Excited crowds enjoy Goin’ Local Street Party in Shipston

Barney Porter from Wired

 The 18^th edition of the Shipston Proms finished with a night in the Shipston market square with a line-up of local bands. This included Jon Wright’s rock band Balboa, Shipston Proms Fame contest winner in the solo/duet category 16 year old Savannah, 9 piece Funk band Kinky Farnham fronted by Tom Threadgill and 6 piece WIRED with their rock/blues sound led by Mark Jervis and Barney Porter.

The last night was MC’ed by Shipston Proms chair Tim Porter

Mayor Ronnie Murphy with Tim Porter

and included the Proms Grand Draw raffle with the winning tickets pulled by Shipston Mayor Counsellor Ronnie Murphy.

The locals, and not so locals (even one couple from Melbourne, Australia!), packed the square enjoying some especially prepared Proms ales from Hook Norton Brewery and pulled pork and stuffing baps from the Paddock Farm Butchery. The stage lighting and sound was provided by Codex, the stage trailer by Wixey’s transport and ambulance cover from Tolan Events, Coventry.

The whole evening was sponsored by Brailes based Translyft Lifting Technologies (with owner George Scholes appearing twice on the Proms programme with his band 3^rd Dimension).

The second week of the Shipston Proms featured great performances from singer songwriter Andrew

Kinky Farnham

Duhon, a lunchtime organ recital at St. Edmunds church by Charles Matthews, an Open Mic night at the Black Horse with lots of local musicians queuing up to play (including 17 year old singer/guitarist Ben Bryan) and another excellent Young Musicians concert at St. Martin’s church, Barcheston (with musical direction from Helen Porter).

At the Tredington Fayre on Saturday afternoon, which was part of the Shipston Proms, we had music

The Soul Traders

from Shanade, the Soul Traders (with Proms committee member Charlotte Haines on vocals with her brother) and Jabba Cartel.

On the night before the Goin’ Local Street Party we had an evening of Songs from the Shows featuring Stratford-upon-Avon based Soprano Victoria Wilson (trained at the Birmingham Conservatoire), with songs from My Fair Lady, West Side Story and Oh Kay! There was also a great Moulin Rouge duet from brother and sister act Charlotte Haines and Jamie Wright, with the Elephant Love Melody. This was pulled together and managed (with piano duties on the night) by Helen Porter. This was as well as a lot of local talent of all ages who performed a variety of show songs.

George Scholes with 3rd Dimension

Later that evening we had the excellent 3 piece band 3^rd Dimension (Georg Scholes – vocal & guitar, Laura Furnell – vocals and Jez Walker – percussion and vocals playing at a packed and lively George Inn in Lower Brailes.

We also had the first Folkin’ Friday group performing at the Cherington Arms to give a wide selection of music.

This coming week the award winning, and Shipston resident, blues guitarist Laurence Jones will be running a musical workshop at Shipston High School, with support from Proms committee.

After a well-earned rest the Shipston Proms committee will initially have its post event review before looking at the dates for 2017 event. We as always are looking for additional committee members to run this exciting 16 day event, and interested people should email shipstonproms@gmail.com

DUKE launch the 2016 Shipston Proms and wow crowds

DUKE

Beatbox band DUKE launched the 2016 Shipston Proms with an exhilarating performance that got the crowds dancing, in the Townsend Hall in Shipston-on-Stour.

The band who play everything live, with no samples, demonstrated with Ed Travers (vocals & beatbox), Marko Pandazis (vocals & beatbox), and Flynn Stronach (vocals & guitar), how they create their amazing sounds.

Brixton Alley

The evening was started off with DJ Dirty Harry warming up the ever increasing crowd with his dance tunes, before 2015 Fame Contest band winners Brixton Alley took to the stage.

Crowds enjoying DUKE

Brixton Alley lined up with Jonny Magro (vocals & guitar) Ben Wells (vocals and bass guitar) and Alex Wells (drums) and gave us some of their ever expanding repertoire of their own songs, having improved a lot since they last performed on the main stage at the 2015 Last Night of the Proms.

Then DUKE played their amazing set with encores to an ever appreciative crowd.

The following day was the Fame Contest with two categories – Solo/Duet and Bands.

Savannah

In the Solo/Duet we had grunge band The Pettibones with Ben Bryan (vocals & guitar) & Grace Spalding (drums), soulful ballads from singer Savannah Eden and a violin duet from Hannahflail (Hannah Porter & visiting American Abigail Hobart).

In the bands section we had Feedback with Sam Albury (vocals/bass), Shane Leahy (vocals/bass), Jamie Pullen (drums), Tom Cawley (rhythm guitar) from Shipston High School.

In competition with them was a more mature band Rock Roots Revival with Alex Lilley (electric drums), Rob Banfield (bass guitar), Andy Robinson (vocals & guitar) & Neil Pearson (guitar).

Rock Roots Revival

Rock Roots Revival were planning to play at last year’s Fame Contest but due to the ill health of their guitarist Mike Seddon (who sadly passed away later in 2015) they had to pull out.

After each act had performed two songs the judging panel of Chris Davies, Alan Thompson (Chair), Dan Packer, Laura Furnell & Richard & Louise Harvey then had to decide which point to give to each act.

Fame Contest Winners

After a short break the Shipston Proms chair Tim Porter announced that Savannah Eden had won the solo/duet category and Rock Roots Revival had won the bands section.

Proms chair Tim Porter thanked Charlie Thomas & Stephen Haynes for manning and setting up the sound and lights, along with thanks to James Thomas & Eleanor Stanley for loaning some of the sound equipment

With still two weeks of interesting acts playing at various locations in and around Shipston-on-Stour.

Events of note are the Ceilidh on Friday 24^th June at Shipston Primary School with music from 16 Strings Ceilidh Band, Saturday 25^th June with Jazz at the Feldon Valley Golf Club with music from Hot Club ’42 and 3^rd Dimension (with platinum sponsor Translyft’s Gorge Scholes on guitar) on Friday 1^st July at the George Inn in Lower Brailes.

Then we have the Goin’ Local Street Party in the main square in Shipston-on-Stour on Saturday 2^nd July with Fame Contest winners, Kinky Farnham and WIRED, which is put on as a Free event.

Shipston Proms 2016 Music Festival – Line-up Taking Shape

Beatbox band DUKE

The 18th Shipston Proms starts on Friday 17th June 2016. The annual 2-week festival is unusual in that it embraces music of all genres from classical through folk and blues to heavy rock, and gives musicians of all ages and backgrounds a chance to be part of it.

This year's Proms starts with a big Launch Party Night with DUKE – a beatbox band who play at festivals up and down the country, local 2015 Fame Contest winning local band Brixton Alley and local DJ Dirty Harry, all performing in the Townsend Hall on Friday 17th June.

As the band DUKE commented on performing this year “Since our performance (last year) we have fans from Shipston-on-Stour contacting us every week asking when we'll be back, well, WE'RE BACK and we couldn't more excited!!! We have been invited to play at the Launch night of this year's Proms and we can't wait to see everyone from last year! Hold on to your pants, it's going to be a big one!! Much love... The DUKE boys!”

The Fame Contest, on Saturday 18^th June in the Townsend Hall, is a must for aspiring local musicians to enter, with the winners of solo/duet & bands categories getting an opportunity to play on the main stage on the Proms last night.

Kinky Farnham perform at 2015 Proms

Classical music includes The Orchestra of The Swan, the Shipston Town Band and Young Musicians night at St. Martin’s church Barcheston, world music comes from Leamington Spa based community samba band Sambassadors of Groove and folk with Stratford Folk Club coming into town.

As usual the power of music will be celebrated in schools, halls, and pubs in the town and surrounding villages with events every day over the period.

The fortnight finishes with the now legendary free concert in the town square with a Goin’ Local theme with the two Fame Contest category winners then two legendary local bands Kinky Farnham and Wired to finish off the night in style!.

DUKE Photo: Copyright DUKE

Kinky Farnham Photo:  Copyright Chris Roberts/WiderViewPhoto