MUSIC - WE WANT MORE!- DO YOU WANT MORE?
createROSS very much hopes to repeat last
years success with the Ross Busking Festival, which is a great opportunity for young musicians to develop their skills and get themselves heard. Follow the link on the projects page if you want to know more. 
Yearly festivals include The Linton Festival,
The Ross Beer and Cider Festival, The Ross Country Music Festival, and of course Ollie Fest, which is growing stronger each year. So if you are in search of the lost chord, there is quite a selection. Having said that, most of these events feature bands playing cover versions, which is all well and good, but the chance to see rising bands playing original material would be very welcome. That’s why we believe there is still room for a regular out and out ROCK club / blues gig in Ross, or a Folk Club. It’s not as though there are not venues available in the town that could hold such a thing. 
The Larruperz has a large hall and stage which
could host well known bands, with the audience capacity to make it work financially (seats 300). At the moment there’s a monthly Country and Western night, and odd other gigs, but it needs more people with a passion to help organise these type of events to come forward and put their butts on the line. Talking of lines, the bottom line is of course money. If someone out there wanted to put up some sponsorship cash to get a gig off the ground, we’d bite their hands off. 
Then there’s ‘The Venue’, which although a bit
smaller, and not kitted out as a music venue, is still capable of hosting a very tidy rock gig (holds 120) We know this is true because Ed from ‘The Gig Club’ has held several well attended events there, including the createROSS launch party in January 2018. However, it desperately needs some proper lighting to create the right mood, and a good PA and a BAR of course. 
Another possible venue is Jacqueline's Nightclub,
which these days hosts a disco and a ‘Silent Disco’. In the 60’s, when known as the ‘Top Spot Ballroom', this great space hosted many bands of the moment and famously shut the power off during a Pink Floyd show because they were TOO LOUD! |
Ross On Wye likes to think of itself as a
‘Town Of Music’, and for a smallish market town it does punch above it's weight. Several pubs in the town regularly feature bands, the Larruperz centre has monthly events and The Phoenix Theatre also has concerts. Various choirs and brass bands appear throughout the year and there are music festivals and other events that feature music. Some of these are outside of Ross, so blackmail a friend to be your designated driver. 
If your musical tastes are a wee bit more refined
then there are loads of opportunities to hear classical music, choirs and brass bands as well. Each year the town’s bandstand, down by the riverside has a regular Sunday afternoon concert, where the opportunity to take a picnic (chairs if you wish), and spend a leisurely few hours lapping up music in the sunshine presents itself. Last year saw the start of a special ‘Proms in the Park’ Sunday where several bands played. That happens again this year, so use it or lose it! 
There are also several choirs in the area,
providing the chance not only to listen, but to take part and sing if that’s your bag. They are always looking for new members. Then of course there is always music of one kind or another playing at events like the Ross Carnival, and events a bit further afield like Coleford Music Festival The ‘whats on’ website - playross.com
lists many of these, as does the ‘Events in Ross’ facebook page. They both however suffer from a lack of information when it comes to event organisers letting them know about upcoming gigs. Local pubs (with the exception of the Yew Tree at Peterstow), seem totally unable to grasp the concept of self promotion. It’s bizarre how many local pubs book a band to play, and then assume that an ‘A’ board in the street and a last minute garbled post on social media, on the afternoon of the event, is going to result in a sold out event. (We’re not bitter by the way - we'd just like to see more events work). Presumably bar staff sit around twiddling their thumbs while a handful of regular customers and a dog watch the band and the Landlord fumes away in the background wondering why they are going out of business. 
If you feel the urge to get involved
in putting on a music event, we could be the hub, where you meet like minded souls. Or you could just volunteer to help out at the many events already happening. They are ALWAYS on the lookout for help. Why not contact us and we’ll put you together …and if you are putting on an event, PLEASE let playross.com know about it. |
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The ‘whats on’ website - playross.com lists many of these, as does the ‘Events in Ross’ facebook page.