IN response to the letter published last week from 'Rocker' of Winsford, I would like to point out that live music takes place in Winsford at least once a month through gigs organised by the Youth Generation group.

This group is a voluntary group including members of local bands and other interested people. They have, so far, organised eight gigs in the town for local bands beginning in October of last year.

Unfortunately, Youth Generation does not have the funding from various bodies which DAN has and cannot, therefore, afford to pay for publicising its events.

We have a few posters around the town and also rely on the goodwill of the local newspaper to publish a short article advertising the gigs.

Having said this, our gigs are always well attended and we have been privileged to hear some excellent local bands.

Youth Generation is able to offer the opportunity for young, and often inexperienced, bands to play live gigs using top class equipment borrowed from the borough council and other bands.

The music is a mixture of all types of popular music, mainly dictated by the bands themselves. The next series of gigs will all be held at the Weaver Room in Winsford Civic Hall on a monthly basis begining on Friday, September 4.

Admission will be no more than £2 and there will be three live bands on the bill.

Youth Generation does not get any concession in the fee for using the venue and is dependent on admission fees to cover costs. The only grant which Youth Generation has received was a small start up grant from Winsford Community Action Project.

Rocker is right in the comments made about DAN and it is disappointing that, despite regular invitations, it has had no involvement with Youth Generation this year.

I personally have had many discussions with DAN officials about their lack of involvement in the live music scene in Winsford with little response other than the fact that it appears that DAN gigs in Winsford have produced low attendances.

This is not the experience at gigs organised by Youth Generation.

I would ask anyone who would like more information about Youth Generation to phone either myself on 556689, Bob Barton at New Images on 593724 or Ellen Hughes at Winsford Neighbourhood Centre on 551766.

Alan Badder

Chair, Youth Generation

Llandovery Close

Winsford

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.