CYCM: Love songs to the front please...

There is a lovely Spanish word, most popular in latin American countries and Cuba, that describes a gathering of like-minded people for an artistic event containing music, poetry, drink, food and general social enjoyment. The word is Tertulia.

A very nice man, called Taylor, from Matanzas, told me about it as he showed me one of the venues such an event took place in many years ago. They would often happen behind closed doors and away from neighbourhoods, as to not incur the wrath of the government of the time. They were joyous occasions when people came together to celebrate their beliefs in song and dance and spoken word. There were often live art shows too. He smiled broadly as he remembered the tales his father had told him of such happenings and the hopes contained within about what a better future could hold.

Immediately I thought of FC United of Manchester and, in particular, Course You Can Malcolm. I tried to explain to him what Malcolms was, but he couldn’t get beyond ’Manchester’ and ’United’, although he spoke excellent English. It is not easy trying to explain what CYCM technically means, it is far simpler to state what it brings and what it regularly delivers.

I would love to invite Taylor to Gigg Lane, Bury, on Saturday where he could see for himself, a very English version of a Tertulia in action.

We have music, by way of the excellent female singer Girl Peculiar, also known as Jenny Shuttleworth, from Salford, who’s lineage touches The Fall, we have poetry from Tony Walsh, also known as Longfella, who recently performed his ’derby day’ poem on Football Focus and we have an array of food and drink to indulge in as you bask in the warm glow of comradeship with those of similar beliefs and principles. We are truly internationalist too as we have one of our Bulgarian friends cooking a vegetarian hotpot, which will sit proudly alongside Mike’s usual array of veggie delights, often made in a kettle. Added to this FC United’s secretary, also known as ’The Missus’, will be baking cakes for your inevitable devourment.

There is the usual beer and deals and of course MC Two will be asking the players another topical question when he reads out the team is sheet, after hiking up the stairs with Westwells’ tater ’ash and cheese pies strapped to his troubled back.

Introducing Girl Peculiar, her manager and musician Ed Blaney, one time of The Fall, says: "Her words and melodies are very infectious and it’s hard to put her in a category. Live, she delivers without effort, simplistic yet catchy ballads."

Marc Riley’s BBC 6 music show placed her debut release Destiny in his top ten songs of last year and she has worked with Mark E Smith at least once.

Have a listen here.

The single can be dowloaded here.

Tony Walsh was website poet in residence at the Glastonbury festival, from where he performed live on BBC6 Music, as Cerys Matthews strummed along. He then appeared on Jo Wiley’s show on BBC Radio 2. So it is not hard to deduce that he is very good. It will be a pleasure to have him.

More on Longfella here.

So there you are - a great line up. Music, art, poetry, comedy, beer and food. Then we watch FC United of Manchester play Hednesford Town in a promotion influencer. A lovely mix and a lovely day in the making. Love at the forefront as we Tertulias our way to the next three points...

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