The cost of living.

R

This Blog has always been a fairly accurate record of my life and a record of my battle with St. Peters Hospital Chertsey. It doesn’t include some things I do because I only write about myself – it wouldn’t be fair to intrude on other people’s privacy, so I don’t. There are some things that no one would want to read about.

But it occurred to me that you could get the impression I was living the good life, money no object, boasting about things. That’s not what I’m about; I’m too ill to work and don’t have any income. You won’t find me in the Festival Hall or the O2 or doing expensive things. Because I have to care for someone I can’t travel.

I thought I’d total up the financial cost of the four nights I had out this week, to show you what you could be doing and how much it would set you back to do it.

I drive, so drinking has to be limited and I haven’t included it in the total.

Sundays Soul All-dayer: Entry £6,

I bought a soulpatch (alright I’m a kid) £4 (and a lager).                                                                                                                                                        

                                                                                             £10

Monday Jazz Club £5 raffle for the Musicians

(and a lager).                                                                                    

                                                                                              £5

Thursday (The Jugband) Entry £3, Raffle £2

and a Guinness  (stereotyping is bad, I fight it).                               

                                                                                               £5

Friday Soul  £4                                                                     £4

That’s a grand total of £24. No lager on Friday – when I got there I discovered the Soulnite was in a hall attached to a ‘Constitutional Club’ and that is a Conservative Club in disguise – so I was unable to enjoy the Bar for ideological reasons (They’ll not get a penny out of me).

The truth is that none of these events are properly commercial, no one is making anything more than pocket money and usually I’d guess they are really losing money.

It’s all down to love – love of music and good nights out. Actually it’s the old punk ethos although I doubt many involved would see it that way. The funny thing is that in the old days all the life was in the centre of town, the suburbs were dead. Now it’s the other way around unless you are rich. That’s because there are no cheap venues in the middle of town.

All the same the halls, pubs, bands and clubs are all under threat – if you don’t use them now they will soon be gone…and with them goes the chance for young musicians to make a start.

And you are missing out on some great nights too.

Keep Music Live.

 

The Godfather@says

Helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com

Neil Harris

(a don’t stop till you drop production)

Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com

Contact:  neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com