Response to Michelle Dee's Gigging in Hull By Darren Bunting Music HQ

I enjoyed your article on thisisull about the local bands / promoters / scene at the moment and as a musician and promoter I agreed with 99% of what you said. The only thing I would argue/add would be that there are some promoters and venues who do try and make the effort for the artists (my gigs being one I hope LOL) where acts get a decent stage, good PA & mix and an equal share with the promoter of the door takings.

Pub venues that do free entry certainly have there place and knowing how little if anything bands get for doing the Sesh (and I know it's not Mark's fault because I have discussed it with him) I think it is just wrong. I also play in a covers band and know what fees we get and certainly think a lot of Hull bands deserve more than what we get!

In the past I played a rock venue in Keighley and they paid the band a % of the money taken over the bar, it was only a small % but it meant if the band made the effort and got a crowd in they really benefited as did the pub. Anyway enjoyed the article and it put into words a lot of the things I think and believe. Personally I am still struggling getting people into the Tigers Lair which is a pity as it is a nice venue, proper stage, good PA & mix and nearly everyone who plays enjoys the experience of actually performing with no stress and no worries about being ripped off by the venue or the promoter.

I just wish the venue had more money to spend as they are only just breaking even but I can't complain about the support they have given me or the night. This Wednesday 23rd August the following acts will be appearing at Tigers Lair. www.myspace.com/musichq Circus Envy www.myspace.com/circusenvyband Steve Reed www.myspace.com/stevereedmusic My Glass Eye www.overplay.co.uk/myglasseye

Michelle Dee's Gigging In Hull piece on ThisisUll.com

Opinions - Response to Michelle Dee's Gigging in Hull By Dj Mak

	In response to my good friend Michelle Dee's Gigging In Hull piece on ThisisUll.com I thought it be right for me to explain the stance and ethos of The Sesh at The Linnet & Lark on Princes Ave. The night was started nearly four years ago - 4th Birthday Celebrations in October -and was set up by myself with the help of Martin Knight of The Favours Read more...

Opinions - Gigging in Hull By Michelle Dee

	First up, I think that bands should limit themselves as to how many local gigs they play. Who is going to pay pounds to see a band at Adelphi or Piper when you can see them at the Sesh for free? Some of the bands are limiting themselves to only playing two or three local gigs a month which makes sense. Don't forget the old adage; absence Read more...

Opinions - Response To Michelle Dee's Review Of Phonic Voices At Urban Artz Festival By Paul Rush
	I just read your review of Phonic Voices at the Urban Arts Festival: 'Today it came in the form of Nicky a didgeridoo player from Phonic Voices music collective, with a uniquely special sound. It was a moment not to dissimilar to the one in the town of Hamlyn when a certain piper enticed all the rodents away, from the town. Nicky began to play her instrument Read more...

Opinions - Things Can Only Get Bitter By David Sloan
	I'm sick to death of listening to people moaning about New Labour. They've only recently been voted in for a third term in office with a large credible majority. So just what do people want? Yes, things have got better under New Labour. If you're a burglar, mugger, paedophile, illegal immigrant, rapist or terrorist, things have definitely got better. Under New Labour, Read more...

Opinions - It's Only A Game By Dave F
	Question - What do you call an Englishman in a World Cup Final??? Answer - Referee. Like most people in the country, I'm asking myself why... Why didn't we get through to the final? Why didn't Sven take better strikers? Why??? Actually, I'm asking myself why the England team turn to jelly at the mention of the word Penalty, and why we have to listen to excuses like Read more...

Opinions - Save Our Free School Meals By The Mental Alchemist
	Q. What do you get if you cross neo-liberal economic policy with a liberal party city council? A. No bloody change and the end of free school meals in Hull. I sat in stunned belief whilst watching Look North today, as it was announced that Hull City Council have put a price on the health and wellbeing of all our children, and it's less than £4 million. It actually cost the council a Read more...

Opinions - Response To The Grim Reaper's Article By Chris Wolds
	Hello thisisull team, I have just finished reading the piece written by the Grim Reaper titled Response To Arts Council Article. I read with interest what was there, just as I did the original article and the follow-ups. It puzzles me that these other comments have been published and those persons responsible for them have had their opinions aired. I have always seen this site as Read more...

Opinions - Money, School and Red-Tape: Education for Kids in Hull By Gregory Anderson
	Education in Hull is changing. Almost a third of our secondary schools are being demolished. Nearly £200m is to be invested in new schools. So let us not mince our words - the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) project proclaims that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to drive reform of the secondary system and improvements in educational Read more...

Opinions - Response To Arts Council Article By The Grim Reaper
	We can guess it's a guy that wrote the anonymous letter regarding Lou Duffy Howard receiving money from the Arts Council for the Grassroots festival. As a matter of fact Duffy Howard and 'Full Flava' David Okwesia set up the Grassroots thing and we all work together in making it happen to benefit the local community. So to whoever wrote the letter I would just like to say Read more...

Opinions - Fickle Voters By Mark Pollard

	I watched a TV programme the other night about the seemingly endless, unaccounted and under-investigated murder of scores of young women by street gangs in Guatemala. As a father of three girls myself it was heart-breaking stuff that made me thankful to live in the UK; the 'scandal' of John Prescott shagging his secretary hardly seems to matter by comparison. Read more...

Opinions - If The Council Won't Sort This Out, We Will By Pete Stitt
	I felt it was only fair to give the readers of thisisull an update of non-events since the issue of Arts Council grants, Council and other funding for multicultural events was raised by one anonymous writer and half of the Kurdish community in Hull. I think we have waited long enough for 'stage two' of this saga. I sent several emails to Ken Branson, who I know to be an honourable man, and he Read more...

Opinions - Blair Is No Churchillian Statesman By David Sloan
	Every day now we read more and more New Labour sleaze stories. Cash for knighthoods, offshore accounts for ministers, weapons of mass destruction which never existed to name but a few. I could go on with tough on crime, and the causes of crime. When magistrates have now been told not to even jail offenders. You can rob, rape or kill by dangerous driving and expect no Read more...

Opinions - Hull City Council 2006 - Changing Or Caging Us? By Gregory Anderson
	Hull City Council is changing. Having recently improved its rating infinity percent -from zero stars to one star - a new council seems to be evolving. Into what, you may ask? An aggressive political powerhouse to empower the people? Or an experiment of existential dustbin policy? Whatever this nameless Hullian perceives the council's policies to be, recent history says one thing is Read more...

Opinions - Wanadoo Offers Schadenfreude at 10p a minute By Greg Anderson
	Do you find junk mail bellicose nonsense? Same here. Amusing? At times, yes. Annoying? Always, I agree. So are you yet to experience the silent delight of receiving Wanadoo's broadband advertisement through your letterbox? Do you want to know how junk mail could make you smile? Read on. An established internet company, Wanadoo proclaim Read more...

Opinions - Response To Criticism Of The Night Shift And The Hull Blokes By Ian Ahmed Newton
	Regarding Steven Greendale's criticism of the Hull Blokes which I understand included some comments about one of my books, The Night Shift. I would say to Mr Greendale, that if you live in Hull, we have enough people outside this city who like to take a knock at those who are trying to promote the city. I also believe that we have many in power within this city who have also done little Read more...

Opinions - Response To Arts Council Article - People Rewriting Our History In Their Own Image By Pete Stitt
	I would like to thank the Editor of Hami Kurd magazine for waking me from a sort of self-imposed coma this week. I had walked away from the local asylum situation, completely disillusioned, as loads of middle class white (and ethnic minority) English individuals and organisations came flooding into the 'industry' when it became clear there were funding opportunities. Read more...

Opinions - Praise For Ian Newton's The Night Shift By Andy Brown
	I am formerly from Hull and my daughter still lives there. I keep up with events going on with help of your website. It's great. I saw that stuff about The Night Shift book by Ian Newton. My daughter sent me a copy for Christmas and all I can say is that this book almost gave me a hernia with laughter. I have never read a book so funny and so spot on about working night shifts. Read more...