Legendary rockers Status Quo are heading for Llan

* Status Quo will headline the closing concert of LIME 2014. Picture courtesy of Dave Coulson.

 

The band that opened Live Aid in 1985 with ‘Rockin’ all Over the World have been unveiled as the headline act at the closing concert at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod next July.

Lead singer and guitarist  Francis Rossi OBE can't wait to perform on the pavilion stage after being told by Jools Holland - one the stars at this year's event - about the magic of the Eisteddfod.

He said: "Jools told me he did the Eisteddfod and what a brilliant place and atmosphere it was. He also explained about the event’s history and that excites me."

Organisers are thrilled the band, that's sold nearly 120 million records and has had 64 Top Ten hits, are joining an already stellar line-up.

Other headline acts include opera superstar Bryn Terfel and the Dutch jazz sensation, Caro Emerald.

 

The acclaimed bass baritone will be playing the lead in a special production of Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street featuring an all-Welsh cast.

In addition, there will be a world premiere of a new work by top composer Karl Jenkins and an appearance by the chart-topping singing brothers, Richard and Adam Johnson, from Holywell, in Flintshire.

 

Meanwhile, the Spirit of Unity concert will feature the Cape Town Opera, Africa’s premiere opera company, and the Wales Millennium Centre Only Kidz Aloud Chorus under the baton of celebrity conductor Tim Rhys Evans.

 

The Eisteddfod office will be closed over the Christmas holidays but tickets for all the concerts can be bought online via the website  www.international-eisteddfod.co.uk

Musical Director Eilir Owen Griffiths was thrilled he'd been able to sign up Status Quo to bring the 2014 event to a "fantastic climax".

 

He said: "Status Ouo are true rock legends and they are the final piece in the jigsaw for what promises to be one of the best Eisteddfod's ever.

 

"I am very excited by the galaxy of stars we have lined up - and by the end of the week we are going to be Rockin' All Over the World."

 

It was a sentiment echoed by the award-winning Village Bakery - recently named as Wales's fastest growing company - who are sponsoring the Status Quo concert.

 

Managing Director Robin Jones said: "As a locally based family firm, we are proud to have supported the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod for a number of years.

 

"Status Quo have rocked all over the world and now the world will be able to rock with them in Llangollen. It promises to be an absolutely fantastic night."

 

After performing at more than 6,500 lives shows in front of 25 million people, the Quo frontman Francis Rossi, now 64, can't wait to make his Llangollen Eisteddfod debut after five decades in the business.

Rossi formed The Scorpions, which became The Spectres, with fellow schoolboy Alan Lancaster way back in 1962.

And after a number of line-up changes they became The Status Quo in 1967, although they dropped The becoming simply Status Quo two years later.

By 1967 rhythm guitarist Rick Parfitt, now 65, joined the line-up, just as the band’s first hit, Pictures of Matchstick Men, was climbing the charts, and he forged a close friendship with Rossi which lasts to this day.

Original bass guitarist Alan Lancaster left in 1987 to be replaced by John ‘Rhino’ Edwards, now 60, while keyboard player and rhythm guitarist Andy Brown, 67, joined in 1976. 

This year Leon Cave, at just 35, took over as the band’s permanent drummer, the fourth since John Coghlan put away his sticks in 1981, although Coghlan did appear in early 2013 along with the rest of the band’s original line-up for a one-off mini tour.

In 2009 Rossi and Parfitt were recognised for their services to Music and Charity and were awarded OBE’s in the New Year’s Honours List.

When  Status Quo, take to the Llangollen stage Rossi is determined not to repeat the  mistake he made a few years ago when appearing at Llandudno.

He said: “How could I have been so dumb? We had just returned from a gruelling tour of Japan or Australia and I wasn’t at my best. Now I know, if the name of the town begins with double LL then the chances are, you’re in Wales.

“However, I just forgot where I was for a few seconds and in between songs announced how thrilled we were to be back in England. That was a lesson in how to lose an audience, at least for a while. I’ve never heard booing like it! I didn’t realise how passionate the Welsh are about Wales.

“But I know Llangollen is going to be amazing and I’m determined to enjoy it and make it special. Status Quo might be a lot different to Pavarotti but we are established and I hope, accepted.”
 
STATUS QUO FACTFILE

In September 1991 Status Quo entered the Guinness Book of Records after playing four British shows in 11 hours 11 minutes. The Rock ‘Til You Drop event saw Quo play sellout shows at Sheffield Arena, Glasgow, Birmingham NEC and Wembley Arena.

Rock ‘Til You Drop raised £2m for children’s charities. The marathon took a year to organise and involved 60 drums, 200 amplifiers, 62 guitars, 165 cymbals, 12 miles of cable, 50 cameras, 25,000 lights, 250 crew, eight helicopters, five jets and 16 police escorts.

Status Quo have recorded 64 British hit singles – more than any other band – 22 of which have been top 10 hits.

The band made 106 BBC TV Top of the Pop appearances – more than any other band.
In 1988 Quo played a record-breaking series of 14 sell-out shows to more than 300,000 people in Moscow’s Olympic Stadium.

In 1992 Quo performed at the prestigious Last Tattoo in Berlin in the presence of HM The Queen.

2005 was the band’s 40^th year.

In February 2013 the ‘Bula Quo!’ movie premiered at the Berlinale Film Festival in Germany.
Francis Rossi’s preferred guitar is still the 1957 green Fender Telecaster he bought in 1968 for £70.   

Over the Christmas holidays tickets for all the concerts can be bought online via the website  www.international-eisteddfod.co.uk
 

Silver Band has Christmas concert tonight

Llangollen Silver Band's annual Christmas Gala Concert, which is now in its fifth year, will be held at the Town Hall this evening (Friday), starting at 7pm.

* A young band member practices for the concert.

Described as a real traditional celebration of Christmas, the evening will see the Senior Band playing seasonal tunes and there will be sing-a-long carols with word sheets are provided.

The gala will showcase not only the Christmas programme that the senior and youth bands have been working very hard on, but also the varied musical talents of the band’s players both young and old.

Pick up a ticket for just £5 from Honeypots, the Town Council office in Parade Street, or from any band member.

The cost of the ticket includes a mince pie, a glass of mulled wine and a generous helping of Christmas spirit.                                                       

Fron Bache closed due to water burst says county

Denbighshire County Council sent out a warning just before 5pm tonight (Thursday) that Fron Bache, Llangollen has been closed due to a water burst.

The message said there was currently no further information.

Some users to miss out on energy price cuts says Plaid

Many of Conwy and Denbighshire's residents will not be eligible for the largest energy price cuts recently announced by the government, according to Plaid Cymru.

The Westminster government has brokered a deal with the "big six" energy companies to save as much as £50 per household on energy bills.

The move aimed to reduce the burden on those who struggle to pay for gas and electricity during the winter months.

However Plaid Cymru says almost a quarter of householders in North Wales will miss out on the full discount because the most substantial cuts only apply to dual fuel customers, where mains gas is supplied.

Thousands of people in Conwy and Denbighshire rely on "off-grid" sources such as oil and bottled gas.

Plaid Cymru’s Ruthin-based shadow energy spokesperson Llyr Gruffydd AM has written to the UK Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change highlighting the issue and asking how the government proposes to ensure that people who receive "off-mains" energy supplies do not lose out.

Mr Gruffydd, Plaid Cymru AM for North Wales, said: "It's clear that the Con-Dem government at Westminster has not thought of areas such as Denbighshire and Conwy when arriving at its policies on energy. Rural areas in particular are far more likely to be off-grid and also have households in fuel poverty.

"It was with great fanfare that they hailed the agreements with the 'big-6' energy companies as a good deal for consumers, but it's far from clear how people who aren't on the gas main will get the full benefit.

"In large parts of Wales, people face a choice between getting all their energy from electricity or using oil, bottled gas or other off-grid fuels.

"This means that people aren't eligible for the cheapest tariff.

"Under these 'dual-fuel' deals, people who are near a gas main can get a discount on their energy bills. It's often these prices which are quoted by Government Ministers in their calculations.

"Plaid Cymru welcomes measures to reduce consumer energy bills, although the real reason for rising prices isn't green taxes but energy company profiteering that needs to be tackled. The average profit that energy firms make from each household has tripled in just three years—from £30 in 2011 up to £53 per household last year and up to a huge £105 this year.

"That is why the Party of Wales has proposed a publicly-owned energy company, Energy Wales, with a not-for-profit model."

AMs defend schools over banding drop

The Denbighshire Free Press is reporting today (Thursday) that Assembly Members for the area have defended high schools including Ysgol Dinas Bran over the drop in their latest banding by the Welsh Government.

See the full story at:  

http://www.newsnorthwales.co.uk/news/129318/ams-defend-schools-banding-slump.aspx

Timely Christmas advice from the police

As Christmas approaches North Wales Police and their partners are again seeking to raise awareness around issues of sexual consent.

 

Detective Inspector Kelly Isaacs of the Amethyst team explained: “We want people in North Wales to enjoy the festive season, and remember Christmas for all the right reasons.”

 

“The message is clear; having sexual contact if a person says no or is incapable of consenting through drink or drugs, is a serious criminal offence.”

 

Inspector Isaacs urged those attending parties and functions over the Christmas period to enjoy themselves, but to keep themselves and their friends safe from all types of crime.

 

“Alcohol and drugs can make you feel more confident; they can distort your perceptions and judgement and make you more vulnerable.”

 

Here are some simple precautions on how to stay safe:

• Always leave your drink with someone you trust, don't share drinks and never accept a drink from someone that you don't know or have just met.
• Don't get so drunk that you don't know what you're doing
• Plan how you're going to get home. Don't walk home alone or go back with someone you have just met - stay with friends or use a taxi
• Would you go alone into a stranger’s house at 11am in the morning? No? So why do it at 2am drunk? Arrange to meet new acquaintances when sober
• Always make sure that someone knows where you are and when you're expected back

 

North Wales Police, in partnership with other agencies continue to invest heavily to reduce and prevent sexual crimes and take a positive approach to prosecuting offenders.

 

Insp Isaacs added: “We are focused on preventing sexual crime, and we need to understand the problem by encouraging anyone who has suffered an assault to disclose what has happened to us so we can offer them support and investigate crimes of this nature."

 

Rape and Sexual offences are always the fault of the perpetrator; victims will receive the full support of Amethyst partners.

 

If you or anyone needs help with these issues the police can be contacted on 101 or in case of an emergency 999. The Amethyst self-referral system (which does not involve police contact) can be accessed via 0808 156 3658.

Think of elderly as Christmas approaches says county

Denbighshire Social Services is encouraging communities to consider the needs of people who are vulnerable this winter.

As the weather gets colder and days are getting shorter, vulnerable people may suffer from poor health and may need some help in their everyday activities. 

Families, friends and neighbours are encouraged to support older people and others who are vulnerable with every day tasks, such as shopping. A friendly call or an occasional visit to see that everything is well is also important. 

Councillor Bobby Feeley, Cabinet Lead Member for Health and Well-being, who is also the Older People's Champion, said: “Healthy eating can improve the quality of life over the winter months and can help protect against illness. Keeping warm is also extremely important and at least one room at home should be properly heated and people should also wear enough clothes to maintain body heat.

“Of course, it’s important to keep an eye on the vulnerable all year round and a friendly call or an occasional visit to see that everything is well can make a world of difference to the health and well-being of individuals."

If you are concerned about the well-being of an older person or someone who is vulnerable due to ill health or disability, you should contact Social Services on 01824 712900.