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Thursday 29 January 2015
Monday 19 January 2015
Beatlemania set to return to King's Heath on Sunday 15 February
ABOVE: The Beatles photographed in 1963
outside one of the Regan venues
|
Beatlemania is set to return to King's Heath on Sunday 15 February as King's Heath commemorates the 52nd anniversary of the first ever Beatles gig in Birmingham at the old Ritz Ballroom on York Road which was sadly destroyed by fire in 2013.
From 3 p.m. to 6 p.m top local musicians will play their favourite Beatles songs in an acoustic session at Fletchers Bar on York Road directly opposite the former ballroom.
Doors will then open at 7 p.m at the Hare & Hounds for a Special Concert by top Midlands tribute band The Born Again Beatles who last year starred at Liverpool's Cavern Club where the Fab Four started out.
Bob Prew and Ken Whittaker, joint co-ordinators of the King's Heath Walk of Fame, said, “This year's Beatles Fest in King's Heath will be the biggest and best so far. We would urge fans to buy tickets for both events straightaway as last year's Anniversary event sold out very quickly with fans travelling from as far away as Lancashire, Yorkshire and Somerset”.
The Beatles appeared at the Ritz Ballroom – one of 4 venues run in the 1950′s and 60′s by the legendary Irish couple Ma and Pa Regan – on 15 February 1963 shortly after releasing their second single “Please Please Me”. Originally scheduled to appear on 11 January, they had been prevented by blizzard like conditions from making the 11 mile journey to King’s Heath from one of the Regans other venues – the Plaza in Old Hill.
When they did eventually make it on 15 February Beatlemania had really started to take off and the Beatles were only able to enter the Ritz by climbing up a ladder from Milford Place. In fact, the Fab Four almost had to appear as the Fab Three after George Harrison arrived late by taxi and was trapped by screaming fans.
“Tell them to turn that racket down” is what Pa Regan is rumoured to have shouted while they were practising! But he was a very happy man really. He had persuaded their manager Brian Epstein to agree to them performing for their previously agreed fee even though they were now No. 1 in the charts! They performed the rescheduled gig at The Ritz during a break from The Helen Shapiro Tour on which they started off as only 4th out of the 11 acts on the bill!
Advance tickets for the afternoon Acoustic Session cost just £3 and are available from the Kitchen Garden Cafe on York Road, King’s Heath or on-line for £3 plus a booking fee from www.wegottickets.com. Any remaining tickets will cost £4 on the door. Advance tickets for the evening concert by The Born Again Beatles cost £5 and are available from the Kitchen Garden Cafe or on-line for £5 plus a booking fee from www.hareandhoundskingsheath.co.uk .
Below: The Born Again
Beatles are all very experienced musicians having acted as support to Blur,
Midge Ure and Wet,Wet,Wet. They regularly perform at clubs and theatres
throughout the country and are shown here appearing at Liverpool's Cavern Club
last year.
FAB FOURTH YEAR FOR BEATLES PLAYWRITING FESTIVAL
The playwriting contest dedicated to The Beatles is opening its doors to writers for a fun-filled fourth year.
Like last year the plays should be one-act offerings of 40-45 minutes long. They can be about members of the Fab Four, stories inspired by their songs and song-titles or any genuine connection with The Beatles.
“A success for Ace Drama in Edinburgh means we can slash the entry fee this year from £20 to £10. This fee will go directly to the assessor who will give all entries a written critique,” said Jamie Gaskin, The Festival Director, who also devised the competition.
“All plays will be assessed anonymously by a theatre professional and we plan to stage the chosen three over two nights in Liverpool. Professional judges and the audience vote will count towards the final result,” he added.
The winner will receive £150 and entries must be in by Tuesday April 7, 2015.
The Ticket to Write team are delighted to welcome Rio Matchett as the new Artistic Director.
Rio has worked as a freelance director, dramaturg and producer for the past four years, alongside running the University of Liverpool's theatre programme for two years.
In this time she has directed, produced and toured over thirty shows, ranging from Shakespeare to new writing to dance.
She is also a co-founding member of the Liverpool Players, who produce and tour early modern English and Renaissance drama around the North West.
Recent credits include an adaptation of Albert Camus' L'Etranger for the Young Everyman and Playhouse, In Wonderland for the Everyword Festival at the Everyman. Rio's directing interests also include puppetry and the early modern period.
For full details about how to enter the contest go to www.acedrama.co.uk
Friday 16 January 2015
The Statue 4 Eppy Concert Announced
The Statue 4 Eppy
Concert Announced To Raise Funds For Brian Epstein Statue. Also Official Launch
of Campaign Single ‘Our Friend’.
_______________________________________________________________________________
A star-studded
concert on Saturday 28 February 2015 at Liverpool’s Epstein
Theatre is the latest fundraiser in the high profile Statue 4 Eppy
campaign.
This is latest move
by organisers to both continue to raise the profile of the campaign and
boost funds to create a statue in honour of legendary Beatles’ manager
Brian Epstein in his hometown of Liverpool.
Brian
Epstein took four Liverpool
young performers and shaped their careers into the biggest pop band in
the world, the rest they say is history.
Now a group of
Liverpool campaigners are working tirelessly to raise £70,000 to have Brian’s
amazing efforts formally recognised with a permanent statue in Liverpool. It
will be created by acclaimed sculptor Tom Murphy, who also created a
statue of John Lennon, which stands proud in Liverpool John Lennon
Airport.
The Statue 4 Eppy
Concert will take place on
Saturday 28 February 2015 at the Epstein Theatre in Liverpool
hosted by BBC Radio Merseyside’s Billy Butler– It’s a fitting venue as
the theatre is named after the legendary Beatles Manager.
The show will
celebrate the life and career of ‘Fifth Beatle’ Brian
Epstein through an evening of music. The first names on the
bill to be announced are iconic Liverpool artists Ian Prowse, Ian McNabb and
Billy Kinsley & Tony Crane. More names will be announced in the coming
weeks.
Tickets are priced at
£20
and are on sale now from the Epstein Theatre box
office.
The date of the
concert is one of particular significance as it also marks the official
release of the recently recorded single, Our Friend, official
song of the campaign.
The song has
been written by Statue 4 Eppy campaigner, Bob Pitt, and
includes the voices of acclaimed Liverpool artistes Ian McNabb, Andy
McCluskey, Beryl Marsden and Ian Prowse, who are joined by
guest celebrities including Tricia Penrose, psychic Derek Acorah,
and actors Paul Barber and John McArdle. The song also features
Billy J Kramer, who was managed by Brian at the height of the
Merseybeat era.
Brian
Epstein was very influential
within the thriving music industry of the 1960s in both Liverpool and London.
But it was that lunchtime concert in the Cavern Club featuring four young
Liverpool men that would change their lives, Brian’s life, and musical history
forever. He spotted a special talent, nurtured it, and it was a career which
would take Brian and The Beatles onto a global stage and brought with it
worldwide fame.
This year has seen a
lot of recognition for Epstein. The music genius was posthumously inducted into
the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame after a campaign from fans; a
commemorative Blue Plaque was unveiled at the London offices of
Epstein’s company NEMS; and the play Epstein: The Man Who Made The
Beatles ran for six weeks at Leicester Square Theatre in London’s West End.
Brian would have also celebrated his 80th birthday in
September.
Statue 4 Eppy’s Fiona
Williams said: “Brian Epstein
remains one of the most influential people in the history of modern music. He
was a complete visionary who achieved so much during his short life. It is
incredible that he still has not been officially honoured or recognised by the
city or the people of Liverpool.
“Our campaign to
create a permanent statue, with the expert help of sculptor Tom Murphy, is our
opportunity to say thank you to Brian. The single, Our Friend, will be released
on the same day as our Concert 4 Eppy, the proceeds of both will go towards the
statue fund. We’d encourage music enthusiasts who have ever enjoyed a Beatles or
Merseybeat song to support us.”
The Statue 4 Eppy
organisers are interested in hearing from individuals or organisations who
would like to get involved in the campaign as a sponsor. To find out more email
statue4eppy@yahoo.com.
The official campaign
website is www.statue4eppy.com
PERFORMANCE DETAILS
The Statue 4 Eppy
Concert
Epstein Theatre,
Liverpool
Saturday, 28
February, 2015
Time:
7.30pm
Tickets
£20
VENUE DETAILS
The
Epstein Theatre
Hanover House
85
Hanover Street
Liverpool
L1
3DZ
To
book tickets please call 0844 888 4411, go online at www.epsteinliverpool.co.uk or in
person at The Epstein Theatre Box Office from 2pm - 6pm on Monday - Thursday and
12pm - 6pm Friday - Saturday. (booking fees may apply)
-
Tuesday 13 January 2015
Review of the Bootleg Beatles
by BBFC Member Mark Wesson
Christmastime is here again and that means
The Bootlegs are back in town. On a wet and miserable Thursday night in
Nottingham, slightly earlier in December than normal, the locals gathered in
Langtry’s, The Orange Tree, The Three Crowns….anywhere to avoid the sky-high
bar prices in the robbing Concert Hall. By 8pm, kids from one to ninety two
(not quite that young but possibly older)
were seated and ready, a splendid time guaranteed for all. The lights
went down, the murmur of anticipation swelled into a cheer and the now-familiar
introductory scene-setting 60s film flashed on to the backdrop. But here was
the first of several changes to the show from previous years – less than a
minute of film before The Bootlegs took to the stage in darkness and then ripped
in to She Loves You (if this wasn’t the first song blame John Smith and his very
good friends Jack Daniels and Jim Beam, not me). And wow – here was another
change. New George looked fantastic, right down to the lopsided grin. It’s been
a long, long, long time since Old George has properly looked the business and
they have played a blinder with his replacement . Musically, vocally,
physically spot on. A side-effect of this welcome upgrade though is that Paul
now looks even more out of place (someone get William Campbell on the phone!),
especially in the early part of the set when they are in the collarless
head-shaking phase. These days Bootleg Paul resembles a slimmed down and less
violent Sylvester Stallone making Rocky XXXVI – Streetfight For The Last
Werther’s Original. His days must be numbered (in large print).
This Boy, Twist and Shout, I Want To Hold
Your Hand, Help!, I Feel Fine, Day Tripper, Paperback Writer….the early belters
were delivered as accurately as you could ever hope to hear. They are a
stunning band and New George seems to have improved the sound. In fact it is
far easier now to spot what doesn’t
sound 100% as opposed to what does (eg. the solo parts on Taxman. Not enough
distortion. Like Ringo, it’s only a small thing though). Before Yesterday, we
had an updated gag from George - “and so
for Paul McCartney of Liverpool, Britain’s Got Talent!”. The song was performed
well enough but Paul seemed to sound less like Beatle Paul here. On the rockier
tunes and on backing vocals he still sounded great (man) but exposed on this
ballad, he just seemed to sound like a good singer, not McCartney. It was less
nasal, a little too light. Maybe New George had scratched ‘P45’ into the back
of Sly’s acoustic and it had unsettled him.
There was a new costume change in to dark blue/green
double-breasted suits with red silk shirts. I hadn’t seen those before. This
was after we had been treated to another butchered segment of the familiar backdrop
film. Relatively-New John is excellent but he seemed quite distant, something
more noticeable during the pre-Pepper songs. I couldn’t decide if he was
actively trying to nail John’s casual indifference or was tired of touring or
just plain bored with the early tunes. He looks and sounds terrific but that
air of latent menace is missing. Like Yoko though, it’s tiny and insignificant
in the scheme of things.
Halftime drinks were waiting for us on a
table away from the bar. If you ever go to the Concert Hall, I can’t recommend ordering
these highly enough (just don’t drink mine). You are more likely to find a sensible
football pundit on ITV than get served at the bar in the interval. The second
half rocked and rolled along beautifully – Get Back, All You Need Is Love, A
Day In The Life, Revolution, Let It Be. Can you go wrong with such classics?
Well, yes you can. I have seen and heard enough thoroughly woeful versions to
know when they are actually done justice and The Bootleg Beatles are utterly faithful
in every way. The banter with the crowd (acknowledging committed dancers in the
front row, meaning they should probably have been committed), the studied
mannerisms, the quality musicianship, the careful use of strings and brass….but
more than all these is the feel. Through time and hard work they have simply
mastered the perfect feel and it is
testament to the patience and knowledge of the original band that they are able
to replace older members so seamlessly. They’re still the act we’ve known for
all these years.
Apologies if I missed a dancing elephant on
stage during Hey Jude or the entire twelfth row spontaneously combusting but by
the end John, Paul, George and Ringo had been eclipsed in my mind by John,
Jack, Jim and the burning need for a massive bag of salty chips. Can’t buy me
love? No, but you can buy me a pint in The Bell before said chips while I
ramble on for 20 minutes about a fire extinguisher and New George’s teeth. Oh
and a ticket for next year’s show. You can
do that.
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