Peter and the Wolf @ Tobacco Factory

I remember the timbre of oboe thanks to Peter and the Wolf. Sergei Prokofiev had the excellent idea to educate children to identify properly instruments such as oboe, clarinet, flute and bassoon by identifying them with the duck, cat, bird and Peter's grandfather in the story. He intended to cultivate the musical tastes in children from the first years of school and yet, it is an excellent piece of music for grown-ups. Now, every time I listen to the sound of the oboe, I see a duck. And every time I listen to the sound of the clarinet, I see a cat... It is that powerful what Prokofiev has done in me.

When I saw that there will be a live performance of storytelling about Peter and the Wolf and other "wild" musical tales, I got very excited. Storyteller Martin Maudsley will be performing a brand-new show that translates the enduring brilliance of Prokofiev's masterpiece into a thrilling interaction between classical music and spoken word storytelling. Even though the instruments will be different to the original ones, I am sure it will be a very beautifully performed imagery show called Little Wolf Gang. Eddy Jay will be playing the accordion, David Adams the bassoon and Fiona Barrow the violin.

Little Wolf Gang will be performed at the Tobacco Factory Theatre from 29th-31st January at 7.30pm (plus the 2.30pm matinee session on Saturday). Tickets are £9 (£7 concessions) and can be bought online on here.  

And if you don't want to go or tickets are sold out, you can always listen to Prokofiev's original version:

MORE INFORMATION

Tobacco Factory Website:
http://www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com/shows/detail/peter_and_the_wolf_and_other_wild_musical_tales/

Wild Storytelling

I just came back from Bristol Festival of Puppetry. Starting from today, 30th August, until 8th September, there is an opportunity to explore different worlds through a puppet's eyes in the Tobacco Factory. The programme includes good quality performances between 10-15 pounds (ask for a student discount!) even though some performances are free. 

The venue: The Tobacco Factory is the last remaining part of the old Wills Tobacco site on Southville, Bristol. It was saved from demolition by the architect and current mayor of the city, George Ferguson, and through his vision has become a model of urban regeneration. It is now a multi-use building which houses Teoh's restaurant, animation and performing art schools, loft-style apartments, a café bar, offices and a theatre.

As I am not an expert of puppetry, I selected one of the performances from the programme: Wild Storytelling with Martin Maudsley. Martin is a professional storyteller based in the South West of England. He tells stories in theatres, festivals, schools, village halls, pubs, tents and outdoors. Basically everywhere! His repertoire of stories consists of fresh re-tellings of traditional tales using poetry, music and songs. BLABLABLA. He will repeat the performances tomorrow and the day after (1st and 2nd September) from 12.30-1.30pm, and it's for free!

LINKS
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Bristol Festival of Puppetry: http://www.puppetplace.org/festival/
Tobbacco Factory: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobacco_Factory
Martin Maudsley: http://martinmaudsley.co.uk/

Beneath the sea

Recently, I have been in Blue Reef Aquarium. The weather was rainy, so we planned to go "under the sea" on a Saturday afternoon. I found a 20% discount voucher online which you can save £2 pounds with. However, there is a £1.5 booking fee for the online booking! So we obviously didn't use the voucher and paid £12 each for the ticket, with the student discount.

The aquarium is located very centric, right in the Harbourside, and it is opened daily from 10am to 5pm. We arrived there at 3pm and as it was not crowded, we had more than enough time to see all the fish there. 

In the aquarium you can find the Native Display, from the jellyfish display to giant North Sea Fish, the Bay of Rays, the Coral Display with loads of colorful fish, the Amazon Tank...

In the native display, species swim around sunken ships hull and you are able to observe them through a giant reinforced tunnel display window.

The Giant Pacific Octopus deserves a special mention. Its majestuous size left most of the visitors open-mouthed. The Enteroctopus Dofleini is a large cephalopod which can be found in the coastal North Pacific, usually at the depth of around 65m. Adults usually weight around 15kg, with an arm span of up to 4.3 m!! It is very impressive!

As well as the octopus, the Green Moray must have a special space in here too. His almost threatening look and movements made me had goose bumps. Bites of this kind of morays can be particularly dangerous due to its large size! 

As an overal opinion, I have to admit that I really liked the decoration of the aquarium. Most of the animals are kept in very big displays where they can swim freely. However, me and my friends agreed that, for example, electric eel's and giant octopus' displays look too small for the size of the species.

Anecdote of the day: the unexpected photo shoot the photo-team made of us. More than 20 pictures, in more than 10 different possitions! They should know that we are not cute enough to pay £12 for just one picture of ourselves.

INTERESTING LINKS
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Blue Reef Aquarium: http://www.bristolaquarium.co.uk/displays/giant-pacific-octopus/
Discount: http://www.smartsave.com/uk/bristol-aquarium
Giant Pacific Octopus: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enteroctopus_dofleini

Symphony of a thousand

So many memories. I was around 12 years old. I went to Bayonne with the choir in which I used to sing. It was the first time singing surrounded by a massive orquestra, 3-4 choirs, a powerful organ, 6-7 soloist singers... Everytime I hear the first notes of the symphony, I always have goose bumps.

VIDEO: Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by Georg Solti. 

This time, Colston Hall was the venue for Brunel Sinfonia to team up with choirs from across Bristol and Gloucestershire (Bristol Cabot Choir, Nailsea Choral Society, South Goucestershire Choral Group, Colstons Choral Society and the Red Maids' School) to perform Mahler's mighty 8th Symphony. 

Because it requires huge instrumental and vocal forces, the symphony is frequently called the "Symphony of a thousand", although the work is often performed with fewer than a thousand. 

Conductor Tom Gauterin made a great job in front of over 500 non-professional performers and the result: an excellent one-hour-and-a-half concert of my preferred symphony.

The structure of the work is unconventional: instead of the normal framework of several movements, the piece is in two parts. The power of the symphony is evident. Mahler, in renouncing the pessimism that had marked much of his music offered the Eighth as an expression of confidence in the eternal human spirit.

The performance tonight was great. This symphony is technically complex and performers did a very good job in an almost full venue. However, I still cannot get used to pseudo-elegant atmosphere where drinking beer while listening to classical music is the crop up in this country. Apparently here in the UK, it is very typical to get your beer and bring it inside the hall, which would be practically unthinkable in other places.

Laughter Therapy Session

It is a funny story how I came across the venue. One day, after taking some touristic pictures of Bristol Cathedral, a friend and I headed towards the Harbourside. I have done this road before, but I have never paid attention to the building at that corner behind the Central Library. Luckily, my friend did. RIPROAR, big orange letters over black background.

Apparently, they were closing. There were just a few lights on left. We moved closer, but we could see nothing to give us a hint of what was going on inside.

A couple of days later, I saw a voucher in KGBDeals with the same logo: RIPROAR, big orange letters over black background. 

If I hadn't seen that logo before, probably I wouldn't have clicked on the link. But I did. A comedy place. That's what RIPROAR was. And here we were, ready for our laughter therapy session.

As suggested in the voucher, we booked the tickets in advance. Tickets are £12, £20 meal-inclusive tickets. We paid £4.75 for each ticket with the voucher, thanks to KGBDeals.

The show was scheduled for 8.30pm but the dinner was served beforehead so we were at the venue around 7pm. There was already a queue to get the tickets and confirm the booking. We bought our meal tickets at that moment (£3) and went upstairs to our allocated table.

The venue has canteen-style tables and also stands at the back. Even from the table, you could see the show perfectly.

Our meal ticket included burger or lasagna with chips and salad, and vegetarian version of these were available as well. It was enough for me, but my friends were very hungry after. So, if you are a guy, I suggest you take 2 meal tickets each.

There is a bar next to the food but it closes during the show. As a reference, a pitcher of Carlsberg was £14 (5 pints). If you are a group, it is really worth it to get a jug as pints are £3.5 each.

At 8.30pm the show started. Geoff Norcott first, then Kevin Dewsbury and Sully O'Sullivan to finish. Shows were around 30 minutes, with little breaks in between to be able to refill our jugs. Three of them interacted very much with the audience. That's how we discovered that Charlie in the first row was not dating his ex girlfriend "yet" (as one of the friends shouted), a New Zealander guy serving in the navy was based in Scotland doing "nothing" and that "Tree House Designer" is actually a real job.

Me and my friends really enjoyed the night. Obviously, we haven´t been able to understand every single joke (except for my Australian friend) but we found it a very nice alternative plan for a Saturday night.

MORE INFO

http://www.riproarcomedy.co.uk

Not everyone can improvise

Bristol has always been one of the most leading cities of new and innovative projects. 

Starting 4th until 9th March, there is a celebration for the improvised comedy in The Bierkeller Theatre, a unique festival guaranteed to surprise everyone: 

The Bristol Improv Festival 2013

Today, 7th March, a friend and I decided to go to there and check what it was all about.

The show started a little later than expected. It was scheduled to start at 7.30pm but they announced that the show would not start until 8pm. The first group was simply amazing. Spontaneous combustion. 4 people (apparently they are 5 but one of them couln'd be there) who totally engaged the audience with their very particular style. When asked, "heavy" and "retirement house" were the two words audience selected to inspire and guided the four comedians, who interpreted a one-hour long exceptional show. 

"Last night in Bristol we learnt that in 1979: the lives of a shamed ventriloquist from Birmingham seeking a new life in London, an Irish-dancing Southern Belle striving to become an astronaut, a whale-watcher from Hull pondering the disappearance of her brother and a Neo-Nazi businessman sending subliminal messages to the young to vote for Thatcher (plus a potty-mouthed taxi driver and a NASA instructor with wandering hands) converged as David Bowie takes the stage in Hyde Park.... outrageous lies? Or were they True Confessions?"

Posted on Spontaneous Combustion's Facebook profile, 8th March.

After a short break, Bristol Improv Society was on stage with a medieval flavoured story. Kings, queens, wizards, curses and fights were the ingredients for a conventional story with a very original interpretation. Beyond all doubts, the funny storyteller dressed as "Robin Hood" was the best.

£6 for the ticket (concessions) in a very peculiar venue in the city centre, where I have never been before, but I will surely come back.

MORE INFO

Bierkeller Theatre: http://www.bierkellertheatre.com/

Spontaneous Combustion:  https://www.facebook.com/spontaneouscombustionimprov

Bristol Improv Society: http://www.bristolimprov.co.uk/

International Jazz and Blues Festival

Welcome March to the tune of Jazz and Blues!

Starting 1st March and for three days, the city of Bristol plays host to some of the world's most innovative jazz musicians. For a whole weekend, there will be 24 individual concerts and free late night jam session, being Colston Hall the main venue.

http://www.bristoljazzandbluesfest.com/

Tickets available for the festival:

• Weekend Festival Pass (very limited availability) £130
• Friday Evening Tickets £30
• Saturday Day Ticket £60
• Sunday Day Ticket £60

Individual concert tickets also available: See prices HERE

The festival includes performances of Ginger Baker's Jazz Confusion and the UK legend Chris Barber on Friday, guitarist John Scofield with his new project on Saturday evening and Cuban virtuoso Arturo Sandoval and his sextet on Sunday night.

The weekend will also bring over New Orleans official musical ambassador Lillian Boutté, funk maestro Pee Wee Ellis, local heroes Andy Sheppard and Get The Blessing, BBC radio stars Clare Teal and Alyn Shipton.

The bar in Colston Hall plays host music sessions which will kick off before and after the performances on each evening. Very good opportunity to enjoy the jazz and blues for free, protected from the cold weather.

PICTURE: The Zenn Hussies performing in the lounge on Friday.

Thanks to Groupon (Gotta love it!), we got 2 tickets for 8 pounds to see the performance from UK legend Chris Barber last evening. The actual price was around 25 pounds so it was an unrejectable deal, even though I was feeling a little bit under the weather.

A "young" 80-year-old Chris Barber welcomed everybody and introduced the big band he brought to Bristol, which made us travel to the very 30s. One hour and a half of very professional performance to convince the audience that 60 years of experience is not just a number. 

If you still haven't got any plans for the weekend, do not doubt: go grab a drink and enjoy at least the concerts in both Colston Hall bar or in Foyer for free. I am sure you will not regret it.

... life would be a mistake

Friedrich Nietzsche once said:

"Without music, life would be a mistake"

He was right. Music makes life worth living. I am not talking about short-time music. Not about the commercial music. Not the music we listen again and again in most of the radio stations. I am talking about long-term music, music that is being played throughout the years. And still makes a difference. Music that makes us fly, dream, get excited, cry... Definitely, music that reaches our hearts.

I just came from Colston Hall. A friend and I went to listen to the Polish National Radio Orchestra and we very much enjoyed it.

Opening Bernstein's Candide Overture was a playful piece probably all the audience delighted.

VIDEO: Bernstein himself conducting London Symphony Orchestra

Performed Penderecki's Chaconne, which I personally did not enjoy much, followed by the 2nd Piano Concerto by Shostakovich. Pianist Noriko Ogawa left all the audience open-mouthed with her brilliant performance, specially in the emotive Andante.

VIDEO: Dmitri Shostakovich's son and grandson, Maxim and Dmitri Jr., conducting and performing Andante.

However, the top of the bill was Mahler's 5th Symphony. Speachless. There are no words to describe how Mahler makes you feel. Instead, I post a video and you make up your own mind. 

VIDEO: Daniel Baremboim conducting Chicago Symphony Orchestra

So, here is my first post for the so-called "Classical Music", which for this case would be totally wrong because Mahler was a post-romantic composer.

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NOTE: If you are young, you have the opportunity to enjoy good music for a couple of pounds. Colston Hall offers 31£ tickets for just £8 (if you are under 18, you could have it for £1) and St. George Bristol also has special prices for students and jobseekers. Check the calendars in their websites and enjoy!

Colston Hall                    St. George's Bristol

Bristol Winter Cider Festival 2013

Bristol Winter Cider Festival 2013

If you live to Bristol, you should have already noticed that you are in the appropriate area to taste a wide variety of local ciders. And if you are crazy about cider, you shouldn't miss the opportunity to taste more than 100 different ciders and perries.

Bristol Winter Cider Festival, held in Bristol the 25th January 2013, has been a perfect Friday-Saturday whole-day plan. For just £1.5 each half pint, we have been able to taste 25 different types of good (and bad) cider.

I was happy to be able to convinced three friends to join me for this event. We arrived to the place around noon (our tickets provided access between 11am-4.30pm on Saturday), sat on a table and had fun marking the different ciders we were having. "Too sweet", "too sparkling", "ketchup taste", "this is like juice"... It was a funny competition to get the highest mark.

Good atmosphere, nice background live music (The Mangledwurzels) and a lot of fun were the right ingredients for a very good plan.

USEFUL INFORMATION

Tickets: £7 in advance, £8 on the door (TIP: I manage to find £3 tickets in Groupon, which is a very good price. You should check Groupon.co.uk very often to see if there are offers for this event or any other event in Bristol)

Place: The event takes place in a closed place next to Temple Meads Station called Brunels Old Station. (BS1 6QQH)  http://www.brunels-old-station.co.uk/

Drinks: £1.5/half pint

Food: there was also food available for purchasing, but we didn't have any so I can't say the price or the quality of it. For your information, people brought their own food inside the place and had their own breakfast/lunch feast there.

Website: http://www.clstickets.co.uk/cider-festivals/tickets/bristol-winter-cider-festival-friday.html