SpArC Theatre

FREE PRACTICE SESSIONS FOR NEW BANDS
2021-07-26 10:30 - 2021-08-23 16:00 (Europe/London) | SpArC Theatre
FREE PRACTICE SESSIONS
AVAILABLE TO NEW BANDS

NEED SPACE FOR YOUR BAND TO PRACTICE?

LET US KNOW IF YOU NEED HELP WITH EQUIPMENT OR SETTING UP
Contact: Liz@sparctheatre.co.uk to book a time at the Theatre at SpArC
Current Available Dates and Times
Monday 26th July 10.30– 12pm, 12.30—2pm , 2 .30- 4pm
Monday 2nd August 10.30– 1, 12.30-2pm, 2.30-4pm
Friday 6th August 10.30– 1, 12.30-2pm, 2.30-4pm
Monday 9th August 3- 4.30
Monday 23rd August 10.30– 1, 12.30-2pm, 2.30-4pm
More dates may become available

Summer Showcase- A Musical Extravaganza for Young Musicians
2021-07-22 18:30 - 21:00 | SpArC Theatre
Tickets limited-
Summer Showcase- A Musical Talent Extravaganza for up and coming young musicians.
Many performing for the first time
Our talented local rising stars will perform for you and a panel of local experts .
Its time to bring the music back!
Please read Audience Covid Guidelines before coming to the theatre for the event as they may have changed from when you booked the tickets.

Arts Alive Summer Festival: LIVE: Music, Theatre & Story Telling
2021-07-09 19:30 - 2021-07-10 22:00 | Sparc Theatre, Bishop's Castle, United Kingdom
Summer Festival- Saturday evening
‘ An evening of eloquent eccentricity ‘ Tickets £12. 7.30pm

WENDY WEATHERBY & SANDY BRECHIN AND MICHELLE BURKE & JAMES ROSS

“an evening of eloquent eccentricity”. From Scotland, two of the country’s most versatile and popular musicians, Wendy Weatherby (vocals, cello) and Sandy Brechin (accordion) will play a mixture of traditional and original material. And join internationally acclaimed artists, singer-songwriter Michelle from rural East Cork, Ireland and pianist and composer James, for a smattering of Parlour songs, new songs, tunes and shenanigans.
Wendy Weatherby and Sandy Brechin
Wendy Weatherby ( Vocals, Cello ) and Sandy Brechin ( Accordion ) are two of Scotland’s most versatile and popular musicians, playing a mixture of traditional and original material.
Wendy’s wide musical interests have led her to perform at Folk , Jazz and Theatre events worldwide. She has composed for Theatre and Film, had major commissions from the Celtic Connections festival, hosted numerous workshops in both cello and song at festivals throughout Britain, and has recorded extensively as a solo artist ( A Breath on the Cold Glass, Two Loves , A Shirt of Silk or Snow ) and a guest musician. She tutors in both Scots Song and Cello at the National Centre for Excellence in Traditional Music (NCETM ) in Plockton and continues to perform with musicians of many styles, including her own ‘Wendy Weatherby Band’, of which Sandy is a member !
‘An outstanding performer with a distinctive and individual approach ‘ EDS magazine
‘Her warm voice shines.‘ The Scotsman
Sandy is one of the great exponents of the Scottish accordion , well known worldwide as the ‘front man’ of his many bands ,including Seelyhoo, Burach,and The Sensational Jimi Shandrix Experience. He has released a host of albums on the prestigious Greentrax label and his own aptly named label, Brechin All Records. Equally at home in the musical, theatre and teaching worlds, ( Sandy also tutors at the NCETM ) his unique stage presence and sheer musicality make him one of Scotland’s most sought after performers.
‘An accordionist with attitude as well as loads of talent – frequently wild and hairy.’ fRoots
Michelle Burke is a singer-songwriter from rural East Cork, Ireland. She was the lead singer with Irish-American super group, Cherish the Ladies. Michelle’s quirky show Step Into My Parlour an Edinburgh Fringe favourite has gone onto travel the world including an invitation to New Delhi, to open the 11th International Mahindra Excellence Theatre Awards Festival. Last year Michelle unveiled a new show called The Hillman Hunter and is on the cusp of releasing a new album produced by Duke Special.

James Ross is a pianist and composer that pushes the boundaries of Scottish traditional music. He has collaborated with many top Scottish musicians and writers, including Mr McFall’s Chamber and James Robertson. James recently collaborated with author Alexander McCall Smith to create These Are The Hands, a song cycle celebrating Scotland and the Sea.
Please read our Covid 19 Audience Procedure info HERE

SOLD OUT LIVE MUSIC: SHAKEDOWN
2021-07-02 07:30 - 21:30 | SpArC Theatre
SOLD OUT
We are so happy to welcome some good friends to bring the music back to Sparc Theatre
Featuring music from Louis Jordan to Van Morrison in blues, jazz, swing and rock ‘n’ roll from this group of seasoned professionals with a fascinating mix of experience. As individuals they have worked with a large list of well known musicians and performers creating music to make you smile, tap your feet or even dance. A ‘good fun’ band.
The band was formed early in 2018 to support Saving Grace, Robert Plant’s new music project on many tour dates during 2018. Geoff Grimes keys/vocals well known in Shropshire is joined by another local Sticky Wicket percussion/vocals, Ted Bunting saxophones/flute from Tenbury Wells and Geoff Ockenden from Ludlow on bass.
Have a read of their stories below!
Geoff Grimes – Keys
As a London based session musician in the late 60’s early 70’s, Geoff played or performed with many well known artists including Van Morrison, Jimmy Page and members of AC/DC.
Working for Young Blood Records he also recorded on many hits by their artists whilst at the same time working as a plugger at Radio One.
Headhunted by WEA Records he became one of the best promo men in the business, responsible for the successful airplay of artists on Warner, Electra, Asylum, Atlantic and their related labels. Atlantic became his home during the 70’s working with business legends Ahmet and Nesuhi Ertegun and Jerry Wexler.
More recently he played keys with Ricky Cool & The Hoola Boola Boys and in bands alongside artists such as Steve Gibbons and Robert Plant, with whom his relationship continues to this day, as Geoff and his band support shows for Plant’s current Saving Grace project.
Sticky Wicket – Drummer /Percussionist/Bandleader/Teacher
Former drummer with The Russ Ballard Band, Steve Gibbons Band, Steve Marriott’s & the DT’s plus Steve’s ‘Packet of Three’, Chris Barbers’ Jazz & Blues Band and The Lonnie Donegan Band. Working sometimes as percussionist as well as drummer he has played a variety of gigs, TV shows and recording sessions for artistes such as Van Morrison, Jools Holland, Bryan Ferry, Leo Sayer, Roger Daltrey, Joe Cocker, Rory Gallagher, Peter Frampton, Bryan May, Paul Young, Joe Brown, Paul Jones, Kenny Ball, Acker Bilk and many others.
In recent years Sticky has been drummer with the highly respected US ‘Blues Hall of Fame’ guitarist, singer and songwriter Beki Brindle and is regularly recording and touring with her in Britain and the USA. Beki Brindle Band CD’s include the very creditable ‘Blue For You’, the title track of which was written and produced by Russ Ballard. Other tracks included guests such as John Sebastien and Steve Gibbons.
Now living in Shropshire UK, Sticky enjoys playing locally with some fine musicians and is regularly seen with ‘Beez Neez’ or with ‘Shakedown’ supporting Robert Plant’s Band ‘Saving Grace’.
Sticky is also a much-respected Jazz player, drum teacher, vintage drum collector and his ‘Swing Orchestra’ is one of the most celebrated swing bands in the UK which is often seen at major venues, swing dance events and vintage festivals.
His recent on-line work has included educational Vintage Drums & Drumming videos to be found on the YouTube channel ‘Next Level Chops’. These have been so well received resulting in world wide acclaim for Sticky and inspiring him to issue the DVD ‘Classic Drums & Drumming Vol.1’ .
In 2018 some of Sticky’s vintage drums have were the centre piece of a major London exhibition ‘Jazz in Britain’ and he has also demonstrated them at many workshops and drum clinics in the UK.
Ted Bunting – Saxophones/flute
In the 70s Ted was a London-based musician working with Paul Kossof, Alexis Korner, John ‘Rabbit’ Bundrick, Arthur Brown, John Congas and several other artists. He was a full-time member of GT Moore and the Reggae Guitars, supporting Dr Feelgood on their first major UK tour in 1975, and continuing his collaboration with GT Moore into the 80s with the Rhythm Tramps. He also worked as a record producer, producing, amongst other projects, Polystyrene’s demos and her solo album ‘Translucence’, as well as playing on a number of successful Polystyrene and X Ray Spex tracks, such as ‘Identity’ and ‘The Day the World Turned Dayglo’. In 1983 Alexis Korner and Friends played two nights at the Marquee to celebrate the club’s 25th anniversary and Ted was a member of the all star band that included Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts and Ruby Turner. The shows were filmed and broadcast on UK TV later that year, and released on DVD in 2002. In 1986 he produced and played on Blake’s Three’s album ‘12 by 4’. In 1988 he and Damien Korner designed and built a studio in West London (subsequently bought by the well-known studio company, Sarm) where they recorded a number of high-profile artists, including the Pogues, Robert Plant, Jim Mullen and Zak Starky. In 1990 he teamed up with Mike Sanchez to form the original Hoola Boola Boys. When Ricky Cool joined the band in 1993 it was the start of a collaboration that has continued to this day, eventually leading to the formation of Ricky Cool and the In Crowd.
Geoff Ockenden – Upright and electric bass
Geoff is a seasoned session player with an extremely adaptable approach, which has seen him succeed in a professional career spanning more than 25 years. Whether delivering walking lines as the in-house bassist at Ronnie Scott’s jazz club, laying down scored parts for BBC commissions, playing with orchestral ensembles or rocking out on the festival circuit, Geoff’s feel and solid bass tone ensure whoever he plays for gets a great musical foundation to build on. His reliability and versatility has underpinned performances with artists including Beverley Knight, Nigel Kennedy, Sir Cliff Richard, Tony Christie, Roy Wood, The Average White Band, Steve Gibbons, The Real Thing, Womack and Womack, Trevor Burton and Ruby Turner.

MID WALES OPERA LIVE OPEN AIR CONCERT
2021-06-05 14:00 - 18:00 | SpArC Theatre
MID WALES OPERA get back on the road – Celebrating the return of live music
Sparc Theatre is so thrilled to be hosting MWO for their open air summer concerts- they are just sneaking over the boarder one time to perform for us!
Bishop’s Castle Community College has kindly given us permission to use the playing field in front of Sparc as you entre the site for the performances.
Tickets can only be booked by emailing admin@midwalesopera.co.uk
Or phone 07764 171259
Powys’ very own opera company Mid Wales Opera will be back on the road in May and June with a series of outdoor, Covid safe performances celebrating the return of live music.
MWO have been busy lining up singers and musicians, and some stunning outdoor venues, for their pop up concerts in May and June.
Current Covid regulations mean each performance will be limited tickets, and there will be three 40 minute shows per day.
Tickets can only be booked by emailing admin@midwalesopera.co.uk.
Or phone 07764 171259
Each weekend’s concerts will feature a different musical programme and combination of professional performers. MWO’s Music Director Jonathan Lyness told us
“These short concerts will feature an eclectic mix of joyful, entertaining and uplifting musical treats, from the world of song, opera and cabaret and much else besides – a chance for us all to remember and celebrate the importance of live classical music, and go home feeling all the better for it!”
MWO were on tour with their production of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro when the first lockdown happened in March 2020, and like many arts organisations they have managed to keep going through a mix of digital programming and pop up concerts when possible, but are determined to get back to presenting live music.
Their Executive Director Lydia Bassett told us:
“MWO has always been about bringing high quality live opera and classical music to places where it wouldn’t normally be performed. We’re delighted to be able to support singers and musicians, many of whom have struggled with little or no work during the pandemic, and bring live music back to audiences across rural Wales by performing outdoors in carefully controlled spaces right across the country. We can’t wait to get back on the road”.
The first performance at The Judge’s Lodging, Presteigne on Saturday May 15th has already sold out
Tickets can only be booked by emailing admin@midwalesopera.co.uk.
For more information contact Lydia Bassett lydia@midwalesopera.co.uk
