Ilfracombe based punk rock n’ rollers, Falling Apart in conjunction with Ilfracombe Town Football Club have organised one of the first indoor live music gigs in the town since lockdown in March, writes Ray Goldsmith. The all ticket event, due to take place on Friday 30 October, managed to sell out in four days.
15th Anniversary
Organiser and Falling Apart band member Greg Schofield said: “We’re massively looking forward to the gig. The band last played in the middle of March, when we celebrated our 15th Anniversary. Of course, it’s been a very worrying and strange time for many people since the onset of the Pandemic for a whole variety of reasons.
Frustrated
“From a music point of view, bands, artists and venues alike have become frustrated over the inability to put on events and to play live music to a real audience let alone the financial implications associated with that.
“Restrictions on live performances were eased in the middle of August of this year, but it has been difficult for most venues to make it commercially viable to put events on.
“I don’t think any venue in Ilfracombe has managed to do it and having looked carefully at the regulations, I felt we could organise something. I published a post on social media a couple of weeks ago asking who would be interested in attending an event and the response was very encouraging.”
Public health
Importantly, the event is stated to be Covid-compliant. Greg said: “Public health is paramount. Fortunately, the Football Club already had an excellent COVID Action Plan in place which had helped secure funding to purchase safety equipment and materials, including numerous large Perspex screens.
“I then produced a supplementary Risk Assessment looking at any additional risks created by a live performance and singing and we have had satisfactory correspondence with the Environmental Health Department about it.
A little strange
“There’s no doubt it’s going to be a little strange playing to an all seated socially distanced audience who can’t sing or dance, but that’s the way it’s got to be at the moment. Hopefully, the restrictions won’t distract too much from the entertainment and we’ll have the spookily dressed audience clapping along and throwing their arms in the air!”
Livestreamed
The gig will be livestreamed, details of which will be published on the event page:
https://www.facebook.com/events/638729347033685/ and the band’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/falling.apart.band
Line-up
The band’s lineup is as follows: Greg Schofield AKA The Mayor of Mayhem provides Guitar and lead vocals, Jacob Terry AKA The Bishop of Bedlam, guitar and vocals, Aaron Lane AKA Count Drumula plays drums and Dan “The Man” Emery is on bass and vocals.
top image: left Greg Schofield AKA The Mayor of Mayhem on Guitar and lead vocals, and right on Guitar and vocals Jacob Terry AKA The Bishop of Bedlam. Photo courtesy Andrew Pettey