Pond Life is a musical collective based around the Sunderland area. We are not a ‘Group’ although there is a lot of busking in together when we meet up for Pond Life nights. We have played at a variety of venues over the years but it mostly seems to depend on which pub John Dodsworth is running, since we always gravitate to his pubs. John plays guitar and sings and has recently staggered us with a very bonnie cover of a little James Blunt number — our very own living leg-end.
Some of us go back to the days of Glebe Live Music Club that met every Wednesday night in the upstairs bar of the Royalty on Chester Road (mid-1970s through to early 1990s). Others come from a broader background in acoustic folk and/or blues music. A few also come more directly from from playing in rock/blues bands. And then there is Ian, our poet.
I'm not sure how and when I'll introduce everyone onto these pages but I don't want to do it now, all at once. I'll start by listing events or gigs (infrequent as they are) and do it that way, I think.
| Date | Entry | 14.04.2006 | Tony and Costello held their wedding reception at the Rosedene in Sunderland and during the party Tony played a set with Dave Chaytor on blues harp. This links you to a few pics. |
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I will try to convey the total membership of Pondlife, at least in terms of the regulars:
| Musician | Handle | Function |
|---|---|---|
| John Dodsworth | Frogspawn, or Spawn for short | Inspirational song & guitar | Dave Chaytor | Midge | Blues harp | John Smith | Supermarket Trolley, or Troll for short | Singer-songwriter, with a twist | Tony Machin | Tadpole | Empassioned singer & guitarist | Dave Rhodes | Pond Skimmer | Mandolin player, amongst other things | Mick Arnell | Dragonfly | Tortured composer (singer & guitarist) | Frank Gooch | Electric eel | Guitar played like a blues electric eel | Martin Alexander | undifined | Front man extraordinaire! And neat on the guitar, too | Ian Horne | undifined | Poet |
Costello aka Alison Machin (Nee Davidson) |
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Tony's moll |
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