As some of you will know, Bandwagon music store in Perth has closed because its owner, Pete Caban, is retiring. Today was the last day of trading, bringing to an end 42 years of business. In the last decade Perth has lost 4 music shops, including Bandwagon and Wilkie’s. It now has none. BFG always tried to take business to the local stores, and they gave us excellent advice and discounts in return.

Pete Caban has always been a huge supporter of what we do at BFG and has provided advice on PA systems and numerous other things. I went in to see him today, to give him a retirement card and bottle of wine from BFG. I came out with his last stocks of fiddle strings, rosin, a 4/4 fiddle case and other sundries. Unless you need/want a fretless banjo, or a tenor guitar, there’s not much left.

I can remember 20 years ago being able to get help and advice from real musicians in the various music shops in Perth and Stirling. But where will we go now? Online shopping can never replace the exchanges face to face with experts. Our tradition of music is based on the direct handing on of what we know to each other. Music shops have always been a hub for exchanges too. We need to treasure such places, as well as our own sessions and events. Its too late for Bandwagon, but I hope someone else will take on the role in Perth before too long. And I hope we can all start meeting up, even in small groups, to share the music as it should be – face to face.

This coming Friday (28th August) is the 2020 AGM. We are holding the session on Zoom using our usual Friday zoom session and there will be lots of music to be played as always. Papers for the AGM are available on the members area of this website. Please join us for tunes and fun. If you have nominations for the committee then please email them to the club secretary.

This year’s AGM will be held virtually on Friday 28th August at 7pm through Zoom. Unfortunately being virtual means no sausage rolls and cake – but perhaps you could arrange a small gathering (within COVID restrictions) and enjoy some tunes at the same time? Please email through any nominations for the committee.

Hopefully in time we will be able to restart the after school sessions and invite new players to join the Blackford Primary School Fiddle Club. But for the moment, as the after school fiddle club will not be possible, our wonderful tutor Daniel Thorpe has offered to do short online sessions for primary school club members who would like to keep learning to play. These will be short 20minute sessions over zoom, there is no cost for these sessions. If your child is a member of the club and would like to try these then please email us for more information. Equally, if your child’s fiddle needs a little attention and tuning after the summer break then please let us know and we will get them playing again!

Unfortunately it is not yet possible to restart Friday nights as before, and we very much miss getting together with everyone.

However, with the easing of restrictions we have started to arrange small house sessions. These sessions are being held in full compliance with government restrictions, for example meeting out of doors with no more than 5 households or indoors with no more than 3 households, and with physical distancing in place.

If you would like to join (or even host) one of these sessions, then please email us to let us know and we will do our very best to play matchmaker!

Best wishes from the BFG committee.

We are planning that lessons with Daniel will continue over the summer – which is great news!

We are also going to try recording some of our own versions of the tunes Daniel has bee teaching and upload them to the website. We are planning to use tools such as BandLab to do this. If you would like to get involved please let us know – if you don’t volunteer or we might come chasing you!

Hi.  Are we in for a long hot summer? It seemed that way last week, but today it is cold, wet and windy.  Either way, BFG is very likely to carry on with Friday Evening Sessions.  It is just possible that we might be able to do an outdoor event later on –  providing we all keep our distance –  and Dan will be doing lessons until the holidays.

If you have suggestions for music to share or virtual events we might like to join, then please send your suggestions to BFG email and we’ll keep others posted.

In the meantime – make and record your own music and we can share it.

From the Wild Rose Whistle Quartet

All weekend 1-3 May –  workshops and concerts.  Click the image below for details.

No Facebook account required.

Virtual Fèis Weekend

After a fantastic response to the online “Lockdown lessons” with Daniel Thorpe, we are continuing the sessions and extending the lessons to all members (adults and second childhoods too!). If you would like a lesson then please contact Andrew Peacock. Three-way sessions have also been working very well, so this might be a good opportunity to have some virtual social contact at the same time! If you would like to do a session with another group member just let Andrew know.

PS: We have uploaded teaching materials from the Lockdown lessons on the the music area of the member’s pages.

I imagine it will come as no surprise to hear that the AGM has been postponed due to the Coronavirus lockdown. The committee felt that a virtual AGM would not suffice (and would deny us the excuse to eat cake). The AGM will be held as soon as practical once the Friday sessions resume.

The good news is that this gives you more time to volunteer to join next year’s committee!

As well as roles such as our Secretary and our Treasurer, the committee organises events such as the Kids; Away weekend, Adult away weekend, everybody gigs….  If you would like to join the BFG committee then just ask a committee member or email the secretary for more information.  If you are not sure whether the committee is for you then remember it is better for you that you volunteer before we resort to blackmail and threats.