Nine below zero
Support: Tom Webber
Thursday 02 december 8pm
£17
UK-based Rhythm ‘n’ Blues Group celebrate acclaimed second LP’s 40th anniversary.
After the critical and public acclaim of Nine Below Zero‘s Live at the Marquee (1980) debut LP, the band kept the momentum going with 1981’s Don’t Point Your Finger. Produced by Glyn Johns, it was the band’s first studio LP and featured the singles Three Times Enough, Helen and Ain’t Comin’ Back along with covers of Roy Head‘s Treat Her Right, Howlin’ Wolf‘s Sugar Mama and Bobby Day‘s Rockin’ Robin.
Nine Below Zero toured with The Who and The Kinks around the time of this LP and also appeared on The Old Grey Whistle Test, The Young Ones and The South Bank Show.
Nine Below Zero are still going strong and the band’s most recent LP Avalanche came out in 2019 to critical acclaim.
Dennis Greaves – Vocals/Guitar
Mark Feltham – Harmonica/Vocals
Ben Willis – Bass
Sonny Greaves – Drums
Tom Monks – Keyboards
Charlie Austen – Vocals
Tom Webber, 21, is a young singer songwriter from Oxfordshire who plays the guitar and counts songwriting greats like Nick Lowe, Richard Hawley as definite influences. Growing up with his grandfather being his musical mentor, Tom loved listening to anyone from The Everly Brothers to Sam Cooke to Hank Williams and his unique voice and nostalgic production on his first self produced EP “Stop and Think About it” (available to download on Spotify) https://open.spotify.com/artist/6koTwGuepB0ajdtq7kixUC
Tom has already caught the attention of “BBC Introducing” describing him as “Nobody really does 50”s and 60’s music – really cool”. After studying for a degree in Audio Production at SAE Institute, Oxford which clearly has helped him produce his first EP, Tom is busy writing and playing gigs when he can.
Mad Dog Mcrea
Support: True strays
friday 03 december 8pm
£17
Mad Dog Mcrea blend a unique mixture of folk rock, pop, gypsy jazz, bluegrass and ‘shake your ass’ music. From self-penned songs of adventure, drinking, love and life, to traditional songs of gypsies, fairies, legless pirates and black flies – Mad Dog never fail to capture their audience with their infectious songs. In constant demand and having played just about every festival and two-bit, jibe-arsed dive in Christendom, Mad Dog Mcrea are, in every sense of the word, a live, band.
Matched with the unshakable dedication of their massive and “loyal-to-the-hilt”, fan base – Mad Dog Mcrea are more than just a very popular, festival act – with five albums under their belts, they are serious and acclaimed recording artists too. December 2019 saw Mad Dog Mcrea released a 5-track EP titled ‘It’s a Sign’.
The famous purple happy bus is fired up and ready for action, and there’s room for you – jump aboard!
“This is music that transcends the run-of-the-mill Irish Wannabes and leaves them standing.” – Acoustic Magazine
“It’s always a joy to me when something jumps up and smacks you between the eyes – Mad Dog Mcrea did that to me” – Mike Harding
True Strays are lifelong friends, songwriters and country boys – Joseph James and James Cameron – from Bristol, England who are fast carving out a niche of their own in the UK Americana scene. Their music is a cathartic celebration of alternative roots americana and blues rock.
Their songs focus on the dirt that life throws at you and how struggle can be transformed into something better. The prolific songwriting duo draw influences from classic sounds such as Neil Young, Muddy Waters, Fleetwood Mac and modern retro inspired acts like Alabama Shakes, Gary Clark Jr and the Black Keys.
JACK FROST
SUNDAY 05 DECEMBER 1PM & 3PM
£10.50 Adult, £9.50 children & £36 family
A magical, wintery production brings Jack Frost to life through puppetry, music and enchant-ing storytelling. Meet our mischievous sprite on a snowy adventure but wrap up warm or you’ll catch Jack nipping at your fingers and toes! A story about embracing and celebrating dif-ference to warm hearts this winter.
Moon On A Stick return to transform the stage using their unique combination of shadow play, song and interactive theatre to reimagine this well-known seasonal legend. A playful family production, perfect for children 3+.
‘Wonderful puppetry, beautiful staging & charming storytelling’
kennet opera’s christmas mix
wednesday 15 december 7:30pm
£15 full price, £10 concessions
Kennet Opera return to the Arlington Arts stage with a feast of festive goodies. True to their operatic roots, the first half features highlights of that most dramatic of oratorios, Handel’s Messiah, including the sublime Hallelujah Chorus.
Boogie mites festive family music
Thursday 16 December 10am &11:15am
£8
Join Lizzie from Boogie Mites for a Festive Family Fun music-making workshop! Wrap up warm, pop on your favourite bobble hat, and enjoy 45 minutes of musical fun (with covid-secure measures in place to keep everyone as safe as possible).
You’ll be using music & movement to explore a wintery theme, and meeting our friends from the Frozen North: catchy songs, lots of actions, dancing and exploring instruments!
Ballet theatre uk: the snow queen
friday 17 december 7:30pm
saturday 18 december 2:30pm & 7:30pm
sunday 19 December 2:30pm
£19 full price, £17 concessions, £65 family
Join Ballet Theatre UK in their beautiful re-telling of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fairy tale ballet, The Snow Queen. This spectacular production follows the story of Gerda and her quest to find her friend Kay, whom the Snow Queen has placed under an evil spell. Gerda’s fantastic adventure takes her on a journey across the frozen north where she encounters a band of gypsy’s, enchanted reindeer, and a mysterious and reclusive Lapland woman. Gerda is told by the mysterious woman to continue traveling north, where she will find Kay and the Snow Queen’s Palace of Ice. Only Gerda’s love for Kay can release him from the spell and break the Snow Queen’s curse of eternal winter. Ballet Theatre UK’s renowned company of international dancers, beautiful costumes and glittering stage sets combine to create a magnificent spectacle, all set to a glorious and magical score.
“Critics’ Choice – Top 5 productions touring the UK” – The Independent
“A pleasure to witness a production of this calibre” – The Dancing Times
“Glittering costumes, expressive dancers…a pleasure to witness a production of this calibre” – Dance Europe