Yesterday was wonderful, Cat Roberts has organised an amazing programme for The Ring Project. The stage is incredible – so amazing I want to buy it – if only I had space to store it!
Walking down to South Quay I spotted the glorious stage mimicking the ripple of water. I couldn’t wait to jump up on it!
It was great to meet Cat in person and everything was smoothly organised. Peter Sutton and I had great fun.
I hadn’t expected much of an audience with this being outdoors, I thought it would be fairly transitional, but we had a good number, more than 20 at some points, with people stopping to sit on benches up towards the Church and the steps in front of the stage and I needn’t have rehearsed my set for timings because the clock chimes every quarter! Of course it was perfectly timed.
My set was a mixture of water poems (some newly penned for the Take Over event), Fragile Houses poems, a few written for the Elgar Fundraiser with Peter Sutton last November and a couple of the new Festival (WLF) poems thrown in for good measure.
There were positive responses from the audience and I loved watching the tactile nature of the stage coming into play at the same time there were performances on it. So many people (not just children) coming and touching the sides. This is part of what NEON (Designers) do, they encourage our playful nature.
Mesmerising sequins, I only wish I had known and I would have dressed appropriately!
Huge thanks to Peter Sutton (WPL Finalist & Runner Up) who performed two wonderful sets brimming with Elgar, the Malverns and everything between. There will be more photos following, including some of Peter’s performance.
And a huge thanks to Cat Roberts for the concept of LitFest Take Over.
I spent last night writing poems about water. I am lucky enough to be performing on the South Quay today in Worcester, as part of the WLF Take Over.
The Ring is a 6 month project commissioned by the Canal & River Trust to celebrate the 21 mile circle of natural and historic waterways in Worcestershire. Over the past year writers, artists, musicians, historians and ecologists have all collaborated to produce New Art on the waterways.
The Ring Festival by the River runs from 15-24th June, the Weorgoran Pavilion has popped up at the South Quay and will host a vibrant programme of Literature, Music, Dance & Workshops. Over 20 FREE events.
Peter Sutton (WPL Runner up 2018) and myself will be performing from 12-1 PM today. Our sets include lots of Worcester/River/Canal poems in celebration of this project.
The Ring’s Weorgoran Pavilion Festival
Award-winning art, architecture and design studio NEON has created an amazing stage, especially for Worcester. It’s part of The Ring, a Canal & River Trust ‘Arts on the Waterways’ project celebrating a 21-mile circle of natural and historic waterways in Worcestershire.
The Weorgoran Pavilion takes its inspiration, and its name, from the Saxon origins of the name Worcester and its translation, “the people of the winding river”. It’s the venue for a free family-friendly festival featuring a soundscape by acclaimed Ledbury born musician Dave Crowe, which plays at selected times. Bring something to sit on, indulge in a tasty treat from local sellers and enjoy yourself! Check our other events for the programme on each day of the festival.
On DAY 2 of The Ring’s Weorgoran Pavilion Festival:
Listen to Dave Crowe’s soundscape, Shire Skies each day at these times: 11:00, 13:00, 17:00 & 21:05.
12:00-13:00 Litfest Takeover featuring Nina Lewis & Worcestershire Poet Laureate Finalist Peter Sutton.
15:00-16:15 RSVP Bhangra – bhangra workshop and performance
18:30-17:30 Hotsteppas
20:00-21:00 Matuki
12:00 Litfest Takeover We’re delighted to welcome The LitFest & Fringe to our Weorgoran Pavilion festival: their performances will feature featuring Nina Lewis & WPL Runner Up Peter Sutton!
15:00-16:15 RSVP Bhangra Bhangra workshop and performance Book a free ticket here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-weorgoran-pavilion-rsvp-bhangra-workshop-tickets-44648999359 RSVP Bhangra has developed a unique dance workshop, which incorporates an engaging and balanced mixture of gentle instruction and good fun that encourages people of all ages, and from all cultures and backgrounds, to participate in Bhangra dancing. Dildar and Judge explain the origins of Bhangra dance and take the crowd through a number of typical Bhangra dance steps. RSVP also offers dhol drumming workshops. Master dhol-player Jeevan presents an interactive session introducing the background of Bhangra music, involving the participants in creating the distinctive rhythms that underpin those iconic Bhangra beats. The workshops are great fun and are enjoyed by people of all ages It’s all very light-hearted, and in no time at all the entire crowd – from grandparents to grandkids and everyone in between – will be up and dancing and really enjoying themselves
18:30-17:30 Hotsteppas Hailing from Bristol, Hotsteppas are an energetic 8-piece Reggae band who always deliver an exciting live show. Originally formed by three Reggae Soundsystem crews – Hotsteppas offer a Roots Reggae sound infused with a modern Dub edge and a sprinkling of Funk and Latin influence.
20:00-21:00 Matuki Fusing traditional afro-beat sounds with some heavy doses of contemporary urban funk, Matuki is a 12 piece Afro- Beat/ Afro- Funk band who immediately win their audiences over with sizzling horns, tuff bass-lines, interlocking guitars & soaring vocals. Led by master drummer and lead vocalist, Abraham Ebou, they released their debut album, Injo, in March this year. It has jazz & psychedelic influences too, resulting in mesmerising tunes with heavyweight horn lines. Matuki have played at Glastonbury, Shambala and their home city of Bristol’s, Colston Hall.
© Matt Watkins
awritersfountain 