Liverpool

Thursday 9 – Sunday 12 September
www.heritageopendays.org.uk – fully events listing and details

Later this week properties across England will throw open their doors for free as part of the country’s annual celebration of local architecture, history and culture.

Supported nationally by English Heritage and run locally by an army of volunteers and community champions, Heritage Open Days takes place on people doorstops and is the country’s leading grassroots cultural event.

One million people are expected to take advantage of the four day event, exploring more than 4,000 properties of every style, period and function, many of which are normally closed to the public or usually charge an admission fee.

Participating properties in North West England include:

Barrow – Dalton Castle (Dalton-in-Furness)
Birkenhead – Birkenhead Park, Birkenhead Priory, Lady Lever Art Gallery
Blackpool – Blackpool Tower, Winter Gardens
Bolton – Bolton Steam Museum
Burnley – Gawthorpe Hall (Padiham), Queen Street Mill Textile Museum
Bury – Fusilier Museum, East Lancashire Railway, Peel Tower
Carlisle – High Head Sculpture Valley
Chester – Chester Racecourse, Grosvenor Museum, Little Moreton Hall (Congleton)
Kendal – Abbott Hall Art Gallery, Museum of Lakeland Life, Sizergh Castle
Lake District – Beatix Potter Gallery (Hawkshead), Blackwell (Windermere),
Liverpool – St George’s Hall, Cunard Building, Liver Building,
Macclesfield – Quarry Bank Mill
Manchester – Victoria Baths
Morecambe – Morecambe Town Hall
Oldham – Saddleworth Museum
Penrith – Acorn Bank
Preston – Samlesbury Hall
Rochdale – Healey Dell, Rochdale Pioneers Museum, Touchstones,
St Helens – World of Glass
Stockport – Hat Works, Staircase House, Air Raid Shelters, Bramall Hall
Warrington – Norton Priory (Runcorn)
Wigan – Museum of Wigan Life, Trencherfield Mill Engine

It’s time to party and enjoy the carnival atmosphere as the St.Helens International Arts Festival takes place throughout the town centre on Saturday 17th July 2010 (11am-5pm).

Artists from Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Caribbean will visit the Town Centre to perform a vibrant mix of music, dance and street entertainment. The free event organised by St.Helens Council and Brouhaha International arts organisation will be one of the many highlights of the 2010 festival programme across Merseyside.

The St.Helens International Arts Festival event starts with a colourful carnival parade at aproximately 11am outside the Town Hall in Victoria Square, which will weave its way throughout the Town Centre and finish at 12 noon in Church Square which will commence the international performances throughout the day.

Festival organisers have promised 2010 will not disappoint, with performers attending from Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Caribbean to mark this year’s theme of ‘Reincarnation’ – Mixing the Race of the Nation’.

Brouhaha is an arts organisation developing work that brings people together in a celebration of the UK’s unique and culturally diverse landscape. Brouhaha has built a tremendous reputation, over two decades, developing innovative cultural projects, working with artists and communities across Europe, the Caribbean, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and the Far East.

Come and join the rhythm of carnival, shake your maracas or just dance along to the infectious beat of drums. Enjoy the party; you’re all invited.

The St.Helens International Arts Festival is financially supported by European Regional Development Fund.

For more information visit www.sthelens.gov.uk/events or telephone on 01744 675326.

2010 is the Year of Health and Wellbeing in the Liverpool region, and with this in mind Africa Oyé, working with Liverpool NHS Primary Care Trust, is introducing the Health, Learning and Participation Zone to this years’ festival.

The zone will feature:

• African and Caribbean Dance Workshops by Movema • Drumming and Percussion Workshops with River Niger Arts • Performances by drum troupé Beatlife • Womad’s legendary Chai Chapel • Capoeira Brazilian Martial Arts performances and workshops • CALMzone • Holistic therapies • Massages • Information about health and well being • A mobile climbing wall

These additions for the 2010 festival see Africa Oyé continue to grow and will take place in a designated area on the festival site with its own PA system, marquees, performance area, platforms and risers for public viewing and participation.

Gideon Ben-Tovim, Chair of Liverpool NHS Primary Care Trust, says:

“Liverpool NHS Primary Care Trust is really delighted to be supporting the Africa Oye festival in 2010 Year of Health and Wellbeing. Africa Oye already contributes much to the wellbeing of everyone involved and this year we’re excited to bring in the new Health and Wellbeing Learning and Participation Zone where people can participate in music, dance and movement workshops so even more people can join in and get the most out of it.

The festival brings something to each of the five ways we know contribute to wellbeing. It connects people in celebrating with each other and international visitors to our city. It lets us be active by dancing and take notice of the music and our fantastic park. There’s the chance to learn how to make music and dance and to give something back either as a performer or an appreciative audience. I hope many will join us in enjoying this fantastic celebration and feel good for it!”

For more information please see the attached and for updates on tours and Learning & Participation Projects please visit africaoye.com/tandt

The Masque Theatre, Seal Street, Liverpool
May 27 2010, 8 pm – 11 pm

The godfathers, the first Hip Hop superstars and one of Hip Hop’s most revered icons attained superstardom with the first and biggest Hip Hop hit record of all time “Rappers Delight” (celebrating over 30 years!!!!) The legends are back in Europe for what should be one of this year’s top tours!

The SUGAR HILL GANG’s brand new stage show will feature hit after hit spanning the group’s entire career, belting out the chart topping classic “Rappers Delight” and the latest hit record “La La Song”, with a stunning live show featuring each band member on instruments and the incredible singer Rob Temple (the very first recording artist on Jive Records!!!), new songs from the new album!! incl. a crowd-pleasing Michael Jackson tribute and much more!!

The SUGAR HILL GANG’s Wonder Mike, Master Gee and Big Bank Hank (now replaced by Hen Dog) scored the first and most popular Hip Hop single of all time in 1979: “Rappers Delight” !!

It single-handedly influenced and inspired the Rap and Hip-Hop movements, opening the doors to one of the most powerful and popular styles of popular music EVER. “Rappers Delight” was the first Rap song to be played on the radio & TV, exposing millions of people to a new and exciting style of music which originated in the Bronx, becoming one of the biggest hits in music history. It sold 60 000 units daily in 1979 and with over 8 million units sold the Sugar Hill Gang scored the biggest selling single of all time. This truly revolutionary release is still selling today and remains a timeless party anthem.

Support comes from Liverpool’s finest hip hop boys: The Elementals and Nicky Talent & Innuendo who won the Masque’s competition to support the legendary Sugar Hill Gang. The night will also feature DJ sets from Santero as well as a special appearance from PeteBox. This will make for a hip hop night to remember.

Tickets Available Via -- http://www.ticketweb.co.uk/

The award-winning Gateway Conference Centre has been shortlisted in The Mersey Partnership Tourism Awards 2010 for the coveted “Excellence in Business Tourism” category.

The awards will take place on Thursday 10th June 2010 at the BT Convention Centre, they recognise the very best in quality and excellence in the City Region’s Visitor Economy.

Liverpool City Region’s Visitor Economy is now worth £1.6 billion a year, supporting 23,000 jobs. It continues to grow in strength and standard with new hotels, events, venues and attractions continuing to widen the exciting City Region offer.
The Gateway Conference Centre, which has been shortlisted twice before in the same category, was recognised by the TMP judges for their recent improvements and the new facilities they have created at the Centre.

Nigel Byrne, Centre Manager at The Gateway Conference Centre, said: “We are delighted to have been nominated for this year’s TMP Tourism Awards. It is a testament to our team of dedicated staff, which is one of the Gateway’s most outstanding assets.”

The expert team at The Gateway Centre were praised for the enhancements they have made to the Centre which were funded by a £26,000 grant from the Capacitybuilders. With this grant they carried out plans to improve accessibility in the reception area of the two–storey building.

They have had new automatic doors installed which have given easier accessibility for visitors including those with mobility impairments. The reception area has also had a makeover which has improved the comfort, accessibility, security and working environment for The Gateway’s staff and visitors. Their proposed ‘green room’ which will provide additional flexible space for training, interviews and assessments is awaiting planning permission.

The Gateway Centre has become one of the first venues in the region to launch their Sustainable Conference packages. All of their conference packages have been developed to be sustainable and ‘green’.

Gateway Assistant Manager, Keith Newell, commented: “Just like many of our valued clients, The Gateway Conference Centre is passionate about taking clear and meaningful steps towards reducing our impact on the environment. Through a little extra creativity, effort and compromise, a green meeting package has been developed to ensure that business and environmental objectives can be achieved in tandem.”

The Gateway Centre, established in 2002, is renowned for its green ethos. From using recyclable resources in all meeting rooms to installing energy efficient lighting and using energy efficient appliances, the centre is always looking for innovative ways to reduce its impact on the environment.

BBC Worldwide has announced a series of arena dates for the very first production of Doctor Who Live.

The new stage show, based upon the BBC’s smash-hit, award-winning series Doctor Who, promises to deliver a spectacular audio/visual experience featuring live music, special effects and appearances from the show’s most popular monsters.

Taking in nine cities and 25 dates, Doctor Who Live kicks off in London at Wembley Arena on 8th October 2010, and will visit Sheffield, Glasgow, Birmingham, Manchester (MEN Arena 22-24 October), Nottingham, Cardiff and Liverpool (Liverpool Echo Arena 2-3 November), culminating in Belfast on the 7th November.

Tickets are available here.

Developed in association with Doctor Who’s Executive Producer and show runner, Steven Moffat, Doctor Who Live promises the same excitement, adventure and suspense that viewers have come to expect from the TV programme and will feature specially filmed new video scenes.

Steven Moffat said: “This is everything I ever wanted since I was eleven. A live show, with all the coolest Doctor Who monsters, a proper story, and brand new screen material for Matt Smith’s Doctor! I’ll be writing scenes for it, and probably attending every single night!”

Opening in wartime London and concluding in an epic onstage battle, audiences should expect the unexpected as the The Doctor’s arch-enemies the Daleks are joined by some of the best-loved and most terrifying monsters from the TV series including the Cybermen, Weeping Angels, Judoon and Oods to name but a few.

With an out-of-this-world set, Doctor Who Live will feature special FX, optical illusions and spectacular pyrotechnics building to an epic finale. Specially edited video clips, drawn from the TV Programme will be shown on a massive screen and accompanied by the music of longtime Doctor Who composer Murray Gold. These iconic scores will be brought to life by a 16 piece orchestra live on stage.

Murray Gold said: “The live element always adds something extra, but these will also be brand new arrangements for a new band of very talented musicians. It’s very exciting.”

Doctor Who Live has been conceived as a fully immersive music and monsters spectacular. Please note that actors from the TV series will not be appearing live on stage.

The UK’s No.1 dance festival Creamfields have added yet more acts to their ever growing line up including one of the UK’s leading electro pop producers Grum, dynamic duo Zoo Brazil who have steadily carved out a reputation as one of the most respected production outfits in the UK, electro upstart David E Sugar who performs Live and Bang Bang Club. These latest acts join the likes of Tiësto, David Guetta, Deadmau5, Paul van Dyk, Calvin Harris, Leftfield, Swedish House Mafia and Sven Vath, for what is set to be THE festival of the Summer.

Creamfields also welcome back disco kings Hed Kandi who return to host the glamorous Hospitality Arena. Last year saw this exclusive ticket sell out in record time, and is set to repeat that success this year. The exclusive Tri Span structure returns along with some added perks, with Hospitality campers having access to their own exclusive VIP campsite which includes hot showers and those all important ‘proper’ toilets. Hospitality campers will also be able to take advantage of the complimentary new ‘Festibarrow’ service, for those laden down with rucksacks, just grab a ‘festibarrow’ and away you go! As well as the camping luxuries Hospitality ticket holders will have access to the exclusive Hed Kandi arena which includes a fully stocked bar, cocktail bar and plush indoor and outdoor seating areas!

Despite a jam packed salivating line up of talent to keep you occupied, the Cream team have also laid on an array of on site attractions. This year Strongbow returns in a new form as the Bowtime Bar. This all new structure is split into several areas including a live Stage featuring some of the UK’s best cutting edge artistes, an Outdoor Terrace for some dancing action, a garden Bar that has its own team of Masseuses providing free massages plus a chilled out ‘Garden’ to kick back in offering comfy seats and picnic benches. Another stage to pay a visit to is the JägerRock Truck which has been fancily converted into a strident orange mobile music arena and will be bursting out rock fuelled beat or for a more chilled out affair head to the Pimms Bus which returns in all its ‘white picket fence and deckchair’ glory. Creamfields has become renowned for delivering one of the widest range of culinary choices at a festival and this year is no different, the International Food Market returns to serve up everything from Mediterranean to Mexican grub and for those who like a bit of Italian pay a visit to the all new on site Pizza Express! After 2 days of arena hopping treat yourself to a pampering at the Vanity Van which will be offering everything from makeovers, spray tans, blow dry’s and more! We also welcome back the Fancy Dress Tent, which features rails upon rails of fancy dress costumes to ensure customers get into the full ‘festival’ spirit! If all the music gets a bit too much pop over to the onsite cinema which will be screening classic films throughout the evening, in addition throughout the day graffiti artistes will be showcasing their skills along with football freesylers and more. All brought to you as part of V’s Summer of Give campaign. Go to Vinspired.com to find out more”

Following the sell out success of last years festival which attracted a record breaking 60,000 people, the UK’s No.1 dance festival Creamfields returns to Daresbury in Cheshire. For full line up and tickets info go to: www.creamfields.com

SATURDAY 28TH AUGUST

Main Stage

David Guetta (Dance Festival Exclusive)
Deadmau5 (Exclusive)
Audio Bullys
The Japanese Popstars
Ocelot

Cream In Association with Bench

Armin van Buuren
Ferry Corsten (Exclusive)
Eddie Halliwell Presents ED-IT (Exclusive)
Judge Jules
Gareth Emery
John O’Callaghan
Gareth Wyn
Rob H

Chibuku 10th Anniversary

Richie Hawtin Presents Plastikman (English Festival Debut)
Erol Alkan
Crookers
Magda
Mix Hell
Luke Carr
Dom Chung
More to be announced

Pryda Friends

Eric Prydz
Pete Tong
Joris Voorn
Sébastien Léger
Popof
Funk D’Void
Jemmy

Ape – D&B

Andy C
High Contrast
Hype
Friction
Mad Professor
Ken Evil

Ape – Dubstep

Benga
Rusko
Caspa
Joker
Nero
Rich Reason
MC’s: MC Dynamite / Rod Azlan / GQ / IC3 / SP:MC / Mad Rush

Mixmag

Tiga
Switch
Kissy Sell Out
DJ Mehdi
Alex Metric
Jaymo & Andy George
Gramophonedzie
Zoo Brazil

Hed Kandi Hospitality

Phil Faversham
John Jones
Wez Clarke
Sarah Louise
Alan Hartley
Dean Oram On Drums
Lady V on Saxophone

Strongbow Bowtime Bar

Tom Middleton
Jesse Rose
Fenech Soler (Live)
Joe & Will Ask?
Crystal Fighters (Live)
Louis La Roche
May68 (Live)
Loz
General Jimmy

Residents Terrace

H2
DJ Ellesse
Ed Mackie
Tim Owen
Lee Ellis
CantMixWontMixShouldntMixDontMix
Rob Casson & Andy Currie
Prostitutes & Policeman
Kev McGowan

JägerRock Truck

Rich Furness
LMP DJ’s
Lee Rands
Chris Mimo
Andy Woods
Autophase

SUNDAY 29TH AUGUST

Kaleidoscope Main Stage

Tiesto (Exclusive)
Calvin Harris (Live)
Laidback Luke
Dada Life
Bang Bang Club
Kids On Bridges

Cream / Vandit 10th Anniversary In Association with Bench

Paul van Dyk (Exclusive)
Sasha
James Zabiela
Hernan Cattaneo
Nick Warren
Special Guests: Leftfield

Swedish House Mafia (Exclusive)

Axwell
Steve Angello
Sebastian Ingrosso
Dirty South
Kim Fai
AN21
Afro Jack
Max Vangeli
Anton Powers

Mixmag Presents Cocoon

Sven Väth
Dubfire
Marco Carola
Yousef
Raresh

Annie Mac Presents

Annie Mac
Major Lazer (Live)
MS Dynamite
Zinc
Riva Starr
Style Of Eye
Andy Mac

Goodgreef Xtra-Hard

Lisa Lashes
Showtek Live (Exclusive)
Kutski B2B Alex Kidd
Andy Whitby
Anne Savage
Bootek (Live)
A.S.Y.S
Dutch Master
Rascal

Strongbow Bowtime Bar

Evil Nine
The Subs (Live)
Grum
David E Sugar (Live)
Goldierocks
THe PETEBOX (Live)
Mr Paul
The Tea Street Band (Live)
Benji Boko
Dead Audio Boy
More to be announced

Hed Kandi Hospitality

Andy Norman
Dean Rigg
Sam Cannon
Stephanie Jay
Alan Hartley
Dean Oram On Drums
Lady V On Saxophone

JägerRock Truck

Cassette Jam
Thomas Tuft
Steve Parry
Andy Newland
Paul Nunn & James Glover
Michael Paterson
Mark Mac & Adam Helliwell

Sefton Park, Liverpool
Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th June 2010
12:30 pm– 9:30 pm on both days
A celebration of African music and culture
Admission: Free

Full line up confirmed* (running order tbc):

Saturday 19th June
Boukman Eksperyans – Haiti
Les Espoirs De Coronthie – Guinea Conakry
The Gangbe Brass Band – Benin
Ti Coca – Haiti
Victor Deme – Burkina Faso

Sunday 20th June

Andrew Tosh – Jamaica
Carlou D – Senegal
Les Freress Guisse – Senegal
Michael Rose – Jamaica
The Rasites –UK
To’Mezclao – Cuba

*Please check africaoye.com for programme updates

Africa Oyé is the UK’s largest free celebration of African music and culture and takes place annually in Liverpool. Beginning in 1992 as a series of small gigs in the city centre, the event has gone from strength to strength, moving to its present Sefton Park home in 2002 to cope with demand. Now in its nineteenth year, Africa Oyé continues to grow.

In 2009 the event attracted an audience of over 20,000 people and even more are expected to attend Oyé 2010.

A beautiful gold pocket watch belonging to the captain of the Lusitania who survived when the luxury liner sank with the loss of 1,200 lives has been donated to Merseyside Maritime Museum.

The timepiece is going on display in the “Titanic, Lusitania and the Forgotten Empress” gallery on 7 May 2010 – the 95th anniversary of the sinking.

Captain William Turner remained on board the stricken liner but miraculously survived after he was swept off the bridge. The 58-year-old Liverpudlian clung to a floating chair and was unconscious when rescued after three hours in the water.

The watch has been donated to the museum by Captain Turner’s descendants. It is thought to have been purchased by Captain Turner in Liverpool after a voyage. The box carries the name Penlington and Batty of St George’s Crescent, Lord Street, Liverpool.

Captain Turner kept the watch carefully in its leather pouch inside its original box. The watch is not engraved with an inscription but has a pawnbroker’s mark indicating it was used as security for a loan at some stage.

Rachel Mulhearn, Merseyside Maritime Museum director, says:

“Captain Turner’s watch joins other Lusitania exhibits to help tell the story of the disaster that still has the power to shock. He was one of the many people deeply scarred by the tragedy and its aftermath.

“The Lusitania, launched in 1907, was Liverpool’s favourite liner and many people from the city were among her crews.”

The sinking by a German U-boat submarine on 7 May 1915 sent shockwaves around the world. She was off Kinsale in Ireland when a single torpedo sent her to the bottom in just 18 minutes. There were chaotic scenes as passengers and crew scrambled for the lifeboats.

The British Government tried to blame Everton-born Captain Turner – one of the Cunard Line’s most respected commanders – for the loss of the Lusitania. However, the public inquiry cleared him of any wrongdoing.

The horror of the Lusitania sinking haunted Captain Turner for the rest of his life. He was often depressed and thought that people avoided him because he didn’t go down with his ship.

He never forgave the First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill for trying to turn him into a scapegoat. Germany had warned that British shipping would be targeted.

Controversy still surrounds the disaster – was the Lusitania carrying arms? Was her sinking contrived in some way to bring America into the First World War? Many Americans died in the wreck as they headed from New York to Liverpool.

History repeated itself when Captain Turner, in command of the Ivernia, was torpedoed and sunk on New Year’s Day 1917. Once again he survived and was awarded the OBE in 1918 for his war service before retiring the following year.

Captain Turner and his wife Mabel lived in Devon for some years but later returned to Liverpool. He died in their home at 50 De Villiers Avenue, Crosby, on 23 June 1933.

The watch has been donated by the estate of Sally Wells (née Turner).

The team behind Northern dance festival Creamfields are celebrating having scooped the award for ‘Best Festival’ at last night’s prestigious industry Music Week Awards which were held at the Hilton Hotel in London. The win saw the dance fest beating off stiff competition from heavyweights Glastonbury, V Festival, Bestival and Global Gathering.

On receiving the award Cream CEO James Barton said: “We are thrilled and overwhelmed to win this prestigious award particularly when we were up against such world class festivals like Glastonbury and V. It highlights how far we’ve come over the last 12 years, and makes all the hard work worthwhile.”

This year the ‘Best Festival’ category was opened up to the public for the first time with the shortlist assessed by a panel of judges who were looking out for exemplary performance in everything from innovation, creativity and quality of service. This is the second award scooped by the dance festival in the last 6 months, having won ‘Best Dance Festival’ at the UK Festival Awards in November and follows the success of their sell out show last Summer which attracted a record breaking 60,000 people.

Creamfields returns to Daresbury in Cheshire on August Bank Holiday weekend and will see performances from the likes of Tiësto, David Guetta, Leftfield, Deadmau5, Calvin Harris, Richie Hawtin Presents Plastikman, Paul van Dyk, Armin van Buuren, Swedish House Mafia, Eric Prydz, Sven Väth and Ferry Corsten to name a few.

Other winners at the Awards ceremony included: BBC Radio 1 – National Radio Station Of The Year, Abbey Road – Studio Of The Year, Atlantic Records – Promotions Team Of the year, EMI Publishing – Publisher Of The Year. For a full list of winners go to www.musicweek.com