2007 in Focus

2007 was the year of the 'weather' we have never had so many events cancelled due to rain in25 years.

January

We started in the traditional way with Hampshire AA Cross Country Championships in the New Forest. With several Public Meetings, a show in Portsmouth Guildhall and some service calls that was about it, quite a leisurely start to the year.


February

Proved just as quiet, several Public Meetings, a heat of South Coast Idol and lots of time in the warehouse servicing and PAT testing.


March

Now things start to move a bit. Three visits to the Kings Theatre, two heats of South Coast Idol, a school production and an exhibition. Outside there was a Rugby tournament and a Freedom of the Borough Parade.

April

This saw our usual involvement with the Gosport & Fareham Folk Festival late night club, the local Churches outdoor Easter Service, back to the Kings Theatre, another heat of South Coast Idol and the first Rock & Roll weekend at Paignton.

May

Again back to tradition and the first Bank Holiday weekend is the City of Portsmouth Heavy Horse Weekend. At the same time down at Downton in the New Forest you can 'spank the plank, dangle your bells, or knock your sticks together' at the Cuckoo Fair. Two more visits to the Kings Theatre, one to Portsmouth Guildhall, a trip to St Marys and Gosports Mayor Making bring us to the middle of the month. After all that there was the Great Vintage Fly in Weekend at Hallavington, the Telegraphists and Air Gunners memorial Service at Lee and the final of South Coast Idol before the second Bank Holiday Weekend and the start of the BANDSTAND.


June

This first Sunday in June 2007 starts in a thankful sombre mood as we commemorate the 25 anniversary of the Falklands conflict.

Gosport was not to be outdone by national commemorations and arranged a fitting tribute to those who took part in that war. At the other end of the scale the evening (and for that matter half the night) was spent in the company of Ken Dodd in the Kings Theatre.

HMS Collingwood always have a Field Gun Day but 2007 was special in that it was the 100th anniversary of the competition. Next weekend and we are off to Wimbledon for a gig with Tony O’Malley on his annual visit. Back to Gosport & off to Portchester Gala and the Bandstand for an acoustic afternoon.

The next weekend has its successes and disasters. Goodwood Festival of Speed happened despite the rain, a big Pony Club area qualifier happened despite the rain. The HMS Sultan Show happened despite the rain and Gosport’s Veterans Parade happened despite the rain. The Tea Dance & Bandstand didn’t happen because of the rain. The only inside event History at the New Theatre Royal was the only one not affected by the rain.

Moving swiftly on to the really bad weather, the week started ok with the Gosport Festival set up going well from its start on Tuesday. Technical Services were responsible for everything technical on the site so Power went in first followed by lights & sound. The Festival kicked off on the Friday in deteriorating conditions whilst at Portsmouth Guildhall Havant Colleges Summer Ball happened. By Saturday things were getting bad and a proposed 'Party in the Park' in Portsmouth was eventually called of with a much reduced programme in the gymnasium. PCC Events decided to cancel the afternoon Bandstand and move the extra evening Bandstand into Portsmouth Guildhall. Meanwhile in Gosport water was getting into the works and the whole show stopped for several hours and only got going again when the guys conjured up a hair drier from somewhere and dried things out. The whole field was a bog and it took the crew all night to derig and manhandle everything off the field and into the truck.


July

Started month with a rain cancellation but after this things picked up a bit and the Gosport Youth Festival went ahead plus the Bandstand. On through the week there were some public meetings with an open air opera on the Saturday and Bandstand on the Sunday. Next we covered a large horse show, Opera in the Park, Royal Marine Band Concert and the Bandstand. Monday saw us setting up the stand at New Forest Show for New Forest National Park Authority. The Show took place over the next three days and one of us stayed in attendance in case of problems. End of the week we are back at the Kings Theatre, Lions Town Show Saturday and the Bandstand was Jazz.


August

With the demise of the Southsea Show PCC put on a low key alternative comprising a Floral Tent on Castle Field and two days of Country Music on the Bandstand. The next week Southsea Bowls Tournament happened with Technical Services supplying PA & Commentary Unit. The following Friday found us at Stansted Park providing sound & lighting for three days of Jazz, while back at Portsmouth BAE Systems had a Family Fun Day and at the Bandstand it was Brazilian & Latin music. In the evening back on our doorstep at Thorngate Halls Marmalade took to the stage. Towards the end of the next week we started preparations at Goodwood for Revival.

The Bandstand on 19th got cancelled, rain again. Next week saw preparations for a busy Bank Holiday Weekend and on the Friday two guys and a lot of kit set off for the IOW for the 10 day Extreme Sport Festival. The Annual Kite Festival was rigged on Southsea Common on the Friday, there followed an extra Bandstand on the Saturday with the RNLI raft race at Hythe and the normal Bandstand on Sunday.

Monday saw the annual Car & Bus Rally at Stokes Bay. Once all the above was packed away after the Bank Holiday preparations and rigging started for Goodwood Revivals two stages, this all started on the Friday and finished Sunday.


September

Well Autumn is here but not too much let up yet. The week was used to clear up from a hectic weekend then on Friday we are off to Althorpe Park with sound & lights for a small Jazz Show. We move on from this to rigging emergency PA in Historic Dockyard and the staging, sound & lights for Blues at the Fort. Over the weekend there is Emsworth Food Festival with a stage & PA for all three days and a Big Band for Friday Night. After this there is Quainton Steam Fair and a Rock & Roll evening back on the doorstep at Thorngate. A polo match and Michaelmas Fair.


October

Starts with the second Paignton visit for Rock & Roll. The next week there’s a school to externally floodlight and another trip to the Kings Theatre. We have another Guildhall gig, the Annual Seafarers Service (Trafalgar Day) and then the Great South Run.


November

The first weekend is IOW Rock & Roll and the first Firework Show at Lee on the Friday. Saturday sees Fireworks at Winchester & Queen Victoria Country Park. The next Firework Show is the City of Portsmouth display and that’s about it until Rememerance Sunday when there are six Services to cover. Towards the end of the month we have a Schools production of Joseph to look after and emergency PA in the Historic Dockyard for the Festival of Christmas.


December

Festival of Christmas and Joseph continue with the Annual Schools Carol Concert on the Guildhall Steps on the Monday evening. A second schools production starts on Tuesday and an installation Friday & Saturday. There’s a gig in the New Forest for Sunday and the return of 'Same Difference' from X Factor on Monday evening. The following Friday there is a Christmas production at a local Church for two nights and Gosport Churches have their open air Christmas Service on the Saturday. And that’s about it for another year, this is just a resume Technical Services cover dozens of other events apart from those listed including Public Meetings, servicing, installations etc.