Thursday 26 June 2014

Goodbye Saint and Scholar

It looks likely that the St Patrick's day parade will continue after this year's success, and for that I am glad. We've managed to build up a lot of momentum and contacts, and on the day there was a great feeling of community for everyone who joined in. I would love for this to continue, and for more people to join in. This parade has great potential to become one of Medway's biggest festivals.

Would you like to join in? The AGM is this Tuesday, 01 July at the St Mary's social club in Gillingham. It starts at 7pm. The committee will be discussing the ways forward for the upcoming parade for 2015.


However I will be taking this opportunity to step down from the committee. As much as I loved being part of the project during its first year, it really has taken over my life and I have a lot of other things I'd like to do. Spending some time on my writing is one of them!

There is also the matter of exploring Irish culture and history. As I've often been told, it is the Oileán na Naomh agus na nOllamh (Island of saints and scholars) and there is a lot to learn...

Saturday 21 June 2014

Tone Festival 2014 - sound and light

The Tone festival has been playing in Medway over this weekend. It has moments of beauty, and I can see that a lot of time and care and attention has gone into creating the concepts in many of the pieces.

Frode Halti plays while Morgan O'Hara sketches
Image credit: SM Jenkin
Too Prolix, the performance tour of Chatham Dockyard, was an intriguing illumination into a little-report piece of history. Bolshy dockyard workers petitioning the navy board for better treatment. There was a splendid Salon held on the tennis lawn this evening, with maritime-themed food and drink and music.

The other pieces were well thought out and clever, with one example of this being atonal music being accompanied by an artist sketching the movements of the musicians hands.

However, I felt disengaged. I can appreciate high-concept art, but it felt a little samey. This festival has high aims, but needs a little more variety in the execution of its ideas and more engagement with the audience.

I haven't explored the free art yet in the other locations yet, and there is a lot to see. If nothing else, the festival has been ambitious in showcasing art in multiple locations.

Wednesday 4 June 2014

Love music, hate racism

This weekend, the fantastic Love music, hate racism weekend of celebrations kicks off. It will be held at a new location this year- Fort Amherst in Chatham

Image credit: Earl 53
There will be a good mix of music and spoken word. Details about the line-up are available online here

So lets keep our fingers crossed for good weather....

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Image sourced through morguefile

Sunday 1 June 2014

Have you ever seen a shark straddle a cowboy?

Before tonight, I hadn't. It may be a common sight in Medway, I just hadn't noticed it before. Where have they all been hiding, all my life?

A shark riding a cowboy. Only in Medway
Image credit: SM Jenkin
Dr Sketchy's anti-art school has been described as life-drawing Karaoke, and it's the sauciest show in town.

It's a great and comfortable evening, a cabaret show with an emphasis on fun. Materials for sketching and drawing are provided, if you want to give it a go, with sweeties offered to the highest rated pieces produced. However, there is no pressure so if you want to kick back and relax and enjoy the show, that's good too.

There is, as can be expected, a variety of music and performance pieces with an impromptu break dance performance piece from dark sugar. It's a great evening - come along if you can. It's reasonably priced, too.  

For more information about this global phenomenon, visit the Medway branch of Dr Sketchy here