Community Post Type: News

After a fantastic start to its Autumn – Winter 2024 season of live music, The Tung Auditorium is forging ahead with its festive series of concerts for December.

Packed with a spectacular array of genres, exceptional live performers and festive favourites that are bound to get you in the Christmas spirit, the venue is excited to present December’s roster.

“We’re not doing a panto this year, but there’s still plenty of Christmas spirit on offer at the Tung this December, from traditional carols to festive jazz. Many of these concerts are now becoming an annual tradition in themselves!”
– Richard Hartwell, Artistic Director of The Tung Auditorium

The Tung Auditorium is continuing with its Lunchtime Concert Series in December and appears to be very on theme with a wintery concert from accomplished solo pianist and chamber musician Lauryna Sableviciute. The programme, Frozen Light, is a celebration of life, nature, light and music: transcending all boundaries. Wrapping up the Lunchtime Concert Series this year is University of Liverpool Choirs: Northern Lights, which is now sold out.

Whether you’re in the mood for cozy carols, seasonal swing or jingle bell jazz, The Tung Auditorium has got it all this Christmas.

Allerton Brass will “jingle all the way” with a fabulous, fun-filled concert for all the family. Accompanied by the children from Sudley Primary School Choir, they will be performing festive favourites. Later in December, Dr Jazz and the Cheshire Cats wish you a “Happy Jazzmas” with a special performance of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn’s jazz version of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite. 

The legendary Sound City has announced the first wave of acts for next year’s festival.

In previous years line-ups have included The 1975 and Ed Sheerhan as well as Liverpool bands such as The Dream Machine.

Taking place across various venues in Liverpool for 2025. The festival is known as the “home of new music discovery and the beating pulse of music fans’ favourite new artists”.

The Royston Club have already been confirmed as one of the headliners and the first full wave of names has now been unveiled. Nieve Ella brings her glorious indie-rock to Sound City following a year that has seen her become one of the most talked about names in new music.

Rianne Downey is also heading to the 2025 festival, after her glorious past few years that transformed her into the beloved voice that spans generations.

The raw punk of Panic Shack is sure to be a festival highlight and predicted to result in moshing and much mayhem . Siobhan Winifred, tipped as a future indie-pop superstar, will also be appearing next year.

For full details, see the Sound City website here

Rising stars from Liverpool Theatre School are set to take over The Hope Street Theatre for a two-night run of Jim Cartwright’s bitter sweet comedy drama Two (2-3 December). Performed by a cast of talented third year students, the poignant play explores the complexities of human relationships through the lives of characters in a local pub, which is run by a bickering couple.

Set over the course of one evening, the poignant play is filled with emotional tales of celebration, loss, love and despair. Serving up laughter and melancholy in equal measures, Two promises to keep the audience entertained as the regulars reveal their secrets in a series of monologues and duologues. The landlord and landlady’s own dark tragedy comes to light when a little boy is left behind by his father, leading to an unexpected reconciliation.

Speaking on Liverpool Theatre School’s production of Two, Principal, Maxine Ellis, said: “Two is a very funny play, yet it’s also incredibly moving. The range of emotion, combined with such a diverse set of characters, makes Two a fairly tough play to perform. Our third year students have really risen to challenge during rehearsals and we’re looking forward to putting on a fantastic production.

“As our final year students prepare for life as professional performers, taking to the stage at The Hope Street Theatre will provide an excellent opportunity for them to really push themselves as they put their training into practice. I would encourage anyone with a love of theatre to join us for what promises to be a thrilling performance from the next generation of stars.”

Liverpool Theatre School – whose patrons include dance legend Wayne Sleep OBE, as well as TV and musical theatre star Anita Dobson – accepts only the most talented students on its professional training programmes in dance, musical theatre and acting. The centre of excellence boasts a long list of success stories, with graduates going on to star in hit shows such as Mamma Mia!, Frozen, SIX, Starlight Express, Blood Brothers and Wicked.

The performing arts school, which hosts an annual graduate showcase in Media City and stages shows at local theatres throughout the year, offers training designed to give young people the skills they need to work in the industry. Liverpool Theatre School encourages applications from diverse backgrounds, providing a number of fully funded places and bursaries to help make high level training more accessible.

Tickets for Liverpool Theatre School’s production of Two are available from Ticketquarter, at £14.50 each or £8.25 for students (including booking fee).

To find out more about Liverpool Theatre School, please visit liverpooltheatreschool.co.uk.

Rugby League and fundraising legend Kevin Sinfield CBE is gearing up to start his latest fundraising challenge – and he’s chosen to join thousands of eager Santas in Liverpool this weekend in real festive style.

Kevin will run more than 230 miles in seven days across seven regions of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

It all starts on Sunday 1 December when Kevin will stand on the start line of the 20^th anniversary BTR Liverpool Santa Dash alongside 8,200 festive participants. The event has now sold out.

Kevin will run in memory of his friend Rob Burrow, who passed away from MND (motor neurone disease) in June. This will be his fifth annual challenge, having already raised almost £10million for the MND community.

The challenge has been named ‘Running Home For Christmas’, as the seventh and final day of the run will end in Sinfield’s home area of Saddleworth.

Kevin will be joined by a small support team throughout the challenge, covering over 50 kilometres per day.

Each day will be broken down into 7K blocks – the number 7 is always central to Kevin’s charity challenges in recognition of his friend and former team mate Rob Burrow, who wore the number during his glittering career alongside Sinfield at Leeds Rhinos.

The team will aim to complete each 7K within one hour before the next block must start on the hour, meaning the only rest the team will get between each leg is the time spare after they have completed the block.

The first leg will see Kevin run from Liverpool to Wrexham, which also takes in Seacombe, Port Sunlight, Hooton, Ellesmere Port, and Chester.

The following days will then cover Gloucester to Bristol, Belfast, Glasgow, Beverley to Hull, Northampton to Leicester, and finally Old Trafford to Saddleworth.

Kevin Sinfield’s challenge will be raising money for six MND charities including the Darby Rimmer Foundation, set up by former Liverpool FC defender Stephen Darby after he was diagnosed with the disease in 2018.

In another connection to the city, Kevin has been joined at stages on his last three challenges by Liverpool FC Women’s record-breaking defender Gemma Bonner, who is a big supporter of the Darby Rimmer Foundation as well.

Kevin Sinfield commented:

 “I am really looking forward to the start line and being joined by over 8,000 Santas will certainly put us in a festive spirit. This year’s event will be particularly poignant having lost Rob in June, but our commitment to Rob’s memory is to continue to support the MND community.

“We are looking forward to meeting more people than ever from the MND community throughout the week, giving them the opportunity to continue to bang the drum for MND.”

The very first BTR Liverpool Santa Dash took place in 2004. It is now thought to be the UK’s biggest festive 5K fun run – and is highly regarded as the city’s kick-start to Christmas.

It was created by BTR Liverpool Race Director, Alan Rothwell. BTR Liverpool is the leading independent organisation for creating, managing, and delivering headline running events across Liverpool City Region.

The event has now sold out. The pop-up shop at St Johns Shopping Centre will remain open daily until Saturday 30 November for collections or merchandise. Shop times are 9.30am to 5pm.

Claire House Children’s Hospice is this year’s Official Charity Partner. Fundraising Santas have already raised £18,500 for Claire House.

Santa’s can support Claire House by fundraising or making a one-off donation at https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/chsantadash2025

In Demand Radio is the Official Media Partner. The event is also being supported by partners St Johns Shopping Centre, Royal Albert Dock Liverpool, and Arriva North West.

The main Santa Dash 5K starts at 9.30am from Pier Head Liverpool. The day also includes a Mini Dash 1K for youngsters, starting in Castle Street at 11am.

All Santas will enjoy the same grandstand finish line at Liverpool Town Hall featuring stilt-walking festive characters and ‘real’ snow.

In Demand Radio presenter Claire Simmo will be broadcasting her Sunday show live from the event on Santa Dash Day.

The Santa Dash is accessible and open to everyone. Santas walk, jog, or run alongside wheelchair participants, families, friends or colleagues – there are even Santas in prams, and four-legged furry Santas.

The BTR Liverpool Santa Dash entry fee covers all costs to organise and deliver the event including road closures, safety measures, Santa suits, medals, goodie bags, and entertainment.

The BTR Liverpool portfolio also includes the BTR Liverpool Half Marathon, BTR Mersey Tunnel 10K, BTR Tour Of Merseyside, Port Sunlight Road Race, BTR Women’s 10K Liverpool, and Run For The 97 5K.

Event details can be found at https://www.btrliverpool.com/santa-dash-event

 

Since launching in May 2023, CONTENT in Liverpool has firmly established itself as one of the UK’s most in-demand live music and events spaces and 2024 has seen a run of incredible shows.

And for this winter there are two dates to see out 2024, with Say She She on Thursday 21st November and The Jesus and Mary Chain on Sunday 15th December coming to Liverpool, curated by Harvest Sun Presents.

Further CONTENT shows this year have included Fontaines D.C, Yo La Tengo, The Vaccines, The Cheap Thrills and Bill Ryder-Jones, with last year witnessing Caroline Polachek, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Pretenders with Chrissie Hynde, Maisie Peters, Stereolab, Craig Charles Funk & Soul House Party and more perform, showcasing the dynamic verve of the iconic live music venue.

First up, the female-led discodelic soul band Say She She – named as a silent nod to Nile Rodgers (C’est chi-chi!: It’s Chic!”) – continue to wow crowds with their dreamy  harmonies, catchy hooks and up-tempo grooves. The band’s sound is a hat-tip to late 70’s girl groups with the three strong female lead voices of Piya Malik, Sabrina Mileo Cunningham and Nya Gazelle Brown at the epicenter of a roaring 7-piece band. 

The band’s debut single Forget Me Not in 2022 quickly proved to be a certified dancefloor banger. Written as an ode to New York City’s Guerilla Girls fighting racial and gender discrimination in the art world, it was followed by releases including Blow My Mind, Norma and Trouble with the trio’s mesmerising vocals. Their Liverpool show promises to raise the roof at CONTENT on Thursday 21st November.

Then one of the most influential bands of their generation and beyond, The Jesus and Mary Chain, come to Liverpool.  They have marked their 40th anniversary in 2024 with a new album, Glasgow Eyes, released in March by Fuzz Club; this is the band’s first studio album since Damage And Joy (2017). 2024 has already been a bumper year for devotees of the Reids: the brothers also unveiled their autobiography, a documentary and their world tour has taken in many incredible locations this year.

Glasgow Eyes might mark a milestone, but the Mary Chain are always looking forward and they will be showcasing their latest verve at CONTENT, an encapsulation of their 40 years. Yet reassuringly, something that has never changed is the fact that the Mary Chain have always stood for the outsider, the misfit, the never understood. 

Further ahead, Mercury Rev are booked for Thursday 13th March 2025. 

Tickets for both shows are available via DICE, Skiddle and CONTENT

 

RAWD (Random Acts of Wildness Disability), a North West-based charity that champions disability representation in the arts, is excited to present The Little Mersey Mermaid, a heartwarming and hilarious Liverpool-inspired twist on a beloved classic.

The show will take place on Saturday, 7th December at 4pm, and Monday, 9th December at 7:30pm at Unity Theatre, Liverpool. Ariel isn’t your typical mermaid, in fact, she’s not a mermaid at all! She’s just a girl with a big dream, she wants to be a scouser. In a tale of ferry rivalries and a hunt for a long lost Ma, Ariel searches for answers.

Join RAWD (Random Acts of Wildness Disability) for The Little Mersey Mermaid, a hilarious and heartwarming Liverpool-inspired twist on the classic tale. Expect a show full of laughter, music, and a dash of Scouse spirit!

Catch the magic at Unity Theatre, where RAWD is an associate company. Celebrate with them as they round off another fantastic year, supporting their community of disabled artists.

Performance Information
The Little Mersey Mermaid
Saturday, 7th December 2024, 4:00 PM
Monday, 9th December 2024, 7:30 PM
Venue: Unity Theatre, Liverpool

Tickets and Further Information
Tickets for The Little Mersey Mermaid are available now on the Unity Theatre Website. For more details about the show and how to get involved with RAWD, visit rawdproject.co.uk

About RAWD
RAWD (Random Acts of Wildness Disability) is a North West based company that produces inclusive arts experiences and performances which all present and amplify the disabled perspective.

Brace yourselves, psych rock and garage blues enthusiasts! After a long hiatus, Liverpool-based rock n roll garage blues maestros The Cubical are back with a vengeance.

Hot off the heels of dropping their new single That Ain’t No Way To Get High and a summer tour across Spain and the Basque Country, the fellas are releasing the much anticipated fifth studio album Cut Me Like a Hog on esteemed Spanish vinyl label FOLC Re- cords on 8th November. This marks their first record since the critically acclaimed Blood Moon in 2017.

The Cubical have long been lauded for their innovative songwriting. Hailed by MOJO as “Genius!” and celebrated by Q Magazine as “simply not your average band,” The Cubical are once again shaking the foundations of modern rock n roll with their unmistakably unique sound.

Cut Me Like a Hog is a big sounding record of explosively performed songs with, according to US Glide Magazine, “one foot in the past and one foot in the future”.  This is manifested in technicolour with opening track That Ain’t No Way To Get High – thought-provoking lyrics, a cacophony of horns, demonic blues-infused riffs, and tight vocal harmonies all served up with a Howlin Wolf/Tom Waits growl. The band’s trademark rock n roll intensity is expertly refreshed and evident in horn driven Motown tinged stomper Run It Off, maintaining their enigmatic and rhythmically hypnotic essence that has solidified their reputation across Europe over the years.

But be warned! The Cubical are no one trick ponies and evocatively poignant gothic noir of Forever in Your Past transports the listener to a smoke filled all night New York jazz bar, where the whisky is poured into the steaming coffee and the clarinet weaves its way through reverb soaked guitars. The senses are assaulted in a psychedelic shakedown of the Eugenics movement in title track Cut Me Like A Hog; “Mama signed me away!” the band shriek whilst the hell- scape guitars wail and twist around pounding drums. The listener is momentarily revived from the garage blues shock therapy by the atmospheric acoustic Night Falls before a tumultuous and anthemic end is offered from the wrong side of the tracks via the claustrophobic In The Barrio. After the last notes ring out it’s as if the listener has been immersed in a vivid and kaleidoscopic neighbourhood like no other, shaken, challenged but wanting more.

The Cubical make a triumphant return with new album Cut Me Like A Hog, out now on vinyl and digitally via FOLC Records and Ditto Music. Listen now on Spotify.

Diane Hesketh was shortlisted at the 2024 Women Achieving Greatness in Social Care Awards for The Third Sector Leader.

With over 30 years’ experience in social care, exceptional strategic capabilities and commitment to making a difference, Diane has been a force to be reckoned with.

Diane has been for responsible for leading critical functions since she joined Natural Breaks in 2017. She has championed quality, person-centred support taking the organisation from strength to strength.

The Women Achieving Greatness award ceremony takes place on the 28th November at The Hilton Bankside Hotel in London. Rather than attending the evening, Diane will be volunteering at a Maasai community development project in Tanzania, until early December.

“Being shortlisted at the awards was not on my agenda for the year but nevertheless, it has come as such a wonderful surprise. I started my journey with Natural Breaks seven years ago and it has been my greatest joy to see a positive impact on people’s lives through the support we provide. I am beyond proud of the teams and departments that work alongside me, who have an endless amount of kindness in their hearts and champion all people we support. Throughout my time with Natural Breaks, I have strategically led the charity – developing creative solutions to problems, pursuing new ideas and harnessing purpose with action and change that has those we support at the heart of it all”
Diane Hesketh, CEO

Natural Breaks provide support to adults with disabilities, autism and acquired brain injuries across Liverpool.

For more about Natural Breaks and their work, visit www.naturalbreaks.co.uk.