Metal

Metal's Village Green festival on Saturday 25 September was fantastic!  28,000 people came to see a wide range of international, national and local artists perform in music, dance, visual arts, comedy, sports and much more.  The sun shone, the rain stayed away and everyone had a really great day.  We have uploaded a selection of our images below - if you have any great shots of the day you'd like to share, go to the Village Green Flickr Page and upload them there.  It would be great to see them.

Metal are always looking to improve on what we do. We would be really grateful if you can fill in our short feedback questionnaire.

The full programme for Village Green 2010 can still be accessed below (just scroll down).

SATURDAY 25 SEPTEMBER.  11AM - 10PM.  CHALKWELL PARK, SOUTHEND ON SEA, SS0 8NB.

Download a pdf of the Programme here.

THE WEEK LEADING UP TO.............

This year VILLAGE GREEN has a number of events in the week leading up to the main day on Saturday.  Programme as follows:-

THE BIG CHARGE:  Monday 20 September - Friday 24 September.  8am - 8pm.
In partnership with Cycle Southend, we at Metal have set ourselves a challenge that we are asking the community across the Borough of Southend to help us with.   In the week leading up to Village Green we want to generate enough clean energy through pedal power to run the Green Stage all day on Saturday at Village Green.  Ten bicycle stations will be set up in Chalkwell Park and we are inviting the whole community  - groups, businesses, schools and individuals -  to come and get involved to help generate the 500 pedal power hours needed.  For more information about how to book your cycling slot please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 01702 47070.

Link to the YouTube video.

BBC BLAST:  Thursday 23 - Saturday 25 September
Blast is the BBC’s youth creativity service. From first-timers to emerging artists, Blast gives 13 – 19 year olds the chance to try out new skills, showcase their own work and find out more about working in the creative industries.  Blast will build an impressive mobile creative village, complete with digital workshop spaces and separate performance area for Village Green.  Over three days, young people with a passion for music, dance and multi-media, can take part in a variety of free workshops, meet industry professionals, learn new skills, share ideas, use the latest technology and get creative, whatever their ability.

ROYAL OPERA HOUSE:  Thursday 23 September (daytime) / Friday 24 September, 7pm
Metal have formed a partnership with the Royal Opera House, Creative Partnerships and Southend Education Trust to introduce a fifth stage to Village Green this year.  The Green Stage will be designed by two ROH set designers working with four Southend Primary Schools.  On Thursday 23 September if you happen to be in Chalkwell Park, come and see the set unfold as some of Southends youngest artists get to work.
On Friday 24 September at 7pm the fantastic Ballet Black will perform alongside Southends emerging dance talent Kayzar Dance who have been working with the Royal Opera House Practitioners and Southend secondary school pupils to bring you a brand new performance called New DanceMakers EAST.

This performance, as with all the entertainment offered at Village Green is FREE.

PROGRAMME FOR SATURDAY 25 SEPTEMBER

VILLAGE GREEN STAGE

CARLEEN ANDERSON - Former lead singer of the Brand New Heavies; Young Disciples; Soloist; multi award winning; currently working with Ben Castle.

ANTHONY JOSEPH AND THE SPASM BAND - Regarded as the voice of black avant garde Britaina and one of the UK's most exciting and innovative voices. A poet, novelist, musician and lecturer Anthony will be performing at Village Green with his ‘voodoo punk’ Spasm Band.

ROSE DOUGALL - Formerly a member of the Pipettes, Rose Dougall has since enjoyed much success as a solo artist. Rose’s second single proved popular with reviewers from NME to The Sunday Times. She recently appeared as a vocalist on Mark Ronson’s new album, ‘Record Collection’ and with a brand new solo album, released just last month, Rose Dougall is not to be missed!

STEVE MASON - Having hidden behind monikers for nearly 15 years, Steve Mason has finally emerged producing music under his own name. He was the lead singer of The Beta Band, released solo recordings as King Biscuit Time and also released an album under the V2 record label. Steve produces music from a variety of genres including electro, dance and more recently acoustic. 

SNOWBOY AND THE LATIN SECTION - Without doubt the UK’s leading exponent of Afro Cuban Jazz, Snowboy and the Latin Section are a ‘dream team’ band of the finest Latin and jazz musicians based in the UK.

LAURA B AND THE MOONLIGHTERS - Laura B and the Moonlighters is an exciting seven-piece rockin’ and honkin’ rhythm and blues combo in the upbeat style of Ruth Brown, Big Maybelle and Lavern Baker. They released their debut album late last year, ‘Jump and Shout’, and have recently played the Vintage at Goodward Festival. Laura B and the Moonlighters, for rhythm and blues lovers.

THE DIRTY FAIRIES - The Dirty Fairies are a Southend three piece girl band specialising in funk rock. These three sisters are said to be influenced by bands such as Velvet Underground, Stevie Wonder and James Brown- you might recognise them from other regional festivals including Shoplands. They recently participated in the O2 Live and Unsigned competition; winning the Basildon heat and playing the regional London and East Competition. Looking for old school funk? These are your girls!

URBAN ALLSTARS - Urban Allstars are a collective of four  DJ’s who have been performing since 2006. Big supporters of vinyl and funk, this collective have produced original, re-mixed and re-edited work and their releases have resulted in sell-out tours across the globe.

RICHIE PHOE - The Lee Scratch Perry of Brighton, Richie Phoe, will again be spinning his dub tunes in between sets at stages one and two at this year’s Village Green.  Feted by radio 1 DJ Rob da Bank, Richie began mixing on his Amiga 500 in the 1990’s. His career really took off in 2006 when became involved with Sunday Best Recording’s, which included a totally awesome remix of Max Sedgley’s ‘Celebrity’.

AL NAED - Al is pleased to be back as MC for Village Green again.  If you think Al looks familiar it’s probably because he was the front cover model for the BT phone book from 2005-2008. A strange way to infiltrate every home in the country but a valid one.

MEADOW STAGE

LEMN SISSAY AND CAROLINE BIRD - two fantastic performance poets go head to head in the Meadow Stage.

SUNDOWN ARTS - Southends very own Spoken Word specialists have curated a 3 hour slot for the Meadow Stage with a mix of comedy, live music and poetry.  Includes:

- JIM BOB - Fresh from Latitude and the Edinburgh Fringe. The one time, one-half of 'Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine’, Jim Bob is still battling the system asking, ‘Are you part of the problem or part of the solution?’ through a wider arena which includes the spoken and written word.

-HIP-HOP SHAKESPEARE COMPANY - Shakespeare like you’ve never heard it before. A chance to see an intimate performance here on the Meadow Stage before their appearance on the larger Green Stage at 5.45pm.

- RUCKUS JUICE AN CHITLINS - Firm Leigh Folk Festival favourites, expect a wide selection of old-time tunes combined with feel-good jazz and skiffle music.Early Johnny Cash set to Chipmunk level tempo. 

- CAR WRECK CHICKEN - Their sound is tapemusic and bluegrass, D.I.Y acid-hillbilly in the vein of 'The Moldy Peaches' and 'Blitzen Trapper'. This act is one for fans of punk and blues.

- BRIDGETTE APHRODITE - Exciting new spoken word artist from Bromley. Combines music, comedy and poetry and is inspired by the glam-rock androgynous stars of the seventies. 

- SIMON BLACKMAN - Writer, comedian and performance poet; one-half of 'poetry pop' double act'The Chip Shop Boys'. Simon Blackman is Alan Bennett meets John Shuttleworth on a rainy day. 

QUIRKISH DELIGHT - this talented team of quick wits create bedlam and belly-laughs from nothing more than audience suggestions. Surreal, sublime and suspect sketches will be performed for your delectation - without a safety net!

THE FAMOUS POTATOES - ‘soil music’, of an earthy, bluegrassy, swing and country nature. Over the past 30 years they have played more than 1,500 times from the Lord Mayor’s Show to busking in dustbins!

ART GRUPPE - Forever indie-pop....ArtGruppe play a summery set of heartwarming songs, awash with melody, three-part harmony and acoustic guitars.  They are the resident band at Belle et la Beat - a regular local event at Southend's Railway Pub which encourages families to come and experience live music together.

CHRIS BARON - playing the extraordinary and very theraputic Hang Drum.

VILLAGE HALL

TOBY SHAER - Toby Shaer is the latest and youngest gifted newcomer to the local folk scene. He will be playing his fiddle and various wind instruments along with his equally talented family and friends. Whatever the future of folk music Toby is definitely going to be at the heart of it.

PICTURE SLEEVES - A post rock explosion in an acoustic café.  Emotive songs fused with powerful and noisy jams.

THE SEASIDERS - lively Southend quartet who 'do like to be beside the seaside'.  Superb lyrical skill with music that will have you up on your feet in no time.

CARTERHAUGH - a Southend four-piece specialising in folk, jazz and blues. Influenced by Fairport Convention, Billie Holliday and Led Zeppelin they say their name was inspired by a traditional Scottish folk tale.

LAZY CURTIS - four hairy local gents who enjoy playing rock music. Seasoned by years of playing together this quartet will be helping us celebrate all the best bits of old school rock.

NATHAN AND NOLAND ABBOTT - songwriting brothers. Apparently watching Nathan play live is like ‘standing two inches away from a speeding train, it feels good but you dare not move, and every show is as unpredictable as lightning’.

THE LUCKY STRIKES - americana country rock band who, are not only likened to Crazy Horse, but also are credited with continuing the spirit of their local predecessors Dr. Feelgood.

HILLMISTERS - psychedelic, sexy pop. These seven Southend lads have recently released their debut release on split 12” vinyl. If you enjoy The Go-betweens, The La’s or Elizabeth Cotten then you’ll enjoy the Hillmisters!

ACADIAN DRIFTWOOD - Spawned in the muddy, alligator-ridden bayous of the Thames delta, Leigh's own crawfish-crunching Cajuns dish up another spicy serving of South Louisiana 'French Music'. The classic sounds of Lawrence Walker, Joe Falcon and the Balfa Brothers rendered afresh on squeezebox, fiddle, guitar and 'tit fer.

ONE TREE HILLBILLIES - from the hidden hollows and moonshine stills of South Essex come the One Tree Hillbillies with their own potent brew of Basildon bluegrass...

DAVE  HALL - Describing his oeuvre as ‘acoustically driven experimental folk’, Dave Hall is adept at piano, guitar, bass, ukulele, melodica and much else besides, with influences ranging from Purcell to Bon Iver!

THE KITTIWAKES - a trio of talented singers and instrumentalists - their debut album, Lofoten Calling, was released in October 2009 on Midwich Records and is a suite of original music based around the people, landscape, folklore and history of the Lofoten Islands.

HOY AT ANCHOR FLOOR SPOTS - celebrating 40 years of hosting quality local musicians and up-and-coming British and international folk artists. Previous performers have included Nic Jones, John Martyn and Martin Carthy. Presenting everything from traditional folk music to more contemporary music, the Hoy at Anchor are programming a folk slot in the Village Hall.  Bringtin to your attention HIPPY JOE & JOLENE , JOE MIGDAL, a local singer/songwriter, and FIDDLE FIT a dynamic duo of high energy fiddle and guitar. If you like what you hear they meet at local pub, the Ship, on Leigh Hill, every Tuesday.

COMEDY AT KINO VILLAGE

At 8pm our film and experimental audio visual space at Kino Village will be transformed into a comedy venue with three fantastic comedians curated and MC'd by Markus Birdman.

MARKUS BIRDMAN - A connoisseur of political and religious humour, Markus enjoys bucking the system and rebelling against his parent’s generation who told him to ‘get a proper job’. Instead Markus likes watching CSI, playing table-tennis and listening to Bob Marley, oh and making people laugh! The BBC says Birdman is ‘the all-round package’, and who are we to argue with the BBC.

FRANCESCA MARTINEZ - award-winning comedian who you might recognise from Ricky Gervais’, ‘Extras’. She has toured internationally including sell-out performances at the Edinburgh Fringe and Just for Laughs in Montreal, as well as playing in Hollywood and on Broadway. The Guardian gave her 5 stars and Time Out calls her, ‘Highly accomplished...very funny’. Francesca is currently working on her BBC sitcom pilot, but is taking the day off to make us laugh at Village Green.

ANDREW BIRD - ‘superb…a rising star. Not to be missed ’,Time Out.  He's fashioned a charming set of uncomplicated anecdotal stand-up where his everyman outlook comes in remarkably useful. The audience can share the embarrassment of his faux pas, knowing something similar could so easily happen to them – and probably has.

GREEN STAGE


THE SAMPHIRE BAND -  Molly Nyman and Harry Escott are award winning, BIFA nominated (for their film score for Shifty), film composers who were awarded 'Best New Documentary Filmmaker' at the Tribeca Awards. They have been creating beautiful scores for the last seven years for films such as Michael Winterbottom's "A Mighty Heart", Nick Broomfield's "Ghosts", David Slade's "Hard Candy" and Michael Winterbottom's "Road to Guantanamo".  With their 12 piece Samphire Band they will perform a live score alongside the UK premier screening of Olhos do Farol on Metal's huge outdoor cinema screen.  The film has recently played to rave reviews at the Indie Lisboa film festival in Portugal; "Its a little masterpiece, this long awaited animation by Pedro Serrazina..." The Samphire band will also perform the Shifty Suite along with a beautiful piece of film created by the artist Nick Hornby and a clutch of songs especially arranged for Village Green featuring the husky, tremulous tones of Kristin McClement and live improvised visuals from Mike Lowther.

PHILLIOUS WILLIAMS - named after a chronic bigamist and storyteller from the seventeenth century. The reliably popular quintet play heavy blues tinged country and western which embraces the themes of immigration, relationships, and much more.

DJ NIHAL - Radio 1 DJ and king of desi beats plays the Green Stage. You might recognise this famous face from 'The Mercury Prize' to 'Never Mind the Buzzcocks' and 'The Wright Stuff'. Passionate about all things musical, he has been running his clubnight, Bombay Bronx, for the last six years hosting acts such as Jay Sean. Nihal has DJ'ed from Sri Lanka to Switzerland and now he's playing Southend!

HIP HOP SHAKESPEARE COMPANY - Shakespeare like you’ve never heard it before. A music and theatre production company founded by MOBO award winning Kingslee ‘Akala’ Daley to share his love of Shakespeare and hip-hop in a more direct way.  Since 2008 Akala and his team have been introducing young people to Shakespeare through performance and workshops that demonstrate how modern hip-hop relates to the themes, languages and rhythms used by Shakespeare himself to wide critical acclaim.

BALLET BLACK -‘Ballet Black is phenomenal’ (The Independent). The Company was founded in 2001 by Cassa Pancho. Her dream was for a company where students of Black and Asian descent could train in classical ballet and eventually restore the ethnic balance within ballet companies - realised both in this company of young professional dancers and through the Ballet Black School for young children in Shepherd’s Bush.  Ballet Black have performed to national critical acclaim and if previous performances are anything to go by, this will be one of the many highlights of Village Green this year.

KAYZAR - Southend dance act Kayzar played at our first Village Green back in 2008. Since then they have enjoyed remarkable success performing at Saddler’s Wells; TV's in ‘Britain’s Got Personality’ and  ‘Got to Dance’ as winning Brentwood Got Talent competition. They have also competed in the IDO World Hip-hop championships. Their performances have that ‘wow’ factor with explosive dance routines that include some quite breath-taking breakin.

JUNGNU BHANGRA -  the UK's most established bhangra performers. Over four generations, the group has astonished audiences across the world with their spectacular and exciting performances.

LEIGH OPERATIC AND DRAMATIC SOCIETY - Formed as a response to a successful World War One concert party, Leigh Operatic and Dramatic Society has been bringing dramatic and musical works to the local area for almost a century. Not just a nice idea, LODS has won numerous awards for its performances including best regional show for ‘The Witches of Eastwick’ in 2008. LODS will be previewing a piece from the musical ‘The Music Man’, due to run in Southend during October.

LEIGH ORPHEUS MALE CHOIR - believed to be the largest male voice choir in the eastern region.  They have recently performed in Tuscany, Paris, and South Wales delighting audiences with music from a variety of genres including classical works, religious music, popular song and folk music.

THE MUSHROOM THEATRE COMPANY - a performing arts school led by Penni Bubb with a focus on equal access to the opportunity to perform. The school works with people of all ages and have created performances for the Thameside Theatre, several local fetes and Southends own Summer Carnival.

BEN ESHMADE - Founder of the innovative internet radio station, Arctic Circle, Ben is a regular at the Union Chapel and other such venues from Dublin to Southend. Ben brings ambient folk to Village Green.

GLOBAL VILLAGE

The One World One Essex exhibition put together by Essex County Council is on show within the Global Village circus tent - a touring exhibition celebrating the richness of the different cultures of the families that live in Essex and just how we all came to be here. 

Throughout the day the Global Village Venue will also play host to a number of performances and workshops, including:

Drum Kulture - Jembe drumming
La Roma- Polish gypsy dancing
Chris Baron - drumming workshop
Jugnu Bhangra -  Bhangra dance workshop
Ayigafrik Dance - African dance workshop

CREATIVE MUSIC and DANCE WORKSHOPS

The workshops will give you the opportunity to try out some of the creative arts seen on the Village Green stages including:

Kirstie Richardson's 45-minute dance workshop for adults. Kirstie has had a 20-year career as a professional dancer and also as a teacher for the English National Ballet. This workshop in imporvised movement will focus mainly on weight-bearing exercises and choreographic games.

Dub Poetry with Jeffery Porter (digital artist and poet) and Drum Kulture invite you to take part in a noisy, rhythmic, workshop.

The internationally renowned Jazz co Tech will be running a workshop in Latin jump jive and swing.

Expressions Theatre Arts, a local theatre school, will be showcasing a range of dance styles.

Bollywood Dance - Learn how to Dance Bollywood style to the latest film tracks from the Mumbai film industry from 'Jai Ho'  to 'Ringa Ringa' from 'Slumdog Millionaire' . Workshop open to all ages.

Tabla master - Harkirat Singh Rayatt, invites you to take part in a workshop around the mystic beats and rhythms of the North Indian drum.

The opportunity to get musical creating musical instruments from recycled materials, chill out with some yoga and much, much more!

CREATIVE ARTISTIC WORKSHOPS

Joan Young - Spinning and weaving workshops for adults.

Rochford Adult Community College - Oil painting and Gesso Workshop using boards.

Studio Eleven / Westcliff Art Trail - Exhibit for 14 artists work.

Jo Jingles - The UK's leading provider of fun and interactive MUSIC, SINGING and MOVEMENT for babies and toddlers.

Morley Art Studios - Painting and Drawing.

Andrew Hall - Using watercolours for landscape workshop.

Debbie Hadley - Ceramics, glass and paper workshop.

and plenty more opportunities to get arty throughout the day.

SPORT

There will be a number of opportunities to try your hand at sport throughout the day including:

Football training sessions provided by Trinity Football Club -Trinity Football Club was established in 1960, and offers football to any ability/gender from 3-Adults, the club has over 25 teams competing in leagues in Southend, and are encouraging new players to join existing teams. They also provide specialist coaching for girl-only squads and even toddlers.

Basketball training by The Street Team and a chance to stretch your legs with the Essex Power Bockers!

CYCLE SOUTHEND present NORTH SHORE CYCLE TRACK - raised, wooden mountain biking trackway with hills, twists and turns designed to test and hone your cycling.  There's an opportunity to have a go, as well as see MAD Cycle Display team show you a thing or two about how it's really done!  There's also an great opportunity for some bike maintenance and advice from the Cycle Southend team and extra cycle park facilities - making cycling the number one most convenient way of travelling to Village Green.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

DIGITAL EXPLORATION CENTRE - a burgeoning centre in Southend for all things digital, the DEC presents Small World Fair, an exhibition of ideas, artworks, curiosities and questions around how the world is shaped by technology.  Curated by Simon Poulter.  The exhibition is sited within Chalkwell Hall in Chalkwell Park.  Exhibition continues until 23 October.

ART OF THE VILLAGE - A group of people from the Kursaal ward and surrounding area who create carnival floats, they won best in show in 2003! Come and help them create some wonderful lanterns!

TENBOMB AND MARMALADE - Tenbomb Art Collective and Marmalade Skateboards bring a War time heroes theme to Village Green (their studio 'the bunker' in Southend is an old World War 2 bomb shelte). All sorts of interactive games and madcap activities to take part in. Look out for Grandpa Summers's Front Room where you can get a heroes tattoo, challenge grandad at ping pong, play the war time piano and much more.... if you can't see us listen out for the air raid siren.

SOUTHEND YOUNG CREATIVES - SYC present 'Freakshow', a selection of pieces created by the young minds of Southend on the theme of Carnivals and travelling circuses. Expect the weird and the wonderful!

SIGNPOST - A new installation by Stuart Bowditch and Damien Robinson.  'Signpost' is a site-specific multi-sensory installation enabling audiences to experience sounds recorded in the town to which it points. For Village Green 2010 this will be fellow Essex town Colchester. Multiple recordings from the distant location are  arranged as virtual journeys.  Audiences can experience sounds aurally, through touch (via tactile NXT sound exciters), privately (by plugging their own headphones into jack sockets) and visually, via a screen interface.

FOREST FRINGE SOUNDS LIBRARY -

ROAMING ARTISTS, PERFORMERS AND COLLABORATORS

At various sites and times across the day.

SIMON POULTER / COEXIST / FOREST FRINGE / SIMON FOWLER / ANDY BARAK SMITH / MARMALADE SKATEBOARDS / LEIGH FOLK FESTIVAL / SHOWFLAT / LEVEL 4 MAGAZINE / IDEA13 /  SOUTHEND LIBRARY SERVICES / SOS BUS / YOGA DHARMA /

VILLAGE GREEN MARKETPLACE

A huge variety of hand-made arts and crafts on show and for sale.  As well as demonstrations, artist-led workshops, participatory activities and spectacle.

THE DEADLINE FOR MARKETSTALLS HAS NOW CLOSED AND WE ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS.

VOLUNTEERING

Volunteers play a crucial role in helping Village Green run smoothly, look fantastic and be an enjoyable event for everybody.  There are plenty of opportunities to get involved and as a festival Volunteer you can expect to make new friends, develop new skills and gain a huge sense of satisfaction and achievement from being involved in making the festival happen.

At Village Green 2010 we will have 6 volunteer teams:

Events team
Back Stage crew
Stewards
Runners
Media and documentation team
Catering and Hospitality

For more further information and details on how to become a volunteer please click here

FUNDERS AND PARTNERS

Metal would like to extend a huge thank you to all our funders and partners who make Village Green possible.

SOUTHEND ON SEA BOROUGH COUNCIL
ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND EAST
SOUTHEND EDUCATION TRUST
CYCLE SOUTHEND
ROYAL OPERA HOUSE CREATIVE PARTNERSHIPS
BBC BLAST
PARK INN HOTEL
WAITROSE

IMAGES FROM VILLAGE GREEN 2009