The other day during a rambling conversation I realised that this week marks the 450th column I've written at The Weekend Sun. I tend not to dwell on the past too much; or even remember it too well.

I wrote my first column here back in 2003 and I have no idea what it was about; probably some declaration of principles and a quick joke.

It's lost as the hard drive it was on got hit by lightning.
Since then I've put down roughly – sometimes very roughly – 315,000 words, mostly about music, particularly that of a local variety; some about movies, books, grammatical quirks, or whichever tangential back-road happened to look interesting on the map that week. Spontaneity cannot be overrated. (I should know – I've practiced it enough…)

And I'd like to thank you both for reading.
Ha. Little joke there. I have absolutely no idea how many people read this column.

Someone does, and I assume more than two, otherwise I'd have long ago been quietly left propped in the corner of some dank drinking hole, another old newspaper hack lost to the rum.

I know folk read this because I get emails and I absolutely sincerely thank you for that.

The little corrections sent in to point out yet another possibly hangover-inspired brain-freeze on my part, or the many correspondents who email with information about upcoming events and interesting titbits from Tauranga's entertainment world, really keep this column going (along with a sharp-eyed editor and several highly-paid lawyers).

Seriously though, I would like to remind everyone that anything you send to [email protected] gets read and, nearly always, replied to.

Not everything gets into a column – there just isn't that much space – but, as I say to bands if they ask advice about promotion: whenever you're doing anything even vaguely newsworthy send out information about it to everyone you can.

You may get nowhere at first, but at least your name will begin to be recognised, and sooner or later there'll be a blank page and you'll be there to fill it.

By the way – bands – simply posting a gig on your Facebook page isn't enough.

Media folks will not trawl through social networking pages to find you. You need to make contact with them, and you should.
I am happy for this column to be a shameless promotional resource for local bands and gigs because they deserve the space and readers want to know what's happening.

With that in mind, let me just throw out another comment to bands: make sure you've got some promo material ready in case you need it.

If you're out playing gigs or recording you should already have a ‘one-sheet'.

That's a short promo kit which lists the band members, says a little bit about each of them, and has a paragraph or two about the band's history.

That's all you need (plus a photo, which I can't believe is even vaguely a problem in these days of hi-def cell phone cameras).

Don't be lazy – chance favours the prepared mind.
Okay, enough of that.

Here's a couple of snippets for the week.
Recently dormant gypsy jazz group Bonjour Swing, comprising Robbie Laven, Marion Arts, and their son Oscar Laven, have just finished recording an album along with young upright bass player Milan Wilshier.

The Flame, a collection of 15 songs and instrumentals by Marion and one petite waltz by Robbie, is yet to get a release date, but expect it sometime around Easter.

And, in case I forget next week, the Tauranga & Katikati Acoustic Music Festival takes place on Saturday, February 25 at 156 Works Road, from 10am until 9pm.

Heading the bill is Scottish duo Emily Smith and Jamie McLennan.
Mixing her own and traditional material, Emily has been called ‘a Scottish Joni Mitchell' and was named ‘Scots Singer of the Year' at the Scots Trad Music Awards.

That's pretty impressive stuff. Check her out at www.emilysmith.org

Also worth seeing will be Sanders Alley Khan, a folk, roots and world music band.

With influences from Celtic, jazz, folk and blues traditions, the trio was a big hit at last year's Auckland Folk Festival and should be a blast live.

There are also, of course, many locals playing.
Tickets are $25, from Creative Tauranga, Katch Katikati, or at the gate.