News: 02 September 2011:

A Limited number of advance tickets will be on sale from 2pm on Saturday 3rd September at The Music Shop, New Rents, Ashford and at Right Track Music Shop Tufton Street Ashford. Advance tickets are £4 each, normal price on the door will be £5.

Billed as one of the most anticipated reunion shows this year My Life in the Making are promising a show to remember. Some special guests and support from Know Your Enemy this looks like being the best gig in Ashford for ages. Make sure you are there.

Remember, advance tickets are limited at the discount price of £4, onec they are sold the door price on the night will be £5.

Someone at the show on September 10th will win £25 of vouchers for use in The Music Shop.

News: 16 May 2011:

My Life in the Making Return

Top Ashford Band My Life in the Making have been secretly rehearsing for a come back. Singer Ken Graham said "We have all been involved with other projects in recent years, but now we all feel the time is right for a come back".

The Show will be held at Ashford Rocks! at Club Q on Saturday 10th September 2011 and is set to be awesome, The band have been rehearsing their album "Contemplating Concepts of Forever" and refining it even more for the upcoming show. Also there may be a couple of Hindsight numbers thrown in said Ken.

Main support will be provided by London based Tidor in which our very own Martyn Cheesman is the drummer. The opening band will be a bunch of local reprebates you may have heard of by invitation of My Life in the Making themselves. I'll let you guess who they are :-)

This is some of the best news I have had for a long while, not only do I hold MLitM in the highest regard, but they were at the very first Ashford Rocks! gig in September 2003 as Hindsight, and they played the last one at Homelands in July 2007, it is such an honour to have them play Ashford Rocks! again and to choose this venue (ClubQ) to stage their come back.

News: 14 March 2011

Music Clash 2011 - If you are in a band and are aged 11 to 18 years old, this may interest you. If we get enough bands from Ashford to take part, we could have a special Ashford Rocks! evening for you and get it filmed. For more details visit:

http://musicclash.kent.gov.uk/ 

News: 1st February 2011

Create 2011 - Bands can now apply on-line to play at Create 2011, Victoria Park Ashford on Sunday July 24th. Visit the link below to apply.

www.ashford.gov.uk/joincreate2011

News: 16th December 2010

There is a chance of really bad weather over the next few days. Musicians will be traveling from various parts of the country and the county to be at the December 18th show. It is possible that due to the weather some may not make it. We will obviously do our best to keep it on.

In the event of difficulties getting the show on as advertised, we are considering an open mic/jam night for local musicians. This is not definite and a decision will be made probably Saturday morning.

If you are a musician and live locally please bear this in mind and if you fancy a jam with other musicians keep visiting this site for developments.

If you are due to be playing this show on Saturday again please keep visiting for further updates or let me know your circumstances if you find you can't make it due the the weather. my email is steve@ashfordrocks.com  

One way or another I would like to put this show on.

News: 10th December 2010

The Christmas Show on December 18th promises to be a corker, literally. There's a free shot of Corkey's to those that come along in fancy dress! how's that for Christmas spirit.

The line up looks awesome, including Know Your Enemy, you'll recognise most of these fella's from bands that have been around for a while including a certain "Rockin Monk"!!! they kick off at 8.30pm, following that is the excellent Shychlo, it's been a while since we last saw them in Ashford. Headlining will be Never Say Die, a Black Sabbath tribute again making their first appearance in Ashford, some of you will recognise a couple of these from previous bands :-). Got to be worth a look. See you there.

News very soon on January and February's shows, more great bands.

News:  25th October 2010

The line up for Saturday 20th November has been announced:

Avenge Thee + Naime - Take a look at their website, it speaks volumes, regular gigs all over the UK and Europe  http://www.myspace.com/avengethee

Zip Hedz - Local Ashford based band, Ryk & Dave who are members of Zip Hedz played at the very first Ashford Rocks! in a band called Monkey Punch, the band in which my som Tom was the drummer, and that's where it all started. Honoured to have them play.

Dirty Vibes - Medway based Blues/Rock with a lady up front, influenced by classic, dirty rock n' roll, mainly early Guns N' Roses.

Guidelines for Entry:

If you look or are under 21 please bring ID with you. At the door you will be asked to provide ID, if you are between 16 and 18 years old you will be stamped on the hand with a RED stamp, if you are 18 years or over you will be stamped on the hand with a BLACK stamp.

This will make it easier for the bar staff to identify who can buy and consume alcohol. Please respect and comply, Thank you.

18's and over please do not buy alcohol for anyone under 18. The venue has a good cctv system.

Statement 8th September 2010:

The line up for Ashford Rocks! - Again, is now confirmed and complete. Dan Blood an awesome one man acoustic act, very talented man and sure to get you settled in. Sizen, a hard riff driven pure Rock band, the first time I heard these lads was on Friday 6th August 2005 and I have been a fan ever since, Guaranteed to blow you away!. Age Against the Machine, made up of members of bands I have worked with before, those of you that were regular AR'er in the past will probably recognise them. A superb Rage Against the Machine tribute band, don't let that put you off, if you like RATM, you'll like these guys.

entry is £5 and you will get a quality show, I know you can get into pubs in town and see bands, that's good, Come to Club Q and see a Show, three great acts. For those who remember the old AR ethos of giving young bands a go, we have not forgotten that, but the first one back I want to wake up this town and say "WE ARE BACK". If successful and we put on more there will be opportunities for some of Ashford's up an coming young talent.

16 and over only please, ID will be required, a Licensed bar is there for 18 & over. Doors open at 7.30pm, first act on 8.30 with a planned finish at around 11 to 11.30pm. Enjoy!! Iv'e done my bit, it's now down to you!

Statement 5th September 2010:

Ashford will Rock again! we have teamed up with CLUB Q in Ashford Town Centre to revive these shows. Firstly many thanks to Gary Luckhurst for sewing the seed with the manager there, Martyn Cheeseman for starting talks and to Leah who runs the venue for her support. Club Q is a venue with a vision, at the moment we will be sharing the space with quite a few pool tables which will be covered up for the event. Leah who runs the Club Q has big plans for making the third floor of the building into a multi-purpose venue and work has already started,  if successful Ashford Rocks could be moving into that floor, but for the time being we are in the pool hall. There is a nice bar for the over 18's and a few seats for those that wish to chill as well as standing room.

The trial gig will be on Saturday 2nd October 2010, when we will have three Awesome Acts, still to be confirmed, but we want this to go with a big bang and let everyone know we are back!. I will confirm the line up soon, but you should be amazed, I am aiming for all three bands to have an Ashford connection, cover all ages and be some of the best around for this one. There are so many great bands around it's hard to choose, but I hope we can put on further shows after this one and get all the best bands around to play. This is down to you guy's, support it and it will happen :-).

Thank you to everyone who has got in touch by facebook, phone, or email, thank you for your support and faith. - Steve The Rocking Monk.

statement: 2nd August 2010

I have started a facebook group with a view to seeing just how much support there would be to start something up again. So if you would like to see Ashford Rocks! return, join the group and let us know.

Statement: 24^th June 2007

After nearly four years and a lot of deliberation it is with a very heavy heart that I have to call an end to the regular Ashford Rocks! Events. 

This is mainly due to the fact that people are no longer supporting it in regular numbers, the last few shows have cost me money and I just can’t afford to carry on subsidising it. The Football Club are spending more on bar staff than they are taking over the bar and the Smoking ban is going to effect it as well.

As you can imagine this is something I have not taken lightly, over the years I feel I have put a lot of my spare time and my heart and soul into trying to provide regular events where young and sometimes not so young up and coming bands can play and show off their immense talents.  This decision is going to leave a big hole in my life, but carrying on will leave a big hole in my pocket.

Over the last few years I have met and worked with some stunningly brilliant musicians and some wonderful people, truly professional and a pleasure to meet and work with. I have made many friends for life through these gigs. 

I may in future put on “One Off’s” and will keep the Ashford Rocks website going so keep visiting ….. but I have no plans for any further gigs beyond the end of July this year. I will be cancelling all other bookings. There may well be one at Christmas !!! But keep an eye on the website.

I hope that in some way I can still be involved in the local Rock Scene, I don’t know how or when and where and the local Rock scene will have a nig hole in it without Ashford Rocks but I am hanging on to the thought that I can still be involved in some way.

I will still be involved with the band Led by Zeppelin so maybe that’s my future.

I would like to thank all those of you that have supported me in the past, far too many to mention but you will know who you are.

I apologise unreservedly to the bands that I am not going to be able to help anymore, it’s not your fault but I feel I am letting you down by stopping, but I just can’t go on losing money, I know you would all play for nothing, but I feel embarrassed at not being able to pay you, and the hall, PA, and security still need to be paid for, as I have made public in the past we need 100 people paying a fiver to cover running costs alone. 

Please keep in touch and if and when I put on a “One Off” I hope you will support me.

There have been some real memories and some top class shows.

Thank you.

Come along to the July 6th SPiT LiKE THiS / My Life in the Making (Also the Old Gits Birthday Bash) and enjoy.

Steve.

The Rocking Monk

Ashford Rocked !

Gig Guidance Notes - Please read all of it carefully.

To clear up any misunderstandings please note.

Anyone under the age of 14 years will need to be accompanied by an adult (18 or over)

The Security guys will want to see your ID if you have it, as there is no official ID for 14 to 17 year olds the security guys will have to make their decision on your looks if you don’t have ID. Please co-operate with them.

1)  No Aerosols of any description

2)  No Bottles, plastic or glass, even Water to be allowed in (water will be free of charge at the bar)

3)  No cans of drink

4)  All bags to be searched at the gate

5)  All vehicles to be searched, including the boot

6)  We may ask people to turn out their pockets

7)  All customers to have ID checked if you have some bring it along

8)  ID if you have it and hand stamps may also be checked at the door

9)  No weapons!

10) No drugs!

As far as the bar is concerned for ID purposes we only accept, Passport, Driving Licence, Prove it ID card, Citizen ID card, Gun Licences or Forces ID cards. We do not accept the Connections card as that has proved to be easily forged.

Please DO NOT bring any bottles, cans etc and expect to sit outside the gates drinking them, even if you are 18 and over, there is likely to be a police presence and behaviour like this will not help us.

Please remember a lot of people have done a lot of work to keep these gigs going for you, please comply and respect those that have worked hard for you.

The End.

Ashford Rocks ! is now on myspace: www.myspace.com/ashfordrocks