John, Paul, George and Rio!

Samba Beatles fly in from Brazil to headline UK’s biggest Brazilian carnival event

A host of top Brazilian bands and artists will hit Liverpool on Saturday 20 July when Brazilica Carnival Day takes over the city centre, rounding off a week-long programme of festival events! As well as a 500-strong evening parade which will fill the city’s streets with colour, sparkle and music, Williamson Square will for the third year running host a music stage throughout the day and evening, hosted by DJs from 107.6 Juice FM. Revellers will be able to eat, drink and be merry as they experience a great programme of music and samba dancing, with an outdoor ‘cocktail shack’ and stalls offering the best in Brazilian food. 

Rio-based Beatle Band Sargento Pimenta visit Brazilica for the first time this year and will headline the Juice FM Williamson Square stage. Commanding an audience of up to 100,000 people in Brazil, Sargento Pimenta samba band have helped maintain the global legacy of our city’s greatest musical export The Beatles - in fact, Brazil boasts one of the World’s most avid Beatles fanbases. Sargento Pimenta perform Beatles classics in a fun samba style and are set to have Brazilica crowds singing and dancing along in no time! 

Innovative samba & jazz fusion quartet Tribo Da Pesada will make a welcome return to the Brazilica main stage. Featuring renowned singer Fabio Allman, frontman for Rio superstars Monobloco, a showman used to performing all over Brazil to 100,000 people a time, Tribo Da Pasada wowed crowds at Brazilica 2012. Their 2013 appearance will be even more exciting as the band’s current incarnation boasts even more members! Now featuring 7 musicians, the band incorporates horns and percussion in an exciting fusion of their usual samba sound and sakara (popular Nigerian music). 

UK-based Brazilian funk and samba band The Fontanas will this year grace the Williamson Square stage, after playing a great set at last year’s Festinho presents Brazilica Nation charity club night at Nation. Joining them will be Solo Sagrado. Walter Jesus de Magalhães Junior, the band’s lead singer, came to Liverpool from Brazil, became friends with Liverpool Carnival Company’s Roger and Maeve and wrote the Liverpool Samba School’s Enredo in 2008. Roger and his band have since relocated to Barcelona but they are excited to return to Liverpool and perform again at Brazilica.

Liverpool Samba School, Viva Brasil Dance Shows and DJs Gary Garamendi, Silvao & Fabio will also be on hand to ensure Liverpool keeps dancing to the samba beat all day long. Samba schools from around the UK who are visiting the festival and participating in the parade will also appear on stage throughout this scorching spectacle of samba.

Debbie Boyd of Brazilica co-organisers Orb Events said: “The reaction of Brazilian people to Liverpool’s own Brazilian carnival event is amazing - when we mention the city we can hardly believe the great response and the way our musical history has had such a massive impact on a country so far away! Brazilian artists have been so honoured to be asked to join the festival which has now become the biggest in the UK. In addition to Sargento Pimente there is also a wealth of other brilliant musicians and performers that have come to the festival from all over the World.”

Get yourself down to Williamson Square on Saturday 20 July for a real carnival bloc party in the heart of Liverpool!

More information can be found at www.brazilicafestival.com

Keep up-to-date with Liverpool Carnival Company's events on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/brazilicafest

BRAZILICA is operated by registered charity; The Liverpool Carnival Company.

Company Registration No: 6208453

Charity Registration No: 1123036

Registered office: 25 Rodney St, Liverpool, L1 9EH

STOP WORRYING... HELP! IS ON THE WAY ON BLU-RAY!

 © Apple Corps Ltd

“Absurd, delightful and exuberantly messy, Help! is a pure pleasure to watch.”

– The New York Times

The Beatles’ second feature film, 1965’s Help!, is on the way on Blu-ray.  On June 24 (June 25 in North America), Help! makes its eagerly awaited Blu-ray debut in a single-disc package pairing the digitally restored film and 5.1 soundtrack with an hour of extra features, including a 30-minute documentary about the making of the film, memories of the cast and crew, an in-depth look at the restoration process, an outtake scene, and original theatrical trailers and radio spots. An introduction by the film’s director, Richard Lester, and an appreciation by Martin Scorsese are included in the Blu-ray’s booklet.

Help!’s Blu-ray edition follows the 2012 release of The Beatles’ digitally restored Yellow Submarine and Magical Mystery Tour feature films on Blu-ray, DVD and iTunes with extensive extras.  Help!’s restoration for its 2007 DVD debut wowed viewers, earning five-times platinum sales in the U.S. and praise from a broad range of top media outlets around the world, including USA Today heralding the DVD as “a grand re-release,” The Guardian’s appreciation of the film’s director, Richard Lester, saying “Lester matches The Beatles’ ‘star’ power with smart, colourful visuals and casual surrealism,” The Los Angeles Times’ restoration rave:  “With dynamic compression that was standard in the 1960s lifted for the digital age, the full range of the group’s musicality comes through – it’s like several coats of dust have been cleaned off an old master’s painting,” and four-star reviews from Rolling Stone and MOJO with the latter saying, “They really don't make them like this anymore.”

 © Apple Corps Ltd

Directed by Richard Lester, who also directed the band’s debut feature film, 1964’s A Hard Day’s Night, Help! follows The Beatles as they become passive recipients of an outside plot that revolves around Ringo's possession of a sacrificial ring, which he cannot remove from his finger. As a result, he and his bandmates John, Paul and George are chased from London to the Austrian Alps and the Bahamas by religious cult members, a mad scientist and the London police.

 © Apple Corps Ltd

In addition to starring The Beatles, Help! boasts a witty script, a great cast of British character actors, and classic Beatles songs “Help!,” “You're Going To Lose That Girl,” “You've Got To Hide Your Love Away,” “Ticket To Ride,” “I Need You,” “The Night Before,” and “Another Girl.”

 © Apple Corps Ltd

 Help!’s Blu-ray package pairs the digitally restored original film with these extra features:   

• “The Beatles in Help!” – a 30-minute documentary about the making of the film with Richard Lester, the cast and crew, including exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of The Beatles on-set.

• “A Missing Scene” – a film outtake, featuring Wendy Richard

• “The Restoration of Help!” – an in-depth look at the restoration process

• “Memories of Help!” – the cast and crew reminisce

• 1965 Theatrical Trailers – two original U.S. trailers and one original Spanish trailer

• 1965 U.S. Radio Spots (hidden in disc menus)

www.thebeatles.com

PRE-ORDER LINK: http://smarturl.it/BeatlesHelpBluRay

To view the trailer follow this link: http://youtu.be/_TPE-VRXaQw

CAST
The Beatles:
John:  John Lennon
Paul:  Paul McCartney
George:  George Harrison
Ringo:  Ringo Starr
Clang:  Leo McKern
Ahme:  Eleanor Bron
Foot:  Victor Spinetti
Algernon:  Roy Kinnear
Superintendent:  Patrick Cargill
Bhuta:  John Bluthal
Jeweller:  Peter Copley
Doorman:  Alfie Bass
Abdul:  Warren Mitchell
Lawnmower:  Bruce Lacey
Cross channel swimmer:  Mal Evans
Women in street:  Dandy Nichols and Gretchen Franklin

PRODUCTION
Director:  Richard Lester
Producer:  Walter Shenson
Screenplay:  Marc Behm and Charles Wood
Story by:  Marc Behm
Director of Photography:  David Watkin
Production Manager:  John Pellatt
Art Director:  Raymond Simm
Colour Consultant and Titles:  Robert Freeman
Costume Designer:  Julie Harris
Musical Director:  Ken Thorne
Songs composed by:  John Lennon and Paul McCartney and by George Harrison
Songs performed by:  The Beatles
Songs produced by:  George Martin

* * *

 © Apple Corps Ltd

‘Help!’ follows in the great tradition of classic comedy chase movies.

In this instance, John, Paul, George and Ringo, find themselves being pursued across the world by not one but two groups of fanatics with separate agendas.

Ringo possesses a ring with a large red stone set in the middle, sent to him by a fan. Unknown to him this artefact is the sacred sacrificial ring of Goddess Kaili: the deity of an Asian religious cult led by Swami Clang (Leo McKern).

The younger sister of High Priestess Ahme (Eleanor Bron) has been selected by Kaili’s thuggish followers as a human sacrifice. However, panic breaks out when, as she is about to be dispatched by the ceremonial-sword wielding fanatic, Swami Clang, he realises that she is not wearing this religious bauble.

The human sacrifice is promptly placed on hold.  Clang, Ahme and a bunch of bumbling henchmen organised by Blutha (John Bluthal), set about tracking down the wearer with the aim of retrieving the ring by covering Ringo in bright red paint and sacrificing him in the process.

Even before he realises he is the object of these fanatics attention, Ringo finds that he can’t slip it off his finger. It’s stuck!

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Clang, the lovely Ahme is a secret Beatles fan with a shine for Paul.               

These cult followers of Kaili frantically pursue The Beatles first, through London, then up the snow-covered Austrian Alps, followed by Buckingham Palace across Salisbury Plain and finally along the sandy beaches of the Bahamas.

Amidst this turmoil, two scientists named Foot (Victor Spinetti) and Algernon (Roy Kinnear) have become involved, being called in by the Government to try and remove the ring from Ringo’s finger. Algernon is a harmless fool, however, Foot is a megalomaniac and sees the ring as a means to “rule the world!” and is prepared to go to extremes to get his hands on the ring.  Following up the rear is dapper Scotland Yard Police Superintendent (Patrick Cargill),

Fortunately, all attempts to remove this religious artefact from Ringo’s hand are thwarted at every turn often by John, Paul and George. This wild chase eventually culminates on a beach in the Bahamas when the ring suddenly falls off Ringo’s finger and those in pursuit are suddenly afraid to pick it up in case they themselves become splattered with red paint and selected as the sacrificial victim!

 © Apple Corps Ltd

7 BEATLES TRACKS ARE FEATURED IN THE MOVIE

• ‘Help!’

• ‘You're Going To Lose That Girl’

• ‘You've Got To Hide Your Love Away’

• ‘Ticket To Ride’

• ‘I Need You’

• ‘The Night Before’

• ‘Another Girl’

Yoko Ono Meltdown!

Thanks to The Beatles Shop - www.beatleshop.co.uk - for allowing us to share these photos of Yoko and Sean at last night's concert at the Royal Festival Hall, London, for Meltdown 2013!

c. The Beatles Shop
www.thebeatleshop.co.uk

c. The Beatles Shop
www.thebeatleshop.co.uk

c. The Beatles Shop
www.thebeatleshop.co.uk

c. The Beatles Shop
www.thebeatleshop.co.uk

c. The Beatles Shop
www.thebeatleshop.co.uk

c. The Beatles Shop
www.thebeatleshop.co.uk


NB: These photographs are published with the kind permission of  The Beatles Shop.  Please do not download or otherwise reproduce without the express permission of the copyright holder.

"Photograph" by Ringo Starr - Out Now!

PHOTOGRAPH, THE NEW EBOOK BY RINGO STARR

RELEASED ON JUNE 12 2013 ON THE IBOOKSTORE

 FEATURING NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN IMAGES

TAKEN BY RINGO AND FROM HIS PERSONAL ARCHIVE

Ringo Starr with Photograph - May 2013
c. Genesis Publications / RingoPhotograph.com

Ringo Starr’s new ebook, PHOTOGRAPH, a collection of his never-before-seen photographs, is released on June 12 2013 on the iBookstore and RingoPhotograph.com

Unseen images taken by Ringo and from his personal archives, accompanied by his audio, text and video captions, are showcased in ‘Photograph’ for the very first time to give unprecedented insight into the life of a Beatle. The ebook is available exclusively on the iBookstore.

‘These are shots that no one else could have.’ – Ringo

p97 - Photograph - Copyright Ringo Starr and Genesis Publications

Ringo shares forgotten photographs and stories of his childhood home, family holidays and all-night parties on his road to stardom. He candidly captures his Beatles bandmates in pensive and playful moments: washing, eating, recording, smoking, drinking and playing monopoly. Pictures of ‘the boys’ are joined by Ringo’s travel photography, taking you inside the car with The Beatles as they toured the world. From the position of a friend, bandmate and skilled photographer, Ringo portrays four lads from Liverpool trying to live normal lives amidst the frenzy that surrounded them. This is the album of Ringo’s life, from his time in hospital, where he played a drum for the first time, to growing up in Liverpool amidst the excitement of the emerging Merseybeat scene, to playing in the biggest band in the world.

‘A good time was had by all in those days.’ – Ringo

p118 - Photograph - Copyright Ringo Starr and Genesis Publications

  

Readers can pick up and zoom in on 140 photographs as they scroll through Ringo’s memoir, while 69 audio clips narrated by Ringo tell the previously unheard stories behind the photos.  Ringo has also filmed 11 exclusive videos for this ebook, featuring music and animation and new interviews from Ringo Starr. Ringo’s first multimedia edition is a must-have for fans of The Beatles and anyone passionate about modern music.

 p72 - Photograph - Copyright Ringo Starr and Genesis Publications

 ‘Genesis did a great job on my book POSTCARDS FROM THE BOYS – so why would I go anywhere else? I did my first book with the father and now my second with his son.’ – Ringo 

Genesis Publications have been making fine limited editions since 1974. On the eve of their 40^th anniversary, Genesis are delighted to be making their very first ebook, especially with an author that is an integral part of their company history. Using Apple software to bring their designs into the digital dimension, the ebook was created exclusively for the iBookstore. A limited-edition hand-bound book, signed by Ringo Starr, will follow in December 2013. Each copy will benefit The Lotus Foundation.

Ringo Starr's new ebook, Photograph, is brought to you by Genesis Publications. Now available to order from the iBookstore at itunes.com/RingoPhotograph and www.RingoPhotograph.com, price £9.99

c. Genesis Publications / RingoPhotograph.com

Buy Online:

Available now on iTunes ® and the iBookstore ℠  

Publication: June 12 2013, price: £9.99 / $12.99 / 11.99 Euro

 All images copyright www.Ringophotograph.com / Genesis Publications and used here with kind permission.  Please do not download or otherwise reproduce these images without the express permission of the copyright holder.

  

About Genesis Publications:

‘It’s an honour to publish Ringo Starr and create a first-ever ebook for Genesis Publications in aid of The Lotus Foundation.’ – Nick Roylance, Genesis Publications

In the late 19th century, under the influence of William Morris, the private press flourished in Britain, creating books that were works of art in themselves. Similarly inspired, Genesis Publications was founded as an independent publishing house true to the arts of printing and craftsmanship. 

In an interview with The New York Times, Genesis’ late founder Brian Roylance commented, ‘I don’t know of many people who go to this much trouble to produce a book anymore. But I think there is a future for it.’ Inspired by this idea, Genesis is proud to create some of the most sought after books in the world.

Authors and contributors who have participated in Genesis limited editions include David Bowie, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Pete Townshend, Yoko Ono, Sir George Martin, Jimmy Page and The Rolling Stones.

Genesis dispatches books to a global community of readers in over 50 countries. Around 100 signed limited editions have been created with renowned authors, as varied as they are many. Their editions feature in the collections of the world’s finest libraries, including New York Public Library’s Rare and Fine Printed Book Department.

‘Genesis Publications... creators of lushly designed rock photo books.’ – The New York Times

http://www.genesis-publications.com/

Danbury Fields Forever Beatles Music Festival Returns!

Take advantage of the SPECIAL pre-sale now going on (until June 10th only) for discounted advance tickets to the 2013 "Danbury Fields Forever," Connecticut's music, arts and food festival featuring 10 bands, each representing different eras or presentations of Beatles music. On Saturday, August 3, 2013, from Noon-8pm, thousands of fans will "Come Together" for a day-long festival of Beatles music at Ives Concert Park, 43 Lake Avenue Ext. in Danbury, CT. Doors open at Noon. The event is a fund-raiser for Sandy Hook, with 100% of net ticket sales benefiting charity. Featured acts will include several regional and national acts, with special tributes to John Lennon and George Harrison. This is the second annual "Danbury Fields Forever" Beatles Fans Music Festival, and the extravaganza is open to all ages, attracting music lovers spanning the generations. There will also be select music and memorabilia vendors and exhibits, plus family-friendly features such as face-painting and inflatables for kids An entire-day "ticket to ride" admission starts at only $19.64. There are also reserved seats and a VIP ticket option. After June 10th, ticket prices will be on sale to the general public at the regular prices.  Click here for tickets:  http://www.beatlesmusicfestival.eventbrite.com  For further info call (203) 795-4737, email LiverpoolTours@aol.com, visit www.BeatlesMusicFestival.com

Info@BeatlesMusicFestival.com

PETER BLAKE CONFIRMED AS SPECIAL GUEST at INTERNATIONAL BEATLEWEEK

From our friends at Cavern City Tours, some GREAT news about this year's International Beatle Week!:   Liverpool - 21st – 27th August 2013   International Beatleweek takes place in Liverpool this August, and as well as the many bands and guest speakers already confirmed this annual event will be now be attended by, someone who in many ways, is regarded as  “Beatle Royalty”. It is somewhat fitting that the latest big name for this year’s festival is announced today, June 4th , the 46th Anniversary of the release of the Beatles ground breaking record, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Sir Peter Thomas Blake was born on the 25th June 193 and is an English pop artist, best known for the sleeve design for the Beatles' album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. He designed the sleeve with his wife Jann Haworth, the American-born artist whom he married in 1963 and divorced in 1979. The Sgt. Pepper's sleeve has become an iconic work of pop art, much imitated and Blake's best known work. Producing the collage necessitated the construction of a set with cut-out photographs and objects, such as flowers, centred around a drum (sold in auction in 2008) with the title of the album. Blake has subsequently complained about the one-off fee he received for the design (£200 [1]), with no subsequent royalties. Peter Blake will be interviewed by BBC Radio Merseyside’s Spencer Leigh at the Beatles Convention on Sunday 25th August at the Adelphi Hotel. He will be recalling the events leading up to his commission to design the sleeve of this groundbreaking album, as well as his continued relationship with Sir Paul McCartney. Peter Blake will be forever connected with the Beatles through this work and this is a one-off opportunity for Beatle fans from all over the world to listen to his story first hand. International Beatleweek celebrates the music of the most famous group the world has ever known, and takes place where it all  began – Liverpool. This is truly an international event with bands from over 20 countries and fans from over 40 countries. Venues this year include the legendary Cavern Club, The Philharmonic Hall, Adelphi Hotel, O2 Academy, Alma Da Cuba and Sefton Park. Other guests include legendary British guitarist Joe Brown, who was a close friend of George Harrison, as well as many other artists and friends connected with the fab four. Click here for FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE FESTIVAL To book a package contact bookings@beatleweek.com or +44(0)151 236 9091

BACK THE BEATLES TO BENEFIT LOCAL TALENT

Rehearsals are now well under way for this year’s Ticket to Write Festival, the international contest for plays all about The Beatles being staged at Liverpool’s Unity Theatre on Tuesday July 30.

But first the organizers are holding a fun-packed Benefit night to help raise cash for this event which not only showcases the works of new writers but parades the talents of young actors from the North West.

“We’re laying on music, including lots of Beatles’ stuff, other live entertainment, quizzes and even trailers from some of the eight plays chosen for the contest. It’s a great way to have fun and back local artists. Three of the writers come from Merseyside,” said Jamie Gaskin, Festival Director.

The event is being held at Studio 2 at Parr Street Studios, Liverpool, on Thursday June 27 and the 10 pound tickets include supper.

The three local writers, who will be competing against authors from America as well as throughout the UK are, Chris Jenkins, from Aigburth, Paul McGuire from Ainsdale and Phil McNulty from Southport.

Chris Jenkins

Chris’s entry Digital Age imagines the Beatles all still together in today’s pop world with Ringo as the main songwriter.

Paul Maguire

Paul’s drama Double Fantasy looks at the two dead Beatles looking down on Earth and commenting on the goings on of the two living Beatles who in turn offer their thoughts on their continued existence.

Phil McNulty

While Phil’s Darren and George is an earthy piece about a man trying to calm down a young tearaway with the gentle attitude for which George Harrison, often dubbed the quiet Beatle, was noted.   

For full details about the Benefit night and the Ticket to Write festival visit us at www.acedrama.co.uk