VERONICA SHOOT, CONCERT PIANIST She was, when only six years old, predicted by Lord Yehudi Menuhin as ´destined to become a great pianist´ and Veronika Shoot is now identified by distinguished musicians and audiences alike as ´one of the most sensitive, charismatic and versatile´ pianists performing. Born in Moscow, Veronika moved to the UK at […]
BRIGHT NEW DAWN FOR OLD MUSIC In 2019 The Rochdale Music Society (RMS) is celebrating forty years of promoting great music performances by excellent artists. all across the arts regularly receives news items form Graham Marshall who does so much good work in publicising the RMS and who was particularly helpful to me when I […]
POEMS & STORIES: STANDARD & DIALECT By Michael Higgins & Norman Warwick Michael Higgins tells of the reading and recording of The Queen Of The Well: a children´s talking-book. In September I took part in a recording of The Queen of the Well, a children´s talking book.The producer, David Chatton Barker, had heard my presentation […]
LITERATURE AND IDEAS IN ROCHDALE The title of the festival reflects the wishes of the benefactors who, a few years ago, left a significant bequest to the borough library services. It also reflects the fact that history reminds that at least one of the world´s greatest ideas emerged from the town. Visitors to this year´s […]
FESTIVALS I HAVE KNOWN AND LOVED I felt enormously privileged to serve as host of The Annual Literature and Ideas Festival in my home town of Rochdale during the first four years of the festival before I ´retired´ over here to Lanzarote. The strong line ups we enjoyed each year cemented the reputation of a […]
ACTING FOR THE COMMUNITY GOOD M6 Theatre http://www.m6theatre.co.uk/ has long been recognised as a top “theatre in education” company, creating work for young audiences, and has achieved Arts Council National Portfolio status. The organisation is committed to developing and delivering a wide variety of high quality, creative arts projects for young people living in the […]
PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS AN OLDER MAN The Five Bums At The Bar ask Steve Bewick, who, what, when, where and why The naming of his debut novel as A Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Man, by James Joyce, and the references to his own age by today´s interviewee, perhaps enable us […]
RADIO JAZZ AND LIVE JIVE Crescent Community Radio broadcast all across the Rochdale borough. In a town where ethnic diversity was and is a well-managed yet nevertheless sensitive subject, the station is run by the Muslim community and aimed at the ‘stay at home mums and taxi drivers’ of that community. Station owner Faheem Chisti […]
JUXTAVOICES: JUST BRILLIANT There is a large number of Rochdale-based arts organisations providing a wide range of fantastic services all across the arts. These organisations not only provide entertainment but also boost the Borough’s sense of community and help the town stand steadfast against those who come in seeking to create racial tension. Whilst there […]
GREAT STUFF FROM AN IMPORTANT BAND The preview in the September edition of the Cultural And Arts Agenda for the month had suggested that Orquesta Catacumbia would rock but nothing could have prepared me for what I eventually saw and heard from this Tenerife band. Nevertheless on arrival at the venue we saw only three […]
SIDETRACKS & DETOURS: 7 / 12 / 25 classical, jazz, folk, rock, americana; songwriters & invisible angels7th December 2025 - 7:00 am
SIDETRACKS & DETOURS Pass It On 2/11/2025 Jenny Bray, Nash and Asher, Opus 222nd November 2025 - 7:00 am
A LITTLE BUNDLE OF SUMMER. sidetracks & detours 3rd September 2025 featuring Jazz Artist, Jenny Bray. Broadcaster and writer, Steve Bewick, Expo Folk and Sound Roots3rd September 2025 - 7:00 am