Claire Griffiths, Author at Blackpool Social Club

11 Jun

Review: Breakin’ Convention

Claire Griffiths0 CommentsTheatre, Dance & Performance

Last Wednesday, the Grand Theatre played host to a hip hop and breakdance extravaganza by the touring hip hop theatre, Breakin' Convention. Based in Sadlers Wells, it tours the country celebrating and promoting hip-hop dance theatre. Lead by Jonzi D, the company has worked with a number of respected inspirational artists since 2004. Breakin' Convention is a world-renowned international festival providing professional development, youth projects and educational programmes. Alongside performances from local crews: FY Westcoast, Urban Dance Project, Scream Theatre School and The Freefly Crew, Breakin’ Convention featured Olivier Award-nominated ILL-Abilities, an international B-Boy company that challenges the misconceptions about people with disabilities, Ukweli Roach (UK), with an…

02 Jun

Alfresco – from a different angle

Claire Griffiths0 CommentsVisual Arts & Exhibitions

Sunday 25 May, I was really happy to attend the ever-expanding Cowbell Radio's Alfresco. This festival is now a regular event in Blackpool, based at Blackpool Cricket Club and getting bigger and better every year. I have spent quite a bit of time photographing the event in previous years, but this year I wanted to take some images from a more alternative angle, from the visual artist's view point. There are always loads of amazing musical artists on at Alfresco. This year's line up included favourites: Government, Mr Scruff, A Certain Ratio, Andrew Weatherall, Section 25, Chris Duckenfield and 2…

23 May

Review: Beat Generation at Blackpool Cricket Club

Claire Griffiths0 CommentsMusic & Gigs

Last Saturday I shuffled down to Blackpool Cricket Club to take advantage of a cheap bar and watch the live version of the extremely popular local Cowbell Radio Show - Beat Generation. The radio show is hosted by Norman and Gaz who have one of the leading shows on Cowbell and engage a huge audience through their love of all things Mod. Their energy and commitment has witnessed them popping up in a variety of venues to the delight of new and seasoned audiences. Their most recent event also celebrated Gaz's Birthday. It's great to see the Cricket Club continually attracting…

23 May

The apple of your eye: Cowbell Radio’s new app

Claire Griffiths0 CommentsLocal News

If you didn't know already about Blackpool's very own radio station or if you haven't had the chance to listen don't fret. Cowbell Radio have made it even easier with their new app. There are loads of ways to listen now; through their website or through Tune In, but surely the easiest way, especially if you are an iPhone or iPad user, is simply to add the application through the iTunes store. This means no more messing around trying to find links etc. Simply click on the link and ta dah! There you have it. Everything you could possibly want…

22 May

Blackpool Third Year Photography Print Auction

Claire Griffiths0 CommentsVisual Arts & Exhibitions

Most creative students in their final year have to find a way to support their final shows costs. This year, the third year photography students at Blackpool and the Fylde College are hosting a print auction, launched on 15 May via Ebay in order to raise the funds. They will be auctioning images that have been donated by industry professionals such as Chris Clor, Simon Roberts, Peter Defty, AJ Wilkinson, Martyn Peirson, Christopher Bethall, Len Grant, Si Barber and many more. This is a wonderful opportunity to own great works by established photographers. You could win a unique collector's piece.…

20 May

Preview: Alfresco 2014

Claire Griffiths0 CommentsMusic & Gigs

This Sunday, at Blackpool Cricket Club, Cowbell Radio hosts its very successful and regular local festival; Alfresco. This year the event promises a host of unique musical and theatrical acts. Alfresco brands itself as extremely family friendly so if you are a parent who is a music fan, this could be right up your street. There are plenty of activities aimed at children in a grassy area which is fenced off and very safe. Children's entertainment includes: Aunty Social - crafts and face painting, Yappers Chappers Designs, Bootique Illustration, Dotty Delightful, Kats Whiskers, Sarah Hicks, Jacqueline Elizabeth Designs, and Owl…

15 May

Preview: Beat Generation at Blackpool Cricket Club

Claire Griffiths0 CommentsMusic & Gigs

This Saturday Blackpool Cricket Club is hosting Beat Generation. The weekly radio show is awesome and has loads of attention. Norman and Gaz, the hosts, told me more of what to expect of the night: Tell me more about this Saturday night and who you guys are. We are Norman Haslam and Gaz Heckman. We run the Beat Generation Radio Show on Cowbell Radio every Tuesday. You can catch us from 7pm till 9.30pm. We play Mod, Ska, Soul, Funk, Northern Soul, 60s, 2 Tone, Indie and 21st Century Mod. We encourage lots of interactive live banter with listeners who comment and ask for requests on…

14 May

Yappers Chappers hosts fashion shoot

Claire Griffiths0 CommentsVisual Arts & Exhibitions

Last week I joined a number of local entrepreneurs to photograph and help stage a fashion shoot which had been created to inspire, promote and bring together a number of like minded individuals. We began in Susie Q's Photography Studio based just outside of Preston and ended up on an amazing location shoot at Beacon Hill Forest. The person behind the organisation was Danielle Chapelle of Yappers Chappers Designs. I caught up with her to find out more: Tell me about Yappers Chappers Designs and your latest project. Yappers Chappers Designs is a Lancashire-based business that creates unique, handmade nickel-free jewellery, made by me, Danielle Chappell.…

13 May

The Waste Makers at Breakin’ Convention

Claire Griffiths0 CommentsTheatre, Dance & Performance

I met up with The Waste Makers who are working on a commission as part of the Left Coast and Breakin' Convention event at The Grand Theatre in Blackpool. I wanted to find out more about what The Waste Makers represent and who they are: Tell me about The Waste Makers. It's an experimental response to throw away culture where objects become void of function or use, but one man's trash becomes another man's treasure with new meaning and purpose. The experimentation with this lies in the cross collaboration of contemporary dance, street and break dance and visual arts. Where did…

12 May

Las Kellies Review with 7″ Bliss with Cowbell Radio.

Claire Griffiths0 CommentsMusic & Gigs

Last Saturday I attended Blackpool Cricket Club, courtesy of Cowbell Radio, to watch and photograph Las Kellies. The night itself was 7" of Bliss with DJs Chinny, AP Moran and Percy. Blackpool was lucky to guest Las Kellies as they started their European tour. The evening was billed as Funk meets Punk and supported by local band, The Blue Waves. Las Kellies formed in 2005 and originate from Buenos Aires. The album, Kellies, released by Fire Records and mixed by Dennis Bovell (see The Slits, Madness, Fela Kuti), encapsulates Las Kellies, mixing catchy garage sounds with dub and post-punk that…