Monthly Archives :

November 2015

Let Your Emotions Flow

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have recently lost my twin brother in a storm at sea. In amongst my sorrow I disguised myself as a boy and assumed his name. However, I have fallen in love with my boss but he fancies someone else in the office. To make matters worse, she has fallen in love with me, but is in denial about her true persuasions. How can I reveal my true identity without causing any harm, and also finding a match for my brother if he ever turns up?

    What a Bermuda love triangle you have on your hands. 

Journeys end in lovers meeting. You don’t want to play the heartstrings of your co-workers, so try to avoid getting caught up in a love affair and becoming a prop in their love games. 

    Maybe it’s time to take off the mask and reveal your true self. Although the initial unveiling will be met with a bad reception. It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. 

    If and when your brother does return maybe he can take the apple of your boss’s eye off your hands. Your female admirer, however, seems to be very confused in her own thoughts. Send her my way. 

    If you’re stuck for inspiration, maybe you and I could see Twelfth Night at the Holy Trinity Church, 8pm? See you there, sugar. 

Q AND A WITH BULLYBONES

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We caught up with Charlie Pullinger and Aaron Lee of garage-rock band BullyBones after their blistering performance in the Woodland Bar yesterday.

Q) How did the band initially form?

CP) Me and the guitarist Aaron were friends and started playing guitar bits with each other. We decided to form a band and advertised for a bassist in the paper- we found Illy! Elliot, our drummer, stepped in to replace the previous one.

Q) Who would you say your music is most influenced by?

CP) The Cramps, Iggy & the Stooges, The Doors, Duane Eddy and anything garage or rock ‘n’ roll.

Q) What do you like about playing at festivals?

CP) We like the relaxed atmosphere around the site. We played two sets at the Isle of Wight Festival earlier this year in the JackRocks and Hey Joe tents which was great!

Q) What has been your most memorable moment whilst playing in the band?

CP) Probably guitarist Aaron breaking his foot. We had to help him up a set of stairs before he had to go on stage at a venue in Newport, sat on a wheelchair. 

Q) How would you describe the Fringe in three words?

AL) Intense

CP) Rad… and free.

Thanks very much lads for taking the time out do this interview!

Interviewer: Luke Joynes

Bangers About Mash

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So food, it’s pretty good. Keeps you ticking, well The Events Co. want to keep you ticking this year with their newly renovated Bangers and Mash van.

This isn’t any ordinary Bangers and mash van, here you can tailor your meal to your tastes. They offer Pork and Apple, Pork and Garlic and for vegetarians and gluten free peeps there are Red Onion and Rosemary sausages. Then you can add either Proper Mash made from IOW potatoes or a Veggie Mash which consists of swede and carrot combined with garlic and mustard seasoning.

This bit deserves a paragraph of it’s own because it’s the best bit, sauce. Choose from a Proper Gravy, Veggie Gravy or the delicious Curry Sauce, then you can add cheese of onions for that it extra.

I for one am very excited to sink my teeth into the Red Onion and Rosemary sausages with Veggie Mash and Curry Sauce.

What flavour pairing will you choose?

Go grab yours down at the Parkside today!

Less Pie, More Vinyl

150 150 Ventnor Fringe

 Pie and Vinyl are slapping Ventnor with a palette board of new and upcoming sounds from just a stone’s throw away; Southsea!

    The Southsea Showcase is part of a new partnership with the Ventnor Fringe team to build an artistic bridge between the Island and the mainland; essentially, making Southsea and Ventnor sister towns – not inbred unlike common misconception. 

    Jack came up with the project after researching postcodes for common interests of music in our area. He then realised Southsea were of a similar canny mind-set to us creative lot, and so formed an healthy alliance between House Southsea and House VFringe. 

    Well, anyway! These three bands are defined as the epitome of the evolving independent music scene in our small town. If you need your daily filling of music, this is definitely the show for you.

    From 6pm the likes of Battery Hens, Jesse Wyldes and The Stallions, and local heroes Spafftits will perform something especially charming (and loud), so prepare to have your mind blown far, far away. All the vinyls, minus the pies. 

By Hollie Hayes

Tensheds

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“He’s Exceptional” MOJO

“A refreshing whi of anarchy” Classic Rock

“Great depth & wit” UNCUT

“This guy is just super mega cool.” Laura Clare Reid

Tensheds is a northern, punk, piano playing maestro. He wears steam punk. He looks a bit deranged. This pleases me. I’m in. Need more convincing? Think; The White Stripes meets Tom Waits via Nick Cave or Mike Scott sharing the same stage as Jerry Lee Lewis. He accurately calls his style 21st Century Blues. Want more? Okay.

Tensheds has been awarded the Discretional Rock Award. Do you know who presented it to him? Rick. Bloody. Wakeman. And you know what else? Tensheds has supported the likes of John Mayall, Mick Taylor, Manfred Mann, Paul Kelly, Roger Chapman, Paul Young and James Burton. Hazel O’Connor is so taken with Mr Sheds that she’s asked him to support her on tour four times and counting.

But let’s talk about the music, shall we? Tensheds piano playing combines his classical training (Royal Scottish Academy of Music, darling) with an e ortless, sexy blues technique. His voice is both rough, sweet, soaring and intimate. And, as a pianist and singer I’m not jealous. At all.

Tensheds will be performing a two set type gig at Parkside at 6.45pm today. The rst half will be acoustic, then he will be joined by drummer Ed for a proper rocking second half.

He is a multi-award winning musician. Rick Bloody Wakeman gave him one for goodness sake! So why are you still reading this article? Drop this paper immediately and purchase a ticket to Tensheds Live in the Park! 

 

By Laura Clare Reid

SORRY WOODSTOCK

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You find yourself located within the deepest south insane asylum of the British Isles, commonly referred to as the Isle of Wight. This insanity comes from the Island’s passion for music and all manner of cultural oddities.  

Let me cast your minds away from the present day to the summer of 1969. To one of the most revered historic events that British modern history has ever seen. The day the Isle of Wight very nearly sank.

Not literally you understand, I suppose I should explain…

A mass pilgrimage descended upon the Isle of Wight to behold their deity, Bob Dylan. This was an event unheard of by this sleepy coast of Britannia. Some 15,000 people alighted the (substantially smaller than we have today) boat service chanting ‘The Times They are A-Changin’  and sporting their ‘Help Bob Dylan Sink The IOW’ bumper stickers.

An audience of 15,000 may not seem such a ghastly number these days. But put it this way, if a culturally historic event of this magnitude happened now the Island certainly would sink.  

The man of the hour that put this pint-sized Island into the music archives is Ray Foulk. Ray slipped Dylan out from underneath the organisers of Woodstock; Dylan’s own back garden, and all the way across the seas to the Isle of Wight.

Ray and his daughter, Caroline Foulk, have written a book about this fantastic story and will be hosting a talk with questions at 7.30pm in Ventnor Arts Club this evening. Be there to hear the story of how Ray Foulk began Stealing Dylan from Woodstock.   

FRESH LOCAL FISH

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Fresh local fish, hand cut chunky chips, and what is that I hear you say… CRAB ON CHIPS? 

Ventnor Haven Fishery have been proudly serving their local fish and chips for over 5 years now. Their summer special Crab on Chips rapidly becoming somewhat of a ‘national dish’ for our little Island. Let me guess… You may be thinking “why in the world crab on chips?”. It couldn’t be more simple – Fresh Ventnor crab meat, hand picked from the shell, on top of a portion of  those ‘soft on the inside, crunchy on the outside’ double cooked chips, and there you have it – it’s a taste sensation sweeping the southern coast. 

Ventnor Haven also offer a diverse range of local fish to top your chunky chips, some of which include your classic cod, plaice, whiting or ribs of skate. Try the breaded mackerel it’s been recommended to you by head fisherman and Co-founder of the Ventnor Haven, Geoff Blake, as “the perfect summer fish”. 

Open from 12pm – 7.30pm Daily, the fried fish shop is conveniently located opposite The Observatory on Ventnor sea front. So whilst soaking up some of that fabulous live music, grab yoursleves some good old fashioned fish and chips from the freshest place in town.

LAUNCH

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Rain deterred not one bystander among the many Fringe friends yesterday evening.

A short but sweet rundown of VFRINGE so far and hello and how are all from Festival director, Jack Whitewood. This was then followed by a surprise performance. If you missed it here’s the lowdown…

Artist and organiser of the Undecided Art Collective, Rachael Berry, along with Ventnor’s own Laura Reid (of The Ventnor Darlings) performed a new release. Kindly created for yours truly, we are very grateful for that spontaneous set as we now have our 2015 podcast and review show jingle! Better yet we have all your lovely voices cheering away too.

The evening was filled with the warm fringe-tastic feeling this festival seems to curiously create. 

Then a stunning set by our own Poppy Janella; a writer, performer, radio interviewer and fashion guru. #poppydoeseverything #PFRINGE

Fringe’s Frock of the Day

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Bringing us memories of pastel blue skies and crisp pink sunsets, Jordan Royl had no competition for Tuesday’s best dressed ‘Fringer’. her harlequin-esque over the knee dress looked to be a true vintage treasure, but upon further interrogation Jordan gave us the low down on how her fancy frock came to be. “Masqueryde”, a old school fancy dress shop in Ryde was the home of this fabulous £8 bargain – yes  £8! So there we go fringers, Tuesday’s top tip – never ever dismiss the fancy dress shop, it could be a gold mine for your next fabulous fashion find!

Lonely Hearts Column

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  • Female
  • Early 30s
  • Generously bespectacled
  • 5’2″
  • Gemini 

Seeks male between the ages of 24 ½  and 39 ¾ years.

Must have a love of bubonic plague documentaries, knitwear and sandwiches.

Shakespearian actors NEED APPLY NOW.

To reply, please visit the artist registration window at Ventnor Exchange and declare your love in the form of haiku.