The end of Diversity FM... but we may be back!

Some news from Duncan Moore (ex-volunteer co-ordinator at Diversity FM) -

"After a couple of weeks discussion with Ofcom and putting a number of plans before them I am sad to say they have refused the license extension, this makes it impossible to seek a transfer to a new group. The reason for not extending the license was on 'legislative' grounds and their decision, which was taken at a senior level, is final. Sadly this brings 8 years of community radio history in Lancaster to an end, the transmitter will be turned off shortly.

However... the next round for community radio licensing for our region begins early in 2013 and I will be putting together a license application to bring back community radio to our district. I have recently spoken to a number of other people from the community radio sector in the north west who would be interested in forming a limited company to move this forward and I will have an initial meeting with them soon. I have today agreed to purchase the transmitter from the YMCA so it will stay in its current location until we need it. So watch this space!"

In the meantime the cloudcasts continue and I will hopefully be meeting up with Gordon Smith next week to talk about doing shows on Lancaster.Internet. 

The latest cloudcast includes two tracks from Duncan McCrone's new album 'Colourblind' and tracks by Didi Bergman, Chas Ambler, The Darwin Song Project, The Midden and Martha Wainwright.

Check it out at http://www.mixcloud.com/cmbertram/off-the-beaten-tracks-06/

Internet broadcasting

There probably won't be a cloudcast this week partly because I've been away for the last few days but also because fellow ex-Diversity DJ Gordon Smith has set up an internet-based radio station and I'm going to get involved with that. There is a page on Facebook under the name Lancaster.internet and there will be broadcasts on Thursdays and Sundays from 6pm to 9pm.

Unfortunately I've just heard that Gordon is unwell so I'm not sure when my first show will be going out, but check the Facebook page and Twitter - @thebeatentracks - for updates.

I will carry on playing folk, acoustic and roots music but I'm going to make my playlists a bit more varied. The latest one includes a bit of boogie woogie from John Sylvester and a jazz number by the Dave Milligan Trio.

Do check out my cloudcasts on Mixcloud. 

Keeping busy

Despite the closure of Diversity FM at the weekend I'm having quite a busy week. This week's cloudcast is recorded and will be uploaded tomorrow. I've gone for some oldies by George Harrison and The Pogues as well as recent tracks by Franka De Mille, David Ferrard and The Thyme Machine. 

I picked up the latest edition of Songlines magazine and there are some great tracks on the Top of the World cd by Fidil, Duotone and Treacherous Orchestra. I will probably include one or two of them in the next cloudcast.

I've updated the settings on my Soundcloud pages so you can now download any of the cover versions I've recorded. There's a link at the bottom of this blog.

On the book front I've decided to release it on Amazon for the Kindle market so I've been busy formatting the text, designing a cover and making final decisions about which images to include. It feels like I'm finally getting somewhere with it and hopefully it'll be available to download (and more importantly, buy) later this month. I'll then look into how I might get some actual books printed but one step at a time.

A few gigs to mention...

Gren Bartley

Thursday 5th April

Robert Gillow, Lancaster

Plainview + Boz Hayward + Jess Thomas + Joanne Levey + Marc Nellis

Thursday 12th April

The Yorkshire House, Lancaster

Martin Simpson & Martin Taylor

Friday 27th April

The Platform, Morecambe

Fairport Convention

Wednesday 9th May

The Platform, Morecambe

Twitter : https://twitter.com/#!/thebeatentracks
Mixcloud : http://www.mixcloud.com/cmbertram/ 

Soundcloud : http://soundcloud.com/the-beaten-tracks

New Cloudcast and final fling at Diversity FM

The latest cloudcast is a dozen songs by local artists who were featured on Tuesday's show. If you don't have time to listen to the whole 50 minutes there are links to the artists' pages on Soundcloud and other web sites.

http://www.mixcloud.com/cmbertram/off-the-beaten-tracks-04/

That pretty much wraps things up at Diversity FM apart from the final 12 hour broadcast we're doing tomorrow, that's Saturday from 12 noon to 12 midnight. I'll be there in the afternoon playing a few tracks and chatting on air with whoever else turns up. Reza Mills plans to be there sometime after 4pm.

We forgot to thank the guys at Diversity at the end of this week's show so I'd like to take this opportunity to say a massive thank you to Duncan, Tony, Chris and Jayne for giving me the opportunity to present Off The Beaten Tracks for the last 4 years. It's ironic that the radio station is being made homeless by the YMCA - maybe we can broadcast from the homeless shelter and sell the Big Issue to raise some cash.

Thanks again to everyone for tuning in and to all the musicians who have donated cds to the show. As Jim Morrison put it, this is the end, beautiful friend.

Colin Bertram

Twitter : https://twitter.com/#!/thebeatentracks
Soundcloud : http://soundcloud.com/the-beaten-tracks

The final edition of Off The Beaten Tracks on Diversity FM

Playlist 27 March 2012

The medley features 30 second samples of tracks by the artists listed below and I'll include the full-length versions of songs in my next cloudcast. Wes and I will be taking part in the final day of Diversity FM this Saturday (the 31st) probably in the afternoon. We'll be letting people know when we're on air via Twitter - @thebeatentracks and @thatwesmartin

We want you all to sing along to "We'll Meet Again" at the end!

Thanks for listening to the show over the last 4 years and for reading the blog. I will continue posting here and 'broadcasting' on mixcloud.com

Show of Hands - Arrogance Ignorance & Greed
Roy Harper - Goodbye
Richard Thompson - I Ain't Fighting Anymore
Sibylle Baier - The End
Jo Gillot - River Pinn
Lancaster & Morecambe Medley featuring Greenheart, Ottersgear, Moll Baxter, Stuart Anthony, Jess Thomas, Rich Tea & Celia Briar, John Rigby, Ponies, Turnstone, Idiot Johnson
Dan Haywood's New Hawks - Farewell Comeback
Hayseed Dixie - Moonshiner's Daughter
The Low Countries - Goodbye (not)
Kate Rusby - Elfin Knight
Johnny Cash - We'll Meet Again

Gigs...

Last Harbour, The Low Countries & Nancy Kent
Thursday 29 March, 8pm
The Yorkshire House, £6

Greenheart and Maudling Hertz
Friday, 30 March 2012    7:00 until 8:00 pm
Lancaster Priory Church, £5 / £3

"Off The Beaten Tracks" on Diversity FM
Tuesday at 9pm
103.5 FM in the Lancaster & Morecambe area
Listen online at diversityfm.co.uk

Today's playlist

Coming up at 9pm this evening but if you can't wait til then check out the cloudcasts at http://www.mixcloud.com/cmbertram/

Breabach - Glasgow of the Big Shops
Seth Lakeman - Feather in a Storm
Michael Chapman - Waiting For A Train
Judy Dyble - Talking With Strangers
Gigspanner - Picnic
Annlaug - Ord Som Fell
Jez Lowe & The Bad Pennies - Watter's Coming Annie
Nancy Kerr & James Fagin - Rammed Earth
Miranda Sykes & Rex Preston - Sweet Pea / Mean To Me
Steve Knightley - The Galway Farmer
Gren Bartley - Sweet Traveller
Jamie Smith's Mabon - Fiddler's Despair
Fairport Convention - Breakfast in Mayfair
Steeleye Span - Bonny Black Hare

Gigs...

Hush #2
Idiot Johnson, Marc Nellis, Dave Wright (via Skype), Goldmundo
Sunday 25 March, 7:30pm
The Gregson Centre

Last Harbour, The Low Countries & Nancy Kent
Thursday 29 March, 8pm
The Yorkshire House, £6

http://www.wegottickets.com/event/156892

To celebrate the arrival of the 32ft pipes for the restored pipe organ
Greenheart and Maudling Hertz
Friday, 30 March 2012, 19:00 until 20:00
Lancaster Priory Church

"Off The Beaten Tracks" on Diversity FM
Tuesday at 9pm
103.5 FM in the Lancaster & Morecambe area
Listen online at diversityfm.co.uk

Cloudcast no 2

I've completed my second Cloudcast which focuses on singer songwriters, ranging from Sandy Denny to Kami Thompson. There's a bit more chat between tracks as I slowly get used to recording my own voice on my PC at home rather than in the studio.

http://www.mixcloud.com/cmbertram/off-the-beaten-tracks-02/

The news regarding Diversity FM is that we are still due to close at the end of March but there are on-going discussions about getting a new licence and funding so we may be back later in the year. But in the meantime there are three more shows to do. I hope you enjoyed Wes' solo effort on Tuesday. 

Some gigs to tell you about...

The Urban Folk Quartet

Friday 9 March

Melling Village Institute

Tel.01524221233 or e-info@greenclose.org for tickets

Bill Orrick/Jo Gillot/Sootytern/Idiot Johnson
Friday 9 March
The Yorkshire House, Lancaster
Doors 8pm, tickets £3

Last Harbour + The Low Countries + Nancy Kent
Thursday, 29 March
The Yorkshire House, Lancaster
Doors 8pm, tickets £6
http://www.wegottickets.com/event/156892