Haven’s Got So Much Talent!

The Haven’s Got Talent finals staged at Primrose Valley Holiday Park attracted talented youngsters from all over the country for an exceptional showcase of singers and dancers.

The event was the result of contests held at 10 key Haven parks during the six weeks of the summer holidays. Winners were invited back to Primrose Valley for a free break over half term to compete for the overall title and prize money of £1000.

Judges included top X Factor finalists Same Difference and Tommy Dee of Tommy Dee Entertainments who books thousands of visiting cabaret acts each year for Haven Holidays.

Overwhelmed by the standard of the performers, Same Difference said that winners Ryan and Greg Bradshaw who were just 12 and 15, reminded them of themselves when they started out! The two brothers gave a fabulous performance of ‘Where is the Love’ which had the audience dancing in the aisles.

Haven director Howard Rawlings said: “We didn’t know we had so much talent at Haven, but we do now! This is certainly something for the future.”

Haven’s evening entertainment programme for 2011 includes stage-shows from their own Fun Stars, party dances and character shows for the kids, summer-time pantos, circus acts, top tribute bands and star acts from the Britain’s cabaret circuit as well as action-packed days with kid’s clubs, day-time shows, sports and organised activities.

Book early to get the best possible savings on all that Haven Holidays has to offer for next year. Currently you can save up to 50% on Spring and early Summer breaks with up to 25% savings on peak summer holiday dates. Prices start at less than £100 for four night break for a family of up to six people.

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Nomfusi reaches out to Aids orphans in Malawi

On 11 October Nomfusi and her band, The Lucky Charms, will be spreading their wings into Africa, to play at the Lake of the Stars Festival in Malawi. Sharing the bill with Oliver Mtukudzi and UK indie band The Noisettes, they are looking forward to three sun filled days on the palm fringed shores of the third biggest lake in Africa.

While in Malawi, Nomfusi and her band will be spending two days teaching music workshops at The Jacaranda Foundation in Blantyre, a school for Aids orphans. Nomfusi will be addressing the school in three 45 minute presentations, talking about her experience of rising above her circumstances, and liberating herself from what she calls “the poverty of the mind.” The song she wrote about the topic, Nontsokolo*, will be performed at Lake of the Stars with a group made up of students at the school, The Jacaranda Band. The project is being made possible by the Belgian NGO, Art Moves Africa.

Nomfusi will also be collaborating with Khethi, a Joburg based cross-over hip-hop afro-soul singer, to present a Mother’s Day concert in Blantyre on 14 October, that will be attended by Malawi’s First Lady, Madame Callista Mutharika.

photo credit:  NOMFUSI PHOTOGRAPHED  IN MONTREAL AT THE FESTIVAL NUITS D’AFRIQUE BY JEAN-SEBASTIEN JOSSETT/MONDOMIX.

Grupa Mocarta – The Mozart Group

Is something more than a classical string quartet. The names that make Grupa MoCarta are: Filip Jaslar _ first violin, Michal Sikorski – second violin, Pawel Kowaluk – viola, Bolek Blaszczyk – cello. They are all well educated instrumentalists who graduated from prestigious academies of Music in Warsaw and Lodz, but they decided to play classical music in a humorous way. What is more, they created something like musical cabaret, one in which the music, not the words were the source of laughter.

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As they explain: ” We exist despite the solemness of the great concert halls, despite the boredom of the everyday life of the classical musicians, despite the fanatic lovers of classical music, despite the fans of rock, rap or pop who are afraid of classical music. We treat our Mother Music with a humorous irony and we are sure she will have nothing against it”.

The second program of the Group, in which they took Vivaldi a their patron, was entitled “The Four Seasons According to Grupa MoCarta”. Later on however, it runs freely in the direction of various Polish and world songs about spring, summer, autumn and winter. The piece provides the listener with over 70 minutes of a sophisticated perfectly arranged and played fun!

In 2007 Grupa MoCarta has published their first DVD ever – “Grupa MoCarta at the opera” – a live concert recorded at the opera in Wroclaw.
Grupa MoCarta appeared on many stages all over the world, and received many prestigious prizes.

On the 18th and the 19th of September we will give a spectacular and a very unique show in Polish Cultural Centre – Hammersmith, W6.

The Irish Festival of Oulu

Rated the #1 festival in Oulu Region by Kaleva Newspaper in 2009, the 5th anniversary Irish Festival of Oulu brings the city a wide range of cultural entertainment for all ages. Organised by The Irish Music Society of Oulu, the festival celebrates the richness of Irish culture including theatre, poetry, film, dance, and plenty of the best Irish music in the world.

The Irish Festival of Oulu – Fleadh Éireannach na Oulu

The scintillating festival line-up includes four top Irish acts: Misneach, a rhythmic traditional band from South Sligo; Beoga, one of the hottest Irish musical experiences today; Marianne Green, a singer-songwriter with a beautifully gentle voice; and the legendary Altan, arguably Ireland’s biggest name in traditional Irish music. These artists will deliver a dazzling weekend of world class Irish music.

Cultural activities at the festival include the screening of Gabriel Byrne – Stories From Home, a revealing and evocative insight into the life and creative impulse of one of the world’s leading actors. Director Pat Collins will be hosting a discussion session afterwards.  Aidan Dooley will present his award winning theatre piece Tom Crean – Antarctic Explorer about the adventurous Antarctic explorer brought to life in this dramatic and humorous solo performance. We also welcome the award winning Irish poet Harry Clifton to present his poetry at the festival.

The festival also features the incredibly talented local Irish bands The Brogues, Cascade and The Soap Pig. Come enjoy the numerous workshops, the popular weekend dance course, Irish films, storytelling, and daily traditional Irish music sessions open to everyone.

We welcome you to Oulu, Finland for the northernmost Irish festival in the world. The organisers would like to thank our supporters, sponsors, volunteers and fans for five years of dedication and fun!

Festival website – www.irkku.fi

Fuzzbox Brings Fizz To First Shifnal Festival

Fuzzbox, the princesses of power punk pop, are to headline the finale night of Shifnal’s first art festival.

The Midlands girl group, who have had five Top 50 hits such as Pink Sunshine and International Rescue, are headlining a day-long series of events on Saturday September 25th at Idsall School. It will be one of the band’s first concerts since reforming after a break of almost 20 years.
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Band Amys Ghost For Reading And Leeds!

Reading band Amys Ghost are pleased to announce they have been chosen by BBC Introducing to play both Reading and Leeds festival.
The news was announced tonight by Radio One DJ Huw Stephens. Amys Ghost will be playing on Friday in Reading and Sunday at Leeds. Their time slot is unconfirmed as yet.

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Jools Holland To Perform At SO 2010

Legendary musician and television presenter Jools Holland and world-renowned street theatre performers complete the line up of headline acts for SO Festival 2010 in Skegness.

The host of BBC2’s ‘Later…’ and New Year’s Eve ‘Hootenanny’ shows, Jools Holland will officially kick off this year’s festival with a performance at the Embassy Theatre in Skegness, on Thursday 22nd July.

Jools will be joined on stage by his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra drummer, Gilson Lavis, as well as vocalists Ruby Turner and Louise Marshall. There will also be a special guest appearance from former Soft Cell frontman, Marc Almond.

On the Saturday night (24th July) Skegness will be transformed into an aquatic wonderland, when world famous French street theatre performers, Plasticiens Volants, present their critically acclaimed mobile show, Perle.

Massive inflatable sea creatures and giant puppets will float and dance over the crowds and transform the Skegness skyline into a magical oceanic display, featuring seahorses, multi-coloured fish and colourful crustaceans. This will launch the 2010 illuminations display and include a fire display as part of the performance.

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Lee Mead leads the line up for SO Festival 2010

First it was flying drummers and the best of Lincolnshire’s unsigned bands, now it’s the West End stage that’s coming to Skegness as part of the SO Festival 2010.

Lee Mead will bring his show to the Skegness Embassy Theatre on Sunday 25th July.

The singer, who hit the big time after winning BBC series Any Dream Will Do, will be performing songs from his latest album Nothing Else Matters, as well as well-known West End classics.
Lee is about to take on the role of Fiyero in the musical Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theatre from May 10th 2010 before touring the UK with his second studio album.

Speaking of the chance to perform at the Embassy Theatre, Lee said: “I remember doing some work experience at similar theatres to Skegness Embassy at The Cliffs Pavilion, Southend, assisting with the spotlight. I used to think, ‘Wow, wouldn’t it be great if it was me on stage one day’, and now it is. It’s all a bit surreal, but amazing at the same time.”

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