Blackpool Archives - Page 2 of 23 - Blackpool Social Club

15 Nov

The Beach House Festive Launch

Stephen Dunstan0 CommentsFood and DrinkBlackpool, Christmas, Food and Drink, The Beach House

Blackpool Social Club were thrilled to be able to attend The Beach House’s festive launch event on 13 November. There was a relaxed vibe and we were quickly made to feel very welcome by the fabulous Beach House staff. Everyone knows the headline colours of Christmas are red and white, so this Campari themed evening was decked in their seasonal colour scheme, which helped to set the scene. A range of Campari cocktails were available on arrival, each one a vivid expression of that unmistakable crimson charm. There were also some Campari inspired canapes, which were bite-sized samples of the…

14 Nov

Gig Review: Gwenno

Stephanie Cottle0 CommentsMusic & GigsBlackpool, bootleg social, gigs, Gwenno, Music

Stephanie Cottle arrived at Bootleg Social on the 8th of November expecting something special from a packed-out stage of electronic gear, wires and synthesizers. Having not previously listened to QUINQUIS, the warm-up act for the evening, I had no idea what to expect. If I did have something in mind however, it probably wouldn’t be what was delivered. The producer, who sings primarily in Breton, the Celtic language of her ancestors, provided a set of delicate yet potent electronics. The sounds QUINQUIS created were meditative, almost ritualistic. Her performance was shaped profoundly by place and language, as she explained to…

30 Oct

Theatre Review: Blithe Spirit

Stephanie Cottle0 CommentsTheatre, Dance & PerformanceBlackpool, grand theatre, Noel Coward, play

Stephanie Cottle saw Blithe Spirit summoned onto The Grand Theatre’s stage, where Noel Coward’s mischievous 1941 comedy about life, death and love from beyond the grave charmed its opening night audience. Written in just five days during the Second World War, Blithe Spirit first appeared at a time when the country was in grief. To write a comedy about death during wartime was undeniably bold. Director Anthony Banks acknowledges the play’s origins in his programme note and I agree, it still gives the piece its power. Still, it has to be mentioned some of the gender politics are distinctly pre-war.…

17 Oct

Theatre Review: Noel and Gertie

Linda Hampton0 CommentsTheatre, Dance & PerformanceBlackpool, grand theatre, Noel Coward, review

Noel and Gertie explores the lifelong friendship between Noel Coward and actress Gertrude Laurence in music, song and storytelling, in this devised entertainment by Sheridan Morley. Through stellar performances from Gary Tushaw (Coward) and Rebecca Trehearne (Laurence), who keep the energy going throughout this two-hour show, we discover the close and special relationship between these two iconic performers. For those of us looking back at Coward’s professional persona and his huge body of work, it might be hard to imagine what the man himself was really like. This show opens a door and invites the audience to step inside his life…

14 Oct

Hot Saké Jam Night Returns to Bootleg Social

Stephanie Cottle0 CommentsMusic & GigsBlackpool, bootleg social, jam, Music

No Rehearsals. No Setlists. Just Collaboration. There’s something magical happening in Blackpool’s music scene — and it’s not locked behind rehearsal room doors. It’s on the fly and in the moment, with artists stepping up to play together for the first time. It’s called Jam Night, and it’s the most musically collaborative thing to hit the town in donkeys. Set up by homegrown music production duo Hot Saké (Rhy Grooves and Liam Baugh) the mission is simple: shine a light on Blackpool’s local talent, bring people together and have a proper good time doing it. Since April, Hot Sake have…

03 Oct

Theatre Review: The Bodyguard

Stephen Dunstan0 CommentsGuide, Theatre, Dance & PerformanceBlackpool, musical, Theatre, Winter Gardens

For those of a certain age mention The Bodyguard and their mind will wander back to the early 1990s Warner Brothers romantic thriller, and in particular Whitney Houston’s cover of Dolly Parton’s I Will Always Love You, that featured on the soundtrack and spent ten weeks at number one. Since 2012 there has also been a stage musical, and a large audience was in the Winter Gardens Opera House on a damp November Monday evening for the opening night of the current run in Blackpool. They were treated to a polished and engaging feel-good performance with several standout musical highlights.…

27 Sep

BFI Film Academy back to support Young Filmmakers

Blackpool Social Club0 CommentsFilm, OpportunitiesBFI, Blackpool, Film, filmmaking, young people

Aunty Social is looking for 10 young people aged 16-19 from the Blackpool area to take part in the BFI Film Academy programme and kickstart their film careers. This autumn community arts organisation Aunty Social is helping to train and inspire the next generation of UK filmmakers and production crew. The British Film Institute’s Film Academy programme will start in October and is designed to support participants to develop the skills and industry knowledge needed to kickstart a successful career in the screen industries. This filmmaking opportunity helps young people to take a film from ‘script to screen’. From taking…

09 Sep

Local band, Kind Hearted Thieves to host fundraising gig at Bootleg Social

Louise Ashcroft0 CommentsGuide, Music & GigsBlackpool, bootleg social, FUNDRAISING, gig

Blackpool independent folk-rock band, Kind Hearted Thieves, have joined forces with chart-topping singer-songwriter Frank Turner on a powerful new single, “Sublime”, which is out now on all streaming platforms. More than just a song, Sublime marks the launch of a charitable GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for two local children to receive private autism assessments — helping them bypass the long NHS waiting lists, supporting them to access life-changing support sooner. This release is another example of Frank Turner's and Kind Hearted Thieves’ commitment to using music for good — combining emotional storytelling, grassroots activism, and a genuine DIY spirit.…

27 Aug

Theatre Review: The Addams Family

Stephen Dunstan0 CommentsGuide, Theatre, Dance & PerformanceBlackpool, review, Theatre, Winter Gardens

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=""] It was a night of contrasts in central Blackpool tonight. As a curtain raiser for the Illuminations brightly lit bikes were taking over the Promenade for Ride The Lights, meanwhile the dark line in humour of The Addams Family started a five day run at the Winter Gardens. The Addams Family has a heritage over 60 years strong including several TV series and four films. Most recently the Wednesday spin off has brought the characters to a new young audience. The current run of the musical lives up to this stellar ancestry with an illustrious line-up. Alexandra Burke…

21 Aug

Poetry Performance Workshops with The Old Electric

Louise Ashcroft0 CommentsLiterature & Spoken WordBlackpool, poetry, Spoken Word, the old electric, workshop

In the lead up to her upcoming workshops, local performer Liz Wilkinson shares her thoughts with us about performing poetry and how this can differ from character work in plays or singing, via her blog:- Speak the speech... trippingly on the tongue Reading your poetry aloud before an audience is terrifying. Poetry is unique in its ability to show the vulnerability of the author. In an art form where every line matters there is no space for spare words, no flannel, no obfuscation. Every single word signals your emotions and when you are brave enough to stand alone and share…