And so this is Christmas...

Abbott's Road Co-op, 08.50, 19th December

Rowhedge church and Christmas tree

Well, I never thought when I started this with the encouragement of Roman River Music (thanks to Victoria, Orlando and all at RRM) that I'd be writing my 126th post, just before Christmas.  So what does your arts-loving blogger get up to in the few days before Christmas?

I know I should be at the Arts Centre, Firstsite, all manner of charity concerts, so much live music in our pubs. But family comes first.. and my wife needs my support at the end of a busy year. So it's putting up the Christmas tree (always bought from Fiveways Fruit farm, Colchester-grown and freshly-cut), shopping, cooking, card-writing, present-wrapping etc. But between Christmas and New Year I shall be out and about, enjoying many local things that we don't always get the time for. Walks, Museums, Cinema, local pubs. I hope you'll do the same. See you there!

Music today..John Lennon, Imagine. Peace to all.

Your intrepid blogger sets off across Friday Woods, 23rd December

Listen up...

Thanks to all who stopped and watched 'Annie's Fantasies' dance this afternoon on the quay in Wivenhoe. Hope you enjoyed it. And thanks to the 'Rose and Crown' - some nice beers on there at the moment.
I still haven't made it to the new exhibitions at Firstsite, but it looks a great place to take the children next week, with activities linked to two major exhibitions.

....though I do worry about where he's going to throw Firstsite!

Song today.... Style Council, Speak like a Child...first a great live version (Weller somehow gives the lyrics a hint of edginess, ok I'm a bit biased having seen every Jam tour from 1979 until the end), but if you want a real laugh watch the official video - Mr. Weller, what were you thinking? Pop music in 1983!

Jingle Bells...In Wivenhoe

If you want something a little different away from Christmas shopping hordes tomorrow (Sunday), come and get some fresh air in Wivenhoe. Annie's Fantasies Clog-dancers will be dancing on the Quay, in front of the Rose and Crown, from 12 noon. And if you must do some shopping, why not pop in to the excellent Sentinel Gallery, packed full of tempting goodies. See you all there. No excuse, if you're travelling from Colchester the main road is open again, and the weather forecast looks good.

Music...too many songs with Bells in the title... how about Chuck Berry, you know the one.

Heads you win at Yuletide

Colchester Market - the place for seasonal fruit and veg



Tasty treats at Guntons

More tasty market treats

Please, in your rush to get all the provisions in for the big day, take time to visit our independent shops and markets. It's much more fun!


And you could stop to enjoy some of the, fun programme of Christmas entertainment at the Headgate theatre this December. From a medieval mystery version of the Nativity, to Frankenstein, with plenty of Christmas carols as well. Why not pop in there sometime over the Christmas period - maybe as a break from shopping! See you there!



Festive flowers at Dillys

Song - Santa Baby - Kylie version. A favourite in the Blogger household.





Party like it's 2015

Snowmen of France can't wait for the First site party!

Who knows what the future will bring, so let's enjoy what we've got! Another wondrous Firstsite opening party, let's make it thousands through the door again. A wonderful mixture of Exhibitions opening, which I shall write about when I return from my pre-Christmas Break here in the Jura and Alsace. But for now - enjoy the party, 11th December from 6 pm. Missing it!

Song today... Lau, First Homecoming - if you missed them at their brilliant gig at the Arts Centre recently - don't miss them next time!

Men and Women of Substance.....

Roderick Earle

Colchester is so lucky to have so many talented people who, when finding an opportunity to enhance our cultural scene, have used skill, determination, and good humour (generally!) to make things happen. Here Roderick Earle watches nervously as Colchester Chamber Choir makes their way through the crowd - while singing!


And below is Angella Horner frsa who  started her own studios and gallery, CO3, now part of Colchester's creative scene.

Angella Horner

And of course Anthony Roberts, who stepped-up when needed at Firstsite(having already helped create the best little Arts Centre in Town!)


My tune today? the great Irma Thomas - Good Things don't come Easy

Anthony Roberts

And Here's my Joker in the pack - Tim Young, Colchester Council portfolio holder for Culture (amongst other things). He has an influence on where grants are spent, and what priorities for the Arts Colchester promotes. So talk to Tim. But please remember, he's doing his bit for Colchester too! (I leave it up to you to decide how ironic the background I chose is!)

Oh (Christmas) Carol!

Ok, we can start thinking of Christmas now, which for me means thinking of others as much as yourself, and I don't just mean buying presents!



All wrapped up at W&G

 The peripatetic Anthony Roberts will be doing a short World tour (ok, as far as Brightlingsea, which is, let's face it, nearly the end of the World) of A Christmas Carol for the Colchester Night Shelter, and other charities.  So go and Give. Also at the Arts Centre. See you there...somewhere!

Song - of course Oh Carol... Neil Sedaka  - please watch this it's amazing! - particularly the audience!

No Christmas in Site...

tasteful at Firstsite

Something interesting happening?

For those fed up with shopping and pantos (or even just the thought of them) It's great to see Firstsite continuing to feature real live art across many media. The Cinema features the very popular live screenings (one of the oddest comments I had about one of my posts was someone complaining that they tried to  see a live Hamlet screening but it was full....So book early!). My eye is also drawn to a charity event on Sunday 20th December from 6 pm, free to anyone under 25 - why not go along?
 And of course there's the opening party for the new exhibitions this Friday (11th December, starting 7 pm)

Song....Talking Heads...the Great Curve ..from the amazing album 'Remain in Light'. Sometimes in researching this blog (oh yes I do!) you find a live video and think...ok, maybe the album track then... but this, wow, what I live act.

An Englishman's home....

Colchester Castle in festive mood

Neither the Castle nor the tree actually originated in England, but we're happy to have them here! I blagged my way into a party there this evening (well, I was sort-of a guest of Colchester Chamber Choir - thanks Amrit!) for the launch of the museum's new brochure. And very glossy it is too.


Baubles and books - Courtesy of the Colchester and Ipswich Museums service

We just don't seem to appreciate the fantastic museum we have in Colchester, housed in a unique (and uniquely historic) building. I reckon I'll be investing in a Castle Pass, so I can pop back during the year. There really is too much to see in one visit. I also believe that if you book the Ice Rink, which is right next to the Castle, you can get discounted entry tickets to the Castle. Sounds like a great day out in town, and if you go on 21st or 22nd. December the Castle is open late (until 7.30).



 It would be rude of me not to include a snap of Colchester Chamber Choir singing in the Castle. Thanks for  the rehearsal music - beautiful - those lucky enough to have tickets for their concert this Sunday at Layer Marney are in for a treat.

Talking of treats, song for today:

The Raconteurs - These Stones Will Shout - Jack White may be a flawed genius, but he is genius.

Christmas to a Tea...

Cake stand and teapot at the ready!

Amongst all the inevitable lunch option for  the festive season (when I worked the 9 to 5 I dreaded the 'Christmas meal' - pre-sliced warmed turkey with little burnt sausages, the cheapest possible wine....) I spotted this one at the Deli-licious café at Roman Circus House. So if you haven't been there, and want something relaxed, away from the shopping madness, then why not  give it a try? Non-alcoholic too, and you can learn about Colchester's amazing Roman heritage while you're there. If Mrs Blogger can spare a minute I'll give it a try!


And while you're there you could find out what these curious objects shown below are!

Song - The Kinks - Afternoon Tea

Courtesy Colchester Archaeological Trust

Hanging around at Advent......

Virgin Ice - but early days yet!

So the Winter Wonderland is here and even on a drizzly evening it looks very nice. Hopefully crowds will build up as we get nearer Christmas (the first Sunday of Advent should  be the proper start of the Christmas season, and that's this Sunday). These events set against the Castle walls look great.

There's a funfair too, with surreal penguins!

The Christmas Chalets were bright and cheerful, particularly pleased to see one for Colchester United! The only problem I can see is that these are not on a throughfare, you have to walk up to the Castle looking for them. So I suggest you give it a try next time you're in town.

Some music - Penguin Café Orchestra - Prelude and Yodel - interesting!

Read all about it....

You can even get a copy in Tesco's

Of course this blog, and the Facebook group 'It all happens in Colchester', are great places to find out what's going on. But Mrs. Blogger is a bit of an old fashioned girl, and every week she reads the Essex County Standard from cover to cover. So I have noticed the increasingly good coverage of our Arts scene here in Colchester, now given a lovely multi-page section every week. It seemed to be written entirely by the obviously hard-working Neil D'arcy Jones, but now I'm pleased to see contributions from Liz Leatherdale of Colchester Classics, and local playwright Paul T Davies. He writes about Wonderful Wednesdays at the Arts Centre - please catch one this year!

So many songs about newspapers, but this one is a bit more tangental, 'Charlie the Newsmonger' by folk duo 'Megson', who by coincidence play the Arts Centre next Monday. See you there!

Deb and Stu, aka Megson, at Ely Folk Festival

Space Race...

Sorry, no blogs last weekend as I've been up in London. Yes, I know there's so much on in Colchester it seems perverse to fight the crowds in London, but I had to catch up with Messrs. Djokovic and Federer. While I was up in Town I selected two interesting exhibitions to see (can't watch tennis all day.....). I think our National Maritime Museum at Greenwich is a gem, and their new exhibition on the life (and Diary) of Samuel Pepys was fascinating. But for sheer draw-dropping artefacts you couldn't beat the Science Museum with their show about the Russian space program - and wonderful Soviet-era art as well. It was really weird looking at bits of space junk from a nation that no longer exists. Indeed one Cosmonaut went up to the space station as a worker of the CCCP, and came back down as a citizen of the Russian Federation! So if you are in London for a bit of shopping or sport, why not make a trip to South Ken?

Song? too many to chose from...but after narrowly rejecting Billy Bragg 'The Space Race is Over' I realised it just had to be Elton John - Rocket Man, particularly since I found this live 1979 version recorded in the Soviet Union! You won't believe the research that goes into this!

Looking for an Opening?

In the Van-guard of Colchester art!

Despite the rush towards Christmas there's still a lot of new art events opening. The CO3 Gallery in Shrub End Road have an exhibition of student's art this weekend (1-5 pm Sat and Sun). And the Sentinel Gallery in Wivenhoe continues their exhibition of crafts that opened last weekend, admittedly aimed at Christmas shopping, and this is what I want for  Christmas please Santa...

Bowls by Sarah Paynter

And of course our first 'Winter Wonderland' with Ice Rink opens next week, 27th November. See you there! - though probably not on skates.

Song - Picture This - Blondie. I'm claiming it as a seasonal song due to the line ' Picture this - a day in December'.

Bits and Pieces...

This Charming Man...Dr .Ian Ray seated at the Moot Hall organ

Hiding her bushel under a light

Well, a Colchester miscellany this week - all sorts of fun activities, despite the all-too rapid onset of 'Christmas' festivities and all that implies - wall-to-wall craft fairs and pantos. Still, in the spirit of Christmas present, perhaps I should try reviewing a few - watch this space!
Anyway, lovely Organ Recital at the Moot Hall last Tuesday - the last in the series is on 1st December (Festive music) - 1 pm. I suggest you get there in good time - the hall was busy this week!

And our Arts Centre continues it's eclectic and entertaining programme - Wonderful Wednesdays of pay-what-you-can performance art was as usual well worth going out for, though I did pass on Tina Bradshaw's life coaching, what with being charming and perfectly mentally and emotionally balanced. (Me I mean, not Tina, although that probably applies to). Let's hope my mum's not  reading today.

So, please get out and enjoy our town - see you there!
Some music - oh, ok, The Smiths - This Charming Man - the 80's wasn't all bad you know!

With thanks to Bev Bishop, a Wonderful Wednesday-goer, and the Bear

Going to the Circus....

Everyone know where Roman Circus House is? Been inside? - Well, I'm proud to be hosting a concert there Saturday (14th Nov) to raise awareness, and maybe some money for Colchester Archaeological Trust, who run the Circus, if enough people come! From 7 pm Colchester's own 'Annie's Fantasies' clog dance side will perform, then at 8 pm rising talent Fern Teather will play songs from her debut album. Come along and be amongst the first to hear them - you can get a taste of them by clicking here. If you mention this blog you'll get in for £10 for two people. See you there!
PS no bar - bring you own or join me in the Odd One Out afterwards!

The very wonderful Fern Teather - thanks for the photo

Now't as strange as Folk

Megson perform at Ely Folk Festival earlier this year

Folk music - misunderstood. The problem is, like all music forms, there's a world of difference between the best and the....well, some of the rest. And also, what is Folk? Like all labels, it's very misleading. Until I got involved personally (as you know, Mrs Blogger Clog-dances with local side Annie's Fantasies) I didn't listen to a lot. But years ago a review pointed me to Laura Marling, and then you start to explore. And one of the most amazing music experiences was seeing 'The Peatbog Fairies' at the Bury festival many years ago. Amazing to see them again at Folkeast this summer. So like all music genres, 'Folk' is a broad church. Leave your prejudices at the door please.
One problem with Folk is the apparently compulsory chat between songs. I feel that the music should speak for itself - if it takes longer to explain the song than sing it, surely you've missed the point! But I can definitely say, having seen them twice this summer, that 'Megson' are witty, and also have great songs played with passion. They are at our wonderful Arts Centre on Monday 30th November - I suggest you book soon! And Lau look good too, three-times winner of Radio 2 Folk band of the year, Tues 17th Nov, see you there!

Song - well, Megson of course, Stu and Hanna at Cambridge last year - ah, that's another thing about Folk - they are comfortable totally acoustic - Brilliant!

Vital Organs...

The organ at Kelvingrove, Glasgow. Free lunchtime recitals everyday!

The two organs I have heard in action recently were installed by what we would now call 'the local council' within a year of each other, in 1901 and 1902. They were a huge statement of civic pride, and it is wonderful that they have both been restored and are again something to be proud of. Colchester perhaps can't match the Glasgow instrument's once-a-day recital, but we can get along next Tuesday lunchtime to enjoy Ian Ray playing Remembrance tunes. 1 pm.  See you there!

Some organ music with a difference today - 'Pedal Blues' by Mons Leidven Takle - I heard this played by Kevin Bowyer at Kelvingrove - enjoy!

Old progressive..

The vLookup Trio:  Rich Perks (fretless electric
guitar), Andrew Hall (trumpet) and Tom Atherton (percussion).

Very pleased to make it to the Arts Centre last night if only for the last few minutes (the curse of Abellio Greater Anglia fell upon me as I journeyed back from Reading). Nice to see a good crowd enjoying music which, while more challenging than a knees-up, was always, well, musical! Thanks to Alexander Blustin for inviting me. That's the great thing about the Arts Centre; as well as the sell-out comedy shows it continues to put on a very wide range range of artistic endeavours - always worth a look and reasonably-priced.  And look out for more good stuff from Colchester New Music.

Wonderful Wednesdays continues to showcase all sorts of performance at the Arts Centre - I hope to get there next week for Figs in Wigs - 'refreshingly surreal' - and pay what you can! See you there!

Ah ... music... how about PFM, from their 1977 album 'Jet Lag'. Prog-rock when I was 19?! And I've still got the vinyl to prove it.

Fool on a hill....

He's leaving home....Bye bye.

OK that's enough Beatles references. Exciting news for the blog - I'm turning professional! Supported by the deep pockets and misplaced confidence of Mrs. Blogger (pictured above), I'm leaving the Beth Chatto Gardens and forming my own promotions company, Bread and Circuses. The name obviously reflects our unique Roman Circus, and comes from the Roman satirical poet Juvenal:

"...two things only the people anxiously desire - Bread and Circuses"

He was commenting that the Roman citizens were no longer interested in the important issues of running the Empire, and were happy as long as they had full stomachs and Circus entertainments. A lament exploited by politicians ever since. Anyway.... after a couple of sold-out concerts at Beth Chatto's, my next gig will star the talented Fern Teather, who has just released her first album 'Hiding in the Dark'.

I've seen Fern a couple of times at the wonderful Little Rabbit Barn (thank you Jonathan) and she is a talented singer, songwriter and guitarist ...but don't take my word for it! - tickets at:
https://billetto.co.uk/en/events/fern-teather-at-the-roman-circus

Come early (from 7 pm) to enjoy pre-gig entertainment from Annie's Fantasies Clog-dancers.
Small discount for booking on-line! See You There, anyone mention they read my blog (you'll have to prove it by naming the song!), I'll buy them a beer in the 'Oddie' afterwards!

Ah yes..a song...has to be Fern Teather - Hiding in the Dark....See you on the 14th!

Do they know it's (not) Christmas time?..

Sorry to talk Christmas. I have noticed thinly-disguised 'Winter Fairs' starting to pop up in early November - just an excuse to get you in to buy pressies before the 'real' Christmas fairs have started. And W&G have invited me to go Christmas Shopping on 3rd November, before we've even burnt old Guido! Anyway, this blog is determinedly non-grumpy, so you choose when and where to do your Christmas shopping. M&S 24th December, or a Fair in early November, your choice. Me? Mrs. Blogger is lucky if she gets a pair of socks. Usually we head off to Christmas markets somewhere. York was very good a couple of years ago, and so is Birmingham. This year we're off to our favourite, Colmar in Alsace. Here's a view from a previous trip.

Barr, with the Kirchberg vineyard in the foreground. Scrummy wines!

Anyway, what you MUST book for this Christmas is the Colchester Chamber Choir concert on 6th December. Sadly I'll be in...Colmar!

Colchester Chamber Choir rehearse at Firstsite earlier this year

Song.. Walk Out to Winter - a Roddy Frame classic. Best songwriter of his generation?

Trick or treat....

Pumpkins grown at the Beth Chatto Gardens - the real thing - Thanks Emily!

There's no avoiding Haloween... whether you want to get all grumpy ('it's not British, too many noisy kids, it's just to make money etc etc) or embrace it, I think if we get it right and use it to get creative then it can only be good, particularly at the end of the half-term holiday. So it's great to see Colchester make a weekend of it - shame I'm in Glasgow (yes, having a great time thanks). Get along to see the town hall like you've never seen it before!

Song?  'October' from the Album of the same name. U2. Look, they were a great band. Just seeing some Youtube footage of their latest tour, I'd say they're still a great band.

The shock of the New...

Well, what a pleasant surprise, this blog received some correspondence regarding my coverage of the Moot Hall Organ and new compositions written for it. Thanks to Alex for getting in touch.

Turns out the organ is not the only lucky instrument in Colchester - Colchester New Music have a series of very varied events this autumn. So if you're interested in New Music (and after all, all old music was new once, Bach and Scarlatti just as innovative as today's composers), here's a couple of events. Certainly the Gig at the Arts Centre looks worth a punt. One of the most off-the-wall but excellent musical experiences I have enjoyed in the last few years was when an organist played her interpretation of the Shipping Forecast!

  CNM Piano Project 20157:30pm, 4th November 2015, Swinburne Hall, Colchester Institute,
Sheepen Road, Colchester, Essex, CO3 3LL
Tickets £5 on the door, or via CMPA Live Box Office:
01206 712999 / creativeartslive@colchester.ac.uk /http://creativeartslive.colchester.ac.uk

Following on from last year's successful event, Colchester piano
teacher Dylan Christopher presents another evening exploring
contemporary piano music for aspirant pianists. Together with
professional guests David Mitchell and Elspeth Manders, and local
piano pupils, Dylan will perform a programme of exciting new solo and
duet pieces of ABRSM Grade 1-5 standard, contributed by composers from
Essex and beyond. The performers - teachers and pupils - will discuss
what it is that makes a contemporary piece educationally and musically
satisfying for learners.

Full details of the programme are herehttp://colchesternewmusic.com/2015/10/03/results-of-piano-project-2015-call-announced

Recordings of last year's pieces can be found here:http://colchesternewmusic.com/listen/piano-project-2014

*** Fretless Architecture: Rich Perks + vLookup Trio

Doors 7:30pm (starts 8pm), Thursday 5th November 2015, Colchester Arts
Centre, Church St. Colchester CO1 1NF
Tickets £7/£6: Box Office 01206 500900 / colchesterartscentre.com

New constructions for solo fretless electric guitar, plus explorations
from avant-garde noise to funk-rock for fretless electic guitar,
trumpet, percussion, effects and live electronics.
As both a guitarist and composer Rich exhibits a keen interest in
anything unusual, progressive and innovative. As well as being an
active gigging musician in the commercial industry, he performs much
contemporary, experimental and improvised music, specialising in
fretless electric guitar.

The vLookup Trio is comprised of Rich Perks (fretless electric
guitar), Andrew Hall (trumpet) and Tom Atherton (percussion). Together
they explore pieces which combine pre-composed material with
improvisation in styles that range from avant-garde noise to
funk-rock, whilst also pushing the sonic possibilities of a trio
instrumentation by incorporating effects and live electronics.

Last year Rich released an international call for scores, in
conjunction with Colchester New Music. His aim was to explore the
possibilities of the fretless electric guitar further; in the hope
that through making relationships with composers, the full potential
of this young and exciting instrument could be discovered and
developed. In this ground-breaking performance, Colchester Arts Centre
hosts the premieres of five works selected from this call, juxtaposed
with vLookup's sonic adventures.http://www.colchesterartscentre.com/events/gigs/rich-perks-vlookup-trio-fretless-architecture/
http://richperks.net

No music today - it hasn't been written yet!