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Strange times -perhaps recovery
These have been strange times for us all, the world over, all ages and backgrounds. This pandemic has made an impact on us all. Back in the 50s there was a polio epidemic which gave me an experience. It took my mother when I was 3 years old, a wonderful woman I am told, I was too young to retain any real memories, all I have is one image of a kitchen, a stove and an old lady bringing her bicycle into the room through the back door. Covid has given me a reminder – one friend has passed because of all of this, two others have been infected adding to their existing deep health problems – one in seemingly endless pain, another wheelchair bound. So many fiorends have been lost to me – moving away, passing, being lost to me for other reasons.
Roughly 5 years ago I made a chance meeting with some guys – Rite Trax – who brought life back to me. Having had a background in clubnights, entertainment, music and visuals, they gave me a chance to relive what I had considered to be life itself. I resumed performance, they gave me reason, purpose, a chance for new creativity and once more a real social life. That social life was not just an ordinary, everyday life of a few minutes chatting with the odd friend, minutes or perhaps an hour at my local pub. This was a social life of real connection – real life with depth and purpose, as I said. For someone in their 60s this can be unusual, for me it was reason, foundation, solidity. Then just a while ago their venue – Plot 22 – was shut down because of noise problems and major work had to ensue so that basically one complainer could be assuaged alongside the local council – neither of whom are particularly nice nor helpful in any way. Just as work was coming to a close, having enlisted an academic specialist, an engineer of sorts who had real experience of sound proofing technology, and thus an end to roughly one year of not being able to live that life the hope I had of resuming performance and living that joyful element of my life, guess what? Covid appeared and dashed those hopes. My heart was emptied and given everything that was to happen I had that imminent thought that I would not be able to return to that life with at least moments of energy, that combination of solid foundation and brightness, soft smiles and companionship. I had every sad thought of this pandemic finishing the job of leaving me to gradually waste away into a sad life of just the local pub, no friends and just occaisional visits from family. But then a moment or two of meeting with the guys from the Plot and suddenly I am told – you are one of the crew. That welcome dismembered those feelings of low key horror and suddenly after helping set up an outdoor party feelings of belonging returned.
After all of this new thoughts have sprung to mind even though so much of my equipment and software has died on me, thus a new project – an audio-visual art piece cum collection ‘Biblionaut’, he who walks with words [(c) 2020 Derek Bate] – is currently being given birth.
A little journey
For the first time in around 20 years I managed to get over to the Netherlands to see my son. This became quite a trip! The plane journey became more of a trip through a maze courtesy of customs etc. at Manchester airport, then having to wait for a coach rather than a plane connection to get to Eindhoven from Schiphol. But arriving was glorious, that meeting at the airport, smiles and more then a gentle unpack in Rosmalen. After that we had the joy of Carnival – Den Bosch turned into Eiteldonk – don’t ask, it’s bonkers.
on another day we took a trip to Kinderdijk to see some old windmills out in the wild. these are great, old structures still used to pump water from one source to another level helping the local land, the farmers and general water supply, of course also stopping flooding and so on. We have all had too much experience of flooding recently – check UK news over recent months. As I have joked with my kids these windmills didn’t seem to run around much even though they are surrounded by fields. This is one of the reasons I am known as naughty, bonkers grandad. From there we took a trip further up the road to Rotterdam and had the joys of a drink with others in a local boozer called Locus Publicus and then went on to have a meal at a large fusion restaurant. Each was quite an experience.
Another day on and after a bit of a chat in which I mentioned that I tended to have a greater liking for places with a bit of age it was suggested that we have a run out to a place called Oud Housden. There we were treated to many of the sights above and below. it was a gentle but nice walk through the town and on to a cafe and bakery where we enjoyed nice local snacks – savoury and sweet. Then we had a further walk to see more of the watery sights.
This was a glorious journey for me – seeing my son and his partner, enjoying sights not seen before, having that delight of my eyes being greeted by something different each and every day, eating nicely … There is nothing like real experience, having your eyes, ears and taste greeted by something of difference. New experience, even what can be said to be ordinary, is a real joy. As was said then one thing I have little time for is the ‘Disneyland’ style of experience – all glitter, whoops and wows, noise and queues, carnival fair rides and the like. My taste is for real life and what it can bring, the difference of a real, living place or places, where there is a different texture to the life lived each and every day. This is experience!
International Women’s Day Event 8th March
Sunday 8th March 10:00-12:00
 £12 Concessions availableÂ
The Light Room
Hagglers Corner
Sheffield
New design
perhaps take one or two ideas from here to use in your projects …
our new online graphics resource outlet
Source: f4mmedia, Designer at Creative Fabrica
Source: Blogarama – #1 Blog directory
f4mmedia on Font Bundles – We provide a range of resources – stock images, illustrations, photoshop, patterns, brushes – something different
Source: f4mmedia | Font Bundles
New resources
f4mmedia on Font Bundles –
We provide a range of resources – stock images, illustrations, photoshop, patterns, brushes – something for everyone
Source: f4mmedia | Font Bundles
Just a few things
You can speak with pictures as well as words –
here are a few design ideas that might interest you …
There are times when retro still has its uses …
Style can be found in so many ways and places …
https://f4mmedia.business.site/
https://fontbundles.net/f4mmedia
https://www.linkedin.com/company-beta/18002500
F4mmedia http://f4mmedia.wixsite.com/content
08432895485
f4mmedia on Font Bundles –
We provide a range of resources – stock images, illustrations, photoshop, patterns, brushes – something for everyone
Source: f4mmedia | Font Bundles
New bits and pieces
Sorry I have not posted for a while but I have been really busy with so many things. Here are a few ideas and resources that may help you along the way. We all need available resources for the work we do – so fire away and download …
f4mmedia on Font Bundles – We provide a range of resources – stock images, illustrations, photoshop, patterns, brushes –
something for everyone
Source: f4mmedia | Font Bundles
Sheffield, Plot 22, Rite Trax and festivals
https://www.facebook.com/events/216847675590827/
Every city, town or village is brightened by its festivals, street parties and all such. They add quality and character to a place and help to give particular texture to the everyday lives of the people there and generally attending. They give visitors something …
I have performed at a number of these and will be performing in the future – give us a shot!
https://www.facebook.com/events/216401332419939/
The feelgood summertime vibes in Sheffield keep coming following the announcement of The Castlegate Escape – a free street party..
Redemption events
There is a real chance I could be doing some work with these guys – supplying visuals and more for various of their events, from the Grosvenor on to a bunch of their other events at venues small and large, outdoors for festival like gigs and on from such.
Redemption events Source: AJ
These guys supply entertainment in so many ways from your usual pub and venue quiz nights, karaoke and lip sunc events, to weddings, birthdays and themed parties, on to club nights, festivals and more. Most of the people involved have played all over Europe and the Mediterranean alongsode really big names (no I am not going to give a list).
Yorkshire wanderings
You may have noticed that I like to have a wander around some strange places it may seem. There are things to notice that can give joy. Where a place has some history and shows a life lived then there is something, at least for me, to gain and enjoy. Distress, age and even dereliction can say a lot, particularly when contrasted close by by tidier, more recent building. You can find something in things discarded as well as those things pristine and new. Why not take a wander and just look at the sorts of things you would normally ignore.
Source: design bundle 1
Getting around performing with the Rite Trax crew is a real joy for me – places, people, music, art, poetry. Each of these strands gives something real for me. I ended up in Scarborough the other week. The drive there and back was as much a joy, having taken a wrong turn we went through a pile of villages and small towns – North yorkshire. We had the chance to chat, of course I told some incredible stories (I have that most delightful of senses of humour, a grandad’s).
Source: RiteTrax on the Bole Hills 2017
Summer Paradise set by Tabitazn available for $3.20 at DesignBundles.net
Source: Summer Paradise set by Tabitazn | Design Bundles
Source: RiteTrax on the Bole Hills Afterparty
Source: Other City
Cranni – Plot 22 – the adventure, talent developes
Down at Plot 22, the venue created by Rite Trax the jourbey developes for Cranni, a musical adventure centres around Nigel Cranswick. Coming soon there will be an ep and then, it is hoped, at least 3 albums. I will be supplying the visuals for the opening event – 7th September, Cubanos, Sheffield. The whole story, though, is so much more interesting, some of which you can find on the Cranni blog – the english version and the dutch version – see below. That in itself is a little odd – a musical project being pursued in both languages.
Rite trax via Plot 22, the venue and studio space down by the old markets in Sheffield, is helping a whole range of creatives and performers with their art, events, development. Futurhood av and F4mmedia (both me) are there to help as well, providing a range of help and support, products and services.
Source: Cranni Dutch Version – Netherlans – Nigel Cranswick – Cranni – Singer Songwriter
Source: Cranni – YouTube
Source: RiteTrax #022 – free entry!
RiteTrax CIC is a newly formed social enterprise based in Manchester and Sheffield, aimed at providng a platform for underground creative culture.
Source: RiteTrax CIC :: A platform for underground culture
Summer Paradise set by Tabitazn available for $3.20 at DesignBundles.net
Source: Summer Paradise set by Tabitazn | Design Bundles
colours heard 