An invitation...
We're now at 893 over 1000 sign-ups for April Foolery. I'm hoping that we'll hit 1000 by the end of the day, especially as I've had another idea...
A handful of people have posted on the wall for the event saying that they wish they could take part but they live in other countries. Some are Scots living abroad, some are not Scottish but still see that the changes to the licensing laws are insane. Which they are - six weeks' notice, visits from 10 different council departments and £849 (yes, you read that correctly, it was confirmed last night as £849) for a temporary license to do a one-off free gig for an audience of under 100 people in Edinburgh.
I've been thinking about whether there's any way for people further afield to get involved, and it occurs to me that there is. Skype gigs. Get a Scottish friend to take their laptop to a place with free wi-fi, connect via Skype and do your thing. Show pictures to the webcam, play an instrument, read a story or a poem, sing - anything at all, as short or as long as you like. You'll be reaching our target audience for April Foolery - which is everyone and anyone.
I'm also quite pleased that I've figured out a way to get people involved even if they have visa issues to consider. I have quite a few friends in this situation who are concerned that if they take part and get into trouble it might shorten their stay in this country, and while I don't care if I get arrested I have no desire to get anyone else into trouble.
So my plan to get round this is that anyone in that position can join me in making lots of beautiful little paper boxes and sculptures with notes inside thanking whoever picks them up for becoming part of the April Foolery Audience. We'll also paint a whole load of hardboiled eggs. Then in the dead of night, before daybreak on 1st April, we'll leave these artistic offerings all over the city centre. The eggs will be left in Princes Street Gardens for people to find and roll them down the hills, which was an Easter tradition when I was little. If it's not raining (this is Scotland after all) we'll take boxes of chalks and draw some pretty things on the pavements. It will be beautiful, anonymous and untraceable except to me, and I'm quite happy to take the flak for it.
The FB event is here, so if any of you are interested in a Skype gig please sign up and let me know: https://www.facebook.com/events/188302477946069/
A handful of people have posted on the wall for the event saying that they wish they could take part but they live in other countries. Some are Scots living abroad, some are not Scottish but still see that the changes to the licensing laws are insane. Which they are - six weeks' notice, visits from 10 different council departments and £849 (yes, you read that correctly, it was confirmed last night as £849) for a temporary license to do a one-off free gig for an audience of under 100 people in Edinburgh.
I've been thinking about whether there's any way for people further afield to get involved, and it occurs to me that there is. Skype gigs. Get a Scottish friend to take their laptop to a place with free wi-fi, connect via Skype and do your thing. Show pictures to the webcam, play an instrument, read a story or a poem, sing - anything at all, as short or as long as you like. You'll be reaching our target audience for April Foolery - which is everyone and anyone.
I'm also quite pleased that I've figured out a way to get people involved even if they have visa issues to consider. I have quite a few friends in this situation who are concerned that if they take part and get into trouble it might shorten their stay in this country, and while I don't care if I get arrested I have no desire to get anyone else into trouble.
So my plan to get round this is that anyone in that position can join me in making lots of beautiful little paper boxes and sculptures with notes inside thanking whoever picks them up for becoming part of the April Foolery Audience. We'll also paint a whole load of hardboiled eggs. Then in the dead of night, before daybreak on 1st April, we'll leave these artistic offerings all over the city centre. The eggs will be left in Princes Street Gardens for people to find and roll them down the hills, which was an Easter tradition when I was little. If it's not raining (this is Scotland after all) we'll take boxes of chalks and draw some pretty things on the pavements. It will be beautiful, anonymous and untraceable except to me, and I'm quite happy to take the flak for it.
The FB event is here, so if any of you are interested in a Skype gig please sign up and let me know: https://www.facebook.com/events/188302477946069/