What can we say? The sun shone and the band blew a storm.   By the end of the set, the whole field was converted. Missed it?  Don’t worry. Get your copy of the souvenir CD, "Pick of the Crop" from the website or at a gig. The biggest joy is the clear emergence of a living and breathing Stackridgean feel and energy in the new band.  There’s a fresh identity for the new Millennium. The gnome is on the move. A strong presence on the internet has enabled The Rhubarb Thrashers Society to become international. Global village 2000 has brought new friends world-wide.  Keep coming to gigs … from America, Japan, France, Italy. It’s a real privilege to meet all of you! Calling all electronic wizards - keep watching the web. Jennie is about to organise The Thrashers (God help them!). There will be specialofficial bootlegs of gigs past and present available soon. And a definitive Stackrige History will be constructed…complete to the LAST DETAIL …for genuine train-spotters out there! Keep an eye out for "The Rhubarbarian":- Issue 3 is coming soon. Compiled by that real Wonderfan, Ade Macrow, it’s a true fanzine in traditional style. It will soon appear on the web ready to download and print. Hard copies of Issue 2 - a real collectable if ever I saw one - will be included with the first 50 orders of "Pick of the Crop".

We all know that small is beautiful, but against today’s megalithic multinational conglomerates, small seems like a speck only to be seen under a microscope. Stackridge stands for all things that matter about good old-fashioned family life, rapidly being sidelined by the onslaught of commercial fastfood culture which assaults our ears and eyes at every step of the way in this post-modern world. Bland, featureless, and as disappointing as a wonderfully wrapped Christmas present with nothing inside.

Well, we could give up and get depressed but we won’t because we’re ENGLISH! We just won’t have it. The English don’t take things lying down, they get out and do something about it. Answer back with a stick of rhubarb. Support all that’s best about England, English family and community by bringing the whole tribe and friends to the Stackridge gig nearest you. From their side, the band are delighted to introduce the next Stackrigean generation at Cropredy. The Youth of Today have a lot to offer.

More of that to come next Summer. Bring the kids to gigs! Stackridge stands firmly behind the English Folk Tradition of getting out, getting involved … whole families doing things together. That’s how a wonderful English past becomes a real positive future.

Subversive guerrilla warfare is required to slay this dragon, armed with rhubarb and custard pies rather than swords. Jennie needs eyes and ears on the ground. Stackridge are off round England in the Spring and early Summer, and in the Autumn next year will be venturing further afield into the wilds of Wales and Scotland. Is there a family-oriented Arts Centre or Village Hall near you? Do you know of a venue that might be Stackridge-friendly? E-mail or telephone Jennie. A battle plan for the future will emerge. If you are conveniently placed near one of the upcoming gigs and would be prepared to put up posters or flyers, let Jennie know. If you’ve ‘on the ground’ info regarding radio stations and local news, get in touch. Fancy promoting a gig in your area, later in the year?  Jennie will be delighted to hear from you. It’s all about standing up and being counted.