Campfire Convention Firecasts

Pete Lawrence and Diane Kutz welcome you around the digital campfire talk with a trawl through what's arising for them this week, the Julian Assange ITV film, digital nomads and our tangled relationship with the state and its institutions, the rise of the WHO, 'being happy and owning nothing', Chilled Cider, Matt Coldrick and building our daily practice, symbols of contemplation and sensitivity through stillness and self-awareness, the ongoing 'spaciousness' discussions, Andie Brazewell's commemoration announcement, privilege, quote of the week, musical selection and much more...

Change-maker, song-carrier, channel-writer and earth-protector Bob Hillary talks about the inspiration for his extraordinary new album 'Sacred'"This is the time of the changing of the guard. I believe it's our duty to create the new earth. I had to sell off all my possessions to make this album. My clothes, even my instruments... it was that gnarly."bobhillary.comAn interview for Campfire Radio's Light Service campfireconvention.net/radio/

Pete Lawrence and Diane Kutz launch a new era of the Campfire Firecast. Catch up on topical news around Campout, vox pops from the recent Spring Weekend at Braziers Park, how to have good conversations, Matt Coldrick's 'Everyday People', a Steely Dan selection and more... 

The original first Campfire podcast featuring an interview with founders of the Community Farm in Somerset. In July 2017 I visited the community farm just outside Chew Magna south of Bristol  and spoke to Ped Asgarian and Richard Garnett  I kicked off by asking Richard about food which he tellingly described as “a perfect storm of fashion and politics” Food production is now so geared towards making profits for shareholders and corporations that it has lost site of its primary purpose – nourishment, wellbeing and feeding our world at its most basic level. We discussed how fashion and politics are shaping what we consume and how important the choices we make are in keeping us connected us with the land and our communities

In December 2000, The Big Chill hosted one of the most memorable concerts I have had the pleasure to be involved with. Tom Middleton, our resident DJ through the years and now esteemed club and yoga session DJ, composer and sleep therapist, fulfilled an ambition. He got to score and perform two of the tracks from the seminal album 76:14 by Global Communication, his project at the time with Mark Pritchard. Tom invited me to play the DJ warm-up set for him, which I really enjoyed doing, along with Muffled Visions images on the night. The resulting mix 'Deep and Crisp and Even' has remained popular since its inception and already received several thousand downloads from a variety of sites. It's one of my most loved mixes and seems to suit a variety of occasions.To mark the anniversary two decades on, I have revisited the Deep and Crisp and Even mix I created for that iconic night and put visuals to it, something I have always wanted to do. Enforced lockdown here on Paros has given me a few days spare time to essentially create a film of slides around the mix (original photos by myself as well as found footage on the web). It clocks in at 62 minutes, a sound and vision scape through choral, classical, electronica, piano music and more. The full mix is available on Campfire's Vimeo channel after its premiere at the World Harmony event over Winter Solstice 2020.In this promo Firecast, I talk about the emotional resonance that the mix holds for me and offer a few thoughts on each track. I hope you enjoy it.

Jason Hine has just arrived in Greece. Together with the Campfire community, we are exploring possibilities for new Ecovillages and ecovillage networks, where we look towards methods of food production, technologies of reunion, wildcrafting, organizational change, local, national and global economy and currency redesign, dance, myth, mutualistic ways of doing business, forest gardening, boat building, development of new systems of governance, ceremony, conflict resolution, connection with the earth, eco-building, gardening and all the other things that we need to shift to an ancient future presence on earth can happen in a magical abundant supportive fruitful place..."

Tree Conference founder Suzi Martineau talks to Campfire Convention's Pete Lawrence and reflects on this year's conference, shifts in thinking, social change, politics and tree hugging. 

Part Two: Campout 2018 was an extraordinary gathering, held at The Bridge Inn in the Black Mountains and curated by its own members. On the second Firecast from the event (a sequel to Firecast 011) we hear from Campfirers who came and made it what it was - "playful, freeing, inspiring, challenging, intense, healing, magic and fun" were some of the descriptions used. Featured : Louise Wallis, Jeremy Pearce, Michelle Walters, Mandi Kimberley, Caroline Holt, Kate Edgley, Eugenie Arrowsmith-Pepper, Julia Palmer-Price. Music facilitation : Rebecca Denniff and Julia Palmer-Price. Produced and introduced by Pete Lawrence.Also features the community-composed song 'Love Is Everywhere' 

Campout 2018 was an extraordinary gathering, held at The Bridge Inn in the Black Mountains and curated by its own members. Here we hear from Campfirers who came and made it what it was - "playful, freeing, inspiring, challenging, intense, healing, magic and fun" were some of the descriptions used. Featured : Rebecca Denniff, David Owen, Belinda Scadding, Rose Lennard, David Abell, Annie Corbett, Mark Robbins, Andie Brazewell, Dominique 'Pascal' Barrett, David Pinto and Ralph Pettingill. Music facilitation : Rebecca Denniff and Julia Palmer-Price. Produced and introduced by Pete Lawrence

“When the revolution comes, it will start here” That’s a quote from the Guardian’s magazine’s 'Let’s Move to…' feature about Frome, the independent-minded Somerset market town that is in the spotlight.In the latest firecast from Campfire Convention, Pete Lawrence (a recently inducted Froomie) renews acquaintances with writer Crysse Morrison, one of the first people he met in Frome, who has spent months putting together a definitive and enormously entertaining book about the town’s history, heritage, the people that have made it what it is and it’s passion for non-conformist creativity which comes in many shapes and sizes. Everywhere you look, it would seem, the town seems to be in the spotlight with Harpers Bazaar describing it as “the UK’s most stylish town” and the Sunday Times suggesting the town has reinvented itself as “an artsy, foodie hipster haven”Local writer from Devizes Darren Warrow, sees 'Funky freewheeling Frome’ s organised community as “creating a distinctiveness and liberal attitude which makes Brighton look like North Korea".Frome is a vibrant place to live and Crysse's new book ‘Frome Unzipped’ is its essential guide. Listen up! 

Folk legends Blowzabella are celebrating 40 years of their inimitable, drone-based wall of sound. Yet, they remain largely unknown outside their own cult circles. The band's latest workshop weekend, at Halsway Manor in the Quantock Hills in west Somerset brought the Blowzabella family together to celebrate this unique DIY cottage industry that is moving into top gear. It's the sort of musical concept that the corporations wouldn't understand, let alone be able to bottle and sell. Campfire's Pete Lawrence chats to leader Paul James about the band's origins, their rich tradition of musical eclecticism, the ceilidh police and the future.Thanks to Bruce Bickerton for the use of his audio clips

A Paros breakfast meeting with Mary Valiakas, founder of Campfire's Athens Beacon and Head of Innovation at the Hellenic Institute of Cultural Diplomacy. Mary talks about the growing pains associated with the move from masculine to feminine values, the shift from capitalism from collectivism and how Greece has used the grey zones created during its falling apart to maximise impact through new innovation, self-organising systems to bring philosophy home to the cradle of western civilisation.

Pete Lawrence talks to Jonathan Goldsmith artist and larp designer Nina Runa Essendrop about their plans to create 'A Solstice Experience' - a joy filled ritual celebration of the Summer Solstice in the middle of the stunning Waterlow Park in Highgate, North London. This unique magical event is designed as a Solstice Beacon for London, a fundraiser for Campfire and a chance to spread the word about Campfire Convention throughout London.

The story of a remix. The Sa Ta Na Ma track by the Campfire Circle Singers has marked Campfire founder and firestarter Pete Lawrence's return to the recording studio for the first time in over a decade. Hear the main players talking about their parts in the the making of a truly collaborative tune. Interviews with Pete Lawrence, Bryony Croft, Tobias Hug, Bruce Bickerton, Graeme Holdaway, Kimm Fearnley and Paul Leonard.. 

Our latest Firecast episode features Mee Ysanne who has "two successful dual careers - in music and food - and combines this 20+ years of deep experience to create immersive sensory experiences based on science, art and meaningful ideas." Mee talks about setting up the New York City Beacon for Campfire as well as diversity, gender differences and the importance of human touch.

Welcome to our fourth Campfire Convention Firecast, which features our own members Hi5s. We also talk to Mancunian Rick Turner from Ditto AI about a world increasingly dominated by artificial intelligence. Community engagement, inspiration and confidence, music, education and England's smallest commercial cinema. Listen up! 

A selection of our members highpoints of 2017 : we feature Barry Cawston, Julia Black, Tobias Hug, Juliet Maclay, Kate Edgley, Guy Morley, Anthea Davies, Luke Flegg, Ruth Wallsgrove, Mads Ryle, Jenny Barrett, Lorraine Inglis, Steve Hoare and Eugenie Arrowsmith.

Our second Firecast features a report from the recent Campfire Convention London event and includes Tobi Hug's Circle Singing, plus members hi5s and highlights from our 'Reimagining politics' thinkshop.