|
BLUE SAINT ANNOUNCED AS
MERSEYRAIL SOUND STATION PRIZE 2014 WINNER
AFTER a fantastic all day
live festival at Moorfields Station, which featured ten of
Merseyside’s most exciting emerging new artists as well as live
performances on Merseyrail trains, Blue Saint scooped the title of
Merseyrail Sound Station Winner 2014 and along with it the prize of
a year of professional music industry management, recording time and
free Merseyrail Travel.
Saturday, 8 November 2015, saw the culmination of 2014’s Merseyrail Sound Station,
prize, an award designed to give an emerging Merseyside
artist an invaluable head start in the music industry. The winning
artist, Blue Saint, will now work over the next 12 months with a
team of music industry professionals, learning everything he needs
to know to best equip him for a long, successful career in the music
industry. He will also record with former Joy Divison and New Order
Engineer Michael Johnson and receive a year of free Merseyrail
travel.
Blue Saint said:- “I’m
shocked and extremely grateful to receive the award. I enjoyed the
day so much, the mix of talent on show from the other acts was
amazing. I’m really looking forward to the next 12 months and
developing as an artist.“
The Merseyrail Sound Station Prize is part of the innovative,
Merseyrail Sound Station platform and is here to celebrate emerging
new music from Merseyside. Each month sees a free podcast available
to download from:-
MerseyrailSoundStation.com and iTunes, featuring
exclusive live sessions with some of the region’s most exciting new
bands, the latest new sounds from across the Merseyrail network, and
breaking new music news from Liverpool.
The monthly podcast is presented
by Jay Hynde, who also hosted the 'Sound Station Festival' at Moorfields Station and presented the prize to Blue Saint at the
post festival presentation party at Hopskotch on Mathew Street:-
“Today has just been amazing, with such a fabulous array of
talent on show across the 10 artists who performed. In BLUE SAINT
we have a winner who will really benefit from the the prize and who
knows what the future could hold?!.”
Bido Lito! Magazine Publisher and
Editor In Chief Craig G Pennington was one of the industry judges on
the day:- “It really was a tricky decision to find a winner
from the talent on show today. Its kind of cliche to say, but you
could genuinely make a case for all of the artists to take the
prize. But in the end, we focussed on selecting an artist who we
really thought could develop over the next 12 months with the
industry support the prize offers, and in BLUE SAINT I think we have
a truly exciting talent and prospect.”
Maarten Spaargaren, managing
director of Merseyrail, said:- "Trains may be far from the
world of music, but we’re very keen to connect with our passengers
and tap into the city’s love of music. It’s the third year we’re
running Sound Station, this time working with local music events and
organisations to give it extra profile and credibility."
Over the last 8 months, local
musicians have been entering the Merseyrail Sound Station Prize by
visiting one of the 'Sound Station Upload Locations'
on the Merseyrail network and filming themselves performing an
original track, before posting it on the Merseyrail Sound Station
Facebook
Page.
Merseyrail Sound Station has also popped up with live stages at some
of the city’s best events this summer, such as Sound City, LIMF,
Farm Feast, FLUX Festival, Africa Oye and Above The Beaten Track.
The latest edition of the Merseyrail Sound Station Podcast is
available now. It features music from and profiles on each of the
ten artists playing the Sound Station Festival. Head on over to:-
MerseyrailSoundStation.com.
Competition -
“1 person, 1
point of view, 100 words …” Mini Monologues is Now Open!
MINI Monologues is a brand
new, inspiring, educational writing competition for young adults
aged 11 to 18 years.
We are inviting schools in the UK to submit their pupils’ mini
monologues is a 1st person narrative written from a real person’s
or fictional character’s point of view in only 100 words! Who
inspires or intrigues today’s youth? Whose footsteps would they walk
in for a few minutes? Whose thoughts would they like to share? What
event or situation could inspire a thought provoking,
emotionally charged monologue...?
Each mini monologue submitted will be read by our editorial team and
considered for a regional anthology. Published poets will then be in
with the chance of being chosen as the winner from their region,
resulting in their work on the front cover of the book! The best
writer from the series will also be awarded a Kindle Fire HD!To
support teachers Young Writers provides free teacher resources in
line with the National Curriculum, such as lesson plans, planning
sheets and interactive PowerPoint presentations. All our competition
information and resources can be viewed and downloaded for free
here.
Mini Monologues is now open to 11 to 18 year olds across the UK. To
take part please visit our website. Entries can be submitted online
or by post and need to reach us by Friday, 19 December 2014.
|
 |
Southport Christmas Switch on will take place on Saturday, 22
November 2014
THIS Christmas Southport will have more lights
and a bigger switch on than ever before thanks to its business
community and the newly formed Southport Business Improvement
District company that represents it.
"We are pleased to inform you all that we can
now confirm that Heart FM, will be hosting the stage. they
will also have with them celebrity hosts Joel Ross (formerly from
Radio 1, duo JK and Joel) and Liz McClarnon who used to be in Atomic
Kitten!" said Andrew Sloman, Southport BID Manager.
 The big new grand scale switch on, which takes place on Lord Street
on and around a large stage with giant screen including live camera
feed, is happening for the first time on the afternoon of Saturday, 22
November 2014, so people can enjoy the festivities and also venture out
to discover all that our fine retailers cafes and restaurants have
to offer.
With half a million brand new lights to illuminate the town, the
only fitting way to celebrate is with a flurry of famous faces.
Pressing the button and lighting up Southport this Christmas will be
Coronation Street stars Ryan Thomas (Jason Grimshaw) and Katie
McGlynn (Sinead Tinker) joined by former Corrie favourite Ken Morley
(King Bumble) and Kay Purcell (Carabosse) from the Southport Theatre
Panto, Sleeping Beauty.
The celebrations on the Saturday start from 12 noon where there will
be a fantastic array of top local and professional choirs, bands and
dance acts on the stage until the plunger goes down at 5:30pm. The
switch on area, on Lord Street in front of the Atkinson, also plays
host to vibrant entertainers, characters and attractions, Christmas
stalls and even real camels accompanied by the three wise men.
Grottos in Wayfarers Arcade and Southport Market and a Christmas fayre inside the Atkinson complete what is set to be a fun packed
day of festivities for the Town. Please note that the Lord
street will be closed to traffic from 11am to Midnight on the Saturday
and that bus stops and bus routes have been changed accordingly.
The stage will be hosted by top radio DJs and features performers
including choirs Voice Plus and Rock Choir, dance groups Street
Beatz and Baby Ballet, Southport band The Dice Men and professional
artists including Myth of Unity, King and Scholes, Barbieshop and
the fabulously weird and wonderful Mr Wilson’s Second Liners. That’s
not all - there will be a few extra special surprises in store as
well!
The magic doesn’t stop at the switch on; from 6 December to 21 December
2014,
Southport will have a traditional log cabin style Christmas Market
along Chapel Street and in Town Hall Gardens. Like the ones used in
Liverpool City Centre over the last few years. The Atkinson will be
showing three classic Christmas films free of charge courtesy of the
BID from the end of November into December 2014.
Part time workers, the disabled,
single parents and older workers “least likely” to escape low
pay wage THE
Green Party has commented on a report by the Resolution Foundation
that highlights the difficulties of escaping low pay grades for much
of the UK workforce.
Natalie Bennett, Green Party leader, said:- "That 3 in 4
workers now in low pay are effectively trapped permanently in that
condition is an indictment of the failure of our economy to deliver
jobs workers can build a life on.
This is reminder of the fact that under this government it is low
pay sectors that have primarily seen growth. It hasn't as it
promised made work pay; it has made work pay less.
The report highlights the fact that many employers require 'complete
flexibility' from staff if they are to progress; this is clearly
both unreasonable and deeply discriminatory.
It is also evident that some of the sectors in which low pay is most
prevalent and progress most difficult have very low levels of
unionisation. We should be supporting workers' right to unionise by
tackling our restrictive union laws - making sure that employees
have the opportunity to be represented, raise concerns, and ensure
that they are treated fairly. This supportive approach would help us
escape the inequality trap created by this government's economic
policies." The Green Party advocates the immediate introduction of a Living
Wage to redress pay inequality and enable the most disadvantaged
workers to earn a wage that brings them back above the poverty line.
Under a Green government no one would be paid less than £10 an hour
by 2020.
New Festival to take place in 2015
THE event company Orb
Events have told the media that they are delighted to announce a new
festival for August 2015, Liverpool Loves. 'Liverpool Loves'
will be a 3 day event that will provide a platform to celebrate,
participate and create everything people are so passionate about
across Liverpool City Region. The free event will take place
Thursday, 6 August to Saturday, 8 August 2014 on the City’s iconic
and historic Pier Head, under the shadow of the World famous 3
Graces and Liver Birds, and against the backdrop of the UNESCO World
Heritage Site.
Liverpool Loves promises to promote and celebrate all the fantastic
things that Liverpool has to offer, in turn supporting new business
with profits raised through the event. The Thursday and Friday will
be more focused on business, while the Saturday is billed as
festival day. In year 1, the focus falls on four main
areas; Liverpool Loves Culture; Liverpool Loves Business; Liverpool
Loves Food; Liverpool Loves Well Being. Liverpool Loves is the
brainchild of Debbie Boyd, Director of Orb Events, who created
Liverpool Pride 2010 and is co-creator of the Brazilica Festival.
Debbie’s vision for the festival is to support and encourage
Liverpool independents who can sometimes be overlooked within the
City landscape. Therefore Liverpool Loves will endeavour to use
local exhibitors, suppliers, produce and staff where possible.
The Business Big Top, taking place on the Thursday and Friday, will
provide a shop window for the commercial and social enterprise
sectors by including a commercial marketplace, seminar stages for
guest speakers, networking spaces and work stations; resulting in a
varied programme which aims to bridge the gap between small and
medium/large enterprises. There will also be a themed gala dinner
that promises to provide a show stopping hospitality event.
The focus on the Saturday is all about providing a platform for the
business community to reconnect with the people of the City. The
creative and lifestyle sectors of Liverpool will entertain the
public with showcase exhibitions, live performances and
demonstrations.
Debbie Boyd, Creator of Liverpool Loves and Director of Orb Events
said:- “We want to celebrate our city with a festival that
gives something back; this is exactly what we will have with
Liverpool Loves. What we are striving to achieve with Liverpool
Loves is to give entrepreneurs and new talent; in both the business
and creative sectors; a springboard to get to that next level.
Everyone needs a helping hand along the way, and we want to provide
the platform to do just that; while celebrating our achievements and
looking towards the future together. Liverpool very much has an
international focus, which is paramount in attracting new business
to the City. But we also have so much to offer from grass roots
level, through to global companies. The city has a real business
ethos and we want to strip that right back, rediscover our roots,
and encourage and empower people. Social enterprises are success
stories in the way they develop, grow and reinvest in their own
community to enhance and improve the quality of life for others. We
want to help educate people and encourage businesses to understand
and support this way of working moving forward. We see Liverpool
Loves becoming a vital part of the next IFB in 2016 in bridging the
business gap in the City.”
Rosie Jolly, Chief Executive, Mayoral Lead for Social and Community
Enterprise said:- “I am delighted to support Liverpool Loves
which will be an inspirational event next summer enabling businesses
in all sectors and communities to participate. Any event which
provides a platform for local business to promote themselves should
be applauded and will be of great benefit to the City and the wider
City region.”
To recap, Liverpool Loves takes
place 6 August to 8 August 2015 at the City’s iconic Pier Head.
Liverpool Loves wants to hear from small business, producers,
suppliers and performers who would like to get involved. Get
involved by emailing your details to:-
LiverpoolLoves@orb-events.co.uk.
You can also follow the team as they make announcements on...
Facebook as:- Liverpool Loves Twitter as:- @LiverpoolLoveso
|
