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Llangollen Announces it's Evening Concert line up: to include McFly, Russell Watson and Lulu!
By Ceri Shaw, 2011-02-15
Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod Week Schedule 2011
Monday 4 th
Evening Concert: Lulu and Friends: Opening Gala Concert, 7.45pm 50/40/30
Tuesday 5 th
Daytime: International Childrens Day
Strains of Hope : On the field, 5000 children will be transported to Africa, the Caribbean and the Americas, in a day of joyful, uplifting performances and workshops showcasing music and dance from around the world. The Peace Message from the Children of Wales is presented this year by school children from the Chirk and Glyn Ceiriog area. Alex Pascall from Grenada will delight us with some Caribbean harmony and Steven Sogo and his band Hope Street will perform.
The Parade. Parade of Nations. 4.30pm
The colour and excitement of the Festival spreads into the streets of Llangollen town with the Parade of Nations. Each year over 60 years, a vibrant tradition has continued.
Evening Concert: Russell Watson La Voce:
Special Guest: Faryl Smith. 7.45pm.
Tickets 45, 35, 25
Wednesday 6th
Daytime: A Feast of Costume, Music and Dance.
The outstanding Llangollen competitions begin and continue throughout the day, with choirs and folk dancers from over 20 countries. Also featuring the best young soloists in the world.
- Senior Childrens Choirs
- Traditional Folk Dance Groups
- Vocal Solo under 15 years of age
- Vocal Solo aged 15-20
- Instrumental Solo under 18 years of age
Dancing in the Street
On the field: Dance workshops and World Music performances, introducing performers from all five continents on the outside stages. Come to Llangollen and experience the whole World in One Place!
All the World, More Smiles, the festivals award winning inclusive project, brings together music, dance, drama and art to the
S4/C stage.
@6 Concert: Djabe: one of Europes most exciting jazz/folk fusion groups.
Evening Concert: One World, One Stage, One Llangollen Welcome (including the Welcome Ceremony and Procession) . 7.45pm. 15 (children 5)
Thursday 7th
Daytime: Join the musical party; a day full of competitions for young performers with dazzling talent. A thousand children perform.
-
- Junior Childrens Choirs
- Childrens Folk Dance
- Youth Choirs
- Songs from the Shows Final
- Vocal Solo, 21 yrs of age and over Final
- Instrumental Solo over 18 yrs of age Final
- Dancing in the Street
- Folk Dance Duos Final
- Individual Folk Dance Final
12 noon: The moving Sound of Silence, the whole Pavilion and field fall silent, everyone links arms, and the Llangollen Message of Peace is broadcast to the world.
On the field: Enjoy upbeat music and colourful dancing, with a flavour of the exotic.
Special packages for Secondary Schools.
5 per pupil. Teachers FREE
(Pre-booked parties only; pupil-teacher ratio 12:1)
@6 Concert: Community Choir Fest; hear both the winners of televisions Codi Canu, Cr Rhos ar Cylch and Llangollens own community Choir.
Evening Concert: Noyes Fludde, with performances from around the world 15 (children 5) 7.45pm
Friday 8th
Daytime: Folk Friday
Fabulous Folk and Choral performances, including Celtic groups, and uniquely inspiring inclusive singing, dance and theatre: the essence of Llangollen.
- Mixed Choirs
- Folk Song Choirs
- Chamber Choirs
- Folk Showcase
Bands from Wales also lead an eclectic mix of sights and sounds.
Reserved seat in the Pavilion: 15, 12
Ground admission (unreserved seat in Pavilion)
Adult 10, Concession 8, Child 5, Family 23
Special packages for Secondary Schools.
5 per pupil. Teachers FREE
(Pre-booked parties only; pupil-teacher ratio 12:1)
Evening Concert: starring Ruthie Henshall: The Best of the West End: 8pm. 40, 30, 20
Saturday 9th
International Family Day.
Daytime: One Day, A Thousand Voices
Traditional male and female choirs, simply the best in the world, including Barbershop and Show choirs: the daytime competitions reach a climax.
On the field: A Festival within a Festival all day fun for everyone. Music, dance, arts, crafts, story-telling, demonstrations and competitions for all.
@6 Concert: The days Guest of Honour, Julian Lloyd-Webber (Cello)
Evening Concert: Choir of The World, with Guest Appearance by Julian Lloyd Webber (Cello)
Sunday 10th
Daytime: Sunday on the Field - Bands and solo artists play on the field from 2pm.
Evening Concert: McFly, 7.45pm.Tickets: 35 (seated and standing; standing aged 14 and over), 25 (seated)
Full booking info:
Reserve your ticket NOW!
Online booking at www.llangollen2011.co.uk
(including Choose your own seat option)
Box Office 01978 862001 9.30am to 4.30pm weekdays.
Email tickets@international- eisteddfod.co.uk
By post: Llangollen Eisteddfod Box Office, Royal International Pavilion, Abbey Road, Llangollen, LL20 8SW.
Season Tickets: amazing offers!
Become a Season Ticket Holder or a Friend of the Festival to have access to priority seating arrangements and great offers;
- Platinum ticket is only: 200 Sit in the same seat all week (Day and night, Monday to Saturday!)
- Gold - 135 Wednesday to Saturday Evening (5 discount on top-price seats for Russell Watson concert)
- Silver Season - All daytime sessions, Wednesday to Saturday, same top-price seat guarantee, 70.
FESTIVAL GROUND ADMISSION
(Pavilion Reserved seat ticket includes Ground Admission)
Adult 10
Concessions 8
Child Under 16 5 (2 Saturday)
EVENING GROUND ADMISSION
Only 1 Ground for a Pound after 4.30pm, Tuesday Thursday
FAMILY GROUND ADMISSION
Wednesday -Friday 23 ; Saturday 20 (International Family Day)
(2 Adults & up to 3 children)
Press: Mr Producer Ltd
02920916667  Russell Watson |  Lulu |  McFly |
A woman from Wales now living in Egypt is trying to help feed hundreds of horses left starving after the recent political upheaval drove away tourists.
Read the rest of the main story here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-12457420UK Athletics president Lynn Davies has welcomed the decision to host the first action of the 2012 Olympic Games at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.
The women's football tournament is set to start two days before the opening ceremony on 27 July.
See video and full story here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympic_games/london_2012/9397444.stm
Expose' of Swansea Film Festival
Swansea Film Festival is coming under attack from all quarters - and quite rightly so - Check out the comments left on the Youtube Video "Looking For An Audience"
Ninety years after a Caernarfon blacksmith forged the ironwork for the coffin of the Unknown Warrior, his grandson has produced a replica.
 The body of the soldier was carried from Boulogne on 9 November 1920 |
I unexpectedly had to make the drive to Knoxville, Tennessee, from our home in Madison, Wisconsin, to attend a funeral. I left about 6 a.m. Friday, as the funeral was at 230 p.m. Sat. and I can't drive the whole way any more without stopping for the night--and making lots of stretch stops along the way. It's about 750 miles each way.
Because I have made this trip many times over the years, I am always looking for something different to see.do. I didn't have much time, but since I was stopping somewhere in Kentucky Fri. night, I had some leeway.
I have finally wised up and instead of driving south on I-39 to I-88 to I-80 (which skirts, but doesn't entirely miss Chicago) I have been going I-39 south to I-55 to I-74, which is what I did Friday. No traffic, no construction, and only one toll. When I entered Indiana, one of the first exits I came to said "Newport" and knowing that Newport, and not Milford, was the most common town on the Welsh Place Names in the US list, and knowing I had not been to this particular Newport, I turned off. (So, yes, Swansea Jack, it was for the points!) Being mapless, I was not sure how far it was (17 miles) or exactly how best to proceed after I took my photo, so I just figured if I went south far enough I'd come to I-70 and could get to I-65 that way. So that is what I did. (BTW--I included my little green dragon in most of the photos to prove I was actually at these places. I think someone else is using a red dragon in much the same way, so I decided to go green. He is NOT a squirrel!!)
NEWPORT, INDIANA Post Office
Once on I-70, I had another pleasant surprise, when I saw a sign for Chataeu Thomas Winery--and remembered the Chicago Tafia extolling the Thomas Family Winery somewhere in Indiana, so I turned off, thinking this may be the place. It wasn't, but it was owned by Dr. Thomas, the father of the man who owns the Thomas Family Winery. We had a nice chat, I bought some cheese curds and a monogrammed wine stopper for a gift, and he drew me a map to his son's place. Now, THAT was out of my way, but in the general direction--not so much out of my way, as along slower, windier roads than the Interstate.
Above and below: Chateau Thomas Winery
I ended up i Madison, IN, and found the winery, which was more pub-like than the sophisticated Chateau Thomas. I met Steve Thomas, prop., and sampled both the Gales Hard Cider and the scrumpy--I preferred the hard cider--the scrumpy was too fruity for my taste. I bought 3 bottles of hard cider and 2 packs of Walkers shortbread. And took photos. Steve gave me directions to I-64, which involved staying on Hwy 421 all the way and being sure to make all the turns 421 did, while avoiding cavorting dogs in the road. Very windy and narrow, and a speed limit of 55 with semi trucks, too. Certainly kept me alert. Also it was getting dark. I was glad to hit the interstate and stopped in Lexington for the night. I was also glad it was warm, as there was ample evidence of icy conditions earlier in the month. (BTW--it was minus 2F when I left Madison and in the 40s by time I hit Indiana. On the way home, it got close to 60!)
Three photos from Thomas Family Winery, Madison, Indiana--Gales Hard Cider, named after Steve's grandfather; tasting the hard cider; and the ladies' loo--decked out for Valentines Day.
I arrived in Knoxville at 9:30 Sat. a.m., in time to view the body at the funeral home and go pick up a non-driving cousin, go to lunch and make it to the graveside services at the country church. Later, several of the family went for a late dinner and then enjoyed one of the bottles of hard cider until about 1 a.m.
I left Knoxville about 9 a.m. Sun., made it as far as Indianapolis (passing Walesboro on I-65 on the way). also stopped in Seymour, IN, for lunch--no Welsh connection that I could discern, but it is the home of John Cougar Mellencamp, in case someone has need of that bit of trivia. They also have a decent Mexican restaurant--based on the chicken fajitas and Dos Equis beer I had for lunch. My only problem was the waitstaff would speak Spanish to me (I have a Spanish minor,) but I would answer in Welsh: Como estas? Da iawn. Etc.
Walesboro, Indiana Exit
To keep me awake on these long road trips, I always travel with sufficient coffee (seen in Indiana--either I-74 or I-70):
So, yes, this is how I travel and how my road trips lead to fabulous discoveries--see my previous blog post about Definitive Madog and the Mandan Indians Proof, if you don't believe me.
I've also found a beagle, Gracie, on a Kentucky backroad:
and a kitten, MiKi, in the middle of traffic in Michigan:
Both Gracie and MiKi are 1000 times healthier and more gorgeous in their photos than when I found them!
Stay tuned for my next road trip--probably in March-April.
An Interview With Meilir Tomos, Welsh Singer Songwriter - Bourbon, Gravel and Cat Litter Trays
By Ceri Shaw, 2011-02-14
AmeriCymru: Hi Meilir, many thanks for agreeing to be interviewed by AmeriCymru. Lets start with what's new. You have a release due on Feb 21st entitled - 'Cellar Songs' . I know that a great many of our readers will be eager to hear more about this .
Meilir: Cellar Songs is my latest release and my second Ep that will eventually be part of a three Ep collection. It is a record of six songs, recorded over 4 days with producer Charlie Francis. Some of the songs were close to making it on to my first release Bydd Wych but were not quite ready in time. I think this has ended up being the way it should have been, I am still very proud of Bydd Wych as a piece of musical work but I think I have made some progressions as a writer & performer with Cellar Songs. It sounds like a Meilir record if you will, but it is also different from Bydd Wych, after all there is no point making the same record again. I think the new Ep Cellar Songs is a unique record in today's music environment because I am not trying to follow any musical trend. I am just making music because it's what I love to do. Creating songs with meaning and feeling.
AmeriCymru: Can you explain the significance of the title?
Meilir: I have a small cellar or basement studio at my home were I write most of my music, all of the songs that make up Cellar Songs were composed in this room so this is how the title came to be.
AmeriCymru: I am referring to your profile on AmeriCymru here. Why owls and why Tequila and Bourbon?
Meilir: I have been fond of owls since I can remember, as well as birds in general and all things nature, this resulted in small owl ornaments becoming a regular gift, i now have hundreds of them. The booze goes like this, when I was 16 my family moved to a small pub in North Wales, and as I was at a curious age it was obvious that the first time my parents left me home alone I was going to experiment with the vast amount of alcohol to hand. I stated with the obvious... at the pumps with the lager and bitter and was amazed at the horrid taste, this is not a poor reflection on the pub I just did not like the taste, I also doubt many do. With Bourbon there was a different story I love it and this is my drink of choice, if anyone ever wants to buy me a drink this would be a good place to start. I was introduced to Tequila at Glastonbury Festival by a good friend who plays in a band called Mother of Six, this drink is one of my weaknesses. Having said all this on occasion I can be persuaded to flirt with other drinks.
AmeriCymru: Your song 'Bydd Wych' is a firm favorite with many AmeriCymru members. Care to tell us more about it? How it came to be written?
Meilir: Bydd Wych (Be Great or Be as Good as you can) is a song that came into existence over a long time and in different ways. I first became aware of the saying Bydd Wych after a long conversation with a good friend of mine who is the singer with Mother of Six. It was him who told me of the saying & how it was maybe used before old battles by the Welsh as a last rally of the troops before engaging in battle. At the time I was writing my debut Ep and thought that it would make a good title for the Ep. Over time I wanted the opening song to be a song called Bydd Wych, I had a song that was a folk song played on the guitar with the lyrics that make up the chorus as the song is today but the song was not right, it needed to have more of an impact and be more unique. I found a thumb piano at Glastonbury festival, and when I returned home there was one pattern that I kept playing on the thumb piano and the song was written quite quickly from then on around this pattern.
AmeriCymru: I have to ask...how did you hit upon the idea of using a cat litter tray filled with gravel for percussion on this track?
Meilir: I am always looking for ways to make thinks interesting for myself & the audience. I am very interested in creating sounds from sources that might not be as conventional as people expect. The gravel idea is something I had in my mind for a long time before I managed to experiment with it. I eventually realized that I could get my hands on some gravel from an ex place of employment, lets just say that it was in abundance under my feet during cigarette breaks, I would amuse myself by making rhythmic patterns on the gravel whilst wishing I didn't have to go back to work. I filled a bag full of gravel one day and took it home, to my surprise the results were amazing the sounds that you can make work very well. But I must admit there have been more failed experiments that successes but I love the idea of using such organic earthy elements to the music.
AmeriCymru: Can you tell us a little more about 'Less Wrong'? What inspired it?
Meilir: Less Wrong comes in two parts, to be honest with you I always wondered how songs that were in two parts came to be before I wrote a two part song myself. The song was split into two parts when I had two songs developing from the same original idea. I don't like to elaborate to much on the meaning of songs that I write as they are mostly very personal & I do attempt to be a little obscure with some lyrics. I suppose that the inspiration for Less Wrong comes from different perspectives of hope & faith in part 1 & how this can go wrong in part 2.
I would not want to say more than that really or I think I would be giving far to much away. I like it when a listener can create their own narrative and imagery to a piece of music, I don't like it when everything is to obvious.
AmeriCymru: Where can our readers go to get your music online?
Meilir: To stay updated on whats going on here is facebook.com/meilir.tomos & myspace.com/meilirmusic . I sometimes post musical ideas & treats at soundcloud.com/meilirmusic You can purchase Bydd Wych at iTunes as physical copies are sold out and listen to it on Spotify. Cellar Songs will be available from spillersrecords.com & you can have it sent to America from here!!!
AmeriCymru: What's next for Meilir Tomos?
Meilir: I will be performing lots of live shows... I am planning a small tour of chapels and churches to promote the release of Cellar Songs information on this will be released soon and I will be performing at a few select festivals over the summer. I am writing material for the third Ep that I hope will be ready for release by November of this year. I have recently had my music used for a film Masterpiece by young Welsh filmmaker Andrew C. Tanner, I would love to get involved in more films. scoring music is something I am going to look into doing more. So it's more of the same but hopefully to a wider audience, It's not an easy climate for independent creative musicians but I love what I do and would not change it for anything.
AmeriCymru: Any final message for the members and readers of AmeriCymru?
Meilir: Order your copy of Cellar Songs from spillersrecords.com from Monday 21st February... there it is the hard sell, thank you in advance if you do get a copy. With any luck I might get the chance to come and play over in America some time soon see you then...
Bydd Wych
The Final Punchline, Satellite Magazine and the IMDb
As the weeks go by we're gaining momentum on the project and starting to get some decent publicity. Our first press article was featured in the February edition of Los Ange les magazine Satellite - "transmitting the worlds of fashion, design and culture". You can read it online here:
http://satellite-mag.com/Satellite/TheFinalPunchline.html
On Friday the the film was accepted to the IMDb; the entry is now live with more details being added in the coming weeks. Check it out here and please hit the all-important Facebook like button:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1837680
With more articles and publicity lined up for the next few weeks you should see mention of the film online and when you're out and about! In the meantime our crowdfunding campaign is still ongoing at:
http://www.indiegogo.com/punchline
Please visit the page, hit the Facebook like button, share with your friends, leave supportive comments, and if you'd like to support the project donate whatever you can in return for rewards!
More news soon...
Anyone who wants to see or more importantly download and circulate a copy can find it here:-
http://www.yesforwales.com/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/YES-Vote-Newsletter.pdf
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