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In addition to head lining Saturday nights show at the Left Coast Eisteddfod , Chris Needs will also be introducing the premier US screening of his animated film "The Jenkins's's's's'" on Saturday afternoon during a short presentation on the forthcoming Americymru International Film Festival . "The Jenkins's's's's" won the Best Animation/CGI award at this years Swansea Bay Film Festival . For a short review of the book - "The Jenkins's's's's" see below. BUY TICKETS FOR THE LEFT COAST EISTEDDFOD FRIDAY SATURDAY ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The revealing autobiography, Like It Is, published in 2007 by Y Lolfa told of Chriss traumatic childhood, his showbiz and charity career as an accomplished pianist and vocalist, and his life more recently as an all-round celebrity. However, this book is a completely different kettle of fish. In her riotous, humour-filled diaries, Gladys tells of her struggle to keep the familys crazy, mixed-up lives together. Mams task isnt easy though. Her husband Dai is work-shy, son Philllip has a handbag, daughter Shantelll is preggers and dog Christopher or is it Christine? has had puppies. Just as well Elsie next door is accommodating she agreed to an adjoining door so they only pay one TV licence. Follow the family from their humble beginnings in the valley community of Ponty Pantin to the sun-kissed Mumbles Bay and foreign parts (including Western Super Mare). Crammed full of outrageous valleys humour, this is an ideal Christmas treat for all of Chriss fans and anyone else who needs a good laugh. The book is illustrated with eye-catching colour cartoons by Mark Davies. Chris Needs is a much loved radio presenter with a high profile thanks to his popular weeknight music and chat show on BBC Radio Wales. His cult fan club The Garden has over 40,000 members worldwide.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Read more about the Left Coast Eisteddfod HERE . Read our interview with Chris needs HERE . 
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Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod: 6th - 12th July 2009 ( Schedule)
By Ceri Shaw, 2009-07-05
For one week, in one town, over fifty countries gather for one of Wales most unique experiences. This July over 50,000 performers and festival goers from all over the world will visit Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod in the picturesque Dee Valley, North Wales. This cool and cultural event, considered as 'Wales gift to the World' was established in 1947 to promote peace and goodwill between nations through music and dance. Still thriving today Llangollen Eisteddfod has become one of the worlds most colourful festivals. During each themed day the festival field is a hive of activity with main stage competitions, outside stage performances, workshops, and impromptu singing and dancing from every corner of the world, in national and regional costume. The evening Gala concerts over the years have attracted some of show-business biggest names such as Pavarotti, Michael Ball, Elaine Page, Domingo, Katherine Jenkins and Dame Shirley Bassey. This year is no exception with concerts by Faryl Smith, Barbara Dickson, Sir Willard White, Blake, Natasha Marsh, and even The Music of James Bond, with guest stars including Honor Blackman, aka Pussy Galore! What a cocktail...Prepare to be shaken and stirred! Join the rest of the world, join the party. For more information, telephone 01978 862001 or visit the website at www.llangollen2009.com
Llangollen Festival Schedule 1_7_09.pdfAm un wythnos, mewn un dref, daw pobl o dros 50 gwlad ynghyd ar gyfer un o ddigwyddiadau mwyaf unigryw Cymru. Ym mis Gorffennaf, daw 50,000 o berfformwyr ac ymwelwyr o bedwar ban byd i Eisteddfod Gerddorol Ryngwladol Llangollen yn Nyffryn Dyfrdwy, Gogledd Cymru. Maer digwyddiad cl a diwylliannol hwn, a gaiff ei ystyried fel anrheg Cymru ir Byd, ei sefydlu ym 1947 i hybu heddwch ac ewyllys da rhwng cenhedloedd trwy gerddoriaeth a dawns. Mae Eisteddfod Llangollen yn mynd o nerth i nerth ac erbyn hyn yn un o wyliau mwyaf lliwgar y byd. Ceir thema benodol i bob diwrnod ac yn ystod pob diwrnod mae maes yr yl wastad llawn bwrlwm gyda chystadlaethau ar y brif lwyfan, perfformiadau ar y maes, gweithdai, canu a dawnsio byrfyfyr o bedwar ban byd mewn gwisgoedd traddodiadol. Mae cyngherddau Gala a gaiff eu cynnal gydar nos wedi denu enwau mwyaf y byd adloniant megis Pavarotti, Michael Ball, Elaine Paige, Domingo, Katherine Jenkins a Dame Shirley Bassey. Mae eleni hefyd yn sicr o syfrdanu gyda chyngherddau gyda Faryl Smith, Barbara Dickson, Syr Willard White, Blake, Natasha Marsh, ac hyd yn oed Cerddoriaeth James Bond, ymhlith y gwesteion arbennig bydd Honor Blackman, sef Pussy Galore! Am goctel ffrwydrol! Ymunwch gweddill y byd, ymynwch yn yr hwyl. Am ragor o wybodaeth, ffoniwch 01978 862 001 neu ewch ir wefan www.llangollen2009.com
Amserlen Eisteddfod Llangollen 1_7_09.pdf
Order from:- Alun Arwel Clement 30 Brynhyfryd Tce Ferndale
Rhondda
CF43 4LD
South Wales
E-mail: bafca@hotmail.com
( Each volume costs 15GBP each/$22.50 approx - As a guide Vol 1 & Vol 2 cost 37GBP/$55.50 approx which includes p&p to residents of the UK, while for residents in Australia it would cost 48GBP inc p&p/97AUD approx - All checks are payable to A.A. Clement )
Extract from Passages of life in Ferndale & District by Alun Arwel Clement
Americymru member Beryl Richards has kindly consented to make her work "Nantybar - A Vanished Village in the Afan Valley" available for download. The book is available in PDF format and can be obtained here or by clicking the link below.
Beryl Richards, a historian and poet from Port Talbot in South Wales will also be giving a presentation at the left coast eisteddfod "Unlocking The Madoc Enigma". Here is an excerpt from the preface to the book:-"
"The Upper Afan Valley runs in a northerly direction, from the steel town of Port Talbot, for some 22 miles. The 1850s saw an unprecedented era of growth and development in the locality due to the enormous deposits of coal to be found there. The demand for it caused by advances in industrial technology on a national level, which needed fuel to power the newly invented steam engines and steam-powered ships.Alongside these advances in technology, commerce and trade were rapidly expanding to what would become a globally significant level."
 | Nantybar: A Vanished Village in the Afan Valley |
| nantybar.pdf, 2.4MB ∞ |
....and help us make Google News. Every visit counts!
http://www.prlog.org/10272274-welsh-american-international-film-festival.html
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( This is not an official press release but rather the personal observations of a Cymuned supporter ) There is still time for you to contact us if you have any comments about the first issue of our members Magazine, or a letter or article about things that are happening in Wales at the moment - eLCOs and European elections for instance. We would love your input into our magazine, so don't be shy! The North Wales People's Council will be sharing our stand in Bala, as they campaign against the plans to include great chunks of North Wales into a Greater Merseyside style economic area. I will write in greater depth about these plans in another email (Carrie and the NWPC are still trying to get answers and clarifications about some of the more controversial points.) But just a taster, apparently the difference of the culture of North Wales to the rest of the area was originally noted as a threat to the plan, though no solution to this threat was noted... Anyway, a member of the NWPC has recorded a song for YouTube opposing the plan. You can view it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gLrYDSTCSM You will remember the article that I quoted from the Times last month. We have received a number of emails from people who responded to the it, including one from Rob. Here are some excerpts: "Just a quick email to say that I found the above article very amusing.I bet you ... need to try and increase your populatrity by belittling a country like Wales in order to try and progress your career. Well done you. ... we live in a great diverse green island. It's due to people like you, that it will be a broken Kingdom sooner than later. Try not to choke on that cigaretter of yours (or that stinking London smog) for too long now eh..." We'd love to know if anyone gets any responses to their emails! And finally, the executive committee is meeting next Saturday, 4th July, so contact us with anything that you think should be discussed. Until next month, then! Iestyn * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Dewi Sant told us to "Do the little things." To see what he had in mind, have a quick look at: www.cymuned.net/ymlaen/dewisant * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Are you a dreamer or a doer? Cymuned can't survive without YOUR help. Have a look at: www.cymuned.net/ymlaen/ourfuture to hear how to make things change. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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John Good on Welsh Bagpipes "....quietly observe the octopus..." West Coast Eisteddfod 2012
By Ceri Shaw, 2012-10-10
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SEE JOHN GOOD AT THE WEST COAST EISTEDDFOD - BUY TICKETS HERE
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John Good was born in 1949 in Cwmafan, South Wales, into a house where the Welsh Language was spoken. Educated at Hull then Cardiff Universities he immigrated to the USA in 1975, living in Phoenix since 1989. Over the last 35 years he has worked as performer, session musician (Robin Huw Bowen, Jack Bruce, L. Shankar, Tony Williams and Zakir Hussain), producer, teacher, concert/festival organizer and has led workshops/residencies and given bilingual presentations on Celtic Culture, including poetry, music and literature at Universities, colleges, schools, libraries and Celtic Festivals. In 2009 John became cultural director of the Celtic Harvest Festival, Sedona and in 2010 he directed the Cymanfa Ganu (singing festival) at Bryn Seion, Oregon; the oldest Welsh church on the West Coast.
Tramor (Overseas) is the new traditional music project of John Good, formally of Oceans Apart. John is well known throughout the West, South, Midwest and in his native Wales as a multi-instrumentalist, Welsh piper, singer/songwriter, composer and poet. Veteran of many Celtic festivals and concerts, including Estes Park, Chicago Celtic Fest, San Diego and Denver, he brings the subtly different flavor oftraditional Welsh music to the western stage. On this occasion he is aided and abetted by mandolin virtuoso Billy Parker.
Interview With John Good
Ceri: John, you live in El Mirage, Arizona now but were brought up in South Wales. That must have been a little strange at first: Dry desert after Wet Wales.
John: Well it was Ceri, especially the night after a gig and being especially dry I quickly became wet or as they say over-served. I wandered back to El Mirage but it wasnt there it had disappeared! Vanished completely!! Luckily there was a Dennys nearby and I was able to wait out the illusion.
Ceri: Do you still have contact with old school mates?
John: Unfortunately most of them have failed to impress the parole board so far, with their pleas of On the night of the botched robbery I was at home watching Graham Norton on the telly with my pet hamster Zeta.
Ceri: How did you start to play music?
John: One finger at a time.
Ceri: Have you always been involved loved music?
John: Yes, always. Well except for that unfortunate incident with the bi-polar contortionist on Brighton pier.
Ceri: Were very glad to have traditional Welsh folk music at the Eisteddfod. Any advice for anyone wishing to play Welsh Bagpipes?
John: Spend a summer on the Mediterranean and quietly observe the Octopus, noting bodily colour changes and leg and finger coordination; Drink copious amounts of ouzo, and pray in the name of Poseidon that the octopus doesnt take a fancy to you.
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