GSMC Awards Evening, Bracknell
GSMC Awards Evening, Bracknell – Thursday 26th January 2023.
Back at the tail end of 2022 we were astonished to be nominated in the Best Band (Original) category of local promoter Graham Steel’s GSMC Music Awards for 2022/23. It was a real honour for us as it was based on the original material we have in our sets (of which there is more being added all the time). Also, as it was a public vote it meant that we could ascertain just how well our original stuff is going down with the wider world.
We make a couple of announcements and share the news about the awards on our Facebook page and we keep everything crossed.
The night of the actual awards ceremony comes along, and Richey and I decide that we will head over there to represent The TR5’s. Plus, our friends the fabulous Nefarious Picaroons are appearing live tonight, and we want to see them.
After some difficulty finding somewhere to park, we make our way to the venue in the freezing cold. We are greeted by Graham Steel at the door and after being crossed off the guest list we make our way into the venue to find that it is already very busy. Straight away we bump into the Picaroons as well as our friends from the music scene Vic Cracknell, StEm, The Hedge Inspectors, Neil Wells, Peter Crutchfield and Barbara and the guys from Atomic Rapture. It is a fabulously social atmosphere so we grab a drink just as the live music starts.
Graham introduces 3Times7, a new act to us but I’m immediately taken by their powerful and soulful take on the blues. Fabulous performance, and not an ipad or music stand in sight! (Have I ever told you that these things are one of my biggest bugbears of live music?) There’s only 2 of the band playing here (they are normally a full band) but they are just as captivating. We’ll look out for them. I corner singer Jenny and tell her how impressed I am.
Next come the announcements of the winners of the first 4 awards. Everyone claps politely when the nominees are read out. It’s a lovely atmosphere here. A couple of the winners are absent (gigging elsewhere it seems) but the winners who are here make short thankful speeches and all appear to be very grateful.
2 more live music interludes take place (in the forms of Tu-Kay & Ryan and The Marc Woosnam Band) interspersed with more awards, clapping and speeches. Apart from it being very cold in the venue (Richey takes to drinking coffee to try and warm up) this is a very enjoyable evening in the company of fellow musicians and friends.
Then we come to the last set of awards being given out before the Nefarious Picaroons round off the evening. The last award is for Best Band (Original). This is the one we have been nominated in! Fully not expecting to win I am preparing myself to congratulate whoever the winners are, when, to mine and Richey’s amazement Graham reads out “And the winners of the Best Band (Original) are………….The TR5’s!” What! I’m sure Richey and I laugh out loud. But then we realise what we’ve just heard and stumble towards the stage to collect our award! We’ve won!
The crowd congratulate and cheer loudly as Graham hands me the microphone on the stage. I’m not prepared for this. I think I actually said that! I also say thanks to Graham and to everyone who voted. I think I did anyway! I also say how much of an honour it is for us because we’re just a skiffle / rock ‘n’ roll band that doesn’t use tricks, masses of effects pedals, ipads (I did tell you about my bugbear didn’t I?) and then it’s over. I’ve mumbled my way through some kind of acceptance speech! Richey and I then head back to our table with much back-slapping and congratulations from the Picaroons, Hedge Inspectors et al. What lovely friends we have on the music scene. We love how some people support each other at each other’s gigs, for each other’s achievements etc. It’s so nice not to be surrounded by musicians who are all “me, me, me”. We grin from ear-to-ear and settle back to watch the Nefarious Picaroons play their set.
They play a blinder (despite some overpowering, unwanted feedback in the middle of the set from Tina’s violin booster) with their great blend of stomped-up pop. “Circles In The Sand” stands out as an excellent self-penned tune. I feel a bit bad that we’ve just beaten them in the Best Band (Original) category!!
Meanwhile, I look around and am disappointed to see that many of the other acts who were here to collect their awards (or see if they have won!) have left before the Picaroons even started. It just shows you that there are unfortunately still a few “me, me, me” acts around. Thankfully we haven’t been surrounded by too many of them here tonight though. It’s been a wonderful evening and Graham rouses the crowd in to giving the Picaroons an encore before Richey and I head off with our award under my arm. Incredible!
- Lucky