Global star in tune with Eisteddfod's peace message

 

* Anoushka Shankar will perform at the Eisteddfod. 

The hypnotising sound of the sitar will be creating a buzz when seven times Grammy nominee Anoushka Shankar performs in Wales for the very first time.

Shankar will be taking centre stage at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod at 8pm on Friday, July 8, and tickets are on sale now as the event prepares to celebrate its 75^th anniversary.

She was taught how to play the instrument by her father, the legendary musician Ravi Shankar, who performed with The Beatles.

Father and daughter worked together with George Harrison to create the landmark album, Chants of India, but Anoushka has carved out a remarkable career in world music in her own right.

The English-Indian-American musician has collaborated with artists including Sting, Herbie Hancock, Jeff Beck and her half-sister, Norah Jones.

She has performed at the BBC Proms and Glastonbury and has won legions of fans worldwide, but Llangollen Eisteddfod is her first appearance in Wales and she says she is very excited by the prospect.

After the Second World War, the original concept for Llangollen Eisteddfod was a musical event that could promote education and international peace and goodwill and these are ambitions close to Shankar's heart.

She said: "My father, Ravi Shankar, had a core belief in the concept of peace through music and I was immersed from childhood in experiencing the transformative quality of music.

"It feels like society as a whole can forget how investing time, effort, money and energy into the arts actually brings about an 'upliftment' of society as a whole into connection and peace."

Shankar has herself frequently performed at benefit concerts and in 2018 she embarked on a short US tour to help raise funds for the non-profit organisation, Help Refugees.

More recently, she has turned her considerable talents to writing film scores, including the music for the series, A Suitable Boy, adapted from Vikram Seth's novel, which won an Ivor Novello nomination.

"I am finding the idea of composing for visual mediums more interesting after a couple of decades of primarily touring and writing albums," she said.

"It certainly draws a new and different audience but also requires something different of me as a musician which I find challenging and fulfilling."

The Llangollen festival has become an established and much-loved home for world music, so Shankar's appearance is a natural fit.

The evening programme celebrates her father’s legacy, as well as featuring orchestral arrangements of Anoushka’s own eclectic output.

She will join forces with Austrian percussionist, composer, Hang-player and Björk collaborator Manu Delago and the strings of the Britten Sinfonia, for an evening that promises to transport the audience on to a wild and mystical ride.

"Manu is one of my favourite collaborators," said Shankar. "He's a brilliant musician and also we wrote many songs together over the years, so getting to replay them with him now, years after we used to tour and play them together more frequently is a genuine treat."

She says her music is always evolving and the audience at Llangollen can expect some new interpretations for her first Welsh performance.

"I can't pick favourites but in context of Jules Buckley's gorgeous arrangements for orchestra. I particularly love hearing this version of Land of Gold come to life," Shankar added.

"It's amazing hearing a song that started as a duo, then a song, grow across orchestral strings."

The festival, which helped launch the careers of opera superstars Luciano Pavarotti and Sir Bryn Terfel, had to be cancelled in 2020 for the only time since its inauguration due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In 2021 it took on a virtual format, with performances streamed online, but this year the music and dance extravaganza is back in the town where “Wales welcomes the world”.

Preparations are well under way for this year’s festival, which starts on Thursday, July 7 and culminates with Llanfest on Sunday, July 10, when the eisteddfod will join forces with the Llangollen Fringe Festival.

During the four-day event, there will be a host of new attractions and activities on the revamped outdoor site, including music, dance, talks, comedy, food, drink, shopping, workshops and pop-up entertainment.

The competitions will reach a crescendo on the Saturday night with 'Choir of the World, and the contest for the Pendine International Voice of the Future, featuring the finest young singers from across the globe.

* To buy tickets go to www.international-eisteddfod.co.uk/tickets_for_llangollen_eisteddfod/

Walkers raise £2,500 for hospital in memory of Gareth Heald

* The walkers are greeted by members of Gareth's family, including his mother Nesta Hughes, outside Anfield football ground.

A group of men raised £2,500 for charity by walking from Llangollen to Liverpool in memory of their friend who passed away last year at the age of 45.

Gareth Heald was born and raised in Llangollen, attending Ysgol Bryn Collen and Ysgol Dinas Bran and singing in St Collen’s Church choir.

Later he moved to the south of England and became finance director for a firm in London, living in Hertfordshire with his wife Rachel and son George.

* Gareth Heald who died last summer.

Gareth died suddenly in the summer of 2021 and a collection taken at his funeral in St Collen’s Church raised over £2,000 for the Great Ormond Street children’s hospital in London where son George received dialysis treatment after he became seriously ill in 2020.

After the funeral four friends from his school and university days decided they would also like to make a special gesture to support the hospital in his memory – trekking from the home of his mother Nesta Hughes in Maesmawr Road over to Anfield football, legendary home of Liverpool FC of whom Gareth was a long-time supporter.  

Over two days on a recent weekend they covered the 60 miles to the ground, managing to collect over £2,500 in sponsorship cash.

They were greeted outside Anfield by Gareth’s friends and family, including his mother Nesta.

She said: “His friends Mathew, Andrew, Simon and Arran did the walk and we went over there to thank them for their efforts, which were amazing.

“I’d also like to thank everyone who pledged cash to the walk. People were stopping me as I was shopping in town to offer donations.”   

* The four walkers set off from Maesmawr Road, seen off by more of Gareth's friends. 

Local MP explains why he backed Prime Minister in confidence vote

Clwyd South’s Welsh Conservative MP Simon Baynes (pictured) has explained why he supported Prime Minister Boris Johnson in yesterday’s crucial confidence vote.

Mr Johnson won the backing of a majority of Tory MPs in last night’s ballot which commentators see as a significant revolt against his leadership.

 

The PM won 59% of the vote, meaning he is now immune from a Conservative leadership challenge for a year.

 

In all, 211 Tory MPs voted they had confidence in the PM's leadership while 148 voted against him.

 

Mr Johnson has described his confidence vote win as "decisive".

 

The result sees the prime minister remain in office, but critics said the scale of the rebellion against him showed his authority had been weakened, with some calling on him to resign.

 

Mr Baynes said in a statement this afternoon (Tuesday): "I voted for the Prime Minister in yesterday’s confidence vote. 

"He was democratically elected in the 2019 general election with a majority of 80.

"He has got the big decisions right on vaccines, supporting people through the Covid crisis, delivering on Brexit which the majority of people supported in the referendum and the 2019 general election, leading international support for Ukraine and delivering the lowest level of unemployment since 1974."

Llangollen's Nic organises well-being retreat

* Nic Wagstaff of Inspire-Rewire and creator of the first Me-Time Festival in Chester.

* Festival-goers around the campfire.

The first well-being retreat with a festival vibe is being held in Chester later this month, and its Llangollen founder is on a mission to get people to "take time, to make time".

Mum-of-one Nic Wagstaff knows the importance of taking time out from a hectic schedule, working full-time and looking after a young family. 

She has experienced burn-out and fatigue and now teaches others how to avoid the anxiety that she went through restoring her energy levels and focus.  

Nic is best known for teaching wellness entrepreneurs how to run their own retreats, as well as running her own successful well-being business Inspire-Rewire, including organising retreats and mini-morning retreats in Chester and around north Wales. 

She was inspired to create the Me Time Festival – taking place on Sunday, June 26 at Cheshire View, Christleton, Chester, from 10am-6pm - to allow attendees to press pause on their busy lives and take time out for themselves. 

Nic said: “It struck me that we are all so busy running our lives we often forget to take time out for ourselves. This is very much a recurring theme for women so I came up with the idea for the Me Time Festival.  

"I wanted to create something that would press pause on the noise and busyness in their lives and offer a one day retreat with a festival vibe combined, to dip in and out of activities to explore what works for them.

“Once you arrive and step into the festival, the day becomes your own adventure. For some of those attending it will be the first time they’ve experienced anything like this.  

“There is a chance to dedicate an entire day to yourself exploring new interests or just shutting out the noise to reconnect with the best version of you.” 

Each area of the festival has been carefully thought through for ambience and featured areas for talks, workshops, classes, therapies and outdoor chill, with the flexibility to bring your own picnic or afternoon tea platter, and enjoy and ‘just be’ on the meadow overlooking the rolling hills of Cheshire. 

Nic has handpicked all the local exhibitors and experts herself to ensure there will be something for everyone to explore, chill or maybe expand their horizons.    

People who attend can take their pick from a wide range of activities or activities like Tai Chi, Yoga, sound healing and massage. 

Expert speakers and practitioners will be giving insights into gut health, hormones, hypnotherapy, CBT, energy healing, self-sabotage, motivation and more, or connect deeper, interactive smaller discussion sessions. Plus there’s a chance to indulge in a little retail therapy with natural products, art and other lovely gifts for yourself or others. 

* Tickets for the Me Time Festival* are currently available at www.inspire-rewire.com/metimefestival

Prices are £80 (without afternoon tea) or £95 (including afternoon tea)

*An early bird offer is available quoting METIME2022 until Friday, June 10, offering a 10% discount.

Line-up so far for Llangollen Fringe's 25th anniversary year

* Ebony Steel Band are among the acts appearing at the 25th Fringe Festival.

Llangollen Fringe  Festival will this year celebrate its 25^th  anniversary with a bumper edition from July 22-30 which organisers say promises to be the biggest so far

Headlining acts announced include: ROGER ENO – a renowned composer, pianist and pioneer of ‘ambient music’.

He has recorded and released many albums of his work, including ‘Rattle That Lock’, with DAVID GILMOUR (PINK FLOYD), the acclaimed ‘APOLLO’ in 1983 a collaboration with his brother BRIAN ENO as well as 2020’s ‘Mixing Colours’, the duo’s striking collaboration, released in 2020. 

For the Fringe Festival, Eno will perform music from these works and his most recent solo album ‘The Turning Year’

Joining him at the festival are THE TURBANS, with members from Turkey, Bulgaria, Israel, Iran, Greece and England who bind together music from ‘manywhere’ and whom BBC 6 Music’s MARK RADCLIFFE described as “really a force of nature”.

Also appearing are rocking supergroup WARMDUSCHER, who bring together members of bands such as: FAT WHITE FAMILY and INSECURE MANY and have been selling out venues across the UK and Europe with their incendiary live show. 

Rounding off the week  are the genre-bending and supercharged Scottish trad trio TALISK on Friday July 29and London’s EBONY STEEL BAND on Saturday 30, the legendary Steel Drum ensemble perform their much-loved album PAN MACHINE, an interpretation of the classic KRAFTWERK album ‘Man Machine’ in its entirety, which includes seminal hits such as ‘The Model’ and ‘The Robots”

There is also a welcome return for stand-up comedy – with ‘THE CHASE’ star PAUL SINHA headlining the opening night of the festival, as well as new venues being incorporated into the official festival line up with Gales Wine Bar, The Bridge End Hotel and the Three Eagles Restaurant hosting live events throughout the week.

Organisers say more events to celebrate the 25^th year are still to be added.

Tickets for all headline shows are on sale now, as well as festival passes. Priced at just £75 the festival pass allows access to all of the main events across the nine days so is great value for money.

* Festival tickets and dates and times for all concerts and events are available from www.llangollenfringe.co.uk or by calling the Fringe box office:  0800 1455 779

Cheers! Railway's real ale trains are back after three-year break

Fans of brilliant beer are looking forward to the return of the Llangollen Railway’s popular Real Ale Trains this weekend after a three-year absence. 

The pandemic and last year’s financial troubles have prevented such an event from taking place since autumn 2019. 

The Welsh Phoenix /Ffenics Cymraeg will be running all day on Saturday June 11, with three3 daytime trips and two in the evening, leaving Llangollen at 6 and 8pm.

The bar will be based in an historic British Railways former travelling cinema carriage, which was restored and converted into a bar back in 2014. 

Visitors can enjoy a pint of draft craft ale or a glass of wine whilst enjoying the breathtaking scenery of the Dee Valley. 

* The railway's function coach will host the real ale trains.

The bar will be stocked with four local beers from Porthmadog-based Purple Moose and Stonehouse Brewery from Oswestry. 

The train will be hauled by a 1959-built Class 26 diesel locomotive No 5310. 

Volunteer organisers Iain Ross and Terry Pickthall can both usually be found at work on different parts of the railway, with Iain a steam and diesel locomotive driver and fitter. 

Terry is also a diesel locomotive driver and acts as the railway’s press officer. 

He said: “Iain and I thought it was high-time we helped resurrect our very successful Real Ale Trains and are looking forward to serving people a pint or two. 

"We managed our 1960’s weekend real ale festivals for many years with great success, but have not run a bar on a moving train before. 

"We’re both getting some practice in at pouring beer into a gently swaying pint glass, as we all know spillage of fine ale is a heinous crime."

Iain said: “We’ve all worked very hard through some very tough times to get the railway back on its feet and can now start to try and bring back some of the great events that we all took for granted, like our Real Ale Train and Classic Transport Weekend, which will take place on July 2 and 3." 

Tickets for the trains are available from the railway’s website and ideally need to be purchased in advance for the evening trains or from Llangollen station booking office during the day, which will be open on Saturday 11^th between 10am and 3pm.

Evening tickets cost £25, which includes two return trips on the train, a commemorative Llangollen Railway pint glass and a pint of draft beer of your choice (or glass of wine).  A full day ticket is available for £40.

Town Hall tea dance brings jubilee celebrations to a lively conclusion

* Julie Thomas's zumba group in action on the dance floor. 

* Dancers present a lively jive.

* A sequence dance in full flow.

Llangollen's official two-day Platinum Jubilee celebrations were brought to a fitting end with a tea dance held in the Town Hall this afternoon (Sunday).

Brilliantly organised by town hall facilities officer Charlie Jones, the free event saw a series of colourful and lively demonstration routines performed by three local dance groups.

A team of volunteers served a delicious afternoon tea consisting of sandwiches, cakes and scones with jam and cream on tables set with china teacups and saucers, white cloths and proper napkins evocative of the 1950s when the Queen came to the throne.

* People chat over afternoon tea at the meticulously laid out tables.