Our village’s regular, acoustic music night has a new venue for 2023. From now on its sessions will take place at Ruddington Conservative Club – still on the 3rd Thursday of each month.
After seven years at The Cottage Hotel, rising costs for the venue meant it could no longer offer its facilities free gratis for ‘Ruddington Rhythm’ this year – and organiser Ron McSweeney {pictured top left} did not wish to introduce an entrance charge. However, having missed only a month, he was welcomed by the Kempson Street venue to continue his gatherings there instead – and keep the admission free.
For the first three years in our village, this monthly feast of music was known as ‘Ruddington Folk & Blues’. However, founder Ron began to think his original name conveyed too narrow an area of music to both potential musicians and audience members. In reality, a wide range of styles and genres were being performed each month – from Americana, country blues, rock ‘n’ roll, standards, pop and folk to sea shanties. So he came up with the current name to reflect that – which continues at the new venue.
“I approached the management of the Conservative Club at the end of December and they were very keen to have an ‘open mic’ night” reveals Ron. “It is a club that is conservative (small ‘c’) and there’s no compulsory membership and no pressure to join. I’m not a member. ‘Ruddington Rhythm’ is free to attend, and always will be. The only charge is to enter the raffle (not compulsory). There are four prizes; normally three bottles of good wine and a box of chocolates. The ticket monies taken buy the prizes for the next month’s raffle. A small sum of the money is retained each month and used to buy prizes for a bumper raffle at Christmas. The raffle is called at the interval – which is not always half way through, as it depends on the number of performers who turn up.”
A PA system is provided; with two mics plus ‘jack’ inputs, all controlled and sound checked. Ron says there are several regular performers – mainly guitarists, soloists and duos – all singers. Occasionally a four piece band or similar will turn up – plus accordionists, ukulele players and more:
“We welcome any new performers regardless of their standard of musicianship. When performers arrive I enter their names on a ‘running order’ sheet. There could be seven or 20+ but that may break down to a smaller number of ‘acts’ (duos, trios, etc). I then have to calculate whether it’s two songs each half or two first and one second – very hit and miss! Then there are regular performers who come a distance; 25 to 45 minutes away. They like to go on at the beginning of the second half so they can leave early” explains Ron.
He also stresses that non-musicians are a vital part of each meeting: “There is always an audience. If there wasn’t I wouldn’t be able do it! It’s the regular members of the audience that make it worthwhile. They are very attentive, don’t talk whilst performers are singing… and sometimes they join in!”
Whilst audience members and musicians with lighter instruments who live in our village are encouraged to walk (especially due to the lack of parking at the new venue) Ron has provided the map above for visitors to show the nearest available on-street parking: “Some will be taken by residents so early arrival would be advisable”.
The start of the eighth year of ‘Ruddington Rhythm’ is Thursday the 16th February at 8pm. It is then always on the third Thursday in the month. Everyone is welcome to attend and join in!
