A Family Day in May
This year, Friends of Grosvenor and Hilbert Park will be holding a Family Day on May 6th. We
hope to use all areas of the park – plans so far include a dog show, stalls, a craft demonstration
marquee, food, drink and live music. At last year’s event the music and dance proved very popular,
and gave some young bands, like Revelations, their first chance to play on a stage in front of an
audience. We were really lucky to have worked with Dan Littlechild of the Acoustic Valium Project,
and we have been spying on him during the last year, both online and out and about around the
area! Seemed like a good time to now ask him, in his own words, what’s been happening:
“We have had a busy year since the last event, turning The Acoustic Valium Project into a complete
package. We have a studio set-up through a friend, we are now managing acts under AVP banner
and been nominated on National Radio for an award. The Bedford Pub in Tunbridge Wells High
Street is our official partner, we also have 19 additional sponsors who have contributed to our
project for 2013. We have set up a new website www.acousticvaliumproject.org.uk and we have
really started branching out to other towns and counties. I also co-host Kate’s Sunshine Cast on
American radio once a month playing our acts’ music to a whole new audience…”
I was surprised so much had happened in a year, and asked Dan, and “Barracks Recording Studio”
owner, Mark Cooper, about recording the acts. I met Mark last year when I wrote about the band
“Tuesday Night Specials” and the weekend event Gazastock. I still can’t count the amount of things
Mark is involved in, but he also drums for “Sevenscore”, and it was when they recorded an album
with Quentin Holway in 2003 that Mark realised he wanted to get into recording. Now with a unit
at the Gaza Trading Estate near Sevenoaks, he is hoping to offer local artists the opportunity to
record at a competitive rate. He approached Dan about being the recording partner for AVP, and the
first artist to have a session was Annie Lees, with a different artist being recorded each month. I
don’t know ANYTHING about recording studios, but I’ve been for a visit, it looks great, Annie Lees
sounded great, and you can find the link to the studio through the AVP website sponsors page. Mark
can help you make a CD, or just get your music online – and if you’re lucky make you a cup of tea!
Some one else I’ve got to know better during the last year is also a sponsor for AVP. We had seen
Chris Pope singing and strumming a guitar at Local and Live a few years ago, and finally worked
out which table in the corner he hid at during Ukulele Night at The High Brooms Tavern. His love
of local music has grown so big, he’s set up his own website www.anaudiencewiththepope.com and
can often be found in the evenings, as some musical event, camera and notebook in hand, hoping to
bring you the latest news (unless it’s ukulele night, now at the Cross Keys, St John’s Road, when he
can be found with ukulele and pint glass in hand). Chris says “There are so many great bands and
artists in the area but the only thing many people see is a listing in a gig guide or an event invite.
AnAudienceWithThePope is about getting to know the artists and the bands, getting under their skin, finding
out what makes them tick, etc. As well as being an exclusive collection of news, reviews, interviews, videos
and photos that others may find interesting. It’s my contribution to our wonderful original music scene and
with over 5000 visits so far, others seem to be enjoying it to .”
It’s good there has been so much enthusiasm for the local music scene, and we are hoping for an
afternoon of super entertainment on the 6th May; but what about the future for Acoustic Valium
Project? One of the principles of the project has been it’s fund-raising element. Dan said:
“The future is looking very bright with our fortnightly slots at the Bedford, we have new acts
coming on board all the time. Following our launch in Hastings we will be introducing some of
these wonderful acts to Tunbridge Wells in the near future. We have four “Big Weekenders at The
Bedford” this year for four different charities, and have our usual other activities going on. Our
little orphanage in Uganda was burgled recently and we have sent some more money out to them to
help them regroup and feed the children. We always want to hear from acts of any age wanting to
get their music heard. Contact dan@acousticvaliumproject.org.uk ”
I, meanwhile, have a plan for Dan, inspired by the loss of the Grosvenor Recreation Ground
bandstand as early as 1935. Apparently, when we had a bandstand, this was quite the place to be
seen in the evenings, listening to the “Ceylon Band”. Dan and I hope to set up a few Sunday
afternoons of acoustic music. We’ll have to use a gazebo instead of a bandstand, and we’ll need
some favourable weather for an audience to bring rugs, chairs and picnics, and we’ll put out “The
Hat” to try and get some money donated to the artists and some charities. This should give a
different performing experience to the evenings in The Bedford, and hopefully bring some new
visitors to the park. I’ve heard some really good acts in the last year, like “Habit” and “Ricky and
the Hats”. I’d like to share some of this music, and the park, with some more people! So if you are
too busy to visit on Bank Holiday Monday, keep an eye out for our “Busking afternoons”.
Related Posts
Tom Tugendhat lends support to Lifestyle Health Foundation →
Put a spring in your step at Penshurst Place ‘Fit for a Queen’ events programme for 2022 →
Letter from California →
Comments