‘Pure fm’ Gig in Memorial Park [11 September]

[Disgusted of Marple]

I am not a bigot nor am I selfish.  I have been fighting a battle against thoughtless noise for most of my adult life, mostly to no avail. I was taught that 'silence is golden'.  It is certainly a rare commodity. 

With a wife and three young kids, I too feel like I’ve been fighting a battle against thoughtless noise for most of my adult life so I can sympathise. Along with “silence is golden”, how about “children should be seen and not heard” for another redundant ancient proverb you could use to justify your views?

I would also like to echo what Lisa has said but I've decided to keep it to myself in case someone complains it’s too loud.

[Jo Scarlett]

I would like to echo what Lisa has said.  I've lived in Marple for very nearly 40 years and I think that there have been many changes in that time, mostly good, but also some that are not so good.  Anything which brings together all generations of the community must be a good thing?  I would like to thank all those individuals who give up a lot of their own time (mostly/if not all voluntarily I expect) to organising these events.  Marple is a much better place to live these days, it seems to me as though there is a genuine community feel to the town again and we can all take pride in that. 

A little 'noise' for a couple of hours is no big deal - some people just hate to think of others having fun   

I live down near Marple Tavern and we often hear the bands playing at the Ringers (depending which way the wind blows) - not my first choice of music, but it certainly isn't offensive and other people are enjoying it and its raising monies for good causes, so good luck to you.

What Marple needs are people who are prepared to support these events and help make them successful so that the younger generations feel part of a community and can join in.

[Barbara]

Here, here - well said Lisa.

[Lisa Oldham]

Its the first time this has been organised so you cant expect it to be perfect! Hopefully there will be one next year and hopefully they will make sure the timing is correct on all the festival information.

I think maybe the point has been missed.. We are a community where there are a few hard working individuals who are trying to make Marple a better place a more lively and interesting place for ALL ages... We don't want to be Southport!! WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A FESTIVAL FORTNIGHT organised by those few people!! A bit of loudness whether it be music or otherwise once or twice a year is surely acceptable to all if i makes it a better place for all of us to live in... especially if its part of a festival which will bring trade tourism .. lots of people.. to Marple? 

Lots of ages at the park young, old, families... not everyones taste but brilliant at bringing everyone together as a community.

Music was good.. and bad... but it was great to be there even in the rain ( more empty gazebos next time maybe? )

[amazon]

which cricket club , compstall. marple. hawk green

[elpram]

I attended with the children (fortunately I know one of the artistes (a local man with a young family) so was aware of the change in time.  It was sparsely attended for the first couple of hours and a lot of people happening upon the happening (as it were) weren't aware of it at all so publicity needed to be a lot better.

However I thought it was great - no noisier for the area as a whole than the carnival - I live next the cricket club and whilst walking back home around 4.30 I couldn't hear the music. Must be all those lovely hills and valleys that we so love in this area that were channelling sound toward some folk!

Also it didn't go on late and was a one off so why anyone would want to slag off a community event is beyond me!

I hope that the general increase in populace of the park ensured that any of those naughty dog walkers who don't scoop the poop were more inclined to do so ... still got some all over my pushchair wheels though 

[Dave]

I could hear the gig walking up the field path to Mellor Church, so it must have been pretty loud!    If it happened frequently I might have some sympathy with knitaholic.  But it's a special event - if it only happens once a year then surely we can all go along with it, whether or not it's our kind of music.   

[Deniseam]

I thought it was great.  It may have been sparseley attended due to the change in time and the weather which did take a turn for the worst.  What you have to think is that these events pull the community together.  There is a lot of stuff going on for older people in the community and it was nice to see something for younger people.  Great to see this stuff being organised.  Well done to the committee and other people taking part.

[knitaholic]

At 1.30pm when we were in the park the sound was very loud.  I have very good hearing which is a curse. The audience, such as it was, was standing very close to the stage so why did the music have to be so loud that it could be heard in Compstall.  I would not have come to the park if I had known what was going on.  The programme did say 3pm was the start time.

The concert could have been staged indoors.  Only those wanting to listen would be there and rain would not have been a problem.

I am not a bigot nor am I selfish.  I have been fighting a battle against thoughtless noise for most of my adult life, mostly to no avail. I was taught that 'silence is golden'.  It is certainly a rare commodity. 

How the guides taking people a walk along the canal made themselves heard is a complete mystery to me.

[sooty2]

  Brilliant post Disgusted of Marple! Very clever.

[Disgusted of Marple]

Knitaholic – Thanks, you’ve inspired me to become one of the “flurry of new users to register with the forum”. I’ve read the occasional thread previously and they can be a bit dry but that’s some of the best parody I’ve read since the Henry Root letters.  “What right do you have to inflict this awful noise …” – Classic. Good moniker you’ve got there too – generates images of someone eating Battenburg cake in a Shackleton's High Seat Chair.  Even funnier, a couple of posters believe you are being serious and have already taken the bait. How about a follow-up post about having to put up with seeing kids chewing gum or wearing trousers half way down their bottoms?

More seriously, I know the weather was rough and the publicity not great (we went down with the kids at three for what we thought was the start) but it was a real shame the event was so poorly attended. The Pocket Festival last summer in Brabyns Park cost a fiver for an equivalent standard of bands and was packed out. I hope the other festival events are better supported.

[Barbara]

We saw and heard some of the gig too, and whilst not to my taste it was not bad, and so nice to see people enjoying themselves in the park.  Pity about the weather, but that's an English summer for you.  Hope it was a success and may be repeated at the next Festival. 

[admin]

I’m not one of the organisers of the “Gig”, that was local radio station Pure Radio and members of the Marple Festival Committee, but as members of Friends of Memorial Park my wife and I were there to help out a bit from about 11.30am to 4pm. In our experience the bands we saw were all pretty good, the sound was not particularly loud and the people who attended enjoyed themselves and were well behaved. We would have liked to stay to the end but had to leave for a family engagement.

The change in timing was unfortunate and I think a lot of people didn’t realise that it had started at noon rather than 3pm, as originally advertised. Having said that, I think it was the right decision to bring it forward as it would have been pretty dark by 9pm, which would have led to difficulties in clearing up if nothing else. The weather wasn’t helpful either but it seldom is and you just have to get on with things in this country.

Whilst it’s fine to express your views, for or against, in this forum please remember your manners and try to be tolerant of other people’s views. Be warned that I will remove or edit anything that is offensive, so if you wish your posts to be seen by others then you will need to remain polite, whether or not you support the event. 

If you wish to make formal complaints that may influence if a similar event is ever held in the park again then I would suggest that you do so to the Marple Festival organisers. However, I will bring this topic to their attention. People who would wish to counter complaints by giving positive encouragement to the organisers should do the same too.

You can get in touch with the Festival organisers through this link:

http://www.marplefestival.org.uk/contact_us.html

Finally, it would seem that this event has encouraged a flurry of new users to register with the forum. I hope that this doesn’t mean we are to be overwhelmed by a flood of negativity. You may wish to complain about this particular event but I hope you will find positive ways to use the facilities that this web site provides too.

[Cyberman]

I went to the gig with the kids - we all enjoyed it (well most of it - one band was a bit radical for my tastes). Didn't find the noise excessive - it was afternoon, not night time. Shame audience wasn't bigger - we told a few friends who hadn't heard about it. Hope they do it again - with better publicity!:)

[sooty2]

Well I for one cannot understand the attitude of some people.Selfish Bigots I would call them.What's a dog walk that was interupted by noise, out of your life? Who cleans up? I think you know who cleans up,it's someones job! Not to be sniffed at these days. I don't suppose the music would be a problem to dog walkers if the music was to their taste. One mans meat is another mans poison.I was in Marple between 3/4pm and didn't hear a thing. Weather conditions affect the carriage of sound. I live near the Ring o' Bells pub and can hear the brass band concerts on Sundays, but if I didn't  know any different I would swear the music was coming from the The forces club.This Gig in the park will of brought much needed business to the local shops.How many other areas are lucky enough to have a two week long festival? which I feel incorporates something for everyone. People are working very hard to make this festival a success and to be enjoyed by all. This has become an annual event and is enjoyed an appreciated by many.Get a Life is what I say.