As we approach the last couple of months of 2019 (HOW!?) we’re working hard to get the first season of 2020 complete so keep an eye out for news on the latest brochure.
For now, we’ve got a November line-up of hilarious theatre, the future of folk music, a film festival and the biggest 21st birthday party Newbury has ever seen!
Gordon haskell | thursday 07 november | 8pm
£18
Gordon Haskell has often been described as a brilliant mix of Bill Withers and James Taylor with the feel of J.J Cale; but ultimately Haskell is a craftsman with his own unique style and presence, who has been consistently winning audiences with his warmth and golden voice for decades.
After 35 years of dedication to developing his craft of the singer-songwriter, Gordon Haskell finally broke through in 2001 with his hugely popular song ‘How Wonderful You Are’ reaching No. 2 in the UK chart and top chart positions right across Europe.
In 2002 his albums ‘Harry’s Bar’ and ‘Shadows on the Wall’ reached No. 2 and No 44 in the UK chart, and in the top 20 in Germany, France, Poland, Finland and the Netherlands. Both albums reached Gold status with the single selling 400,000+.
Since then he has continued to perform and record mostly in Europe, travelling from his home in Greece, and released book ‘The Road to Harry’s Bar’.
Having had a handful of sporadic concerts (& hugely successful) live appearances since, Gordon returns to the road in 2019 to bring his jazz/blues-influenced songbook and golden voice back to theatre audiences nationwide; up-close, intimate evenings with Gordon Haskell – the master singer-songwriter.
big boss man: coming of age | friday 08 november
8pm | £14
Celebrate Big Boss Man’s 21st birthday with a massive party at Arlington Arts featuring vinyl DJs and a performance from the band.
When Blow Up records artistes Big Boss Man hit the stage you don’t just get the look and feel of some of the best jazzy soundtracks of the 60’s but the feel you’re somewhere in the best territory of Roy Budd during his Get Carter years.
Big Boss Man’s explosive live show is legendary and as well as playing hundreds of gigs and festivals across the UK, Europe and even Russia their music may sound familiar to you being regularly played on television shows including; the Grand Tour, Come Dine with Me and the World Cup Final, and broadcast on BBC Radio by DJs Including Cerys Mathews, Mark Lamarr and Craig Charles. 2017-18 Big Boss Man have been touring France playing shows with Lisa and the Lips and Nicole Willis as well as playing live on National Radio in France .
A check on the BBC website reveals 20 plays in recent times for Big Boss Man songs and a glance at their Publishers Statement shows that Big Boss Man music has been broadcasted in film and TV in dozens of countries worldwide.
Big Boss Man’s Dance-floor favourite “Sea Groove” has exceeded 2.5 MILLION streams on Spotify!
Support from DJ’s spinning Funk, Soul, Latin Boogaloo on original 7″ Vinyl
Row F may have a restricted view. To find out more please see our booking information.
Newbury film festival | Saturday 09 november
7:30pm | £10
“The Box” returns with another another incredible collection of short films – a slice of the best independent film-making from the last year.
The Film Festival will showcase 20 of the most entertaining, vivid and exciting pieces of both local and UK film, from a wide range of genres. Entries will be judged, and awarded on the evening by our guest experts. Please join us to meet the filmmakers, and industry experts – and get a real sense of the excitement and state-of-the-art of the current film-making scene!
rachel newton | thursday 14 november | 8pm | £12
Singer and harpist Rachel Newton was named the 2017 BBC Radio 2 Folk Musician of the Year and the Scots Trad Music Award Instrumentalist of the Year 2016. Her third solo album Here’s My Heart Come Take It was shortlisted for the Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award as one of Scotland’s top ten outstanding albums and was described as ‘a beauty’ in the Observer.
Alongside her burgeoning solo career, Rachel is a much in demand collaborator. A founding member of The Shee and BBC Radio 2 Folk Award 2017 Best Group The Furrow Collective, she has also been involved in various collaborative projects such as The Elizabethan Session and The Lost Word Spell Songs.
Her most recent album West was recorded in her Grandparents’ croft house in Wester Ross and was described by Songlines as ‘one of her most beautiful albums to date’.
‘A beauty’ **** Observer
‘Newton has made the leap to a fine solo performer and this album is perhaps her best yet’ **** Telegraph
‘Haunting and compelling’ **** Guardian
‘Brings traditional songs freshly to life without losing their essential strangeness’ **** Financial Times
‘Newton delivers a thing of great beauty’ ***** fROOTS Magazine
‘An album that enthrals and entrances, places traditional song under a fascinating new spotlight and confirms Rachel Newton as one of our most original and gifted interpreters of those traditions’ Folk Radio UK
Joe DOLMAN | SATURDAY 16 NOVEMBER | 8PM | £12
22 Year old Singer-Songwriter from Leamington Spa. Joe Dolman has been going from strength to strength realising playlist support from Apple Music, Spotify and gaining plays from Huw Stephens on BBC Radio 1.
For fans of James Bay, Passenger, Lewis Watson, Gavin James and Damien Rice.
kENNET OPERA: THE MAGIC FLUTE
tHURSDAY 21-23 NOVEMBER | 8PM
£15 (£13 CONCESSIONS AVAILABLE FOR THE SATURDAY MATINEE)
Join Prince Tamino and the bird-catcher Papageno on their quest to rescue the Princess Pamina, and on the way seek truth, reason and enlightenment. For their 25th anniversary, Kennet Opera are proud to present Mozart’s classic.
Ranking among the top ten most performed operas, The Magic Flute is no tedious tragedy, but a tune-packed pantomime. Who are the goodies – is it the mysterious Queen of the Night or the High Priest Sarastro? Who are the baddies? All will be revealed as our heroes plumb the depths of a mysterious temple, aided by a magical flute and a set of bells… Sung in English, with a chamber orchestra.