hook-up with producer Raiden's new label Offkey Recordings, who have just signed one of SA's own - Khanage. From 8pm till 10pm is a special hip-hop showcase featuring Dj Roldier (Speed of Sound) with the super-talented MC Xidus Pain.

If sleazy indie is more your thing the Indigo club night is on at Fidds. Entrance is £2 before 10pm and £4 after.

Or if you would like to see something live Wake are a bit closer to home, at The Crown on Lincoln Road. Always a good night.


Update on local developments

Muddy Promotions (the group behind the Grassroots events) are to be incorporated as a Community Interest Company within the next few weeks. This is like a limited company but means that the assets of the business belong to the community, so if the company is ever dissolved the assets must be passed to another Community group or sold and the money given to charity.

The Muddy website is up and running now too: http://muddypromotions.org.uk The form you need to complete for Muddy membership is available for download on the site and the forum will soon be fully operational.

The organisation of the Grassroots Festival is well under way with only around 20 weeks to go till the party goes boom! The necessary paperwork and legalities are now nearing their completion. Due to the kind of licence being obtained for this first year only 500 people including artists and crew will be allowed on site for the weekend, and those spaces are going to volunteers first. So if you would like to be there for the big party complete the membership form and be sure to tick the volunteer box.

The festival will have a main stage for bands, electronic live acts and DJ's of all styles and genres, and a separate village comprising a second music space (Hope Street's acoustic area in the day and Muddy's chillout at night) as well as food stalls, a cinema, awareness raising, and a central social area.

There is another all day Grassroots event taking place at Lisboa on Lincoln Road on Saturday 25th March. This will be an all-day and most of the night event with bands, DJ's,. acoustic acts, electronic live PA's, awareness raising and spoken word performances. Decor will be provided by the Muddy Arts collective. Tickets will be available soon.

If you need a little dose of Muddy magic before then there is a Muddy Promotions event taking place at the Brewery Tap on Saturday 4th March. Decor will be provided by the Muddy Arts heads and the line-up is a double bill of Opaque (launching their new album The Last Moustache) and Point of Origin (launching their new EP).

In other Muddy waters the Muddy Onion Community Centre is becoming fully functional as of 4th February. The rehearsal space is already being heavily used by bands and the building will eventually hold art studios, workshops, recording studios, a cafe accessible to Muddy members and the Muddy Promotions office. Funding applications are being made now to get the building heated and insulated properly and to purchase the equipment that users of the centre will need.

If you are interested in volunteering at the centre, have ideas for more things to do with/at the centre, or would like to make use of the rehearsal spaces/studios or whatever get in touch for more info.

Farewell till next time

Have a good week bredren.

Peace love and unity.