Local events with in the North West of England:
Here you will find information about what is going on within
My Local area,
First I'll start with
The Stoned Soul Picnic
At the moment they hold fortnightly events at their humble abode:
The Panorama Hotel Main Street Halton Village Runcorn
What is the Stoned Soul Picnic? And I quote from, The Stoned Soul Picnic Pocket Philosophy Issue 1A, The Stoned Soul Picnic event is a place where you can kick back with your beer and be treated to an underground jigsaw of Live music and musically educated dj's, just about anything that's good enough gets played up here. From Jazz Funk to Punk, Rock n' Roll and back again! The Stoned Soul Picnic started off 3 years ago as a 'sunday social' at the
local boozer in sunny ald Runcorn. The Dominoes tables were the resting
place for the turntables and the darts oche prooved a stage for the live
'acoustic' musicians. It wasnt long, about 3 months and we needed a much
bigger venue. The Panorama Hotel in Runcorns Halton Village is most probably
the oldest building around apart from the Castle, underneath it there is a
cellar which has been transformed into one of the funkiest venues Ive ever
come across and Ive been to a few with tattoesque decor over the cavern like
walls, This is the home of The Stoned Soul Picnic and we still put events on
here first Friday of the month. Here people can see the 'true Picnic' if you
like. A kind of Block Party // Local Shin Dig which often explodes into a
full on eclectic thing. We have guest DJ's and people who turn up on the
night with a few records to play its all ok and the philosophy is 'if its
good enough play it'. The Pocket Philosophy is a kind of fanzine thingy me
bob which was introduced at the very first sunday social event, the idea was
to have people feel involved in what we were doing, an outlet for writers
who wanted to contribute and a publication for punters to keep up to date
with what we were up to. The Pocket Philosophy has since been adopted by
'Inner City Sumo' and The Masque Venue are to introduce thier own 'glossy'
version soon. People ask me wether im sore about people stealing my ideas,
Im not - Im not as commited (if this is the right word) to putting on events
as most promoter/dj's who regard a successful event as an event with about a
billion people in the place. Im happy with a musically educated audience, if
im playing records to one person who enjoys the records then thats a success
to me. The Stoned Soul Picnic is a success already we have residencies at
Warringtons White Hart venue (every Friday) Runcorns Panorama Hotel (every
1st Friday of the month) Keele University (every 1st Thurs of the month) and
most recent The Masque Venue Liverpool (every Saturday).
I recieved a phone call one day and was asked whether Id like to promote an
event in the Bar of the Masque, now being an old hat at this game, Ive Dj'ed
for Jamiroquai, M-People and the likes of Aphex Twin in my days, I was
concerned about people just wanting us to do the summer months whilst the
students were away, but the people at the Masque seemed true to thier word
so I agreed. Like I said earlier it isnt me whos bothered whether Stoned
Soul Picnic is a success in Liverpool (It will be however) Its a hobby for
me, some people play golf Im a serial Promoter. The Future? World Domination
without any effort whatso ever - just the soul & know how!
The set up of the event has a 'anything goes' flag - we would gladly welcome
along any other medium of entertainment at the events, we have had a couple
of live bands play already at the Liverpool event but we are waiting for the
return of the student for it to become a regular thing, I would like art
shows going off, impromptu additions from musicians who bring along thier
instruments playing over the records etc etc etc basically we aint bothered
its everyones event, we dont have off shore accounts from doing this thing.
If we could give people one reason to turn up to this thing? This is a good
question and simple to answer, I have become frustrated over the last ten
years about how souless the Clubbing industry has become, ok people are
paying top dollar for the likes of superstar Dj's and thats ok with me but
it isnt what a party is about? parties are celebrations and we aim to bring
Casino and Erics all back.
Where do we see The Picnic in a year - who knows? we do this thing as the
underdog we are not blinded by the bright lights or money banter the media
love us and are writing more and more about the picnic philosophy, the
guardian put us in the top 10 club events ie London, Manchester, New York
and fuckin Runcorn for gawds sake. Sleazenation wrote a piece about us and
BBC & NME are recently interested. World domination?, nar from the council
estates and for the council estates. I dont mind being the Kool Herc of
promoters if people like the idea and crib it but weve got tommorow sussed
and theyll always be one step behind.
The Stoned Soul Picnic its bigger than me & you and its simple.
YOU WILL THEN FIND THE STONED SOUL PICNIC ON THE FIRST FRIDAY OF THE MONTH AT THE PANORAMA. EVERY SATURDAY THE PICNIC IS AT THE MASQUE IN LIVERPOOL. FOR DIRECTIONS AND UP TO DATE INFORMATION VISIT THEIR WEB PAGE. ADDRESS IS BELOW:
