
GIGS AND BUSKING
Lockdown Busking
For obvious reasons, there's no gigging right now. This is hurting many of my musician friends very badly and I sympathise with them and hope they come through this absurdness intact and with a fresh enthusiasm for their art. To the so-called 'ruling' and 'scientific' classes of this country and this world I say this: shame on you all.
​
Our solution to the present situation, though, is this: busking. There's a dynamic to standing up and playing to a street that is like no other found in gigland. There's no social contract, you see. If you want to listen, we welcome you. If not, walk on by and that's fine. If you want to show your appreciation by dropping a coin or two, gracious thanks - but it's neither obligatory nor expected. Kids love to watch - especially the little ones, which gives me hope that human response to live music will not die despite the efforts of the faceless ones who produce and consume it on that most evil of all mankind's inventions, the internet.
​
Summer 2020 brings a new dimension: the busking gig. The principle is simple. We come to your pub, restaurant or other suitably social distance-friendly establishment with our busking rigs (no big PA's, amps etc.) and entertain you for an hour or two. It's all acoustic, it doesn't drown out conversation, your customers don't need to shout over the top of us to be heard (imagine that, eh?). And it costs you, the proprietor, nothing except perhaps a beer or two if you feel so inclined (and which we appreciate), together with agreement that we can - as buskers do - lay out a hat. In the words of the great song Mr. Bojangles, we play 'for drinks and tips'.
Interested? Contact me on 07851 551 566, Facebook or eMail.
​
PAST GIGS
2020
18 December | The Dockyard Club, Southsea | FRASER HARPER
10 September | The Barley Mow, Southsea | FRASER HARPER
6 March | Steam Town Brew Co., Eastleigh | THE BLUESBURY GROUP
4 March | Winchester Folk Club | THE BLUESBURY GROUP
20 February | Jags at 119, Portsmouth | KING ROLLO & FRASER HARPER
3 February | Havant Music Club @ The Wheelwright's Arms, Havant | KING ROLLO & FRASER HARPER
​
2019
15 November | Auckland Arms, Southsea | KING ROLLO & FRASER HARPER
13 October | Thatchers Bar, Portsmouth | KING ROLLO & FRASER HARPER
28 September | The Galway Inn, Lorient, France (Britanny mini tour) | KING ROLLO DUO
27 September | Ti Devine's, Rostrenen, France (Britanny mini tour) | KING ROLLO DUO
13 September | Auckland Arms, Southsea | KING ROLLO DUO
8 September | The Fountain Inn, Rowlands Castle | KING ROLLO & FRASER HARPER
30 August | Eight Arch Brewery, Wimborne, Dorset | THE BLUESBURY GROUP
27 July | Hayling Acoustic Festival | KING ROLLO & FRASER HARPER
18 July | The Barley Mow, Southsea | THE BLUESBURY GROUP
12 July | Auckland Arms, Southsea | KING ROLLO DUO
16 June | The Fountain Inn, Rowlands Castle | KING ROLLO DUO
1 June | West Town Inn, Hayling Island | THE BLUESBURY GROUP
23 May | The Barley Mow, Southsea | KING ROLLO DUO
19 May | Thatchers Bar, Portsmouth | THE BLUESBURY GROUP
17 May | Ex-Servicemen's Club, Havant | THE BLUESBURY GROUP
11 May | Wolverton Folk & Blues Fair, Isle of Wight | THE BLUESBURY GROUP
5 May | West Town Inn, Hayling Island | KING ROLLO DUO
28 April | Auckland Arms, Southsea | THE BLUESBURY GROUP
29 March | Thatchers Bar, Portsmouth | KING ROLLO RIZZUM & BLUES BAND
21 March | Belgium & Blues, Southampton | THE BLUESBURY GROUP
15 March | Auckland Arms, Southsea | KING ROLLO DUO
7 March | Auckland Arms, Southsea | FRASER HARPER
3 March | The Fountain Inn, Rowlands Castle | KING ROLLO DUO
26 January | The Golden Lion, Bedhampton | KING ROLLO DUO
20 January | Thatchers Bar, Portsmouth | THE BLUESBURY GROUP
2 January | Winchester Folk Club | THE BLUESBURY GROUP