Clem from Open Jar cooking Bannock on Dumfries High Street
By Mark Zygadlo
I offer my reflections on a couple of aspects of the gathering to mark the reopening of 100 High Street, Dumfries, on 29th May 2015.
First, the building is just a building—open or closed. The Stove, on the other hand, has never been away. However, the resumption of 100 High Street is a cause for celebration because, occupied by The Stove, the building becomes a symbol, a statement of intent, a declaration in the heart of the town, redolent with possibility.
These are carefully chosen words. When you get to be an old Stovie like me, you can laugh in the face of cool and bravely speak of sentiment. For this, I take my lead from Moxie, who put her wares gently on the table at the reopening and slid under the radar to remind me—at any rate—that to be anything meaningful, an artist not least, you have to be a human being first. This was cleverly done. Addressed obliquely and full of ambiguity, her condimental list invoked the mysterious nine-tenths. Elementary, my dear Moxie. Fundamental.
I love that brownie orange
Onward, the mugs. Whisked back to my first days at art school—longer ago than even my newfound bravery wants to consider—messing about with a process I couldn’t quite handle, yet desperate for my mug to somehow transcend its mugginess and become art. Then not caring if it did or… hang on—I love that browny orange; let’s get some more of that! The noise level, the concentration, the babies… what’s going on? Is this a family or something?
The sledgehammer of the Young Stove finally cracked it
Thanks to a shock-resistant bottle and the shock-absorbing qualities built into the fabric and spirit of the old Stove—useful qualities against the vicissitudes of the future—the sledgehammer of the young Stove finally cracked it. “Jules, fetchez la vache” comes to mind for some reason; a phrase so poignant for an old Nithraider that I include it despite its irrelevance. So what? So what? So what? John Dowson, the only other resident of the High Street, told us what. The making of history, he said, quite rightly.
Now, here’s a thing, and it’s one of my favourite things: life is lived forward but looked at backwards. History is the backward view—a mash-up of memories, archives, documents, photographs, and, of course, the way we have shaped the environment. It’s all history. But the making of history is the process of living, doing, making things happen, and changing the place we live in.
A good definition of The Stove.
The noise level, the concentration, the babies… what’s going on? Is this a family or something? Mark Zygadlo – standing centre…Moxie DePaulitte – far left (pink hair)mugginessJohn Dowson, the only other resident of the High Street, told us what. The making of history, he said.Thanks to a shock resistant bottle and the shock absorbing qualities built into the fabric and spirit of the old Stove. Heid Wetting attempt by the Young Stove…..see very funny video – https://www.facebook.com/thestoveherald/videos/250690988434614/?pnref=storyBannock Making led by Open Jar CollectiveClem from Open Jar cooking Bannock on Dumfries High Street
If you thought nothing cool ever happened in Dumfries, then your mind must have been truly blown by the recent Open House series of events at The Stove. If you missed it, then I’m sorry—it’s not Dumfries that’s uncool, my friend—it’s you!
On Tuesday, 28th April, The Stove opened its doors to anyone wanting to try their hand at the fashionable art of spoken word. The all-day live event, called Open Mouth, promised to wow audiences with local and national talent whilst providing support and encouragement to keen youngsters with a raw thirst for poetry slamming.
Young Stover Ivor Gott and Sindigo prepared an eye-catching backdrop for the stage
Part 1 – Schools Workshops @OpenMouth
In the morning, pupils from a local school attended workshops designed to spark their thinking about words.
They were divided into three groups to rotate between three sessions. The Open Jar Collective added a foodie twist to the activities, and each group had the chance to paint a plate that will be used in the new Stove Café.
So, not only will they be eating their own words when they say Dumfries isn’t cool, but they’ll be eating them off a plate with their own words painted onto it! You couldn’t make it up—it’s so genius.
All the participants were keen to come back to the Stove for other events “I’m coming back to eat off my own plate”, said one, “my mum will be so impressed”
At the same time as these workshops were taking place, poet Eryl Shields was conducting creative writing workshops upstairs.
To delve into their deepest personal truths, Eryl set the theme as “10 things I know to be true.” Eryl said, “We shared the lists. Then, I asked them to write a short piece in their chosen form, based on or inspired by any aspect of their own list. We read out our pieces and looked at how they could be redrafted to be more effective as spoken word performance pieces. I was very impressed by the strength and variety of the work produced.”
Sindigo (second from right) with school pupils in an Open Mouth workshop
Meanwhile, in another room of The Stove’s amazing new premises, I was busy hosting spoken word performance masterclasses. I explained what “spoken word” was, what it could be, and how they could make it unique for themselves. The main rule we established was that it should be your own work and should be performed in front of a crowd.
The pupils then wrote a short piece about themselves, employing emotion or humour—often both. They didn’t seem shy or scared when I told them it was time to read their pieces into a microphone. With sensitivity, they were given critical feedback by me and the other members of the group on how they could improve both content and delivery.
For the humorous pieces, we discussed ways to make them even funnier—exaggerating actions, using pauses effectively, and engaging the audience with eye contact and pointing. “Do you do this for a living?” one girl asked. “That’s so cool! I wanna do that.”
At one point, some of the participants shared that they could speak other languages and were able to translate their pieces into Mandarin and Lithuanian. By the end of the class, two girls were rapping about their love of cheese, including audience participation sections in three languages. Yaldi!
Afterwards, their teacher sent a text saying, “Thank you very much for today. The kids loved it, and I thought it was really interesting—I learned loads too!”
Part 2 – Open Workshop @OpenMouth
One student even returned at 5 pm to take part in the open mentoring sessions with established performance poet Emily Elver, emcee and Girobabies frontman Mark McGhee, and Scottish Slam champion Bram E. Giebens.
Open Mouth evening workshop
The Notorious Young Stove were also heavily present, along with several other local poets and keen amateurs. Sitting around in a circle, talking about how we first came across writing, I suddenly felt like I was at a Poets Anonymous meeting.
“My name’s Sindigo, and I’m an addict.” “How long have you been addicted to poetry, Sindigo?”
But the mood soon lifted with a few laughs. Participants were able to get invaluable advice from our guests and even had the chance to perform their work and receive feedback from the experts.
Mark McGhee keeps it real
Part 3 – Gig @OpenMouth
After the briefest of pauses for pizza and ginger beer, I took to the stage to announce the evening performances and to thank the wonderful folks of The Stove for making it all possible. Scottish Slam champion Bram opened the show and was incredible, as usual, with his haunting portrayal of the inner psyche and poignant references to politics and personal anguish.
Pierluigi Angelini
Local poet and keen admirer of The Stove, Peter Angelini, provided a sentimental and romantic reflection on Dumfries and the surrounding area, his infectious smile winning over the crowds. Next up was our incredible schoolgirl, Annemarie, who had taken part in the morning workshops. She bravely took to the stage and melted our hearts with a poem about her baby sister’s ginger afro and heart-shaped freckles. I was swelling with pride at my wee protégé.
Annemarie
The Young Stovers were the real stars of the show. Ivor Gott wowed us with a poem written on the day about Mother Earth. Cara McNaught sauntered onto the stage with real style and blasted out an accomplished rap as if she’d been doing it for years. Then, Rhiannon Dewar bared her soul with a hard-hitting piece straight from the heart. She modestly declared afterwards, “I definitely found it a cool experience.” Steven Rogerson proved himself to be an accomplished writer of personal experiences, and his confidence shone on the mic. All future stars in the making!
Ivor Gott
Mark McGhee of Jakal Trades showed us why he’s always an asset on any bill with his fast-paced social commentary and wit, inventing his own words and getting the audience chanting along. His poem about Edward Snowden is still one of my favourites, and he absolutely smashed it, earning rapturous applause.
Mark McGhee
Eryl Shields
Eryl Shields’s refined and ethereal style wonderfully conveyed her polished poetic narrative. Catherine Major brought a punchy slam style, and her savvy performance was a true asset to the show. Herald at The Stove and all-round ray of light, Moxie de Paulette, gave us a rousing reaction to the election, including a mighty fine impression of Nigel Farage. Ginger, a local professional, transported us to muddy fields and festival shenanigans with his take on some traditional Burns, twisted through psychedelic raving and all-night swallying.
Emily Elver, another rising star on the scene, delivered a phenomenal performance. She had us all in stitches with her sci-fi foreplay piece and demonstrated why she’s a much-loved talent and an unstoppable force of spoken word alchemy. She said, “Open Mouth was one of the best events I’ve had the privilege to be involved in. The workshop was buzzing with new voices and experienced performers. The open mic showcased how many amazing new performers Dumfries & Galloway has. Could not have been more impressed with The Stove team and Sindigo’s hard work.”
Sindigo on Stage
I enjoyed introducing everyone and felt a surge of electricity every time I went on the mic. It was, in fact, one of the best nights of my life—a celebration of everything coming alive in Dumfries and across Scotland.
“This is just the beginning!” said Debz McDozey, leader of The Young Stove, as I gave her a high five.
#OpenMouth was produced in association with the Wigtown Festival Company. Huge thanks to them for everything!
What is DMC? It’s a good question. But ‘what wasn’t it?’ might be better.
The third Dumfries Music Conference slid triumphantly on its knees into The Stove Building on Friday, 24th April, and Saturday, 25th April, 2015—dragging behind it a heady concoction of workshops, panel discussions, live music, film, and a radio station in its vapour trail. With two successes under their belt and a bagful of lessons tucked neatly under their arm, this was the coming-of-age DMC.
Participant during ‘Recording Audio Using Pro Tools’ workshop
While DMC 2012 and DMC 2013 were important in their own right—the first for being first and the second for being a four-day monster (lesson learned)—DMC 2015 carried an extra bit of weight on its shoulders. DMC 2015 was to be the event that opened The Stove Building. Yeah, you heard it. That project, started by a beautiful bunch of arty folks (of which Team DMC belong), with a vision for a better Dumfries, began around four years ago and has had more ups and downs than the Big Dipper—this was the one. Not to mention the fact that DMC had been in hibernation for 18 months.
Unfurl the bunting and re-hang the banners—this had to be big!
Well, it was less bunting and more Rock Against Racism. The exhibition, which depicts the vibrant fight against fascists and racists, who have intermittently raised their extremely ugly heads over the last four decades, was on display throughout DMC2015—on the ground and middle floors. This is the artwork for marches, demos, and gigs that have stood in the name of social justice and equality for all. It gave The Stove a look that suited it to a tee and brought out a part of its personality that had been hiding beneath its blank canvas.
Rock against Racism exhibition behind The Stove’s new Funktion-One soundsystem
The major addition to the Dumfries Music Conference format this year was Radio DMC. It’s an idea that the organisers discovered at goNORTH Festival (now XpoNorth), and it worked an absolute treat. It gave the event a sense of currency and monkey bars to swing across throughout the daytime. Presenters Craig Watson and Chazz (also known as Deep Fried Soul) and Melissa Gunn (of Thursday Night Showcase on Alive Radio fame) infused it with the energy and professionalism that were vital to its success.
Over 20 local musicians, bands, and DJs performed over the two days—broadcasting live to the room and over the digital airwaves. The special and unique moments that Radio DMC created were truly unforgettable.
Radio DMC presenters Craig Watson and Chazz
So many great Radio DMC moments. Listen back to (almost – slight technical issue) all of them here.
Melissa Gunn of Smalltown Sounds gets Rhi from Young Stove started on her 1hour programme for Radio DMC
A special mention—and one of the many highlights of Radio DMC—was when 15-year-old Doonhamer Euan Leslie, who just happens to be the ‘Young Scottish Drummer of the Year 2015’, performed live and was then joined by a group of young musicians for an impromptu jam session on Saturday afternoon. The music was so sweet that Radio DMC presenter Chazz transformed himself into a rapper for an off-the-cuff rendition of ‘Rapper’s Delight’ by Sugarhill Gang—or should we say the Stovietoon Gang. Epic!
Rappers Delight during Radio DMC
Then there was Cinema DMC—a room on the top floor of the three-storey Stove Building, which was transformed into an intimate cinema space. The general subject, of course, was music. The programme featured End of a Century: The Story of The Ramones, Who Shot the Sheriff (about Rock Against Racism), Hector Bizerk’s Bird That Never Flew, The Punk Singer, and Searching for Sugarman. All in all, it was a pleasant and relaxing addition to the DMC line-up. Bringing your own popcorn was optional.
Cinema DMC
So, those three things were the constants. The Rock Against Racism Exhibition served as a backdrop to every DMC 2015 event (apart from the cinema). Radio DMC broadcast on both days between midday and teatime—6 pm on Friday and 4:30 pm on Saturday. Cinema DMC screened music documentaries between midday and 6 pm on both days.
Colin James performing live during Radio DMC
Since it began, DMC has been a bastion of sharing ideas. Its workshops are the stuff of legend—and, frankly, this year was no different. MusicPlus+ has been a valued DMC partner since the first event, and this year the music-mentoring vehicle motored in with an absolute belter: Hector Bizerk frontman, Louie, with Hip Hop was Born in Scotland.
The two-hour session provided a unique opportunity for young (and older) enthusiasts to hear from one of the UK’s most exciting hip-hop artists, who is part of one of the UK’s most exciting hip-hop groups. It was as much about knowledge and culture as it was about mastering the art—Louie was crowned King of Dumfries (for the day).
Hector Bizerk frontman, Louie, during ‘Hip Hop was Born in Scotland’ workshop
Number-one soundman Dave Miller took charge of the other two workshops—‘Recording Audio Using Pro Tools’ and ‘An Introduction to Live Sound’. For anyone at the live gig that concluded DMC2015, for which Dave was the sound engineer, you’ll already know the level of this man’s skills. The sound for the gig (in a pretty challenging acoustic environment) was stunning. Those who attended Dave’s workshops walked away as better people: better informed, better EQers, better everything. Dave was King of Dumfries that day (sorry, Louie).
Dave Miller (right) and a participant during ‘Recording Audio Using Pro Tools’ workshop
For many people, Friday night’s DMC 2015 Seminar will go down as their favourite part of the event. Masterminded and held together by Derick Mackinnon (there are rumours that the D, M, and C in DMC come from Derick’s name, which are so far unsubstantiated; however, there is no denying how important he is to the event and its organisation), it featured a—again, this cannot be overstated—ridiculously brilliant cast of music industry movers and shakers. Let’s recap: Ally McCrae (manager, Prides, and A&R, Sentric Music), Keren McKean (We Make Music Work and Deep Blue Festivals), Scott Kirkwood (manager, KLOË, Hit The Road, and First Run Records), Alan Morrison (The Herald), Jeff Thompson (Un-Convention and Off Axis), and Nick Roberts (Electric Fields Festival). The seminar was exceptional, revealing industry secrets about media coverage, record labels, and management.
All star cast of DMC2015 Seminar
The post-seminar portion of the evening was the moment all the bands and musicians in the audience (featuring a who’s who of the D&G music scene) were most excited—and downright petrified—about: the A&R Listening Lounge, where their music was played and reviewed before an audience of roughly 60 people. All acts of bravery were commendable. These particular acts received warm appreciation from both the audience and the industry experts. It could have gone terribly, but in fact, it was the topper to a dazzling evening and a smile-inducing day.
Packed house during the A&R Listening Lounge
Saturday night was, of course, crowned by DMC Live, featuring Miaoux Miaoux, KLOË, Sean vs The Robots, and MØGEN. Pretty much everybody knew this gig would be great beforehand. All it needed was good sound (check—nice one, Dave, and The Stove for investing in a top-notch Funktion-One sound system) and an appreciative audience. Hello to the 100 or so (sold out) good souls who made it down for that, and apologies for making you stand outside while the bands finished their sound checks. As it turned out, the timings were pretty much spot on (lesson learned). It really was a treat for the ears. Afterwards, some DMCers toddled off to the Electric Theatre Workshop for the aftershow, while others disappeared into the night.
Miaoux Miaoux soundchecking before DMC Live
Whichever way, they—and all who sailed its path—were united by the warm glow of everything that had been DMC 2015. A brilliant event in a splendid new creative hub for the town and the beginning of a new chapter for all.
Following on from Tea with Moxie, our herald, she has become interested in the many different kinds of members in The Stove Network. She’s been catching up with and speaking to various members, and we’ll be introducing one every Friday over the next wee while.
This week, it’s the turn of Melissa Gunn!
Melissa is a full-time Business Lecturer, part-time radio presenter, and all-round promoter of local music. She has lived in Dumfries all her life and presents the Thursday Night Showcase on community radio station Alive 107.3, a show entirely dedicated to promoting Dumfries & Galloway musicians and gigs. She also runs Small Town Sounds, a small project that uses local music to raise money for local charities. Melissa also did a radio show as part of last weekend’s Radio DMC.
What drew you to The Stove? I love the whole concept of The Stove because it has the potential to bring together such a wide range of art ‘genres’. I am hugely passionate about local music and was pleased to see that The Stove classified music as an ‘art’. I wanted to be a part of The Stove to try to raise the profile of our local music scene.
Share your hopes and dreams for The Stove. I hope it will be all-inclusive and help put Dumfries & Galloway on the map when it comes to creativity.
Which film changed your life? The Crow – I was totally obsessed with it as a teenager.
What keeps you in and around Dumfries? My job, my hobbies, my friends, my family, the fresh air, and the beautiful scenery.
What makes you feel alive? Listening to amazing music with fantastic company and great conversation. And Berocca.
Where were you when you saw your favourite sunset? Eden Festival.
What’s your dream for the arts in D&G? I want it to be more accessible and for there to be something that appeals to everyone.
What’s your favourite piece/event that you’ve produced? I co-organised the Small Town Sounds CD launch (as well as the creation of the CD) back in October 2013. Small Town Sounds is a charity CD featuring local musicians, and every penny raised goes to local charities. To date, it has raised around £1,700.
Our ambition to Get Dumfries Talking is coming to pass—people are really getting stuck into the #OpenHouse speech bubbles and finding great ways for the town to express itself:
What would your house say?
What would your workplace say?
What would a park bench say?
What would the cannon in Dock Park say?
Taking part is super easy—just pick up a speech bubble from The Stove (or from cafes and shops around the town), write a message in the bubble, snap it with your phone, and post it to Twitter or Facebook with the hashtag #OpenHouse.
Following on from Tea with Moxie, our herald, she has become interested in the many different kinds of members in The Stove Network. She has been catching up with and speaking to various members, and we’ll be introducing one every Friday over the next wee while.
Denise has lived in Dumfries since 1980, moving from London with her husband to start a cabinet-making business and raise four children. As the children grew, she gradually returned to her artwork, beginning with running art classes and community projects, making quilts and wall hangings (e.g., the 1996 Thornhill quilt hanging in Thomas Tosh).
Having studied printed textiles at Winchester School of Art, her interest lies in printing and cloth, and she has developed her own practice, focusing on drawing and exploring the relationship between the human body and cloth, through the use of photocopied images and transfer printing onto fabric.
Her work has been exhibited in Glasgow, Edinburgh, and in ‘Affordable Art’ shows around the country and abroad. She has also had two solo shows at The Mill on the Fleet and Gracefield Arts Centre.
Portrait of an Artist – a short film by Jo Hodges and Roger Lever
Did your life take an unexpected direction? Suddenly finding myself saying “further education in art” when asked about career moves at school. Moving to Scotland. Discovering I was pregnant with our fourth child and singing with him 23 years later on his first album. Becoming part of the psychology department in Dumfries. Being a mushroom on wheels with Oceanallover. And lots more.
What is your greatest fear? Driving on an eight-lane freeway in America.
Tell us about your creative process? Looking at inspiring images and talking to inspiring people. Making notes and drawing.
What is your earliest memory? The dressing-up box.
What drew you to The Stove? The first meeting at Parton—the energy, vision, and determination of the core group, and the excitement of it all happening in Dumfries.
Share your hopes and dreams for The Stove? That it becomes a place where everyone feels comfortable visiting and enjoying.
What keeps you in and around Dumfries? Family, friends, the landscape, art opportunities, and support.
What did you want to be when you were growing up? A dancer.
What’s been the most exciting part of the Stove process for you? Seeing the activities they create and put on outside in the centre of town, where everyone can get involved.
What makes you feel alive? Performing.
What songs do you carry closest to your heart? Ella Fitzgerald songs, music by my son Rudi, and ‘Lovin’ You’ by Minnie Riperton.
What’s your role within The Stove organisation? An ordinary member who likes to get involved.
How would you like to be remembered? Often.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? Let go.
What’s your dream for the arts in D&G? That it continues to grow in all directions, as it seems to be doing now.
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