By Bev Williams

SOUNDS WAY OUT, DOESN’T IT? And it is; a lunar type landscape that was once a quarry, amongst other things, tucked away in the hills on the Yorks/Lancs border complete with a planetarium. The weather could not have been kinder, the sun beating down and a very welcome mild breeze. Perhaps you thought that a site at 1,000 feet altitude in the South Pennines just had to be cold and wet. Well, two scorchers out of three events ain’t bad. And when the evening concert session spontaneously combusts there’s just no way you can leave until the final note is played!

Informal - that’s the way to describe the day. Bags of chairs and tables from inside the hall scattered around the moorland grass patch in the lee of the hall, and even ash trays ! Organisers John (JK) Keegan and Linda are very ecologically aware and, because sheep are a part of the landscape, all litter, particularly tab ends, is scrupulously collected and disposed of.

Bev (in shades) Surveys a Session in the Sunshine on The Moors

I think nearly everybody played with everybody else during the afternoon with natural breaks occurring for beer and sandwiches. Soft drinks only from the bar so bring your own beer.

As the sun fell so did the temperature (we’re up in hill country - shades of Edale 99) but not to worry. Everybody picked up their chairs and moved into the hall, which now sports a nice new ceiling with fancy lights. A small PA for sound enhancement rather than projection was set up in a corner and the entertainment became a little more formal.

Sets from JK, Pete Simmons and yours truly. Bill Hyde played with nearly everyone. Ian Wooley did a lovely little set, just him and a dobro. Even Ken Nield was persuaded to play a bit of Banjo.

The ‘Spaced Out’ Picking Party at the Planet:Earth Centre is very different from any other picking session that I am aware of - in more ways than one. For example, where else can you listen to Bluegrass music and look at the planets through a telescope? And in the daytime! Not only that, but if the skies are clear at night the real thing is available. Astronomy provides the backdrop to the picking party (hence the ‘spaced out’ title), but music and fun are the order of the day - a really good family atmosphere soon develops, especially with the weather as good as it was.

Perhaps the biggest difference about the picking party is the environmental approach to the whole thing. Because the event generates traffic and pollution, JK and Lynda plant trees to combat it.

Without doubt, the Spaced Out Picking Party is one of those events where you are just so glad you were ‘in’ at the start. Each year also sees the planting of a tree in the ‘John T Williamson Memorial Garden’. This years tree was both donated and planted by Terry Webber (ex-Silver Hill String Band roadie). At present this serves to remind us of past friends, but it is also a monument for the future. When you and I have passed on to the ultimate bluegrass bash in the sky, hopefully the Planet:Earth Centre will still be flying the flag for live music and bluegrass - from the highest tree.

Any profits go towards keeping the Centre running, improving the site, maintaining the picking room. This year helps towards some inner doors which will improve the already impressive room.

Bev Williams, Middleton, Lancs.

[ Write to John Keegan | Visit the Planet:Earth Centre | The 1997 event | The 1998 Event ]

26th Nov 1999