I am super excited to introduce the latest contributor to the Friends of Pet Sounds series. It seems to me that primarily, John Broven is a music lover, and that is, after all, what I wanted from people providing me with these compilations. Please do a little research into John’s history, it really is a massive coup that he agreed to put his mind to compiling this playlist, and he’s been incredibly helpful and charming since I asked him. So, I hand over to the man himself to explain his choices and what it’s all about…
“Fats Domino’s “Blueberry Hill” was one of the first 78 rpm records my father brought home in 1956 to play on the new family radiogram. Apart from Fats’ signature tune having a personal resonance, it is the benchmark for the classic New Orleans R&B sounds of the 1950s and 1960s. The rest of my selections are drawn from the same incredibly fertile period: many are hits, some are B sides, all are quintessential New Orleans. Together, all played a big part in leading me to write the first-ever book on New Orleans R&B: “Walking to New Orleans” (1974), republished in the U.S. as “Rhythm & Blues in New Orleans.” In 2011 the book was recognised as a Classic of Blues Literature by the Blues Hall of Fame of Memphis, Tennessee. John Broven”
If you want to know more about the background of these great rocking and rolling New Orleans records, the artists, session musicians, record men and much more, the book is still available in the “Rhythm & Blues in New Orleans” edition at www.amazon.co.uk. As for a peep at a privileged life researching the golden age of music history, visit John’s website at www.johnbroven.com.
Third Year Student at South Downs College Sarah recently got in contact about an exhibition she is organising to help raise money for Oxfam and International Women’s Day. The exhibition is called ‘Inspirational Women’ and the private view is on Thursday 8th March at 6:30pm in the main reception at South Downs. All work displayed is by third year students on the pre-degree course as well as staff from the Art department and will be on display until Thursday 22nd March.
Donations to Oxfam are more than welcom at the private view, but to raise a bit more money they will be launching a closed bid auction during the evening when some of the work will be up for grabs to the highest bidder. Closed bids are welcome until Thursday 22nd March.
Hot Source is in it’s 7th week at The Registry and seems to be going down a treat. Its a night Hip Hop/funk/soul/motown and reggae music intended to get people to listen to a few sounds outside of todays dubstep and electro scene.
Check out their Facebook page and also have a listen to their mis up on Soundcloud. Nice…
Now I never thought this is something that would be coming to town, but sure enough to my surprise it is. I’m no wakeboarder, but South Coast H2O is going to appeal to a lot of locals and draw lot’s of attention on the South Coast.
Completion is due this April 2012 and to help get things closer to the opening date on schedule South Coast H2O are offering FREE wakeboarding for volunteers to help clear the water of logs branches and whatever treasure they can find this weekend. Two sessions will run on both Saturday and Sunday 10.00 – 12.00 and 13.00 to 15.00.
“Welcome to South Coast H2O, the Solent’s only dedicated Cable Wakeboarding and Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP) Facility. Developed to introduce beginners as young as 8 years old to these exciting sports as well as providing professional coaching and competitions for the intermediate advanced and Pro participants.
Weather you are attending a taster, coaching or free ride session Cable Wakeboarding and SUP are great sport’s as an individual meeting new people or as part of a group – friends, family or co workers.
Cable Riders can look forward to 3 competition standard obstacles from Industry Wakeparks and a start dock from the internationally renowned Unit of Germany.
On the SUP side we will be stocking a range of boards for all standards from a local company Red Paddle Co who are gaining a strong international following for their innovative boards as well as boards from the worlds number 1 manufacturer Starboard.
We will be taking bookings from January and opening on April 1st – book early to avoid disappointment!
When we open we will be member’s of both the British Waterski & Wakeboard Federation and British Stand Up Paddleboarding Association ensuring the highest standards of safety and training.”
For all the details on times, prices, events and more please head over to www.southcoasth2o.co.uk and join their Facebook page for updates and competitions HERE.
The New Theatre Royal are offering a fabulous Early Bird Family deal on Angel Exit’s THE SECRET GARDEN which will be bursting onto the theatre’s stage on Thursday 22 March.
Angel Exit Theatre is a contemporary physical theatre production company, founded in 2001 by graduates of the prestigious Ecole Lecoq school. To date, Angel Exit Theatre has produced and performed five brilliant completely fresh and original theatrical pieces, all of which have been critically acclaimed.
“Angel Exitis weaving stories with more than a little theatrical magic… There is so much vivid theatricality and inventiveness at work here” – The Guardian
The group’s latest production, a modern edgy retelling of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s ‘The Secret Garden’, celebrates the classic novel’s centenary using visually incredible costume and set pieces, alongside amazing puppetry and live singing with a unique and funky soundtrack.
Families who book their tickets to THE SECRET GARDEN before Monday 5 March will be able to take advantage of the great Early Bird Special Family Package, 4 tickets for just £32. At least one of these tickets must be a child’s ticket to qualify. For two adults and two children, that’s an incredible saving of £20!
To book this fantastic deal, call the Box Office on 0239 264 9000 and quote ‘Early Bird’ when booking tickets to THE SECRET GARDEN. Box Office opening hours are from 10am-3pm.
Portsmouth illustrator Owen Devine has become a published author at the age of 26. His first folio of cartoons aims to fill a gap in the market. The cartoons range from the whimsical to the dark and cover topics ranging from arachnophobia through to popular family word games. His work has been described as ‘sophisticated and professional humour worthy of any newspaper.
For more information and to view a selection of his cartoons, please visit www.devinecomedy.co.uk. The book, which sells at £6.99 is available locally at U-Need-Us, Southsea Gallery, Blackwells, Aspex, King’s Street Tavern and Like A Tea Tray In The Sky, or online at Amazon.
Huw Olesker is the first artist to sign to Turf Records. Huw is described on his website as “the witty, foul-mouthed youth of Portsmouth, commandeered by the mind of an ageing activist. He’s got the worldly views of a cynical punk with a cutting irreverent wit, masked by an appearance of adolescence.”
Huw performs with his band the Barebackers, Oskar Jeff (bass and beats), Toby Walton (melodica and flute) and Dougal Taylor (drums). Their influences include Joe Strummer, They Might Be Giants, The Cat Empire, Augustus Pablo, Gogol Bordello. As well as festivals they’ve played at venues across the south coast and has even played highly regarded venues like the Hawley Arms and Wheelbarrow in Camden.
The band are currently busy writing and rehearsing with a new drummer and plan to start playing live shows in May. There will also be an E.P release later in the year.
We first featured Huw on Strong Island in 2009 which you can see here, hopefully Huw won’t be too embarrassed by the photo?
You can find out more on the bands Twitter and Facebook pages.
Interesting! Not often that you hear about what is going on in your own backyard via the illustrious FACT Mag. But it seems like Southsea is set to welcome the UK’s first ever pie selling vinyl store! What a brilliant idea. Check out the full article here and be sure to follow them on their twitter. Am all over this.
Yarnbombing, yarnstorming, guerilla knitting, urban knitting or graffiti knitting is a type of graffiti or street art that employs colourful displays of knitted or crocheted cloth rather then paint.
Knit Pompey Exhibition is part of an ongoing project, the exhibition showcases the work of two local knitting groups The Art Stop Cafes Guerilla Knitters and LARKS founded by Ann Day.
There will be several events going on during the duration of the exhibition, including ‘Artist’s and Writer’s Knit Pompey’ and ‘The Lost Hour’.
Everyone is welcome to come along and get involved, there will be live music by Krystyna Jankowska with free refreshments.
Opening night Friday 2nd March 2012 6-9pm at 20eleven at the Art Stop Cafe, Eastney Community Centre, Bransbury Park, Bransbury Road, Eastney, PO4 9SU. Exhibition finale Friday 30th March 2012 6-9pm
Strong Island has featured Yarn Bombing before on the site. Always great to see more of this spread across the city adding spots and dashes of colour and we look forward to seeing the exhibition.
Get yourself down to Room 237 next Wednesday night for the opening of Heroes. Heroes will be the first exhibition to take place in the space beneath Room 237, like some kind of underground amazing art cave. Not only will you be able to see new work created for the space but there will be free booze and food courtesy of Fezziwigs and a banging set from COR D.J Mark Persaud. Artist Jo Willoughby will be creating a blanket fort to serve as a guest photo booth for the evening and you will also be able to purchase exclusive tees, prints, stickers and of course some rad comics and books from Room 237. Hope you can make it!
As you may know each year we run a home brew competition in February where the winning brew has the opportunity to be brewed by Irving & Co Brewing Co. and sold around the city in the summer. Last year’s brew, the Strong Island Hopper Ale, was hugely successful being one of Inving’s best selling ales and selling out so quickly it went through a second brew run. This year’s winning ale is Dry Dock No. 1, originally brewed by Lee Immins, went on sale in some of Portsmouth and Southsea’s pubs over the weekend.
We spoke to The Hole in The Wall in Southsea who said the new ale went down a storm with it being their best seller on Sunday and with almost two barrels empty by the end of the Bank Holiday weekend. Those guys at the Hole in The Wall and their regular ale drinkers know their stuff so for us this was amazing early news with the ale.
To officially launch Dry Dock No. 1 we are having a launch party with the lovely souls at The Belle Isle on Thursday evening. The ale will be on full flow, come down and try a pint or two. As well as being on sale all around the city the ale will also be available in Chichester’s Belle Isle too, so you can drink it away from home for the first time too.
Just over a year ago, a group of Strong Islanders were sat on the Isle of Wight ferry on our way to the yearly Randonnee cycling event; 60 miles around the island spread across 5 checkpoints. Whilst on the crossing we couldn’t help but admire various enthusiasts and their custom team jerseys. Fast forward a year and it is my great pleasure to unveil the Strong Island cycling jersey. Made as a one off for the event, the jersey is our way of representing this city and all the values that come with it. Thanks to the combined designing efforts of Chris Ballingall and Tristan Savage, we were able to produce this clean, retro looking jersey that 11 of Southsea’s finest could wear to conquer the island’s endless hills. Well done chaps.
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