A magical new production by Cahoots NI is coming to Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre on Wednesday 4^th October at 11.30am.

The Assistant’s Revenge will spark intrigue and wonder into the heart of the Roe Valley Arts Centre audiences with music, glamour, magic, and death-defying escapology.

The production follows Sam Sullivan, a small-time Private Eye whose investigations lead him to meet a strange travelling show at the edge of town. Sullivan is plunged into a world of danger and deceit in a case with more twists and turns than a ten inch corkscrew.

Cahoots NI create inspiring performances for children and adults using physical theatre, circus, music, digital technology and special effects, combined with the age-old popularity of magic and illusion.

Students of theatre, school groups and the young-at-heart will be immersed in a morning of wonder and magic; this is theatre that will leave audiences spell bound. Following the hour-long performance, a question and answer session will take place – perfect for all those curious minds in the audience.

Group discounts are available when purchasing tickets. To find out more, please contact Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre on 028 7776 0650 or visit www.roevalleyarts.com.

Oktoberfest Belfast returns to the King’s Hall Complex tomorrow! Backed by renowned brewery, Paulaner, this year’s Oktoberfest will be a fantastic event that brings an authentic slice of German festivities to Belfast.

There will be a full range of beers to meet your palate, including Paulaner Oktoberfest Lager which is brewed specifically for the Munich Beer Festival. Food and beer will also be served by staff in Bavarian costumes. As is tradition in Bavaria the beer will be served in 1 litre steins.

Oktoberfest Belfast has been running since 2008 and now welcomes over 10,000 attendees who come together to celebrate everything German. It creates an atmosphere like no other with food, music and competitions. The event will run each Friday and Saturday night for four weekends until the 21^st October.

On Thursday 5^th October, Oktoberfest will welcome Northern Ireland and Germany fans with a special evening of football fanfare including a large screen showing of the match. Both sets of fans are encouraged to sit together in the bringing together of the cultures, with football shirts permitted. Doors for this special night open at 2pm and will be free for attendees.

This Friday the 29^th September will be free for all attendees, with entry for other nights at £4 per person. Attendees dressed in traditional Bavarian costume over the course of the four weeks also get free entry. Table bookings for 8 people and above are available for a discounted rate, to book check out the Oktoberfest Belfast website at www.oktoberfestbelfast.com.

Prost!

 

 

Audiences at The Market Place are in for a treat when The Motown Sensations take to the stage on 12 October.

Originally from South Africa, Darryll, Wayne and Marlon have been wowing audiences in Ireland, performing Motown and Soul hits from as far back as the 1950’s, fused with come current chart toppers.  Now backed by an incredible, multicultural six-piece band teamed with some subtle, slick choreography, The Motown Sensations have added another dimension to what was an already seriously polished outfit, enthralling all that come to see them.

Pianist Ivan Ilić will wow audiences on 13 October. Ivan took degrees in mathematics and music at the University of California, Berkeley before moving to Paris in 2001, where he was awarded a Premier Prix from the Conservatoire. Ivan has just signed a multiyear contract with prestigious UK label Chandos, and this performance will coincide with the first release. The tour will take in Italy, France, Germany, the UK, Japan, Taiwan, and the US. The programme for the evening will include Beethoven’s ‘Variations on a March’ by Dressler, Sonata in C minor ‘Pathétique’, Haydn’s Symphony no 44 in E minor ‘Sorrow’, transcribed for solo piano, Reicha’s 4 Etudes, and Chopin’s 3 Nocturnes and 3 Etudes.

Blues guitar legend Ronnie Greer has been at the centre of the blues scene in Ireland now for over 40 years, and has shared the stage with some of the leading figures in the genre. His distinctive guitar style, melding hard edged Chicago style blues licks with be-bop jazz influenced lines, has been critically acclaimed as world class. His powerhouse band, featuring some of the finest musicians in the country, needs to be heard to be appreciated. Join us on 21 October to hear Anthony Toner on guitar and vocals, John McCullough on keyboards, Nick Scott on bass, and Peter McKinney on drums, combining with Ronnie to create an evening of blues, roots, and a little jazz based music, played with style and conviction by some of the best in the business.

Visit the website at www.marketplacearmagh.com for full details and bookings, or contact the Box Office on [028] 3752 1821. And to keep up-to-date with the latest news at the Market Place Theatre, you can follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/marketplacearmagh) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/mptarmagh) where you will find all the latest information, special offers and video previews.

This Saturday night, 30 September, Northern Irish family band, Saffyre will perform at Portico in Portaferry as part of the popular Lough Lively Sessions.

Saffyre is made up of sisters Shauneen and Maria and cousin Emma. The girls grew up in a large family where music and singing was a huge part of their lives and they were influenced by Country, Folk, Pop, Blues, Irish Trad and Rock. The melodies and harmonies which are signature to the Saffyre sound are a culmination of these influences and the three-part harmony they have honed and perfected over years of recording and live performance.

After several releases here at home, the girls travelled to Florida to work with Grammy Award winning producer Jim Jonsin who co-wrote and produced the girls current release ‘Run For Your Life.’ The track has recently secured a place on the playlists of RTE Radio 1, Downtown, Downtown Country and U105.

Tickets cost £10 and are on sale now  at www.visitardsandnorthdown.com or www.porticoards.com. Show time is 7.30pm.

The final Lough Lively Session concert is taking place on Friday 20 October when Rapparees will take to the Portico stage. Book early to avoid disappointment.

The Lough Lively music events are supported by Ards and North Down Borough Council and The Arts Council of Northern Ireland.

 

This year’s Northern Ireland International Ploughing Championships is set to welcome internet sensations the Grass Lads.

Made up of Conal (17) and Lorcan (12) Murray along with Matthew (16), Caolan (15), Connor (9), Jack (9) and Charlie Gill (6) the farm mad County Down boys have now had millions of views of their home-made videos online on YouTube.

As well as their YouTube videos the boys attend events such as the Ploughing Championships, organised by the Northern Ireland Ploughing Association, to put on mini silage demonstrations using lawnmowers with small versions of Kane Trailers (silage, low loader and tip and slide trailers), bale lifter, hay rake and Malone silage wagon. Organisers have confirmed they will be appearing on Saturday September 30 at Donaghcloney.

Meanwhile over 50 ploughmen will compete at the contest next weekend (Friday September 29 and Saturday 30).  The winners will then go on to represent Northern Ireland at World and European level competitions in 2018.

 

The event organised by the Northern Ireland Ploughing Association (which is now in its 74th year) rotates around locations right across Northern Ireland and has been made possible with the support of volunteers and sponsorship from Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council and commercial sponsorship.

The two day programme sees the qualifiers taking place alongside trade stands with the finals on Saturday being geared towards spectators.  The Donaghcloney fields, kindly loaned to NIPA by Tim McClelland, will also play host to the Six Nations Vintage Ploughing Competition and Young Farmers Clubs of Ulster Annual Fencing Competition and Soil Assessment.

Attractions will include free activities for children, arts and crafts alongside the impressive range of vintage tractors and ploughs and the wonderful spectacle of horse ploughing with heavy horses including Welsh Cobbs and Clydesdale horses – an age old art for all ages to appreciate.

Northern Ireland has 7 World Ploughing Champions in its midst and the World Ploughing Championships take place in Kenya in 2017 (1-2 December).

For more information including details on how to book the opportunity to trade at the event or early bird tickets visit www.niploughing.com or www.facebook.com/niploughing

Seann Walsh tops the bill at this year’s exciting Cookstown Comedy Festival, in its new diary slot of 5th – 7th October in a line–up which also includes Andrew Maxwell, and May McFettridge in a brand new comedy drama, ‘Dirty Dusting’.

The ‘Lie-in King’ Seann Walsh takes to the Burnavon stage on Saturday 7th October for the first time with a brand new show. Described by The Guardian as “unquestionably the best observational comic of his generation”, however dishevelled he may be, the Foster’s Comedy Award nominee is also one of the best comics in the country. With a keen observational mind, Seann can spot the absurdity in everything and convert it to perfectly delivered stand-up comedy.

You might have seen Seann on TV, but he’s something else live – pacing the stage, working the room and reducing crowds to hysterics. Even if he’d probably rather be at home watching Sky Sports News. Team captain of Channel 4 and E4’s Virtually Famous and regular on ITV’s Play to the Whistle. As seen on BBC1’s Live at the Apollo, ITV’s Jonathan Ross Show and Tonight at The London Palladium, ITV 2’s Celebrity Juice, Channel 4’s 8 Out Of 10 Cats and Alan Carr: Chatty Man, Comedy Central’s Russell Howards Stand Up Central, he’s one headliner not to miss. Tickets are £16.

Renowned for his cutting edge comedy and intrepid social commentary, Andrew Maxwell is also the recognisable voice of MTV’s hit show ‘Ex on the Beach’, which is now in its sixth series. As seen on Live at the Apollo (BBC One), Have I Got News For You (BBC One), Celebrity Juice (ITV2) and Mock The Week (BBC Two). He is also the voice of Get Your Tats Out: Kavos Inc (Channel 5).

Throughout his career, Andrew has had many sell-out shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and has also performed at The Amnesty / Channel Four’s Secret Policeman’s Ball (alongside Eddie Izzard, Chevy Chase and Dylan Moran), Glastonbury, Kilkenny’s Cat Laughs, The HBO US Comedy & Arts Festival in Las Vegas (alongside Jerry Seinfeld and Chris Rock), and several appearances at the Montreal Just for Laughs Festival. Tickets for Andrew’s gig on Friday 6th October are £16.

When three cleaners, Olive, Gladys and Elsie, are threatened with redundancy they feel that their lives are coming to an end until a chance wrong number gives them a new business start-up idea – why not run a telephone sex line? They’ve got motive, opportunity and a lifetime of experience – some more than others, mind you.

Provided Elsie can teach the other two a few new tricks there’s no reason why they can’t get rich quick providing they can keep their operation a secret from their bosses… and their husbands…and their children…and their grandchildren.

A searing indictment of ageism in the 21st Century heavily disguised as a hysterical, laugh-out-loud, heart-warming comedy, ‘Dirty Dusting’ starring May McFettridge is on Thursday 5th October, and tickets (limited availability) are £19.50.

All shows start at 8pm and tickets can be purchased at the Burnavon Box Office, Burn Road, Cookstown; by telephone on 028 8676 9949 or online at www.burnavon.com

The SSE Arena, Belfast: Friday 25^th May 2018   Tickets go on-sale Thursday 5^th October at 9am

 

Using State of the Art Technology, Game of Thrones® Composer Ramin Djawadi Will Take Fans Of The Acclaimed, Emmy® Award-Winning HBO® Show Through The Seven Kingdoms Spanning Seven Seasons In A New, Immersive Experience.

Ramin Djawadi will lead an Orchestra, Choir and Soloists To Hit 45 Cities Throughout Europe and North America, including Belfast.

THE NEW YORK TIMES – “A symphonic spectacular.”

LOS ANGELES (September 26, 2017) – The critically acclaimed Game of Thrones® Live Concert Experience Featuring Ramin Djawadi will bring the world of Westeros to The SSE Arena, Belfast on Friday 25^th May giving fans the opportunity to watch in wonder as famed composer Ramin Djawadi leads an orchestra and choir performing music from all seven seasons of the iconic, Emmy® Award-winning HBO series. Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience Featuring Ramin Djawadi will include new music and footage from Season 7, as well a new custom stage design and mesmerizing visuals courtesy of state of the art video technology.

“Bringing the Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience to audiences earlier this year was a dream come true, dating back to an idea hatched over three years ago,” said Djawadi. “The scale and spectacle of the production brought the world of Westeros to life in a truly immersive fashion, and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to share the experience with fans not only in North America again, but also to cross the narrow sea for the first time and bring the show to Europe.”

The inaugural run of the Game of Thrones® Live Concert Experience Featuring Ramin Djawadi kicked off in North American in February of 2017 after being conceived by Djawadi three years ago. The show was praised by fans and critics alike as a must-see spectacle for fans of the television series. The Guardian described the show as “Westeros brought to dazzling life.” Mashable called it “an epic musical journey,” while the New York Times praised it as “a symphonic spectacular.”

As rich as the stories, intrigue and world of Game of Thrones®, Ramin’s celebrated music for the show has resonated with fans from the very beginning, as the meticulously constructed songs underscored the emotional weight of key moments between beloved characters, lent scale to massive battle sequences and brought to life songs referenced in George R.R. Martin’s books.  Ramin’s relentlessly popular title track alone has become an instantly recognizable pop culture phenomenon in its own right.

“Building upon the incredible response we received from the first tour earlier this year, Game of Thrones fans are in for a treat when the updated version of the Game of Thrones Live Concert Experience makes its debut in Europe and then returns to North America next year,” said Jeff Peters, Vice President of Licensing and Retail at HBO. “The Game of Thrones fan base reaches all corners of the globe, so we are excited a wider international audience will now be able to experience Ramin’s extraordinary talent.”

The tour, produced and promoted exclusively by Live Nation in partnership with HBO Global Licensing, will continue to use innovative music tour production and video technology that will recreate the various realms found throughout Westeros and Essos as well as showcase footage from the show in addition to new imagery created exclusively for the upcoming 45 tour dates. Beginning its journey on May 8th in Madrid, the tour will visit 20 European cities throughout May and June. The North American leg will kick off 25 tour dates on September 5th in Vancouver and conclude on October 14th in Toronto.

Ramin Djawadi’s previous credits include the Grammy®-nominated score for Marvel’s 2008 blockbuster, Iron Man. Other film credits include Pacific Rim, Clash Of The Titans and Warcraft.  In addition to Game Of Thrones®, Ramin also garnered Emmy® Award nominations for other television projects including the hit HBO® series Westworld, Flash Forward (ABC) and Prison Break (FOX).  Among Ramin’s upcoming projects is the highly anticipated new film The Mountain Between Us, due for release in October.

Based on the bestselling fantasy book series by George R.R. Martin, Game of Thrones® is an epic story of treachery and nobility set on the continent of Westeros, where summers and winters can last years, and only the lust for power is eternal.  The Emmy®- and Golden Globe Award-winning series has captured the imagination of fans globally, making it one of the most popular shows on television.

Belfast tickets go on sale Thursday 5^th October via:

The SSE Arena, Belfast Box Office: Tel. 02890 739074
Book On Line: www.ssearenabelfast.com

Ticketmaster: In person: From 100 Ticketmaster Outlets Nationwide
By Telephone (24 Hour):   0844 277 44 55 (ROL: 0818 719300)
Book On Line: www.ticketmaster.ie

 

You can no longer see the Bee Gees, but you can see ‘Nights On Broadway’ at Theatre at The Mill on Friday 6 October and still experience a concert of the incredible music written by the brothers Gibb.

‘Nights On Broadway’ presents a tribute to the Bee Gees through their catalogue of hits over four decades from the 60s to the 90s.  The full live band blend the classic hits, acoustic medleys and dance floor fillers which define the show.

Known also as ‘The Irish Bee Gees’, all the performers are from Ireland with the exception of their new UK Musical Director, J Black. This live concert experience prides itself on music, in particular vocal authenticity, while the accompanying costume changes compliment the show to give audiences a truly original feeling.

Whether you favor the golden era of the 60s, the dance floor hits of the 70s, the comeback hits of the 80s & 90s or the string of hits they wrote for various artists along the way, this show has something to entertain everyone from the novice to the most discerning fan.

Tickets from Box Office T: 028 9034 0202 or online at theatreatthemill.com