Issue 67 Mar2017 FREE Lamb & Flag The Tything, Worcester, WR1 1JL Fantastic Food, Superior Craft Ales Cocktails & Exceptional Guinness... Folk Music, Poetry Conkers! Local Cider, Backgammon, Tradition We Have It All!! Fresh, Homemade, Authentic Italian Cuisine Thurs - Sun Cocktail Master Class! Open 7 Days - Parties & Functions Catered For [email protected] Tel: 01905 729415 www.twocraftybrewers.co.uk Well February shot by in the blink of an eye and here we are again! Welcome to the March edition of Slap. I was hoping to say ‘Spring is in the air’ but I’ve just seen the weather forecast and it’s far from Spring-like. It really feels like it’s been a long winter of discontent with news of more venue closures almost weekly. The latest to go at the end of February was the Pig and Drum in Worcester which has been prominent on the local music seen for a few years now. Thanks to the efforts of landlady Rachel Cale bands from out of town loved playing there. We don’t yet know the long term fate of the Boar’s Mar 2017 Head in Kidderminster since Sid & Sandra announced they’re moving on in the summer, But I don’t think it’ll be the last to go. With business rates rises due very soon and so many people feeling the pinch, these places are really suffering. There are SLAP MAGAZINE rumours of other venues around the counties who may also be Unit 3a, Lowesmoor Wharf, shutting their doors soon. And It’s not just the music scene that Worcester WR1 2RS suffers either, many of these spaces are now multi functional art Telephone: 01905 26660 spaces as well as platforms for comedy, spoken word and poetry. [email protected] On a more positive note, The Paul Pry re-opened its doors under new the ownership of brewer Alex Pope and family. which has For advertising enquiries, please contact: the potential of being a great little venue. We at Slap wish them all [email protected] the best for a long and prosperous future. EDITORIAL Mark Hogan - Editor On another positive note, Slap were proud to sponsor the Kate Cox - Arts editor second of the UnCover promotion nights on Thursday. A big thank Emily Branson - Sub Editor you to Five Days North, Ivory Wave, Nth Cave & Ben Dallow for Anna Donaldson - Sub Editor treating us to a top night of Indie tunes in Worcester. We are CONTRIBUTORS Andy O’Hare looking forward to a more electronic theme at the next one on Will Munn the 30th March with April Towers from Nottingham and more Graham Munn to be confirmed. Please support this along with all local events... Samantha Daly Whilst we’re looking to the future, we bring you all the latest Sarah Ganderton Rosie Hamilton news and line-up announcements of some of the many local Josie Hoskins festivals, so we can all start to plan and look forward to an exciting Geoffrey Head summer ahead... Excite-Ed Emily Branson Trevor Price Rita Dabrowicz Dee Caitlin Nicola Bates Jason Kernohan Omar Majeed Neil Hopwood Stephen Wilson Ali Baxter Heidi Murphy Halen Large Minky Cuadra Paul White Anna Donaldson Cozza Hadfielf Chris Murphy Suz Winspear Kate Cox Justin Hughes Design Mark Hogan Web & Social Media Ant Robbins @slapmagoffical ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Reproduction in whole or part prohibited without permission. Artwork, prints or any pictorial media for this publication are sent at owners risk and whilst every care is taken, neither Slap Magazine or its agents accept liability for loss or damage. DISCLAIMER Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that adverts and articles appear correctly, Slap Magazine cannot accept responsibility for any loss or damage caused directly or indirectly by the contents of this publication. The views expressed in this Front cover Photography by Andy Burton Front Cover Image: The Fidgets by Josh Foster magazine are not necessarily those of its publisher or editor. ‘Gin Lane’ Worcester Victorian Fair www.joshfphoto.com SLAP MARCH 3 NEWS Shhhh! The Future is Orange Prize Plums! The annual Pershore Plum Festival is again scheduled to take If you're passing through Droitwich soon, why not pick up a free place from July with the coronation of the Plum Princess, to the orange bookmark from the library, heritage centre, shops etc? end of August of and the fabled Plum Fayre - amazingly the award- They're printed with the dates and details of this year's Droitwich winning event dates back to at least 1920 and organisers are Spa ArtFest which runs for three weekends from Sat 15 July to calling on residents and newcomers to get involved with this Sat 5 August- there's a different take to each weekend with music year's celebrations of all fruits of the subgenus Prunus - being the focus of the first - poetry, literature and theatre the pershoreplumfestival.org.uk for more info... second - and there'll be a variety of events for the final weekend on the theme 'Droitwich in Pictures' - sounds interesting! Ferst of Festival Feeder Joining previously-announced Alabama 3 and Seth Lakeman Back on Parade on the main stage at this year's Lakefest will be Welsh rockers The team behind this year's Worcester Carnival are said to be Feeder, Irish folk/world outfit Kila - and the legend that is Dr 'hugely excited' about plans for this year's event after the 2016 Feelgood founder Wilko Johnson! Lakefest takes place at Eastnor no-show. This year's event on Sat 1 July aims to include a 'parade Deer Park from 10-14 Aug - tickets and info at lakefest.co.uk village', funfair and fireworks - and the hunt has begun for this year's carnival King and Queen - more info at worcester- Brand in Court... carnival.co.uk The Courtyard in Hereford has announced that comedian Jo Brand will be performing there on Wed 24 May in support of the ‘One World in our Park’ theatre itself and Leominster-based charity Megan Baker House, Friends of Fort Royal Park and Commandery Gardens in as she's a patron of both bodies. The QI, Live At The Apollo and Worcester are celebrating after receiving an £8000 Big Lottery HIGNFY funster will do two performances on the night at 6.30pm grant towards holding a family-friendly 'One World In Our Park' and 8.30pm - details at courtyard.org.uk festival to celebrate and share diverse cultures - it's hoped to take part under the Worcester Festival umbrella towards the end of Keepin’ it Surreal August - watch this space... Nozstock: The Hidden Valley is again quietly proud at winning awards for sustainability and innovative access from Attitude Is Everything. Nozstock was also shortlisted in more categories Buzz about Wychwood than any other event in the 2016 UK Festival Awards - this year's Plenty of festival announcements over the last few weeks with event takes place from 21-23 July with the theme 'Keepin' It Wychwood confirmingBilly Bragg and Buzzcocks for the Friday Surreal' and headliners include Seasick Steve, Happy Mondays main stage, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark for the Saturday and of course The Stiff Joints!! and The Levellers headlining on the Sunday night - plus others still to be announced - Wychwood takes place on Cheltenham Racecourse from 2-4 June! Oops! Slightly belated apologies to Capital and Lost Boy Scout stalwart Anthony Rooney who joined Squeeze frontman Glenn Top Prize for Local Talent Tillbrook on stage at the Huntingdon Hall in Worcester back in Congratulations to Sam Clines from Crowle near Worcester for November for a joint rendition of 'Take me I'm Yours' - we freely 'beating' 10,000 other performers to win the Open Mic UK talent admit confusing him with Martin Rooney who's apparently a UK competition at the NEC in Birmingham. Sam's prize includes studio 400m runner - but Rooney's reliably assured us that he's never time, a music video and promotion from a professional PR run that far in his life before - oh well could have been worse... company - previous winners include the Brit and Grammy- nominated Birdy... Farewell to a Young Dude Mott the Hoople founding member Pete Overend Watts has died aged 69. The bassist played on songs including Roll Away The Pro-ject Ministry Stone and the group's best known hit All The Young Dudes, written Worcester DJ Jay Newman is celebrating after being signed to and produced by David Bowie. Watts, who lived just outside Ross- Ministry Of Sound as a worldwide touring resident DJ. Jay's best on-Wye also ran a large retro store in Hereford, selling specialist known locally for running the Worcester Warehouse Pro-ject clothing, unusual antiquities, instruments and rare music and and has played all across Europe from Ibiza Rocks to Budapest wrote a book, The Man Who Hated Walking, which was published and says that he's 'super excited as this new role can take me in 2013. Morgan Fisher, a former Mot the Hoople bandmate, anywhere in the world' - make sure you send us a postcard mate! posted a tribute on Facebook to Watts's "bravery, honesty, generosity, open heart and still-devastatingly witty humour during Peace - Respect! his last days". Fair play to Harry Koisser, frontman of local original indie- Calling all musicians... rockers Peace for appearing in BBC's Inside Out programme and talking about the steps they take to support and protect fans from Worcester Music Festival artists application process is now OPEN. sexual assault at gigs - with vigilance towards such attacks the If you would like to take part in this year's festival which takes focus of their security briefing before events.