The Firestation Windsor

Firestation Arts Centre, Windsor Ribbon Cutting

The New Firestation Arts Centre in Windsor is now open – and ADPONTES was there to help celebrate the cutting of the ribbon.

Using the captivating space of the former Victorian Fire Station the centre will host a range of events in its first exciting season. The comedienne Arabella Weir will bring her witty and insightful show to the venue on Saturday 4th October [£12 adv booking] and will be an unmissable ‘night out with the girls’. The new space is also privileged to be chosen to host the Cambodian festival sensation Dengue Fever on Fri 21st November [£9 adv booking.] This critically acclaimed and entertaining group will be performing in Windsor prior to headlining at the ICA London. This is a night not to be missed. The Firestation will also be home to cinema, theatre, dance and all kinds of other artistic events. Staines and AdPontes readers are sure to support this venue. We wish the Firestation our best wishes for a great future.

Links:

Firestation Arts Centre
St Leonards Road
Windsor
SL4 3BL

http://www.firestationartscentre.com/

5 Things- This Week in Staines

1.

Travel to ‘Havana’ in Woking

Havana Rakatan - Woking

Havana Rakatan, Woking Theatre Tue May 13-Sat May 17 2008


A dazzling dance spectacular direct from Cuba
Havana Rakatan – Tuesday 13 – Saturday 17 May 2008 New Victoria Theatre, Woking

Direct from a sell-out run last summer in the West End, Havana Rakatan is now bringing all the heat of a Cuban summer to Woking. From the sexy, spontaneous rumba to the slick footwork of the cha-cha-cha, this is a show that’s guaranteed to get head’s nodding and feet-tapping. Featuring one of Cuba’s most popular bands live on stage, this is a captivating and colourful journey through the dance and music of a truly unique country.

Box Office: 0870 060 6645

2.

Go into the Enchanted Woods at Sunbury

Into the Woods


Into the Woods- Riverside Arts Centre, Sunbury, 14th – 17th May £8

A Musical by Stephen Sondheim

Riverside Youth Theatre
14th-17th May 2008
Riverside Arts Centre

Into the Woods is an award-winning musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine. It debuted in San Diego at the Old Globe Theatre in 1986, and premiered on Broadway in 1987. Bernadette Peters’ performance as the Witch, and Joanna Gleason’s portrayal of the Baker’s Wife, brought acclaim to the production during its original Broadway run.

Inspired by Bruno Bettelheim’s 1976 book, The Uses of Enchantment, the musical intertwines the plots of several Brothers Grimm fairy tales and follows them further to explore the consequences of the characters’ wishes and quests. The main characters are taken from the stories of Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, and Cinderella, tied together by an original story involving a Baker and his wife and their quest to begin a family, and including references to several other well-known tales.

A revival at the Royal Opera House’s Linbury Studio in Covent Garden (with Clive Rowe) had a limited run from June 14 – June 30 2007. This is the second Sondheim musical to be staged by the company, following 2003′s Sweeney Todd.

This performance is brought to you by the Riverside Youth Theatre at Riverside Arts Centre, Sunbury-on-Thames
Wednesday 14th to Saturday 17th May 2008 at 8pm Tickets £8
Box Office: 01932 779686

Riverside Arts Cente
Sunbury-on-Thames
59 Thames Street
Sunbury

links:

http://www.riversidearts.co.uk/

http://www.sondheimguide.com/woods.html


3.

Go to chuckle at Walton- Comedy Night

Rob Deering at Walton

Comedy at Walton, Rob Deering & Co, Riverhouse Barn, Fri 16th May 8PM

Comedy at Riverhouse Barn
Gallery Studio
Manor Road, Walton-on-Thames KT122PF

Box Office 01932 253354

Local lad Rob Deering has been described as one of the leading stand-ups of his generation [Time Out] working since 2000 and a favourite at the Edinburgh Festival since 2003. Rob is famous for his ‘classic rock’ based routine and observational humour seen from a 30′s something perspective.

At the mike:

Rob Deering, Dan Atkinson & Kevin Bridges
Friday 16th May 8pm

also, note your diary for 20th June…

John Gordillo, Noel Britten & Steve Williams
Friday 20th June 8pm

http://www.riverhousebarn.co.uk/

4.

Go to see the Fourmustgetbeers Playing at Slough

The Fourmustgetbeers at Slough

The Fourmustgetbeers- Sat 17 May Rising Sun, Slough 2008

The Fourmusgetbeers are establishing themselves as one of the best bands on the pub scene around the West London area. After a number of personnel changes the line up now consists of, Mitch, vocals/guitar, and Paul bass/vocals, Andy lead guitar, Dave drums, and featuring Oded keyboards. The boys play covers covering four decades, classic rock to punk ,funk and always the unexpected songs that make you go (I know this one! What the hell is it called?) They play for fun and have fun playing, which reflects in their superb live performances.

If you like The Rolling Stones, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Thin Lizzy, Van Halen, Whitesnake, The Clash, The Who, Jimi Hendrix, ACDC, ZZ Top, Ozzy, Black Label Society and lots of BEER you should love this!

http://www.myspace.com/thefourmusgetbeers


5.

Listen to the Sound of Youth

Camberley Youth Orchestra

16 & 17 May 2008 at 7:30 pm Camberley Theatre, Knoll Road, Camberley

Camberley Youth Wind Orchestra

Date: 16 May 2008 – 17 May 2008
Starts at: 19:30
This event will be held at: Camberley Theatre, Knoll Road, Camberley, Surrey GU15 3SY

Friday 16th May – In Support of The Rotary Club of Camberley – 7.30pm
Saturday 17th May – Celebrating 25 Years of Making Music – 7.30pm

Come and enjoy these talented young musicians play a variety of music – Big Band Style!

Please note: Tickets cannot be booked through the normal Box Office, only by calling Mike Wells on 01276 506788

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Get Your Tickets for Beck Theatre, Hayes



The Beck Theatre
Grange Road
Hayes
Middlesex
UB3 2UE

5 Things- This Week in Staines


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1.

Go to the Hobgoblin, Staines and see Kill The Baddies

Kill The Baddies at Staines

Kill The Baddies at The Hob, Staines Sunday Jan 27 2008 7:00PM £2

Kill The Baddies formed in 2006 to fight evil and corruption with the power of ROCK! Formerly “And A Thousand Elephants”, KTB have a breadth of experience playing live shows all over London and the South-East of England whilst based in Surrey. Kill The Baddies have just finished their 5 track CD, “Who Is This Girl?”. This year Kill The Baddies were invited to play at Guilfest, which turned out to be an absolutely storming show.

Roj – Vocals

Mikey – Guitar and Backing Vocals

Joe – Bass

Will – Lead Guitar

Jody – Drums

http://www.myspace.com/killthebaddiesmusic

The Hobgoblin Pub
Staines, Middlesex UK

2.

Go to see Avenged Sevenfold – London Tickets

Avenged Sevenfold - only LONDON gig- tickets still available


Avenged Sevenfold at Carling Brixton Academy THU 24-JAN-08 DOORS 19:00

LIVE NATION PRESENTS
AVENGED SEVENFOLD
AT
CARLING ACADEMY BRIXTON
U14S WITH ADULT IN CIRCLE
THU 24-JAN-08 DOORS 19:00

STANDING DOWNSTAIRS
£17.50

UNRESERVED SEATING/REAR STANDING
£17.50

As musicians, the members of Avenged Sevenfold (A7X) are definite virtuosos in a time when being accomplished artists seemingly means so little. They are inquisitive and never fully satisfied with their own work. They seek to grow and improve every day, regardless of the obstacles or costs involved.

They are a rock band. They are rock stars. They are Avenged Sevenfold.

Click here for tickets- few still remaining !

http://www.myspace.com/avengedsevefold

3.

Go see Sweeney Todd at Vue Cinema Staines

Sweeney Todd at VUE cinema Staines

Sweeney Todd at Vue Staines Thursday 24th Jan 2008 Cert 18

Victorian England is the setting for this harrowing melodrama. Benjamin Barker is living a simple life as a barber with his wife Lucy and his daughter Johanna when the lust of a judge throws all of their lives into chaos. The judge has Benjamin Barker deported to Australia, and it is many years later that he returns to England, under the pseudonym Sweeney Todd with revenge on his heart. He wishes to reclaim his family and punish the judge and the society who destroyed it. With the help of Mrs. Lovett a pie shop owner who had known Sweeney and his family all of those years ago, Sweeney goes about seeking vengeance and reaping the benefits of that bloody journey.

Director: Tim Burton
Cast: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall, Sacha Baron Cohen, Anthony Head

Thursday 24th January 14:50 17:40 20:30
cert: 18.No-one younger than 18 may see an ‘18’ film in a cinema. running time: 116 mins

Vue Cinema, Two Rivers, Staines

4.

Go see the work of Allen Jones – Pop Artist

Allen Jones at the TATE

The Allen Jones display- TATE BRITAIN until 10th Feb 2008 – FREE ENTRY

Allen Jones

To celebrate his 70th birthday Tate Britain is presenting a display of Allen Jones’s paintings which sets his most recent multi-part canvases against some of his early 1960s work.

Like other Pop artists of his generation, Jones drew upon popular culture for his imagery. He is best known for controversial depictions of female figures based on the style of 1940s and 1950s fetish magazines. There is also an important technical
side to his work, much of which has been in opposition to the formalist doctrine of abstract painting. His work has become increasingly complex in terms of the space he creates and, since the 1980s, paintings of parties, performers and the theatre
even suggest a narrative. This is especially clear in his latest, multi-part works which are on display until 10 February 2008.

Free Entry – Tate Britain

Millbank
London SW1P 4RG

From Staines by rail to Vauxhall (850 metres approx.) and Victoria

Sponsored by BP British Art Displays Part of the BP British Art Displays 1500-2007

5.

Go to see The 39 Steps at Richmond Theatre

The 39 Steps at RICHMOND theatre

The 39 Steps Richmond Theatre Tue 22 Jan to Sat 26 Jan 2008

The 39 Steps
Richmond Theatre

Adapted by Patrick Barlow
From an original concept by Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon. Directed by Maria Aitken.

Literally nothing has been cut from this hilarious and exciting version of Britain’s most spell-binding thriller with four actors playing a minimum of one hundred and thirty nine roles. Legendary scenes include ‘The Chase on the Flying Scotsman’,
‘The rather provocative ‘bedroom’ sequence’ and the death-defying (or nearly!)‘Finale at the London Palladium!’

Performances:

Tue 22 Jan: 7:45pm
Wed 23 Jan: 2:30pm, 7:45pm
Thu 24 Jan: 7:45pm
Fri 25 Jan: 7:45pm
Sat 26 Jan: 2:30pm, 7:45pm

Box Office: 0870 060 6651

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ADPONTES-STAINES.COM

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5 Things- This Week in Staines

ADPONTES-STAINES
5 THINGS TO DO THIS WEEK

AdPontes-Staines.Com Staines Arts & Lifestyle Magazine

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1.

Go to the Hobgoblin, Staines and see Page not Found

Page Not Found at The Hob, Staines

Page Not Found at The Hob, Staines Sunday Dec 09 at 8 PM £2

Page Not Found are a punk rock group form Slough Berkshire UK. Formally known as Ollie Impossible, Page Not Found play their own style of Fast paced skate punk. After the change the band along with new bassman have wasted no time and headed straight into the studio to record some material. ….

Sounds like: Blink 182

http://www.pagenotfoundrock.com/

The Hobgoblin Pub
Staines, Middlesex UK

2.

Go to see Ravi at Baroosh! High Street, Staines

Ravi at Baroosh! Staines


Ravi at Baroosh, Thursday Dec 06 8:30PM

The local vocal and guitar hero will be playing in the refined atmosphere of Baroosh this week.

With a huge repertoire of sing-along clap-along tunes- some soulful, some upbeat, but all memorable, you are in for a hugely enjoyable night. Ravi plays unplugged so you don’t need your ear-defenders for this polished performance…

Baroosh!
24-26 High Street
Staines
TW184EE


3.

Go see the “Elvis” Tribute at the Yum-Yum Tree


Darren Alboni is Elvis


Elvis Night at The Yum Yum Tree, Sunbury Sat December 8


Darren Alboni is Elvis at the Yum Yum Tree ELVIS night.

http://www.theultimatetribute.co.uk/

Yum Yum Tree Chinese Restaurant
9 Staines Rd West,
Sunbury-On-Thames.
Middlesex.
TW16 7AB.

Phone to book a table 01932 783585

4.

Book your tickets for Local Ice Skating at Windsor

Windsor Skating

The Royal Windsor Ice Skating Rink, Alexandra Gardens, Barry Avenue, Windsor
Saturday 2 December to Sunday 7 January. Closed Christmas Day

Advance booking* is recommended, especially at Christmas and New Year and busy days like weekends- for this local spectacular ice rick.

In the shadows of Windsor castle and by the sparkling Thames, only the really posh and the royal come out for skating at Alexandra Gardens…. just a few stops down the line from Staines station to Eton & Windsor Riverside. Why not go shopping after skating in Windsor town centre?

There will be ten one-hour skating sessions every day between 10am and 10pm, with short periods between certain sessions for ice cleaning. Sessions will be: 10 – 11am, 11am – 12midday, 12.15 – 1.15pm, 1.30-2.30pm, 2.45 – 3.45pm, 4 – 5pm, 5.15 –

6.15pm, 6.30 – 7.30pm, 7.45 – 8.45pm and 9 – 10pm.

Go To ADPONTES-STAINES.COM for your ADVANCED tickets now!

5.

See Curtis Eller’s American Circus in WINDSOR

Curtis Ellers American circus

Curtis Eller Saturday 08 Dec at 8pm Windsor Arts Centre £8.50

Curtis Eller is New York City’s angriest yodelling banjo player. He sings about pigeon racing, performing elephants and Jesus – all of which he has seen with his own eyes. He started his career at the age of seven as a juggler and acrobat in the Hiller Olde time Circus in Detroit, but has since turned to banjo playing because there is more money in it. His biggest musical influences are Buster Keaton, Al Jolson and Abraham Lincolne

There is a special screening of a Buster Keaton short which will be shown at the beginning of this gig

Box Office: 01753 859336

Windsor Arts Centre
The Old Court
St Leonards Rd
Windsor
Berkshire

Visit AdPontes-Staines regularly for Gig Guides, Reviews and Staines Articles

PFJ

The PFJ

The PFJ

The PFJ are an exciting pub band from Berkshire who play late 70’s, 80’s and 90’s retro rock from Aha to ZZ Top – stuff like “I Will Survive” to “Ace Of Spades”, with a bit of “Teen Spirit” and “Tiger Feet” thrown in.

I saw them at the Rising Sun, Slough and, even though they had to squeeze into a tiny corner, the boys managed to play a ‘full-on’ rock concert with sounds, lights, and electrifying energy.

The PFJ take their name from the Peoples Front of Judea (not to be confused with the Judean peoples popular front etc. etc. from Life of Brian) And, as the name suggests, the band oozes fun and humour as well as not a little musical talent.

Their choices (for the set list) is a head-bangers wet dream including some very old favourites like Ace Of Spades (Motorhead) and Paranoid (Sabbath) but mixed with some highly original (and hilarious) covers like I Will Survive (Gloria Gaynor) or Crazy Horses (Osmonds). When you add songs like Turning Japanese (The Vapours)
and Video Killed the Radio Star ( Buggles) into the mix you realise that you are witnessing a highly innovative fun-time band.

The PFJ squeeze out every possible sound from their 6 piece outfit, featuring vocals, 2 guitars, bass, drums and even a stage dancer. Just to add to the party spirit, the PFJ come out in their patented Judean costumes and even tend to do some costume-changes during their set.

I went to see them again last Sunday at The Old Ticket Hall, Windsor but, unfortunately, the band were on after the rugby semi-final and I couldn’t be bothered to wait around until about 10:30pm to see them…

Since forming in 2000, the PFJ have won over crowds of drunks on a regular basis… make sure you catch their amazing live show soon

UPCOMING SHOWS

Saturday 8 December 2007 The Old Ticket Hall, Windsor -

http://www.thepfj.com/

AdPontes-Staines Arts Magazine

Blue Fuses

Blue Fuses

I saw Blue Fuses on Thursday 18 OCT 2007 at the rather strange Riverside Club, Staines ( I will go into that in a moment) and had a fine time.

The band has a secret penchant for anything by British Rockers ‘with a colour in their name’. Think pink, black and purple. But I didn’t hear any “blue” from the Fuses (as in Moody Blues) so I take it that the ‘Moodies’ are not ‘bluesey’ enough… if you get my point.

A typical Blue Fuses set will take in some Led Zeppelin (we had a Whole Lotta something) Black Sabbath and lots of Floyd. Also be prepared for a few surprises- I particularly liked Superstition (Stevie Wonder).

The band also likes to play the basic blues but with a nice prog edge to it. (Think Camel circa 1975.) There is also some jazz-influenced rock in there ( I suppose that most Pink Floyd is jazz-based so it makes sense, but I am thinking more of Bruce Cockburn/ T-Bone Burnett.) There is even some folk-influenced prog-rock like Jethro Tull, but all of it has its foundations in good old British progressive blues.

Will (Just Will) Carrol delivers power in abundance on the drums and Pete Brock tends to wander around a lot with his radio guitar…. a la Nigel Tufnel. Pete adds vocals and some lead breaks to the sound but mostly provides the rhythm guitar sounds.

Doug (Lip) plays some impressive guitar -improvising rather than relying on worked out solos- and the lads put on a skilled and compelling live performance. The ‘front man’ is multi-talented Noel Jones ( the Baldly Drawn Boy) and it is he who provides most of the vocals (good voice) and plays some very impressive bass lines (with a six string bass). Noel was once a member of White Lightning, an influential melodic rock band of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal genre and has recorded and gigged with all the big names of the NWBHM. I noticed that Noel was wearing what I think was a ‘Cradle of Filth’ T-shirt …. isn’t that is pretty damn impressive for a 50 year old bald blues musician, No?

Now we get to the venue. The Blue Fuses played at the Staines Riverside Club, Laleham Road, Staines. Now, please don’t get me wrong, we need more music venues in Staines and I applaud the efforts of the Riverside Club in opening up their club to bands of this stature. (They also boast The Rhythm Pigs on Friday 30th November and Big Jim Sullivan and Duncan Mckenzie on Thur 22 November). But the ‘welcome’ to non-members was non-existent and the ambience of the place was- as my music teacher used to say- “Good effort but much more work required if (he) is to be successful”.

To give you an artists impression of what The Riverside Club was like while the Blue Fuses was playing you will need to imagine an old folks home on a wet Sunday afternoon with the blinds drawn but all the fluorescent tubes turned onto full blast. The band were obviously asked to ‘turn it down’ so they were playing at ‘bedroom volume’ instead of ‘club’ volume. There was a high-power darts match going on in the adjoining bar and this had been given ‘priority’ by the management, so the darts players got served first at the bar and their cheers were louder than any screaming lead-solo. Add in a raffle, a couple of speeches and some polite clapping (between songs) and I think you have it.

Still, not to mind, Blue Fuses went down well with everyone. They seemed to enjoy playing the show and I will definitely go out of my way to see them again.

UPCOMING SHOWS:

Dec 8 2007 9:00A
The Cardinal Wolsey Hampton

Jan 26 2008 9:00P
The Cardinal Wolsey Hampton

Mar 14 2008 9:00P
The Cardinal Wolsey Hampton

May 9 2008 9:00P
The Cardinal Wolsey Hampton

Jul 11 2008 9:00P
The Cardinal Wolsey Hampton

http://www.bluefuses.co.uk/

AdPontes-Staines Arts Magazine

Foulplay

Foulplay

The time (before last) that I saw FoulPlay at the cosy and bijou ‘pubette’ that is the Jolly Farmer, Staines, the band had managed to squeeze their four-piece guitar-based band plus amps & speakers plus some keyboards with female vocalist (plus two backing singers), into a space that was just about big enough to seat a pot-plant.
(They normally keep the pot plant on the corner table by the window.)

On that night, the band kept bringing out more and more songs from their plentiful archives like some kind of deranged ‘rock school’ lecturers.

“Do you remember Little Richard? No, well here’s some. Do you remember Rockabilly? No, well here’s some. Do you remember Surf Music? No, well here’s some”….their repertoire included everything ( as in EVERYTHING) from bygone ages of old-time rock and roll and skiffle, through to classics from the glam-rock seventies, big numbers from the New Wave of British Heavy Metal and even into modern indie rock territory. I was astonished when the five piece ( and mainly guitar-based combo, remember) attempted- and pulled off with some aplomb- some 2-Tone British Ska.

That was the time before last….

When I saw the band this summer (the summer of 2007) they had a new lead guitar player in the shape of Pete Downes – and, boy, can he play !!!

The lead singer, Lee Ridley, (who uncannily resembles David Brent) is still the main dynamo for the group and provides some nice chunky chords for Pete Downes to ornament and adorn. But they have now ‘lost’ the keyboards. But they retain Carl Gaywood on drums and Huw Stokes on Bass.

When did you last see a band without keyboards attempt a Pink Floyd number? It is typical of these boys to attempt Pink Floyd now they DON’T have keyboards any longer! Yep! The Foul Play boys even did a track from Dark Side of the Moon… God bless ‘em.

So if you like classic rock, and you like some fancy guitar work, and you like a good old sing-song why not go on a musical journey through the entire seven ages of rock with Foul Play?

You could do lot worse than coming down the Jolly Farmer the next night the boys are playing. It could be an education.

[Pic above] David Brent … sorry Lee Ridley foreground, with Pete Downes on lead

Upcoming Shows

Nov 1 2007 9:00P
The Hobgoblin Staines

Nov 10 2007 9:00P
Ye Olde Swan Burnham

Dec 15 2007 9:00P
The Barley Mow Shepperton

Dec 22 2007 9:00P
The Jolly Farmer Staines

Jan 4 2008 9:00P
Filthy McNasty’s at The Red Lion Twickenham

Apr 12 2008 9:00P
The Barley Mow Shepperton

Jun 7 2008 9:00P
The Barley Mow Shepperton

Links

http://www.myspace.com/foulplayuk

http://www.petedownes.com

AdPontes-Staines Staines Arts Magazine