Ventnor Fringe

The Isle of Wight's multi award winning festival
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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

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Tensheds
150 150 Ventnor Fringe

“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

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SORRY WOODSTOCK
150 150 Ventnor Fringe

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.   

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FRESH LOCAL FISH
150 150 Ventnor Fringe

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.

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LAUNCH
150 150 Ventnor Fringe

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

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Fringe’s Frock of the Day
150 150 Ventnor Fringe

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!

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Lonely Hearts Column
150 150 Ventnor Fringe
  • 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. 

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Hollie’s TOP PICKS
150 150 Ventnor Fringe
  • Scena Mundi’s production of Shakespeare’s Richard II & Marlowe’s Edward II in Holy Trinity Church @ either 2.30pm or 7.15pm everyday except Sunday
  • Birthday Lock-In with JJ Bola & Rex Domino in The Woodland Bar @ 10pm on Thursday
  • The Diamond Age in Ventor Arts Club @ 10pm on Saturday
  • Screening of Pride in The Outdoor Cinema @ 9pm on Thursday
  • Shakespeare’s Rattle and Roll in Ventnor Arts Club @ 6pm on Saturday

 

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A Breakdown of Butoh
150 150 Ventnor Fringe

An introduction to butoh as a dance form with Ezio Tangini. Check out Eio’s show Somewhere Nowhere at The Scout Hut, 9.30pm & 10.30pm Thursday evening (18+).

Where are you from?

“Rome, Italy”

How did you hear about Ventnor Fringe?

“On the web”

What style of performance is yours?

“The butoh dance is born in Japan in 1959, Tatsumi Hijikata and Kazuo Ohno have been the discoverers of this new kind of dance.

Now this form of dance is known everywhere. It is a form of dance in which it is important to feel the internal motivations. The Body expressing its existence. Living. Body. Inner-landscapes.”

Who/what inspires your choreography?

“The nature is often the most important inspiration. In Somewhere Nowhere the nature has inspired me strongly and also pictures, like the paintings of Andrea Mantegna and Hans Holbein the young.” 

How many years have you been perfecting this art? 

“I started studying butoh in 1998 with Masaki Iwana, in an intensive summer one month training in Normandy. Then I was there several times.

I started performing butoh in 2003. Flavia Ghisalberti, Yann van Steenbrugghe and I founded the group In Between Butoh. The group has been created around the dance project “Something in between”; reflections about the socialization of madness and the memories of places which accompanies it, conditions it or treats it.”

What other countries have you performed in? 

“With In Between Butoh; I performed in Russia, U.S., Canada, France, Switzerland, Germany, Gibraltar and Romania.

As as solo performer I’ve performed in Holland, Ireland, Romania and Switzerland.”

Where is the most interesting place you’ve ever performed? 

“In Sibiu (Romania) in 2009 with In Between Butoh. We performed as a three piece with a musician, Frank Heierli, in a small boat on an artificial lake, inside the Astra Museum and park with 400 people watching our performance.”

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The Ventnor Fringe Review Show: Tuesday
150 150 Ventnor Fringe

It’s the first day of the Ventnor Fringe Festival 2015!

 

The Review Show 2015: Tuesday (Scena Mundi / Kiya Heartwood / Rachael Berry) by The Ventnor Fringe on Mixcloud

 

In the Exchange today the review team are joined by theatre company Scena Mundi (in costume) who discuss Shakespeare and Marlowe ahead of their week-long run of performances. Rachael Berry from the Undecided Art Collective tells us about their Fringe exhibition about dreams and 80s rocker Kiya Heartwood is bringing her one woman show all the way from Texas to the Arts Club for this year’s Fringe – she also has a song for us!

The Ventnor Fringe Review is a daily podcast recorded in the Ventnor Exchange at 11am, it is an opportunity for artists and performers to have a chat about their work and get to know one another. Brought to you by Miri and Caty (AKA Drench & Prawnders, media gurus) the review show is a delightful teaser for visitors to the Fringe who can’t make up their mind what to see.

 

 

 

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