Red Funnel News - Isle of Wight News

Isle of Wight to host folk music evening

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:00:00 UTC

Folk music fans may be tempted to book Isle of Wight holidays in order to attend an event that is set to be held on the island.

Dave Ellis and Boo Howard will be travelling to the island to perform at Quay Arts in Newport on March 2nd, with the show having been organised by fan Jack Jones for his 60th birthday.

According to a report by the Isle of Wight County Press, Mr Jones will also have the duo play at his birthday party on the night after the gig.

"The pair are a hugely respected and admired acoustic duo of 30-odd years' standing, with seven albums to their credit," said Mr Jones, who noted it is the first time Ellis and Howard have been to the Isle of Wight.

He added: "I was in a group of people who regularly used to go to see them and we became friends along the way. I thought who better to play on the island?"

A poll once named Ellis as one of the five best guitarists in the world and he was even ranked above Jimmy Page, as well as appearing on television shows such as The Old Grey Whistle Test, pointed out Mr Jones.

Ellis also opened for the Edgar Broughton Band at the Roundhouse and Rod Stewart at Reading Festival and has played at top London music venues such as the Marquee and the Lyceum.

Other shows lined up for the next few months by Howard and Ellis include a performance at Wivenhoe Folk Club on Thursday (February 2nd) and gigs at Lechlade River Folk, Friday Folk and Hitchin Folk Club in the spring.

However, the event at Quay Arts is set to be the only chance fans get to see the duo play on the Isle of Wight for the foreseeable future, as they have no other scheduled gigs on the island in 2012.

Posted by Louise Parkes

Piano concert to be held on Isle of Wight

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:00:00 UTC

Tourists on Isle of Wight holidays next month may wish to time their trip to the island in order to coincide with a special concert that has been announced.

In order to mark the purchase of a new Bluthner grand piano, the Ventnor Piano Fund is set to hold a show at St Catherine's Church, Ventnor, on February 11th.

According to a report by the Isle of Wight County Press, Sinfonietta conductor and top violinist Richard Studt is to be among the performers taking to the stage on the night and he will be playing his classic Stradivarius violin, along with accompaniment by Elizabeth Drury on saxophone and Tim Carey on piano.

Piano fund founder Anthony Churchill said: "We wanted to have a piano ideal for schools to use and for music teachers to encourage any aspiring pianists to allow them to improve."

A wine bar will be available at the church on the night for those who want to enjoy the music with a drink, while a raffle is also set to be held as part of the evening of entertainment.

Chopin, Elgar, Purcell, Handel and Liszt are among the composers whose work is set to be showcased at the performance by the trio of musicians.

It is hoped the presence of the new Bluthner grand piano on the Isle of Wight will help organisers to attract big names to the island to play it.

While Studt is known for having won the Bosie-Mendelssohn Scholarship, the Margorie Hewood Prize and the Recital Medal, Carey has performed with the London Symphony Orchestra and Drury has appeared as a finalist in the televised BBC Young Musician of the Year competition.

Pianists may also be on the bill at the Ventnor Fringe Festival when it takes place this August, while organiser Jack Whitewood told the County Press he believes the event is made by the "little moments" that take place unexpectedly.

Posted by Steph White

Isle of Wight torchbearer announced

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:00:00 UTC

One of the people who will carry the Olympic torch when it visits the Isle of Wight later in the year has been announced.

Chorister Hannah Brear has been selected through the Lloyds TSB public nomination campaign and is the first individual to be confirmed for the honour, reports the Isle of Wight County Press.

Ms Brear is the founder and director of Medina Community Choir and will be cheered on by locals and tourists on Isle of Wight holidays when she carries the famous torch on the island this summer.

Although the Isle of Wight was initially left off the list of locations the flame is set to visit in the coming months ahead of the start of the Games in London, it was later added to the schedule after talks between the organisers and the Isle of Wight Council proved to be a success.

The flame is set to begin its journey, which will last for 70 days, around the UK on May 19th and is expected to arrive on the Isle of Wight on July 14th, shortly before the start of the competition.

Just two weeks after this (July 27th), the torch will be taken to the Olympic Stadium in London, where it will be used to mark the beginning of the contest in the opening ceremony.

One of the locations on the Isle of Wight that has been chosen by the London Olympic Organising Committee (Locog) has been named as the chairlift at Alum Bay.

A spokesman for Locog told the County Press that it will prove to be a "fantastic" choice and is currently among only 20 iconic locations across the UK to be confirmed on the flame's route.

More individuals who will get the honour of carrying the Olympic torch on the Isle of Wight during its time on the island will be announced in the next few weeks.

Posted by Louise Parkes

New Isle of Wight music events announced

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:00:00 UTC

Isle of Wight holidays could be set for a boost in popularity among music lovers after a new set of events was announced as being held on the island.

Revellers may wish to head to the island in order to attend a dance music showcase being hosted in St George's Park in Newport on February 4th, reports the Isle of Wight County Press.

Mark Archer has been revealed to be the headline act for the Tripudio night, which is being held by Altern-8, one of the biggest names to have come out of the rave period.

The music is set to start at 21:00 GMT and last for five hours, so those who want to go along and dance may wish to ensure they book accommodation on the Isle of Wight for afterwards.

Other acts to be taking to the decks on the stage at the show include Stretch Matt D, Joz, John Anderson, Richie P and Kaf-tan, it was revealed by the organisers.

This coincides with the news a music club has been formed in Ryde on the Isle of Wight that will be putting on concerts on a monthly basis.

The Ryde Folk and Blues Club has been founded as a meeting place for players and listeners and will get underway on March 25th at the Wight Rock Bar at the Colonnade in Lind Street, Ryde, reports the County Press.

It will then be hosted at the location on the last Sunday night of every month, with acts lined up to play at the showcase including The Hillmans with Dick Taylor, the Andy Charles Blues Band and the Ric Harris Blues Band.

Others such as the Tea and Biscuit Boys and the blues solo artist Travelsick Rick will also be taking to the stage at the location in the coming months.

Posted by Carla Winter

Isle of Wight golf club 'is fantastic'

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:00:00 UTC

Isle of Wight holidays may be set for a boost in popularity among golfers after one of the clubs on the island was described as "fantastic".

Peter and Brenda Reynolds moved to the Isle of Wight from Kent four years ago and joined Ryde Golf Club as they wanted to learn a new sport and make some new friends.

Speaking to the Isle of Wight County Press, Brenda said the club is a "fantastic" place to play golf and said the couple have met a lot of new people as a result of playing there.

The pair have now been named captains of the club for the coming season after spending 2011 as vice-captains, making the step up for 2012.

Peter has been able to bring his handicap down to 24 and is keen to get the figure even lower over the course of the year, while Brenda is playing off 35.

"It's going to be a good year. We've got the golf bug," said Mr Reynolds, who will be hosting a range of events with his wife as part of their new role as captains, as well as acting as the figureheads of the men's and ladies' sections at Ryde Golf Club.

Any money raised through the competitions they put on will go into work to improve the course, which may make it more attractive to those on Isle of Wight holidays who head to the location in order to play a round at the club.

According to the venue, the par-70 course will offer a delightful challenge to anyone who goes along to take it on, with the greens described as being "well-kept" and "pacy".

Windy weather often adds to the difficulty level of the holes at the course, with the swirling conditions making it tricky to keep the ball on the fairways and the greens.

Posted by Jon Noble

2012 Isle of Wight Festival 'avoids X Factor pop acts'

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:00:00 UTC

Music lovers looking forward to the Isle of Wight Festival have been told the organisers of the event will not be booking pop acts that have come to fame due to appearances on The X Factor.

John Giddings, curator of the festival, promised ticketholders he will not be adding groups or singers of this type to the bill for the bash, which is being hosted from June 22nd to 24th.

Speaking to NME, he explained the likes of Parade, Pixie Lott, N-Dubz and Alesha Dixon - all of whom have appeared at the event in recent years, will not be returning.

Mr Giddings said: "I did a couple last year, but I felt a bit uncomfortable about that this year. I don't mind having R&B acts on the bill."

He pointed out Wretch 32 and Professor Green are among the musicians to be heading to the Isle of Wight this summer to perform, while Jessie J was recently added to the line-up.

"I think other festivals do straight pop acts and I was backstage at a couple of festivals and they seemed to be full of people I'd seen on TV," the curator added.

An older crowd is not being targeted by the event this year, Mr Giddings claimed, despite the fact the trio of headlining US rock acts are Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Pearl Jam and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

He said he has been trying to persuade Springsteen to play at the Isle of Wight Festival for many years, while he has also had Tom Petty on his wish list for a long time.

Acts recently added to the bill of the Isle of Wight Festival include Magnetic Man, Miles Kane, Kelis, The Charlatans, Caro Emerald, Best Coast and Dry The River.

Posted by Adam Pearson

Jessie J joins Isle of Wight Festival bill

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:00:00 UTC

Music fans heading to the Isle of Wight Festival later in the year will be able to see a performance by pop star Jessie J during their time at the event after she was added to the bill.

The organisers of the event, which is set to be held on the Isle of Wight from June 22nd to 24th, confirmed that she will be taking to the main stage on the Saturday night.

She will be performing hits such as Price Tag and the number one smash Do It Like A Dude before Tinie Tempah is on stage for his own slot later in the evening.

Jessie J is one of the UK's biggest pop acts at the moment and it was recently revealed she will be a coach on the BBC talent programme The Voice UK, while the organisers of the Brit Awards confirmed she is nominated in three categories, including Best British Single for Price Tag.

The star could also take the prizes for Best British Breakthrough Artist - after she sold hundreds of thousands of copies of her debut album Who You Are in 2011 - and Best Female Solo Act, which she is up for along with Adele, Kate Bush, Laura Marling and Florence and the Machine.

Tinie Tempah may be set for a collaboration with the singer live at the Isle of Wight Festival, as both of the artists have worked with other musicians already in their careers.

Other new additions to the bill of the 2012 Isle of Wight Festival include Magnetic Man, who will be taking to the stage in the Big Top, headlining Saturday's line-up in that arena.

The dubstep act is sure to draw a huge crowd of revellers as they showcase tracks such as I Need Air and Perfect Stranger, both of which went into the top 20 of the UK singles charts.

Their booking comes as part of a commitment by the curator of the Isle of Wight Festival John Giddings, who has stated he wanted to book more dance and urban-type groups for 2012.

He has come through on his promise with the news Magnetic Man will be playing at the event, on a bill in the Big Top that features similar artists such as Wretch 32 and Professor Green.

Meanwhile, Kelis has also been named as one of the stars who will be travelling to the Isle of Wight this June in order to perform at the festival, taking a slot in the Big Top on Friday night.

The Milkshake star will be on in the arena in the evening, before Groove Armada bring a special performance to the area of the festival later on.

More names have also been added to the line-up for the Garden Stage at the 2012 Isle of Wight Festival, with the biggest of them arguably the British indie band The Charlatans, who will be headling on the Saturday night, following a show by Miles Kane.

Best Coast and Dry The River will also be taking to the stage over the course of the weekend, along with The Real D'Coy, The Christians and Terry Reid.

The new acts join a bill that is headlined by a heavyweight trio of US rock bands - Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Pearl Jam and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

Other bands to be performing on the Isle of Wight during the event include The Vaccines, Biffy Clyro, Elbow, Madness, Noah and the Whale and Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds.

Labrinth, Feeder, Band of Skulls and Joan Armatrading will also be playing on the main stage at the Isle of Wight Festival this June.

Posted by Jon Noble

Isle of Wight cafe praised for convenient location

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:00:00 UTC

Tourists on Isle of Wight holidays may wish to go for a meal in Cowes at a cafe that has won a positive review for its convenient location in the town.

According to Matt and Cat of the Isle of Wight Eating Out Guide, Sails Cafe has a nautical theme that fits in with the reputation of Cowes, which is famous for its annual sailing regatta.

"Various boaty bits were strung around the place and the pastel walls were tastefully arrayed with those seascape-type paintings that are typically a triptych, and sometimes adorned with driftwood," it was noted by the pair, who also pointed out free newspapers were available.

Cat wrote that she was impressed with her selection of scrambled eggs with mushrooms on toast, highlighting the fact they had been perfectly fried and were just the right colour.

Matt also proclaimed himself to have been pleased with his lunch after he selected the special of beef stew and dumplings, which he said contained "good, solid steak".

He added he could not have made a better meal himself, singling out the flavour of the vegetables included - carrots and parsnips - for special praise.

The pair also pointed out they were surprised to be served by a waitress, as the cafe is so small, which may persuade those on Isle of Wight holidays to go along to Sails Cafe for a meal.

Another cafe to have been recommended by the couple recently was Ritchies Diner in Lake, which is located in an industrial unit in the town.

Matt and Cat praised the cheap and cheerful nature of the eatery, while noting there was also very good food and the cost was set at an impressively low level.

The main meal experienced was bubble and squeak, which made up the centrepiece of an all-vegetarian breakfast enjoyed during the trip to the cafe.

Posted by Carla Winter

Isle of Wight stargazing event launched

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:00:00 UTC

Tourists on Isle of Wight holidays this week may be tempted to go along to a stargazing event that is being held on the island tomorrow (January 20th).

Groups will be invited to attend Isle of Wight Observatory, Watery Lane, Newchurch, in order to measure the darkness of the sky as part of the Campaign to Protect Rural England and the British Astronomical Society Dark Skies campaign.

Millions of people are currently watching the BBC's Stargazing Live programme, so it could be a good opportunity to go along and find out more, reports the Isle of Wight County Press.

Sue Curd of Vectis Astronomical Society said: "It has been really successful in the past. We had about 50 people attend last year."

The Isle of Wight Planetarium at Fort Victoria is also holding stargazing events throughout the course of next week, with no charge.

Last year, Professor Brian Cox presented Stargazing Live on the Isle of Wight.

Posted by Adam Pearson

Isle of Wight Festival launches new family camping

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:00:00 UTC

Families planning to take in some music while on Isle of Wight holidays this summer need to register their interest if they want to secure space to camp at the Isle of Wight Festival.

The event runs from June 22nd to 24th and organisers have called on those with young children who would prefer to stay in the Family Camping field to sign up beforehand.

"If you don't book in advance, then we will not be able to accommodate you," they warned on the festival's website.

Campervans and other vehicles cannot be brought on to the family camping fields, the statement continued.

This year's festival, which is being headlined by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Pearl Jam and Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, also sees the introduction of the new Respect camping field.

Those who opt to stay here must pledge to keep their camping pitch clean during their stay and behave in a friendly manner when around other festivalgoers sleeping in the campsite.

Posted by Carla Winter