Knowsley Online

The Prescot Festival Needs You

As the Fourth Annual Prescot Festival nears, with a gargantuan programme of music and arts events, organisers are keen to get the local community involved.

Folk sensation John Smith to play Prescot Festival

He's a Devonshire lad, he made his name in the pubs and clubs of Liverpool, and he's been described by folk legend John Renbourn as "the future of acoustic guitar music". He is singer-songwriter John Smith, one of the lead attractions at the Prescot Festival this June.

Smith has made a big impact on the Merseyside music scene, releasing his debut album, The Fox and the Monk, in 2006. More recently, he's taken his sound nationwide, supporting cult favourite John Martyn on tour.

Prescot Festival announces 2008 line-up

The Prescot Festival of Music and the Arts has announced Friday 20th to Sunday 29th June for its jam-packed 2008 programme.

Local musician Dr Robert Howard, Head of Music at Deyes High School in Maghull, founded the Festival in 2005 as a way for Prescot to contribute to Liverpool’s year as European Capital of Culture.

“We’re a hundred percent behind the Capital of Culture, and felt strongly that a town with such a rich history and heritage should be involved,” said Robert. “We’ve grown from being a weekend-long event in 2005 to 10 days in 2007 and 2008. It’s only been onward and upward.”

Christmas concerts this week

Thursday 6 December 7.30pm
Zion Independent Methodist Church, Kemble St, Prescot
PILKINGTON CHOIR IN CONCERT
Popular classics & festive favourites
Admission FREE

Friday 7 December 7.30pm
Prescot Parish Church, Church St, Prescot
MAYOR OF PRESCOT'S CHARITY
CHRISTMAS CONCERT
KNOWSLEY YOUTH ORCHESTRA
& PRESCOT PARISH CHURCH CHOIR
A programme of seasonal classics
Tickets £5 (on the door)

Free organ recital this Friday

Friday 5 October 2007 7.30pm
Prescot Parish Church
Organ Recital
with Tim Hall
(Prescot Parish Organist)
& Maghull Handbell Ringers
An evening of sacred and classical favourites
Admission Free
www.artsinprescot.org.uk

Listen up - It's the sound of music in Knowsley

The hottest young talent on Knowsley's fast growing music scene will be coming together to perform a special concert in Huyton next week to launch their new compilation album.

Acts including Annurizm, Soul Free and The Banana Martians will be taking to the stage at the Huyton Suite, Civic Way, at 7.30pm on Tuesday, September 25.

They will be joined by fellow Knowsley musicians, Andrew Gorge, Michelle Strahan and The Velvetones for the hotly anticipated gig.

The six acts appear on a new compilation album called Listen Up, which has been released in conjunction with Knowsley Council's Youth Service Band Development Programme. The 11-track album showcases some of the fantastic young talent that exists in Knowsley at the moment - each one hoping to become the 'next big thing'.

Tickets are available on the door, priced £2. For more information, contact Paul Brennan on 0151 443 5350 or Joe Fogg on 0151 443 4166.

Phil has music for the soul in Knowsley

An uplifting evening of music is on offer when the Liverpool Philharmonic Gospel Choir returns to Knowsley for another fantastic concert.

After successful concerts elsewhere in the borough in previous years, the world-renowned choir is to appear for the first time at the Kirkby Suite, Cherryfield Drive, Kirkby, on Friday, October 12 at 7.30pm, and tickets are now on sale.

Directed by Tyndale Thomas the Uplifted concert will feature a programme of inspirational soul, R n B and gospel music with highlights including songs like Oh Happy Day and a version of the U2 hit I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For. The choir will also be joined on stage by local community groups.

Come along to our Bierfest

Enjoy a stroll at the Knowsley Walking Festival!

The third annual Knowsley Walking Festival will be held on Sunday September 23.

This year there will be three walks, one beginning at the Kirkby Sports Centre at 10am, one starting from Halewood Leisure Centre at 10am and a shorter walk starting from Heatwaves Leisure Centre in Stockbridge Village at 11am.

All walks will end at the Huyton Suite, where there will be a celebration with a buffet and live music.

The walk from Kirkby is approximately 7 miles and the walk from Halewood is about 6 miles, both will take around two hours. The walk from Stockbridge Village is 2 miles and will take about an hour.

Knowsley Primary Care Trust Health Development Officer Susannah Jones said: “Walking is an almost perfect exercise and Knowsley is the perfect place to do it. Walking can help you achieve all the benefits of being physically active without having to buy expensive exercise equipment. It can relieve stress, tension and pain, increase stamina and help develop stronger bones and muscles. And best of all it’s completely free!“

Flash bang wallop!

From the earliest times, people have made a record of what they have seen, from simplistic cave paintings, through the work of the great artists to photography and film making.

Prescot Museum’s latest exhibition ‘Flash, Bang, Wallop!’ tells the story of photography. Starting with the its early beginnings in the 16th century with the camera obscura, experimental image making in the early 19th century, right through to the digital processes of our century. The exhibition will include many interesting objects including cameras, accessories, ephemera and local photographs.

Find out where the term ‘watch the birdie’ comes from, discover how light travels and what makes it bend, and experiment with lenses and prisms.