Fiona Jones, Author at Blackpool Social Club

19 Nov

Christmas; Fairs, Fayre and Fairy Lights

Fiona Jones0 CommentsLocal News, Visual Arts & Exhibitions

Christmas is absolutely my favourite time of year. Once I've overcome the shock of seeing card displays put up in the middle of our very British summer, the season makes me want tins of sweets in jewel-coloured foils, fairy lights and wreaths and to find those wonderful little touches that will make my family and friends feel appreciated. I love projects and handmade bits and bobs that you know have taken a little more effort to create. For the past three years I have kicked myself upon realising that the majority of those big makes would mean a novice crafter…

07 Oct

For the love of wisdom

Fiona Jones0 CommentsVisual Arts & Exhibitions

Philosophy is the act of questioning and exploring what might be considered as facts. It is therefore metaphilosophical that the question posed at September’s Philosophy Cafe was: ‘Philosophy; profound or pointless?’ I remind readers that this review is based on opinion and experience of what was a very different evening spent chatting to a group of strangers, all in the name of altBlackpool. The pedant in me wanted to ask all manner of stereotypical questions such as, ‘Were we even there at all?’ The Philosophy Cafe has been on my ‘to do’ list for a number of years. I imagined…

04 Sep

Dawn French – 30 Million Minutes

Fiona Jones0 CommentsTheatre, Dance & Performance

The name Dawn French is synonymous with rib achingly funny sketch comedy with shows such as the Vicar of Dibley, French and Saunders, Jam and Jerusalem and appearances on Comic Relief. I consider Dawn a big asset to British culture, a rock of a woman with small stature and blooming giant heart. Wednesday night was the first in Blackpool for Dawn French’s – 30 Million Minutes and it was an astounding piece of humbling art and performance and love. The title, 30 Million Minutes stands for the almost exact number of minutes French has been on this earth, now at…

31 Aug

Blackpool #SwitchOn14

Fiona Jones0 CommentsColumns & Opinion, Local News, Music & Gigs

This year's switch on events far superseded last year's lifeless flop. The Illuminations Switch On has long been an event which provides access to up and coming and well loved artists and entertainment to local residents and visitors . The switch on is not just a free concert, it is an opportunity for blackpool to welcome its visitors and customers to its shores for the upcoming months. It's like a rain dance of far away African tribes but it's not rain that we need dance for, we have plenty of the wet stuff, it's to welcome the public on their…

24 Jul

Peter Kay turns on over a million (lightbulbs)

Fiona Jones1 CommentLocal News, Music & Gigs

It’s that exciting time of year when we count down to holidays in number of sleeps, the kids are breaking up from school and we all should know better than to attempt to drive down the promenade during the day time. Summer is upon us and the unseasonably good weather brings with it the line up announcement for the switch-on of our 102nd year of the world famous Illuminations. It surely also brings nervous excitement in the hope that last year’s much criticised ‘celebrations’ will be forgotten. Visit Blackpool were pleased to announce that comedian, and Blackpool favourite, Peter Kay,…

03 Jul

Take a stroll down Avenue Q

Fiona Jones0 CommentsTheatre, Dance & Performance

Avenue Q is a highly celebrated show. It has three Tony awards and its brash, hilarious story kicked off on Broadway 12 years ago before coming to the West End in 2006 and finally landing on tour in Blackpool this summer. The arrival of Avenue Q is one to be celebrated. If the reception on opening night is anything to go by we can only hope that this, and other shows of it’s calibre, continue to grace our town and reignite our long time relationship with high quality entertainment. I approached the Grand Theatre walking through the north end of…

19 Jun

Lynne North book signing

Fiona Jones2 CommentsLocal News

altBlackpool strives to highlight the talent of it's homegrown artistic and cultural heroes, one such is Lynne North, a north west based author whose latest children’s book, Caution: Witch in Progress won the People’s book award for 2014. North’s latest story involves a troubled and misunderstood young witch who struggles to fit in as she looks, as we mere mortals might call, normal. I caught up with Lynne to find out more about the book and her writing. Fiona: How did you get into writing? Lynne: My aim in life has always been to write, and I have had a…

21 May

Lets have a BLAM! night out

Fiona Jones0 CommentsTheatre, Dance & Performance

BLAM! The mystery show that piqued many people’s interest and took over Twitter newsfeeds in the build up to its big announcement earlier this year has yet more exclusivity to offer us Blackpool residents. The show, on its only UK tour date this year is offering a special rate of £2.50 for residents under the grand age of 26 (sorry elders) in a bid to bring the fun and thrill of the theatre and arts to a younger audience. BLAM!, sold as a mix of Die Hard meets the Office, promises to have you hanging on to your seats in…

26 Mar

Blackpool Mayor asks us to fight for our rights!

Fiona Jones0 CommentsLocal News

What are you doing on 7 April? Why? I hear you ask. Well it’s a Tuesday evening; usually I would have my feet up, with a brew and a biscuit, reading or watching some rubbish on the telly. Monday 7 April, however, will be a little different. There’ll still be tea and coffee, a Hobnob or two, but instead of filling my mind with the latest CSI or reality TV show, I’ll be joining Blackpool’s mayor and others to chat about civil rights. Councillor Eddie Collett came into his prestigious role for 2013 – 2014 as the only mayor to memory that…

27 Jan

Album Launch: Kurtis Reid – Cold

Fiona JonesMusic & Gigs

It may be called Cold, but this new mini album from award-winning, local singer-songwriter has left me with a warm feeling on my walks to work this week. Two of the things I look for in music are, lyrics that I can empathise or relate to, and songs that I can play time and time again without getting sick of them. Cold achieves both of these and much more. From the first download on the eve of its release, Reid's work had me wailing along in earnest to all seven tracks. Cold is Reid’s first official release on iTunes and…