Colors: Red Color

The Killers have announced a major UK and Ireland tour for November 2017.  The tour will follow the release of the band’s upcoming fifth album, Wonderful Wonderful

Tickets for The Killers’ November shows, which begin in Birmingham on 6th November, go on sale at 9am on Friday, 14th July.

The Killers recently released the video for their dazzling new single, “The Man”, the first taster of the new album. The video was shot in and around Las Vegas and sees the band collaborate with the award-winning director Tim Mattia for the first time.

The new tour announcement also follows on from a spectacular, hit-laden surprise set at Glastonbury  which saw the band return to the festival for the first time since their 2007 Pyramid Stage headline show.

Wonderful Wonderful will be The Killers’ first album since 2012’s chart-topping Battle Born. Recorded with the producer Jacknife Lee during album sessions in Las Vegas and Los Angeles, the album is shaping up to be the band’s most sonically forward-thinking record yet; an LP bursting with all of the blazing choruses and arena-filling anthems that make The Killers one of the world’s biggest and most beloved rock bands.

Keith Richards has said music is a language that doesn't speak in particular words. It speaks in emotion, and if it's in the bones, it's in the bones. In light of the current music scene where music is created for commercial purposes chasing social media validation, Roach Killa and Blitz, two amazing artists with hit tracks on world charts, have come together to create music with a purpose - the YYZ Project. They are all set to launch a monologue and three music videos through Canada’s premier South Asian Urban music platform- desiFEST. This a FREE DOWNLOAD for fans and will be available via www.desiFEST.ca/roach-blitz

YYZ is the airport code for Toronto's Pearson International Airport. The name pays homage to not only their Toronto roots but also symbolizes the fact they needed to travel internationally in order to build their careers.

There is  no big features, no industry politics, and no fake social media hype. It's simply the duo doing what they do best...having fun and delivering rap lyrics.

“Over the last few years, desiFEST has worked relentlessly to provide a unique platform for South Asian music aficionados in all major cities of Canada to showcase their talent. We are continuing this mandate by collaborating with artists on their projects and helping to bring new music to North America and the world” says Sathish Bala, CEO desiFEST MUSIC.

When Roach Killa released his debut album “The Revolution”, it peaked at No.6 on the iTunes World Charts. His first single Yaara Dildara reached No1 on the BBC Asian Network charts. Possessing immense versatility, Roach sings Hip Hop, Reggae, RNB and Punjabi Music. He firmly believes in the element of originality.

When it comes to Indian MC’s, one name that always stood above the rest is Blitzkrieg aka Blitz. With an appeal that is global, his lyrics lean more on the emotional side and completely draw people in. His tracks are inspired by people or events in his life that reflect reality and meaning of life.

Together, Roach Killa and Blitz are back again to give fans the YYZ Project with a monologue and three music videos that evoke, inspire and entertain. Fans will recognize their signature sound and style on what aims to become the summer anthems.

Eternal Taal female dhol players and bhangra dancers have broken all generic stereotypes by performing on a vast variety of stages. Since Eternal Taal established in 1999, it has grown from strength to strength, having performed at weddings, festivals, private corporate events and in three Bollywood films; the team is always looking for new platforms to promote Bhangra music.

In April 2017 the manager, Parv Kaur and two of her dhol players made their way to Halifax to film for the brand new hit Channel 4 drama, ‘Ackley Bridge’. The three dhol drummers spent just under 11 hours on the set, most of which was outside in the cold. During that time they socialised with the amazing cast including Adil Ray, Joanne Joyner and upcoming star Darcy Butt.

Eternal Taal team members spend time weekly rehearsing and perfecting routines. Manager Parv Kaur added, “Performing for Ackley Bridge was a unique experience, performing for the same scene a number of times to ensure all angles were captured by the camera - We’re so used to having one take on stage.”

Their iconic maroon and yellow uniform never goes unnoticed. With television appearances on Zee TV for Zee Companion, Sky Sports for the ‘ICC Championship Trophy’ and various BBC appearances; Channel 4 is now another to add to their list. If you missed them on your television screens, you can catch them on 4 On Demand (4OD).

 

Pulsating rhythms, skilled dancers and vibrant colours filled Arawak Cay in Nassau on Saturday 1st July with a choreography competition to open this year's Junkanoo Summer Festival (JSF).

The further 3 Saturdays of Junkanoo Summer fun in July take place on:

Saturday July 15th with a music competition

Saturday July 22nd with an overall competition

Saturday July 29th of JSF announces the winners and features a Bahamian Music Concert

Junkanoo Summer Festival, a signature event of the Ministry of Tourism and Aviation, attracts thousands of local and visitors who gather to watch the Junkanoo groups compete. The eleven groups were challenged to come up with their own theme relating to The Islands of The Bahamas.

Not to be outdone by the vibrant Junkanoo performances, the food and craft vendors also serve up some special delights of their own. The festival is an opportunity to shop, eat and drink in the local culture.

Daytime activities at Junkanoo Summer Festival include pineapple-eating, watermelon and roast corn eating competitions.

Junkanoo Summer Festivals takes a break on Saturday, July 8th for the celebrations around the 44th anniversary of Independence.

On Grand Bahama Island Goombay Summer is held every Thursday in July (7, 14, 21, 28)  – 6:00 p.m. to 12:00 midnight, experience the local culture to the sweet sounds of "Goombay", indulge in local delicacies, browse through the most authentic Bahamian arts and crafts, and dance to the beat of Junkanoo!

The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night Time, is a play based on the book by the same name written by Mark Haddon. The play, like the book is about a fifteen-year-old boy named Christopher Boone, who has Asperger’s Syndrome, who discovers that his neighbour’s dog has been murdered. In his quest to find out just who was responsible for the deed, Christopher and the audience embark on a journey that is at times, funny, heart wrenching and downright emotional and inspiring.

Scott Reid makes an excellent Christopher Boone, conveying the young man’s passion for maths and science with such passion that the audience could truly believe that he was Christopher and not just playing a role. As Christopher comes to learn more about what happened to his neighbour’s dog and the reasons behind it, Mr Reid showcases his ability to showcase a variety of emotions with various facial expressions that truly hooked me as a member of the audience into the play, and made me truly root for Christopher.

Mr Reid is ably supported by Lucianne McEvoy who plays Siobhan, Christopher’s teacher at school, David Michaels who plays Ed, Christopher’s father and Emma Beattie who plays Judy, Christopher’s mother. All three cast members bring with them an assortment of emotions and sheer hope for Christopher alongside their own hopes and wants inside the play, that in my mind really helps build up the play and expand the world that it is set in. Bringing to life characters who might otherwise have been overlooked and ensuring that they were given their due.

During the course of the two hours, the audience were treated to a variety of twists and turns that elicited laughs, cheers, gasps and in some cases tears. That the Curious Incident really hit home was shown by the standing ovation the cast members got just as the play was winding up. Never before have I seen such enthusiasm and joy from an audience before, and never before has it been so well deserved. The Curious Incident really took the audience on a roller coaster journey and did it in a way that made you feel as if you, yourself were Christopher, thus giving you an added incentive to see him succeed.

The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night Time, is a brilliant, thought provoking play, that brings with it a bundle of emotions that really make you as an audience member stop and think. It brings a chance for reflection and a chance to see a part of yourself reflected in young Christopher, and unlike other plays where such a thing might be seen as indulgent, here it really adds to the play. If you get the opportunity, go and see it at the Birmingham Hippodrome, the show runs until Saturday 8th July.

The highly anticipated trailer for the Punjabi film Toofan Singh was released to widespread international acclaim.

The international release of Toofan Singh will take place on Friday 4th August 2017 following a one-year postponement triggered by the refusal of clearance by the Indian Central Board for Film Certification (CBFC).

Toofan Singh is the story of a young Sikh boy growing up in Punjab during the turbulent 1980's. The story charters his pursuit for justice, survival and equality for all. Devastated by the deteriorating law and order situation, Toofan Singh is forced to fight against corruption, crime and brutality in order to protect society for one and all.

The groundbreaking feature film is the directorial debut of Baghal Singh of Royal Cine Arts and stars renowned Punjabi singer Ranjit Bawa in a project which was his original acting debut.

"I am truly excited that finally audiences around the world will be able to see the fruit of all the hard work and effort that has gone into producing this historical film and inspirational story."

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Now in its 7th year, Bournemouth Arts by the Sea Festival is thrilled to announce its diverse line up of acts and performers for 2017. From intimate theatre shows through to illuminated installations, live music and large scale outdoor spectaculars, many of which are free to the public, this year's event looks set to excite all ages

Opening this year's festival will be a diverse selection of pop-up performances, walkabout, music and contemporary dance events on Saturday 14th of October, spread across the Town Square and Gardens from midday. On both nights of the opening weekend, the Hydromania show by Avanti Display will take over Bournemouth's Town Hall with a unique family friendly performance. The show is set to engage with the architecture of its location, combining a vibrant interplay of water and light, physical performance and live music. Utilising balconies, windows and the roof of this hallmark building, the takeover of the Town Hall will be a unique spectacle that's not to be missed.

Closing Arts by the Sea on the 21st is 'Sense of Unity'. Sense of Unity brings together outdoor puppeteers Dundu and percussion ensemble Worldbeaters in an evening of visual spectacle and live music. The high-energy beats of Worldbeaters lead a procession in search of the giant, illuminated puppets of Dundu. The journey culminates with the interaction of musicians, puppets and audience, sharing love, light and music. Dundu is produced by Activate Performing Arts, funded by Arts Council England through Coasters Touring Network and is developed in Newbury Corn Exchange's 101 Outdoor Arts Creation Space.

Coasters is a three-year project that brings world-class circus and street arts work to coastal towns across England. SeaChange Arts lead a consortium of 11 organisations with the shared ambition of building relationships with audiences in areas of lower engagement and helping transform perceptions of coastal towns.

The 2017 commissioning theme is 'Plastic Beach' which invites artists, Fringe organisers and creative partners to explore the issue of marine pollution and, more broadly, the tensions between ecology and industry. Highlights include Turning the Tide by Mick Stephenson, the Sol Cinema by Paul O'Connor and the Rockpool by Kerith Ogden and Bee Jasco. Look out for Lulu Quinn's beach installation to highlight 'Save Our Seas' project with 'Message in a Bottle'. From the indoor theatre, comedy and performance programme, highlights include 'Labels' by Joe Sellman-Leave, 'Sixth Sense' by Luke Jermay, 'Rewild' by Livia Rita & Artists and 'Surf's Up Family Rave' by Big Fish Little Fish.

The festival is delivered annually by Arts Bournemouth and works in collaboration with many partners, locally, nationally and internationally. It is also supported using public funding by Arts Council England and Bournemouth Borough Council. The aim is to encourage a greater awareness of and participation in outstanding and engaging arts across different media and art forms.

K&K productions join with The People’s Orchestra for the premiere of “Cable: Chronicles of Hope”, directed and produced by George and Harry Kirby. The orchestra will be showcasing a memorable live to film performance composed by John Koutselinis.

The People’s Orchestra (Charity) brings to its audience another incredible concert; Superhero Symphonies – Live at The New Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham.

Featuring a collection of exciting superhero themed pieces from renowned composers including John Williams, Danny Elfman and Hans Zimmer, The People’s Orchestra has put together the perfect night out for heroes alike!

Sarah Marshall, the founder and creative director of The People’s Orchestra, hopes that with the support of audiences the show will be a great success for the charity.

“I am beyond thrilled to bring Superhero Symphonies to The New Alexandra Theatre," explained Director of The People's Orchestra, Sarah Marshall, "It is our largest venue yet and we are definitely raising the bar with a great range of pieces this year. 22nd July will be a great date for music lovers and superhero film aficionados to come together over their love of these great pieces. It will be a phenomenal experience for everyone to enjoy”.

The orchestra will be playing many pieces from popular superhero movies, including themes from Superman (1978), The Dark Knight, The Incredibles, Zorro, Thor: The Dark World, and Captain America along with an original score to an all-new X-Men Fan-Film ‘Cable: Chronicles of Hope’.

Ben Davies – tutor of Sheku Kanneh-Mason, BBC Young Musician 2016 – will join Birmingham Conservatoire’s Strings Department when it moves in to its new £57 million home later this year.

The appointment follows hot on the heels of the Chinese cellist Jian Wang’s arrival as the Conservatoire’s International Chair in Cello beginning in September 2017.

As a cellist and teacher, Ben Davies has performed with artists and orchestras as diverse as Shirley Bassey, Peter Gabriel, the City of London Sinfonia, Garsington Opera Orchestra and members of the Amadeus Quartet.

He has previously taught at the Royal Academy of Music, Royal Holloway University of London, Marlborough College, Wells Cathedral School and the Guildhall School of Music.

On taking up his new role at Birmingham Conservatoire, Ben Davies said:

“I am honoured to be invited by the Principal, Professor Julian Lloyd Webber, to join the cello department at the newly located Birmingham Conservatoire.

“I very much look forward to working with the cello students and am excited to be involved with the musical life of the Conservatoire in its new home."

Born and raised in York, Ben studied at the University of Manchester and the Royal Academy of Music, and from 1990 to 1995 he was cellist in the Rosell Quartet. Since 2000 Ben has been Principal Cello of the English Touring Opera orchestra. Seasons have included Baroque operas performed on period instruments, and the Olivier Award winning production of ‘King Priam’ in 2014.

In 2012 Ben was elected as an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM) in recognition of his significant contribution to the music profession.

Ben enjoys a diverse career, combining his commitment to teaching with a rich variety of freelance playing, which has included performing with Dame Shirley Bassey on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury, touring with the Royal Shakespeare Company and working in the theatres of London’s West End.

Prior to being offered his new role at Birmingham Conservatoire, its Principal, Professor Julian Lloyd Webber, invited Ben to give a masterclass to current students. He said:

“I am delighted to welcome Ben Davies to the Birmingham Conservatoire family. It is a real pleasure to have him join us at this crucial time for the Conservatoire, as we move in to our new home.

“Together with the recent appointment of Jian Wang as our International Chair in Cello we now have a cello department which is one of the best in the world.”

The new Birmingham Conservatoire has also been announced as the leading venue for the prestigious BBC Young Musician competition in 2018, as the contest prepares to celebrate its 40th anniversary.

Following the regional auditions later this year, Birmingham Conservatoire will host the Category Finals between Friday 16 and Tuesday 20 March 2018, alongside the Semi Final on Friday 23 March. All performances in Birmingham will be recorded for broadcast on BBC Four.

Birmingham Conservatoire’s new home, opening in the Eastside region of the city in September this year, will also welcome the BBC Young Musician Jazz Award Final in 2018.

The Belgrade Theatre has launched a campaign to name Coventry’s number one song in the countdown to Godiva Rocks, a new musical featuring songs by Coventry artists, premiering on the Main Stage in October.

YOU can now vote for your favourite Coventry song from a list of the 34 top ten hits by Coventry & Warwickshire artists, by visiting www.belgrade.co.uk/covsong or vote in person at the Coventry Music Museum in Ball Hill.

Voting closes on Thursday 31 August and the winning song will be announced on Friday 1 September.

Pete Chambers BEM, Coventry Music Historian and Owner of the Coventry Music Museum said, “This is an opportunity for Coventry to shout about its achievements. Visitors to the Museum are always surprised to hear about the breadth of Coventry’s musical history, and so often you hear them say “I didn’t know they came from Coventry!” We have a tendency of underplaying our cultural achievements in Coventry and now at a time when we are bidding to be UK City of Culture in 2021, it is crucial that we spread the word.”

Godiva Rocks will highlight Coventry’s rich and vibrant musical history with a soundtrack of over 20 classic songs performed by a live band, and tells the story of boy meets girl on a fateful night at the Orchid Ballroom in 1964.

Girl meets boy in Coventry – but nothing, and nobody, is what they seem, all because of one extraordinary night at the Orchid Ballroom, back in December ’64. Shady financier Leo Freeman’s decision to knock down the Orchid ballroom has far-reaching consequences – as daughter Nell meets the extraordinary Patrick Vernon – and the hunt for a missing tape reveals a history of musical passions and romantic jealousies stretching back to the dawn of musical time.

The production, which is written by Alan Pollock and directed by Hamish Glen, reunites the same creative team behind the Belgrade’s smash-hit Coventry Blitz play, One Night in November.

Writer Alan Pollock said, “At one level it’s a simple girl-meets-boy story with a massive twist. (Massive!) But really it’s a play about a search – of a boy for his father, and for a missing tape that encapsulates the perfect Coventry sound – the distillation of everything that makes this melting-pot city unique. And of course an excuse to highlight some of the greatest pop sounds ever to come out of Cov – twenty classic songs from the city.”

Godiva Rocks continues the Belgrade’s commitment to staging productions that reflect the stories of the city and region, such as Nick Walker’s FA Cup play, We Love You City and, more recently, Bob Eaton’s 2 Tone Musical Three Minute Heroes.

With the shortlist soon to be announced for UK City of Culture in 2021, the Theatre is also hoping that the new musical will help residents reclaim ownership and a sense of pride for Coventry’s musical history, and promote the city on a national level.

The city is best-known as the birthplace of 2 Tone, with artists such as The Specials and The Selecter both originating from Coventry, but it has also been home to Hazel O’Connor, The Enemy, Frank Ifield and many other famous artists who helped put Coventry on the musical map

Frontier Canada is offering a four-night package in Jasper including car hire from Calgary, four nights at the famous Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, tickets for the STAR Package which admits guests to the Keynote talk with Brian Cox and Phil Plait as well as the Space Talks from £651.  Frontier Canada is also offering a free entrance ticket to the Jasper Planetarium.

The Festival is sponsored by the Rocky Mountaineer.  Frontier Canada is also offering tailor made options to include either the multi-award winning, daylight only train from Vancouver, a tailor-made fly drive option which might include Kananaskis, Banff and Lake Louise as well as a package featuring VIA rail from either Vancouver or Edmonton plus a flight to Whitehorse in the Yukon which is another area known for its dark skies.

Those looking to combine a sunny beach break with great music this summer should look no further than Tenerife. As the largest of the Canary Islands, Tenerife has idyllic beaches, all year-round sun and is this summer hosting a number of unmissable music festivals and concerts. The main event, which has been dubbed the most important music event in the Canary Islands for the past 30 years, is the final gig of Aerosmith's farewell tour on 8th July.

Also lined up are concerts from electro house musician Steve Aoki, DJ Kayper, as well as the singer of the UK's current number one, “Despacito”, Luis Fonsi, who will all be performing in Tenerife during the months of July and August.

The RSC’s image archive which includes production photos spanning over 80 years of theatre in the company’s Stratford-upon-Avon and London theatres, is being made available online to the public for the first time.

Productions from 1936 to the present day include past and current alumni including Judi Dench as Viola in Twelfth Night, Ian McKellen as a young Romeo, Meera Syal as Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing and Patrick Stewart as Mark Antony in Antony and Cleopatra.

This photographic treasure trove can be searched via the company’s new image library, in several ways – for example by favourite actor, year, director or thematic keyword such as ‘revenge’ or ‘modern dress’ – and can be downloaded direct from the site free of charge for personal use, education use or private study, or requested as high-resolution for commercial uses.

The library will continue to expand as the company works its way through staging Shakespeare’s canon of plays under Gregory Doran’s leadership, with current production images being added as they join the artistic programme.

The RSC also regularly updates the public via social media to share its rich image archive with weekly posts on Instagram and Facebook #throwbackthursdays, #RSCThrutheLens and #flashbackfridays, which are proving incredibly popular with the Company’s followers.

Michelle Morton, the RSC’s Image Manager said; “We often get asked for images of our archive productions for a variety of uses, so we are really pleased to be able to share an array of our show photography online to the public in a dedicated and easily searchable format. Since sharing these images on social media, we know that people enjoy looking at and reminiscing about past productions, and up to now it’s been difficult for people to access these pictures independently. With over 80 years of theatre history encapsulated within the library, it will undoubtedly be of interest to those who are teaching the plays, to students who are researching areas such as costume or make up in theatre, or for our audiences who simply want to browse some of their favourite actors or remember iconic theatrical moments.”

The future face of Greater Birmingham will be revealed to over 400 professionals and business leaders at a dinner this September.

The coveted title will be part of the black-tie Future Faces dinner and awards at Edgbaston Stadium on Friday, September 15, and the winner will be offered a leadership development course worth £3,500.

Previous winners have been Alice Price, of HCB Solicitors, and Beth Farminer, of Deutsche Bank.

The overall title will go to one of the winners of an individual category, which comprise: arts and culture; sales, marketing and communications; legal; financial; industry (covering engineering, construction, property, and manufacturing); technology and innovation; entrepreneurship.

The winner of the Future Face award will be offered a place on the Midlands Navigator programme worth £3,500 organised by Birmingham-based leadership development organisation Common Purpose.

Common Purpose is a not-for-profit organisation that runs leadership development programmes across the UK.

The course is a ‘modular leadership development programme for emerging leaders in the UK’, and is aimed at helping people develop their problem-solving skills. Common Purpose runs leadership development programmes internationally and has more than 60,000 alumni.

Future Faces, part of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC) manager Anna Assinder (pictured) said: “This prestigious prize ties in perfectly with Future Faces’ objective to professionally develop, network and recognise Birmingham’s future leaders.

“This prize isn’t the only change we have made to the annual awards this year - there are more awards for professionals to enter and more sponsorship opportunities available to help Birmingham’s employees and businesses position themselves as leaders in their industry.”

Five key business leaders have been named as judges for the awards. They are:

Louise Teboul - operations director of Common Purpose, the Birmingham-based leadership development organisation

Joe Schuppler - founder of Independent Birmingham and a young professional himself.

Fiona Allan - artistic director and chief executive of Birmingham Hippodrome.

Gary Cardin - senior director at CBRE and previous partner at Deloitte.

Ian Leslie - finance director at Millennium Point.

Paul Faulkner, the GBCC’s  chief executive, said: “Our judges are a sign of how important the business community is taking these awards, and more significantly, how vital it is to support the development of our young professionals.

“It is more important than ever to keep hold of our young talent, and one way of doing this is to recognise their efforts and achievements – the Future Faces awards is a great way of doing precisely that.”

Flash Mobs, Paloma Faith, Fizz and Falconry, Chris Evans' Fun and Fabulous Festival for BBC Children in Need enjoys its tenth anniversary at Chewton Glen.

On one of the hottest days of the year, Saturday, 16 June 2017, Chewton Glen hosted the ultimate festival experience, organised by driving force and BBC Radio 2 broadcaster Chris Evans. This is the tenth year that Chewton Glen has supported Chris Evans' fundraising efforts for BBC's Children in Need appeal, and the anniversary celebration resulted in an exceptional 'Festival in a Day'.

Headline musical acts included Jeff Lynne's ELO, Sharleen Spiteri with her band Texas and a surprise guest appearance by Paloma Faith.

Highlights featured team competitions involving classic and quirky country pursuits with the likes of duck herding, ferret racing, laser clays, Segways and falconry display (much enjoyed by Chris himself), with the winning team invited to join Chris on his popular Friday morning breakfast show.

This was followed by cocktail making and an afternoon picnic before the evening entertainment began with a Champagne Taittinger reception among the trees of Chewton Glen's heritage orchard.

'Posh Street Food' was created in the Walled Kitchen Garden by a team of some of the UK's very finest chefs: Tom Kerridge spit-roasted lamb served with flat breads and salsa verde; Atul Kochhar created delicious Indian street food such as butter chicken marsala wraps; and Jose Pazarro served authentic Spanish tapas. Meanwhile Chewton Glen's own award-winning Executive Head Chef Luke Matthews produced pizzas with pizzazz from the Walled Garden's Gozney wood-fired pizza oven. It was all accompanied by Olly Smith's inspired selection of wines and finished off with Mo Gherras' sweet crepes topped with local Purbeck Ice Cream.

A high spot of the evening was the surprise 'flash mob' when waiters and waitresses started to dance, encouraging guests to join in. Now that's service!

Finally, screens that had provided a backdrop to the evening's dining experience in the orchard were lowered to reveal a pathway illuminated by flaming torches to the festival village of tepee's - the setting for the musical entertainment provided by the legendary Jeff Lynne's ELO, Texas, Paloma Faith and, of course, Chris Evans' lively DJ set.

Andrew Stembridge, Managing Director of Chewton Glen, commented: “It is always a tremendous privilege to help Chris and his team with their exciting plans for raising funds for such a great charity, but this year's event has been truly remarkable. I think everyone has excelled themselves.

“I would like to say a big thank you to all those who have put so much effort into the event, including my hardworking team here at Chewton Glen, all our suppliers and our friends who have been so generous. Together they have ensured that our 'Festival in the Day' will help to make a real difference to the lives of children who benefit from those who donate to BBC Children in Need. Our especial thanks to Chris Evans, who masterminded the Festival; in excess of £1.7 million was raised for 2016 Children in Need appeal with the live-on air 'Dine & Disco in the Forest' auction, possibly Jeff Lyne's Mister Blue Sky was never sung at a more appropriate event.”

The Venus Company has announced that there will be a limited number of VIP tickets available for their first ever Beach Music festival, taking place at Blackpool Sands, Devon, on Saturday 8th July. Those lucky enough to get their hands on these coveted tickets will enjoy a fabulous three course meal created using locally-sourced produce and served up at their table right in front of the stage. The festival was recently featured in theguardian.com as one of the top coastal festivals of the summer.

Michael Smith, co-owner of The Venus Company, comments: “When you think of music festivals you might conjure up the image of fans wading through mud and elbowing through crowds for just a distant glimpse of their favourite band. When it came to planning Loving the Beach Music Festival, we decided to do things a little bit differently. Our VIP seats offer festival goers the chance to sit comfortably around a table and enjoy fantastic close up views of the bands. And, of course, VIP ticket holders will also enjoy a delicious meal from our award-winning restaurant. So whether you want to throw yourself into the crowds, find your own space to dance around on the beautiful Blackpool Sands beach or make yourself comfortable in the VIP area, the Loving the Beach Music Festival has the perfect festival experience for you.”

Set to be the new must attend festival of the season, offering fun for all the family, festival goers will enjoy performances from local bands 'Mafia 4' and 'Three Bags Full' supporting legendary headline act 'Saloon Star', who play everything from swing and country to blues, funk, reggae and pop with some rock thrown in for good measure.

The music starts at 12pm but the fun starts when the doors open at 8.30am. Ticket holders will be able to enjoy one of Britain's most beautiful beaches as well as delicious local food and drink available from Venus café and takeaway* and the Bays Brewery drinks tent. There will also be a host of activities for the whole family to enjoy. Children will be kept entertained with traditional Punch & Judy shows and treasure hunts and demos from charities supporting the event: RNLI, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Marine Conservation Society and the Devon Wildlife Trust.