If you happen to be in London Town a week on Sunday, and fancy a great party, then head over to the Lido in Brockwell Park, London SE24.
The party has been organised to raise awareness for the Swim to Bestival event which we covered earlier in the year. So far, 16 people have signed up to swim across the Solent for charity to get to Bestival.
The charities benefiting from the madness of these 16 individuals (and any other brave souls) will be The Imibala Trust and Marie Curie Cancer Care. If you decide to go to the party, you’ll have a chance to meet the nutty 16 in person as they parade and pose in their speedos and will be able to donate to the cause. (more…)
The Ryde Arts Festival comes to an end next Friday night with a great show lined up in Ryde Town Square.
Organised by the master behind The Development Suite, three great Island bands will get you dancing your burlseque pants off (yes, it’s fancy dress, all day).
Shanklin Freak Show bring you industrial, glam and alternative. Soul Lounge deliver some of their smooth acoustic soul and The Wild Oats follow with on the acoustics but with more of a folk, rock and blues angle.
Action kicks off at 8.30 after the Samba band finish and runs until 10.30 in Ryde Town Square.
Successful Island promoters Happy Feet, have been busying themselves over the last couple of weeks working hard to secure some great gigs for the Ryde Arts Festival which kicks off this weekend after the Ryde Regatta.
As we mentioned recently, next Friday night (the 13th - whoooo) Ryde venues are going to be overrun with punters in burlesque, silent movie and exotic fancy dress.
Happy Feet will be presenting for your pleasure DJ Nipsy and some very special guests (no, I’m not spoiling the surprise) from midday onwards at the Western Gardens, Ryde.
The theme of the set? Summer chill. So, if you can get off work early next Friday and fancy that sunny afternoon experience of hanging out with some friends listening to some ambient tunes then Ryde’s your place.
The scheduled walkout of bus drivers next week has been postponed whilst bus drivers vote on the new deal of 8% on basic pay (which would be backdated to 25 February 2007) and overtime backdated to last month. The deal includes a rise next February of 1% above whatever the Retail Price Index is in January 2008.
We’ll let you know once we hear more news. Thankfully for now, you can be assured of getting where you need to by public transport next week.
Next Saturday afternoon, Ryde will play host to what’s set to be a knockout costume parade.
There are expected to be over a thousand pupils and their families taking part (as well as community organisations) who will be showing off their carnival costumes themed around great artists and masterpieces.
If you watched Kill Bill on the box last night and have got a taste for the old samurai sword fights, you might fancy heading up to Quay Arts on 24th July to catch their latest cinema offering.
Described as the model for A Fistful of Dollars, Yojimbo is one of Kurosawa’s most imitated and admired ‘Japanese Westerns’.
Samurai drifter Toshiro Mifune stumbles into a lawless town and takes on the role of ‘mediator’ between rival gangs.
It’s a great little cinema, comfy seats and you can enjoy a drink from the bar whilst watching the film.
Details: Drama / Dir: Akira Kurosawa / With Toshiro Mifune, Eijiro Tono / Japan 1967 / Subtitles / 110 mins / Cert PG
Location: Anthony Minghella Theatre, Quay Arts
Ticket Price: £4
Box Office 01983 822490
We know that there are lots of dog lovers out there in Ventnor, so how about learning how to give your dog a massage, the right way with with Vav Simon from the Natural Therapy Centre for Animals, Ryde.
Next Saturday between 9.30 to 4.30pm, Vav will be holding a Massage Your Dog Training Course. It’s open to owners who want to care for elderly or poorly dogs, or just have fun!
Give Vav a call on 566009 for more details, or check out NTC Animals website.
Venue: Natural Therapy Centre for Animals, Aldermoor Farm, Upton Road, Ryde, Isle of Wight PO33 3LA
There’s some great gigs happening on the Island tonight if you fancy a night out.
Don’t forget the Jackson Analogue Album Launch, being held at The Studio in Newport. Five quid to get in and catch some material from the new album as well as (if you’re lucky) some stuff planned for the next.
Over in Ryde at The Venue, The Apple Beatles will be selling you A Ticket To Ryde where they’ll be sharing the stage (not at the same time) with The Magical Mystery Acoustic Tour, a Beatles tribute band who’ve come all the way from Italy! Let’s hope the weather improves for our Italian visitors.
Whatever you decide, make sure you have a good one!
He’s been in Ventnor for many years, you will’ve spotted him at some point with a camcorder in his hand (actually, I think he’s had it surgically attached, because he never seems to be without it), but have you ever wondered what Gianpaolo (GP or G to his friends) does with all that material?
Well, he’s finally got his act together and got himself a YouTube account, so now you can find out.
Recently he been on the Octopus tour bus with The Bees and has uploaded several sections of video. We found it quite difficult to follow (unless you keep clicking back to his main page) as they may have been uploaded in a strange order, and as we know that there’s lots of Bees fans out there reading the blog, we thought we’d broadcast one to you each day (in the correct order).
Here’s the first of many. Stick your speakers up high and enjoy the trip.
When he’s not shooting film, you might find GP painting (as part of the Ventnor Artists collaboration), graphic designing, surfing, travelling, spearfishing, beach soccer-ing (is there such a word?), snowboarding, eating and partying.
Maybe it’s because we’re just flushed with the excitement of having watched the great Round The Island Race on Saturday, and seeing that Ellen MacArthur won, but we thought you might be interested in the following.
We see that the TV production company behind the filming of Dame Ellen MacArthur’s record breaking voyages has just sold for £1.05m in cash and a bunch of shares. (more…)
Next Friday sees a very special event at Ryde Theatre. In celebration of the 40 year anniversary of the release of The Beatles album, ‘Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’, The Venue will be hosting a “Ticket to Ryde”.
As you would expect, the Island’s very own Apple Beatles, fresh from their gigs are Isle of Wight Music Festival will be performing on stage. The gig will be particularly special as making their first UK appearance will be The Magical Mystery Acoustic Tour, all the way from Italy!
They just played the National Beatles Week Festival in Rome early in the month and apparently, their love of The Beatles is evident in their impressive performance.
Regular reader of the Blog, Rick Stanbridge of the Apple Beatles said: “I hope the Apple Beatles will perform over in Rome later in the year, forming a cultural bond and cementing a common passion for the Beatles’ music and lyrics.
It’s about feeling and both these bands have it in abundance.”
Tickets are available £6 in advance or £7 on the door.
For further information please call Ryde Theatre box office on 568099.
[excellent photo of The Apple Beatles by the lovely Charr]
On 22nd June, there’s another opportunity to see one of my favourite Island bands, The Chancers play Liquid Lounge.
As if they weren’t enough to satisfy, joining them on stage will be ‘Niton Lovelies’ The Motion Pictures, who have some great new tracks and from over the water, Masters of Disguise.
Sure to be a great night of brilliant music, the atmosphere is always electric at their gigs, so make sure you have three quid to get in and head up to Liquid Lounge (Union Street, Ryde) next Friday. Action kicks off at 9.30pm and they’ll have you bobbing up and down til late.
You’ve heard me bang on about The Bees many times before, so here’s another one to add to the list.
My favourite band and one of the Island’s best export (imho) The Bees, will be putting on a very special gig in London next month.
They will be performing their new album Octopus in its entirety, from beginning to end. They say that this many be the ‘one and only time’ that they do this, so it’s a gig NOT to be missed.
Book the following morning off work, sort out your train, ferry etc and get yourselves up to London for the night to support a band who have been responsible for putting Ventnor back on the map.
It’s at the Mermaid Theatre in Blackfriars, London on 16th July.
The link given for tickets sales didn’t work, but I’ll update this post once we have the correct one.
If you fancy getting the bank holiday weekend off to a smooth soulful start, then head up to Joe’s in Newport tomorrow evening.
Slipdisc will be bringing you DJ Ab, delivering soulful house, with lots of vocals and sax, perfect for Joe’s and will ease you gently into the bank holiday spirit.
He’ll be doing a mammoth four hour set from 8pm til 1am and with free entrance what more could you ask for on a sunny Thursday evening?
The roof terrace will be open for part of the evening, so get there early if you fancy gazing over Newport while the sun goes down.
The Development Suite crew have been busy lining up some great acts for you for the coming months. When I get a chance, I’ll add them to the events diary, but in the meantime take a gander at the listings and put any that you fancy firmly into your diary.
Gutted we’ll miss Delta T who are playing on the 27th, if you get a chance you should go along. Stunning vocals to support the great music.
MAY 18 - ELECTRIC 80′S CLUB NIGHT
MAY 20 - SUNDAY - THE DEVELOPMENT SUITE - GOODBYE STEREO
MAY 23 - THE ALTERNATIVE SUITE - 666 PACK + SENTENCED TO REBIRTH + SEPTIC WIZARD
MAY 25 - CHARITY LIVE BAND EXTRAVAGANZA! MUSO KARAOKE & COMEDY SET
MAY 27 - SUNDAY - THE DEVELOPMENT SUITE - DELTA T & AARON FLETCHER BEES DJ SET!
MAY 30 - WEDNESDAY - ALTERNATIVE SUITE - THE NEUROPHOBICS & SUPPORT
JUN 20 - THE ALTERNATIVE SUITE - SHANKLIN FREAK SHOW & CAFFEINE KILL
JUN 22 - MOTION PICTURES, THE CHANCERS & MASTERS OF DISGUISE
JUN 27 - ALTERNATIVE SUITE - SEPTIC WIZARD, PURITIN SLAIN & PLONIUM 210
AUG 15 - ALTERNATIVE SUITE - VALLENBROSA, 666 PACK & SUPPORT FROM SENTENCED TO REBIRTH
The Liquid Lounge can be found on Union Street, Ryde. All nights are free except 22 June which is £3 entry.
If you were planning on rocking down to the Shoom Records Launch Night tomorrow then you ought to know that it is now being held at The Cellar, Union Street, Ryde instead of Lake Working Men’s Club.
All the same people will be entertaining you, just at a different location!
As you probably already know, this year the White Air Extreme Sports Festival is moving from it’s regular slot of windy October to the warmer climes of August (27 Aug - 2 Sept).
Despite some local opposition to the date change, it has been approved and given the go-ahead. Which must be quite a relief for organiser Nigel Howell, who can now carry on pulling together the 11th festival that will host the biggest Windsurfing World Event ever held in the UK!
The hugely popular Bluesroom returns to The Venue, Ryde Theatre, on Saturday 2nd June at 8pm with one of New Zealand’s finest bluesmen, Paul Garner.
The Paul Garner Band are a four-piece ensemble featuring Hammond organ and double bass. They put out a gritty, funky sound to back Paul’s intelligent and cliché-free original blues songs. Individually and collectively the band exhibit the highest standards of musicianship, and are one of the few groups on the scene today with the talent and vision to push the blues into new territory while maintaining a strong connection with the roots.
With appearances alongside Jools Holland, Ian Siegal, and airplay on BBC Radio 2, “…you can not deny the strength of Paul as a musician, and I’m not talking about his sublime guitar-playing only. The man owns one of the most magnificent voices I’ve heard on CD this year.” Bobtje Blues Reviews (Belgium)
With support from the Island’s Contra Blues Band playing solid, harmonica driven, Chicago blues, plus the popular real-ale bar, the stage is set for another cracking night of Rhythm’n’Blues at The Venue.
Tickets, priced £10 advance / £12 on the door, are available now from The Venue, Ryde Theatre box office: 01983 568099 or online.
The party has been organised to raise awareness for the Swim to Bestival event which we covered earlier in the year. So far, 16 people have signed up to swim across the Solent for charity to get to Bestival.
Organised by the master behind 
As we 
There are expected to be over a thousand pupils and their families taking part (as well as community organisations) who will be showing off their carnival costumes themed around great artists and masterpieces.
Described as the model for A Fistful of Dollars, Yojimbo is one of Kurosawa’s most imitated and admired ‘Japanese Westerns’. 
We know that there are lots of dog lovers out there in Ventnor, so how about learning how to give your dog a massage, the right way with with Vav Simon from the Natural Therapy Centre for Animals, Ryde. 
Don’t forget the 
He’s been in Ventnor for many years, you will’ve spotted him at some point with a camcorder in his hand (actually, I think he’s had it surgically attached, because he never seems to be without it), but have you ever wondered what Gianpaolo (GP or G to his friends) does with all that material?
Maybe it’s because we’re just flushed with the excitement of having watched the great Round The Island Race on Saturday, and seeing that 
As you would expect, the Island’s very own Apple Beatles, fresh from their gigs are Isle of Wight Music Festival will be performing on stage. The gig will be particularly special as making their first UK appearance will be The Magical Mystery Acoustic Tour, all the way from Italy!
As if they weren’t enough to satisfy, joining them on stage will be ‘Niton Lovelies’ 
My favourite band and one of the Island’s best export (imho) The Bees, will be putting on a very special gig in London next month.
Slipdisc will be bringing you DJ Ab, delivering soulful house, with lots of vocals and sax, perfect for Joe’s and will ease you gently into the bank holiday spirit. 
Gutted we’ll miss Delta T who are playing on the 27th, if you get a chance you should go along. Stunning vocals to support the great music.
