This coming Saturday the Ventnor Winter Gardens plays host to a charity gig in aid of Children in Need.
The gig has been organised by a group of local teenagers and aims to bring together a number of Island bands and DJs to provide great musical entertainment for the night
Sounds like a great idea, so well done to the teenagers for doing their bit.
Well done also to the Winter Gardens for letting them have the hall for free, as well as David and his staff for giving up their time for engineering the light/sound and helping run the charity event.
Entry is £4, kicks off at 7pm.
All ages welcome, but ID required if you plan to drink.
We have now received all the entries and the Ventnor Music For Fun Festival will take place on Thursday 20th and Friday 21st November 2008 at St Catherine’s Church Ventnor, starting at 3.00pm on both days.
On Friday evening after the classes there will be an evening of music by Isle of Wight Scottish Fiddlers, under the direction of Clive Rickards.
Quay Arts presents Alex Roberts, a musician whose musical compass points to each degree.
It is not his outstanding musicianship that is driving him, but something more subtle. What’s driving this artist is the song.
The timeless nature of Roberts’ musical charm provides the perfect vehicle for expressing his lyrical musings.
In the fashion of the troubadour or bard Roberts crafts stories, love songs, ballads, spiritual insights, or protests into a mesmerising web of song.
However it is on stage that Roberts is best appreciated. A comfortable and engaging performer he is quickly becoming known as an act not to miss and a hard one to follow.
Day four (Wednesday) Coventry. As close to my Country and the tour goes.
It’s the Midlands and I’m a midlands lad. Something I was reminded of during todays BBC radio session.
I left here as a two year old but it’s nice to know they still remember me!
Tonight we’re playing the Tin Angel. A nice intimate venue in the city centre. The Liberty Tour has been well received here and has built a tonne of anticipation. Lets hope we don’t disappoint.
Gareth Icke fans will know that the Island hunk is currently on tour around the UK. Gareth has very kindly agreed to share his tour diary with VentnorBlog readers, so if you’re interested to hear what sort of reception he’s been getting off the Wight, read on. Ed
Day Three (Tuesday)
It’s day three of the liberty tour and I’m already feeling the results of beer, sleep deprivation and greasy food. I think I may well be bringing back a slightly bigger version of myself to my Island.
The shows so far have been greatly received.
Last night we were at The Fly in London and the audience was incredible.
It’s pretty tough to stand up with just a guitar and your deepest thoughts and emotions. Damn, I sound like a hippy! But they were great and Jono, Jess Morgan and myself definitely fed off their enthusiasm and whoop wooing.
Those with their heads in the sand might not realise that this Friday is Halloween. A time when ghouls, trick or treaters and brain thirsty zombies come out to play.
Last year, we saw the Wight Zombie Shuffle take place in Ryde, this year, we understand that the zombies have got themselves organised (as they did in the excellent zombie film I Am Legend) and are planning to gather at The Castle Inn in Newport at 8.30pm.
Plans to unite with witches, ghouls and yet more zombies means that their end destination will be Haunted iCandi at Joe’s in Newport where they’ll be able to dance their rotting socks off to the sounds of electronica, retro pop, funk and dub.
Chart-topping writer of such classics as “Woman of Mine”, “Lydia”, “Lucky Stars” and “Ariel” and ‘McDonald’s Girl’ (which was officially banned by the BBC for mentioning the name of the well known fast food chain in its chorus), Dean Friedman, completes his UK tour at Quay Arts in Newport tonight.
Lucky Stars is the track most remembered by us, for those who have idea what we’re going on about - thanks to YouTube, here’s a reminder of Dean singing with Denise Marsa.
Last weekend, swamp voodoo blues band, The Waxworks (one of our current favourites) were busy laying down some tracks at The Steam Room Studios, in Ventnor for a new EP.
With help from the experienced hand of Bees frontman, Paul Butler, The Waxworks tell us the recording went really well and that they’ve managed to nail down four tracks for the EP, which they hope to release shortly.
If when perusing VentnorBlog, your eyes wander no further than the river of news, then you might not have noticed the advert on the far right offering the chance to spend a day with the legendary David Cassidy.
During the 1970s, David’s fan club had more paid-up members at any one time than any other in history, so we’re sure that there will be many fans on the Isle of Wight who will grab this ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity to meet David in the flesh.
The great man himself will be coming to the Wight on Wednesday 12th November and if you manage to snap up one the last remaining tickets for the event, you’ll have the chance to spend the day with him.
You’ll get to chat to David throughout the day and ask questions, perhaps about the time when he posed nude for an edition of Rolling Stone magazine, for Annie Leibovitz in 1972?
If you missed our earlier posting about Dean Friedman’s visit to the Island next week, read on.
Choosing to end is UK tour at Quay Arts, Dean will be performing songs old and new from his extensive catalogue next Tuesday 28 Oct from 8pm.
Dean is the chart-topping writer of such classics as “Woman of Mine”, “Lydia”, “Lucky Stars” and “Ariel” whilst another, ‘McDonald’s Girl’ was officially banned by the BBC for mentioning the name of the well known fast food chain in its chorus!
Music lovers and anyone who is keen to support a good cause, should head down to Quay Arts on Friday night when three bands will be playing live and hoping to raise some much needed cash.
The Chancers, Cooly Haste and Lucky Elephant have all agreed to play sets in the cafe at Quay between 7.30pm-11pm in the hope that money can be raised to help build a new school for kids in Tanzania.
The fundraiser evening, held back in September for the Music for Fun Festival went well, raising nearly £100.
Even though the official closing date has passed for entries into the festival which takes place next month, it’s not too late to sign up as we will accept entries up to the end of this week.
If you are musically inclined, take a look at the classes of entry below. You will be judged by oboist, Martin Packman.
Tickets went on sale this morning for the 2009 Isle of Wight Festival.
The festival takes place in Seaclose Park again next year over the weekend of the 12th-14th June 2009.
No headliners have been officially announced yet, but as we mentioned last week, Oasis are tipped to be on the lineup.
For those hoping to perform at the Festival next year, entry deadline for the Live Wired band competition is this coming Friday, 24th October, so you’d better get your skates on if you haven’t applied yet.
Thanks to Stella Childs for sending through details of Raw Samba taster sessions. Ed
Raw Samba will be holding taster sessions at the Carnival Learning Centre (next door to Waltzing Waters) for people to come and join in and have some fun, have a coffee then stay and listen to them practice.
This is with a view to holding formal beginners classes early next year.
The gig has been organised by a group of local teenagers and aims to bring together a number of Island bands and DJs to provide great musical entertainment for the night
We have now received all the entries and the 
It is not his outstanding musicianship that is driving him, but something more subtle. What’s driving this artist is the song. 
Don’t forget that the Ventnor Winter Gardens will play host tonight to a brand new monthly music event.
Sunday evening fun in Ryde kicks off at 6pm when Happy Feet Promotions welcome the hugely influential 
Island music lovers don’t forget that this Friday night sees the first monthly local talent night at the Ventnor Winter Gardens.
Monday 3rd November
Island based jazz ensemble, The Rick Harris Trio, will be performing their unique brand of ambient improvised jazz and blues. 
Thursday 30th October
Day four (Wednesday)
Day Three (Tuesday)
Those with their heads in the sand might not realise that this Friday is Halloween. A time when ghouls, trick or treaters and 
It’s always fallen two weeks after the bank holiday, which this year is a little later than it has been in the past few years.
Last weekend, swamp voodoo blues band, The Waxworks (one of our current favourites) were busy laying down some tracks at The Steam Room Studios, in Ventnor for a new EP.
During the 1970s, David’s fan club had more paid-up members at any one time than any other in history, so we’re sure that there will be many fans on the Isle of Wight who will grab this ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity to meet David in the flesh.
If you missed our earlier posting about 
Music lovers and anyone who is keen to support a good cause, should head down to Quay Arts on Friday night when three bands will be playing live and hoping to raise some much needed cash.
The fundraiser evening, held back in September for the 
The festival takes place in Seaclose Park again next year over the weekend of the 12th-14th June 2009.
Raw Samba will be holding taster sessions at the Carnival Learning Centre (next door to Waltzing Waters) for people to come and join in and have some fun, have a coffee then stay and listen to them practice.