Well, we've had three awesome heats, and are gearing ourself up for the final...
Our three heat winners are; The Dave Simpson Trio, Trip to the Roses and The Gambit. The final band is up to you guys.
Go to compassfm.co.uk and listen again to the podcasts of the heats, then vote for the best runner up to take the coveted last place in the final.
Then come along to the Matrix in Grimsbt on Sat 1st August, from 8pm to see the four finalists battle it out for the prize! Last year's winners - When the Button Switches, will be coming along to show us once more what they're made of.
Doors open 730pm, tickets £5
Tomorrow night we have the amazing COAL from Gary Clarke; a physical theatre exploration around the life of a miner in 1980's Northern England.
To celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the 1984 Miners Strike, award winning choreographer Gary Clarke proudly presents COAL; a compelling and riveting piece of physical theatre which takes a nostalgic look at the hard hitting realities of life in the pits.
The piece explores the darker underbelly of the mining industry through a day’s journey above and below ground, unearthing the true nature and body wrecking demands of an industry long forgotten.
Hacking their way through a sound-scape of traditional brass band classics and thunderous machinery, 4 miners (both men and women) are pushed to their most physical extremes in a relentless and moving demonstration of unity and survival.
SATURDAY 11TH JULY 2009, 730PM, LINDSEY SCHOOL.
Well, it's finally here... The 2009 Arts Forum Festival. We've been beavering away to bring you some of the finest and most talented artists from across the UK, as well as our wonderful home grown talent!
Join us this saturday to help launch the Festival; We're taking over St James' Square in Grimsby with live music, market stalls, face painting, balloons, ice creams, special box office deals and heaps more.
Come down from 1130am and help us make the 2009 Festival the best yet!
Just announced to the programme is the incredible COAL by Gary Clarke
The year was 1984 and British industry was about to be hit by one of the longest and most bitter disputes in the nation’s history. The Miner’s Strike would last for a year and leave an indelible mark on the industrial landscape of the nation, tearing apart communities and even dividing families as the miners fought to a bitter end with Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government.
Now, 25 years later one man is recalling those times in a unique piece of theatre that serves as a tribute to the people who devoted their lives to what is now a largely vanished industry. Gary Clarke is one of the most exciting talents in contemporary dance today, an award-winning dancer and choreographer, but in 1984 he was a young boy growing up in the Dearne Valley mining community of Grimethorpe.
His new work, COAL, created specially to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the strike and supported by contemporary dance producer, Danceworks, takes a fascinating look through music and movement at the hard-hitting realities of life at the coalface.
Through a day in the life of team of colliers, Gary explores their routine both above and below ground, examining the harsh routine of the subterranean life and blending traditional brass band music with the discordant sounds of mining machinery.
Through Everyclick you can help us raise money and win a car - not bad eh?
Click HERE to enter
Good luck!
Welcome to the 2009 Arts Forum Festival, where you're sure to find something to feed your appetite for the arts.
Check out the calendar of events to see what's going on, join us on all the fab social networking sites and book tickets - what more could you ask for?
This year we have some very exciting partnerships - Compass FM are broadcasting our Battle of the Bands, Channel 7 are hosting an awesome stunts workshop, iBar are hosting a range of events including the excellent Martin Simpson, and Grimsby Jazz are hosting the Cleethorpes Jazz Festival... and this doesn't even begin to tell you what else is happening across the festival... phew!
Keep checking out the website where we'll be keeping you up to date on all of our exciting news!
The 2009 Cleethorpes Jazz Festival will run alongside the Arts Forum Festival to offer Grimsby and Cleethorpes a packed summer of arts activities and events.
The Jazz weekend will take place from the 10th-12th July, and as its our 10th birthday we are freezing ticket prices at £45 for 15 events... you're welcome.
Tickets will be available here soon, or give us a call if you just can't wait.
Did you miss us? Fear not, for we come with glad tidings in this wet and windy January! The dates for the 2009 festival have been decided and are - drum roll please - Saturday 4th July to Sunday 2nd August 2009.
Phew! It's going to be a busy, busy month so keep on checking back for info on the exciting events we'll be hosting!
All you budding musicians? Battle of the Bands will once again be open - and it's never too early to send us your demo tracks or myspace links or just to show up in the office with a guitar strapped to your back!
And finally - if you have any ideas, thoughts, comments or suggestions about what you'd like to see and do in the 2009 festival then we'd LOVE to hear from you...
3 weeks have whizzed past and we're saddened to see the end of the Festival for 2008, but so very excited about 2009!
The Website will be updated over the next few months and we'll be bringing you up to the minute information about 2009's festival.
Until then, join our mailing list and we'll keep you right up to date!
Oh - and thanks to all of you for coming and making it a great festival, we'll see you next year!
Myspace
Facebook
Twitter