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Events
Rock the Town did exactly
what it said on the tin
Editor in Chief, Ben Franks
17 March 2012
In aid of a charity very close to event organiser of Rock the Town Emily Chick’s heart, this night met all expectations and then smashed them one.
Rock the Town was in a whole new ball park to local gigs; the line-up, the organisation, the love, the laughter and the good old fashioned fun-loving audience were not just brilliant, but insane. If you missed the night but would like to donate to the Mouth Cancer Foundation, then click here! You have our thanks.
Gig organiser Emily Chick opened the night with a set of lovely acoustic covers and originals. Despite struggling with her voice, the passion and love for music was engaging and enjoyable to get your sway and tap on to. The support from the audience was ripe and the set-up launched nicely into follow-up act, Nick Tatham.
Nick really got the crowd going. The energy he burst into every set piece led to two notable members of the crowd for that evening kick-starting the funky grooves. Expertly fine on precision and beautifully linking set-to-set, Nick ensured the audience were always his. Sturminster was already impressing as a lively and exciting venue.
Following up from Nick were the young local 4-piece band, Seismic Activity. Not being a major fan of school, upstarting bands, I can only say that these chaps were out to impress and prove us wrong. A little nervous about getting into the music, Seismic soon warmed up and their fan base got dizzy for them. It was a lovely set of some proper classic covers and The Kaiser Chief's Ruby had most of us shouting our hearts out along. There probably wasn’t a better way to hype up headliners I’m Designer who ended the show - except maybe if lead singer Alex Talbot hadn’t quipped Designer were from Shaftesbury instead of Salisbury, but it’s all banter.
The Designer boys really are fantastic, stage-born performers. Front man Jack Martin is unbelievably hilarious and the chemistry between him and bassist Ian Grinter between sets make this band priceless. Jamie Hancock rocked on lead, Ben Grant-Field decimated the drum kit with passion and the band and audience came together in – Jack’s words – an ‘orgy’ of energy and rock. I’ve seen people dance at rock gigs, sure, but Designer had Stur going like a crazy pack of partiers. Headbanging, jumping, Designer’s original dance moves, skip-weaving in and out of crowds, raving, side-stepping, jazz rolling, hip-thrusting… Designer had us doing the lot.
Thanks go to Emily Chick for a wonderful, wonderful night, and a shout out to Tom Crockford, Steve Chick and Chris Baker who kept the sound all tuned to delight. This night was awesome and people want to see it happen again. Let’s support the beauty of a bloomin’ good night of rock and celebration of local talent; next time something like this is on, buy a ticket and get going. You won’t regret it. It was insane.
Rock the Town was hosted at The Exchange, Sturminster Newton.
Don't miss ROCK THE TOWN on Friday 16 March 2012
Click here for more information!
Spark Radio’s
Battle of the DJs
Organiser/Contact, Chris Baker
Edited by Ben Franks
On the 20th March, 7-9pm, Spark Radio is proud to present their very own ‘Battle of the DJs’.
Presenters Chris Baker and David Hillier will be teaming up to take on Spark’s newby Nicky Thornton and his regular guest Tom Trickey.
Nick and Tom kick the week off with either a live mixing session or his latest favourite tunes, filling the Mondays’ 4-5pm slot.
Dave will then follow up with a broadcast Monday 5-6pm with Chris as co-host. Their show consists of recent music and comical games which range from word guessing to the infamous cinnamon challenge.
Chris also has a later spot on a Tuesday from 8-9pm, featuring an hour full of electronic-based music both old and new and supporting unsigned and unheard artists in the area - Nick features as a co-host on this show.
The idea of the special show comes from the DJ origins of a ‘SoundClash’; Two DJs have to please the crowd with their choice of songs and styles of mixing. This idea has been taken on by the boys at Spark and the idea of a team battle flashed to mind.
Each of the DJs have completely diverse lifestyles which is what will bring this Spark SoundClash to life.
Chris currently studies Music Technology at Wiltshire College, Salisbury; Dave is in full time work at Friends Life (formerly Friends Provident); Nick is working in the cooking industry in Salisbury; and Tom is working part time for the phone company Orange.
Make sure you listen into Spark Radio on the 20th from 7-9pm for this special ‘Battle of the DJs’ at www.sparksite.co.uk
Friday 16th March Brings
ROCK THE TOWN
In aid of an amazing charity, the Mouth Cancer Foundation, comes a top night out of amazing music from some of the best talent in the south west. Don’t miss out!
From the organiser of the event, Emily Chick, comes a showcase of brilliant local music. The excellent line up consists of passionate rockers, Bad Connection, local trio Dan and His Merry Men, and the extremely talented band, Seismic Activity. Not to forget a headlining set by the award-winning Salisbury rock and rollers, I’m Designer!
So what are you waiting for? As Mohammed Ali once proclaimed, “Don’t count the days, make the days count” – this will certainly be a night that counts.
Only £4 in advance for tickets or £6 on the door, you certainly don’t want to skip this event – and it’s all for a wonderful cause. Get your tickets before they go!
On Facebook? Click here for the Events' page!
Press release written by Ben Franks © Pie Magazine UK
Hijack: Any Louder?
Ben Davis, Occasional Contributor
On the fourth Thursday of every month, the Salisbury Arts Centre is the place to be in Salisbury (a hefty compliment). This is because of the Hijack: Open Mic nights which have been running since last year. What is astounding about these events is not only the high standard of talent which usually presents itself but also the fact that it is organised and managed by teenagers, for teenagers, and is a huge success.
To celebrate, the organisers put together a special event on 3rd February called Hijack: Any Louder? Which featured acts voted for by the audiences of previous Hijacks as well as a couple of fresh faces.
The running order for the night was:
Tides
Things Behind the Sun
DSL Drummer
I Divide
A DJ, Belko, was also on hand to keep the audience entertained in between acts.
Opening act, Tides, performed superbly. A 5-piece Alternative rock band featuring none other than the organiser of Hijack, Ben Cooper, behind the drum set. They set off with a slow melodic number before launching into a set of 6 upbeat rock songs. The songs blended seamlessly into one another and the band came across as slick and professional.
If I had to name a contemporary band to compare Tides to then it would be Biffy Clyro; but truthfully, Tides’ sound is completely unique. This is definitely a band to look out for, especially as they are working in the studio as well as launching a mini tour around the UK.
Listen to Tides here!
WATCH OUT FOR THE UPCOMING TIDES INTERVIEW, EXCLUSIVELY WITH PIE MAGAZINE UK IN MARCH.
My first Hijack was last December, and at that gig Things Behind the Sun completely blew away the other bands. Therefore, it was no surprise to me to find out that the audience from that night had voted to see them again. Unfortunately, the first couple of songs fell a little flat and the band seemed to be lacking some stage presence.
However by the third song, ‘Soldier’, and onwards, they got increasingly better. The last three songs in particular, ‘Scarred’, ‘5th’ and ‘Theatre’ went down extremely well and the audience even sang along with the chant ‘Spending nights together is tearing us apart’. Despite the blip at the start of the set they regained composure and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them perform at Hijack again in the future. In fact, I’m rather hoping they do.
Listen to Things Behind the Sun here!
Now whenever I hear that a drummer is going to be doing a solo set, I think ‘Here we go again! It’s just going to be some grade 8 musician showing off what he can do over a bunch of dodgy Clubland remixes…’
I’m glad to say I was wrong. DSL Drummer actually turned out to be a very good musician playing over some very attractive remixes. The most impressive thing was rather than just showing off (although he did do a lot of that) most of what he played was an improvement on the original drum tracks and actually added to the music.
The highlights of DSL Drummer’s set, covers of Bad Romance by Lady Gaga and Duality by Slipknot, were also among the highlights of the night. For me, and many people I spoke to after the gig, the Drummer was the strongest act there.
Check out DSL Drummer on YouTube!
There was a lot of hype around the final band, I Divide. They had travelled all the way from Exeter and bought with them a merchandise stand and an EP. The audience obviously expected a far more professional, rehearsed edge to this band and that is what they received.
I Divide were by far the most confident performers and before the first song had even started they had already gathered the crowd into a tight circle ready to get jumping. They carried this energy through the rest of their set and put absolutely everything they had into every song. There were only brief moments in which the guitarists weren’t jumping all over the stage, and that’s because they were down on the floor jumping with the audience instead.
My only criticism is that after half an hour of relentless rocking, the songs did begin to blend into each other: by the end I had given up on trying to count how many songs they had played. It was still enjoyable and it was quite easy to see why they are going places in the music industry. I probably wouldn’t like to see them for more than 30 minutes but in this setting they made a great end to the evening and I’m sure that they would be welcomed back to Hijack if they chose to return.
Listen to I Divide here!
DJ Thom Belko was somewhat underappreciated, but he definitely deserves a mention. In between each of the acts he supplied some background music playing some fairly obscure but nonetheless enjoyable punk rock tracks that fitted the rock theme of the night. As people left he played some more sedate dance music, rounding off the experience of Any Louder? with some relaxing conversation music.
So all in all, if you live near Salisbury then I recommend Hijack for all music fans, or just anyone who’s looking for a good night out.
(One of the most exciting parts of the night was being taken aside and interviewed. The organisers were trying to find out how much support there would be for an all-day event encompassing music, art and dance amongst other things. Please, please, please make this happen.)
LIGHT UP THE LANE!
Pitshanger Lane in Ealing gets Electrified into the Christmas Spirit!
Mohona Bhattacharjee, 28/11/11 - 17:31 GMT
27th November 2011 marked the annual Light Up the Lane event in Ealing, West London. It was a chilly evening out but the ambience and events made it feel warm and cosy as the festive cheer lingered about the crowds. There was something for everyone at this little community do.
The area surrounding the event seemed quite dull in comparison as Pitshanger Lane was full of lights, music and the aroma of freshly baked Christmas Puddings and grilled foods – all accompanied with the tunes from the local organisations carolling away and filling the otherwise quiet neighbourhood.
I was lucky enough to get there just in time for the Rock Choir’s last song, “All I Want For Christmas” – but clearly, the choir wasn’t the only one introducing the festive spirit through song as the audience danced and sang along quite animatedly! Shortly after the song and dance, the Deputy Mayor of London, Richard Barnes, and the Chairman of the Pitshanger Community Association, Karen Jacks, inaugurated the countdown and lighting of the Lane - even though the lights did happen to start up magically before the “button” was pressed (the audience was in hysteria as the little chaos unfolded!).
Following the light-starting-blunder, the audience dispersed slightly to explore the little wonders being sold along the road. We were able to beat the crowds to Harrison’s to try some of their House Mulled Wine – it wasn’t as great as it’s namesakes in Camden but it was a good replica. It warmed us up as we wandered to the other stalls - including those of many charities, local sporting clubs, local community clubs and the shops home to Pitshanger Lane.
The most remarkable stall had to be the Rotary club of Hanwell & Northfields’ candy floss stall – the man serving was covered in the stuff! It seemed like the perfect advertisement – buy candy floss from the guy covered in candy floss. I’m sure he had quite the fun time cleaning up later.
Shortly after we finished our quest through the Lane, we were able to catch the Rock Choir performing for the second time before the beautiful 5 minute firework spectacular lit up the sky above us. It was enchanting as the colours in different shapes and sizes shot up and painted the sky for a short five minutes.
It was a wonderful experience and definitely a good start to bring in the festive cheer and spirit a little earlier than usual. Is it something I’d go to again next year? Definitely!
HIJACK OPEN MIC:
The Best Night You Can Have Out
FOR FREE
Ben Franks, 25/11/11, 13:02 GMT
On the fourth Thursday of every month, the Arts Centre plays host to a very special event. Hijack is no ordinary Open Mic night.
Grab the evening of the Christmas Lights turn-on and twist it in with a social success at the Open Mic and you’re looking at one of the best nights you can ever have – and it’s free.
Hijack kicks off at 5pm and includes a whole mix of different music, from solo singer-songwriters to five-piece rock bands. More and more people are starting to explore Live music. Hijack is also a great place to bring family or friends, providing a good hub for the social lives of young people.
As an Open Mic, anyone can sign-up to give their talent some shine time, it’s free and there’s no better way to trump your stage-fright. The event’s timing allows you to have a night doing whatever you like afterwards too, providing a dandy warm-up social to your long, rebellious Thursday night. The perfect example of this was in the latest gig, 24th November, which coincided with the timing of the turning on of the Christmas lights; pop out with a crew of your friends, enjoy the music of the Open Mic, rave and scream your heart out at the Christmas lights and then waltz around town doing your Christmas shopping – what could ever make a better night? Top it off with a party too, if you like.
 New local band, Alone in the Crowd, put on a particularly interesting performance last night, with impressive vocals from front man Duncan Callaghan, and some super guitar from Ollie Bowles. Definitely one to watch out for! 3-piece alternative band, Potato Zoo, also had their debut gig last night and the doubtless talents of Oli Richards, Hijack-host and percussion-pro Ben Cooper, and guitar genius Tom Walker were no disappointment.
Photo: Alone in the Crowd, by Anna Thiele.
Hijack Open Mic is one of those successes injected into one of the best local venues in Salisbury’s area. The Arts Centre strives to put on shows to engage young people and nothing quite attracts us more than a free, high-quality event – especially in the current job climate. It’s a community gem. Thanks must go to the event’s host, Ben Cooper, and his colleague, Rebecca Goldsmith.
If you have one nearby, let’s raise our conveniently placed glasses to the Arts Centre, fabulous timings and the legendary Hijack Open Mic night. Cheers.
Celebrating the Arts: What's the Story?
Ben Franks, 20/10/11 - 15:22 GMT
The Salisbury Arts Centre remains the gold mine of Salisbury’s creative talent. Their recent film festival, What’s the Story?, shot to its own league, engaging the community and enticing them into the world of film.
The I Scream Van and Beryl, the film screening trolley, were very impressive ideas, bringing the festival to more mobile parts of the Salisbury area and to those who may not have previously been interested.
It was a shame the turn-out for some of the screenings at the Arts Centre were lacking; especially for the industrial Hollywood movies such as the teen rom-com, Clueless, which aired on the finale day of the festival; despite it being a surprisingly funny film.
However the children’s films provided viewings of some particular classics and the cultural diversities of the two Japanese films screened on Sunday 16 October (Throne of Blood and Ponyo) were good routes for the team at Salisbury Arts to take. It is a shame, really, that more wasn’t made of showcasing the best of British; must see classics, for example, would’ve received a better turn-out to the usual American films.
Of course where the Arts Centre always does best is in rounding up their festivals and the Finale Screening, Quiz & Reveal was no exception; providing a real highlight to the week of creativity. The commissioned short-films outshone all expectations; and seeing community-made films, people having a crack at guessing the weird and wonderful fairy tales hidden among them and for it all to happen under the beautiful, comfortable and wondrous facilities of the Arts Centre made for a truly superb ending.
Once again, the Salisbury Arts Centre proves that when it puts on a show, it does it well and when more people uncover this diamond, I think we’ll only see things getting all the better.
Potter Premiere: Reality Hits Home
Mohona Bhattacharjee, 04/09/11 - 20:56 GMT
 On July 7th 2011, the world witnessed the last of the ever so famous Harry Potter movies being premiered – in none other than good old London.
As an avid fan of the original book series, I decided to hop along to the grand premiere, taking place in the heart of Central London: Trafalgar Square. The word of mouth said to reach the venue by 5am when they were to hand out wristbands, enabling the biggest fans the chance to see the cast and crew all together for possibly the last time, up close and personal. After following the wise advice from other deranged and utterly obsessed fan-friends, I managed to somehow scour two of these colorful wristbands into my possession and it was only then did I realise how surreal this event was going to be for me.
Well, it was definitely an interesting premiere. For starters, they had one of the largest red carpets ever seen for any occasion! I kid you not when I say this red carpet was half a mile long and extremely wide. While the stars dotted along the carpet with ease, the wristband-clad fan area was a completely different story. Having a wristband doesn’t necessarily mean you will be in touching distance of the stars – in fact, having a wristband only really secures you a place with 4999 other obsessed fans who are all wrestling with each other to get to the front of these barriers. I was amidst these roaring crazy fans and it was definitely an unbelievable experience with all the pushing, shoving & incessant bickering.
We listened as the main actors and actresses said their final words and their goodbyes to the series and it was then and only then that I realized the final Harry Potter movie truly does mark the end of an era. The most popular question amongst the tears, screams and laughs was, “What do we look forward to every year now?” For some people, the series meant the end of their childhood and the sudden dawning of the time for them to grow up.
 The set up of the premiere was acceptable but I feel they could have accommodated a few more fans and made use of the space available in a much better way to make sure all of the fans at least caught a glimpse of the stars up close rather than just on stage or screen. The barriers on the perimeters of Trafalgar Square did not fall short of the Harry Potter theme as the different house logos stood proudly decorating each barrier – Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff & Ravenclaw were all equally advertised.
Also, for those of you who think being on the inside with nearly five thousand other people is crazy, you should have seen the crowds gathering on the outside of the blocked off premiere area! There were at least a few more thousand unfortunate fans who did not know about the wristband procedures as they stood on whatever high ground they could find just to catch a miniscule glimpse of the goings on inside.
As Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and all the other wonderful stars finally headed towards their cars to watch the first official viewing of Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Part 2 – also, their last on-screen project all together as probably J.K. Rowling’s dream cast for her magical series, the crowd went wild with different emotions. The happiness of seeing their favourite stars in person was probably the most common emotion but the sadness of coming back to reality was quite evident amongst the thousands of fans all around.
Tired from being at Trafalgar Square all day long, I managed to speak to one of the Event’s Staff at the premiere before I finally made my homeward bound move, and it was really interesting to see the difference in atmosphere between the gates and the inside grounds of the premiere. The woman simply said, “You kids need to come back to reality. It doesn’t matter if the series has come to an end, it’s only fantasy. This is real life.”
And now I’m sure all of you have read the book & watched the movie – or you’ve done at least one of the aforementioned, it’s safe to say that an Avada Kedavra can’t even bring down The Boy Who Lived. But as Rowling so subtly mentioned at the premiere, we can all expect to see Harry Potter sometime in the future if she gets into the writing mood again. But for now, all I can really tell you is to never let go of all the magic the series has brought you over the years and keep it alive no matter the future of this series.
Party in the Close: No Better Ending
5/5 Pies
Review by Ben Franks, 05/06/2011 - 19:34 GMT
PHOTOS BY JESS PICKFORD, 2011 (C)
There’s always a huge sense of pride that arises from me when I watch Caught in the Crossfire perform. Being an old friend of the members in the band, it is amazing to see just how much they’ve grown. I don’t think the Festival organisers could’ve chosen a better way to start their epic ending. The stunning Salisbury International Arts Festival with this round off proved to be a truly unforgettable showcase of talent, entertainment and joyous celebrations.
The stage performances were captivating to the mass turnout of people who sat camped around their picnics enjoying a night of post-rock, dance and cultural music. From the charming vocals and rocking ambience of Caught in the Crossfire, through the crowd-drawing dance pop of African culture by the charismatic Kanda Bongo Man group, to the magnificently different and enticing jazz and reggae, stirring our Salisbury spirits, by Soothsayers & the Red Earth Collective, the stage was the true soul of the night. It was so captivating in fact, not even the Great British rain could deter crowds away!
Of course, there was also a collection of workshops set-up, keeping people of all ages happy and entertained when they fancied something a little different and stands serving hot food for all those feeling peckish. The Festival staff truly set-up a perfect night-out for families, friendship groups and people of all sorts.
The fireworks were where most people’s excitement lied. After such a great night of social, musical and amusing entertainment, how could fireworks ever live up to expectations? Well, the Festival organisers proved their excellence once again. The blazing displays of music-choreographed booms and bangs, lights and swirls were highlights of the awe-felt and adrenaline provoking atmospheres juggled in other performances during the festival. It captured our excitement and love for the night perfectly. I truly believe there was no better end.
The night of Saturday 4th June then didn’t just achieve in bringing a beautiful, hearty end to these great two weeks of the arts, but it was a night bringing Salisbury together. It was a night that saw Salisbury at its best.
Tall & Funny: The Greg Davies
5/5 Pies
Review by Ben Franks, 30/05/11
 There is truly nothing quite like a night out with live comedy. A point proved time and time again when I have gone to see performers such as Russell Howard, Tiffany Stephenson and Andy Parsons, comedy is truly fabulous.
Greg Davies is no let down.
In his recent performance at the Salisbury Playhouse on 30 May, his ‘Firing Cheeseballs at a Dog’ tour was a flying success with the Salisbury crowds. They warmed to his act quickly as he established himself as a witty, observational comedian using jokes accessible to all audiences. Each sequence of his act was crammed full of enjoyably hilarious anecdotes and assured non-stop laughter.
The story of Greg Davies’ life is full of ups and downs, as we learnt, but he gives each and every event a laughable perspective, describing himself as ever the pessimist but injecting a sense of optimism into his audience. From his kid years to his teaching years and growing despise of his pupils that turned into love for their ultimate weirdness, Davies gave us a spin on life that opened us up to some real gems.
What are those gems? They are the little tiny, beautifully amusing moments where we revert back to childhood. A childhood Greg Davies never wants to escape.
Circa: A Showcase of the Surreal, Superb & Seductive
5/5 Pies
Review by Ben Franks, 21/05/11
 The surreal and rather daring visions of Circa being flashed in front of a jam-packed audience were strikingly impressive from the outset. After lots of hype surrounding Circa’s sexy and incredibly impressive performance, the multi-talented gym enthusiasts impress even more than expected.
The show is witty, full of bass and brilliantly devised timings. From the sleek and seductive 007 opening-like choreography to the awe-capturing displays of balance and finesse, Circa provides a spectacular for all audiences.
But Circa appears as more than a show. Within the two hours, the performers expressed and explored the physical potentials of the human body; its lifelessness, amazing capabilities and unearthly sequences of gravity-defiant stunts.
The show is incredibly engaging, establishing itself as one of those rare gems truly fit for all audiences. Despite the gymnastic-focus to the show, the performers never fall to the traps of tediousness. When we’ve just about had enough with the swish-swash glamour, we’re rocketed into flashy movements as the performers launch one another around like rag dolls… and when we’ve had enough of hearty, shocking displays, the audience falls to silence for a solo, rather comical, finger-clicking mash-up.
If you like cheeky comedy, cringe-worthy acts, shockingly stunning air-displays and suave & attractive dancing then you won’t just like Circa, you’ll fall in love with it.
Beijing Modern Dance: A Shortfall to the Awe-Tempting
1/5 Pies
Review by Ben Franks, 26/05/11
 The beginning of the thankfully short one-hour performance by the Beijing Modern Dance Company produced some awe-inspiring vocals and slow moving dance that enticed the audience into a captivated silence. However, it took an unfortunate turn when the vocals and music corresponding to the performance grew repetitive and mildly bland. The audience’s silence was now less of being in awe of the performance, but replaced by an instinctive British politeness to remain quiet during a time of silent tediousness.
The slow, spontaneous actions of the two same dancers did provide a degree of unusual intrigue and had moments where it seemed to echo some attempts at a narrative. However, it took the short-lived, cultural-injected dramatic sequences of the dance to reawaken the audience into the tales of entrapment, suppression and motherhood, accompanied by some rather ironically comical dance moves.
In fact, one of the greatest disappointments of this piece was the lack of skill by the performers. There were some momentary gems, such as the smooth heel-toe footwork in the short lived drama sequences and the swish-swash ballet-like angelic movements but the majority of it consisted of thoroughly repetitive wailing of the arms or rolling around the stage.
The Beijing Modern Dance was easily one trumping the genre of cultural arts but failing in being an entertaining performance. The crew did compliment the sleepy performance with tastefully professional lighting but it wasn’t enough to save them, nor my interest.
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