Showcasing a way to help our clubs

The financial situation in many club venues is so acute that the Agents’ Association and its members are pressing forward with more opportunities to promote clubland.

During talks with club representatives on matters and events important to club officials it was decided recently to stage mini-showcase events in which representatives from other areas could see acts they may well be interested in.

Generating much-needed work for acts has to be a good thing and events have already been staged in Bradford, Sheffield and Manchester with great success.

Clubland stars like Star Star, Lee Lambert, Caitlyn Bailey, Laura Ellis, Roadhouse and many others have already been involved in such shows.

I know from speaking to agents association officials that many more mini-showcases are planned and I shall report on them as and when they come up. In the meantime, with Christmas coming up, this is traditionally the worst time of year for our clubs.

Let’s hope that, even in these ridiculously hard times, that a few more club members can find a few quid for a night out and head through the door of their local club.

Last Friday evening I went along to Edward VII Club in Allerton Bywater to work in my capacity as an entertainer.

I honestly thought I had worked in every single club in our area at one time or another, but this was my very first time on stage here. This club has been suffering severe financial pressure up until quite recently and concert secretary Arthur Roberts and some new club officials had to move pretty smartly to address the grave financial situation which existed at the club under a previous regime.

During such times of austerity it’s nice to be able to report on a club which seems to be on the up and up and long may it continue.

The social networking site Facebook has a lot to answer for in my view. Like many involved in show business, I joined the site quite a while back due to the networking opportunities, but I’m now beginning to wish I hadn’t bothered.

Many entertainers seem to use the site as a means of conducting running battles with each other. Some of them are people I have known for years and honestly thought had more sense than to air their dirty washing in public.

What looked at first glance like a great business opportunity now seems to have been hi-jacked by those with nothing better to do than to hold tedious, juvenile quarrels in public.

Has it not occurred to some entertainers that people, who might previously have admired them and their level of talent may conceivably think much less of them once they have read some of this material. It’s honestly all beyond me!

Finally for this week, I shall be starting to mention pre-Christmas events in our clubs right here in the Express quite soon. With only a few weeks to go before the arrival of the fat, bearded man in the red suit, there is lots to enjoy for one and all out there in clubland.

If you have charity events, or events involving senior citizens or children, just get in touch with me as I’d love to hear from you. Come on folks, get writing!

If you have any news or views for this column get in touch with me at [email protected] or call 01924 8980800 and leave a message.