Fans of Strictly Come Dancing will surely be eager to secure their tickets for the Professionals Tour across the UK
This May, a dozen of pro dancers from the hit BBC One show; Strictly Come Dancing, hit the road for the 2024 UK tour. Under the direction of Jason Gilkison, known for his creativity and vision, the tour promises to showcase the exceptional talent of the professional dancers. From phenomenal dance numbers to dazzling costumes, the show will undoubtedly capture the essence of Strictly Come Dancing and its beloved magic.
The kickoff of the UK tour in Oxford on May 1st marks the beginning of an extraordinary journey across the country. The dancers are Dianne Buswell, Vito Coppola, Graziano Di Prima, Carlos Gu, Karen Hauer, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Gorka Marquez, Luba Mushtuk, Jowita Przystal and Nancy Xu.
With live performances by singers and a band, the atmosphere is sure to be electric, enhancing the experience for audience members. And with a tour schedule spanning 36 dates across various cities in the UK, fans from all over will have the opportunity to witness the spectacle first-hand.
Overall, it’s clear that the Strictly Come Dancing The Professionals UK Tour for May 2024 will be a must-see event for fans of dance and entertainment alike.
Ready to rumble? Liz Nicholls looks at the fabulous festivals on offer this summer, for happy campers & fairweather fans, with tickets up for grabs, too!
Miss out on Glasto tickets!? Never mind: there are so many festivals to choose from, large and small, with something for everyone. And Astonbury might well give Glastonbury a run for its money! Read on…
Cookham Festival, 2nd to 19th May, has a line-up of literary and musical stars, including Lorraine Kelly, Theresa May, Ross Kemp, Will Gompertz, Terry Waite, Stars of the West End with Toby Cruse, Rogue Opera, Formosa Fest, Cantorum Choir, local comedians, The Cookham Ceilidh team and more. Enjoy art, at this community fave; cookhamfestival.co.uk
Immerse yourself in the magic of live classical music with the Investec International Music Festival, with world-class concerts, walks and talks across the Surrey Hills, including RHS Wisley, West Horsley Place & The Menuhin Hall in Stoke d’Abernon 7th-18th May; iimf.co.uk
The 45th Newbury Spring Festival offers a fortnight of world-class classical music, including the Sheepdrove Piano Competition, 11th-25th May;newburyspringfestival.org.uk
Wholesome family favourite WOOD is back at Braziers Park in Oxfordshire, 17th, 18th & 19th May with children’s fun including the marvellous Nick Cope, music and more workshops than you can shake a stick at; woodfestival.com
Live music and horse racing is odds-on for a good time, and Newbury Racecourse has both! Firstly, Lovely Laura & Ben Santiago will star at the Lockinge race day on Saturday, 18th May. Then the mighty Sigala will star on 20th July & Dizzee Rascal on 17th August for Party In The Paddock sizzlers! newburyracecourse.co.uk
An amazing team of volunteers have been working flat out to make the 51st Chippenham Folk Festival, 24th-27th May the best yet. Melrose Quartet, Breabach, Tim Edey, Bruce Hamilton, John Tams, patron John Kirkpatrick & more will star; visit chippfolk.co.uk
Chesham Fringe Festival, 25th-27th May, will offer you a vibrant array of local, national and international talent, music, comedy, theatre, cabaret, spoken word, book and poetry readings, food & drink; visit cheshamfringe.com
Sorted for Cheese and Fizz..? That’s not me making yet another (wholesome) reference to Jarvis Cocker’s lyrics. It’s the name of a fantastic local four-piece band who’ll bring their ’90s bops to Shynefest. This fun, family-friendly festival returns to Merrist Wood College in Worplesdon, on 31st May & 1st June. Other stars set to keep all the generations entertained include (the actual) Dodgy, Counterfeit Kylie and The Faux Fighters, with kids’ fun including a climbing wall, Bubble Fairy, football and circus skills, with camping & glamping options. Please visit shynefest.uk
Returning to Cheltenham Racecourse for its 18th year wondrous Wychwood will dazzle you with music, comedy, kids’ fun, literature & workshops, 31st May to 2nd June. Sister Sledge, The Coral, Seth Lakeman, Seasick Steve, Dexy’s, Stereo MCs and CBBC’s Hacker T Dog and Katie Thistleton will star; wychwoodfestival.com
Witney Music Festival on 7th & 8th June will dazzle The Leys with Lucille & The Lightning Soul Train & more; witneymusicfestival.com
The Lightyears will star at Astonbury, 3-11pm on Saturday, 15th June at Aston Rec near Didcot, with a perfect blend of music, family fun, food & drink. Limited £15pp tickets at eventbrite.co.uk
Madness, Tom Jones, Nile & CHIC, Placebo, Air, Paloma Faith, Loyle Carner & more will star at Southampton Summer Sessions, in Guildhall Square, 16th-30th June; smmrsessions.com
Hampton Court Palace Festival is the jaw-dropping backdrop for Tom Jones, Nile & CHIC, Jack Savoretti, Sam Ryder, Björn Again, Sheryl Crow & Paloma Faith, as well as a Tudors live edition of The Rest is History Podcast, 11th-17th June. Visit hamptoncourtpalacefestival.com
Raise vital money for Hampshire Medical Fund by enjoying action-packed, family-friendly highlight Good Festival at Dummer Down Farm near Basingstoke on Sunday, 16th June. Activities include bushcraft, bubble football, alpaca walking, crocodile encounters, yoga and delicious food & drink Visit goodfestival.co.uk
Hold tight! The Prodigy and The Streets will help get The Isle of Wight Festival, 20th-23rd June off to a flying start on the Friday. Pet Shop Boys, Green Day, Suede, The Pretenders and Johnny Marr will also star. Visit isleofwightfestival.com
Award-winning Beacon Festival, Oxfordshire’s best family-friendly festival, is back at Watlington Hill Farm, 21st & 22nd June with local bands & loads more;beaconfestival.net
Hold tight! The Prodigy and The Streets will get The Isle of Wight Festival, 20th-23rd June, off to a flying start. Green Day, Suede, and Johnny Marr also star; isleofwightfestival.com
Nathan Moore will host another marvellous Marlow Rock Bottom with Coldplace, beer aplenty, family fun, live music, street food on 29th June; visit marlowrockbottom.com
Legends The Stranglers will star at Guilfest which returns to Stoke Park, on 29th & 30th June. Other stars on the impressive line-up include Sam Ryder, Peter Hook & The Light, Black Grape and The Blockheads. Please see our competition & visit guilfest.co.uk
I’m still buzzing after my chat with Chaka Khan (see our Q&A). She’ll star at Love Supreme Jazz Festival in Glynde Place, 5th-7th July; lovesupremefestival.com. You can also catch her and Sister Sledge on 13th June at Blenheim Palace thanks to Nocturne Live. And Soft Cell & Heather Small star here on 14th, Sugababes & Melanie C on 15th with Crowded House & Sheryl Crow on 16th; visit nocturnelive.com
Run entirely by volunteers on a not-for-profit basis in a stonking Cotswold location, Nibley, 5th-7th July, prides itself on being the friendliest festival of the bunch! General Levy, local legends EMF, The Hoosiers & Dodgy will star, with fun such as retro gaming & The Flying Seagull Project;nibleyfestival.co.uk
Small & mighty Childreyfest will bring you a winning blend of family-friendly music and fun to Childrey in Oxfordshire on Saturday, 6th July: childreyfest.co.uk
Celebrating disability lifestyle & inclusivity, the award-winning Parallel Windsor on 7th July, in Windsor Great Park’s Long Walk, will offer live music, storytelling, arts & craft, sport, wellbeing, dance, family fun and more, all accessible, with a quiet space & sensory zone. Tickets just £7.50pp; parallellifestyle.com
Ash, Echobelly, a Goldie Lookin’ Chain DJ set, Republica, Fabio & Grooverider, Dub Pistols and Reading Community Gospel Choir are among the delights at Readipop in Caversham, 12th-14th July, with Purple Turtle bars and an indie market, all for a great cause helping local people; readipop.co.uk/festival
Gladys Knight, Rylan, Nicole Scherzinger, Nigel Kennedy and Sam Ryder will make for another sparkling riverside black-tie Henley Festival 10th-14th July; henley-festival.co.uk.
Barrioke (EastEnders’ Shaun Williamson) will star at Fi.Fest in Maidenhead on 13th July, with Cast, Heather Small & Rick Parfit Jnr;fifest.co.uk. And Monty Don, Ronan Keating, Beverley Knight & more will star at Kew the Music, 8th-14th July; kewthemusic.org
Sadly the organisers of PennFest have made the tough decision (after our May editions of Round & About went to press) not to hold a festival this year, but the Bucks favourite should hopefully return next year! pennfest.co.uk
Fleur Fest is back at The Fleur De Lys in East Hagbourne, 19th-21st July, with Miss Disco, The Style Councillors & more. Plus Ronnie Scott’s All Stars & Fleur Stevenson on 16th June, and AJ Clarke & Richard Digance on 17th August & more! thefleurdelyspub.co.uk
Raising funds & awareness for mental health in memory of the much-missed Caroline Flack, Flackstock will offer music, dance & comedy galore, including Olly Murs, Joe Wicks, Shaznay Lewis, The Neptunes Choir & a Gok Wan DJ set at Englefield House near Pangbourne on Monday, 22nd July; visit flackstock.com. Also at Englefield, enjoy Madness with the Lightning Seeds on Friday, 19th July, Pete Tong’s Ibiza Classics, a Groove Armada DJ set & more on 20th and Elbow on 21st; heritagelive.net
WOMAD brings cultural delights from the whole wide world to Wiltshire (Malmesbury’s Charlton Park to be exact) 25th -28th July. Expect a huge array of genres from R&B, rap, rock, blues, punk and jazz all the way to New Orleans brass bands, Qawwali, mambo and flamenco. The line-up includes Young Fathers, Sampa The Great & Alison Goldfrapp with food galore on the Taste The World stage. You can chill out in style in the World of Wellbeing and WOMAD Spa, plus you can enjoy spoken word in the World of Words, science exploration at World of Physics and fun in the World of Children; visit womad.co.uk
Bestival’s little sister Camp Bestival, organised by BBC Radio 1 DJ Rob Da Bank will star Pete Tong with his Ibiza Classics, one of my fave star Q&A interviewees the mighty Paloma Faith, Orbital and manny more at Lulworth Castle in Dorset, 25th-28th July; dorset.campbestival.net
Jamie T, Wet Leg, The Streets, Idles, Holly Humberstone, The Snuts and Sub Focus will star at tremendous Truck Festival, 26th-28th July at Hill Farm, Steventon; truckfestival.com
Multi Grammy-winning songwriter, composer, producer and guitarist Nile Rodgers & Chic will star at Cheltenham Racecourse on Friday, 26th July, as part of the sizzling Summertime Live highlights; visit summertimelive.co.uk
Wilderness will thrill the wild crowd at Oxfordshire’s Cornbury Park, 1st to 4th August, starring Michael Kiwanuka, Faithless, BICEP, Alison Goldfrapp, as well as banquets, wellbeing including lakeside hot tubs and theatre, workshops and more; wildernessfestival.com
Nostalgia ain’t what it used to be! Rewind to a simpler, better time, 16th-18th August in Henley on Thames. Stars set to dazzle include Billy Ocean, The Jacksons, Gabrielle, Jason Donovan, Kim Wilde & more, plus funfairs, a silent disco, inflatable church, kids’ zone and much more. Check out the fabulous Jenny Powell trailer & book at south.rewindfestival.com
Inspired by late beloved music-lover Jody Dickinson, J Fest will dazzle in Carswell near Faringdon on 2nd & 3rd August. The highlight, powered by bass, features accessible elements including DJ workshops, glamping & more to prove dance and festivals are for everybody;j-fest.co.uk
Strap in for a Revolution of Imagination with chapter three of Boomtown, 7th-11th August, near Winchester. This fabulous parallel world promises sensory overload, with 12 main stages, 50+ hidden venues, and one red-hot secret line-up. I went for the first time last year and had a blast. (I recommend you book the following week off work). Visit boomtownfair.co.uk
Dreadzone, Kosheen, Dub Pistols & more will star at wondrous Weyfest at Tilford’s Rural Life Museum 15th-18th August; weyfest.co.uk
Jools Holland & his rhythm & blues orchestra will star at Windsor Racecourse on Friday, 16th August, as part of the sizzling Summertime Live highlights; visit summertimelive.co.uk
Groove Armada, Leftfield, Dillinja and more will star at Stowaway, 16th-18th August at Stowe which also offers immersive theatre, comedy, paddleboarding, feasting and a roller disco. See our competition to win tickets & also visitstowawayfestival.co.uk
Fred Again.. Lana Del Rey, Liam Gallagher, Raye, Pendulum and Skrillex are sure to thrill at this year’s Reading (& Leeds), 21st-25th August. Visit readingfestival.com
Or head on up to Creamfields in Cheshire 22nd-25th August to rave to Robbie Williams’ dance project Lufthaus, Calvin Harris, Chase & Status live, Tiësto & more; creamfields.com
Shambala in Northamptonshire, 22nd-25th August. This summer’s line-up includes Sampa The Great, The Congos, The Beatbox Collective and a brand new stage show from HENGE; visit shambalafestival.org
Towersey Festival, which is the UK’s oldest independent music festival, will deliver a new programme of delights for its 60th anniversary celebration, 23rd to 26th August on the Claydon Estate near Buckingham. Comment & Comedy, curated by Gavin Osborn, will offer comedy straight from Edinburgh Fringe, award-winning short films, authors as well as Billy Bragg, The Staves and Seth Lakeman. See our separate article & visit towerseyfestival.com
CarFest lands at Laverstoke Park, 23rd-25th August;carfest.org. You’ll also love Billing, June 29th & 30th, the UK’s largest 4×4 show, with two off-road courses, 100+ trade and autojumble stands and family fun family; thebillingoffroadexperience.co.uk
Big Feastival on Alex James’ Kingham farm will serve up family fun, food and frolics, 23rd-25th August. Becky Hill, Ministry Of Sound Classical & Snow Patrol will headline with Raymond Blanc & George Egg on the menu, too. See our competition & thebigfeastival.com
Idles, Slowdive, Bonnie Prince Billie, Ty Seagull, Yo La Tengo & more will dazzle at the award-winning End Of The Road, 29th August to 1st September in Blandford Forum; visit endoftheroadfestival.com
Beloved Bunkfest is back with bounce in Wallingford, 30th August to 1st September;bunkfest.co.uk
Hop down the rabbithole with Congo Natty, General Levy, LTJ Buken, Beans On Toast & more at the Wonderland-themed Mucky Weekender, 5th -7th September near Winchester. Visit mucky-weekender.co.uk
Leftfield, Orbital & more will star at The Last Dance Dreamland in Margate, 14th September, as well as other bangers! dreamland.co.uk
Great Barn Festival returns to Great Coxwell, SN7 7LZ with music, family theatre, art and nature for all; visit greatbarnfestival.com
Liz Nicholls shares a chat with singer Chaka Khan who will star at Nocturne Live at Blenheim in June & Love Supreme festival in Sussex in July
Q. Hi Chaka, wonderful to talk to you! What’s your first memory of music?
“Hello! I was lucky to be born to parents who are artists. I recall hearing a lot of opera and jazz growing up: Billie, Ella… my father played Max Roach a lot. My mother was a dance instructor, she taught modern and ballet, so we did a lot of dancing around the house. We had a big ol’ Zenith hifi and big ol’ speakers and we all sang, danced and did our chores on Saturdays. I thought everybody did that, haha! We had murals, frescoes on every wall in the house. In our bedroom we had a circus scene. In the kitchen we had flowers, fruit. It was great to grow up with art everywhere.”
Q. You’ve worked some greats in your time, including Prince. Are there any other artists you’d love to collaborate with?
“Well I’ve done some stuff with [the R&B star] H.E.R and Sia and I are doing some stuff together.”
Q. How do you decide who to work with? Do you listen to the radio or stream new music?
“Well they [the collab artists] mostly find me! I’m not on any kind of quest, haha! I don’t listen to the radio, no. I listen to as little music as possible because it’s what I do for a living. I think too much and if I listen to music I have a hard time having fun with it. I don’t go out to clubs any more – when I was younger I did a little bit. For me a fun day is doing absolutely nothing, lying on my chaise lounge watching telly, a movie… passive entertainment!”
“I’m not nostalgic, I’m really a next girl”
Q. Do you feel nostalgic looking back on your 50 years in the biz while curating this year’s Meltdown festival?
“No, I’m not nostalgic, I’m really a next girl! I don’t live in the past, I don’t remember a lot. This is a good thing! The only thing I’m interested in is what’s happening in the moment. All we own is this moment right now. And how it’s going to affect what’s going to happen next. I don’t get caught up in things I can’t do nothing about, like yesterday. But I can influence tomorrow.”
Q. What’s been your personal biggest achievement?
“Getting out of the city and moving; leaving LA is the biggest and best thing I’ve done. I’m communing with nature here in Georgia, with all this beauty here. I truly get rest here, I get silence. And I’ve got my family here with me. My mother lives in the east wing, I’ve got my sisters, my nephews.”
Q. You lived in London for 30 years. Did you like living in the UK?
“I loved it but I’m happy now as my neighbours are miles away! I did a lot of great work in the UK, including with the London Philharmonic and worked with a lot of people I’ve loved for years. I’ve lived in many places; Germany, Switzerland… Why?! Well, I live on Earth, the whole planet, that’s the way I look at it! I’ll be in the UK all summer which will be great.”
Q. So many of your songs have been covered many times. Are there are songs that are so precious you wouldn’t want them covered?
“Well I wouldn’t want any of my songs to be copied or covered if they weren’t done well or with the best of intentions, honorably… I don’t want anybody to do a shlock job! But having said that, music is a free agent unto itself – it doesn’t belong to me, it’s for everybody.”
Q. You’re considered one of the great divas. How do you feel about the term ‘diva’ and do you embrace it?
“I know inside what I am. Whatever everybody wants to say about me, so long as it’s in a positive light, I’m happy. Titles don’t mean a lot to me, they do not define me.”
Q. You’ve achieved so much. Anything you still want to do?
“I can’t think of anything else but believe me that doesn’t stop stuff happening. I’m just very open and willing, that’s all I can do. I’ve been doing a lot of talks with children in schools. We have an open floor and they can talk about anything. I’m looking to start doing some podcasts with younger kids, young adults. That’s half of my job right now as a human being. I love my grandchildren and the focus on young people because they’re our future. We owe them a great deal of our time, energy and respect.”
Q. What advice would you give young performers paving their own way?
“Be true to yourself. Honesty is the best policy, even if it hurts! Especially if it hurts: that means it’s meaningful. This is the best thing you can do for yourself and everyone who’s around you.”
Q. How will you cater to a jazz crowd at Love Supreme festival?
“I’m not doing anything specific! I’m a multifaceted singer, I can sing anything. The best thing I’m doing is getting rid of that Queen of Funk s***. I hate to be boxed in. I do as much as is humanly possible on that stage. And everyone’s happy! I’m going to start implementing strings in my show, so I can do To Sir With Love and Big Spender and all that. I’ll be very happy to be doing shows. And I have my hits. I keep it moving, changing, that’s how you keep it interesting.”
Q. What do you think is most challenging about the music industry today for new singers coming into the industry?
“There is so much that needs to change, it’s horrific. First of all how women are set up to compete with one other. There’s no place for competition in self-expression. But often labels count on us [women] being competitive with each other, which is stupid.”
Q, What advice would you have for younger singers and your younger self?
“I think be honest and faithful with yourself and don’t be afraid. You have to keep yourself clear on what your goals are and stay true to yourself, which is a tough thing to do for young people, I think. I control my life and I’ve never let success run away with me. I’ve taken it and ran. The only thing that could threaten my stability is me. I’m my only threat and my own worst enemy. You’ve gotta follow your own path, trust your heart and listen to the warnings. You can’t argue with the universe. It’s not about that. It’s more about relaxing and knowing that you can handle it and feeling empowered. Knowing you have the power to do whatever the hell you want to do! That’s what it’s about. It really is.”
Get ready for ShyneFest, a fun friendly family event in Guildford on May 31st and June 1st for two days of music and merriment
Imagine having more than 250 people at your 40th birthday – that’s exactly how Shyne Adcock celebrated her milestone in 2015 and since then ShyneFest has grown to welcome many hundreds more.
The Friday kicks off with tribute acts Faux Fighters, The Marley Experience and Counterfeit Kylie and returning after their success at WynterFest 2023 are Sorted for Cheese and Fizz bringing their 90s Britpop and indie classics.
Saturday has more music than you could well, shake a drum stick at, and if it’s Good Enough for them, it’s good enough for me as Dodgy are back and this time are they Staying Out for the Summer? And that’s not all with another 16 acts lined up to entertain from 11am through to 11pm – 12 hours of brilliant music to get you up on your feet and having fun!
There’s fun for the young ones in the Kidz Zone with a climbing wall, bubble fairy, football, little racers, circus skills workshops, face painting, glitter tattoos and hair sparkles, story time and stilt walkers.
If you’re having so much fun you don’t want it to end how about camping or glamping the two nights at Merrist Wood. Turn up the glam with a two, four or six person canvas tent, either traditional Bell tents or the elegant Touareg tents, in the style of the Nomadic tribes of North Africa. Camel Camp build lovely camps at all kinds of events, complete with a reception tent and central meeting, seating and shade areas as well as tea, coffee and cereal to get you started.
Choose a Classic or Sultan style, both with floor rugs, door mats, airbeds and solar lights with full bedding, camp chairs, side tables and more in the Sultans.
Look to the skies on Saturday May 18th for thrilling day of aviation and much more.
The annual Air and Country Show is set to return to the former RAF Abingdon on Saturday, May 18th. The event, which has grown beyond all recognition over the years is organized by a dedicated team of volunteers led by a small committee.
The event promises a thrilling day for aviation enthusiasts and families.
The highlight of the show will be an impressive afternoon Air Display featuring a lineup of spectacular aircraft, including:
Supermarine Spitfire Mk19
The Titans Display Team
Muscle Pitts aerobatics accompanied by an exhilarating car race
Hawker Hurricane Mk1
The Gazelle Display Team (consisting of four helicopters)
RAF Falcons Parachute Display Team
RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Spitfire & Hurricane for flypasts
These display aircraft will also be available for static viewing, alongside specially invited statics such as the Historic Army Aircraft Flight Beaver & Auster, Chipmunk, Sioux, Skeeter & Scout, and Navy Wings’ Harvard.
One of the main highlights of the show is the large aircraft Fly In, with over 50 modern and historic aircraft flying in for display on the ground, ranging from Tiger Moths to the impressive RAF C17 Globemaster transport (to be confirmed).
For those seeking a unique perspective, Northumbrian Helicopters will offer Pleasure Flights from the showground, providing bird’s eye views of the airfield and Oxford City outskirts. There’s plenty of ground-based fun too with plenty of entertainment for all the family. This year there’s a real mix of fun, including The Radio Days Big Band, Rescue Husky dogs, Radio Controlled Model Jets, farm animals, vintage fire engines, and…ferret racing.
There’s much more besides, and it should be a day filled with excitement and entertainment for all ages.
For more information and tickets visit the show’s site.
Feel fresh this year with a crop of palate pleasers – Giles Luckett reviews some seasonally appropriate wines
Spring is in the air. Well, spring rain is in the air at least, and the new season calls for a fresh crop of wines. For this month’s column, I’ve looked for classics that will pair with the new season’s produce alongside a couple of head turners that you may not have encountered before. Anyway, enough preamble, let the recommendations flow…
I’ll start with a wine that’s always been synonymous with spring, Muscadet. One of the breakthrough wines of the ‘60s and ‘70s, Muscadet played a big part in turning the UK into a nation of wine lovers. At its best, it’s as fresh as a spring morning, with citrusy fruit offset by a yeasty tone and a taste of the sea that makes it the perfect partner to fish and seafood – it’s glorious with new season oysters. The Adnams Muscadet (Adnams £9.99) is as a delicious example of this classic wine, providing the complexity that many a more expensive Chablis can only dream of. Dry, crisp, and loaded with green apple, melon, and greengage fruit, the creamy-saline finish makes for a surprisingly satisfying glassful.
Next up the first of two Rieslings. Riesling is invariably an excellent wine, but many people are put off as they think it will be sweet. Riesling is capable of astonishing sweet wines such as the fabled Trockenbeerenauslese from Egon Mueller (a snip at around £10,000+ a bottle), but most New World producers focus on producing crisp, dry wines that are as food-focused as my Springer Spaniel. A great example is the VillaMaria Private Bin Riesling (Waitrose £10.99). White gold, the piercing bouquet comprises of apple blossom, citrus, and white peaches with a suggestion of honey and lime. On the palate, it’s just as complex, with green and white fruits vying with minerals and a rapier-like grapefruit acidity. This is just the thing for new- season asparagus or a herby spring chicken.
Staying with Riesling, we have something that shows this grape’s incredible range. The Empire Estate Dry Riesling Reserve (Good Wine Good People £34.50) hails from New York’s Finger Lakes region. This is an arresting iteration of Riesling that nods at France’s great Alsace Rieslings in its dryness and piercing intensity, but it is very much a Finger Lakes wine in its sophisticated, slightly idiosyncratic style. Pale green-gold with an evolved nose of candied lemons, grapefruit, apple blossom, and a green herb bitterness, it seems to change with each inhalation. In the mouth, almond-tinted grapefruit leads the fresh, tangy attack. This is followed by ripe pears, peach stones, a white peel bitterness, and a very fresh, lemony acidity that’s mellowed by honey and minerals. This is a wine to buy by the case and see how it evolves over the coming decade.
Viognier is an interesting, not to say mercurial grape. In California, it can produce buttery behemoths, while in South Africa it tends towards leaner, cleaner wines. In its home of France’s Rhône Valley, it can produce wines that combine freshness with depth, power with finesse as showcased by the Chapoutier Combe Pilate Viognier (London End Wines £15). Opening up with a surprisingly subtle nose of apricots, oranges, and bergamot against a background of citrus, it was love at first sip. Supercharged with fruit and very fresh, it quickly develops in the mouth revealing juicy apricots, peaches, and vanilla spice that contrasts beautifully with the firm mineral and lemon finish. This would be lovely with baked white fish, pan-fried poultry, or salmon.
A good Chardonnay is always a treat and is the ideal foil to spring staples such as roast pork, goats’ cheese and rocket salad, or roasted guinea fowl. I recently tasted one from Austria, the Allacher Chardonnay Reserve (Good Wine Good People £24). I’m a big fan of Austrian wines, though my experience has been largely confined to their stylish Rieslings and brilliant Gruner Veltliners. This was an unusual and delicious take on this noble variety. Deep gold, the nose brims with honey-coated tropical fruits with a soft, perfumed edge. Big and bold, the generous palate has a creamy texture and is suffused with baked apples, apricots, honeydew melon, vanilla, and spices before the fresh, zingy finish adds a refreshing balance.
Sauvignon Blanc is another great spring wine. Its freshness and easy drinking nature means it lends itself well to garden sipping or as a partner to new season treats like steamed Jersey Royals, creamed broad beans, or roasted celeriac. Sauvignon grows well all over the world except for Tasmania, apparently, where a leading winemaker told me it was a ‘weed that needs grubbing up’. I touched a nerve there, it seems. South African wineries are better disposed to it and when you taste wines like the Journey’s End ‘Eagle Owl’ (Majestic £9.99) it’s easy to see why. Rhubarb and gooseberries are the signatures of this weighty, rounded Sauvignon. The nose is bright, zesty, and suitably intense, but – as with the body – it’s not green peppers and citrus that dominate, there’s more to it than that. Over a bedrock of acidity is overlain a tart-sweet tone of stewed rhubarb with a sherbet edge and some riper flavours from the gooseberries, giving a wine that’s refreshing and seriously good fun.
I’ll finish on a patriotic note with an English wine, the Denbies Chardonnay 2022 (Denbies £24.50). When I started in wine, England’s vineyards were just about getting marginal grapes like Müller-Thurgau – which usually tastes as good as it sounds – to produce something. Roll forward thirty years and leading English wineries like Denbies are being spoken of by the likes of Oz Clarke as being capable of giving Burgundy a run for its money. On the evidence of this, I think he has a point. The nose is creamy, nutty, fruity, and harmonious with the rich red apple and peach fruit freshened by lemon and lime. On the palate, it has a lovely peachy texture that displays nectarine, red apple, and lychees with a honey and lemon coating. Thoroughly impressive it shows that English wine, not just English sparkling wine, is capable of being a world-beater.
Well, that’s it from me for now. Next time I’ll be joining in the World Malbec Day celebrations and running down (bigging up) my top ten Malbecs.
Guy Deacon CBE will be appearing at Oxford Literary Festival this Friday (22nd March) to talk about his forthcoming book and Channel 4 Documentary – Running on Empty.
Guy’s story is truly inspiring; the former British Army officer he drove from his home in the UK to Cape Town in South Africa ten years after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
The journey fulfilled a childhood dream to drive across Africa, whilst also raising awareness of Parkinson’s Disease which is heavily stigmatised in Africa where it is often linked to witchcraft and black magic, leaving sufferers ostracised by their communities.
Parkinson’s Disease is the fastest-growing neurodegenerative illness worldwide and has no known cause and no cure. By 2040, more than 13 million people will be living with PD – a quarter of them in Africa where the disease is little understood. On his journey Guy met with Parkinson’s sufferers in almost all the countries he travelled through and learnt what daily life was like for those sufferers that he met, but first he had to get there.
There are never more than a handful of vehicles a year attempting to drive from the North African coast to Cape Town in South Africa. Some never complete the journey. Conflict in Libya, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, Ethiopia and Cameroon, make any journey exceptionally dangerous. In central Africa, road conditions, particularly in the rainy season make the going difficult and often treacherous. Add illegal checkpoints, extortion, contaminated fuel and lack of services and this was to be a huge undertaking.
Guy first set off in November 2019 making it as far as Sierra Leone in March 2020 when the COVID 19 epidemic struck. The borders were closed and after being stuck in Sierra Leone with no way out, Guy was evacuated by the British Government on an emergency relief flight leaving his trusty van behind. Many adventurers have setbacks on their journeys but for Guy, with each passing month that he waited in the UK for travel restrictions to lift, his Parkinson’s would advance and his mobility would deteriorate. By the time he restarted the journey two years later in March 2022 his condition had deteriorated significantly.
Parkinson’s disease affects mobility so the simplest tasks from emptying pockets, to tying up shoelaces became herculean for Guy. The day to day challenges of living in Africa, the condition of the roads and living in a relatively small space would be challenging to anyone let alone a Parkinson’s sufferer who struggles to move limbs and has to take every task incredibly slowly.
Several times throughout the 12 month journey Guy came close to giving up. The challenge left him both physically and mentally exhausted and as the days wore on, he found it more and more difficult to communicate and began feeling increasingly isolated and alone. He had a phone to keep in touch with friends and family, but with his limited dexterity it was often easier not to. In the end it was the kindness of strangers that restored his faith and spurred him on in his darkest hours.
There are countless examples of things going wrong and strangers stepping in to help and offering him a bed for the night. But each time Guy thought that the latest setback would be the end of the road and he would have to give up, there was always someone who would step in to help, a stranger reaching out to help him in his hour of need.
Throughout the 18,000 mile journey Guy kept a video diary and was joined on four occasions by a documentary maker. This has resulted in 85 hours of footage and several thousand photographs of this incredible adventure through the heart of Africa which will be made into a 1 hour documentary for Channel 4 to be released in Spring 2024.
Guy was supported throughout his journey by The Cure Parkinson’s Trusta charity set up to find a cure for Parkinson’s as well asParkinson’s Africa, whose mission is to raise awareness and empower those with Parkinson’s to make informed decisions about their own health.
At the festival, guy will be speaking with Matthew Stadlen to recount his incredible journey, crossing Europe and the full length of Africa, which took the former army officer and 60 year old father of two over 3 years to complete, see him drive 18,000 miles, across 25 countries, with 5 breakdowns, as well as one emergency evacuation from Sierra Leone during Covid, whilst taking 3650 prescription pills to help manage his Parkinson’s.
Further information on Guy’s event at Oxford Literature Festival can be found here.
Marc Burrows is bringing his celebration of Terry Pratchett to Norden Farm
Author, comedian and Terry Pratchett fan, Marc Burrows invites audiences to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the landmark comic fantasy Discworld series with his beautiful tribute.
In 2020, Marc penned the first ever biography of Sir Terry. The book received critical acclaim, won a Locus Award and was embraced by fans. This new, live multimedia show, based on the book, was then created with the full endorsement and support of Narrativia, the company founded to protect and promote the late author’s work in association with his estate.
The Magic of Terry Pratchett is a comic lecture in which Burrows explores Pratchett’s influences, his rise to fame, impact, and unique life, becoming one of the most beloved storytellers of all time. From the national treasure’s days as a school librarian, his time as a trainee journalist to his untimely death in 2015 and in keeping with Pratchett’s own style, the show is a gently comic celebration and exploration of his work. It will also seriously examine his death, and the activism he was involved with toward the end of his life surrounding dementia treatment and the right-to-die; an important part of his story and legacy.
In addition to using the framework of the The Magic of Terry Pratchett book, the show incorporates additional elements of Rob Wilkins’ official biography, Terry Pratchett: A Life in Footnotes, (A Sunday Times Bestseller) as well as licensed media.
Sir Terry Pratchett OBE is one of the world’s most widely read authors. Conventions dedicated to his work are held globally every year. His works have been translated into 40 different languages, sold 100 million copies and have been performed on stage on seven continents. John Lloyd was right when he said “of all of the dead authors in the world, Terry Pratchett is the most alive”. Pratchett’s short story The Abominable Snow Baby was adapted by Channel 4 as a Christmas Day animation in 2021. Sky released a feature film adaptation of his Carnegie Award winning book The Amazing Maurice in cinemas in 2022, and Good Omens, a TV series based on the book Pratchett wrote with Neil Gaiman, will have a second Amazon Prime season in the autumn.
Marc Burrows often writes on culture and social issues for The Guardian, New Statesman, Big Issue and Independent and his Edinburgh Fringe shows include The Ten Best Songs of All Time and Mind Your Head. Marc’s second book, The London Boys: David Bowie, Marc Bolan and the 60s Teenage Dream was published to considerable acclaim in 2022 and is in the early stages of adaptation into a feature-length documentary. Outside of writing and comedy, Marc plays in the cult punk band The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing, regularly performing at the Download, Glastonbury, Bestival and Latitude festivals and touring the UK and US.
The Magic of Terry Pratchett is at Norden Farm on 28th March. Tickets are available here.
AmEgos Theatre is the first company in Oxfordshire to stage the magnificent musical – The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The Victor Hugo classic tells the story of Quasimodo, who has been kept within the bell tower of Notre Dame for his whole life, but longs to be out there as part of the outside world.
When he summons the courage to attend the Feast of Fools, he meets Esmeralda, a compassionate gypsy who protects him from an angry mob.
At the same time, Quasimodo’s guardian, Archdeacon Dom Claude Frollo, and the new Captain of the Guard, Phoebus de Martin, fall in love with Esmeralda.
Will Quasimodo be able to save Esmeralda from Frollo’s lust and anger? And who is the true monster of Notre Dame?
Using the magnificent surroundings of the medieval Wantage Parish Church as a backdrop to the story, and with a sweeping score and powerful story, audiences will be swept away by the magic of this truly unforgettable musical.
With some adult themes, this is not a show for very young children
All Performances will be held at Wantage Parish Church at 7.30pm from Thursday 4th April to Saturday 6th April with a Saturday matinee at 2.30pm.
There is a bar that opens at 6.45pm (and 1.45pm)
Seating is unreserved, and on church pews, so please bring cushions or blankets if required for your comfort.
Parking is in the nearby Market Square (limited spaces) and at The Portway car park – a five minute walk.
The events include inclusive talks, master classes and performances led by women and gender minorities in the music industry
The University of Oxford Cultural Programme has announced a series of Women in Music events in partnership with Girls I Rate on March 7th. The events will celebrate the many women leading the way in the music industry and ask why women remain underrepresented in many parts of the sector.
The day is made up of three events highlighting women’s accomplishments and perspectives from the music industry and will include exclusive access to accomplished industry professionals, music makers and academics and practical workshops exploring the challenges and opportunities in the industry today.
“Women Leading the Way” will feature an expert panel discussion with Apple’s Elena Segal, Glastonbury’s Emily Eavis, and Music Week’s 2023 International Woman of the Year Golnar Khosrowshahi, who will discuss challenges and opportunities facing women. “Future Hitmakers Masterclass”, organised by Girls I Rate, will have successful women songwriters and producers like Carla Marie Williams MBE, Katie Melua, Miranda Cooper and JinJin, offering advice to aspiring creators and reflecting on rising through a male-dominated space. Finally, “For You” will bring together diverse musicians to perform, including members of the YWMP’s Team Drum and London’s F-Choir, celebrating gender minorities and cultural heritage within music.
This day is part of a rich programme of research and events leading up to the launch of The Schwarzman Centre — a dynamic hub dedicated to the humanities where world-leading research will take place alongside arts and cultural activities. The centre will transform the way Oxford teaches, researches, and shares the humanities with the world, and is due to open in 2025.
This is a significant moment for culture in Oxford and the cultural programme is committed to ensuring everyone, from all backgrounds, can participate in the joy and power of the arts. Currently, women remain underrepresented in many areas of the music creation process, as highlighted in the recent House of Commons Committee report on Misogyny in Music. Women, trans and non-binary producers make up less than 3% of the industry, and for those whose identities intersect several protected characteristics, the figures are even lower. The Oxford Cultural Programme hopes the event will inspire positive change and encourage everyone to “Come as you are.”
For more information about the event and to book tickets, visit the Oxford Cultural Programme website here.
