Regarding Mudcat, I note with interest that there is one member expressing disappointment that the MFAB Fringe Programme isn't more widely available, viz:


In answer, I'd like to advise that the programme has been available to buy locally for £2.50 (see previous announcement), but as an apology to those further afield (like Mo), it is the committee's view that making the programme available for purchase online would likely result in it being published widely, so it will not be available for download! You will hopefully appreciate that the income from programme sales is important to the festival and that such potential losses are unacceptable ...

As for the vagueness of the website, I'm wondering what was meant by this rather vague comment? 

Dave, my earlier request for not cutting'n'pasting was really in relation to the articles and archives on the main part of the website and not in relation to my personal statements made here in open forum — I'm sorry that wasn't clear ...

And my personal dislike of Mudcat goes way back, has nothing to do with MFAB and the ongoing discussion there, or any other that has related to MFAB — my snub is definitely not directed at you or indeed anyone else who posts there with openness about their identity etc. However, I consider the place has suffered an excess of trolls for many years and anyone is fair game for being baited, whether they deserve it or not! Sorry for the rant (which I would prefer not to be broadcast on Mudcat)! 

I am unable to speak for the MFAB Committee members who are not regulars here, but now (this week), particularly, is not a time when they have a spare moment as I'm certain you appreciate? There wasn't a committee request for a forum to be included when I took over and, apart from an odd message here and there, their willingness to participate has been low — I think it's safe to presume that their willingness to post on Mudcat is much less, because they seem to be the sort that never use forums of any description (y'know, like Marmite haters)!

Despite their continuing absence Dave, I am certain they appreciate your efforts in promoting interest in the festival and I'm sorry you now feel it's not worth posting here. As for whether you were being provocative or not I think I said in the beginning of the Fringe discussions it wasn't obvious to me but I forgot to tell you afterwards that I thought you had not been — sorry about that!

Thanks for the questions Dave but I, for one, have absolutely no interest in posting on Mudcat! Why can't those people use this forum? After all, that's what it's here for and, in response to the comments about lack of activity or replies in the past, that's fair criticism except there's been so little incoming traffic there's no incentive to keep checking. I now receive system notifications when new messages are posted ...

So to answer the two questions posed:

• Car parking behind the Civic Hall on Saturday evening? I've been advised that this is a definite no-no unless you're a performer or somesuch that needs specific access to that restricted area. It was suggested that opposite Civic Way, on or nearby the Salinae site, might be a possibility for parking.
• Sports Hall camping? Reserved for artistes/performers and disabled visitors only, otherwise it's Sutton Lane for all others. AFAIK it's been that way for the past few years at least.

Hope this helps?

Sorry I won't be there to see you this year as have gigging duties elsewhere — have fun though!

The Fringe page has now been published with up-to-date information, however the usual disclaimer applies in that changes/additions may yet be made ...

Please note that the map has been updated too, however because I lack good quality pictures of some venues on the list, it has not yet been possible to provide further information of these!

And finally, the Fringe Event Guide will be available to buy at the various venues, by the end of May.

Welcome! As far as I'm aware it will be organised much as in previous years, so no, it won't be left as DIY ...

With reference to my earlier message, this information has yet to be released and, as already stated on the website, probably won't be for some time yet — it's still only March! I have never yet been given Fringe information to publish until nearly June ...

I'd say definitely yes — it normally is and I have heard nothing to the contrary for this year ...

Well Dave, congrats on being such a provocateur on Mudcat, even if it wasn't intended (I'm still trying to decide) ...

Why the fuss about the Fringe? What's different this year? Ever since I've been providing web services for the festival, there has NEVER EVER been any information released about the Fringe until well after May 1 and, more often than not, not until June 1 ...

Previously that was all down to Lizzie, who was also never able to finalise any Fringe activities until everything else was in place, so why imagine there will be much difference this time?

The venues may have been known in advance, but the performers' schedules were only ever a last-minute thing ...

Furthermore as I understand it, there is a difference this year in that one or two of the regular pub venues may not even be open for trade, come the festival — as a complete 'foreigner' to Middlewich I'm unable to confirm this, but you could, surely?

As a non-MFAB person (non-committee, only an employee), I can only tell you some of what I've been informed (if permissible to be made public) or what I perceive to be going on and some of it might even be hearsay — I also find it frustrating that this forum is so underused by everyone, not only committee members! But guess what, one has already commented in this thread!

And finally, I would appreciate you not posting any of this discussion on Mudcat, or information copied straight off the website — it's copyrighted! Anyone with an interest can be directed here please?

Apologies for the slow response (time I nagged the committee to spend more time here)! 

MFAB 2009 will be starting on Friday 19th June ...

There isn't a dance@ mailbox Liz — (James) Paterson's email to Ray arrived in the webmaster mailbox!

James, please resend to ray AT d247mb DOT org — thanks.

General note: it's also a good idea not to publicly post a correctly formatted email address in a forum — better to obfuscate it like my example of Ray's address.

Dear Roger — my sincere apologies! It would appear you have been doubly unlucky in contacting us, as both the first user of the online Stalls Application and then, the first person to inform me that the Contact Form isn't working! 

I can only surmise that your application was made whilst I was debugging the form because the two later entries that day were delivered successfully by email. Fortunately your details were recorded in the database, as follows:

bizname: wrg/nw (waterway recovery group - north-west branch)
biztype: Charity
name: Roger Evans
addr: xxxxxxx (hidden)
town: Middlewich
zip: xxxxxxx (hidden)
stall: Outside - grass
wares: Very large selection of 2nd-hand books (mainly general plus some specialised Canal, Topography and Industrial History). Other 2nd-hand goods (Videos, LPs, toys, general bric-a-brac). In previous years our contact person was John Foley (whose name you may remember), but I have taken over the sales stall bookings.
email: rogermartinevans AT hotmail.com
method: email

I have now passed this info to Sherry (sherry AT d247mb DOT org) — can I ask you to send an email with your phone number (this field has more recently been added to the online form).

Next: the Contact Form ...
Following your news I discovered that we've received no recent emails by this method so I went to investigate. It seems to have been a glitch with mailing engine so I've switched to using a different one until further tests can be conducted on the original — I've since tested it with both Firefox and IE7 browsers and it's working. Many thanks for bringing this to my attention at this important time of the year, approaching the festival.

I'm looking for some specific digital pics taken at last year's festival, at the King's Lock Fringe event on Saturday afternoon, 17/6/06, or at the Amphitheatre Fringe event on Sunday morning/afternoon, 18/6/06? Specifically of Happenstance, the reformed ceilidh band that includes yours truly and local, Ian Murfitt — got any?

I know that pics were taken at both events but I haven't seen any of us — am only looking for the purpose of posting a pic to publicise our appearance at this year's festival at the Friday night family ceilidh in the Civic Hall, with Dave Hunt as caller.

If you can help please reply here or drop me a PM (you'll need to register in this forum) or, email me direct at: gadge AT d247mb DOT org — thanks in anticipation!

Yes, you can now check the Weekend and Day ticket prices and download a Booking Form here for payment by cheque. Individual concert ticket prices will be announced shortly ...

There has been an unfortunate delay in setting up a new PayPal account but once this has been completed, it will be possible to purchase tickets online, securely.

My apologies to anyone who has tried to use the Guestbook in January/February 2007 — I now realise that since a server move the Visual Verification Display (the display of a code that must be entered) had become non-functional and therefore, no-one was able to sign the Guestbook.   

That problem has now been repaired so please put it to the test! 

I'm glad you managed to find us here!

If you are/were a member of the Cheshire Music Discussion Forums and therefore had access to the MFAB section, you will need to register here in order to post new topics, or answer existing ones — unfortunately it wasn't possible to port any existing topics over from there so I encourage you fire up those discussions all over again, if necessary!

Please contribute by showing us your writing talents (or lack of)! 

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