Claire Griffiths, Author at Blackpool Social Club

31 Oct

Clockwork Events with DJ Oli Frances

Last Saturday I attended The Clockwork Event at Scrooges Bar, Blackpool. I caught up with organisers to find out more about what they have to offer. Q: Tell us a little bit about you and what your new night is all about. a: I'm a 24 year old DJ/producer from Blackpool, signed to numerous labels around Europe and recently signed by an artist management team. My new project, Clockwork Events, was created so a group of my mates could host parties on a monthly basis around the UK. With more nights planned in Blackpool and Leeds for the rest of 2013.…

24 Oct

Out of His Skin – 2Faced Dance at Blackpool Grand Theatre

Claire Griffiths0 CommentsTheatre, Dance & Performance

The award-winning Edinburgh Fringe Festival sell out, 2Faced Dance Company, arrived at Blackpool's Grand Theatre on Tuesday 22nd October. Choreographed by artistic director Tamsin Fitzgerald, the dance production takes its influence from free running and parkour. Parkour (if you didn't know) is an extreme and holistic practise. Using body movement and the urban environment, the sport propels the practitioners whilst maintaining as much momentum as is possible in a safe manner. Parkour can include running, climbing, swinging, vaulting, jumping, rolling, quadrupedal movement, and the like, depending on what movement is deemed most suitable for the given situation. It's a sport that sees the participants jumping from tall…

21 Oct

Review: Cabaret at The Blackpool Opera House

Claire Griffiths1 CommentTheatre, Dance & Performance

On Thursday, I shimmered my way to The Opera House to watch Rufus Norris’s version of the popular theatrical production and film, Cabaret. Norris a multi-award winning theatre and opera director, whose debut feature film, Broken, opened the prestigious Cannes film festival in 2012. Exciting stuff. This adaptation stems from the 1966 Broadway musical, by Kander and Ebb, which was based on the novel The Berlin Stories (1939) by Christopher Isherwood and the 1951 play I Am a Camera. Who knows what to expect when going to the theatre or seeing a musical? I do love musicals and Will Young too.…

04 Oct

James and The Giant Peach at The Grand Theatre

Claire Griffiths0 CommentsTheatre, Dance & Performance

Arriving tentatively and wondering if the two aunts from the famous book of James and The Giant Peach would be as fearsome as the book portrays or as evil as The Tim Burton film illustrates, my two nephews and I settled down to enjoy The Roald Dahl favourite. The Birmingham Stage Company, following its acclaimed productions of George's Marvellous Medicine, Horrible Histories and The Jungle Book, lit up the theatre with their take on the children's classic with amazing sets and lots of invitations for interaction from the audience. Our introduction to the production was from a larger than life American…

19 Sep

Getting Delightful with Dotty at her new Emporium.

Claire Griffiths0 CommentsVisual Arts & Exhibitions

Famous for her vintage fairs and bringing together super bespoke "rooty tootinness" to Blackpool. I caught up with Dotty Delightful in her new abode to discuss her latest incarnation. Claire: Tell us all about your new venture, where the idea came from and where you are based? Dotty: Our new and different shopping centre is at 277 Church street, Whitegate Drive end, on the ground floor is Eclectic, selling all sorts of furniture from different era's and different styles, items for the home, collectables and antiques. Claire: What delights can we expect on our arrival? I believe there are a…

11 Sep

Roller Derby Taster Session September 2013

Claire Griffiths0 CommentsSports & Wellbeing

Last Sunday I nipped down to Blackpool Sports Centre to have a look at Blackpool Roller Derby League which was holding a roller derby taster session as part of Blackpool Sports Centre's open day. Roller derby is a fast-paced, full contact sport played on roller skates. As a league they currently have 50 members and are working towards having two bouting teams. There is a men's team (Blackpool Tower Rangers) and a woman's team (Blackpool Roller Coasters) and they are looking for men and women who are over 18 and think they have what it takes to be part of…

30 Aug

North Pier’s BIG One Five ‘0’

Claire Griffiths0 CommentsHeritage

altblackpool catches up with Frances Mort, organiser of the huge celebration for North Pier's 150th birthday, which brought some cool people to a cool setting on a very hot day. Fran, for those of us who don't know, tell us what THE BIG one five '0' was, when it happened and the inspiration behind it? THE BIG one five '0' was the 150th anniversary of the North Pier. After talking to Renee (director of North Pier) last year, I thought it would be a good idea to have a fashion show, having always dealt with vintage and retro clothes, buying and selling and spotting classic pieces. To show my passion for…

26 Aug

Introducing Walk Clothing

Claire Griffiths0 CommentsLocal News

There is a new boy in town, setting up against all those girlie boutique clothes resellers. But how do you distinguish the 'cool' from the merely recycled? Vintage and retro are somewhat overused words and ideas of style. When did we all start wanting those quintessential rare pieces of clothing that never go out of style and are timeless? Where do we go for these magical items of rare clothing? Well, as a girl it's pretty easy because most of the high street shops now regurgitate those classic items that perhaps the old skoolers (yes, that's what I will call…

23 Aug

Preview: Cowbell Radio Carnival

Claire Griffiths0 CommentsMusic & Gigs

I caught up with Mark "Chinny" Davis one of the team behind Cowbell Radio and the forthcoming event at Blackpool Cricket Club for the low down on the BIG event Cowbell Carnival to find out what the day is going to be all about. Claire: So it's the 2nd year for The Cowbell Carnival - how are you and the Cowbell staff feeling as the date approaches? Everyone is obviously excited this year as its turned into a big event. Last year was based around the residents but this year we have a stellar line up of guests as well…

21 Aug

Summer Soiree at North Pier

Claire Griffiths0 CommentsMusic & Gigs

Claire chats to Les, organiser of The Summer Soiree... Claire: Tell us about The Soiree its history and where the idea came from. Les: The Soiree's inception came about in the wake of the debriefing of our 2011 Blackpool Winter Ball event. Christmas events in Blackpool of this magnitude are just not in demand anymore. Times had changed dramatically over the past five years with music tastes, fashion and culture so we went back to the drawing board and discussed what it is that people (like ourselves) wanted in this town. We knew there was a market for the House,…