What's on this summer

Greetings long lost friends and distant cousins!

It's now a long time since this weekly mailout ceased to be a weekly mailout, and I think we may as well accept that with a busy summer approaching it is likely to remain that way. So I figure its worth us having a quick run-down of events that you should be aware of over the next few months.

Don't forget you can always keep yourself updated of events at the Glass Onion by picking up the bi-monthly programme from the Centre. And keep checking on the Muddy myspace which is regularly updated and on the main muddy site ( www.muddypromotions.org.uk ) which will be relaunched very soon after much hard work from our volunteer web designer.

So update time:-

The Glass Onion

The Onion is going from strength to strength thanks to the support of all of you and of course the dedicated team of volunteers. Please don't forget that they always need more help though - a little time from a lot of people goes a long way :)

Events at the Onion include the regular acoustic/open mic session every Friday night from 7pm, which has hosted some wonderful acts in the last 8 months and will no doubt continue to do so.

The Saturday night summer sound sessions, taking place most Saturdays over the summer, are also proving to be a magnificent success - with lots of wonderful bands playing and wonderful people turning up.

Sunday night is still film night and is still free to get in.

Keep an eye out for one-off events too - there have already been some great drama, comedy, cabaret, debate, educational, and healing events at the Onion and these will continue to keep rolling into the building for your pleasure.

The Drip-Dry records studio, based at the Onion is now functioning, and the first recordings are rolling off its presses. If you would like to make use of the facilities talk to Benny T.

The Art room and Rehearsal rooms are also ready to use. Ask at the bar.


Unity

Unity is still running every Thursday night at Spirit & Soul (formerly known as Lisboa), 24 Lincoln Road, Peterborough. There have been some fantastic acts playing on the Unity stage in the last few months - though support from local music lovers can be a bit hit and miss (possibly due to the sudden range of events on offer in the city). The Unity team would love to see your smiley faces back in the building - and since its FREE entrance all night every Thursday there aren't many excuses left open to you :)

Here's the line-ups for the next few weeks:-

31st May - Pink 'n Ruby (acoustic set & electronic live d&b set - from London)
Tres Cojones (flamenco/gypsy jazz)

7th June - Barrelass (experimental metal)
Sever the wicked (metal)
The Darren Macer Poetry Experience (experimental metal)
A Thousand Fires (progressive metal)

14th June - The Gangsters (ska & rocksteady)
Irene Rae (acoustic)

there will be many more quality line-ups like these on the way. Keep up to date at www.myspace.com/unityvenue and check for pics of the events afterwards at www.unityrocks.blogspot.com


Strawberry Fair (Sat 2nd June - Cambridge)

Strawberry Fair is one of the largest free & unsponsored festivals in Europe, and its right on our doorstep. At this year's Strawberry Fair you'll find the Muddy geo-dome with DJ, drum, and arts workshops for your participation. You'll also find many acts close to our heart on the other stages of the festival. Point of Origin, Mr Zed, Talullah Rendall and Flipron are all playing on the Theatrikals Tent. Opaque and Free Love & the Good Plant are playing on the East Stage. Keltrix and Ed Cox are also playing (unsure of which stage). And of course the heavy heavy dub tent will still be rattling and shaking as always :) The fair opens at midday and music stops at about 10pm.

If you are looking for something to do on your return to the boro we would suggest you check out Wrong Way Up at Spirit & Soul, one of the most refreshing new promotions to pop up in our city in the last few months. Their music is an interesting mix of prog/tech-house with a bit of minimal techno and deep, glitched out pounding straight beat grooves. Doors are 10pm till 5am and door tax is £5.


Psychedelic Breakdown (Sat 16th June)

The bods behind Psychedelic Breakdown are most chuffed to be bringing a very special event to the city for their last party before a summer break.

The party is taking place at Spirit & Soul, 24 Lincoln Road, Peterborough on Saturday 16th June from 10pm till 6am, and will take place over three rooms (psy-trance & psy-breaks / electronica & dubs / house & breaks) with a line-up boasting producers, DJ's and live acts from 8 different record labels - including Shakta (Dragonfly records), Digitalis (Sinister records/Point Red Records), Soundhacker (Amp Bit Go records), Stylus Rex (Punk Funk records), Steve Broca (Cactus Island records) and Hibernation (Aleph Zero/Interchill records). For full line-up details please check http://www.dontstayin.com/uk/peterborough/chat/k-1782450

The team are most chuffed to have the Woef and Bex from the Indigo Children crew coming back to the city to decorate, and Mr Zed and the newly fixed Lukus providing visuals.


Exhibit:U Festival - Central Park Peterborough (August Bank Holiday weekend)

Peterborough sees a very special new two day event taking place in Central Park over the Saturday and Sunday of August Bank Holiday weekend this year. Exhibit:U is growing from within the Muddy community and promises to be something very unique. With two marquee art galleries and a stage for drama, spoken word and music this promises to be one of the most exciting arts events to take place in our city to date (and it will be free).

We'll keep you updated with info on this one and things progress.


Newfoundland Festival (7-9 September)

With Grassroots sadly missing from the Muddy calendar this year, you will be relieved to know that Newfoundland Festival will bring you a breath of similar air.

The festival is taking place in mid-Wales on 7-9 September. It will be run on a Temporary Events Notice just like Grassroots last year, meaning this is underground with only 400 tickets for sale, but is guaranteed to have a lovely vibe with a diverse and creative crowd.

Two stages will be on offer - one run by Indigo Children and Atlantis presenting psy-trance through the night and spoken word poetry/literature panels with best-selling authors during the daytime. The second stage will be run by Muddy and will present acoustic acts, bands and electronic DJ's and live acts of a myriad of styles. There will also be an art gallery. Local arts organisations have been involved and the local community engaged positively.

This will be beautiful!

Tickets are on sale from the Glass Onion for face value of £25 including camping. Alternatively you can buy them with a plastic card over the internet from www.accessallareas.org

There are only 100 tickets on sale through the Onion, and the one's through Access All Areas are subject to a booking charge, so get your's quickly. The tickets are going to run out pretty early on!

More info to follow.


....and finally.....

Keep your eyes peeled guys - there is still alot of wonderful stuff continuing and growing anew within our city, our society and our world. Don't miss out.

Peace love unity and respect.

PS The Glass Onion now has a drum workshop on saturday Afternoons. Get yourself down there and get some rythm.

Unity is FREE

We had a bit of a rest this week. No bands as such just a good old marathon jam session. It seems audiences are dwindling, despite the fact we work our butts off to bring you the best of live entertainment every week at Spirit & Soul. So why is this? Well there might be some confusion about the door tax. Well we gotta tell you this. There aint no door tax. Unity is FREE. We do it for the love of it. We know you love the music, so why don't you come down and enjoy it? It aint gonna cost you a penny. Not a dime. The shekels in your pocket will not be affected. It's like the life of Brian, you come in with nothing, you go out with nothing, except you had a great time in between.
So we'll be back next week as normal when we have the massively entertaining Pink n Ruby who went down a storm last time at the equinox party. What's more, did we tell you, it's FREE to get in.
.. and just to show you life goes on here's Jeremy the Robin. he's been living in our back garden for a while looking after his chicks. Here he is posing on our fence with a gob full of grubs.
Meanwhile rock on dudes.....

Thursday 17th May 2007

Back on stage at Unity Free Will and the Bad influences with their bluesy Led Zepellinesque rock. Even will himself sports the Roger Daltry hair style. Wow! Acer rocking it up.
Jimmy and the boys in Point 7 Pistol.

Thursday 10th May 2007

Andy Whittle a firm favourite at Unity and an old friend kicked off tonights show, accompanied harmonies by Rebecca Dawson. That's him standing in the pouring rain outside Spirit & Soul after his set.Well we've been waiting for ages for this next band to grace our stage. The Winterkings. They didn't disappoint. Excellent. Love the way they could just change the pace they played hard rock rock then gentle melody seemlessly. A joy to listen to.
Not content with having two great acts on stage we get a third great act with "Blind io" all the way from Manchester. We spoil ourselves. Here at Unity we're rapidly getting used to regularly seeing great bands play our stage. Blind io is another great band.
By this time we're almost beside ourselves with excitement, three great acts and then Unity favourite "Wake" this time they've toned down the heavy rock and gone all Acoustic for us. Which is always nice just for a change.


Oh my God! Next week. Don't miss it. We've got Acer, if that deosn't make you pee your pants in excitement Jimmy Kidnap and the boys of Point 7 Pistol will be rocking it up, not only that Band of 2007 runners up "Free Will and the bad influences" where does it all stop because we have Julian Stone making an appearence as well. So if that lot don't float yer boat we don't know what will. See you there...

meanwhile ... er.... rock on mes enfants

Myspace of the week

There are those that push and there are those that need pushing. This weeks myspace of the week goes to a guy who falls into the latter category. Chopper. Quiet and unassuming. I guess there must be people who have seen a different side of him. He doesn't blow his own trumpet and is very modest about his achievements. What's more on his myspace there's only one song. But what a song. It's fantastic. "Mind sounds". Jody plays flute and there's a mean piano too. Chopper himself plays virtually everything else, showing just how versatile he is as a musician. I for one can't wait to hear some more, once someone pushes him into the recording studio and loses the key until he's finished.

NOw I know you're desperate to have a listen to his amazing Mind Sounds so you can click right here. http://www.myspace.com/chopdchop
oh and see if you can hear the camel right at the end It's there. Honest it is. Now there's a reason to listen to all of it if nothing else.

Thursday 3rd May 2007

John Litchfield steps in at a moments notice to take on the world armed only with a borrowed electric guitar. Here he is doing his Colonel Kurtz impression. The Horror The Horror!James Chadwick taking over the mantle of folk rock God. Does this mean he's not so evil anymore?
The unstoppable Sidearm who's famous drum changeover routine went so smoothly.
Opaque. As if you didn't know. Well perhaps you didn't recognise Moony now he's had a haircut and shaved off the famous moustache.

Myspace of the week

This weeks myspace of the week isn't a band or a musician. It's something much more important. We'd like to draw your attention to JOMAP Just A Minute Of Peace. This is an organisation promoting peace in this world. Take a few minutes to have a listen to Dan Akroyd saying a few words and sign the declaration. If enough of us do that it could make a difference. You know it's the right thing to do, for yourself, your children and everyone else on this planet.

Go take a look make friends

http://www.myspace.com/jamop

You know it makes sense.

Peace be with you
(We thought we'd get this in before Cornelius does)

Thursday 26th April 2007

First on stage the very talented and enthusiastic Jack Brown and The Dead mans Orchestra, playing selections from his latest and very succesful show on myspaceNow you don't get many girl drummers, but when you do they are usually pretty good. When you get Sarah leanne Palmer on drums as well as being the lead vocalist and song writer you know you're in for a treat. Here she is with her band.
All the way from London, but you'd be forgiven if you thought she was a local, because she plays here regularly, Tallulah Rendall. This time pared right down to a solo performance having left her band behind in the smoke. Note we don't miss any opportunity to have her posing with Peterboroughs very latest arts magazine "Art & Soul" Check it out at your nearest venue, Spirit & Soul, The Glass Onion, The Office, and many other places. It's jam packed with reviews, features, photos, of all your favourite local artists and much more.
Fabonacci rounded off the night. Rounding off a brilliant nights entertainment.


Don't forget next week we have Opaque, James Chadwick, The Beautiful Sleezy, Runners up of the band of 2007 competition,and mad rockers Sidearm who can never be accused of lacking enthusiasm. So it's going to be a memorable night.
We're off to Great Stukely now for the BMF music festival at the Four Horseshoes. Where you can see such great acts as Point of Origin, Opaque, The brackets, AOB, Circus and Richard Hall amongst a whole bunch of other acts on stage. So if we don't see you there we'll be back at Unity next Thursday. Until then ...Rock on dudes.

Thursday 19th April 2007

Here's simian Hybrid. You may remember the Staceman as a drummer. He is now back with a new ego to try on for size as ace singer songwriter who happens to now have a band as well. Fingersmith. What again? You may be asking yourself. You may not. You may not have been paying attention to what's going on. But if you did ask yourself the question all we can say is shame on you. We keep asking these guys back because they're brilliant. An if you'd paid attention and if you'd seen them before you would know what I'm talking about and you would never have even thought of asking the question. You'd have just said "Hoorah! they're back again." AND they come all the way from suffolk to play for you.
Cripes it's the Contrast. When questioned by some idiot "What's The Contrast like?", Fozzy feigned total ignorance. "Never heard of 'em" he said climbing on stage to sit behind the drum set.

...and here's some of you enjoying the evening.
Until next time ...er ... rock on mes enfants.

Unity News Roundup

Britney Spears stole my virginity. World exclusive. "I am the baby's father". World Famous Peterborough Photographer in shock paternity scandal. Mike Harris AKA Mike Da Hat is reported to be "over the moon" with suggestions that he is the father of Charlotte Churchs love child. Meanwhile closer to home local playboy, Richard Hall, is vehemently denying any suggestion that he is the mastermind behind a plot to overthrow Robert Mugabe in strife torn Zimbabwe when questioned about it Richard (34) said "Robert who..?" Conclusive proof that he is covering up more than he's letting on. Following in Madonnas footsteps world famous magazine editor and journalist Mel Elliott, Art & Soul Magazine, is planning a trip to drought ridden Malawi to adopt a goat. "I've always wanted a goat and doing this gives me the chance to save one and give it a better future." The goats parents were unavailable for comment at time of going to press. Madonna declined to comment.
Following kate Middletons departure from the Royal Fold it has been reported that Moony is considering taking her place in the media circus. "..purely for publicity purposes...Prince William and I are just good mates....although being the wife of the heir to the throne wouldn't do Opaque any harm at all." Sources close to the palace suggest the prince actually has his eye on Tasha. Excited bookmakers have put odds on Tasha as the next queen to 150,000 to 1.
Reports are coming in that Andrew Gates, AKA Shaggy, has had a windfall. Unbeknown to Andrew he was the secret love child of one Bill Gates Multibillionaire and philanthropist. The Nouveau Riche shagster said the money would not change his life at all. Speaking from his yacht off the french Riviera The Shagster said "it's the begging letters that get me, they never stop. I've even received one from myself that I wrote before I got rich."

Thursday 12th April 2007

Johnny Funghi and his unique brand of acoustic talent. Great lyrics. Very entertaining.All the way from oop north in Barnsley Gaia turned up to amaze everyone. We were so impressed. Their style blends a lot from early Hawkwind with their driving base lines and Uriah Heep with a touch of Dave Gilmore (pink floyd) style electric slide guitar thrown in for good measure. This with luck wont be your last chance to see them. We're hoping they're going to come back and entertain us all over again at the summer festy. Meanwhile if you can't wait check them out on their myspace site www.myspace.com/gaia
Point of origin need no introduction no write up. Brilliant as usual.
And here's a few of you enjoying the music and atmosphere at Unity.

Thursday 5th April 2007

First of all Unity would like to wish Tasha a Happy Birthday. Those of you who know Tasha will know she's been helping out Unity since the beginning, for which we are extremely grateful. She's usually first on the dance floor and full of enthusiasm. We all love her. Happy Birthday Tasha from all of us.Free love and the Good Plant. What an excellent band. Very different from the usual and I think that's what made them so interesting. Many varied styles of music all married together along with a varied pace. Excellent stuff.
Whoopee! It's Opaque again. What can you say that hasn't already been said? Entertaining as usual.
Here you all are in all your glory.
Don't forget next week we have the wonderful Gaia, with Unity Favourites Point of Origin and what night wouldn't be complete without Johnny Funghi. It'll be a blast. You know you want to be there. Until then.....

Rock on mes enfants.

Myspace of the week

Blimey why haven't we nominated this band before? We've known about them for ages ever since our good friends at Muddy promotions gave us the nod. And it's nothing to do with the fact that they're coming to play at Unity on 10th May and we want you all to come and share the joy with us. No sirreee Bob! It's down to the fact that they are very very good. There's a bit of Nick Cave stylee in there, there's classic riffs, there's a grandeur, there's subtlety, it's kind to your ears. I gotta say we've been listening in the office and we've enjoyed it. So who's our myspace of the week this week?
Yes of course it's The Winterkings

Go on have a listen, you'll love them. Not only that if you love them as much as we do here in the office you've got two chances to check them out live. Unity on the 10th May and The Glass Onion on the 18th May. Go one give your ears a treat you know you want to:

www.myspace.com/thewinterkings

Gizz Butts Rock Academy

Muddy Equinox Party

Here we go here's some pics from the muddy equinox party. Point of Origin, Opaque, Corneilius (bless him), James Chadwick, Alison Small, Keltix and a few faces you'll recognise.
Our guest photographer this week is the one and only Dayglow Joe who captured all these images on the montage below.

The Muddy equinox party. What can we say? It was a triumph. Brilliant music lovely people and a great time was had by all. So you don't have to wait a moment longer here's the pics of you. Muddy Promotions love you, Unity Loves you, you love you. Richard came back all the way from Spain because he loves you. Shaggy loves you. Moony is overwhelmed by your love. Corneilius loves you all. It's all love love love. Here you are...