Annual Word Bloggers' Get Together?
I have been posting here for a few months now. And I have been lucky enough to have had a couple of my posts published in the magazine. I've seen others mention this, too, but I really feel part of a community here and I was wondering if the time might be right to think about an annual Word bloggers get together, where we could convene and meet each other in person? My idea is in its purely embrionic form at the moment, but I was thinking along the lines of choosing a suitable venue/pub/restaurant where the regular bloggers could meet up of an evening to get to know the faces behind the names. I almost feel as though I know some of the posters on here, as I look forward to reading their contributions so much. The logical extension of this would be for us all to meet up for an evening of merriment. Of course, I realise that some of our bloggers are not UK based and they would probably not be able to make it, but I think it's a splendid idea. Perhaps Mr Ellen and Mr Hepworth could be our guests of honour, and the whole shindig could happen sometime near Christmas?
How about it?
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In order to keep consistent with my blogging style...
...I'll come in late, butt in halfway through a conversation with 2 stupid statements then bugger off. For a month.
Why not?
I'd be up for it.
Damn
Better do more copies of my annual Green Christmas CD then...
Does The Word petty cash stretch to the first round?
Yup
& up for it.
I'm game
A hostelry somewhere around Islington Green so that we could luxuriate in irregular blasts of the sound of young Islington.
I would suggest
that "the sound of young Islington" t-shirts be up for sale in time and shall be apt means of id'ing each other. Any profits from the sale of can be chucked in the kitty.
Go on then
Mine's a Guinness
Great idea!
I'm up for it (although imminent arrival of biscuitbiscuit jr. may scupper that...)
London Schmondon
Surely it must be obvious that Lichfield is the new, um, London.
Now you're talking.
An assembly of the Lichfield Chapter of the Word Massive could be fun, if using the word "Massive" in the context of a bunch of middle-aged men isn't possibly a mite insensitive!
The Bloggers Ball
Who will be Cinderella ?
I'd go if I was around.
Also think that if if did come off and it was a success we should have "Bloggers 2 - Bloggers on Tour" for the rest of us no longer camped or even, never camped in the Big Smoke.
If you don't think it would spoil the magic
to fill a room with middle aged men clutching Richard Thompson LPs, then let's give it a go. Any chance the Bonzo's might be up to do the caberet?
I'd like to come
but, I warn you, in real life I'm not very pleasant.
( Especially after a long train ride where I shall probably be brought to the brink of murder by a loud, twenty-something backpacker on the phone to his *chick* in Madrid ).
Personally
I don't think there is anything wrong with having a "chick" in Madrid!
Certainly
isn't. Not sure that she'd appreciate being called that however...
Funnily I did have "chico" in Barcelona
And she was always called "chico". And did appreciate it.
Chico
erm Springer, that would be chica in yer actual Spanish.
http://translate.google.com/translate_t?sl=es&tl=en
(and please can we have the Word meet-up round at Archie's?)
Indeed
My Chico was indeed a chica. And a top chica at that.
Failing that
The Word - on tour.
Essentially a fact-finding mission to far-flung musical hotspots and real ale retreats, where Mark's minions hobnob with the elite and erudite of music magazine reade
Or else a pie and a pint in The Capital of Culture 2008
Sounds good
Mine's a pint!
A pint of wife beater and a
A pint of wife beater and a large packet of McCoys ridge cut spicy chili crisps please.
so long as it's
not on a night when the Wire's on.
Shouldn't be a problem
With 13 episodes, assuming no interruptions, S5 will finish in mid October.
Only 10 in season 5, but a
Only 10 in season 5, but a lot happens apparently.
yep
Love Trousers should (perhaps with Middle East Peace Envoy doing the early Stones output) be the house band, with plentiful HORAe told by the stars themselves (Chrissie Hynde included) and The Wire running on loop but on mute, to be soundtracked by the SoYI.
It's like something out of Proust, only Remembering things future.
I've got ongoing air-fare issues to sort
But if you can organise a kitty, I'm in.
Lobs
a handful of change into Archie's cap.
Or
perhaps you could all make it out to Spain. Eh?
That's a thought
Maybe we could arrange it to coincide with Mr H being over here on a covert surveillance mission er I mean visiting his offspring.
Hmm. That's another thought. Where is the Head today, anyway? Does this mean there'll be no officially monitored disco for the second week running?
Hopefully
Archie your piggy bank comes good.
Best I can do
Well...
I'm flying to Spain next week, Archie. Whereabouts are you?
Cadiz
Bottom left-hand corner.
Hmmm
Bit of a trek. I'll be just a bit east of Alicante. Ah well.
Hmmmm
Should qualify for a "grumpy old men" Christmas special. Did someone mention real ale? I'm on my way...
Will there be a pop quiz?
Shall we all just meet up in the lounge while they record the podcast in the snug?
We could recreate the
Smash Hits christmas party flexi disc. But in bloggy/podcasty kind of way.
Come on over
I'm throwing a garden party in Toronto for y'all. And there wont be any snow. Bonzos and Thompson all night. Ok then maybe not!!
Me too
If I post enough to qualify - make that two pints of Paul Weller, and a packet of scratchings, ta
Oh you qualify
...and it's your round.
old gags' home
So what if I am. Bdum and, indeed, tish.
ps ah, I appear to have forgotten my wallet....
Well, I'm encouraged by the response
I think this could be a definite goer. I guess we'll have to give some thought towards a venue. I'm based in the west country, but a London venue is probably the most sensible option. Especially if we are requesting the presence of Mr H and Mr E.
I suspect
that the lack of response from certain quarters may be more significant!
As long as...
...we can use the "we are with Mark and Dave" as we gatecrash a gig or party guest list afterwards. Long time since I ligged in London. Boomtown Rats at the Marquee I think. No, it was Plummet Airlines at the ULU.
Third vote for Lichfield
which may put us in the majority. However in these days of needing to take out a loan to fill your car up am willing to share travelling costs with Retro and Paul if we have to go out of Gods country!!
I'll be lurking by the bar
...remaining anonymous
I'm in
Maybe we could set up some sort of video-link to Archie; 'I'm sorry I couldn;t be with you in person tonight etc'?
When I frequented Mojo4music
When I frequented Mojo4music a few years ago, the regular posters arranged just such a meeting (known as a Jolly Up). We met up in London in The Moon Under Water pub in Charing Cross Road one Saturday afternoon and haven't looked back since. Mojo staff (eg editor Paul Trynka) even attended some JUs. In 2003 when Mojo4music's Enlightenment board started to run like a dog and the administrators wouldn't or couldn't do anything about it, we formed our own site (blackcatbone) which continues to this day, as do the JUs, which happen every few weeks around the UK and all over the world; some BCBers have attended JUs in multiple continents. Other than nobody looking like others expected, it was like meeting old friends and we've all made new friends as a result of the board and the JUs. There's even been the odd marriage and one hell of a lot of music swapping.
Odd marriage?
Steady on now, that's somebody's spouse...
Sounds like you might be a good organiser of The Word Knees Up. Either you or that blogger called Hepworth, whoever he is.
There's (almost) nothing to it
1. Find a central (near tube) friendly pub, ideally one with a free room (and maybe a separate bar) that you can use for your private party. Or a big one like a Weatherspoons in an area that is quiet at weekends that does food too.
2. Pick 2 or 3 possible dates (a Saturday from 1 or 2pm until the pub closes is probably best) post them and choose the most popular (or the one you want).
3. Get people to say if they are coming.
4. Get one of the earliest arrivers to wear a The Word t-shirt (not necessary if you have a private room) or display a copy of the magazine so you know who to approach.
5. Consider making up compilation CDRs of your favourite tracks to swap with other attendees - it's fun making them and doing the sleeves and poo-pooing each others track listings.
That's probably about it. If you ask them, they will come.
And still all quiet
on the Hepworth/Ellen front.
Its all a qustion of stalking
You never know what kind of nutter is ready to be unleashed. You know , Take a Drink...Slurp......"David........Slurp..........I love your jumper...did yo get it for Christmas...Here is a CD I made for you.....all Richard..Slurp...Tommygun...Slurp...I mean Thompson..and I think you might like this article I've done on......Slurp....YES, I mean No, I mean who do you like anyway?.....Slurp.....Give it to Mark Ellen....what do you mean No....Slurp.......You Wanker......(Door crashes......"The Sound Of Silence" plays on the Jukebox.
That
Andrew Harrison seems a nice bloke.
Let's hope he has a key to the petty cash box.
Too Shy
I'd come, but I wouldn't know anyone in person.
I confess...
...the same goes for me. Too much of a social anxiety/phobia sufferer to actually venture out and mix with a bunch of folk I've never met before.
That'll be why David and
That'll be why David and Mark haven't expressed any interest; they are terrified that their readers will turn out to be a bunch of sad social anxiety / phobia sufferers. No offence, like.
None taken,
...despite the gratuitous "sad". Mate.
.
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Rules
No bringing along OGWT DVDs/CDs/LPs or favourite copies of The Word for autographs. Besides this would decrease the value of said merchandise on Ebay.
The first person to mention Smash Hits buys a round.
There will be no pop quiz but there could be a poll for best & worst band, favourite album and a raffle to win your height in promo-CDs-received-in-The-Word-office-during-the-week.
If Noel Gallagher attends you must not take the piss. OK at Liam though.