Club Acoustic was started on 30th September 1999 in a small room in the Old Clubhouse, by Keith Smith and Ric Bateman (pictured some time later…).
A group of local musicians had been playing in noisy pubs around Buxton for some time, but wanted to create a space where music could be played, listened to and enjoyed in a quieter environment. Ric and Keith invited all types of musicians and music, just so long as it was acoustic. The intention was to create a very low maintenance event which was a pleasure to attend, so it was held fortnightly to make it a treat rather than an obligation.
25 years on, and Club Acoustic is still a fortnightly, low maintenance event which (I hope) is a pleasure to attend.
Over those years some things have changed; we’ve had a few different venues and now meet at the Working Men’s Club, and we aren’t always totally acoustic. But, at its core, we hold true to the original intention of being a place where music can be enjoyed by performers and listeners alike. People have joined us, some have left for other places and other activities and, sadly, a few have passed away.
During the Club’s lifetime, we’ve had performances from something like 200 different people. While these have mostly been singer/guitarists, we’ve seen an incredible range of performers with instruments from the accordion to the zither via things like the cajon, the harp (both stringed and blown), the piano and the saxophone. Not to mention many who have sung unaccompanied!
As 25 years of Club Acoustic seems something worth celebrating, our next meeting on October 16th will be an opportunity to celebrate the past and look forward to the future. We plan a longer than usual evening, starting from 7:30 pm, with the room available to us up to 11:30 pm. As well as our current group of regulars, we’d really like to see anyone who has been a part of Club Acoustic at any point over the last 25 years. Keith and Ric are already signed up to perform a few songs, and anyone else who turns up ready to play should be able to get a turn or two.
Hope we see you there!
Richard – current Committee Chairman
