Wear a smile - one size fits all !!!

Well a successful start to the  week !!!
After not as much organising as I anticipated the bands came together, we had representatives from each band minus elan vitale ! so i was pretty pleased with that!

Last night the lovely Rob Scott of  http://www.discerningimages.co.uk took some very funny and awesome pictures of the bands !

This is From Almost The End ! Ash- drummer , Joel rhythm guitar and vocals , John -bass and backing vocals and Danny lead guitar and lead vocals.

"We have been brought together from the ashes of previous bands and projects, and renew our musical prowess with the raw powerful sound that is from almost the end. Without giving too much away.....WATCH THIS SPACE"

Read more: http://www.myspace.com/fateyork#ixzz0wrWIOse0

Here's IHEART  these guys had some interesting ideas on how/where they wanted their photos taken one included a cannon !!!

These guys also try to blog regularly too-http://www.iheart.tk/

I love this shot actually, Beth looks great!

They also are soon to be featured on 
Vixen101 website to listen at www.vixen101.co.uk .

This is one of my favourite pics - possibly because Eddies made a big deal about having his picture taken - poor lamb I didnt realise hes missing from all the other kiss kiss kill promo shots ! But I think this super cool pic makes up for it !

The full band of Katie and the Questions made it ! Which was impressive because they had the furthest to travel. However the men are a little shy - they drove all the way from Wakefield and Leeds and didnt actually want their photo to be taken ! they said its the girls that do that kinda thing ! bless them ! but hey they were right! the girls were professionals!

So everyone seemed to have a great time , I had a little chat with each band and they all seems excited and eager to sell tickets and put posters everywhere ! Just in time for the group shoot , Rosie pulled up in their little car. These guys live in Pateley bridge and have never had a photo done before - so bless them they were all smiles -they haven't perfected the moody rockstar pose .... yet :)

Rosie

 Rosie are the band that I am most looking forward to seeing perform!

These sweet looking lads are awesome showmen! their music is too good not to be heard ! I truely think these guys will be household names within the next five years!

www.rosietheband.com 

They are getting a repuation for their on stage antics , including stage invassions and a bit of friendly tea-baging!!! what more could you want at a charity gig ha ha ! Awesome stuff!!

One person who I could clearly see as I walked towards this hansom group was the very talented Adam Benericetti - known as Beneri to his mates - This guy will be my rock on the night- hes the one who will fill the gaps between bands and hype up the crowd ! lets hope it works and we make loads of dosh!

 So here we go the shot you've been waiting for , all of us taking over the steps at Clifford's tower - bearing in mind it was 7pm tourists were stood looking at us - waiting not so patiently to go up to the top of the tower!

Fantastic to meet everyone - let's get selling some ticket's now !!!!

5th Setember at The Duchess be there!!!

I Love it when a plan comes together !

Cracking day in event planning land !

Well today Ive had a little wander into ye old York ;

first to the venue -The Duchess where unfortunatley no one answered the door !! I was hoping to pick up some more tickets to sell as the awesome Danny P of From Almost The End has managed to sell all 25 tickets I gave him . Nice one Danny !

So after that failed, we headed to the newsagents to get so form of refreshment - essential item:Red bull ! Bonus!!spotted they had a few gig posters up woohoo! so they now are sporting a beautiful Donate for Great poster  too:)

Then on down the Shambles to Xing Smoothies -these happy chappys are fruit revolutionists - promoting fresh fresh to the kids ! doing a damm fine job too. I handed over a poster and refreshed the owners memory that he expressed an interest in sponsoring the event.

 Just need to cover the £300 printing cost and we are all good ! Got Drakes chippy and possibly Xing !Plus The Good Food Shop - oddly all foodie sponsors !

We followed the cobbles down to Patrick's Pool to the awesome place that is Attic Records . Joy of joys I was greeted by an events A-board outside with Donate for Great on it !!! woohoo! what a rush ! so cool to see it there for all to see -then to really tip me over the edge , the owner tells me they've sold "quite a few tickets for your gig already" awesome !!!!!!! God it makes me happy !!

Little check that Evil eye still have the poster up and a quick pit stop to Stonegate yard , one of our sponsors to drop a poster in and my work is done :)

However when I got home Im greated by half the members of From almost the end , begging for coffee and more tickets !!! 

awesome day !

Gem x

Hopes and Fears

In the same instant I started planning this event in my head I was battling with the idea that it might be a total flop!

What if no one turns up ? what if the bands are utter garbage ? what if the sound is terrible? What if everyone blames me ?

Shit that would all be soooo bad ! But hey it's the risk you take!

Recently (since I fell for Joel) I'm all about the risks, act now think later ! This event is close to my heart. In many ways. The little boy Alfie , he's my old housemates son. He's two - two years old , and the little fighter has been in and out of hospital more than most adults I know. He's got a heart condition and a type of heart disease- but yet hes still here. Strength of will from his family and amazing doctors and nurses have prolonged his little life.

Tracey (his mother) and me were close, really close - all of us were at uni - eat, sleep and party together girls. I want to do all i can to help little Alfie and show Tracey and Rob that even though we've lost touch ( such is life ! )I still care deeply for her - like I would a sister. It means so much to me that this event is a success.

So how do I deal with it- The pressure !?

Well I guess I do what Ive always done; think of all the things that could go wrong and plan how to stop them from happening: cover all bases ! 

Ive kept all the bands informed with every decision Ive made; all the planning has been my own- therefore I can only blame myself if it does go belly up ! 

Started off well, getting the bands and the venue done within the first week. I actually had to turn away another 8 bands !

The tough bits have been when; I've had people suggesting these 'grand plans' like alday festivals, open air events etc keeping it simple - is the name of the game. I am still pushing it really with 8 bands.
I picked the running order almost instantly, which was the first attack from the bands - questioning why it was this order - was it flexible etc. Diva's stepped forward, I had to stand my ground - everyone seemed ok with this :)

Second point of issue was 'pay to play' - I hate this phrase so much , I asked the bands - well I say asked , I told the bands that they too would pay the door charge of £5 - as would I, my family, my boyfriend, my mates, anyone and everyone would pay the £5 door charge. This is a charity event - the idea is to make money - not for me ! for charity ! Some people thought this was wrong, and not their bag - pier pressure kicked in and everyone's happy to donate now . I never thought this would be an issue - It never even entered my head !Stupid me !
The Good stuff

Now Im trying to round everyone up for a photoshoot for the press. I was in the paper the other day - great article http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/features/charity/8293876.Friends_of_Alfie_Oliver_organise_concert_for_Pulmonary_Hypertension_Association/

all info correct and everything ! apart from it calls Joel my husband - which he is not .... yet ;)

So we shall see, hope everyone can make it to the have their mug shot taken .

Also just received an email over the weekend asking for me to do a live interview on York Hospital Radio- they guy said he was touched by the event.
I think that's fantastic ! that a stranger can find me on twitter, read some info and then ask to meet me and hear more ! To be honest if I read about this event I would be touched - it's going to be amazing - I have the faith - just hope people will show up on the night , tickets have just started to sell . Physically asking people and demanding money seems to be the best method so far !

Im all about telling everyone and anyone ! so have you got your ticket yet ? get it online http://www.theduchessyork.co.uk/whats-on/detail/450

OR have a walk down there and pick one up -The Duchess, Stonebow , York 

OR get one from me , Danny or rock dad :)

 Gem xx

Donate for Great - three months in - one month to go

So Event planning - not everyone's cup of tea but it pushes all my buttons. I can be bossy and productive all for a good cause!

Donate for Great is all going really well. 

To date I've managed to get FREE poster design - not just any old design either - spot on beautiful , cutting edge design. From an independent design company called WASPDESIGN. The lovely Andy approached me and asked who was doing the posters - i sheepishly said "well i was going to give it a bash" and he came to the rescue saying he would gladly do it - all free of charge !http://www.waspdesign.co.uk/

Since that first facebook contact Andy has been nothing short of my right hand man ! He's come up trumps with contacts and enthusiasm - Andy put me in touch with the printers PETER TURPIN ASSOCIATES http://www.pturpin-associates.co.uk/ again who with little persuasion offered their printing services ! Giving me 200 A3 full colour posters !!

The cherry on the cake has been the support offered by http://www.loveyork.org/2010/05/26/324/ Live & Love York Mag - They kindly printed a double page spread , with the poster and press release info ! Im so grateful for the support from all these people!