Taking P-Town, Pt. 1

The idea came about, inevitably, when we were supposed to be working.

The three of us had gathered in my room for the afternoon to put a serious dent in our various assignments, but after about four hours it was going badly. I had barely started an essay on how to manage a record label. Cliffey was desperately trying to find some useful information about shamanism. Sarah, to be fair, had done a pretty good job of revising for her various exams, but Cliffey and I insisted that we would have done far better if it all we had to do was revise.

We wouldn't, at all, but that's besides the point. I think I suggested that we start our own record label (not that the book I had been referring to for all of, ooh, 300 words had made it sound easy or anything) and sign all our friends, and somehow this mutated into the idea of organising some sort of festival, and seeing all our friends play live.
It started out as playful banter, but Cliffey quickly decided that it would actually be something worth doing. Sarah suggested using one of Penarth's many bandstands to host it, and both of them seemed to think it could - nay, should happen.
I was skeptical. How would we get electricity for the amps and things if we were doing it outdoors? We could do it acoustic, but then how would we be able to hear the vocals? What if it rained? You know it's not really gonna happen, right?
But they were persistent, and eventually I suggested hiring the church hall in Penarth instead (why we didn't even consider having it in Cardiff I'm not sure; maybe we decided that there's enough live music here already). That way it would be far easier to power everything, and the show could go on regardless of weather. Plus, I added confidently, it would be free, because I played at someone's birthday party there once, and I'm pretty sure they got it for free, probably.
This seemed to go down well, and it didn't take long before we'd completely forgotten our work day and started to think of people who could play The P-Town Festival (a name of which I do not approve; Cliffey has assured me it's just the working title until we think of something better). We all have our connections to various bands of various standings - I once emailed a member of The Crimea and got a reply, my friend's mum is the landlady for two of the less popular Campesinos, that sort of thing - but we were each fairly certain that we could put together a decent lineup, even if it wasn't exactly going to be T in the Park.
There were also myriad suggestions for other activities that could be going on. Provisionally speaking, it sounds like there will be a lot of cakes, with Sarah's sister, my dad, and...someone that Cliffey knows all potentially chipping in. And possibly some sort of rummage sale. And fancy dress.
(Cliffey wanted a bouncy castle, but I grumpily pointed out that we were organising a music festival, not a church fête.)
So the next step, as it stands, is to survey the venue. I suggested that we head down to Penarth on Sunday, and that's the plan as long as Cliffey finishes his shaman essay by then.
Right now it could go either way.
Joel.