Protestival 2.0 - Bath's Festival of Protest

Following the success of this June's gathering in Victoria Park, Bath will see a second Protestival this year on Saturday at the Royal Oak on Lower Bristol Road.

The press release for the event reads:

Jessica Milton will host Protestival 2.0, taking place at The Royal Oak pub on Lower Bristol Road on 03/10/15. It will be a day event filled with workshops, short talks, performance poetry and music.

Jessica Milton is proud to bring Protestival 2.0 to Bath for the second time. Protestival 2.0 will kick off with acoustic music performed by local musicians, followed by talks on community projects, campaigns and local opinions throughout the early afternoon. There will be diverse workshops all day in the beer garden, and music all evening to keep us dancing long into the night!

More information can be found online at:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1692671017614244/
Eventbrite: http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/protestival-tickets-18650461031?aff=es2

The event has been lovingly founded with the intention of creating a platform of shared ideas, knowledge, and expertise, to create a better connected society. It has been called the “spiritual successor to the Visions for Change event that drew in hundreds of people in 2012 and 2013”, and is a celebration of activism and radical thought in Bath and the surrounding community.

LINE UP

WORKSHOPS
running throughout the day in the side room (or the beer garden, weather permitting):

Kieran Denman: Anarchism and building your own solidarity network
Jesse Perrett: Poetry and spoken word activities
Clothes swap: bring something from the back of your wardrobe and you could go away with something new!

TALKS
commencing early afternoon:

Paul Reid-Bowen; Bath Spa Philosophy lecturer, on Sustainability
Zenon; ex-hermit and artist, on the importance of Collective Unity
Chris Roche; recently-ex-student and Unionist, on the importance of activism and how student groups can encourage change (subject to change)
Zaria Philips; from Unite in the Community, on community solidarity
Holly Templer; from Fossil Free Bristol, talking about successful local campaigns
Louise Somerville; from Frack Free Somerset, on practical campaigning skills

MUSIC
throughout the day and continuing through the night!

Chris Johnston; chilled, positive vibes, drawing on his own life experience

Tom Harris; self proclaimed 'musician, poet, astronaut' - make of him what you will
https://soundcloud.com/tomharrismusic

The Domino Collective; funk-influenced feel good grooves
https://thedominocollective.wordpress.com/

We will also be teaming up with the Royal Oak for the evening, and inviting a "mighty fine collection of West Country style bands for a jolly evening of cider swilling" at The Royal Oak in Bath from 9pm:
Surfin' Turnips, Scrumpy Swillers and Hater UK at The Royal Oak

 Times for the events are as follows:

1.35 - 2.15 EMMY LILA
2.15 - 2.30 INTRODUCTION TO PROTESTIVAL: the vision
2.30 - 2.55 PAUL REID-BOWEN
2.55 - 3.10 HOLLY TEMPLAR
3.10 - 3.30 SAMMY CROCKER
3.30 - 3.50 CHRIS ROCHE
3.50 - 4.20 TOM HARRIS
4.20 - 4.30 ZARIA PHILIPS
4.30 - 5.15 BEN LYTHE
5.30 - 7.00 DOMINO COLLECTIVE
8.00 til late STEVE WURZEL AND THE SCRUMPY SWILLERS


 

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Protestival - A Protest Festival. This Saturday, Victoria Park

Protestival - a protest festival - will be happening in Victoria Park this Saturday, with acoustic music and radical politics.

Organisers describe the event as "A day long festival that brings together activism and music! We will create a beautiful hub of activism-spreading and good musical vibes in Victoria Park on Saturday 6th June (this weekend)."

"The aim is to bring together the people of Bath, to share knowledge, listen to music, network, and have fun!
Please bring some food, a few drinks, maybe a blanket, and everyone you know!!!"

"Families more than welcome!"

"We'll be having quite a few folk musicians down, a fair bit of spoken word (some people coming all the way from Brighton to be there, just sayin'), some poetry, and an inspirational speech or two. Not to mention some live art, juggling lessons, yoga, meditation (hugging and laughing), frisbee, and of course members of various activist groups from around the local area to mill about spreading the word of what they're doing, and how you can help. It's also been suggested that we do a clothes swap table there, too, so we can share and swap our clothes, as well as our knowledge!"

With the sun set to shine on Saturday and growing disillusionment with politics as usual and a government hell-bent on destroying everything British people have fought for over the the centuries, we're sure this will be a great event.

Facebook event page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/313194788890221/

Groups attending in some capacity include Bath Students Against Fees and Cuts, Bath Against Cuts, Bristol A-Fed and Unite in the Community. Various local folk musicians and local groups will be playing acoustic music.

We'll post further details as they come in.

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Earth Hour Gathering in Bath - And There's More on the Way

This year's Earth Hour - organised by WWF - saw up to 70 environmentally aware people of all ages and many different backgrounds gather together on the green in front of the Royal Crescent to celebrate the event. Earth Hour, in which people are invited to switch off all electrical devices between 8.30 and 9.30pm, is an international campaign to raise awareness about energy usage. It began in 2007 in Sydney, Austrailia and has since become a worldwide hour of action.

The event saw people from all over the city congregate en masse with candles, acoustic guitars and blankets. The combination of a growing sense of environmental awareness, good weather, and the great job undertaken by the people who organised the event were key factors in its success. Even residents of the Royal Crescent came down to the event. At the end of the evening several people did a litter pick and everyone took home a bag of rubbish, to ensure that Earth Hour stuck to its environmental principles.

Due to the success, there are now plans to make "Earth Saturday" a regular event, on the last Saturday of every month, with the next event scheduled for 26th April. Organisers say that if the weather is looking bad, the event will be moved to the following Saturday.

So come on down, this could be the start of something big!

Earth Saturday - Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/EarthSaturdayBath
Earth Saturday - April Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1486206851599754

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Anarchy vs Chaos: An Introduction to Anarchism‏

Press release from BARF, the Bath-based anarchist collective...

Anarchy vs Chaos: An Introduction to Anarchism‏

On Saturday 5th October, from 4 until 7pm in the Coffee Lounge of Manvers Street Baptist Church in Bath (a minute's walk from Bath Spa train station), the Black And Red Federation will be organising a discussion on anarchism, and invite members of the public to come along and take part. The group feels that recent government policy and business lobbyists have made the UK a better place for millionaires and right-wing politicians, but an increasingly uncertain and unhealthy place for everyone else.

Anarchism has received a bad press ever since its birth 173 years ago, with anarchists forced into stereotypes of either violent thugs or sandal-footed hippies – caricatures repeated by both the media and political establishment on one side, but also by self-proclaimed anarchists on the other. But many anarchists see it differently: the philosophy has come a long way since its roots amongst the Taoists of ancient China and the Christian Anabaptists of 16^th Century Europe, promoting mutual respect, equality and rationality, and opposing oppression wherever it appears. Indeed, anarchism had become a mass movement of hundreds of thousands of everyday people fighting for and winning freedom from the 1920s to the 1930s in the Ukraine, Spain and Korea, however briefly. Far from embracing destruction and chaos, anarchists say that 'Anarchism is Order'!

In Bath on Saturday, a handful of local speakers will make short presentations on the ideas and history of this important but controversial political philosophy, before breaking down into longer group sessions where all present are invited to discuss and offer their two cents. The group will ask whether, in this current climate of biting austerity and growing global unrest, anarchists and their ideas have any role to play?

Entry is free, food and hot drinks will be available, as will stalls of literature, and all are welcome to come along and join them on the day! This will be the first in a series of talks this year.

Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/204881599685209/

BARF Website: https://network23.org/barf/

 

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Visions for Change 2013 - Full Details Announced

Here's the latest press release from Bath People's Assembly on this Saturday's Visions for Change event - NOT TO BE MISSED!!!

After months of planning, Visions for Change 2013 will open its doors to the public at 11am Saturday 27^th April. More than just groups with stalls, this year’s event features talks and short films, as well as the opportunity to engage with various groups active in the Bath area, find out what they are doing to make the world a better place and to get involved.

Organised by Bath People’s Assembly, the independent democratic forum that all residents of Bath are welcome to attend the meetings of, the event promises to be an exciting one, with a diverse range of groups and speakers, from environmental groups such as Greenpeace and Green Vision, groups concerned with business and economics such as Avon Co-operative Development Agency, the Bath Oliver and Bath LETS, groups campaigning for peace and an end to poverty such as Bath StopWar Coalition, Bath Amnesty and Bath Oxfam, groups opposing government cuts and the current handling of the economy including Bath Against Cuts, Occupy Bath, 38 Degrees and BARF, and many others, including Bath Foodcycle, New Hope and directors of radical films.

Last year’s event was a huge success – the event was packed out and many groups met each other for the first time and have since worked together more closely. It also inspired a similar event in Norwich, and an organiser from Visions for Change Norwich will be speaking at the Bath event. This year the event will be held on two floors – on the ground floor will be stalls and a café run by South West Food Not Bombs, and in the basement will be talks, short films and a radical photography exhibition.

The event is free and is open to the public between 11am and 3pm,and is in the Friends’ Meeting House, York St., Bath, BA1 1NG. Up to date information can be found on the Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/158627290953876/?fref=ts

The full list of groups attending this year is as follows:

Greenpeace
Bath Oxfam
Bath Against Cuts
Bath Amnesty
Energy Efficient Widcombe
38 Degrees
BARF (Bath Anarchists)
The Zeitgeist Movement
Occupy Bath
South West Against Nuclear
Bath Stop War Coalition
Bath Foodcycle
Frack Free Somerset
Bath People's Assembly
New Hope
Secret City
Bath Quakers
Bath Friends of Palestine
Bath Against the Badger Cull
Green Vision: The Bath Youth Climate Movement
Clevelands Pool Trust
Bath Green Drinks
Visions for Change Norwich
Forum Bath
Bath LETS
Bath Oliver
South West Food Not Bombs
Avon Co-operative Development Agency

UPDATE: Film director Ken Loach has now been confirmed as the guest speaker, between 11:30 and 12:00

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Visions for Change 2013 Announced

Released today by Bath People's Assembly...

VISIONS FOR CHANGE 2013 - 27th April

Following on from last year's highly successful Visions for Change event, Bath People's Assembly is proud to announce that we will be putting it on again this year!

Visions for Change consists of a large collection of forward-thinking groups active in Bath who are working in some way for a better world, including environmental, political, social, peace, welfare and other issues, and who campaign and/or take action at a local, national and international level. Each have their own space and are given a speaking slot.

We are currently in the process of inviting groups, with many more to announce as attending in the coming weeks. Last year we had 23 groups, and this year there is room for even more, as we have an additional room for speakers!

Those confirmed to date (to be updated regularly) are:

Greenpeace
Bath Against Cuts
Bath Amnesty
38 Degrees
BARF (Bath Anarchists)
The Zeitgeist Movement
Occupy Bath
Bath Stop War Coalition
Frack Free Somerset
Bath People's Assembly
New Hope
Clevelands Pool Trust
Bath Green Drinks

There will be stalls, talks and a fairtrade cafe area. This promises to be an interesting, informative and thought-provoking event.

Here's what the media said about us last year:

http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/Aiming-make-difference/story-15991662-detail/story.html

http://standingstonesblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/visions-for-change.html

The event will be held in the Friends' Meeting House, York St., Bath, BA1 1NG. Location map here: http://tinyurl.com/ckol4e7

Please help to spread the word by inviting everyone you know who might be interested in coming by word of mouth, e-mail or by inviting them to the Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/158627290953876/

Please send all enquiries (from public or media) to: info@bathpeoplesassembly.org

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Anarchy vs. Chaos - An Introduction to Anarchism

BARF, the recently-formed Bath-based anarchist group, put on an Introduction to Anarchism event in on Saturday November 24th, with speakers and discussions about anarchism, with around 25 people attending, and ample amounts of free tea and cake.

The event started with a short introduction explaining the take on anarchism that BARF promotes - essentially that it is against oppression, discrimination and capitalism; that people are generally decent and responsible and can determine what they do without need for authority and that power corrupts, even temporary power.

The next section was a history lesson, with a talk on the Peterloo Massacre of 1819, where a huge anti-poverty and pro-democracy rally took place and was broken up by police, with 18 deaths and hundreds injured, and the eventual implications of movements and demonstrations where people fought for their rights on today's society.

Anarchism in the workplace was the next topic, with the speaker knocking dead the suggestion that anarchists tend to shy away from work with the statement "The best place to contest capitalism is the workplace". We live in a so-called democracy, but at work it is often a dictatorship, and the workplace that anarchists wish to see is very different. Unions are now bureaucratic structures and their aim is not anti-capitalist - the struggle needs to move beyond what unions can achieve. A big part of anarchism is direct action - taking action yourself, rather than waiting for unions to do it, and in the workplace, solidarity with other workers and looking out for them is the key to defending rights at work. An example of an anarchist workplace is occupied factories in Argentina, where factories facing closing down are now run by the workers. Working hours are now down and wages are up, and excess profit was used to build a co-operative hospital.

The final talk of the day was on anarchism and violence. Anarchists are often portrayed as violent, however the is a large pacifist contingent within the anarchist movement. There is no guarantee that you can avoid damage to things other than the target during violent actions, and the assassination of a leader simply results in a new leader. The debate about violence in anarchy masks the other aspects e.g. workplace organising and community projects. Violence may be necessary in some cases, especially if there was a revolution. Millions die in wars and of starvation and in the workplace from being over-worked - all of which are symptoms of capitalism, which poses the question: Is it more violent to break a window than to fight a war? However, the means have to be consistent with the ends and violent means could result in violent ends. In order for the people to take over, we would have to face police and military - violence may be necessary, a large movement in solidarity could make it easier.

The second half of the event was taken up with discussions over tea, including overcoming barriers to anarchism and supporting those affected by the legal system.

For more information on BARF's take on anarchism, see the very first on by guest blog series "Politcal Perspectives", written by BARF - What is Anarchism?

BARF's website is here: https://network23.org/barf/

For more information on the Peterloo Massacre, On This Deity has a short  article, and for a more detailed account check out http://www.peterloomassacre.org/history.html

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BARF Presents: Anarchy vs. Chaos: An Introduction to Anarchism

On Saturday 24th November, from 3 until 6pm in the Coffee Lounge of Manvers Street Baptist Church in Bath (a minute's walk from Bath Spa train station), the Black And Red Federation (BARF) will be organising a discussion on anarchism, and invite members of the public to come along and take part. The group feels that recent government policy and business lobbyists have made the UK a better place for millionaires and rightwing politicians, but an increasingly uncertain and unhealthy place for everyone else.

Anarchism has received a bad press ever since its birth 219 years ago, with anarchists forced into stereotypes of either violent thugs or sandal-footed hippies - caricatures repeated by both the media and political establishment on one side, but also by self-proclaimed anarchists on the other. But many anarchists see it differently: the philosophy has come a long way since its roots amongst the Taoists of ancient China and the Christian heretic Anabaptists of 16^th Century Europe, promoting mutual respect, equality and rationality, and opposing oppression wherever it appears. Indeed, anarchism had become a mass movement of hundreds of thousands of everyday people fighting for and winning freedom in 1920s Ukraine and 1930s Spain, however briefly. Far from embracing destruction and chaos, anarchists say that 'Anarchism is Order'!

In Bath on the Saturday, a handful of local speakers will make short presentations on the ideas and history of this important but controversial political philosophy, before breaking down into longer group sessions where all present are invited to discuss and offer their two cents. The group will ask whether, in this current climate of biting austerity and growing global unrest, anarchists and their ideas have any role to play?

 

Entry is free, food and hot drinks will be available, as will stalls of literature, and all are welcome to come along and join them on the day!

If you would like any further information, please email bathactivistnet@yahoo.co.uk

https://network23.org/barf

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Bath Foodcycle Presents: Soulfood - Review

Last Friday (20 October), Bath Foodcycle put on a fundraising night consisting of a three-course meal for 34 people and a night of bluegrass music attending by around 100 people, raising £918 for the cause. Bath Foodcycle is part of a volunteer-run national movement that takes surplus and waste food from supermarkets and other food retailers than would otherwise be destined for landfill, and uses it to cook food for people who do not have access to healthy foods.

All food was vegetarian with vegan options. The starter was a delicious red lentil and red pepper dip with potato wedges. The main course was 'soul stew' with pumpkin and kidney beans and a spiced rice, with enough for a much-welcomed second helping. Dessert was a yoghurt bread pudding (vegetarian) or fruit crumble (vegan).All who sat on my table enjoyed their meal immensely, and were pleasantly surprised at how good a meal made from waste food could be. Gin with iced tea complemented the meal perfectly, and some went back for a few more of these.

The music was provided by the Gollywhoppers, Big Green Uncle, Slapface and the Hoagies, Bryan Chalker & Out of the Brew and Swamp Donkey. All provided excellent entertainment, however regrettably I was only able to review Big Green Uncle from the night.

Big Green Uncle

Adam Timmins, Steve Hatch and Matthew J Young from Big Green Uncle really look the part. You can imagine these guys hanging out on the edge of a ranch in the mid-west, railroad running past, empty whiskey bottle on the floor, areefer being passed round and animals running around at their feet while they strum. A really tight-sounding band who evidently love their bluegrass. Although their set consisted of covers, they played them vibrantly and with soul, with song topics ranging from trains, chickens and getting drunk and stoned, the latter involving the audience shouting "to get high!" during the chorus. And high they were, in the audience appreciation stakes. A fun band with who despite their apparent love and dedication to the genre, don't take themselves too seriously and a real pleasure to watch, and the performance never once stumbled or got boring. The most surprising thing about Big Green Uncle is that this was their very first gig and that  formed specifically for the Soulfood event. Since this gig they have decided to continue as a band and already have more gigs organised. For something a little different, fun and enjoyable, catch these guys next time they play!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BigGreenUncle

Phoebe Kitcher, one of the Foodcycle staff, said "The event was a huge success, and we're very grateful to all involved. Can't wait for the next one!" Bath Foodcycle is going to be cooking for three weeks in St Mary's Church on Julian Road, Bath in November (dates to be confirmed) and will be providing cheap meals. Following this, they will be putting on the Bath Bake-Off in December. Keep up to date with Bath Foodcycle on the links below, and if you want to sign up or find out more about becoming a volunteer, visit the national website http://foodcycle.org.uk/.

Bath Foodcycle Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bathfoodcycle
Bath Foodcycle Website: http://bathfoodcycle.wordpress.com/

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Live Music Reviews

The Bath Chronicle is no longer reviewing theatre, music or any other performance art from any venue except for the Theatre Royal (see my previous blog post for more info), and let's face it, their reviews were always rubbish anyway. As of now, Standing Stone's Blog will be helping to fill the gap with live music reviews. As time and money is limited, not every gig can be attended, and those reviewed will largely be artists that fall within the taste of the author of this blog - however if you attended a gig in Bath that you feel deserves a review, please feel free to get in touch and contribute - guest posts on this blog are encouraged (as long as you are not the artist in question, of course)!

With no journalistic training and at the start of this project having never written a music review ever, the quality may not be great, but at least someone's doing it.

This will not affect the usual reporting on activism and opinion pieces - these will continue as usual, posted whenever anything noteworthy happens round these parts.

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