Vibe Summer 2019

Summer 2019 [Free]

OTIS MENSAH Sheffield’s poet laureate on life, love and writing music

VIBE QUARTERLY

TRAMLINES PREVIEW + Fun at the Fringe

#shoutaboutsheff www.sheffieldvibe.com

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CONTENTS

#SHOUTABOUTSHEFF

4 FOOD & DRINK The latest news... from new restaurant openings to special offers.

Plus we visit Edo Sushi in Cutlery Works

12 WATCH, LISTEN, DO Arts, culture, film... the things to look out for in Sheffield this quarter

16 SHEFFIELD, ARE YOU READY? Tramlines is in touching distance.

Here’s everything you need to know

26 MOVERS & MAKERS Losing track on what’s happening in and around Sheffield city centre? Here’s an update on the building projects that are either in the works, underway, or nearing completion

28 INTERVIEW Sheffield poet laureate and hip-hop artist, Otis Mensah, releases his new album this month. Ashley Birch talks to him about life, love and writing music

32 NEWS The latest from the streets of Sheffield

EDITOR Richard Abbey DIGITAL EDITOR Ashley Birch DESIGN Dan Wray, Steve Levers OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Jillion Wood DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Chris Clayton ACCOUNTS Paul Barrett Published by: RMC Media 6 Broadfield Court, Broadfield Business Park, Sheffield, S8 0XF. Tel: 0114 250 6300 www.rmcmedia.co.uk / www.sheffieldvibe.com Not connected with any other company or group.

All material is the copyright of the RMC Media and is not to be reproduced without permission. The placing of an order for the insertion of an advertisement in this publication shall amount to an acceptance of our terms and conditions, copies of which are available on request.

3

FOOD & DRINK

Back, with a twist

Marco Pierre White now open

Twisted Burger Co., the much loved burger joint that previously resided in the recently closed Harley pub, is back with a brand new flagship restaurant in the award winning Triple Point Brewery + Bar on Shoreham Street.

The new site will run alongside its Twisted Pizza pop-up kitchen at The Wick at Both Ends and features a menu full of old favourites and various new items including some new vegan/vegetarian options and served in a completely new fashion.

Conal Radford at Twisted Burger Co said: “We are very excited to be back. We have been inundated with messages as to when we will return and now we have the answer... now! The new menu is absolutely amazing and the venue is so fitting. We look forward to seeing the TBC crew again!”

The brand new The Steakhouse Bar & Grill from Marco Pierre White has opened its doors at the Double Tree by Hilton, Sheffield Park, Hotel.

Set against the backdrop of Marco Pierre White’s unique monochromatic styling, the sumptuous surroundings are matched only by the menus which are devised by Marco Pierre White and based on his traditional childhood favourites.

Inspired by his Yorkshire heritage, the menu is based on wholesome, delicious dishes with an innovative modern twist.

Choose from a selection of highest quality steaks with delicious accompaniments as well as steakhouse burgers and classic plates. Don’t forget to make room for dessert with an extensive collection to finish off your meal in style.

For further information please visit https://www.mpwrestaurants.co.uk or email info@mpwsteakhousesheffield.com

Give us a hygge Krydda, an authentic Swedish café and bistro specialising in smorgasbords, is set to open on Abbeydale Road in late summer, in what was previously home to beer shop, the Hope Hideout.

The site will be a café and restaurant in its own right, with a deli counter and space for 50 covers, including an outdoor seating area in the back, but will also provide food for customers in the neighbouring Gin Bar. Chef and co-owner Simon Barnes said: “I was thinking of what goes with gin and I thought Swedish smorgasbord. You can cure salmon with lime and lemon, and juniper berries, and pair it with gin easily. Nice fresh, easy stuff.

“So I came up with the brand and rather than just have bar food, I said to call it ‘Krydda at the Gin Bar’. They looked at it and said, ‘why don’t you open the café next door as Krydda?’ It was quite unintentional but that’s how the Swedish thing came about.”

Jar Bar now open If you’ve been in Cutlery Works recently, you may have noticed a new kitchen being installed on the ground floor just next to the bar.

Well, The Milestone Group food hall has now confirmed that the unit is being taken on by Jar Bar, a new business specialising in authentic Balkan cuisine.

If you’re not quite sure what Balkan cuisine consists of, we’re told to expect a menu full of ‘grilled meats and walloping salads!’

Ahead of opening, Jar Bar said: “From the oldest traditions of feasting and the greatest gourmets of flame grilled food, we select and bring to you the best of what the Balkan Peninsula has to offer.

“Our passion for food and drink is only surpassed by our love of no occasion celebrations with folk music and family. At Jar Bar we try to capture and serve to you a small piece of our home.”

Ambulo take two Following the huge success of the first Ambulo, in the Millennium Gallery, Matt Helders and James O’Hara have now opened their second venue, at Weston Park Museum. Go check it out.

4

FOOD & DRINK

The Eagle has landed The Eagle Inn has now replaced Cowshed on Ecclesall Road.

The Cowshed and Graze Inn has long been a collaboration between Brew Kitchen and Thornbridge Brewery and while that collaboration remains, both venues have had a dramatic refurb which sees the two venues separated, with Cowshed totally rebranded as The Eagle Inn, a new traditional style pub focusing on craft ales.

Toby Hickman, The Eagle’s new general manager, told VIBE: “The Eagle will mainly focus on Thornbridge craft beers as well as having some guest ales on, and we’ll have a focus on speciality spirits and wines, harking back to a more traditional boozer feel.

“The change will allow us to be able to have more events, more pub quizzes, live music, and a lot more creativity over what we can offer.”

Northern Monkey Hillsborough’s first micropub, Brass Monkey, opened its doors on Middlewood Road late last year and after a hugely successful opening, it is now joined by its sister venue.

Northern Monkey will specialise in craft ales and gin, and feature the distinctive monkey murals of artist Paul Stavely. It’s also on Middlewood Road, albeit further away from Hillsborough Park towards Hillsborough Corner, next door to the recently opened Boo coffee shop.

Shop ‘til you drop Kelham Island Deli and Produce is now open.

The new store will specialise in food and drink with a traditional deli-counter, serving up charcuterie, cheeses and gourmet salads, and to satisfy the produce part of its name will also sell everything from fruit and veg and freshly made cakes and pastries to craft beer and spirits.

The outside courtyard will also be home to a florist and communal seating area, in what the owner hopes will be a ‘little oasis in Kelham, planted up to the hilt.’

The store’s owner Ady Jaques told VIBE: “I want it to be like an old-fashioned community store. I want it to be somewhere where people can come and grab a coffee while having a look around the place, or have a seat while looking at what craft beers are available.

“I think of it as a community store, with a sort of café or coffee shop on a take-out basis.”

Time for tea The Mercure Sheffield Kenwood Hall Hotel & Spa has opened the doors of its stunning new Laura Ashley The Tea Room.

The beautiful new 35-seater Tea Room is situated across the hotel’s Drawing Room and Parlour and serves quintessential afternoon tea. Highlights from the menu include Traditional Afternoon Tea (£20 per person), a Savoury Afternoon Tea (£23.50 per person), Prosecco Afternoon Tea (£26.50 per person) and a very special Champagne Afternoon Tea (£30 per person).

There’s also a wide range of choice on the Brunch menu starting from £5.95 and Children’s Afternoon Tea (£10 per person) is a highlight for little ones.

For further information and to book your table email thetearoom@kenwoodhall.co.uk or call 0114 258 3811.

The Old House returns Following a revamp and a name change a couple of years back, The Devonshire returned to its roots as the popular Sheffield venue, The Old House.

The famed award-winning pies, customisable Sunday roast dinners, an extensive cocktail menu, a range of craft beers and real ales are all back.

Kane Yeardley, managing director at True North Brew Co, said: “We’re very excited for what the future holds and we’re looking forward to welcoming back a much-loved part of Sheffield’s heritage.

“Whether you’re familiar with The Old House or a new visitor, we want you to come in and sample the atmosphere and surroundings that we’ve been working hard behind the scenes to re-create. The Old House is back to being your local citycentre boozer!”

Premium steak Premium steakhouse Miller & Carter has announced the arrival of a new restaurant in Sheffield – at Valley Centretainment. It is set to open on 26 July.

Miller & Carter serve only premium-graded beef, which is sourced from carefully selected cattle reared on sustainable British and Irish farms, before being matured for at least 30 days.

A choice of 12 quality cuts, including a 30oz Longbone Tomahawk and an award-winning Sirloin, are then handprepared by a master butcher and expertly grilled by specially trained chefs.

5

Live well this summer at Brocco Scandi smorgasbord small plates Summer social events Last Friday monthly BBQs Outdoor cocktail terrace Sunday roasts with live music Private hire and celebrations

Brocco Kitchen

@broccosheffield

Restaurant Terrace Social 92 Brocco Bank Sheffield S11 8RS 0114 266 1233

THE OLD RECTORY UNIQUE OCCASIONS Large Dance Floor * Licensed Bar Beautiful Surroundings Excellent Catering Packages

car boot sale

13th July 8.00am – 11.30am £6 a pitch indoors or outdoors FREE entry to buyers 4th August 12noon – 7.00pm

handsworth music festival

6 live acts, licensed bar and BBQ – One Drop Ska band, with Flash Back, Kingdom of States, Sarah Cave, Steely Dad & more £22 family ticket, £8 adults, £5 children Tel: 0114 2692537 | Email: tim@orh.org.uk

www.orh.org.uk 402b Handsworth Road | Handsworth | Sheffield | S13 9BZ

7

www.brocco.co.uk

RAJDHANI A JOURNEY TO INDIAN CUISINE

DORE & TOTLEY STATION

Offering you the very best of Indian and Bangladeshi cuisine – a tranquil and exhilarating atmosphere with a unique dining experience.

Rajdhani Restaurant, The Old Station, Abbeydale Road South, Sheffield S17 3LB info@rajdhanirestaurant.co.uk | Tel: 0114 2353 280 / 07810 444686 | www.rajdhanirestaurant.co.uk

7 CEMETERY ROAD | SHEFFIELD | S11 8FJ info@tabbyteas.co.uk www.tabbyteas.co.uk

WE ARE NOW OPEN Tuesday – Sunday 11am to 6pm

10% OFF

STUDENT

DISCOUNT

Here at Tabby Teas we currently house 10 permanent residents, who are all rescue cats. Our aim is to provide a relaxing and calming environment for both customers and cats to enjoy each other’s company.

Whether you are coming with a group of friends, or venturing by yourself for some kitty cuddles, we’re sure you’ll have the purr-fect time.

Follow us on Facebook & Instagram @tabbyteas

FOOD & DRINK

Takoyaki

Godzilla roll

Beef teriyaki

Soft shell crab roll

Mike Simpson-Li

Edo Sushi has plenty of bite THE JAPANESE EATERY INSIDE CUTLERY WORKS HAS A MENU OF EPIC PROPORTIONS, WRITES RICHARD ABBEY. While Godzilla might have grabbed our immediate attention, softshell crab rolls (£7.50) – a futomaki style roll with softshell crab tempura, tobiko, avocado and Japanese sauce – set the bar equally high.

There’s more to Japanese food than just sushi though as our following dishes demonstrated. The use of thigh meat in Chicken kara-age (£5), complemented by a sweet chilli dip, gave them plenty of flavour while takoyaki (£5) – octopus doughballs – were deliciously moreish with the bonito flakes adding another layer of flavour.

Pork gyoza (£4) were soft and crisp at the same time (if that’s possible) whilst prawn katsu (£5), golden fried king prawns, were fresh and flavoursome. Unbelievably tender slices of beef teriyaki (£7) brought a satisfying conclusion to our meal.

If the Edo Sushi name sounds familiar you may have visited their shop just off High Street in the city centre but to get the full experience, and maybe a Sapporo beer or glass of sake too, head to Cutlery Works, grab your chopsticks and tuck in. It’s epic.

WHEN one of their best-selling dishes is called the Godzilla roll, you kind of know that you’re in for titanic evening.

With texture and flavour in abundance, consisting of grilled eel, prawn katsu, tobiko, spring onions and Japanese sauce, Edo Sushi’s star attraction (£7.50) got us off to a roaring start – and things only got better.

I’m a huge fan of sushi and Japanese food anyway but, whatever your reason for visiting this former industrial warehouse-turned-food hall, take my advice, head up the stairs, past the lanterns hanging outside Five Rivers, and you’ll arrive at a slice of sushi heaven.

The owners of Edo Sushi, Mike Simpson-Li and Tomonori Hasegawa (the latter of which trained at the Tokyo Sushi Academy), have put together a freshly-made menu of sushi and Japanese tapas using the finest seasonal ingredients. They make a point of not using any endangered fish and source all their salmon from farms off the Scottish coast.

We pulled up a stool to bench in front of their kitchen area and watched the chefs at work while me made our choices.

Mike was in attendance on the evening of our visit and was happy to recommend dishes for us to try. It didn’t disappoint.

To find out more, visit www.edosushi.co.uk

10

CHARITY

Essential donations EVERY TWO MINUTES, SOMEONE IN THE UK IS DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER AND ALTHOUGH THINGS ARE IMPROVING, SADLY 450 PEOPLE LOSE THEIR LIVES TO THE DISEASE EVERY SINGLE DAY. WITH that in mind, Weston Park Cancer Charity knows how important it is to continue to fund the high-quality cancer research for which Weston Park has developed an international reputation – but this wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of individuals and local businesses across the region.

Ecclesall Road micropub, The Ale Club, raised £4,711.38 For owner James Eardley, the charity holds personal significance after he was diagnosed with cancer last summer. He told VIBE: “I had radiotherapy at Weston Park last year. I’d never stepped foot in the hospital before, but the amount of people they treat is unbelievable. It’s only when you’re at the coalface that you really see that there’s not enough funding, so I thought a bit of fundraising wouldn’t go amiss!”

Thornbridge raise a pint Hundreds of people across Sheffield came together to celebrate the life of young mum Jenny Walker, raising over £8,000 in support of Weston Park Cancer Charity. The fundraising drive, led by Thornbridge, saw the brewery’s Jaipur IPA renamed ‘JenPour’ in memory of Jenny, who sadly lost her fight with stage 4 bowel cancer.

‘The most unlikely marathon team ever’ put their best foot forward at the Sheffield Half Sarah Nulty’s legacy continues to live on as friends, family and colleagues unite to honour the former Tramlines director. From selling #BeMoreNulty t-shirts at Tramlines to running the Sheffield Half Marathon – over £28,000 has been raised for Weston Park.

Weston Park Cancer Charity is proud to be one of the chosen charities for this year’s Tramlines festival, which returns on Friday 19 July.

It’s thanks to donations like these that Weston Park Cancer Charity has played a pivotal role in bringing world-class treatments and research to the latest advances in the treatment of the disease to Weston Park Hospital. Not only does this improve the quality of cancer care services across the board but it helps our world leading clinicians better understand the disease, paving the way for the hope of one day finding a cure.

To find out how you can help visit www.westonpark.org.uk

11

WATCH, LISTEN, DO

Edward Lear (1812–1888), Scarlet Macaw, 1832 © Collection of the Guild of St George, Museums Sheffield

12

WATCH, LISTEN, DO

Exhibitions Nordic by Nature: modern design and prints Until 28 July / Weston Park Museum www.museums-sheffield.org.uk Artists and designers have long been inspired by the varied and dramatic landscapes of the Nordic countries. Nordic by Nature: modern design and prints, a new British Museum touring exhibition, explores how nature and landscape is at the heart of Finnish, Swedish, Danish and Norwegian art and design.

Natural spectacles, from the bewitching aurora borealis to the white nights of the frozen north, as well as local materials like birch wood, have contributed to a distinctly Nordic aesthetic.

Nordic by Nature: modern design and prints uses the British Museum’s collection to look at how Finnish, Swedish, Danish and Norwegian artists and designers have created distinctive objects and imagery that are rooted in the culture, traditions and industries of those nations and often embody national pride.

Forty-four remarkable British Museum objects and works on paper will illustrate how these artists and designers have been drawn to common themes. Exhibition highlights include seminal pieces by one of the leading figures in Finnish design, glassmaker Tapio Wirkkala (1915-1985), which resemble melting, cracked or carved ice and are shown against prints of stark icy landscapes.

On Screen Toy Story 4 21 June Some years after Andy gave his toys to Bonnie, Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the toys are faced with a problem when Bonnie creates a new toy from arts and crafts, named Forky; Forky suffers from an existential crisis about being a toy, which the others try to help him understand how to be one. As Bonnie and her family go on a road trip, Forky escapes and Woody goes to save him, becoming separated from the group near a small town. As Buzz and the others try to help find Woody, Woody finds Bo Peep among other toys in the town’s antique shop, and she gives him a new outlook on what being a toy is really about.

John Ruskin: Art & Wonder Until 15 September / Millennium Gallery www.museums-sheffield.org.uk Part of international celebrations taking place throughout 2019 to mark 200 years of the influential artist, critic and scholar, this new exhibition explores how Ruskin championed the joy that nature can bring to our lives and the sense of awe it can evoke within us.

Ruskin’s passion for nature began in childhood with a fascination for minerals and mountains. Later in life he wrote at length about geology, botany and zoology, explaining how the study of natural history was central to his thinking around both art and architecture. Ruskin believed an understanding of the natural world enriches our lives in many ways; for him, appreciating its beauty was just as valuable as any scientific knowledge.

Art & Wonder celebrates how artists have captured the incredible spectacle of nature. Discover dazzling highlights from the Guild of St George’s Ruskin Collection, including botanical and ornithological studies and jewel-like mineral specimens, alongside significant national loans and new commissions by contemporary artists Timorous Beasties and Dan Holdsworth.

Spider-Man: Far From Home 2 July Shortly after the events of Avengers: End Game, Peter Parker (Tom Holland) heads to Europe on a school trip. While abroad, he is recruited by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) to team up with Quentin Beck (Jake Gyllenhaal), also known as Mysterio, a master of trickery and illusion to battle the Elementals.

The Lion King 19 July Disney’s live action version of this popular favourite sees a young lion prince, Simba (voiced by Donald Glover), flee his kingdom after the murder of his father, only to learn the true meaning of responsibility and bravery. Seth Rogen, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Beyonce also lend their voices to this epic production.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood 14 August Quentin Tarantino returns to the big screen with this homage to Hollywood’s golden age. And what a cast. It stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Kurt Russell, Timothy Olyphant, Dakota Fanning, Luke Perry, Margaret Qualley, and Al Pacino.

Events

Events

Film & Comic Con 10-11 August / FlyDSA Arena / www.flydsaarena.co.uk Following the success of the last five Sheffield Film & Comic Cons at the FlyDSA Arena the event returns for it’s sixth year. The event will again feature Cosplay - where costumes can be displayed on stage with a chance to win prizes; a comic zone where you can meet comic writers and artistes, comic creation master classes and buy that rare edition; artiste alley were amateur comic and Manga artists chill out, draw and meet other artists.

The Video Game Zone will host both modern and retro gaming with many casual-play and full-scale tournaments throughout the day. Browse hundreds of stalls selling collectable movie merchandise, costumes and toys.

Snooker Seniors 15-18 August / Crucible www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk The ROKiT World Seniors Snooker Championship is coming to the Crucible Theatre as part of a new partnership with Sheffield City Council to give the city a second major snooker event each year. Legends such as Stephen Hendry and Jimmy White join a field of 20 players from 16 countries who will battle it out over four days to see who will lift the Championship trophy.

Also for the very first time, within their four-day stay, a session will be dedicated to showcase the talents of the World Women’s Snooker Tour and the World Disability Billiards and Snooker (WDBS) Tour, with seats for these sessions priced at just £1.47.

13

WATCH, LISTEN, DO

On Stage

On Stage

The Girl on the Train 24-29 June / Lyceum www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk Rachel Watson longs for a different life. Her only escape is the perfect couple she watches through the train window every day, happy and in love. Or so it appears. When Rachel learns that the woman she’s been secretly watching has suddenly disappeared, she finds herself as a witness and even a suspect in a thrilling mystery in which she will face bigger revelations than she could ever have anticipated.

Adapted from Paula Hawkins’ novel and starring Samantha Womack and Oliver Farnworth, this gripping new play will keep you guessing until the final moment.

Little Miss Sunshine 9-13 July / Lyceum www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk Based on the Oscar-winning film, Little Miss Sunshine is a new musical comedy from Tony Award-winners James Lapine and William Finn. This uplifting, modern classic celebrates the quirks of every family, the potholes in every road, and the power of overcoming our differences.

Life of Pi 28 June-20 July / Crucible www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk After a cargo ship sinks in the middle of the vast Pacific Ocean, there are five survivors stranded on a single lifeboat- a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, a sixteen year-old boy and a hungry Bengal tiger. Time is against them, nature is harsh, who will survive?

Based on one of the most extraordinary and best-loved works of fiction by Yann Martel – winner of the Man Booker Prize, selling over 15 million copies worldwide – Life of Pi is a dazzling new theatrical adaptation of an epic journey of endurance and hope.

Belle & Sebastian 2 July / Leadmill / www.leadmill.co.uk Belle & Sebastian are one of the most cherished and celebrated UK acts of recent decades. They have released 11 critically acclaimed albums including the epoch defining Tigermilk, If You’re Feeling Sinister and The Boy With The Arab Strap. They won best newcomer at the 1999 BRIT Awards and have seen their music featured in films including High Fidelity, Gilmore Girls and The Devil Wears Prada.

Music

Gomez 23 July / Leadmill / www.leadmill.co.uk Gomez are a five-piece, multi-platinum selling British act consisting of Ben Ottewell, Tom Gray, Paul Blackburn, Olly Peacock, and Ian Ball. Their debut release, Bring It On, was released to massive critical acclaim earning the band the lauded Mercury Prize in 1998 for Album of the Year besting Massive Attack and The Verve, among others. This tour marks the 20th anniversary of their second long-player, Liquid Skin.

Ferocious Dog will be performing at Dronfest

Hair 1-6 July / Lyceum www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk Welcome to the ‘Age of Aquarius’. It’s 1967 and HAIR’s hippie ‘tribe’ youngsters in the East Village of New York are yearning to change the world, questioning authority and the American flag. Wild, colourful, sexually liberated and free, they are united in protest and song, under the shadow of the Vietnam War. Starring Dancing on Ice Winner Jake Quickenden and Hollyoak’s Daisy Wood-Davis.

Educating Rita 22-27 July / Lyceum www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk When married hairdresser Rita enrols on a university course to expand her horizons, little does she realise where the journey will take her. Her tutor Frank is a frustrated poet, brilliant academic and dedicated drinker, who’s less than enthusiastic about taking Rita on, but the two soon realise how much they have to teach each other. Written by Willy Russell, and starring Stephen Tompkinson as Frank and introducing Jessica Johnson as Rita.

Dronfest 10 August / Cliffe Park, Dronfield / https://dronfest.co.uk Who would have thought that a private party in June 1999 would still be going strong after 20 years?

Dronfest returns for this special 20th anniversary and sees the likes of Ferocious Dog, Clear Vinyl and Firecracker Vida take to the stage. There will be 17 acts performing in total with debuts from Arielle, a singer, songwriter and guitarist from Austin, Texas, and The Stereosonics, who have mastered the large catalogue of Stereophonics songs and who began to perform live on a regular basis.

On the ‘Other Stage’ you will be blown away by the likes of Contrabanned, Dronny Bottom Buskers, Rogue, The Buddies, The Natterjacks, Mark Mathews and The Cabronitas.

Food-wise there will be woodfired pizza, Mexican street food, crepes, authentic Greek food, The Noodle Bar and Burger Bar, whilst Drone Valley Brewery will be returning with their selection of real ales.

For kids there’ll be a treasure hunt and fun inflatables as well as a workshop hosted by Jason Heppenstall of HeppoArt, where they will be able to indulge themselves in some “Spoon Bashing”.

Dronfest has raised over £102,000 for very worthy local causes over the last 20 years – a fantastic achievement.

Jessica Johnson as Rita and Stephen Tompkinson as Frank in Educating Rita Credit: Robert Day

14

WHAT’S ON IN JULY FRIENDSHIP LUNCHES

Join us for an afternoon of entertainment from 12pm - 3pm 2 course meal £6/3 courses £9 Food served at 12.30pm July 30th KEELEY MAY

FRIDAY NIGHTS LIVE

July 19th End of Term Teacher’s Party

SATURDAY DJ NIGHTS

July 6th Pure Cheese July 20th DJ Rewind 60s-80s July 27th Jukebox DJ 396 Fulwood Road Sheffield • S10 3GD Tel: 0114 2301999 bullsheadsheffield.co.uk bulls.head.ranmoor

Ask at bar for details or see individual advertising

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY BBQ Sat July 13th Tickets only All live sporting events shown were possible Including Wimbledon, British Open & Tour de France

REDTOOTH POKER

Monday from 8pm – ask for details or visit redtoothpoker.com

NEW YEARS EVE Tickets on sale now £10 per person

BREAKFAST IS SERVED!

11am–1pm Saturday & Sunday

TRADITIONAL HOMEMADE SUNDAY LUNCHES

Served 12noon - 6pm Booking advised Main menu & Steak menu now available on Sundays

NEW CLASSICS MENU • ALL HOME COOKED TRADITIONAL PUB GRUB

15

WATCH, LISTEN, DO

Sheffield are you ready?

TRAMLINES IS IN TOUCHING DISTANCE. HERE’S EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW.

Courteeners will be headlining on the Saturday night

x

WATCH, LISTEN, DO

Phill Jupitus

DJ Annie Mac

Nile Rodgers & Chic

though, who has The Rifles, Peter Hook & The Light, Tom Grennan and Doves playing. And in a complete headspin you’ll not want to stray too far from the main stage who has Sleeper, Lewis Capaldi, Rag ‘n’ Bone Man and then headliners Nile Rodgers & Chic. Oh, and Happy Mondays have got to fit in somewhere too. If you’re the type of person who has the fear of missing out, all we can say is, good luck, how you can juggle that line-up is anyone’s guess. There probably won’t even be time for a beer.

Throw in the Into The Trees family area, food from Cutlery Works, the fairground and plenty of ale offerings and you’ve got, potentially, a weekend to remember. Tramlines you’ve excelled yourselves. Now we just need the weather.

YOU’VE had the dates in your diary for months, learned the line-up by heart and done plenty of ‘research’ into improving your drinking stamina – now you’re more than ready for the festivities to begin.

Tramlines 2019 is but weeks away and we can’t wait. To make sure you’re best prepared we’ve looked at everything you need to know to enjoy a memorable weekend, from the acts you don’t want to miss to the food that’s on offer, even what’s happening at the ‘Fringe’. Now it’s just a matter of counting down the days… *** Although timings have yet to be confirmed (at the time of writing), it looks like Cora Pearl will be the first band on the main stage when the doors open at 3pm on Friday 19 July. Sea Girls and Circa Waves will then warm things up nicely for the arrival of Manic Street Preachers who, hopefully, will be playing all their hits.

Friday’s headliners are Northern Ireland’s Two Door Cinema Club, who will be performing tracks including What You Know, Something Good Can Work and Talk.

The Leadmill stage will be open on Friday and has The Futureheads, Clean Cut Kid and The Seamonsters amongst its line-up whilst The Library Stage will have Red Rum Club, Himalayas and Plant amongst others.

Saturday sees the curtains pulled back on the T’Other Stage, which will play host to Casey Lowry, Anteros, Another Sky, Georgia, Becky Hill, Jade Bird and then the fabulous Annie Mac. You’ll have to juggle your day well if you want to catch the Everly Pregnant Brothers, Miles Kane, Reverend & the Makers, Johnny Marr and The Courteeners on the main stage.

The comedy also kicks off on Saturday in the Leadmill tent and there should be decent crowds for Thomas Green, Daniel Muggleton, Alistair Barrie and Reginald D. Hunter. Shame headline the ‘Leadmill Live’ later in the evening.

You’ll need plenty of stamina for Sunday and, if you’ve got the ability to split yourself in two, you’ll be all the better for it.

Let’s start with the comedy which sees Shappi Khorsandi and Phill Jupitus added to the line-up followed by Joe Carnall’s new project, Good Cop Bad Cop, and Drenge who’ll be live afterwards. You might want to head to the T’Other stage

STOP PRESS: Apply to Play AfAfter a lengthy application process, Tramlines are pleased to announce the ‘winners’ of their Apply to Play competition. There are 12 in total, six chosen by BBC Introducing and six by a Tramlines panel that included Jon McClure.

Now added to the line-up are Before Breakfast, Exiled, Fauves, Graces, Guest Singer, Hands Off Gretel, LIO, Matic Mouth, Matthew J Hall, Oh Papa, Perfectparachutepicture and Speed For Lovers.

Katrina Bunker, editor of BBC Radio Sheffield, said: “Tramlines has grown into such a huge festival for South Yorkshire and we’re thrilled that BBC Radio Sheffield is going to be so involved this year. We’ll be hosting several programmes from our BBC tent in Hillsborough Park across the weekend featuring live acoustic performances from some of the acts and some exclusive interviews.”

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WATCH, LISTEN, DO

Survival Guide Food & Drink When you’re not dancing away to Doves or shimmying to Chic, you’ll probably work up something of an appetite (and a thirst) – we all know that quality food and drink are a vital part of any festival experience.

With that said, Tramlines has teamed up with Cutlery Works to bring a brand new curated street food area to the festival.

Popular vendors Shed and Froconut lead the line up, with many more to come. The street food area at Tramlines 2019 will take its inspiration from the now-famous food hall, with communal seating and chilled out atmosphere, alongside an exciting array of street food vendors from the local area catering for meat eaters, vegetarians and vegans alike.

Outside the new Cutlery Works area, there will be the amazing Meatless Farm, mouth-watering pies from Pie Minister, Get Wurst, The Gravy Train Poutine, and Proove Pizza.

Entry/Exit There are two entry and exit points: The East Gate on Penistone Road or West Gate on Middlewood Road. At the gates you will be asked to present your paper ticket, which will then be scanned and exchanged for a wristband.

The gates will be open for entry 3-8.30pm on Friday and 128pm on Saturday and Sunday. The site will remain open until 10.30pm.

Travel/Transport Tramlines recommends you leave the car at home as there is no functioning drop off space and no parking for the festival on-site.

Both the YELLOW and BLUE route trams take you to the festival site and tram stops are numerous stops across the city.

For the blue line use the Hillsborough stop and for the yellow line use Hillsborough Park.

There are plenty of bus links that can help you get from home to the festival site. Please see Travel South Yorkshire’s website (www.travelsouthyorkshire.com) to plan your journey.

There will be a black cab pick-up spot operating from the Hillsborough Leisure Centre car park. This will be sign-posted from the main site. For private hire taxis, Tramlines recommends City Taxis who have an app for both Android and Apple phone users, this app can be found via the City Taxis website.

Access Tramlines are proud to have been awarded the Bronze Level of Attitude is Everything’s Charter of Best Practice demonstrating a commitment to accessibility. Here’s just a few ways they have made the site open to as many people as possible: • There will be a PA ticket scheme for individuals who would be unable to attend our events without bringing a personal assistant • A viewing platform with a stewarded accessible toilet is located at the Main Stage. In order to gain access to the viewing platform, you need a viewing platform wristband. This also comes with a lanyard that can be worn by a personal assistant or companion so that they can join you on the platform.

• There will be a stewarded accessible toilet located beside the viewing platform at the Main Stage. A viewing platform wristband is required to gain access to this toilet. There will be other non-stewarded accessible toilets at every toilet block throughout the festival.

• Assistance dogs are welcomed onto the site.

• There will be general warning signs around the Main Arena if strobe lighting will be used.

• There will be a First Aid tent located in the Main Arena. There will also be Medics and First Aiders on patrol around the event.

VIP Fancy enjoying Tramlines in a more luxurious way this year?

Choose either the VIP Weekend Ticket OR VIP Upgrade your existing ticket and enjoy the festival in style. The £50 upgrade includes queue jump, posh loos, access VIP bar and VIP seating area.

Family friendly Not only do under 12s get to enjoy the festival for free (accompanied by a paying ticket holder), there is also a jampacked schedule of activities to keep everyone occupied.

Into the Trees is the dedicated family area and Tramlines have pulled together some absolute treats to keep the young ones entertained. The pop-up cinema will be running across the weekend, if you’re in the mood to kick back with a movie.

Responsible Fishing will be taking the reins on Saturday and Sunday’s activities by bringing their woodland workshop – whether it is rock balancing or foraging for materials to create woodland crafts. Jamboree Arts will be hosting a circus school on Saturday and Sunday too. Walk the tightrope or try your hand at juggling and acrobatics in the big top!

Credit: Oliver Young

WATCH, LISTEN, DO

Gilles Peterson – Peddler, 20 July

Tramlines Fringe Whilst the main focus of attention will be on Hillsborough Park during Tramlines weekend – and rightly so – there is so much more happening in and around Sheffield city centre as part of the unofficial ‘Fringe’.

Sheffield City Council and Sheffield BID have teamed up and will be providing The Fringe Stage on Devonshire Green, programmed by Papa Al of the JuJu Club. The Peace Gardens will host an 80s/90s disco and there’ll be street performers in Barkers Pool.

Here’s just a taste of what’s on offer.

Horse Meat Disco – Peddler, 21 July

Headlining will be Sheafs, who of course, played the main festival last year. Quite a coup.

If the sun is shining you can take advantage of their outdoor terrace and maybe even a slice of pizza and a cocktail or two.

The Fringe Stage Will host Jungle Lion, Mango Rescue Team and Medley on the Saturday, amongst others, and The Tin Soldiers, Son Montuno and Papa Soul and Highway Child on the Sunday.

Sheffield City Hall NMC Live will be taking over the Sheffield City Hall Ballroom once again with the finest post-everything sounds and noise for Tramlines Fringe 2019.

The line-up for Saturday 20 July includes AA Williams, And So I Watch You From Afar, Body Hound, Boss Keloid, Mono, Svalbard and Trigger Thumb. Tickets are £6.72 (advance), including booking fee.

Visit www.sheffieldcityhall.co.uk or www.nmclive.co.uk to find out more.

Peddler A stone’s throw from Hillsborough Park, Peddler Warehouse, at 92 Burton Road, has plenty of reasons to keep the party going, namely with the appearances of Gilles Peterson (20 July) and Horse Meat Disco (21 July). They will be ably supported by the likes of Banana Hill, Nice Like Rice, Apricot Ballroom, Raw Silk, Winston Hazel and Dan J. Early bird tickets are available for £10 otherwise they’ll be £15 in advance or £17.50 on the door.

Visit https://peddlermarket.co.uk/ to find out more.

The Leadmill The ‘Ledders’ will definitely be keeping the vibe going with two Tramlines after parties, on Friday and Saturday night – and there’ll be free entry with your Tramlines wristband (until midnight) as well as some of the best drinks offers in town.

Friday sees the popular club night, Gaga, take centre stage, with a night of indie classics and the best in new music. On Saturday you can dance the night away at SONIC and The Beat Club – the best indie rock bangers as well as Motown, disco, funk and soul.

The Forum Kitchen & Bar Devonshire Street’s favourite hangout has a pretty decent lineup for their Fringe festivities on Saturday 20 July. Appearing throughout the day will be Hotel Lux, Creeping Jean, Ørmstons, Diving Station, Bad Bug, Lio, The Gallery and My Pet Fauxes.

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Shaping up LOSING TRACK ON WHAT’S HAPPENING IN AND AROUND SHEFFIELD CITY CENTRE? HERE’S AN UPDATE ON THE BUILDING PROJECTS THAT ARE EITHER IN THE WORKS, UNDERWAY, OR NEARING COMPLETION.

MOVERS & MAKERS

Heart of the City II If you’ve been into the city centre recently you can’t fail to have noticed that the striking first phase of the Heart of the City II project is all but complete. The signs are up, the walkways are open and there’s lots of lovely landscaping to relax in. If this is a sign of things to come, we can’t wait for the next phase to begin work.

PICTURED: The newly-landscaped Charter Square is dominated by the new HSBC building – Phase 1 of the Heart of the City II scheme

MOVERS & MAKERS

The proposed Grey to Green Phase 2 scheme

the second phase of the Grey to Green project comes at an exciting time for our region. We’re committed to supporting people to travel in a more active way, which brings benefits such as improving people’s health, reducing congestion and improving air quality.

“Creating greener public spaces and improving walking and cycling routes, through schemes such as Grey to Green, is a crucial part of this. People don’t simply need encouragement to travel actively; they need the infrastructure that makes it possible.

“That’s why I’m pleased that Local Growth Funding, distributed through the Sheffield City Region, has supported this project. Active travel is a key priority for the Sheffield City Region and, working with our new Active Travel Commissioner, Dame Sarah Storey, we aim to create an environment where accessible and safe public spaces such as Grey to Green are the norm, rather than the exception.”

The original phase of Grey To Green saw the city’s former inner ring road transformed into a green corridor that is also home to the country’s largest sustainable urban drainage system.

Grey To Green Hotels, businesses and residents in Castlegate will soon enjoy a transformed outlook and setting – as Phase 2 of the acclaimed ‘Grey To Green’ scheme gets under way.

The scheme will also link Castlegate to the under-used Victoria Quays area and transform the almost redundant former inner ring road with sustainable drainage, floral meadows, segregated cycle lanes and public art. It will also significantly improve the approach to the Castle House Kollider/Kommune on Snig Hill.

Work has now begun after £5.8million funding was confirmed from the European Regional Development Fund, £2.8million of which is Sheffield City Region Local Growth Funding, as well as contributions from Sheffield City Council and Canal and Rivers Trust.

The scheme will provide better links to the many hotels in Castlegate and improve bus, pedestrian and cycling access from the north east to the city centre and also towards Kelham.

Redundant carriageways from Park Square to Blonk Street will be reclaimed to provide quality areas for pedestrians and two-way cycle facilities with a new 20mph speed limit in place.

Castlegate itself will be closed to vehicles, Blonk Street will become two-way with a 24-hour bus gate in the direction of The Wicker and there will be enhanced public spaces with perennial meadow planting, tree planting, quality materials and public art.

Fifty-seven new trees will be planted as part of the scheme.

The project will encourage new economic activity into the area, promote walking and cycling, speed up bus journeys and improve resilience to climate change flooding.

Grey to Green Phase 1 has already won a wheelbarrow of awards for its green environment and world-leading sustainable drainage in the West Bar area. The works of the second phase are set to be completed by March 2020.

Cabinet member for Business and Investment Mazher Iqbal said: “The first phase of Grey To Green has justifiably won awards and attracted interest from cities around the world. It is a beautiful corridor of colour which looks good year round. I’m thrilled this success story will now extend into the city’s ancient and historic heart and provide better connectivity to the canal basin and Castlegate itself.”

Dan Jarvis, Mayor of the Sheffield City Region, said: “Work on

Parks & Green Spaces Following the introduction of Sheffield City Council’s Building Better Parks initiative last year, the authority is calling for creative and enterprising ideas to help deliver its vision for better parks, woodlands and green spaces across the city.

Some of Sheffield’s parks, such as Endcliffe and Millhouses, are extremely popular leisure destinations and already have brilliant facilities for visitors, but many, while offering beautiful surroundings and quality play equipment, are lacking in other amenities.

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To be considered in the first round of applications, request an expression of interest template from betterparks@sheffield.gov.uk and return by 31 July.

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MOVERS & MAKERS

Kangaroo Works Linking up nicely with the Heart of the City II scheme is the proposed Kangaroo Works, a £50 million residential building at the corner of Rockingham Street and Wellington Street. A planning application has been submitted for the evelopment, which will deliver 364 new apartments for private rent, ranging in size from one to three bedrooms. At ground floor level, there will be up to five commercial spaces ideally suited to cafés, restaurants or start-up businesses.

The scheme’s unique name pays homage to a former tool factory that was part of the site in the early 19th century.

Park Hill Update Sheffield’s historic Park Hill Estate has taken another step forward in its redevelopment with the start of work on the £20million Phase 3 of the project.

Sheffield city council gave the green light for 74 units to house 356 student residents back in July last year, and specialist student accommodation developer Alumno’s development of those, as well as additional commercial space for use by residents and the community, is now underway.

Alumno has appointed Kier as construction partner on the scheme, the companies having previously worked together on projects in Durham, Aberdeen and Glasgow, The project is due to complete in autumn 2020.

The planned Kangaroo Works would link up with the Heart of the City II scheme

David Campbell, managing director of Alumno, said: “This is a one-off and a blueprint project, and students interested in architecture and design are particularly excited about the prospect of living in a world-renowned architectural icon.

“This is an iconic site with international significance – forming a crucial part of Sheffield’s past, present and future – and will be one of our most important projects to date. We’re pleased to be working with Kier again given our longstanding and successful relationship, where we have delivered several schemes over the years.”

John O’Callaghan, managing director for Kier Northern, added: “We’re thrilled to be working on the refurbishment of this iconic building in Sheffield and delivering high-quality homes for its students. To benefit the local community we have committed to creating four employment opportunities and have two on-site apprentices.”

The development aims to build on the work Park Hill owner Urban Splash has already undertaken. It has so far completed the first phase of redevelopment, comprising 260 homes, ten workspaces and the Grace Owen children’s nursery.

Earlier this year, plans for Phase Four of the project were submitted to Sheffield City Council. The fourth phase, out of a planned five, would comprise 96 residential units, developed by Urban Splash on the upper levels, and S1 Artspace’s plans for Park Hill Art Space, including a 6,458 sq ft gallery, studio space for more than 50 artists, and education and community facilities.

MOVERS & MAKERS

Finding his place SHEFFIELD POET LAUREATE AND HIP-HOP ARTIST, OTIS MENSAH, RELEASES HIS NEW ALBUM THIS MONTH. ASHLEY BIRCH TALKS TO HIM ABOUT LIFE, LOVE AND WRITING MUSIC.

x

MOVERS & MAKERS

say ‘hey, I’m going to stop pretending now, I’m going to see what I really believe and what music I’m really in to, and how I want to be perceived in the world.’ hip-hop culture and the art form of poetry and rap gave me the courage to do that.

“It was hugely to do with this feeling I had as a teenager, and one of my favourite artists says it best, ‘I was too black for the white kids, and too white for the blacks.’ Given that I already felt like I didn’t fit in, I wanted to make an effort not to fit in.

“I wasn’t interested in drinking and partying. I was a bit of an introvert and that impacted on what I was interested in. I wanted to watch YouTube videos, I wanted to make music, I wanted to write poems, and early on I had a very strong identity of what I wanted to do as an artist. I honestly thought by the time I was 17 I’d be touring the world.

“Now I feel comfortable in my craft as a writer and also where I am as a human being. Happiness isn’t just something that you can find one day and then have forever, it’s about reminding yourself what happiness is every day and trying to find it every day. When I’m most happy is when I’m connecting with people and a way for me to connect with people is by doing music.

Given that Otis isn’t naturally an extrovert, the world of social media, more or less essential now for marketing yourself as an artist, can sometimes be daunting and unnatural to him. “I struggle with it on a mental health basis”, he says: “the whole social media thing, I don’t actually enjoy it at all. I don’t find enjoyment in posting about my life, but we all fall victim to it because it’s so built into us. As soon as I hear a ‘bing’ on my phone I get a shot of endorphins in my brain. We’re cyborgs, basically.

“I’ve been getting abuse ever since I’ve been putting music online, since I was 13. Things like critiques of my music, which is fine, to racial abuse and attacks on my appearance. We’re so fragile as humans in real life, if we’re always surrounded by these constant attacks, what is that doing to us? I think it’s breaking us.

“The internet is also an incredible tool. I don’t hate it completely. I’m not opposed to the internet, I’m opposed to being passive about it and not being aware of the effect it has on mental health.”

Otis decided to explore this subject further in his next EP Computers Outside, produced by Baltimore producer Ray Sousa (who he met online), after binging the TV show Mr Robot.

He said: “I wanted to create a world in an EP that’s reflecting the direction our society is going in, in terms of this morphing together of us and the internet.”

It was also in 2016 that Otis met his now regular collaborator The Intern, which he says has helped focus his creativity. He said: “I had a show in Berlin for the first time in 2016 and I met The Intern after vising Soundcloud Studios. He showed me around and then he played me a beat, and that’s been a relationships that has helped my creativity flourish. ¸

IT’S an exciting time to be talking to Otis Mensah Not just because he’s fantastic company, but because, let’s face it, he’s clearly on the cusp of achieving huge things in the world of both music and literature (maybe even bigger than representing the Steel City, if that were possible) and that’s just exciting, isn’t it?

The last couple of years have been pretty extraordinary for the Sheffield-based poet and hip-hop artist, with a performance at Glastonbury, the release of new EPs, a new album, the release of his first book, and of course, gaining national attention with the announcement of his two-year stint as Sheffield’s first ever Poet Laureate, last October.

We’re not quite sure of the correct etiquette when you meet a poet laureate but, when we meet up with Otis in the Showroom cafe to discuss the crazy whirlwind he’s been on this last couple of years, we resist the urge to curtsy and instead sit down for a coffee to reminisce about where it began, back in 2016, with the release of his mixtape, Days Over Damson.

Otis said: “It was me writing original songs over J Dilla instrumentals. I just wanted to put something out into to the world and get rid of the old stuff that was floating around on the internet. Have my first impression on the world.

“I thought the best way to do this was to write over some of my favourite hip-hop instrumentals so I did like a five-track EP. I think what really changed was that I really sort it as an opportunity to play live, and I did every show I possibly could. I went over to Barnsley, Huddersfield, a bunch of Sheffield shows playing to like two people and I had this mantra of consistency. I thought if I could be consistent about it and continue to do music videos for the project, continue to play live, I’ll be in people’s face.

“I’m a big fan of artists like Tech N9ne from the States and the whole idea of DIY and taking matters into your own hands. I had an old idea of what it was to be in the music industry.

Waiting for a label, looking for a label, handing demos to rappers, pretty much everyone has got my demo. When I went to see J Cole in 2010, I chucked my demo on stage and he slipped on it.”

One of the striking things about Otis is his willingness to be open, honest and vulnerable. He doesn’t hold back, not in an obnoxious ‘I’ll say anything about anyone’ kind of way, but in a reflective, philosophical approach to his past and where he comes from.

“I struggled with my identity a lot and feeling like I didn’t really fit in,” he says. “As I’m sure many teenagers do, it’s that kind of existential angst you get as a teenager. I think I had this constant feeling of being a foreign object, not feeling like I fit in anywhere, feeling like a displaced item in the room.

“I think that went on to affect my mental health and I think it went on to impact how I put myself forward as a human being.

Later on, in my teenage-hood I made a conscious decision to

“I wanted to create a world in an EP that’s reflecting the direction our society is going in, in terms of this morphing together of us and the internet.”

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MOVERS & MAKERS

“One of my favourite artist is Childish Gambino, Donald Glover, and I love the idea of being able to dabble in different genres of art. He can do music, he can do TV, acting, screenwriting, comedy, and he masters many roles. I’m not one for being a jack of all trades but I think if you can master many trades, I think that’s incredible.

“With the book it’s coming from that urgency to do more things, but at the same time I see it as inseparable from the music. It’s just a continuation.

“My role as poet laureate, and as an artist, is to stand as an advocate for the potent form of poetry that exists in rap. I want to give people an obvious example of someone who hasn’t had any formal training as a writer and isn’t following any form of structure intellectually, but is still putting out art. Breaking down that elitism, whitewashed, golden calf of writers as something ‘other’. This idea that you’re either Shakespeare or you’re nothing, I really want to break that down.

“Everything I know about the world, about history, about philosophy has come from hip-hop culture, so I want to dismantle that idea that idea that hip-hop is art that is disposable and less valuable.

“Childish Gambino says that white kids get to wear whatever hat they want and when it comes to black kids, one size fits all.

No one’s comparing Kiss to the indie band Peace, no one’s comparing those people. Why within hip-hop do people feel the need to bunch everyone together?

“You’re painting everyone with the same brush and it does stem from structural racism.

“Eminem sold more records than Michael Jackson. If he’s the biggest artist representing a black art form and can sell that many records, it’s like, what is going on? I’m happy in some ways that Eminem is like a gateway drug for a lot of people, so I’m not saying that’s not a positive thing, though we do have to question why he’s the most successful hip-hop artist.

“The real problem, in terms of music, is not that Arctic Monkeys, Pulp and Reverend and the Makers are celebrated so immensely, because they should be, it’s that the gatekeepers of perception have only captured that side, and that creates an idea that that’s all that can succeed.

“Art is one of the best ways to break down people’s perceptions. Nobody listens to activists, politicians, speakers or intellectuals like they listen to their favourite artists. The more we champion artists who are saying something purposeful, the more we are going to see a shift in society.”

Otis can definitely be counted among that group of artists who are saying something purposeful and his next album, Rap Poetics scheduled for release in July, continues on those themes. A continuation of his book, he hopes to further underline the importance of rap as storytelling tool. He also hopes to tour the album as far and wide as he possibly can, and asks if anyone reading can help him with book dates, to get in touch with him on Facebook.

“I would love to be a touring artist in the traditional sense, playing live 300 days out of 365. My main passion is creating that relationship between the artist and the audience, and not in a hierarchical way, I love it when we both share this experience together. That’s my favourite thing in life to experience.”

“It’s been great to have that collaborator. We wanted to create a project that glues our work together and that was what my most recent album was, Mum’s House, Philosopher. All the songs have been an accumulation of ideas since we met.

“I have a really elusive relationship with creativity. I feel that sometimes I can write two EPS in the space of two months and then I can’t write for six months. And it worries me, every single time I can’t write I feel like that’s the end and I have this complete anxiety. It’s kind of an imposter syndrome, so much so that I don’t even feel like it’s me when I’m writing.

“What I write about is whatever is in my head and I know that sounds super-unthoughtful, but I struggle so hard to write with a motive. What I find liberating is when I have a page or when I’m on my phone in my notes and I can just spill out whatever is there. That feeling that there’s been this building up of trauma, or there’s experiences my brain can finally untangle and process into something, it’s what I like to call, ‘letting the pen bleed’.

“I have tried writing with a concept and while those songs mean a lot to me, it never quite tickles the spot that writing as a form of therapy does. I’m not in control, basically!”

In between the release of Computers Outside and Mum’s House, Philosopher Otis earned the opportunity to play at Glastonbury, which was the starting point of another chapter in the story of Otis’s last couple of years, as it helped paved the way for his subsequent appointment as Sheffield’s first ever poet laureate, at just 23 years old.

“I got the opportunity to do Glastonbury on the BBC Introducing stage,” he says: “which was an amazing opportunity for me. It got some attention online and Magid [Magid] saw it as his term as mayor was approaching. He presented me with the opportunity to fly the flag for Sheffield, in terms of someone doing something alternative in the world of art and represent the city in that realm.

“That really meant a lot to me because it bridges the gap in people’s minds, in terms of rap and poetry. I was happy and felt blessed to take on the opportunity to do that.

“As poet laureate, I want to stand as an advocate for the meaningfulness of expression and sharing with the world. It’s about going into institutions and doing workshops. It’s about letting the youth know that it’s just as important, if not more, than Pythagoras’ Theorem.”

Otis is just under halfway through the two-year appointment and over the coming year there are already plans for commissions with different bodies in Sheffield as well as one with the British Library. He has also taken part in documentaries, offering his views on the English language, poetry and expression, which will hopefully be aired in the coming year.

One of the main focuses of his term so far has been to produce and release his first book of poetry, Safe Metamorphosis, which was launched with a sell-out gig at Sheffield’s Café Totem on 17 May 2019.

Otis said: “I’ve always wanted to do a book but I’ve got such a poor attention span. I’ve written many novel ideas that have turned into short scripts because I couldn’t see them through, which is why I think I write songs and poetry. I very easily lose my passion so I keep it short in terms of the world of writing, although for poetry I’m quite long-winded.

“Art is one of the best ways to break down people’s perceptions. Nobody listens to activists, politicians, speakers or intellectuals like they listen to their favourite artists.”

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MOVERS & MAKERS

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NEWS

Special exhibition

Bowling in

An un-pickable lock more than 200 years old; the world’s first really efficient flushing toilet; the world’s first fire engine that delivered constant, effective hose pressure; and the world’s first hydraulic press. They all changed the world; they were all the work of one man – and they all feature in a major new exhibition at the Hawley Collection, Kelham Island Museum in Sheffield.

The genius behind all these revolutionary inventions was Joseph Bramah, born in Stainborough near Barnsley in 1749.

The son of a tenant farmer and former coachman on the Wentworth Woodhouse estate, he trained as a carpenter, and tramped to London where he was employed by a master carpenter making surrounds for the then-new water closets.

Finding that the WCs he had to work with were poorly made and didn’t function well, he vowed he could do better – and went on to become an engineer and inventor whose lockmanufacturing shop was the cradle of the British machine-tool industry. Between 1778 and 1796, his ‘golden period’, Bramah re-wrote the rulebook of the engineering industry.

The special exhibition runs until April 2020, and was made possible due to generous support from the Newcomen Society in its centenary year; from the Royal Institution, from Barnsley Museums; and from Bramah Security Equipment Ltd. The exhibition is open every Monday-Thursday from 10am to 4pm; and every Sunday from 11am to 4.45pm.

Lane7 is bringing its striking new bowling alley, bar and arcade to The Moor this autumn.

Charlie Snow, operations manager at Lane7, said: “We can’t wait to roll into The Moor. We’ll be bringing the whole shebang…walnut bowling lanes, retro arcades, karaoke, ping pong, pool and a full bar to offer. It’s going to be next level watch this space!”

Lane7 already has branches in Newcastle, Birmingham, Aberdeen, Middlesbrough and Liverpool, plus plans to open in six more cities, including Sheffield.

Pride is back Pride is back on 27 July to mark its 11th year in Sheffield and the 50-year-anniversary of Stonewall Riots. This year’s event will once again be held in Endcliffe Park and promises to be bigger and more inclusive than ever.

Sheffield Vulcans RUFC, a local rugby club known for its inclusivity, will be taking part this year, together with the billboard-star of R&B, AC Style performing on one of the three stages. There will also be over 100 stalls and a community tent.

Sheffield’s Pride was also picked by Stonewall charity as one of its 30+ events for this year. Rosie Strathearn-Brady, CoChair of Pride in Sheffield, said: “This year’s Pride is not about corporate sponsors. It has been 50 years since the Stonewall Riots, an event which kick-started the fight for LGBT rights, and this anniversary we are ensuring the community is at the front of Pride.”

Stonewall Riots were led by famed trans activists, Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, after they started at the Stonewall Inn and turned into an uprising against the police’s intimidation and a whole civil rights movement, giving birth to the Pride month.

The event in Sheffield is helped to be made possible by a £5,000 donation from SIMA, a National Branch within Unite the Union, with more support coming from National Education Union, UCU and GMB. Attendees are asked to meet at 11:30 am on Pear Street to then set off to the Endcliffe Park at 12pm.

Amanda’s film cuts the mustard Amanda Mustard’s ‘All That Remains’ documentary triumphed at the Whickers Pitch during this year’s Sheffield Doc/Fest, winning the Film & TV Funding Award and scooping the £80,000 prize towards the creation of the final film.

The film, directed by American-born Amanda Mustard, an award-winning photojournalist now living in Bangkok, tells a very personal story as she returns to the US and turns her investigative lens on the serial sexual abuse committed by her grandfather.

Amanda said of the process: “My experience of being a Whickers finalist has been incredible. It has been terrifying at stages but has given me the opportunity to grow a lot as a first-time filmmaker.”

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NEWS

Social shortlist

Jamie – The movie

The social enterprise Printed by Us, that helps vulnerable people in Sheffield learn new skills through print workshops, has been nominated for best UK Social Enterprise at the Homeless Link Awards.

“We’re really excited as a team,” says marketing assistant Daniela Orrego: “We’ve worked really hard for the last couple of months and it’s great to be recognised at a national level. PBU is really making a change in people’s lives” The national recognitions comes in response to the work the team have done in Sheffield over the last couple of years, giving homeless and vulnerable people experience in a field they may never have tried before.

Operations manager James Creed said: “Being part of the Printed by Us team is so amazing. Seeing the difference in those people with us is very rewarding and recognition itself on the positive impact we’re making in people’s lives. But to be shortlisted for this award is an incredible honour and I am very proud.”

Following the musical’s box office success in the West End, the story of 16-year old Jamie Campbell and his ambition to become a drag queen is now being adapted for the big screen, and a star-studded cast has been revealed ahead of filming.

The lead role will be played by 21-year-old Max Harwood; joining him will be the likes of Richard E Grant, Sharon Horgan, Sarah Lancashire and Shobna Gulati.

Filming is currently underway.

Best of the Rev Sheffield music stalwarts Reverend and the Makers have revealed the release date for a new ‘best of’ album, showcasing 27 track from the band’s six albums, as well two new songs, “Elastic Fantastic” and “Te Quiero Pero”, plus an exclusive acoustic version of “What Comes Around”.

Details of a huge UK tour have also been released including stops in Leeds, Manchester and London, as well as two homecoming shows in Sheffield’s O2 Academy on 24 and 25 September.

Out of this world Astronauts and space rockets are set to land in Sheffield city centre this summer as Sheffield BID brings back its hugely successful Bricktropolis.

Building on the success of the World Landmarks trail last year, this summer sees a new Outer Space theme join the Bricktropolis programme – set to run from 1730 August.

To celebrate 50 years of the moon landing, Outer Space is a galactic visitor trail of LEGO® brick models, all constructed by Bright Bricks – the UK’s only professional LEGO-brick building company.

Families are invited to take part in a journey of discovery that follows humankind from Earth to the stars, with an array of planets, astronauts, space vehicles and rockets to find along the interstellar trail.

Find the Vostok I and Saturn V rockets, join Neil Armstrong on the moon and even meet a friendly visitor from outer space.

There are 15 incredible space models in total. Standing at 1.9m tall, the Neil Armstrong model is made up of more than 57,000 bricks, while the 2.8m-tall Apollo 11 Saturn V rocket has 68,583 bricks.

Diane Jarvis, Sheffield BID Manager, said: “Last year, Sheffield Bricktropolis and its trail of world-famous landmarks attracted over 25,000 visitors. We hope to build on that success this year with a fantastic new outer space theme.

“The trail is designed to encourage people to explore all corners of the city centre and not just the well-trodden routes.”

Sign up for updates at www.sheffieldbricktropolis.com.

Staff bake-off Sheffield Theatres’ staff held their very own Bake Off in support of the Alzheimer’s Society’s Cupcake Day, raising £250 with their sweet creations.

Claire Murray, Communications & Fundraising Director explained: “We’re passionate about welcoming everyone to our theatres; and that’s why we have a rolling programme of Dementia Friends training for our staff – to enable us to support people living with dementia when they visit.

“We’re also a company that runs on cake, and we had the most fantastic selection of bakes created by our talented team yesterday.

“Supporting Cupcake Day was a great way of us bringing our own values and passion to support another charity that’s making a difference to people’s lives.”

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