Communal music-making! Bring an instrument or just bring yourself and we will all sing and play pop songs together using provided lyrics, melodies and chords.
No preparation is required but we will be having a go at Hallelujah, I’d like to teach the world to sing, The House of the Rising Sun, Englishman in New York, Friday I’m in love, Sound of silence, Son of a preacher man, Stuck in the middle with you, and Walk of life.
The next Preston Scratch Band session will take place12.30pm-2.30pm on Saturday 20th January at The Ferret, Fylde Road. £5 per participant. Contact session leader Jon on JonAveyard1@gmail.com for more information.
£5 per person, cash or card
Drinks available from the bar.
Contact session leader Jon on JonAveyard1@gmail.com.
The communal music-making session known as Preston Scratch Band will soon be meeting in its new home at The Ferret.
The group gathers on occasional Saturdays to sing and play pop songs using provided music books. Led from the keyboard by Jon Aveyard of Preston Music Workshops, participants borrow hand percussion or bring along their ukuleles, guitars, violins and whatever other instruments they would like to play. Some of the participants instead sing along and can make use of the wireless microphones if they want to make sure they are heard.
The group first met in the UCLan Media Factory but for the past two years had been gathering in The Larder. Now that The Larder has closed its doors for the final time, the group is moving to The Ferret following a successful one-off visit as part of last year’s Lancashire Encounter festival.
“We are grateful to The Larder for hosting us these past few years but now we’re looking forward to the next stage in the life of the Preston Scratch Band,” says Jon. “The Ferret is undoubtedly one of Preston’s most important music venues and it’s a privilege to meet there to play.”
Unlike most groups that perform at The Ferret, there is no expectation of being at a professional standard. “There’s no audience at a Preston Scratch Band session. Everyone who attends takes part in every song even if they’re just quietly singing along or shaking a tambourine. It’s a gathering of people willing to throw themselves into singing and playing and accepting whatever is brought to the session by the other participants.”
