Party For Parkinson's Interview: Merryn Cocking

How much did it mean to you to host a gig for such an important charity?

It meant a great deal for me to organise the event for Parkinsons UK as my Grandad has recently been diagnosed with the disease. My family have seen first-hand how little support there is for patients and their carers, so I felt it was the right time to do my part. My grandad was the one who had always loved music and encouraged me to pursue it – I hope I did him proud in hosting the gig. He loved looking at the photos too!
​Why did you choose Grapes to host the event?
I really like the atmosphere at Grapes having been to a few gigs there before. The cosy nooks and crannies, the fairy and disco lights and the friendly and helpful staff made it the perfect venue. Their music license also runs past 11 pm which was great as it meant we could really party into the night. They also let us host the gig at the venue for free which was a bonus!
Favourite song to play off the setlist and why? 

My favourite song from the Tuxedo Function playlist is the Otis Redding version of Stand by Me. I felt that it really summarised the whole point of the gig – that just because someone has Parkinsons or another illness doesn’t mean that they are a different person, it just means that we all have to stand a little bit closer and be a shoulder to cry on if anyone needs it. ‘I won’t be afraid, just as long as you stand by me’ felt like the perfect lyric to me. As long as we have our friends and family around us then we know that things will be okay. I also really like the arrangement of the song as the horn parts are really enjoyable to play!

Any key moments that stood out for you during the gig?

I remember when we were setting everything up and it began to absolutely pour with rain and I thought ‘oh no, no one will want to come out in this weather!’ and by the end of the evening people were coming in in their soggy coats ready to have a good time! We had over one hundred people dancing with us and I felt so humbled that despite the rain, people still wanted to come out and support us. It was so lovely seeing everyone smiling and having fun, it was just how I wanted the gig to be. 

Do you think Falmouth is doing enough to raise awareness for physical and mental health issues through music?

I know that there have been a few events that have been fundraising for certain health charities which is incredible. I think it is a great way of making people more aware that these charities exist if there ever comes a time when an audience member may need to contact one of these charities for support. However, I do feel that event organisers are missing a trick – going to live music events is so good for your mental health! It releases endorphins, it puts you in a social setting and for a few hours all you need to focus on is the music. Going to a live gig is a really good way to de-stress, at least I think so anyway!
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Any other plans for the Tuxedo Function in the future?​

After the gig had finished, we realised how much we enjoyed playing in a group and we all agreed that it would be a shame to abandon the group after all our hard work. We are working on our online presence at the moment by having professional photographs taken and having our live performances edited so that they can be used in promotional material. I imagine that we will be more of a session band where we will only rehearse if we have an event lined up, but I think the main thing at the minute is that we all just really enjoy spending time with each other creating music and having a laugh. I find that if you love what you do, then you create your best work (and the audience notice this too).