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	FROM THE EDITORS
	A couple of late local festivals coming up - and both in Scarborough. The always excellent Scarborough Jazz Festival opens with a couple of fringe events: the Easy Band play the Spa Sun Court at 5.30 on Wednesday 22nd September and Urban Latino are at the Cask from 8.45pm. The full festival opens at the Spa on Friday 24th with the Stan Tracey Trio (plus Guy Barker and Bobby Wellins) headlining. Saturday 25th features Tim Whitehead’s ‘Colour Beginnings’ on the afternoon (reflecting the work of JMW Turner’s famous watercolour sketches. Inspirational to Paul Rothko, David Hockney and numerous other modern artists - with these sketches back projected) and closes with, 100 years after the birth of Django Reinhardt, Martin Taylor’s re-formed ‘Spirit of Django’. Sunday afternoon features the Anita Wardell Quartet and Nicki Allan’s Gospel Singers, the evening closing with the great saxophonist Alan Barnes playing Alan Barnes! Full details and tickets at www.scarboroughjazzfestival.co.uk On Sunday 12th September the fifth Acoustic Gathering takes place in Peasholm Park, Scarborough. As we go to press the only firm details we have are that recent Radio Two Awards finalist Dogan Mehmet and the Deerhunters will be closing the day with his Anglo-Turkish Gypsy-Punk styles! Main support is the extraordinary Leeds based guitarist Jon Gomm. The day runs from noon till 10.30pm. Expect a range of the very best of local acoustic acts too ..... (p.44 for some details) We’re really keen to get stories from bands - road stories / gig stories / rehearsal stories .... whatever. In the meantime local stalwart Phil Muriel sent, some time ago, a description of his new band Lithium Sunset (see. p.45). And Steve Tempestoso contacted us with a request that maybe we could review a Zepfreecream gig. With around 600 gigs per month in the LiNK Steve understood that this would be difficult. I suggested the band, who in a relatively short space of time have developed a formidable touring schedule and serious popularity on the pub rock circuit, wrote a review from their point of view.... - in the meantime, a short bio from the band on p.42. Thanks Steve. Any bands or solo artists out there with road stories (say one page plus a pic or two) - get in touch. All the best Pete Bell Following on from last months editorial a Live Music Bill has been introduced to parliament in the latest attempt to change the Licensing Act 2003 and introduce an exemption for small gigs. The bill has received its first reading in the House of Lords after being introduced as a private members’ bill by Liberal Democrat Tim Clement-Jones (the Lib Dems even seem to be developing Tory sounding names). It would amend the 2003 Licensing Act and allow gigs with audiences of 200 people or less held between 8am and midnight in bars or workplaces, including schools and cafes, to take place without a licence, although these would be subject to review if problems arose. Under the bill, musicians playing un-amplified between 8am and midnight in places already licensed under the act would not require a licence either, and there would be no limit on the number of players for such un-amplified performances. Live music campaigner & jazz drummer Hamish Birchall said he was optimistic about the bill’s prospects. He added: “Given the Conservatives’ and Liberal Democrats’ long-term commitment to some kind of exemption for small gigs, the political climate is probably the best it has been for 15 years or more.” But the bill’s opponents maintain there is no problem with the current licensing situation. Chris White, chairman of the Local Government Association’s culture, tourism and sport board, said he thought it was “a very ignorant bill”, adding that “the case that there is a problem with live music has not been made”. Well I think he needs to talk to a few more people on the ground! Earlier this month, campaigners delivered a petition to 10 Downing Street calling for Prime Minister David Cameron “to stop criminalising live music” and support amendments to exempt most small-scale performances in schools, hospitals, restaurants and licensed premises. The petition, created online by Phil Little of the Live Music Forum campaign group, lists 16,949 signatures. Three academics, including Simon Frith, Tovey professor of music at the University of Edinburgh and chair of the Mercury Music Prize, signed a Live Music Forum letter sent to Michael Scholar, chairman of the UK Statistics Authority, expressing concern that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport “persists in making the misleading claim that ‘overall live music is thriving’”.  Overall it is struggling and  the sooner this bill gets approved and on the statute books the better it will be for artists, audiences and promoters. In  these times of austerity live music is one thing that might help maintain some degree of optimism and community cohesion.  Talking of which , as I’m writing this , Whitby is just about to undergo the trauma of Whitby Folk Week & Whitby Regatta coinciding for the second year running. These 2 events are great for the town but, because of intransigence on both sides, instead of the happening over consecutive weekends the organisers of both events seem determined to reduce the impact of both on the local economy and increase the stress on the town’s infrastructure and enjoyment of event-goers by going for the same weekend….heads need knocking together Jim McLaughlin
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