Chris Darkfire

Looking for a Programming & Marketing Manager!!

Fri, 22 May 2009 13:38:39 GMT

Hi All

Apologies for the somewhat off topic post, but it my LJ and I’ll do what I want!

As most of you know I’m now managing Gloucester Guildhall and I have a vacancy due to a member of staff moving on.

I’m looking for a ‘Programming & Marketing Manager’ with a rough split of 60/40 in favour of programming. So if you know of anyone who might fit the role please feel free to forward the links below to them.

It is a great venue and a huge opportunity for someone with a strong programming/booking/ents background to come in and put on some great shows and promote and market them. Daytime trade is mainly conference and meetings but this role is predominately for evening and weekend entertainment and cultural based booking and has very little to do with the conference trade other than some marketing. There is a strong front and back of house team to ensure that events run smoothly as well as admin and marketing support for the role.

Full details:

http://tinyurl.com/qkpbnf

or just go to http://www.jobsgopublic.com and put Gloucester City Council in the search

Regards

Chris

Justin Sullivan Ticket - Qemists and other gigs

Sun, 10 May 2009 10:28:50 GMT

For it's been awhile, it's been awhile,
it's been awhile and Oh!
...since I posted here

Still reading and keeping up with people and the rich tapestry of your lives!

All good here - still commuting from Plymouth to Gloucester but the job is good and most importantly the mortgage is getting paid!

So I have spare ticket for Justin Sullivan in Bristol on Thursday as Toni can't make it - I'll be driving (probably) from Gloucester for the show, if you are interested let me know.

Annoying night as at Gloucester Guildhall that night we have The Qemists who I'd love to see - guess I'm going to have to settle for the soundcheck before leaving for Bristol!

If you are interested a few other confirmed dates at Gloucester Guildhall...

The Qemists – 14th May
Wychwood Music Showcase – 15th May
Peppermint Hunting Lodge / Joe and the Sl*ts – 16th May
65 Days of Static – 17th May
Ring of Fire (Johnny Cash Tribute) – 22nd May
Complete Stone Roses – 23rd May
Mostly Autumn – 31st May
Iain Archer & Emily Maguire – 5th June
Athlete – 11th June
Stairway to Zeppelin – 7th June
Wedding Present – 18th June
Blockheads – 25th June
Argy Bargy – 27th June
Skant – 11th July
The Beat – 17th July
Dreadzone – 22nd October
Ade Edmondson & the Bad Shepherds – 24th October
Midge Ure – 11th December

Any high flying IT chums fancy trying to join me in Gloucester!?!

Sat, 14 Mar 2009 12:50:18 GMT

http://tinyurl.com/dau9c8

Very progressive local authority been hugely impressed so far in my time there - very unlike your 'traditional' council.

What's Your Personality Type?

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 23:41:35 GMT

You Are An ENTP

The Visionary

You are charming, outgoing, friendly. You make a good first impression.
You possess good negotiating skills and can convince anyone of anything.
Happy to be the center of attention, you love to tell stories and show off.
You're very clever, but you are not disciplined enough to do well in structured environments.

In love, you see everything as a grand adventure. You enjoy taking risks for love.
And if things don't work out, you're usually not too much worse for the wear!

You would make a great entrepreneur, marketing executive, or actor.

At work, you need a lot of freedom to pursue your own path and vision.
How you see yourself: Analytical, creative, and peaceful

When other people don't get you, they see you as: Detached, wishy-washy, and superficial

What's Your Personality Type?

Excel question!

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 22:20:18 GMT

Any Excel buffs out there?

If have a column of text, for example:

A
B
B
C
C
A
B

is there any way of totalling the number of each letter?

So I get A=2, B=3 and C=2 without a long formula?

meme-a meme-a

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 23:22:02 GMT

from [info]djvext
Memetics...
Nearest book, page 56, 5th sentence.

"She'd watched as Paul gripped her backside as they squeezed themselves into one of the listening booths"

Number One meme

Edison Lighthouse - "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)"

Buying a Laptop without xxxxing Vista on?

Sun, 02 Nov 2008 17:02:34 GMT

Surely not a strange question in this day and age but seem to be as rare as rocking horse shit?

All I want is a cheap - preferably sub £300 - laptop that doesn't come with bloody Vista on it IE something that boots and runs applications the same day that I want to use them and doesn't require most of the HDD to do so!

All I want it for is general day to day use:
Office/Open Office
Thunderbird
Firefox
Skype
Decent messenger that connects to Windows Live Messenger with video (as Skype isn't always the answer!)
Built in Wireless
Preferably built in webcam but not that important.

I know I could just get anything and either change to a dual boot or load Linux on myself but really don't want the hassle of of finding drivers and spending hours tweaking. Probably settle for XP at a push but object to buying yet another OS I don't need.

Only one I can find is
Dell Inspiron 1525 for £299 delivered which comes with Ubuntu

Acer Aspire One or Eee PCs are nice - Toni has the Acer - but a bit too small for me - Keyboard is fine but nowhere to comfortably rest hands when using mouse.

Mainly a rant but suggestions welcome!

New job, new town, new engagement..

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 22:35:54 GMT

Well been a busy month has September.

Got back from hols on the Monday and found somewhere to live in Gloucester on a manic Thursday (think I looked at 14 places!).

Moved in Sunday evening started work the next day.

So far the job has been pretty good, loads to do and sort out but at least I won't be bored!

Quite liking Gloucester so far - seems quite friendly and has everything here even though quite small. Living in Tredworth - pretty multi-cultural area which is cool.

Not great being so far from home and Toni but does mean the time we do spend together is quality time.

She had her birthday last week and I organised a surprise party in a rented cellar bar - which went well - halfway through the night I got on the mike and after getting everyone to sing happy birthday asked her to marry me - thankfully she said yes :)

Still here in Cyberspace - off to Gloucester - overdue update!

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 08:49:49 GMT

As usual been a bit crap on the updating of this - still manage to read it and comment most days but not so good at updating my own little life.

So what's been going on:

In brief I've had a bit of a poor year with regards to work following redundancy last summer - struggled to get a decent job in Plymouth but some contracts and good old Manpower have kept the mortgage paid and food on the table :)

But I have a decent job starting Monday only downside is that it is in Gloucester - not that I have anything against Gloucester but due to Toni having just got a promotion in her job she can't really move and with the state of the housing market really don't want to sell the big house in Plymouth. So I'll be semi-relocating to G. and travelling back when I have the time/money to Plymouth. Going to be hard living away but I need to get my career back back on track and start building some sort of work related future!

Not got any accommodation yet on Gloucester so anyone from around there who knows of anything please let me know - priority is cheap (but at least half-decent!) - ideally near city centre but I have car and bicycle so looking within 10miles of centre as well. Ideally I'd like a flat/studio probably unfurnished to keep the costs down but probably going to have to settle for a room in a house somewhere. Chasing up various adverts today and letting agents and hopefully something will appear pretty soon! Seems to be a fair bit around but don't want to spend too much as it is a crash pad rather than proper home and rather keep spare money for coming back to Plymouth and beers!

Toni just started back at school with her new head of house hat on as well as still being head of department and teacher - so she is doing fabulously well if rather overworked!

Just come back from a wonderful holiday in Italy - see my Facebook for photos - great scenery, weather, food and atmosphere - couldn't have asked for much more - was worth doing the two jobs I did for a good few months to pay for it!!!!

Beautiful Days was great but certainly not beautiful - complete mudfest - I'm still washing mud off the car and finding worms crawling out of grills etc! Some great acts and nice to catch up with lots of friends!

Anyway back on the accommodation trail to find a roof my head and a bed for what will be a weary me next week :)

Rant/Advice sought - Job Agencies!!!!

Tue, 02 Oct 2007 14:50:01 GMT

Ok so having had a nice break with redundancy money paying me I'm now on the job search proper looking for my next role!

Rant:

I keep seeing jobs that are through employment agencies where they give you one vague paragraph and ask for a CV - if you ask for further details then they won't give them until they see a CV. So you sent it to them and the reply is 'great CV but not exactly what our client wants!" All well and good but how the beep am I supposed to write a tailored CV that may well match what the employer wants if they won't give me any details. I'm convinced that employers are missing out on some stunning people (and me :) because these beeping agents have this power and seem to delight in making it as difficult as possible for job seekers.

Maybe it is just me but when I've advertise a vacancy in the past I want everyone to see exactly what the role is so a) I don't get people wasting their or my time b) Interesting people who maybe making direction changes may well apply with transferable skills

Rant over!

So how do you make an impact with an agency?
How do go about getting a job if you are in middle/senior management level?

:)

Chris

Help! If you live or know south west especially if you like organic food!

Mon, 03 Sep 2007 10:04:13 GMT

Ok bit of a strange request - I'm looking for a new job at the moment and I've seen something listed at an agency - now I'm not a big fan of applying through agencies - they tend to look for a couple of key words on a CV and if they are not there then they dismiss your CV, and they give out so little info that it is difficult to tailor a CV to try and identify those key words (this probably isn't such a problem if you have very specific skills but mine are rather varied.

Anyway I'm trying to trace the company so I can go direct to them, they are described as:

"independently owned expanding company. They operate organic high street cafe style retail catering shops based predominantly in the South West, and are expanding through out the UK."

If anyone has any suggestions as to who the company may be, please let me know!

Cheers

C

Polysics

Tue, 28 Aug 2007 20:19:43 GMT

http://www.myspace.com/polysicsordie

http://www.polysics.com/

Never listened to them until I got a nudge - I am lost for words!

Genius or insanity!

last.fm

Thu, 28 Jun 2007 20:44:11 GMT

http://www.last.fm/user/chrisdarkfire/

Anyone else using it (other than Mr Gothwin) that I know?!?

Not sure of it is a great and interesting tool or just a waste of time :)

Where I've been

Wed, 20 Jun 2007 17:51:08 GMT

One door closes - hopefully another will open

Wed, 06 Jun 2007 18:02:54 GMT

Unless anything radically changes I will be leaving my job as Venue/Events manager at Plymouth Students' Union in about a month's time. A chance of voluntary redundancy came up and as I wanted to leave anyway I grabbed it!

No idea where I'm off next but will still be in Plymouth as T. is being made head of her department in September so she is sorted! Probably looking at more general business/commercial management jobs rather than events/ents as I could do with something with slightly more normal hours that doesn't involve text messages and phone calls when I'd rather be in the pub! I also miss the fact that music/gigs/ytheatre/etc used to be stuff I did for fun and now it is all work and I want the fun back!

So if anyone knows of anything feel free to let me know :)

Live music Petition and why I think its crap!

Thu, 08 Feb 2007 21:02:13 GMT

This

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/licensing

is starting to pop up everywhere - these are my comments as to why I think it is wrong!

>>The Government have recently passed laws in the UK to try and suppress live music and dance.
Not aware of that – can you find me one – other than twisting the 2003 licensing act to something that it wasn’t intended to do?

>>Pubs which could previously offer work to solo singers or duos now have to pay for a special licence

Untrue.

The 2003 licensing act meant they had to apply for a different type of license (a premises license) which covered, alcohol, music (live and prerecorded), sporting events, plays, films, dance etc.

ONE license – the cost of this license is based on the rateable value of the property and the cost is that same if you just serve alcohol OR have gigs, dancefloors, Djs, Wrestling, plays etc

>>and can only have 12 of these per year.

That is what is commonly known as a TEN (Temporary Event Notice) and used generally for unlicensed areas or special events with attendances up to 499 people.

>>Even school Xmas concerts need to be licensed.

Any form of public entertainment needs to be licensed – either with a permanent license or a TEN

>> The unlicensed provision of even one musician is a potential criminal offence

This maybe true but any landlord who wanted live music is likely to have added it in to her/his license when they applies so they would be fine.

>> The rationale is to prevent noise, crime and disorder, to ensure public safety, and the protection of children from harm.

To be exact the four points are:
Prevention of crime and disorder
Public safety
Prevention of public nuisance
Protection of children from harm.

Noise is not directly mentioned – this may be getting confused with some of the new health and safety legislation being brought in on noise levels in the workplace. Noise would also be potentially an issue if you stated you wanted to play music outdoors – neighbours would justifiably have cause to raise objections to the license application.

>> But broadcast entertainment, including sport and music, is exempt –
>>no matter where, and no matter how powerfully amplified.

Not really true

>> In the transition to the new regime, bars with jukeboxes, CD
>>players etc were automatically granted a license to play recorded
>>music; but their automatic entitlement to one or two musicians was abolished.

Very severe twisting of truth here – ‘grandfather’ rights were accepted and if the venue previously had a public entertainments license this would be possibly included. However if they wrote when they applied that they intended to have 2 musicians in a bar then that would be fine.

>>e.. For the first time, private performances raising money for charity are licensable.

It isn’t private it is public and as far as I remember it needed a public ents license before.

>>.. Under the old regime all premises licensed to sell alcohol for
>>consumption on the premises were automatically allowed up to two
>>live musicians (the 'two in a bar rule').
They were and new act meant that premises could state they wanted full bands instead of the nonsense of two in a bar

>> In December, DCMS published research confirming that about 40% of these have lost
>>any automatic entitlement to live music as a result of the new Act:

Automatic loss maybe – potential to do more and have what you want was gained.

>>'Very few establishments that wanted a new license were denied it, and many who were
>>previously limited to 2-in-a-bar now have the ability to stage music with 2 or more musicians...

Exactly

>>This contrasts, of course, with the fact that 40% of establishments now have no automatic means
Not automatic maybe but they can still have it in their license and should have written it in from word go but can still put in for changes

>>of putting on live music (i.e. they would have to give a TEN).'
Or just change their licnse – it has to be renewed every year anyway. To give an idea of price I’ve just written one for a 1800 capacity venue – cost £450 for a year. TENs cost about £25

At best this is misguided at worst a deliberate attempt to sabotage live music by making people think they can’t get a license to do it.

Sign if you feel it is right to do so but I see no point in supporting a petition that would be laughed at due to so many inaccuracies. If you want to support livemusic go and see a band - any band - pick a random one anything!

Cheers

Chris

Prague - some odd and weird photos

Tue, 30 Jan 2007 18:49:46 GMT

Just got back from Prague and very nice it was too if a little cold and snowy at times - well worth a visit.

Don't do the tourist photo thing very much so these are some odd shots that amused or caught my attention.

View from Charles Bridge - mainly as everyone else seems to take photos OF Charles Bridge (And I liked the sun on the water)

OK maybe one tourist shot but it is of Toni so allowed.

No idea what "00% hazardous Kite" means on the sign on the van!

I'm guessing my translation of the crossed out bit is accurate :)

I dread to think exactly what this sign means "Dear dog, crap on the floor and we'll chop your knackers off?"

Who needs cranes just pass it up by hand!

I assume it is some brand or other but kosher hogs was just odd on a wall down a dark alley

Snow what snow - still don't know how the snow plough driver got to work though. Oh and these guys are in the middle of an airport with planes taxing around them at times!

Just to prove there was snow - taken by Toni out of plane window whilst I was moaning to stewardess about lack of beer and sandwiches on plane!

Merry Holidays

Mon, 25 Dec 2006 16:48:10 GMT

To you all

and a very simple but frustrating game for you...

http://www.dailyhaha.com/_flash/jeu_chiant.swf

Tue, 21 Nov 2006 18:35:32 GMT

You scored as Friedrich Nietzsche. Well you're an egotistical maniac, and you are so very iconoclastic that you probably are currently lost in a post-modern Jupiter, I mean jungle of self-definition.

Don't let it get you down though, someday, through a willful onslaught of reinterpretation of dated forms and ideas, you will strike on something that passes as remotely new, and people WILL be into it on the basis of how hip it is alone. Also, the average espresso drinker looks up to you.

</td>

Friedrich Nietzsche

83%

Dante Alighieri

58%

Adolf Hitler

33%

Steven Morrissey

33%

Charles Manson

25%

Stephen Hawking

25%

C.G. Jung

25%

Sigmund Freud

25%

O.J. Simpson

17%

Jesus Christ

17%

Mother Teresa

17%

Elvis Presley

Hugh Hefner

Miyamoto Musashi

What Pseudo Historical Figure Best Suits You?
created with QuizFarm.com

Who ate all the pies (in Bristol)

Tue, 31 Oct 2006 01:01:11 GMT

There is a company called PIE that does Beautiful Days festival stall and probably others.

I could have sworn that they had a shop in Bristol and website but I can't find it on any way of searching - am I going mad or does/did it exist in Brizzle?

If you like or don't like Hip-Hop....

Sun, 17 Sep 2006 03:28:46 GMT

....check out

http://www.myspace.com/joedriscoll

kind of a hip hop version of Dylan or Woody Gutherie!

One man band - just had him playing live - Digerdoo, guitar, vocals and beat boxing - all going a foor pedal and looped played back etc - all done live.

http://www.myspace.com/scribesmusic

well worth a listen as well - especially live.

Calling all software geeks

Wed, 30 Aug 2006 21:18:52 GMT

I want some software that meets the requirements below, don't mind if it is off the shelf that can be customised, written especially for me or something I do myself (looking at Access/Excel but neither are great especially front ends my programming is way too rusty) only downside is I need it quick and cheap!

Open to suggestions!

Events Management System

Outline:

A system to achieve the following:

Main objectives

Method of recording all details of an event so all primary stakeholders can add, amend or see how the preparation is progressing.
Run reports on amount spent, staff wages etc
Run reports detailing estimated future spend for planned events
Draw out an events listing within a date range for transfer to advertising mediums
To as a minimum be usable over a network and preferably web based
Simple and robust front end

Secondary objects

Other reports and drilling down of data
Automatic calendar production for secondary stakeholders
Data export to other systems – Excel and similar
Ability to repeat or copy each ‘page’ for weekly regular events

System will need to handle multiple events, sometimes on same day, and multiple acts per event.

Information that needs to be recorded:

Event Date - date

Venue – Drop down choices

Event Name – text

Event Description - text
Event Set up start time - time

Start Time - time

Finish Time - time

Number of crew required – number

Estimated crew hours – number (ideally calculated from above)

Act One – Setup Time

Act One – Stage Time

Act One – Finish Time

Act One – Cost - number

Act One – Rider Reqs - text

Act One – Tech Specs – text

Act Two…………..

Repeat for multiple acts – up to ten?

Follow up fields

Door take

Attendance

Bar take

Bleedin' Spam

Mon, 28 Aug 2006 15:29:57 GMT

Getting very bored with the amount of spam I'm getting - 500-1000 a day. Thunderbird is great but still doesn't catch it all probably 10% gets through.

Anyone used

Spam Arrest
Choicemail

or similar?

Supanames who host my domain do their own but I'm loathe to pay for anything that doesn't improve things.

Word Game - Songs

Sat, 12 Aug 2006 11:13:52 GMT

teq gave me the word monkey and i had to find 5 songs with "Monkey " in and came up with

Danger Danger - Monkey Business
Aerosmith - Monkey on my back
Patti Smith - Space Monkey
Butthole Surfers - The lord is a Monkey
Guttermouth - Musical Monkey

If you want to play I'll give you a word!

Recruiting again - Ents & Events Coordinator

Fri, 14 Jul 2006 10:16:54 GMT

If it interests any of you - I'm looking for an Entertainments & Events Coordinator to come and work for me (we are also looking for Bar Shift Manager)down at Uni of Plymouth Students' Union.

Full Details at

http://www.upsu.com/jobs

essentially helping run and coordinate ents, doing publicity and general related stuff.

Closing date 3rd August. Wages aren't great but good place to work and long summers!

Happy to answer any questions here or by email.