Exeter Big Screen at the Park 2013 listings announced!

The good folks at the Exeter Phoenix have really outdone themselves this year with the lineup for the 2013 Big Screen in the Park at Northernhay Gardens. One absolute classic, one total legend, a masterpiece and a visual feast? There will be much popcorn eating methinks.

If you've never been before, the way that it works is for 4 days every summer, they put a...big screen...in the park....and everyone comes along with a picnic and enjoys the show. It's brilliant. It used to be free but they sell tickets now at a reasonable £3 per film so that they can afford to do it again next year.  Shows start at 9pm and it's just lovely to cozy up with your sweetheart and a film as the sunsets.

Envelope please. And the nominees for best Devon hillside picture show are....

The Goonies on Weds 14 Aug

Poster by Brickhut

Skyfall on Thurs 15 Aug

Poster by Jack Woodhams

Life of Pi on Fri 16 Aug

Poster by Chungkong

The Great Gatsby on Sat 17 Aug

Poster by Tiffany Chen

Meet me Halfway: My Year in Exeter So Far

It's hard to believe that Summer Solstice has come and gone. That the long dark, cold, wet winter which started back in March 2012 and only relented at the end of May 2013 will soon be making it's approach. Today, the longest day of the year and midpoint of our annual orbit of the sun, I reckon is a good time to take stock and look back on what I did with the whole first half of the year.

NYE 2013

I was lucky enough to spend NYE at The Grapevine in Exmouth with my band Lazy Lizard. Wearing a carnival head dress and a brand new frock from Exeter's best dress shop, Off The Hook, we had an amazing night and I was feeling pretty good.

Exeter CAMRA Festival of Winter Ales

This is one of my favourite annual Exeter events. More than 60 amazing real ales on tap at this fabulous beer festival run by our local chapter of CAMRA every January. If you're a fan of real ales in Exeter it is a must do. If you're a local you are certain to find someone that you know there toasting a pint so you can raise a raiding party or just bowl up on your own and you're guaranteed a good time. I've been twice now and it's always full of friendly people and of course, delicious ales, ciders and even a few ginger beers.

Artist Michael Buckland

I met London born, Exmouth based, artist Michael Buckland one evening whilst checking out Melosa that The Grapevine in Exmouth. Tucked away in a corner, I could see him taking in the surroundings and scribbling way in his note pad. As he got up to leave I got a sneak peak at the drawing he'd done of  our table of friends an was in awe of how much detail he'd captured such a short time. A few weeks later he popped up on my Facebook and somehow we arranged for me to sit for a portrait. I was honoured. Such a lovely experience.

Tony Law at Exeter Phoenix

Irreverent, surreal and joyful Canadian comedian Tony Law played his first show at the Exeter Phoenix back in February. It was brilliant. He's amazing. I'm not telling you anything more about he elephants though.

Telling Our Stories, Finding Our Roots at RAMM

As part of Telling Our Stories, Finding Our Roots, I have been researching the history of black American GIs who were based in Exeter during WWII. It has been a fascinating journey that has taught me so much about England, American, historic and current attitudes to race, my family, my culture, and my city. There are lots of different elements to the project. Interviews, research and storytelling will help us to present a website, school materials, and even a guided tour to the wider public, helping to spread the word about some of Exeter's multicultural histories. In March we did our first storytelling evening at RAMM to an audience of more than 100 people. Everyone in our volunteer group and from the Global Centre, worked so hard to make it happen.

Exeter Pride at Exeter Phoenix

Exeter Pride has been going for a few years now and there are so many brilliant people working to make it on of the best pride celebrations in the South West. My band, Lazy Lizard, played at the March 2013 post parade party and it was oh so much fun. There was a conga line during our set and more importantly I got to wear the shiniest dress I could find from Jane Norman.

History of Exeter's Black GIs

In April, the Global Centre hosted a book launch for Marika Sherwood's latest title 'World War II: Colonies & Colonials'.  I was honoured to be asked to speak alongside this marvelously inspiring woman. She is a prolific writer and historian who's explored all aspects of BME history in Great Britain and subverted histories around the world. Her latest title is one of more than 50 publications that she's penned and is a must read.

Exeter Respect Festival

Exeter Respect Festival 2013 was just brilliant. The weather was fabulous and they organisers really worked hard to use every possible resource to put on what is probably the city's largest annual event. Bringing together live music, community groups, faith groups, and local businesses, it was a great celebration of the diversity and energy of our city. I was lucky enough to participate as a performer with my hip hop group The Bitterati on the PhonicFM stage and event more randomly, we were on ITV Westcountry!

Photo by Clive Chilvers

Cheers to all my Exeter friends and neighbours for making this a great year so far!

Gillian Ayres Exhibition Opens at RAMM

Last Friday I was lucky enough to meet leading British abstract artist Gillian Ayres at the opening of her new exhibition at Exeter’s Royal Albert Memorial Museum on Saturday 15 June. The exhibition, featuring a beautiful collection of some of her vibrant, heavily-worked canvasses, and bold block prints runs until Sunday 15 September.

Her works resound with a passion that is clearly inspired by her deep love for her craft. Speaking with the RSA from her west country studio in 2009 she explained, ‘It’s all I ever wanted to do, all my life. I can’t live long enough to paint all I want to do. Thirty years ago, I gave up my teaching job at Winchester College of Art to paint. And that’s what I do.’ The vivid colour palette, she explains is not drawn from life, but rather from herself.  ‘People think I came here for the views...but, as you can see, I have no views: I don’t paint from nature so I don’t need them. My paintings are about painting, about shape and colour, not telling stories. From my studio I can’t see beyond the trees.’

Born in 1930, Gillian studied at Camberwell College of Art between 1945 and 1950. She worked initially in London and then went on to teach at the Bath Academy in Corsham, Saint Martins School of Art and finally became Head of Painting at Winchester School of Art. She left teaching in 1981 and moved to Wales and then Cornwall, where she currently lives.

Artist Gillian Ayres at the RAMM Exeter

Over the course of her career, Gillian has made a significant and varied body of original prints. Most of the works in this exhibition have been proofed by Gillian Ayres and Jack Shirreff and were printed at 107 Workshop. Ayres and Shirreff first met at Corsham and it was his reinvigoration of the use of carborundum combined with etching that offered her a whole range of possibilities in the medium of print.

Gillian Ayres’ work is in the collections of the British Museum, Tate, the Victoria & Albert Museum; and the Museum of Modern Art, New York. Gillian was made a Royal Academician in 1991 and awarded a CBE in 2011.

Gillian Ayres: Paintings and Prints 1986 to 2011 runs from Saturday 15 June to Sunday 15 September.

Museum volunteers at opening night

Museum volunteers at opening night

A spanking good time at the 2013 Oxjam Launch Party

Exeter's newest funk band, Electric Spank, are topping the bill at the launch party for Oxjam 2013 at the Exeter Phoenix. The first of a series of gigs taking place in our fair city as part of an Oxfam musical take over, the 29 May event will not disappoint. Fronted by the unstoppable Lucy Rice, of Melosa fame, with guitar by the insatiably funky Alastiar Toms, Electric Spank's last gig at the Lamb Inn, nr Crediton was a phenomenal mix of funky as originals and  rock solid covers to bring happiness to your ear holes.

Next October, Oxfam GB will be raising funds with 60 music festivals throughout the country. The Exeter event will be on 19th-20th October comprising many events right across the city. There will also be fundraising events prior to the Takeover so keep your eyes peeled! Follow them on Twitter @oxjamexeter2013 and like them on Facebook.

Pop along to the event to hear more and more importantly have a good time! If you dig it, them you could make friends and get involved. They're currently looking for volunteers, bands/artists, venues, security, fundraising ideas and more. If you would like to be involved them tweet or take a look at the Oxjam website for more information: http://www.oxfam.org.uk/oxjam/get-involved

Telling Our Stories, Finding Our Roots Story Telling Evening at Exeter Phoenix

Story Teller Sandhya Dave 

Hot on the heels of a fully booked spring performance at RAMM, Telling Our Stories, Finding Our Roots, presents an evening of storytelling, inspired by new historical research into Exeter's multicultural history, on Wednesday 5 June at the  Exeter Phoenix  for the 2013 Exeter Ignite Theatre festival. Rich story-telling, music and verse bring a new multi-cultural perspective to Exeter’s history in a special performance.

Expect an evening of traditional tales mixed with original stories of people from around the world, moving to, living in and affecting lives in Exeter. Hosted by story-teller Sandhya Dave and local historian Lucy MacKeith, Telling Our Stories' volunteer team will present stories of Black GIs in St Thomas, Exeter's Jewish History, tales of slavery, abolition and more.

In this special performance for Exeter's Ignite Theatre Festival, the Telling Our Stories, Finding Our Roots collection of stories takes inspiration from new research uncovering Exeter's diverse past. Part of a year long Heritage Lottery Funded project, the 5 June event follows hot on the heels of a fully booked storytelling evening at the RAMM earlier this spring and will give insight into just a few of the human stories revealed in more than 20 different research inquiries and interviews with modern day Exeter residents from a wide range of cultural backgrounds. 

The stories will include pieces that bring new perspectives to the Royal Albert Memorial Museum's Collections and local stately homes. How did war time Exeter respond to a US Army presence that kept black and white GIs separated on the city's streets? Hear tales of Exeter's Jewish community in the Middle Ages and today. Discover how Exeter's residents were affected by slavery and abolition. What happened when Tennessee's Fisk Singers Jubilee Singers arrived in Victorian Exeter and more.

Telling Our Stories, Finding Our Roots, £6/£4, at Exeter Phoenix on Wednesday 5 June at 7:30pm for more information visit www.exeterphoenix.co.uk

Kudos to Cosy Club: A visit to Exeter's new eclectic eatery

Simon says 'Hello'

'So what exactly is a 'Cosy Club?' I asked @CosyClubExeter on Twitter before their 15 April opening.The reply came back with cool confidence, 'Think gents club meets village hall meets cricket pavilion!' and as I tread the wooden floor boards to my table, taking in the artwork and ambiance, it all became clear. Cosy Club is that wonderful combination of modern and vintage, quirky and classic, polite and relaxed. It's the kind of of place that that you could show up wearing your finest threads or your comfiest jeans and feel like you fit in.

Exeter Cosy Club

I popped in just five days after the opening to see what all of the buzz was about and wasn't disappointed. The place was a twitter with couples, parties and families perched on delightfully mismatched chairs and benches. The waistcoated staff were friendly and welcoming.  And I just couldn't stop staring at the lampshades.

The food is as eclectic as the decor with a mix of tapas, burgers and quality mains. We ordered two pints of the deliciously malty local ale, Falls Over by Exeter Brewery, and a set of burgers one beef and one veggie for supper. My veggie burger had just the right amount of structure with a crunchy exterior and mushy centre. The fries were perfect too and washing it down with the best pint of real ale I've had since the Exeter CAMRA Festival of Winter Ales, made it all the better. For pudds, we had matching apple tarte tartin which were lovely and cinnamonny and made me happy.

Exeter's branch is the 6th Cosy Club to open in the UK, joining a roster of award winning branches in Taunton, Bath, Salisbury, Cardiff and Stamford. This charming edition to Exeter's dining scene is just what Southernhay needs. The Jack Wills-esque atmosphere makes it classy enough to sit alongside places like Southernhay House and Magdalen Chapter. While the Bike Shed-lite quirkiness makes it funky enough to bring in young blood that might not otherwise venture down the Georgian Street of an evening. And the fact that it's open for Breakfast Lunch Dinner and Drinks is an extra bonus for people like me who like eating at random times of day! Must visit for breakfast/brunch sometime to try what looks like an epic vegetarian breakfast.

Cosy Exterior

What's next for the Jessop's spot on Exeter's High Street?

Jessops

It's been a month now since Jessops camera shops closed around the UK leaving more than a thousand people without work and at least a dozen people without anywhere to get their film developed.


Exeter's branch was based opposite its Snappy Snaps competitor off South Street before moving to the High Street proper with a new frontage and hope for the future. A few years on and they became the first retail casualty of 2013. And I can't say I'm entirely surprised. Between Amazon, the Internet and Smartphones, it was just a matter of time, 11 January 2013 to be precise.

So what's going to open up there next? We have plenty of mobile phone shops. The narrow space is too small for a clothing store; remember Musto tried and failed. It would need to be something with a high turnover or a high retail price order to make the margins work. I'm hoping it might be something like Montezuma Chocolate, which would work well near Starbucks, a Build a Bear and a bus stop, as well a providing a stop off point between Hotel Chocolat and Thornton's. Time will tell.