An Open Invitation

Hello all,

It's less than a week now until The Viking opens for the 2009 season and this blog will start giving weekly updates on what's been happening at the club, who's been playing there and what has been taught etc.

So this will be the last 'pre-season' blog (Unless I get any more thoughts before Saturday!), so this is really an open invitation to you all to join us at The Viking this Saturday, 28th Feb and enjoy from 1pm FREE line dance instruction with Julie and from 6.30pm, more line dancing with Julie and three sets of live music from The Texas Tornados. The fun stops around 1am, so if you can come down and enjoy the atmosphere at the club.

For more details, directions and prices visit, www.vikingcwdc.co.uk for all the onfo you need.

I look forward to seeing on Saturday, if not sometime between March and October.

Cheers for now
Andy

We want you to talk!

We've just created a brand new message forum designed for dancers and music fans who visit The Viking to hang out and tell us about their thoughts on linedancing and country music in the UK. So you are all invited. We don't mind if your a once-a-week dancer, line dance addict, club orginiser, singer or artist. Please log in, say hi and get involved in all matters regarding the past-time that we all love. Of course you will find Julie and Andy on the forum, together with artiste that that play at The Viking including Tony Rouse and Bob Keeley, plus there are loads of dancers from Julie's KATZ dance clubs. So please join in and tell us what's important to you, or just han-out with like minded dance and country folk.

Log-in either here www.linedancingmessageboard.com or www.linedancing.proboards.com and we will see you there!

There's never been a better time

I’ve spoken to loads of people over the last few days and they are all saying the same thing. They can’t wait for The Viking to re-open this year and they believe that 2009 will be one of the best years for UK country and Linedance music. I tend to agree. We all know that it’s not only this country but the whole world going through a rough patch at the moment and our thoughts and feelings are with you if you are suffering. But it’s never been a better time to socialise with others and enjoy yourself at not only The Viking but at your weekly classes and the vast amount of social gatherings put on by the hard working clubs up and down the country.

You can’t put a value on happiness and enjoyment at the moment, however the amount of fun and laughter available at line dance events costs next to nothing compared to what else you can buy for the same money. £5.50 is all it costs this year at The Viking for 12 hours of linedance and country entertainment including; 4 hours of quality instruction, one or two live acts and in the gaps your requests played by yours truly. What other sort of entertainment can you get in this country for that? I’ve been trying to find out!

One game of ten-pin bowling - £5.00 and it’s over in 20 mins
Cinema ticket £7.50 – it’s all over in a couple of hours
Bingo – about £20 a night and it’s all over in 4 hours
Rent 2 films - £7.00 over in four hours

I really can’t think of anything else that comes close!

So please continue to support not only The Viking this year, but your weekly classes and other events where good, honest, likeminded folk can go any enjoy themselves and put a smile back on your face. That surely is priceless

Really looking forward to it now!

I attended a social tonight run by a Viking regular Janis at Chichester. It was great to see so many people that I haven't seen since November. Loads of them are really looking forward to the 28th of Feb when the club re-opens, and so am I.

I visited The Viking last week and the club is looking fantastic. The stage has be re-laid and finished in a lovely matt black. New lights have been delivered together with new televisions and there are both waiting to be installed by the sound and light guys. Loads of the pictures and flags have been relocated to different places around the club. The small bar now has sofas! and the main bar also has new lighting.

All of this has got the fires burning for the coming season. I hope to see you there!

Rant!

Sometimes, usually when I'm bored, I will post some off topic thoughts that run through my head. The first is very British. The weather.

What is it with this country! One night of snowfall and we come to a halt. I know it's meant to be the greatest snowfall in 20 years, but it didn't even reach 12 inches!! All of a sudden there were no busses in London, Trains broke down and Schools closed. Has the British state become so much nannyfied (sorry i don't know if that's a word) that we can't be trusted to go out of our front doors if there's a dusting of white stuff on the ground? Don't the government trust parents to get their youngsters to school in the snow? Or drivers of busses to drive with care and attention? Or has the Health and Safety man become over paranoid about someone sueing them because the bus was a bit cold this morning?

It's a good job that we don't live in Canada, Sweeden, Russia or any other country where there's not a problem with the snow and people still go about their bussiness in three of four feet of the white stuff. In fact I saw on the news that one Canadian said 'we only start to panic when you can't get out of the first floor window due to the snow'

I see from today's news there's more snow on the way tomorrow and Friday. Quick everyone go and but the contents of your local supermarket while you can, just in case the busses don't run for a day.

Rant over