Spotlight on Campsie
by Sylvia Lockhart
B&F November 2012
We are now into our 17th year of Campsie A&F Club – unbelievable, we say – it doesn’t seem that long, but it is. After visiting a few Clubs around us previously, we began to believe that we could also run a Club, and thankfully, after a few changes within the group of friends, we are still in operation, but we now have our Campsie Players – born out of our audience some years ago.
Club nights take the same format every month. We have our local artistes playing for an hour, before our guest artiste comes on for a half hour stint. Our buffet splits up the night, and we have the same again. We have musicians who come every month without fail, and others who come along perhaps because we have a guest artiste that they favour. We also have a raffle to augment the funds.
Our dedicated Chairperson, Billy Hutton, his son, and John Gray take it upon themselves in the afternoon of the Club to set up the function suite at the Glazert Country House Hotel. A few years later, Billy made a stage that is in sections so that it is easier to transport and set up. The sound equipment is set up and tested as well as our keyboard, tables and chairs set out, then for them it is off home for a bite to eat and a change of clothes before returning for the entertainment. There are other helpers at the end of the evening who help to dismantle and pack away everything, and Billy returns next morning to pick it all up.
Having an excellent MC on our Club nights who appears to know most of the audience, and can tell a ‘specially selected’ joke or two does help the Club nights go with a swing, and having excellent bands to entertain us each month just makes it a great place to be on the first Tuesday of the month from September through to May. We also run two dances – a Christmas dance and a Haggis and Neeps Dance that help to augment out funds, and are very well attended.
We have been lucky enough to win The Club of the Year award three times running at the start of the BAFFI’s. We hope this is partly because of the warm welcome that is extended to everyone who attends the Club.
Within the first few years of the Club starting, we surveyed our audience to find out whether anyone would consider coming along to a ‘workshop’ and were surprised by the uptake. We discovered that in fact we did have some ‘closet’ players, and they were willing to come along and practice under the instruction of Morag Robertson and Iain Lockhart. So began our group, which recently became known as The Campsie Players. Over the years, we have had musicians who have come and gone because of other commitments. Within the last few years, younger members have gone on to further education, and other have family commitments or jobs that make it difficult to be available, and again some newer members have joined us. It is helpful for those who join to be able to sight-read. Over the years more of our members have become confident enough to play in front of an audience, which makes it all worthwhile.
We practice on the last Wednesday of the month throughout the year, except for perhaps December when we are all so busy anyway. On our practice nights we choose the selections for our Club night, and each summer hand out some new music to practice for the next season. Groups in the area found out about our ‘workshop’ and invited us along to entertain them. Over the years we have probably played to most of the Women’s Rurals and Church Guilds in the area around Lennoxtown, and also some farther afield. We only ask for a donation to Club funds, and of course a “wee bite of supper”, which everyone is glad to offer.
At our concerts, soloists are given the chance to play for the audience between our group selections, and Morag, our spokesperson, tells the audience what we are playing, and also gives us all a few laughs at some ‘appropriate’ jokes. Our programme usually contains some sing-along melodies, some well-know tunes, and a smattering of Scottish selections. It makes for an enjoyable night for the p[layers, and it must make for an enjoyable night for the audience as we have been asked back to quite a few venues. Since the beginning, personally, I have made a lot of new friends with whom I share a love of Scottish music. This was instilled in me as a youngster sitting under the upright piano listening to my own father’s small band practicing in our house, and listening to the ‘Home Service’ playing the dance music.
What’s next we ask ourselves – well, more of the same. It is hard to believe that the Club has been going for such a long time. Over the years, funds have made it possible for us to buy newer equipment so that we can give our audiences at the Club and our own concerts a good sound, and on Club nights, we provide a supper that seems to go down well with our faithful supporters who come along every month whatever the weather, and we really appreciate that. If you haven’t been to our Club – what have you been doing? You are always sure of a warm welcome. Come along and join us.
Club nights take the same format every month. We have our local artistes playing for an hour, before our guest artiste comes on for a half hour stint. Our buffet splits up the night, and we have the same again. We have musicians who come every month without fail, and others who come along perhaps because we have a guest artiste that they favour. We also have a raffle to augment the funds.
Our dedicated Chairperson, Billy Hutton, his son, and John Gray take it upon themselves in the afternoon of the Club to set up the function suite at the Glazert Country House Hotel. A few years later, Billy made a stage that is in sections so that it is easier to transport and set up. The sound equipment is set up and tested as well as our keyboard, tables and chairs set out, then for them it is off home for a bite to eat and a change of clothes before returning for the entertainment. There are other helpers at the end of the evening who help to dismantle and pack away everything, and Billy returns next morning to pick it all up.
Having an excellent MC on our Club nights who appears to know most of the audience, and can tell a ‘specially selected’ joke or two does help the Club nights go with a swing, and having excellent bands to entertain us each month just makes it a great place to be on the first Tuesday of the month from September through to May. We also run two dances – a Christmas dance and a Haggis and Neeps Dance that help to augment out funds, and are very well attended.
We have been lucky enough to win The Club of the Year award three times running at the start of the BAFFI’s. We hope this is partly because of the warm welcome that is extended to everyone who attends the Club.
Within the first few years of the Club starting, we surveyed our audience to find out whether anyone would consider coming along to a ‘workshop’ and were surprised by the uptake. We discovered that in fact we did have some ‘closet’ players, and they were willing to come along and practice under the instruction of Morag Robertson and Iain Lockhart. So began our group, which recently became known as The Campsie Players. Over the years, we have had musicians who have come and gone because of other commitments. Within the last few years, younger members have gone on to further education, and other have family commitments or jobs that make it difficult to be available, and again some newer members have joined us. It is helpful for those who join to be able to sight-read. Over the years more of our members have become confident enough to play in front of an audience, which makes it all worthwhile.
We practice on the last Wednesday of the month throughout the year, except for perhaps December when we are all so busy anyway. On our practice nights we choose the selections for our Club night, and each summer hand out some new music to practice for the next season. Groups in the area found out about our ‘workshop’ and invited us along to entertain them. Over the years we have probably played to most of the Women’s Rurals and Church Guilds in the area around Lennoxtown, and also some farther afield. We only ask for a donation to Club funds, and of course a “wee bite of supper”, which everyone is glad to offer.
At our concerts, soloists are given the chance to play for the audience between our group selections, and Morag, our spokesperson, tells the audience what we are playing, and also gives us all a few laughs at some ‘appropriate’ jokes. Our programme usually contains some sing-along melodies, some well-know tunes, and a smattering of Scottish selections. It makes for an enjoyable night for the p[layers, and it must make for an enjoyable night for the audience as we have been asked back to quite a few venues. Since the beginning, personally, I have made a lot of new friends with whom I share a love of Scottish music. This was instilled in me as a youngster sitting under the upright piano listening to my own father’s small band practicing in our house, and listening to the ‘Home Service’ playing the dance music.
What’s next we ask ourselves – well, more of the same. It is hard to believe that the Club has been going for such a long time. Over the years, funds have made it possible for us to buy newer equipment so that we can give our audiences at the Club and our own concerts a good sound, and on Club nights, we provide a supper that seems to go down well with our faithful supporters who come along every month whatever the weather, and we really appreciate that. If you haven’t been to our Club – what have you been doing? You are always sure of a warm welcome. Come along and join us.