All Things Considered - Acoustic Session

31/07/2024

A date for your diary. Wednesday 28th August 2024

You are cordially invited to the official launch of 'Any Road Up' my double CD and accompanying book. This recording - fifty years in the making- is the culmination of a lifetime's involvement in folk music and folk clubs.

I will be able aided and abetted on the night by fellow musicians who joined me on the recording; Geoff Higginbottom, Mark Dowding, Dom Dudill and Michael Billington.

The location is The Irish World Heritage Centre, Queens Road Cheetham Hill M8 0AE.

This is a free event, but there will be a chance to donate to a collection in aid of Ukrainian Humanitarian Relief

Copies of the CD will be available to purchase on the night.
We'll be kicking off at around 8pm - doors open from 7.30pm

29/07/2024

Does anyone have access to a portable, battery operated PA system (just a mike and speaker) to be used for addressing a small crowd in the ppen air on 16th August in the early evening.

16/07/2024

Well, the football's over, for better or worse, so why not come down to The Derby Brewery Arms tonight, from 8.30pm for music, song, spoken word, chat and beer.

There'll be no recording of songs by me so I'll be paying everyone back by giving them an extra opportunity to contribute.

Everyone welcome - It's our first ever session under a Labour Government!!

27/06/2024

If you're around on Saturday 20th July you could do worse than drop in at The Star Inn for a tribute concert to the late Mike Bowden. 15 acts will be doing their thing, and it would be good to meet up with a few old friends.

18/06/2024

With all my CD recordings now complete, our monthly session tonight will be back to the usual routine. We'll aim to start at 8.30pm and I'll take the back seat tonight while the rest of you can shine!!

13/06/2024

Well, I've threatened for long enough and now I've gone and done it!

'GRASS SKIRTS AND GURKHAS - Scenes from a Manchester Childhood' will soon be hitting the shelves.

This book is the distillation of stories from my childhood between about 1956 and 1966 growing up in Crumpsall, North Manchester.

There are tales of daring, tales of curiosity and tales of stupidity. There are sad stories, funny stories, weird stories and daft stories, all told by me, as if I was sitting across the table from you having a pint.

To order your copy (for delivery in about three weeks) pop over to www.bfpublications.co.uk and click on the image on the home page.

Here you will find all the latest news about our publications from the moment they are announced to the day they arrived from the printers and you can get your eager hands on your very own copy.

21/05/2024

Hoping to see a good few people at the session tonight. Don't forget, we'll be starting early. get there as soon as you can from 7.45.

19/05/2024

As most of you know, last month's recording session was postponed, due to lack of audience.

We'll be trying again on Tuesday night when I hope many of the regulars will be back with us again.

I have a final batch of songs to record and we'll be using the same format as previously i.e. a couple of rounds of performers, then a batch of recording by me, and another round of performers before the final couple of songs of the night.
I hope to see a goodly crowd and remember, if you weren't here last month, there'll be a free drink with your name on it behind the bar on TUESDAY NIGHT! Cheers!

15/04/2024

Hi everyone,

Tomorrow's session will, again, be starting at the earlier time of 8pm. It's the last of my recording sessions, and I hope to secure another 7 or 8 tracks for the CD. We'll do a couple of circuits of the room, then I'll do a block of recording in the middle before we go back to all the other performers and then finish the evening with a couple, of rousing chorus songs and, hopefully, the best ever rendition of Bide Awhile!

Thanks to everyone so far for their perseverance and I hope to see a good crowd again tomorrow for this last hurrah!

Then we'll be back to the usual arrangements from May onwards.

01/04/2024

Help Martin Gittins raise money to support Macmillan Cancer Support

18/03/2024

Just a quick reminder that we will be making an early start again tomorrow evening, please try to get there at 7.45ish for an 8pm start. We'll do a couple of rounds of the room and then, with your indulgence, I'll do another block of recording (8 or 9 songs) before going round the room again to finish the evening.

There'll be plenty of chorus songs in my set, so I hope you're all in good voice!

See you tomorrow.

21/02/2024

If you heard the expression 'Any road up' would you recognise it? is it an expression you've heard recently or one from the past, as far as you're concerned?

21/02/2024

ALL THINGS CONSIDERED ACOUSTIC SESSION TUESDAY 20th FEBRUARY, DERBY BREWERY ARMS, CHEETHAM HILL ROAD.

Well I had a few 'apologies for absence' last night but, despite that we had a reasonable turnout. It was great to welcome a new face in the form of the energetic 'Chazza' who read a selection of her quirky short stories, each one accompanied by an excellent sketch of the person who the story was about. All great fun!

I managed to record 8 tracks for my forthcoming Studio/Live double CD, including a pretty good rendition f Bide Awhile with some beautiful audience participation - a bit of a spine-tingler that one!

Next month we'll do it all again and I'll try and get another batch recorded. In the meantime, I'm back in Mike Billington's little studio next week to record a few songs with a fiddle accompaniment. -Watch this space to find out who my backing musicians are.

It's all gradually coming together, so don't forget YOU can be a part of it by coming down to the session next month on Tuesday 19th March.

21/02/2024

Well I had a few 'apologies for absence' last night but, despite that we had a reasonable turnout. It was great to welcome a new face in the form of the energetic 'Chazza' who read a selection of her quirky short stories, each one accompanied by an excellent sketch of the person who the story was about. All great fun!
I managed to record 8 tracks for my forthcoming Studio/Live double CD, including a pretty good rendition f Bide Awhile with some beautiful audience participation - a bit of a spine-tingler that one!
Next month we'll do it all again and I'll try and get another batch recorded. In the meantime, I'm back in Mike Billington's little studio next week to record a few songs with a fiddle accompaniment. -Watch this space to find out who my backing musicians are.

It's all gradually coming together, so don't forget YOU can be a part of it by coming down to the session next month on Tuesday 19th March.

19/02/2024

Tomorrow's session will he slightly different. I'd like to get started at 8pm!! During the evening, with your indulgence, I hope to record a set of about eight songs which will form part of the live CD in my double CD set currently in production. It would be lovely to have lots of my friends and fellow musicians to help swell the choruses and create a bit of atmosphere. I'd like to take everyone's details so you can be immortalised as 'taking part' in the recording, with your names being included in the accompanying book that will go with the CDs. I hope to see a good crowd tomorrow evening!!!

16/01/2024

Well, the weather outside is frightful
But the session is so delightful
There's no better place to go
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

I hope the snow, what there is left of it, will not deter people too much. I hope to see a good crowd tonight, starting at around 8.30pm

11/01/2024

Our first session of the new year will be next Tuesday at the Derby Brewery Arms. We aim to start around 8.30pm so come along with your words of wisdom, tunes, songs, poems, ditties, doggerel or just to watch and wonder!

20/11/2023

We'll be gathering tomorrow for our monthly session at the Derby Brewey Arms, on Cheetham Hill Road. Starting at around 8.30. Hoping to see a good crowd of performers and audience members.

26/10/2023

Well, it's only taken 50 years, but I'm about to embark on a venture to record a CD of songs and poems. I'm planning to do half as a live recording and half in a studio.

It's very early days in the process and the first thing I need to do is compile a list of possible/[probable content. I have a good number of songs/recitations already in mind but I wondered if any of YOU had any other ideas what you'd like to hear? I realise this will be easier for some of you than others, because some of you have seen me play more often but, regardless, if there's anything you think I should have a go at, please let me know.

Sensible suggestions preferred, but, whatever.....!

22/10/2023

A little snippet from our first session at The Derby Brewery Arms last Tuesday. 11 performers 13 audience a very encouraging start in out new home.
!!

16/10/2023

The first session in our new venue is TOMORROW at 8.30pm at The Derby Brewery Arms, on Cheetham Hill Road. There's parking alongside the pub on the side nearest Manchester or across the road at the side of St Chad's church. We're hoping for a good turnout. Please spread the word!!!

12/10/2023

The first session in our new venue is next Tuesday at The Derby BreweryArms, on Cheetham Hill Road. There's parking alongside the pub on the side nearest Manchester or across the road at the sudeof St Chad's church. We're hoping for a good turnout. Please spread the word!!!

27/09/2023

27/09/2023

The new venue for All Things Considered Acoustic Sessions

26/09/2023

Ten years ago today we held our first acoustic session in the front room at The Eagle, Collier Street, Greengate, Salford!

14/08/2023

Don't forget our session tomorrow evening at the Eagle!

09/08/2023

Tickets are still available for next Thursday evening's performance of 'Peterloo - Soldiers On the Rampage' performed by Geoff Higginbottom, Martin Gittins and Rob Carroll. Tickets are available from Eventbrite by searching the title above or by emailing [email protected] and stating your requirements. N.B THIS IS THE ONLY PERFORMANCE TAKING PLACE THIS YEAR!

18/07/2023

It's our monthly session tonight at The Eagle. There are a few 'regulars' who haven't been so regular recently - It would be great to see you down there! And the same, of course, goes for all the regulars who have been more regular! 8.30pm