DCR At The Kirn Gala 2008
Written by Archie Fergusson on 09/10/2008
SMILES BRIGHTEN THE DAY
If only smiles were sunshine, this years Kirk Gala would have been the brightest yet, for although the skies were grey and the canopy erected over the big stage it didn’t stop the smiling crowds converging on the beautiful Argyll seaside village to enjoy the entertainment on the main stage, the side shows and all the charity stalls.
YOU HAVE TO KEEP A WEATHER EYE
DCR secured their tent against the threatening elements next to the Round Table Candy floss with enticing smells wafting over from them and the deli’s hot food stall. This year we hoped our information display stands were fixed well enough to the ground to prevent them from flying away. So they where well and truly weighted down with lots of information telling of our progress and what we have been up to in the last year.
LOTS OF CHEESY REQUEST
As the first visitors began to arrive we were up and running playing popular tunes and inviting folk to take away information handouts and to leave record request for us to play. Many people joined in our Cheesy Request segment, with such requests as Rupert the Bear to be played; which sums up the joviality and good humour of the event. Request for the No 1 hits linked to special dates was once again very popular, and gave quite a few folk a surprise when hearing the No 1 from when they were born. No more so than Bruce Lauder on realising that Abba where No 1 on the 3/5/77 with Knowing Me Knowing You. DCR volunteers Sandy and Avril Jackson were kept very busy encouraging passers by to take part and keeping Fiona very busy in matching the tunes to the dates. Unfortunately as the Pop Record Charts only started on the 14/11/1952 there where one or two request we couldn’t carry out. One embarrassingly for us was a request from council leader Dick Walsh but as his birth date is just slightly before the start of The Pop Charts, we dedicated a tune instead (sorry, no, if you weren’t there we are not telling)
KIRN AN OFFICIAL ATTRACTION
No such problems with the young long time DCR supporter Councillor Ron Simon who came by to exchange the craic and to complement us on our music. Ron is a good supporter of the DCR and we are hoping that time permitting he will get involved with broadcasting once we are on air. Many folk stopped to talk and wish us luck for the future and promising to sign on to guest page here on the internet. With other people promising to contact us when we are on air to help out; which is very encouraging for the future. Also encouraging were the good wishes of Councillor Bruce Marshall who stopped to say hello and ask of our progress, but declined an offer to spin some tunes on the decks of steel, presided over at that time by our good friend and supporter Tom McKillop from Technet101 Tom had brought along one of his high tech sound and lighting rigs which had been assembled for the occasion on a Blacks Bakery lorry and was situated behind the main stage. This is the type of equipment Tom takes all over the world to play at prestigious events. Victor and Douglas were amused to see Tom who having worked for so long on a fully computerised sound system having to familiarise himself with CDs again, (Of course both were green with envy at Tom and his lorry load of toys especially his Sky Writing Lasers. Mind you neither would have had a clue how to work them)
ALL THIS & A DAY OUT
With the amount of people who stopped to say hello and the encouraging words for the future, we at the stand were very happy bunnies and look forward to hearing from new supporters very soon. We would like to thank the Kirn Gala organizers for once again giving us the opportunity to take part in this wonderful family event. And a big, big thank you to everyone who stopped to say hello.
And now here is a DCR name check for folk who left their names at the stand and to acknowledge your support of DCR. Sorry if we have missed you but please leave your name in a comment box and we will include you in the next DCR name check.
IS YOUR NAME HERE
In no particular order & once again a big thank you to Black of Dunoon (Bakers) Ltd for the use of their brand new lorry and Charles for staying up late to drive it, to Tom McKillop from Technet101 for filling it with a super sound & light rig -Cheers Guys, All our fellow stall holders, Fathoms, The Round Table Guys, Girl Guiding Cowal District (thanks for the lollies), Sharon Stewart and family, Johnny Walker, The Red Cross folk, Shopmobility, Angela & Graham, John Swift & Co, Derek Mc, 1stKirn and 2ndDunoon Brownies (nice display girls) Big Aiden, Steven Ballantyne & Family, J Fletcher, Bruce Lauder (AbbA is cool) & Co. John Quick, Archie, Alieen and Mr MacNicol, Linda Stevely, Oban John, Mr & Mrs Phillip Norris, Marjorie and the young’n. 8/7/55 Pat Boone -I’ll Be Home-You know who you are. John & Helen Ryan, Paul Stains, The Stevenson Family, Clio & Mandy, And to all the people who just gave us a big smilexxx