Year: 2010

BIG COUNTRY PLUS SPECIAL GUEST SPRING & AIRBRAKE 20TH APRIL 2011

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THE LIMELIGHT COMPLEX PRESENTS

BIG COUNTRY

PLUS SPECIAL GUEST

SPRING & AIRBRAKE

WEDNESDAY 20TH APRIL 2011

£20 / 8pm

Legendary 80’s rockers Big Country are all set to return to the stage and have announced a UK tour next year.  They have enlisted The Alarm’s Mike Peters as lead singer for their 30th anniversary tour. They will play Spring & Airbrake on Wednesday 20th April 2011. Tickets are priced £20 plus £2.50 booking fee and are available from Friday 12th November at www.cdcleisure.net.

The band exploded onto the scene in 1982 with anthemic songs which as ‘Fields of Fire’ and ‘In A Big Country’ which were culled from their classic debut album ‘The Crossing’ which sold several million worldwide.  They followed up with a number one album ‘Steeltown’ and released 8 studio albums all of which entered the Top Ten.  Big Country released 28 singles 5 of which were also Top Ten.

Approaching their 30th anniversary, the band are lining up concerts for a period of celebration that will not only embrace their illustrious past but also honour the life and times of original lead singer, guitarist and co-founder Stuart Adamson, who passed away so tragically in 2001.  Taking on the mantle of lead singer and joining the band for these dates and more will be Mike Peters of fellow celtic rockers The Alarm.

“I first met Stuart on stage at a U2 concert in Hammersmith Palais back in 1982” says Mike Peters. “Bono introduced us to his audience as being “part of the new breed” and Stuart was literally passed up onto the stage by the glance and I shook his hand as I handed him a guitar – an unforgettable entrance.  The last time I saw him was also on stage with Big Country at Glasgow Barrowlands for the last night of the Final Fling tour in 2000, when we sang Neil Young’s ‘Rockin In The Freeworld’ together.  When Bruce Watson called and asked me to sing for Big Country, it was something I didn’t need to think twice about. I’m looking forward to meeting all the fans again and playing a part in keeping the spirit of Stuart Adamson alive and celebrating the music of a band I have loved from near and afar for the whole of my adult like”.

Bass guitarist Tony Butler says “To play again as Big Country was something that was only going to happen if we could find someone who could compliment the band and sing the songs in the way they need to be sung – with heart and soul.  Mike Peters from The Alarm has stepped in to fill the premise.  It’s about time the songs got another airing, and we think Stuart would be pleased too”.

The new line up consists of:

Tony Butler – Bass Guitar and Vocals

Mark Brzezicki – Drums and Vocals

Mike Peters – Vocals and Guitar

Bruce Watson – Guitar and Vocals

Jamie Watson – Guitar

Big Country are set to play Spring & Airbrake on Wednesday 20th April 2011. Tickets are priced £20 plus £2.50 booking fee and are available from Friday 12th November at www.cdcleisure.net or from Katy Daly’s.

Find out more about Big Country: http://www.bigcountry.co.uk/home.php

Venue:                          Spring & Airbrake

Date:                            Wednesday 20th April 2011

Ticket Price:                  £20 + £2.50 Booking Fee

Doors:                          8.00pm

Support:                        To Be Confirmed

TICKET DETAILS

In person:                     From 22 Ticketmaster outlets province wide (Including Easons) / Katy Daly’s Bar
24hr hotlines:                Tel: (NI) 0844 277 44 55 (ROI) 0818 719 300
Buy online:                    www.cdcleisure.net

Ulster Orchestra project shortlisted for Composer Award

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composer Brian Irvine with a pupil from St Kieran’s PS, Poleglass, Belfast.
Composer Brian Irvine with a pupil from St Kieran’s PS, Poleglass, Belfast.

Rain Falling Up, a new oratorio for children commissioned by the Ulster Orchestra and written by its Associate Composer for 2009, Brian Irvine, has been shortlisted for a 2010 British Composer Award by the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors.

Rain Falling Up tells the story of Jake, a young boy who has an insatiable curiosity for all things scientific, especially gravity. The project was primarily an education event, providing children with opportunities to participate, explore and learn about music outside the classroom. It encouraged collaboration between different and diverse communities and the children were able to create artwork, animation and poetry in response to what they had discovered about gravity in school.

The unique project involved a choir of 210 children from three schools, a community choir of 240 children from a further six schools, the full Orchestra and residents of a Holywood care home – all of whom performed in front of a 1500-strong audience at the Belfast Waterfront in March.

Brian Irvine, alongside fellow Artistic Director of Dumbworld Ltd, writer John McIlduff, created this new work as a musical and visual exploration of the phenomena that is Gravity.  Funding and sponsorship were provided by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland Lottery and Ulster Bank.

Brian Irvine said: “I’m delighted and honoured that Rain Falling Up has been nominated for this award.  It was a wonderful and exciting opportunity to work with such a diverse and creative range of participants and ended my tenure as Associate Composer with the Ulster Orchestra with a fantastic finale”.

The project has been nominated in the Community or Educational category of the Awards which will be presented at a ceremony in London on 30 November. The results will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3’s Performance on 3 at 7pm the following day.

Mid-Ulster business people get ready for Start-Up Live!

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Leading Mid-Ulster business people will share their successes, failures, challenges and ambitions with an audience of entrepreneurs from start-up and early stage companies at a major event in the Burnavon Arts Centre on November 23.

Start-Up Live in Cookstown, organised by Ulster Bank in association with www.smallbusinesscan.com, is part of a tour of 14 dates across the island, which are free of charge to all attendees. The series of events, which target those with aspirations of going into business, are part of the bank’s commitment to supporting new and emerging companies.

John Cassidy and Mary O'Neill of Ulster Bank get ready for Start-Up Live at the Burnavon Arts Centre in Cookstown on November 23 with panellists and local business people Jacqueline McGonigle (right) and Yvonne McFarland (left). Beginning at 6pm, the event is free of charge and targets those with aspirations of going into business, or who have recently set up a company.

Beginning at 6pm, the get-together will feature Jacqueline McGonigle, founder and owner of www.whatsonni.com; Yvonne McFarland who owns three local outlets – Bra Boutique, Lingerie Rooms and Orchid Lingerie, and William Allingham, owner of Allingham Quadcrate.

The panel will be chaired by entrepreneur and founder of www.smallbusinesscan.com Fionan Murray.

John Cassidy, area manager with Ulster Bank, says that the panel promises to provide excellent insights into how to start-up, establish and grow a successful business.

“The event will provide an opportunity for those with business ideas or who have recently started up a company to learn from others and to share their experiences and insights. We have an excellent and diverse panel in place for the event who will provide the benefit of their considerable experience,” he points out.

“We’ve developed a helpful online platform in Smallbusinesscan where start-ups, small business owners and entrepreneurs are sharing insights, ideas, knowledge and experiences. Start-Up Live is a natural extension of that,” Mr Cassidy adds.

More information about Start-Up Live is available from Ulster Bank branches or www.smallbusinesscan.com. The event is expected to last until 8pm.

Tour dates:

  • Monday 8th November, National Software Centre, Cork
  • Tuesday 9th November, UL Kemmy Business School, Limerick
  • Wednesday 10th November, Galway Museum, Galway
  • Monday 15th November, The Granary, Waterford
  • Tuesday 16th November, Kilkenny Design Centre, Kilkenny
  • Wednesday 17th November, Science Gallery, Dublin
  • Monday 22nd November, Crowne Plazza Hotel, Dundalk
  • Tuesday 23rd November, Burnavon Arts Centre, Cookstown
  • Monday 29th November, Model Art Gallery, Sligo
  • Tuesday 30th November, Cavan Crystal Hotel, Cavan

RECORD NUMBERS SIGN UP TO TEST DRIVE THE ARTS

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Christine Adams, Audience Development Manager, Audiences NI, Richard Gaston, Marketing Manager, Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queens with Cathy Mackle, the 3,000th Test Driver.

First time arts enthusiasts from across Northern Ireland have shown overwhelming support for Audiences NI’s initiative to bring the art world to the masses – with a record 3,000 signing up in just under a year.

These would-be arts lovers, who have never been to a local live theatre or performing arts event before, have enjoyed on-the-house tickets to some of the hottest shows, celebrating the best that Northern Ireland’s rich cultural scene has to offer – all courtesy of Test Drive the Arts NI.

Cathy Mackle from Armagh became the 3,000th ‘test driver’, after logging on to the easy to use website – www.testdrivetheartsni.org.  Featuring a host of Northern Ireland’s most exciting performances, the website enables users to request tickets from a broad range of must-see shows. This month Five Guys Named Moe is showing at Theatre at the Mill and the 20th Cinemagic International Film and Television Festival gets underway (11-26 November). New shows are added daily, so check the website for details.

The initiative is managed by Audiences NI – set up to boost attendance numbers to arts organisations across Northern Ireland – and funded by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

Booking could not be easier. Simply select the performance you are interested in attending and complete the registration form online to request tickets. Tickets will be regularly available on a first-come, first-served basis, so the sooner you go online the better the chance you have of securing the tickets you want.

Audience Development Manager Christine Adams, Audiences NI, said:

“Northern Ireland has a rich cultural and artistic heritage that is enjoyed by thousands of people every year. Yet many arts lovers have not sampled the full range of arts on offer. We want to change that. The principle behind testdrivetheartsni.org is simple – it’s about giving arts enthusiasts the chance to ‘test drive’ the arts, whether that’s opera or comedy.

“There are huge benefits to using the online offering. You can browse the website in your own time and request tickets when it suits. There are few places in the world that offer the diversity and quality of performances that are readily available right here in Northern Ireland and we hope that after experiencing a live performance you will want to come back time and time again.”

“Building audiences for the arts is a priority for the Arts Council, and Test Drive the Arts NI is the perfect vehicle to attract newcomers.  There’s an amazing choice of arts activities on offer out there for all ages and interests and, if they just give it a try, we know people won’t look back.”

To find out more and request tickets log on to www.testdrivetheartsni.org.

Contenders come to town!

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A tour of some of NI’s finest up and coming talent will end in Draperstown this week as Glasgowbury’s G Sessions host the final leg of the exciting tour.

The Contenders tour, organised by Oh Yeah in Belfast, is taking a host of acts on the road to celebrate the launch of their first ever Contenders CD – a compilation of 12 acts deemed to be holding the candle for the future of NI talent.

In celebration of the CD, acts have been hitting the road over the past number of weeks to help promote the CD, playing in cities and towns throughout the country.

The tour concludes at the Cellar Bar in Draperstown this Thursday night with four of the 12 acts rolling into town to deliver a swansong to the first time initiative.

Taking part in this week’s gig will be Rams’ Pocket Radio, Silhouette, Bellwether State and Wonder Villains.

Derry's Wonder Villains

Currently riding the wings of success, both Rams’ and Silhouette are the epitome of local success, taking the music scene by storm. Give either a piano and be instantly mesmerised by the sounds storming back at you.

As the face of Silhouette, local girl Shauna Tohill will be making a welcome return to the local venue while muse Peter McCauley will double up as both her drummer and the face of Rams’.

Bellwether State will make their first foray into Mid-Ulster. A man woman duo, Bellwether State employ intricacies galore in their musical craft that’s as gorgeous as it is heart felt.

Completing the eclectic bill is Derry pop outfit Wonder Villains, themselves riding the wave of recent success.

A youthful four piece with a zest for catchy tunes and movie masterpiece Space Jam, Wonder Villains are the face of youth and new music in Northern Ireland.

All four take hold of the Cellar Bar in Draperstown this Thursday night as the G Sessions welcome the final leg of the Oh Yeah Contenders tour.

Doors are at 9pm, admissions is £5. For more information see www.glasgowbury.com

Shauna Tohill AKA Silhouette

Magherafelt Tempts the Tastebuds!

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Magherafelt District Council is once again hosting their Specialty Christmas Food Market on the 26th & 27th November 2010 in the Old Market Yard, Magherafelt.

Following on from the tremendous success of 2009, the market has been developed into a two day event starting on the Friday evening from 5pm to 9pm and continuing on the Saturday from 9am to 9pm which coincides with the annual Christmas Lights Switch-on.

Funded by D.A.R.D through the Northern Ireland Regional Food Programme, the Christmas Market is a truly seasonal experience where visitors are engulfed in the mouth-watering aromas of Northern Ireland produce, with lots of opportunities to sample the fayre on offer.  You will be spoilt for choice as there will be eels, Pig-on-the-Spit, fish, cheese, olives, hand-made fudge and chocolate, seasonal drinks, hot soup and stew, breads, jams, chutneys, cookies, cakes, dairy products and other special delights.

A sausage competition “Magherafelt’s best banger!” is also being held as part of the Food Market.  A number of local butchers will be creating a new sausage, with people being encouraged to sample and vote for the one they like best.  Everyone who votes will be entered into a prize draw to win a hamper of meat, including a supply of the best banger.

So mark the date in your diary, as the aromas of the food accompanied by live Christmas music drifting through the market, colourful decorations brightening the yard, children’s entertainment, competitions and heated seated areas, will create a magical atmosphere that all the family will enjoy.

Christmas Lights Switch-on

On Saturday the 27th November at 6.30pm join Cool FM and Elvis the Elf for a captivating evening of festive fun, with prize giveaways, lantern trails and the arrival of Santa in style!  Winners of the competitions will be announced on stage, before Santa and his merry helpers switch on the lights and illuminate the sky with a fanfare of fireworks.

For further information on the above events please contact The Bridewell T: 028 7963 1510, E: thebridewell@magherafelt.gov.uk or visit www.magherafelt.gov.uk

All aboard for Model Railway Day at the Ulster Folk & Transport Museum

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Four year old James Donnelly from Holywood is on board at the Ulster Folk & Transport Museum for Model Railway Day. On Saturday 13th November over 30 railway layouts and associated exhibits will go on show in the Rail Gallery from 10am to 5pm. An exciting addition to the event will be the screening of virtual model railways in the Rail Gallery throughout the day.

Steaming into the Ulster Folk & Transport Museum on Saturday 13th November is Model Railway Day. As one of Northern Ireland’s biggest model railway exhibitions there will be over 30 railway layouts and associated exhibits on show, alongside the full scale locomotives and carriages in the Rail Gallery.

There is a special addition to this year’s event, with the inclusion of virtual model railways, developed by model railway enthusiast Stephen Flanders. The virtual models will be screened in the Rail Gallery, providing visitors with a very realistic view of railway layouts.

Event Organiser Ian Sinclair from Friends of Cultra said, “This is a great event for model railway enthusiasts and families to enjoy, as they can get up close to the intricately designed model railways and see the miniature trains in action. An interesting feature of many of the model gauges on display is that they are based on real railway lines located in Northern Ireland.”

Curator of Transport at the museum Mark Kennedy said, “The Railway Gallery is a wonderful venue for the event as visitors can explore the impressive full scale steam locomotives, passenger carriages and goods wagons, which are part of the Irish Railway Collection.”

The event, supported by DFDS Seaways and North Down Borough Council, runs from 10am to 5pm and experts will be at the Railway Gallery to answer any questions about the model railways.  Normal admission rates apply.  For more information on this and other upcoming events and exhibitions visit www.nmni.com.

Networking events really work for women in business.

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Businesswomen in Northern Ireland will have the opportunity to take part in a unique province wide networking event, which will show that networking is one of the most powerful ways for women to succeed in running a business.

The event, which is set to coincide with Global Entrepreneurship Week, is run by Business Women’s Network NI and supported by Invest Northern Ireland. It will showcase how networking works for women entrepreneurs and will be an opportunity for members and non-members from across the province to connect. They can find ideas to help their businesses grow at the Lagan Valley Island Conference Centre on the 18th November.

RTE’s dynamic Dragon’s Den star Sarah Newman will be keynote speaker offering new inspiration about how to maximise business potential, and speaking about strategies and ideas to help grow business in today’s difficult climate. She is a highly successful entrepreneur who set up needahotel.com and who is now a private investor looking for new business ventures.

The Business Women’s Network NI with over 600 members is made up of four regional networks, which each help to connect local business women across the province.

Margaret Andrews, BWN NI events coordinator, is delighted to have such an inspirational speaker as Sarah Newman to attend this event and said that there is already a great deal of interest from the network. She explained why women benefit from a business support network that focuses on them. “Research shows that women need a little extra support and encouragement to take the first steps into business.”

“Here in Northern Ireland a smaller percentage of women take the step to set up their own business than in the rest of the UK, in Ireland or in the US. This is a huge loss to the local economy and it is therefore vitally important that we support women with great ideas to realise their potential.”

“Networking really works for women whatever stage of business you are in, but especially as a business growth mechanism. It not only gives access to contacts that may become clients or may give a referral, but many women benefit from the friendships they make along the way.”

The Meet a ‘Dragon’ network event for the BWN NI network will be held at the Lagan Valley Island Conference Centre from 4.30-7.30pm on the 18th November. Tickets cost £25 for members and £35 for non members with a hot buffet supper included. They are available to pre-book from the Business Women’s Network website on www.bwnni.com.

The Business Women’s Network is supported by Invest NI and comprises four local groups, Women on the Move (Co Antrim), Enterprising Women’s Network (Armagh & Down), Network for Enterprising Women, (Tyrone & Fermanagh) and Women in Enterprise (Derry/Londonderry). To find out more about events or joining a network in your area contact Margaret Andrews on 028 3083 7575 office@enterprisingwomen.biz

Helena Christensen gets snapped up by Baileys® to give Northern Ireland Facebook fans a chance to attend a VIP party in NYC

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Local Facebook fans have the chance to attend picture perfect party in NYC hosted by Helena Christensen and Baileys®!

Gemma Garrett with friends Kaz Lynas, and Jeane Simpson celebrating the announcement that Baileys® has teamed up with one of the worlds greatest and original supermodels, Helena Christensen, to launch its new ‘let’s do this again’ campaign

Baileys® have announced it has teamed up with one of the worlds greatest and original supermodels, Helena Christensen to launch its new ‘let’s do this again’ campaign. One lucky winner in Northern Ireland will receive an exclusive invitation to a VIP party in New York co-hosted by Helena Christensen and Baileys® as part of the global ‘let’s do this again’ competition on Facebook.

Helena Christensen has both shot and appears in a never-seen before collection of photographs for the campaign, which show a day in her life, hanging out with her close friends at her upstate New York home. The campaign, aims to encourage close friends to share quality moments together more often, and will inspire people to capture and share their own unique moments enjoying Baileys® with close friends for a chance to win this fantastic prize. The winner will receive an exclusive invitation to a VIP party co-hosted by Helena and Baileys® at one of her favourite hang outs in NYC for themselves and a friend.  People from Northern Ireland can upload their photos now on the Baileys® Facebook page www.facebook.com/Baileys to be in with a chance to win from now until the 16th December.

On the latest Baileys® campaign Helena Christensen says: “My most memorable moments are often when I’m with friends because everyone is completely at ease, which makes the atmosphere relaxed and enjoyable. Capturing these special moments on camera is very important to me, because those are the ones that stay with you forever, so to be able to look back at them for the rest of ones life is something to be grateful for and look forward to.”

She continues: “Looking at the images also reminds you of how much great friends mean to you and how important it is to get them all together as often as possible. This is what the new Baileys® campaign holds at its very heart, encouraging close friends to enjoy time together more often and I’m thrilled that Baileys® joined me and my friends at home in New York for the day.”

Jennifer Kiernan, Baileys® Brand manager said: “We’re thrilled to have Helena Christensen on board for the Baileys® ‘Let’s do this again’ campaign and very excited about being able to give a lucky person from Northern Ireland the chance to attend a VIP party in NYC co-hosted by Baileys® and Helena. Northern Irish people love getting together and we like capturing those moments on camera so we can continue sharing them. We’re looking forward to seeing some of those moments where friends have come together to do something they enjoy again uploaded onto the Facebook page over the coming weeks!”

On Baileys® Helena says:

“I love Baileys®, it’s simply delicious and perfect to enjoy with friends. It’s definitely a drink that, once someone has suggested it, everyone wants a glass.”’

To be in with chance of winning this fantastic prize, visit the Baileys® Facebook page for details:  http://www.facebook.com/Baileys

The competition will run until the 16th December 2010.

Over 18’s only. Terms and conditions apply.

Drink Responsibly

www.drinkaware.co.uk for the facts

Celebrating Serendipity

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AMERICAN-BORN photographer Kelly Morris is celebrating a decade of capturing unique photographic images of life in Northern Ireland, with her new exhibition Serendipity.

The exhibition opens at Molly’s Yard, Botanic Avenue, Belfast, Sunday 7 November, 5-9pm (entry free) and runs until Thursday18th, when it begins a week-long run at St Malachy’s Old Boys, Antrim Road, Belfast (entry free).

Celebration is an apt term for Morris’s photography. In a world flooded with digital and manipulated images, the axis of Morris’s work is the fleeting, meaningful moment between subject and witness. Focusing mainly on people, and frequently on relationships, Morris has an uncanny eye for emotional dynamics. They are captured instants of unself-conscious communication which are, by turns funny, engaging and, often, moving – without ever veering into the sentimental or voyeuristic.

‘I think a lot of photographers use their cameras as a barrier between themselves and their subjects,’ explains Morris, who has lived in Northern Ireland for 13 years. ‘But I think of the shutter as a blink of my eye. There’s a relationship between me and the moment I am photographing.’

Morris works primarily in black and white, which, she says, offers a more immediate and nuanced effect, without the distraction and clutter of colour. She also prefers to use film, which she regards as more tactile than digital. The results are an oddly timeless salute to the larger human truths evident in smaller human moments.

This makes for a collection which is a positive and emotionally satisfying experience, reflecting a point of view steeped in empathy and the spontaneous.

Serendipity promises to be a retrospective with its lens firmly set on the future.

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