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REVIEW: The Day of the Witches: BEMF

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Brighton Early Music Festival BEMF

The Day of the Witches

St Pauls+, West Street, Brighton

October 31, 2015

This sponsored concert where the BEMF brings new and established musicians together to showcase their talents was a spectacular success.

With music from five different groups of these talented young musicians we were taken us on a real treat of a musical journey from the last few hundred years.

‘Palisander’ brought us some curious, thrilling and rather toe tapping music of tarantulas and their musical cures from the times when folk believed dancing would cure toxic bites. 17th-century victims of venomous spider bites were offered no medicinal cure or relief. Instead, the local musicians would work together to find a curative melody, Palisander then cured us of our woes, chills and shivers.

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‘Duo Seraphim’ gave us a short but bitter-sweet collection of love songs and this startlingly proficient young duet of countertenor and lute. Singer Joe Bolger dressed ironically in Hendrix T-Shirt and jeans transported the audience church with aplomb, I was very impressed with them. You can hear Mr Bolger sing here,  his was an outstanding voice in a day of superb voices

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‘Duo Luminarium’ and their collection of simple, pure and somehow sombre suites for harpsichord and viola da gamba were accomplished and studied and I found myself going back to their music later in the day.

‘Ceruleo’ brought up bouncing into the effervescent soprano songs from the early Italian Baroque and another soprano joined ‘Ensemble Moliere’ to take us to the late French Baroque, effortlessly summing up the steamy intrigues of Versailles and the French court.

For full details of the musicians and singers, click here:

A great collection of music and artists in a superb venue, exactly what the BEMF is all about, interesting quality music brought to us by passionate and accomplished players.

There’s still more excellent music from the Brighton Early Music Festival to come.

For more information and to buy tickets, click here:  

You may want to camp outside St George’s Church tomorrow and pray for a ticket for Emma Kirkby’s appearance in Heroines of the Golden Age.

Brighton Pride survey reveals huge financial benefits to the city

During the past two weeks, Brighton Pride have conducted an online public survey with almost 3,000 people taking part.

Brighton Pride 2016

Pride 2015, universally recognised as the most successful Brighton Pride event ever brought records crowds to the city in August, raised £100,000 for local good causes and gave local hotels, restaurants and bars a bumper pay-day.

Headline findings include:

♦ over 60% of visitors to Brighton Pride come from outside the city with a large percentage arriving by train

♦ 90% of respondents felt the Festival was safer and 77% felt the Village Party was safer since it was ticketed

♦ almost one-third of the visitors to Pride chose to stay in hotel or B&B accommodation

♦ Two thirds of respondents said they visited restaurants in Brighton, while 41% went shopping during their stay and a large amount said they visited attractions such as the Brighton Pier, Brighton Wheel and Royal Pavilion

♦ 73% preferred this years Parade route with 90% feeling there was a good mix between community and commercial entries

♦ At the Pride Festival Community Fundraiser on Preston Park, the most popular area was the Main Stage followed closely by the Dance and Cabaret Tent

♦ 87% felt there was a good diversity of entertainment on offer with 84% feeling it was good value for money

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Based on the average spend of respondents, Brighton Pride conservatively estimate at least £18m of revenue was generated across the city during the Pride weekend by those purchasing tickets for a Pride event.

This does not take into account those visitors that came to the city just to watch the free Parade and then went off to eat or shop.

Paul KempPaul Kemp, Pride Director, said: “While the survey is not comprehensive it provides an excellent snapshot of the benefits of Brighton Pride to businesses in the city. Over the next year Pride will be developing improved feedback and statistics for all their events and the impact of Pride on the city.”

To view full results from the survey, click here:

Beacon Halloween fundraising reaches £45,000 and rising

The Sussex Beacon continue their Halloween fundraising with an exclusive, money-can’t-buy, VIP Vitality Brighton Half Marathon package on eBay.

Sussex Beacon

Registration for the Vitality Brighton Half Marathon 2016 has closed, but you can still get yourself and a friend a place by bidding for The Sussex Beacon’s exclusive VIP package on eBay.

Following on from the success of their Halloween Horror Show auctions this year, The Sussex Beacon has released another prize which you will be able to bid upon until November 9.

The exclusive package features:

Two places in the Vitality Brighton Half Marathon; access for two runners and guests to the VIP Marquee, situated right next to the start/finish line; the opportunity to start the race at the front, with the elite runners; Two Vitality Brighton Half Marathon t-shirts and hoodies; and a Sundial Clinics package featuring a host of different treatments to get you in shape.

Any money raised from this package will go towards The Sussex Beacon’s Halloween Horror Show fundraising total, which currently stands at over £45,000.

The Sussex Beacon organises and delivers the Vitality Brighton Half Marathon. They also host an annual fundraising ball, The Halloween Horror Show to help them to continue to support people living with HIV to lead independent and healthy lives.

To find more about the package, and find a link to the eBay listing, click here:

To view details online, click here:

Nancy Dell’Olio to raise money for Elton John Aids Foundation

Nancy Dell’Olio is working with Charitystars to raise money for the Elton John Aids Foundation.

Nancy Dell'Olio
Nancy Dell’Olio

Nancy has become a household name in the UK and her hit One Woman Show has charmed even the most hardened theatre critics.

The show is set to hit London, where Nancy plans to lay down the law as she sees it on topics as diverse as the vajazzle, karaoke and Tinder.

A perfect reflection of contemporary life, the show takes no prisoners while Nancy will talk openly about the modern world of celebrity. An unmissable experience, from a thought-provoking personality.

Nancy is personally auctioning two VIP tickets through CharityStars: Britain’s leading online charity auction house. The highest bidder and a guest will enjoy the show and then meet Nancy at the exclusive private after party. She’s got plenty to say, and is looking forward to meeting the winners, making this a truly money-can’t-buy experience.

Nancy’s show will take place at the Hippodrome Casino, London, on November 19 2015, followed by the after party at Lola’s, the private club within the Hippodrome Casino.

Proceeds from the auction will be donated to the Elton John AIDS Foundation, a charity that wants to create an AIDS free future through science, support and most of all compassion. It’s a cause that is close to Nancy’s heart, which is why she has chosen to become so personally involved with this special auction.

The Elton John Aids Foundation funds frontline programmes that help to alleviate the pain – whether physical, emotional or financial – of those living with, affected by or at risk of HIV/AIDS, and to continue the fight against this worldwide pandemic so that no one is left behind.

Nancy said: “I can’t wait for my upcoming show and it made complete sense to me to auction a money-can’t-buy prize through CharityStars. The Elton John AIDS Foundation does some amazing work in our society and is such a deserving cause. I can’t wait to meet the highest bidder and thank them in person for their precious support.”

CharityStars was founded in 2014 and aim to change the non-profit sector and continue its mission to help charities raise money. Since launching, more than 200 global celebrities have chosen to work with CharityStars including footballer Lionel Messi, singer James Blunt, Sara Cox, David Coulthard and footballing legends, Sir Bobby Charlton, plus over 120 non-for-profit organisations, such as Save the Children and Oxfam. Last year Berkeley University named the company as one of the most “impacting Social Enterprises globally”.

CharityStars commits to no upfront fees, re-investing only 15 percent of the total auction proceeds to cover the full suite of services and operational costs. Excluding this fee, 100 percent of the net funds raised, go directly to the benefitting non-profit organisation. They are based in London and Milan.

The auction closes on November 12.

To make a bid, click here:

 

 

PREVIEW: Web series: ‘Hope of deliverance’

 

Three episodes on the romantic and sexual misadventures of a young gay man in contemporary London are now online.

Hope of Deliverance

Hope of Deliverance is a web series written and directed by Pedro Rilhó. Shot entirely in London, it tells the story of Francis (Sam Treharne), a twenty-something would-be writer who falls for Emmott (Ryan Spong), a charming actor, while working on a film set.

When his advances are rejected, he embarks on a series of random one-night stands and even a date with a City type.

But what does Francis really want?

Writer and director Pedro Rilhó is Portuguese and has been based in London for the past 7 years.

His previous short, the successfully crowdfunded The Writer’s Circle, screened in competition at the London Independent Film Festival and in a guest slot at Shortcutz Lisboa. Upcoming short, the mother and son melodrama Tender starring Jesse Rutherford and Kate Cook, is awaiting festival submission results.

Pedro says: “This self-funded, personal project purports to question the hormone fuelled desires and frustrated aspirations of recession-hit, middle-class twenty-somethings through Francis, the protagonist and antagonist of his own tale. A contemporary piece in the style of classic cinema where the still, square frame confines the characters to their predicaments, highlighting the theatricality of their interactions while focusing on their emotions.”

To view the video, click here:

For Facebook group, click here:

 

PREVIEW: An evening with the DTMS – Brighton’s ageing boyband

At the weekend I was enjoying my Sunday lunch at the Bedford Tavern, and had the great fortune to find myself sitting at a table next to the DTMS, Brighton’s ageing boyband.

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The band were celebrating the birthday of one of their number, Steve Williams aka The Dame. In between mouthfuls of meat and stuffing they were trying to teach lyrics to Seb, one of the older members of the band. Not an easy task.

Unencumbered by musical talent and with little care for singing in tune, the band have been performing in Brighton for several years entertaining audiences and most importantly raising lots of cash for charity. They have raised more than eight thousand pounds to date.

Their next gig is at the Marlborough Theatre on Saturday, November 14 at 7.30pm. when they will be joined by the legendary Maisie Trollette, Trudi Styles, The Piano Man and a plethora of other stars.

Proceeds will be split between MindOut, Brighton’s LGBTQ mental health service and the Norwich and Norfolk Association for the Blind. Charities close to the heart of band members.

The venue is small. Tickets are in demand. You know what to do.

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Event: An Evening With The DTMS

Where: The Marlborough Theatre, Princes Street, Brighton

When: Saturday, November 14

Time: 7.45pm

Price: £10

To book tickets online, click here:

PREVIEW: Aladdin at Emporium

Designed by Gary Blair, written by Doug Devaney and directed by James Weisz, Aladdin is the only traditional panto playing in Brighton this Christmas.

Aladdin

The team behind last year’s sell-out show Sleeping Beauty have reunited to bring their unique spin on another classic… with a little help from their enchanted lamp.

If you had three wishes, what would they be?
Could power and riches set your heart free?
Or maybe you’ll marry your heart’s one desire –
Careful, my boy, you’re playing with fire…

It’s an ancient tale. In fact, it’s one of the oldest – told time and again throughout centuries of story.

Aladdin EmporiumA lad from the wrong side of the tracks gets a chance to have it all: wealth, greatness and the girl of his dreams. But castles made of Arabian sand have a tendency to crumble, and soon he has to choose between the man he claims to be, and the man he really is.

Emporium’s Aladdin is an exotic cavalcade of dance, laughs, thrills and romance and the occasional song.

Torn lightly from the pages of the 1001 Nights, this will be the brightest, bounciest, bazaar-est  tale ever told, guaranteed to tease and transport anyone who has ever believed in magic.

So rub the lamp or consult the ring,
Fly the carpet and make life sing.
Be all the things you could possibly be
When you make those wishes –
One… two… three…


Event: Aladdin

Where: Emporium Theatre, 88 London Road, Brighton BN1 4JK

 

When: December 2 – January 9

Time: 7pm

Tickets: £12 – £19.50

To book tickets online, click here:
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