Street Cred Magazine - June 2022

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CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF POSITIVE NEWS

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MUSIC FASHION FILM GADGETS HOLIDAY EDUCATION HEALTH AND FITNESS

JUNE 2022

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JASON DERULO IS

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R&B star Billy Ocean set for Solihull Summer Fest 2022

T

he award-winning R&B singer-songwriter, Billy Ocean, is joining the incredible Sunday line-up at this year’s Solihull Summer Fest.

Dubbed the biggest Black recording star that Britain has ever produced, Billy has sold more than 30 million records worldwide, achieving number one spot on pop charts in the UK, USA, Australia, Germany and Holland.

The Trinidadian-English musician won a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for Caribbean Queen (No More Love On The Run), and in 1987 was nominated for the BRIT Award for Best British Male Artist. His

other hits include ‘When The Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going’, ‘Love Really Hurts Without You’, ‘Suddenly’ and ‘Red Light Spells Danger’.

In addition to Billy Ocean, the show on Sunday 24 July, features Belinda Carlisle, Kool & The Gang, Bad Manners, The Real Thing and Dr & The Medics. Saturday 23rd July 2022 will see Shaggy, Sister Sledge. Boyzlife, Shalamar, Lemar and back by popular demand, Artful Dodger returning to the main stage.

The Solihull Summer Fest team are very proud of what is clearly their biggest line up to date are promising “the ultimate feel-good music festival”.

Throughout the weekend, the Second Stage will be hosted by The Soul Selection featuring the finest 70s & 80s Soul & Funk Anthems.

The Soul Selection stage is headlined on the Saturday by Kenny Thomas and on Sunday by Trevor Nelson.

Organiser, Ian Rogers, said: “After a very challenging couple of years, event life is in a much more positive situation and our team are completely focused and passionate about delivering the best-ever Solihull Summer Fest.

"There are some huge names in our line up and I truly hope the Solihull borough support this increasingly popular festival on their doorstep."

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MORE EVENTS ANNOUNCED AS PART OF THE BIRMINGHAM 2022 FESTIVAL

B

irmingham 2022 Festival today announces more events as part of the six-month programme.

Incorporating dance, live music, narration and an outdoor exhibition of original artworks and historic photographs, ME Dance Company’s Chain Stories takes you on a journey along the canals and across the sea to Ghana and Grenada, and back again.

Exploring the struggles of those exploited in the Industrial Revolution’s push for cheaper labour and higher profit, it tells real life stories of people who literally came into contact with the chains that were forged in the Black Country and their fight for equality and freedom.

Jambo Cinema - The 1980s Indian Living Room & Bollywood VHS Rental Shop Experience - is a multifaceted immersive exhibition emerging from a nostalgic time in artist Dawinder Bansal's childhood in Wolverhampton.

The project is influenced by her time growing up as a young girl in her parents' electrical shop, Bansal Electrical, which also rented VHS Bollywood films.

It draws upon her memories of

watching Bollywood films with her Sikh extended family, pays homage to her Kenyan roots, and explores the social history of South Asian home entertainment in 1980s Britain.

The Birmingham 2022 Festival iteration will feature a new short film called Asian's Don't Kiss (but we know how to make babies) inspired by the classic film Cinema Paradiso (1988) and the humorous musings of Dawinder's life growing up as a young indian girl in the Midlands during the 1980s.

Additionally, Dawinder will draw on her experiences of attending 'daytimers' which were daytime discos for young South Asians. This underground moment meant that teenage South Asians had a safe space to experience the nightlife they were forbidden to engage with due to cultural traditions and in some cases, safety from racial abuse.

Nightclubs were taken over in the daytime, starting at midday and finished at 6pm. One Birmingham nightclub to hold these daytime gigs was The Dome. Dawinder will exhibit posters and material not seen by the public before

and it is her hope to make this an exhibition that represented the lived South Asian experience in Birmingham and beyond.

All Roads Lead to Alexander takes you on a fully accessible, creative journey across the Commonwealth at the SAFS Windmill Community Centre, Smethwick, co-curated by children and young people with a range of special educational needs

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and disabilities from schools and colleges across Birmingham.

Led by K’antu Ensemble, this showcase celebrates Birmingham's diverse communities through the joy of art and music making, empowering those with quieter voices from the SEND community to have their place in the spotlight.

Throughout the day, there will be a range of music and dance performances, art exhibits and

foods available and performances will be relaxed, inclusive and participatory to cater to the needs of both participants and audience members living with disabilities in our communities.

Imagine Bamboo Summit explores what extraordinary structures, stories and circus performances we can build, make and imagine with UK grown bamboo – widely held to be one

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of the most sustainable materials on the planet.

This is an epic international adventure, bringing together artists, craftspeople, growers and communities from the UK, India, Ghana and Bali, alongside performers and engineers from NoFit State, the UK’s leading contemporary circus theatre company.

Artist Beverley Bennett presents Nation’s Finest, Putting Down Roots and Birthing, an homage to the pioneering Blk Art Group.

This multifaceted work will comprise of local gatherings, photographic public billboards and a short film displayed on digital live sites across Wolverhampton, Coventry and Birmingham. Wolverhampton is famously cited as holding the First National Convention of Black Art at Wolverhampton Polytechnic in 1982, organised by the Blk Art Group, who were all art students at that time. This historic event was a defiant demonstration of agency and ownership by young black creatives that continues to be heralded as an example of young people taking direct action.

All confirmed Birmingham 2022 Festival events can be found online at birmingham2022.com/ festival where you can also join the mailing list to stay up to date as more events are announced.

Birmingham 2022 Festival is generously supported by Arts Council England and The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

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Monjola shares the new single ‘Extrovert’

RISING ALT-R&B talent Monjola is one of the most exciting artists to be emerging from the burgeoning Dublin scene. Tracks such as ‘Smile’, ‘Where u at’ (with fellow rising star Aby Coulibaly) and ‘Know You’ have highlighted him as one to watch, his blend of stylish R&B innovation and his multifaceted vocal winning key admirers.

Highlights of his support to date have included Radio 1Xtra, COLORS and Spotify’s New Music Friday. His reach is going global too, with airplay from KCRW in the States and triple j in Australia.

Monjola now makes a fresh statement of his huge potential as he shares his new single ‘Extrovert’, his first release of 2022.

‘Extrovert’ is a song that shows Monjola’s diverse talents, as he switches his voice seemingly effortlessly from sweet, serene soul to rhymes that are as

laidback as the song’s chilledout summer heat.

Written by Monjola with the help of his younger sister, Mope and produced by his brother Moyo, the song’s instrumentation also unites two contrasting worlds as sprinkles of soothing, jazzy guitar are underpinned by punchy R&B beats.

Monjola says, “Extrovert is about not wanting to be alone but also feeling alone when you’re around people. Pushing people away cause you don’t wanna get hurt but at the same time also craving the company of the same people.”

As ever, ‘Extrovert’ is released via the Dublin music scene’s best kept secret, Chamomile Records. The label is a tripleventure that was co-founded

by Monjola, Moyo and Abi Coulibaly.

David Tennant and Catherine Tate to return to Doctor Who

D

avid Tennant and Catherine Tate are set to return to Doctor Who, with the pair currently filming for the sci-fi show's 60th anniversary to be celebrated in 2023.

Tennant played the 10th Doctor on the time travel drama from 2005-2010, while Tate played companion Donna Noble. The news comes a week after the BBC announced that Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa will be the next Doctor.

Tennant and Tate's involvement means they will be reunited with returning Doctor Who head writer Russell T Davies, who was in

charge of the show when it was successfully revived in 2005 before leaving at the same time as Tennant. Their last episode together was broadcast in 2010.

Tennant briefly returned before, joining then-Doctor, Matt Smith, for the 50th anniversary in 2013.

It's not clear whether this return will be a similar one, with Tennant and Tate appearing alongside Gatwa.

Davies has teased fans, saying: "Maybe this is a missing story. or a parallel world, or a dream, or a trick, or a flashback. The only thing I can confirm is that it's going to be spectacular, as two of our greatest stars reunite for the

battle of a lifetime."

Tennant and Tate's 2008 series of Doctor Who is the most successful that the show has had since its revival in 2005, with an average audience of more than eight million viewers per episode.

The 13-episode run also enjoyed a high degree of critical acclaim, and was nominated for best drama at that year's Bafta TV Awards.

Jodie Whittaker's current incarnation will appear in one more special episode later this year, as part of a collection of programmes celebrating the BBC's centenary. The show will then return in 2023.

Gary Barlow Announces Residency At Wolverhampton Grand Theatre ACCLAIMED SINGER, songwriter, composer and producer, Gary Barlow has announced ‘A Different Stage’, his theatrical one man stage show telling his story, in his words will play at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from 17 – 20 November 2022.

Tickets are on sale exclusively to Friends of the Grand and members from 8am online on Thursday 12 May. Public sales open at 9:30am on Friday 13 May online at grandtheatre.co.uk.

A Different Stage premiered at The Brindley, the award-winning theatre in Runcorn, Cheshire, in February to a rapturous reception from his delighted fans. He has since played to sell-out audiences in Salford, Liverpool and Edinburgh and has announced his

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West End debut at the London’s Duke of York’s Theatre in August.

Today Gary confirmed dates in Wolverhampton.

Created by Gary and his longtime friend and collaborator Tim Firth, A Different Stage sees Gary narrate the journey of his

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life alongside the music from his incredible discography. In a project unlike anything he’s ever done before, Gary will take the audience behind the curtain, with nothing off limits in this special performance.

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J

amie T announced details of his forthcoming new album 'The Theory of Whatever' and first single ‘The Old Style Raiders’, launched as Hottest Record In The World on Radio 1, alongside a video directed by Niall Trask.

The singer songwriter’s fifth studio album will be released on July 29 on Polydor Records.

It follows the 15-year anniversary celebrations of ‘Panic Prevention’, his seminal debut album which went platinum this year. The announcement included details of Jamie T’s first live show in 5 years, an intimate show at Subterania in London.

South Londoner Jamie T – born Jamie Treays - had some 180 songs written in the five-and-halfyears since the release of 2016’s Trick.

“I was struggling to find my direction with the record for a few years, really,” he admits. Bunkered in his East London home studio, he wrote and rewrote, playing all the guitar and keyboard parts himself.

“I went home one day, and I found this track that I had recorded, pretty much fully finished,” he recalls, “and I was really upset, because I realised that I'd spent the last six months asking other people to tell me if something was good. Then I heard this track and I just immediately knew I'd kind of found my path.”

That song is ‘The Old Style Raiders’, a lean, taut indie-rock anthem with a heads-thrownback chorus. “It's got hope in it,” he answers when asked what makes ‘The Old Style Raiders’ his album’s opening statement.

“It's fighting to find something that means enough to you that you love. The fight to find that,

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NEW JAMIE T ALBUM ‘THE THEORY OF WHATEVER’ SET FOR RELEASE

and to carry on striving, to find something you love enough to hold on to. Rather than kid love or movie love or, gushy love or lust love, whatever you have when you're younger – it’s actually trying to fight for something that

means more than that. It's the struggle to find that.”

Produced by Hugo White, the song was a pathfinder, a direction forward for a boundlessly productive artist who will freely admit that, for a minute there,

he lost his way creatively. From there, he drilled down and focused on 13 vital, pin-sharp, melodyrich, spikily provocative, visually vivid and narratively expansive tunes that make up ‘The Theory of Whatever’.

ENTERTAINMENT

Oliver Samuels Is Back - And Guilty With Explanation AFTER A three-year break, Oliver is back to celebrate 50 years in comedy in Patricks Browns hilarious and thoughtprovoking play ‘Guilty with Explanation.’

A side splitting laugh a minute blockbuster, when 65-year-old Papa imagines that his wife of 40 years is being unfaithful, he moves out of his matrimonial home and seeks refuge in the tenth floor apartment that his only daughter, Sophie, shares with her husband, Sean.

Papa has never ever approved of any man Sophie dates, and Sean is no different. So despite the fact that Sean seems to always have a reasonable explanation for his questionable behaviour, Papa soon convinces himself that his son-in-law has a trailer-load of outside women, including Sophie’s BFF. Sophie knows that her daddy’s head ‘nuh good’ so she initially ignores his accusations against Sean.

Nevertheless, Papa embarks on a one-man mission to ‘mash up’ his daughter’s marriage. A series of suspicious phone calls and strange coincidences eventually convince Sophie that Papa is right, and that she is being played by Sean.

Sophie’s thirst for revenge leads her to concoct an elaborate

and potentially deadly plot to get even with Sean. But...

Are Papa’s suspicions justified? Is Sean really guilty or are his explanations true? Does Sophie’s revenge end in murder?

He does all he can to convince his daughter to end her childless marriage and the results are hilarious! For all these answers see Jamaica’s king of comedy, Oliver Samuels, in Patrick Brown’s hilarious and thoughtprovoking play Guilty With Explanation...

Also stars Lekeisha Ellison and Tesfa Edwards, Guilty with Explanation will be touring the UK stopping at Birmingham's Alexander Theatre on Sunday July 24.

Send your stories in to newsdesk@thephoenixnewspaper.com

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Food & Fine Dining M

ulti-awardwinning KIBOU Japanese Kitchen & Bar has opened its fourth restaurant located High Street, in Solihull.

Taking guests on a culinary and sensory journey to Japan, new KIBOU Solihull is a feast for all the senses. Exuding glamour, the design mixes opulent, lush fabrics and traditional Japanese block prints with exotic geisha murals and uber modern projector animations, all created by talented Gloucestershire illustrator, Martyna Sabadasz.

Inside, the restaurant has been cleverly structured to create a range of intimate and chic drinking and dining areas. From the centrally located cocktail bar, the spacious restaurant featuring a range of table and booth seating, and the open sushi bar offering an enviable view of some of KIBOU’s most celebrated sushi being created by hand. With space available for both bookings and walk-ins, the 60-cover bar and restaurant also benefits from a further 25-cover Japaneseinspired terrace.

The menu at KIBOU Solihull continues the theme of lavish attention to detail, with work of art Jo Moriawase mixed sushi sharing platters, delicately hand sliced to order sashimi, traditional hand-pressed nigiri and signature sharing sushi rolls, such as KIBOU’s famous volcano roll. Alongside these you’ll also find a range of other classic and contemporary Japanese dishes,

Solihull welcomes new award winning Japanese restaurant ‘Kibou’ Bottega Releases 300,000 Bees Into Its Vineyard In The Prosecco Hills On The Occasion Of World Bee Day

including steaming bowls of ramen, made with pork, chicken or vegan broth, crisp tempura, a selection of pillowy steamed bao buns and handmade spiced pork gyoza. Catering for all Japanese food lovers and those eager to try Japanese cuisine for the

first time, KIBOU’s diverse and contemporary menu also includes an extended vegan selection and an elegantly rich menu of Japanese-inspired desserts.

To complement the restaurant offering, KIBOU will also feature a standalone cocktail

bar serving signature Japaneseinspired cocktails, no-and-low options, an ambitious selection of Japanese whisky, sake and umeshu, Japanese brewed beers and authentic high-balls.

ON THE OCCASION of 20 May, World Bee Day, the Bottega winery has decided to release 300,000 of these precious insects into the unspoilt nature of the Prosecco hills.

It is a choice in the name of sustainability, which the Treviso-based company has always pursued at 360° in its business activities.

Bees play a very important role in maintaining biodiversity.

They are insects that facilitate pollination and consequently the formation of fruit, transporting pollen from one flower to another and contributing to the conservation of nature.

Their presence is a

thermometer for measuring the healthiness of an area.

The vineyard concerned is part of a plot of land owned

by Bottega, located on the heights of Vittorio Veneto, in an area that is partly wooded and characterised by great scenic beauty.

In this context, the bees have been freed from 6 different hives and have found a natural habitat fully compatible with their needs. Only Glera grapes, from which Prosecco originates, are cultivated here.

On 20 May, World Bee Day, Bottega toasts to these insects and their important contribution to our health.

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After ‘Letting Go’ acclaimed author Kent Hung is back and is feeling ‘Entitled’

By Mandip Singh Taunque

I

t has been two years since The Phoenix Newspaper interviewed author Kent Hung about his life and publishing his debut novel ‘Letting Go’.

Now he is back with a new novel ‘Entitled’ and The Phoenix caught up with him to ask him all about it.

Congratulations on your second novel ‘Entitled’, how excited are you now that it is released?

I feel blessed and excited at the same time. It has been an intriguing journey. As it has for many people the Covid lockdown period beginning in 2020 proved to be challenging so writing had kind of saved me from total isolation.

I was able to use the time to create the ‘Entitled’ storylines and connect with the characters and their voices.

Just going back to when we last interviewed you for a moment, what was the reaction to your first novel, Letting Go?

Many readers contacted me and told me they were able to relate.

In Letting Go I wanted to write about the struggle of processing

grief and learning to let go of selfinflicted pain and guilt.

I want to raise awareness of this topic, especially for men, as men don’t often talk about their emotions and the main character Andrew is no exception.

My aim of writing this novel was that I hoped that readers will see that it is OK to share with your friends, family and colleagues about grief and losses in life and that it is important to make allowances for others and in particular for yourself.

As a reader, we really connected with Andrew in your first book. Is there any link between the first and second novel?

Yes, I created a fictional character, Tom in my second novel, ‘Entitled’. Tom is the author of my first novel, Letting Go. It was due to Tom’s complete upbringing and personality that he was able to write Letting Go.

was released in May 2019 and the inspiration came to me in autumn of the same year.

It took me a year to write to develop all the characters and storylines but much longer to rewrite it to be able to put souls and voices to my characters.

In this book the main character is Tom and he was raised by this grandparents as his mother died after giving birth to him and his twin sister. Tom’s father was already married with a family of his own and they never accepted or included him.

This was the source of Tom’s complicated personality which causes a life-long quest for validation and blaming others for his own failures and unhappiness.

At one point Tom finds solace in writing. Through the journey of writing Tom gradually gains an understanding of others’ circumstances and points of view.

His mother had come into

someone’s marriage, which resulted in Tom's birth. He is then able to see that actually he was the one who had been acting in an entitled way throughout his life.

He starts to question what would it be like if he had acted differently or if the position was reversed?

It’s very deep and moving isn’t it?

For me personally, I discovered through writing this book that acceptance or validation from others does not mean anything unless one accepts oneself. It was really an “aha!” moment for me.

Will there be a third novel?

An idea came to me when I visited Orkney last year. It's about a family searching for long lost family members. The characters from my first two books will reappear. I want to explore how they are interlinked. It will be almost like a grand finale.

I have sketched out most of

the characters and done a rough skeleton of the storylines, but my plan is to spend some time developing the storyline in my head before I continue writing.

On behalf of The Phoenix Newspaper, we wish you the very best for your new book!

As an avid reader myself, that is a very meta and a fresh and exciting way to approach your writing. Where did the inspiration come from and what can you tell us about ‘Entitled’?

My first novel “Letting Go”

Tributes Pour In For Iconic Goodfellas Actor Ray Liotta HOLLYWOOD DIRECTOR Martin Scorsese and actor Robert De Niro have led the tributes to Goodfellas star Ray Liotta, who died this week.

Scorsese, who directed both in the 1990 gangster crime, called Liotta “a uniquely gifted and courageous performer.” The late actor is best known for his portrayal of mobster Henry Hill in the film, opposite De Niro and Joe Pesci.

In a statement shared to US media, De Niro said: "I was very saddened to learn of Ray's passing. He is way too young to have left us."

It was confirmed that Liotta died in his sleep in the Dominican Republic. The US star had been on location filming the movie Dangerous Waters,

his publicist Jennifer Allen said.

His fiancée Jacy Nittolo was on location at the time of his death.

Scorsese said: “I was absolutely shocked and devastated by the news and I would always be proud of our work together.

"Playing Henry Hill in Goodfellas was a tall order, because the character had so many different facets, so many complicated layers, and Ray was in almost every scene of a long, tough shoot. He absolutely amazed me, and I'll always be proud of the work we did together on that picture.

While best known for Goodfellas, Liotta also appeared in Field of Dreams. He got his big break playing ex-convict Ray Sinclair in 1986 black comedy Something Wild.

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Kent Hung was born in Taiwan, grew up in Sweden and is now settled in Scotland.

‘Entitled’ is out now and can be ordered from Amazon and directly from the Pegasus publishers’ website.

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Aspiring film director strikes gold at a trio of prestigious film festivals FOLLOWING THE SUCCESSFUL launch of a crowdfunding campaign to bring to life his latest film, Sam Turner, a Kidderminster-based writer and director has successfully won eight highly sought-after film awards across three of the greatest amateur film festivals in the UK. Point Five, a light-hearted short film that tackles a number of real life social issues with the ultimate message being that everyone should do their bit to help the environment, won Best Comedy, Best Story, the Diamond Award and the 5 Stars Award at the British International Amateur Film Festival.

It also struck gold as the Best Comedy at The Kings Cross Film Awards and successfully nabbed Best Comedy, Best Director and Best Short Film at the Falcon International Film Festival. The short which features real British characters in relatable situations with the overall look and feel of a gritty urban drama also won judges' favourite at Pinewood Studios Lift-Off competition and will be screened in Los Angeles next year so

- it’s going to Hollywood!

Sam Turner said: “I worked throughout the tricky covid period and multiple lockdowns to crowdfund and bring this film to life, so for it to have been nominated, let alone win this many amateur film awards is a huge testament to the hard work and dedication put into Point Five by myself and the whole team, not forgetting those that donated to our fundraising campaign making our dream a reality.

Film is my greatest passion so I’m on a complete high following its recent accolades and feel truly inspired for what’s next to come, not only for Point Five and its debut in Hollywood but the next project on the horizon.”

Still in the early stages of his career, Sam has already produced a number of other award-winning short films including ‘Hush Hush’ that premiered at the second annual Brave Blackbird Film Festival in Wolverhampton.

Jason Derulo summer with M ulti-platinum global superstar Jason Derulo is back with his new summer anthem, “Slidin’ (Ft. Kodak Black)”.

Self-Produced by Jason Derulo, Shawn Charles, Jason Evigan, Lionel Crasta, Bluf & Smile High; the track is permeated with the energy and enthusiasm of a surefire smash.

Bringing their Haitian influence, the Florida natives turn up the heat in their new single. Listen HERE. With Derulo’s knack for laying undeniably catchy melodies on top of fun, upbeat productions, the TikTok king is once again in full effect.

Doing what he does best, Jason challenges his fans to his own version of the electric slide. This summer is almost certainly his for the taking.

“Slidin’ is right on time feeling exactly like a muchneeded summer vacation,” says Derulo. Hailed by Billboard as “The Crown King of TikTok” and named atop the influential “Future 25” in its 2021 “Future of Music” issue, Derulo is among TikTok’s biggest superstars, currently the 4th most followed male on the video-sharing platform with the 11th biggest account overall.

Indeed, the multi-talented singer-songwriter, digital guru, and entrepreneur continues to see his already astronomical TikTok presence growing daily, now boasting more than 52.3M followers worldwide and over 1.2B likes, amassing more than 5M views with each and every post.

Forward-thinking, genredefying, and massively creative, Derulo has staked his claim as

one of the most dynamic forces on the global pop landscape.

Since breaking through with his 5x RIAA platinumcertified single, “Whatcha Say,” the award-winning singersongwriter has sold more than 200M records worldwide earned over 18.2B worldwide streams, and built an unstoppable social media following of over 117M followers across all platforms.

Now at work on his anticipated fifth album - and full-length debut for Atlantic Records Derulo has delivered an ongoing series of smash singles that have drawn a stunning 500M+ views, including the irresistibly buoyant "Acapulco", the RIAA platinum-certified “Take You Dancing,” and Jawsh 685 x Jason Derulo’s 3x platinumcertified chart-topper, “Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat).”

The latter track – and its

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Ncuti Gatwa Announced As The New Doctor Who STAR OF STAGE and screen Ncuti is best known for his critically acclaimed performance in Sex Education as the iconic Eric Effiong, for which he was awarded Best Actor Award at the Scottish BAFTAs in 2020 as well as numerous nominations, including Best Male Performance in a comedy programme at this year’s BAFTAs. Speaking of his new role, Rwandan-born Ncuti said: “There aren’t quite the words to describe how I’m feeling. A mix of deeply honoured, beyond excited and of course a little bit scared.

“This role and show means so much to so many around the world, including myself, and each one of my incredibly talented predecessors has handled that unique responsibility and privilege with the utmost care. I will endeavour my utmost to do the same.

"Russell T Davies is almost as iconic as the Doctor himself and being able to work with him is

a dream come true. His writing is dynamic, exciting, incredibly intelligent and fizzing with danger. An actor’s metaphorical playground.

“The entire team has been so welcoming and truly give their hearts to the show. And so as much as it’s daunting, I’m aware I’m joining a really supportive family.

Unlike the Doctor, I may only have one heart but I am giving it all to this show.”

Russell T Davies, Showrunner, adds: “The future is here and it’s Ncuti! Sometimes talent walks through the door and it’s so bright and bold and brilliant, I just stand back in awe and thank my lucky stars.

“Ncuti dazzled us, seized hold of the Doctor and owned those TARDIS keys in seconds. It’s an honour to work with him, and a hoot, I can’t wait to get started. I’m sure you’re dying to know more, but we’re rationing ourselves for now, with the wonderful Jodie’s epic finale yet to come. But I promise you, 2023

o heats up the Kodak Black official BTS remix – proved an unstoppable international sensation upon its 2020 arrival, peaking at #1 on Billboard’s “Hot 100” as well as atop charts in 16 additional countries around the world.

A truly multi-dimensional creator, Derulo has also established himself as an actor and businessman, investing in enterprises like Catch L.A. and Rumble Boxing, becoming part-owner of Bedlam Vodka, launching an innovation-minded podcast, and developing a line of supplements and fitness products with the Najafi Group and BodyBuilding.com.

What’s more, Derulo recently unveiled Jason Derulo’s UZO, an immersive new graphic novel from Z2 Comics based on a TikTok character created by the artist himself.

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will be spectacular!”

Charlotte Moore, Chief Content Officer, said: “Ncuti has an incredible dynamism, he’s a striking and fearless young actor whose talent and energy will set the world alight and take Doctor Who on extraordinary adventures under Russell T Davies’ new era."

Further details will be announced in due course.

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BBC Proms Series To Visit Birmingham FOR THE FIRST TIME ever, the BBC Proms is taking its successful chamber music series across the UK this summer – and Birmingham is one of the dates.

Claire Barnett-Jones will give a song recital as part of the world’s largest classical music festival on Monday 29 August at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire’s Bradshaw Hall, part of Birmingham City University.

The world class mezzosoprano, who is an alumna of Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, won the 2021 Dame Joan Sutherland Audience Prize at the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World, one of the most prestigious international singing competitions.

She is now a sought-after voice

on both the operatic stage and the concert platform, with one critic writing that she “stole the stage at every movement” in English National Opera’s recent The Cunning Little Vixen.

In her Proms at Bradshaw Hall lunchtime concert with pianist Simon Lepper, she includes the world premiere of a new work

by Errollyn Wallen – a Royal Birmingham Conservatoire composition tutor – plus music

by Proms featured composers Ethel Smyth and Ralph Vaughan Williams in his 150th anniversary year.

She’ll also bring all her theatrical flair to a Shakespeare sketch by the late Joseph Horovitz.

BIRMINGHAM INDIAN FILM FESTIVAL RETURNS TO THE CITY T

he Birmingham Indian Film Festival (BIFF) has announced its programme including the world premiere of Dobaaraa directed by Anurag Kashyap and starring award winning actress Taapsee Pannu.

The thriller is produced by Shobha Kapoor and Ektaa R Kapoor (Cult Movies, a new wing under Balaji Telefilms) and Sunir Kheterpal and Gaurav Bose (Athena). The opening night red carpet screening at MAC Birmingham will be attended by Anurag Kashyap followed by a Q&A. Supported by title sponsor Blue Orchid Hotels, Integrity International, the BFI (awarding National Lottery funding), Arts Council England and Birmingham City University, this year’s BIFF runs from 24 June – 5 July, screening at MAC Birmingham and new cinema partners Electric Birmingham, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and the city’s Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.

It is part of London Indian Film Festival and Manchester Indian Film Festival and together it is the UK and Europe’s largest platform of South Asian (Indian, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Sri Lankan) independent films.

Festival Director Cary Rajinder Sawhney MBE says: “It’s wonderful to have director Anurag Kashyap return to the Festival with supernatural thriller Dobaaraa following his visit to the city in 2019. We have UK premiered a number of Anurag’s films over the last 12 years - including That Girl in Yellow Boots and Gangs of Wasseypur.”

Female filmmakers are at the forefront of this year’s Festival including the European premiere of The Rapist starring Konkana Sen Sharma and Arjun Rampal.

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Rebana Liz John’s documentary Ladies Only explores feminist themes through observing the female only compartments of Mumbai’s hectic trains.

Among other Midland premieres are Pan Nalin’s uplifting homage to celluloid Chhello Show and Anik Dutta’s Aparajito – a tribute to legendary director Satyajit Ray’s journey of making his first film, the cult classic ‘Pather Panchali’. An intimate look at modern day Calcutta, Once Upon A Time In Calcutta by Aditya Vikram Sengupta also features in the festival line-up.

Under the Festival’s ‘Save the Planet’ strand, ecological and climate themes are explored in No Ground Beneath My Feet. The ‘Young Rebels’ strand includes The Very Fishy Trip and Girls For Future.

Ahead of the Commonwealth Games the Festival will be screening Taangh with cinematography by Yugesh Walia, a Birmingham film maker who trained at the then Birmingham School of Photography. It tells the story of a daughter who embarks on a journey to find the champion her father was when he won the hockey gold for India at the 1948 London Olympics.

Professor Rajinder Dudrah, Professor of Cultural Studies and Creative Industries, Birmingham City University commented: "It's exciting to see the varied programme for BIFF this year.

Birmingham City University enjoys partnering with the festival that brings diverse stories to a wider audience in the city and beyond. BIFF is also supporting and helping to develop local and global creative industries in South Asia and the city region. BCU as a champion of the creative industries is a proud supporter of the festival."

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BrainBox - This Year’s Travel Essential

THE BRILLIANT, brainy card game that’s great for keeping children engaged and entertained.

Plus it’s perfectly compact so ideal for traveling and holidays with the youngsters.

The May half term is fast approaching and parents may be dreading flights abroad or long drives to the grandparents with their sprogs fighting in the backseat.

Instead of turning the car around, keep them entertained with Brainbox.

This popular 10 minute brain challenge game whilst fun, is also educational and the children won’t even notice that part.

To play, you study a card for

10 seconds and then answer a question based on the roll of a dice. If the question is answered correctly you keep the card and the person with the most cards after 10 minutes is crowned the winner.

The game tests your eye for detail, with all the answers on the card but with only 10 seconds to study and remember! You won’t get bored either as there is over 38,000 questions to answer.

You can choose from a wide variety of topics to explore: Football, Maths, The World, Dinosaurs, Animals, Once Upon a Time, French and that famous wizard, Harry Potter!

Suitable for those ages 7+ and great for 2 or more players.

Craig Revel Horwood taking the All Balls and Glitter Tour on the road

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BC1’s Strictly Come Dancing star, Craig Revel Horwood, is taking to the road in the Spring with his debut solo tour.

Join Craig as he talks about his life from Australia to the West End to Strictly, reveals a wealth of backstage gossip with his trademark wit and candour, and gives a very special performance of some of the music which has been the soundtrack to his career.

Best-known today for being a judge on BBC1’s Strictly Come Dancing, Craig's professional training began in his home country of Australia where he appeared in productions including West Side Story and La Cage Aux Folles.

On arriving in Europe Craig joined the famous company at the Lido Du Paris as a dancer and then as principle singer at the Moulin Rouge, finding himself a year later in the UK tour of Cats.

Since then, Craig appeared in the West End in Miss Saigon and was an original cast member of Crazy For You. He crossed over into choreography to huge success, being nominated for an Olivier Award for the West End productions of Spend Spend Spend and My One and Only.

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Since then he has had numerous credits as director/ choreographer across the world, ranging from the hugely successful UK tour of Sister Act to the movie Paddington 2.

Craig continues to perform onstage, with ten years in pantomime and as Miss Hannigan in Annie in the west end and on tour.

But he is of course best known as the judge on all 18 (soon to be 19!) series of Strictly Come Dancing and was also as Head Judge on Dancing with The Stars Australia.

His many other TV credits range from discovering his ancestry in Who Do You Think You Are, winning BBC2’s Maestro at the Opera, runner up on Celebrity MasterChef, and most recently as ‘Knickerbockerglory’ on ITV’s The Masked Dancer and touring the UK with Bruno Tonioli in Craig and Bruno’s Great British Road Trips.

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ENTERTAINMENT MOTORS Motorpoint Marketing Executive All Set & Ready To Support The Work Of Derby County Community Trust In Kenya INTREPID MOTORPOINT Marketing Executive, Lucy Hadfield, is all set for a trip of a lifetime in the service of others when she joins the Derby County Community Trust team who are heading off to help with the refurbishment of a school in Kenya.

Lucy, who works at Motorpoint’s UK Headquarters in Derby took up the original volunteer charity endeavour for Derby County Community Trust before the pandemic but like many others was unable to pursue her quest when Covid-19 hit.

The Derby County Community Trust (DCCT) is Motorpoint’s Headquarters’ chosen charity for the past 4 years. As well as the many local Derby based community projects undertaken

by DCCT, they also support 5 schools in Kenya as part of ‘Rams in Kenya’.

DCCT has been using the power of Derby County Football Club to improve lives and communities of local people through Sport, Physical Activity, Health and Education for the past 20 years and have been delivering Rams in Kenya for the last 9 of those.

Lucy along with 64 others is now set to help the pupils and teachers at The West End School in central Kenya by building new classrooms and sanitary blocks to accommodate young people from 3 to 16 years old.

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1955 MERCEDES-BENZ 300 SLR UHLENHAUT COUPÉ IS SOLD FOR €135,000,000

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1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé from 1955 has been sold at auction for a record price of €135,000,000 to a private collector.

The car, which is one of two created in 1955, has always been regarded as one of the great jewels of motoring history, but few ever imagined that it would be offered for sale.

One of just two prototypes built by the Mercedes-Benz racing department, the car is named after its creator and chief engineer, Rudolf Uhlenhaut, and is considered to be one of the finest examples of automotive engineering and design, often cited as being ‘the most beautiful car in the world’ by automotive experts and enthusiasts worldwide.

The remarkable 300 SLR was based on the hugely successful W 196 R Grand Prix car which won two World Championships in the hands of Juan Manuel Fangio, but with its engine enlarged to 3.0 litres for sports car racing.

The car was capable of 180 mph, making it one of the fastest road legal cars to have ever been created at the time.

The sale of the 300 SLR Uhlenhaut

Coupé took place on May 5th at an auction held at the Mercedes­ Benz Museum in Stuttgart, with RM Sotheby’s working in close cooperation with Mercedes-Benz throughout the entire process to ensure the sale was concluded to the highest possible standard.

Among the invitees were selected Mercedes customers and international collectors of cars and art who share the corporate values of MercedesBenz.

The winning bid on the car was an incredible €135,000,000, making it the most valuable car ever sold and a price which exceeds the existing record by more the €90,000,000.

In what felt like a surreal experience, the bidding opened at a price higher than the selling price of the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO sold

by RM Sotheby’s in 2018, the car which previously ranked as the most valuable ever sold at auction.

The 300 SLR now sits in the top ten most valuable items ever sold at auction. The proceeds will be used to establish a worldwide “MercedesBenz Fund” that will provide educational and research scholarships in the areas of environmental science and decarbonisation for young people.

Volkswagen and Mahindra sign Partnering Agreement Volkswagen and Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (M&M) are exploring the use of MEB electric components for Mahindra’s new “Born Electric Platform”.

Both parties announced today that they have signed a Partnering Agreement on 18th May to evaluate the scope of collaboration. Mahindra intends to equip its “Born Electric Platform” with MEB electric components such as electric motors, battery system components and battery cells.

The Partnering Agreement evaluates the scope of collaboration – it indicates binding rules for the evaluation phase as well as the non-binding scope of supply.

The binding supply agreement will be negotiated in a continued constructive and legally compliant way to conclude by the end of 2022.

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MOTORS

Passing On The Passion

LAMBORGHINI’S BEES BUSY SUPPORTING ENVIRONMENTAL BIO-MONITORING O n the occasion of World Bee Day on 20 May, the growing population of 600,000 Lamborghini bees is busy monitoring CO2 levels in the area surrounding the super sports car manufacturer’s Sant’Agata Bolognese headquarters.

With 13 hives established in the Lamborghini Park apiary, around 120,000 of the bees forage within the local area and provide data for the company’s environmental bio-monitoring program, initiated in 2016 as part of its commitment to safeguarding the ecosystem.

Through its partnership with the Audi Environmental Foundation, last year Lamborghini established new ‘technological’ beehives, featuring instrumentation to

measure the internal and external temperature, humidity and wind speed.

They also contain electronic scales to weigh the hive, in order to remotely monitor whether the bees are collecting enough nectar and pollen and whether the family is growing in line with expectations.

The two technology beehives have an integrated SIM that can transmit the measured data.

One of the hives also has two cameras, one internal and one external, which film access to the hive and show if the bees are working normally.

The second hive has an electronic bee counter and draws graphs that compare the measured data with the number of bees entering and exiting the

hive.

This information helps researchers understand how climate change can affect the development of bee colonies, and enables timely action to be taken to sustain them in abnormal seasons. The long drought of 2021, for example, reduced the apiary’s annual production by around 100 kg of honey.

Through their intensive collection of nectar, pollen and water, foraging bees are efficient and targeted foragers in an area of 3km radius around the hive, including not just the Lamborghini Park where the apiary is located, but also the surrounding countryside; the industrial area where the company is located; and the town of Sant’Agata

Bolognese.

From the analyses of the hive matrices Automobili Lamborghini, in collaboration with entomologists and apiologists, can detect a wide range of pollutants: from pesticides used in agriculture and

on u r b a n and private green spaces, to heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, dioxins and many others.

Local Schoolchildren 'Sign Off' New Car Park Provided By Rolls-Royce Motor Cars PUPILS FROM The March CE Primary School recently attended a special ceremony to mark the completion of their new school car park.

The unveiling of new official signage was the final stage in the project, which includes a ‘kiss and drop-off area’ and 40 parking spaces, all funded by Rolls‑Royce Motor Cars.

The car park forms an integral part of a wider parking improvement scheme carried out at The Home of RollsRoyce at Goodwood, which adjoins the school premises.

During the construction work, pupils made site visits to inspect the works and learn about how the car park was designed and built, and the

different materials used.

Beau and Jake, who took part in the early-stage inspections, were on hand again to sign off the works and give the project the final, all-important seal of approval.

They were joined by guests including their headteacher, Nicky Metcalfe, and Andrew Ball, Head of Corporate Relations at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

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THE FIRST global symposium on the challenge of attracting young people to the historic vehicle community was held in Marrakech, Morocco, on 14 May 2022.

Supported by FIVA (the Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens or international federation of historic vehicles), the event identified key steps to safeguard our automotive heritage for future generations.

According to FIVA, as historic vehicles have grown older, so too has the average age of the people who care for them.

Yet ‘passing on the passion’ to the next generation is a vital step if classic cars, motorcycles and utilitarian vehicles aren’t to disappear from our roads forever.

Hosted by the Fédération Royale Marocaine des Véhicules d’Époque (FRMVE), the FIVA-supported event gave senior enthusiasts the chance to hear directly from young delegates, representing 10 nations – America, Japan, Slovenia, India, Romania, Brazil, France, Belgium, Turkey and, of course, Morocco.

Interestingly, countries that are relative latecomers to the historic vehicle community often have the most forward-looking ideas when it comes to involving young people.

Addressing the symposium in Marrakech, Tiddo Bresters, president of FIVA, stated, “I’m very happy to learn from the youth of today: it is for them to tell us the direction we need to take to ensure their interest in historic vehicles.”

Page 30 - The Phoenix Newspaper - June 2022

ENTERTAINMENT

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DOCUMENTARY SET FOR BROADCAST TO MARK 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE WORLD-FAMOUS HAÇIENDA Chariots Of Fire Composer Vangelis Passes Away COMPOSER VANGELIS, who was known for his celebrated film themes for Chariots of Fire and Blade Runner, has died.

The musician first tasted fame as the keyboardist in a band with singer Demis Roussos in the late 1960s.

The Greek-born composer went on to be a groundbreaking electronic solo artist, as well as the composer of popular film soundtracks - winning an Oscar for the stirring theme to 1981's Chariots of Fire, which was followed by Blade Runner a year later. His other film credits included The Bounty, Francesco, Bitter Moon, 1492: Conquest of

Paradise and Alexander.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis tweeted: "Vangelis Papathanassiou is no longer with us. The world of music has lost the international (artist) Vangelis."

Vangelis's Chariots of Fire theme famously accompanied shots of athletes running along the beach in St Andrews, Scotland, at the start of the film, which was set before the 1924 Olympics. It went to number one in the US, and later topped the UK's classical singles chart in 2012 after being performed

by Mr Bean at the opening ceremony of the London Olympic Games. He was 79.

I

t’s 40 years since the opening of this legendary Manchester nightclub and music venue which unleashed the acid house and rave scene, brought us bands like New Order via Tony Wilson’s Factory Records and influenced many others including Oasis.

The Haçienda was at the forefront of music and youth culture in the 80s and early 90s.

An iconic venue, as one of the most famous music and night clubs in Britain, it was cemented into history in the 2002 film 24 Hour Party People. Now, the BBC is to screen a new one-off documentary about the venue In this new star-filled documentary, an array of key ‘players’ and club regulars will play their nostalgic parts in rare and unseen archive and firsthand testimonies highlighting their involvement during the Hacienda’s heyday – telling their stories of how the Haçienda

changed Britain’s musical landscape.

Formerly a yacht warehouse and founded by Factory Records and New Order, from 1982 until 1997, the club influenced some of the most exciting and game-changing moments of 20th Century youth culture.

The epicentre of a dynamic music, clubs and bands scene throughout the Eighties and Nineties and named ‘The Most Famous Club In The World’

by Newsweek Magazine, its influence extended across the globe and inspired a generation and artists including The Stone Roses, Happy Mondays, A Guy Called Gerald, The Chemical Brothers, Laurent Garnier and many more.

Also celebrating the anniversary is a new book curated and compiled by a team headed up by Rebecca Hook and written by James Anderson, called ‘Haçienda Threads’.

Also featured will be a wealth of rare and previously unpublished photographs of the club’s everyday ravers, local heroes and international music icons alike, whose collective explorations with fashion and style back in the day have since gone on to influence high profile fashion designers and luxury brands including Raf Simons, Kim Jones, Martine Rose, Versace and Balenciaga, among many others.

A date for broadcast is still to be confirmed.

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Key To The City Begins In Birmingham 2022 Festival Open Auditions For Local Community Cast CHINA PLATE and Birmingham Hippodrome are searching for exciting local talent to take part in their new concert musical To The Streets!

Over the weekend of 10 – 12 June, the creative team will hold open auditions at the Hippodrome, with a view to finding strong singers and dancers from the local community, particularly those that represent the wide diversity of Birmingham and the West Midlands.

The community cast will perform alongside the principal cast at three parks in Birmingham, Coventry and Wolverhampton in August as part of the Birmingham 2022 Festival.

To The Streets! is an uplifting new musical by Roy Williams and Tim Sutton inspired by the 1963 Bristol Bus Boycott, a pivotal moment in the UK’s civil rights history.

To The Streets! follows the story of Paul Stephenson, an idealistic youth worker who takes to the streets to stand up for equality in Bristol where tensions are running high as the Omnibus Company refuse to employ Black or Asian drivers or conductors.

Lorraine, a teenager newly arrived from Jamaica, joins the fight and in so doing, finds her voice and becomes part of a movement that changes history.

A FIRST LOOK AT WOULD YOU BET AGAINST US? AT BIRMINGHAM REP

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irmingham Rep, the city’s only major producing theatre, and theatre company Told By An Idiot released production images for Would You Bet Against Us?.

This world premiere production

June Gig Listings BIRMINGHAM O2 ACADEMY

June 01 NBA Leather Tour featuring Action Bronson & The Alchemist plus Earl Sweatshirt 02 KennyHoopla 03 Eighty Eight Miles 03 Roachford 06 Conan Gray 07 Run The Jewels 11 LP 14 TLC 17 MOTE 18 Leon Bridges 21 KALEO: Fight or Flight Tour 22 Khruangbin 24 The Wonder Stuff performing Never Loved Elvis 25 Devout… Depeche Mode Tribute 25 Waterparks 26 Phoebe Bridgers

O2 INSTITUTE

June 01 Hang Massive 02 Stand Atlantic 02 NOISY

02 Teddy Swims: Tough Love World Tour 03 BNXN (Buju) 04 Sonic Wave 2022 05 Dadi Freyr 06 Mayday Parade 10 The Mojo City Rebels 10 I Love Reggaeton UK Tour Birmingham 11 UK Fleetwood Mac 11 Emma Blackery 13 Tate McRae 15 Tems 16 Parquet Courts 16 Rome Streetz 17 PiL 18 Dom Malin 18 Sharon van Etten 19 Yung Gravy 25 Rare Americans 25 Gemini & Cancer Link Up Part 10

RESORTS WORLD ARENA

June 01 RuPaul's Drag Race Werq The World Tour 2022

marks 40 years since Aston Villa’s historic win at the European Cup and is now playing at The Rep until Sat 4 Jun. European Cup Winners Dennis Mortimer, Tony Morley and Kenny Swain will join the cast for a post-show Q&A supported by AV40.

It’s 1982. Aston Villa beat Bayern Munich 1–0 to win the European Cup. They remain one of only five English teams to win the biggest prize in club football – yet no one thought they stood a chance. Around the corner, 16-year-old Paul’s geography

13 Kings of Leon 17 Barry Manilow Special guest : Curtis Stigers 24-25 Mrs Brown’s Boys D’Live Show 26 Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons

exhibition 22-24 The Big Bang Fair 23-24 BVA Live 24-25 The Autism Show 24-26 The Creative Craft Show

UTILITA ARENA BIRMINGHAM

June 01 Ashanti + Trey Songz + Mario 03 The Script 09 The Alicia + Keys World Tour 11-12 Queen + Adam Lambert 14 Crowded House 15 Billie Eilish Happier Than Ever, The World Tour 20 Diana Ross 23 Alanis Morissette Celebrating 25 Years of Jagged Little Pill 25 Trampoline & Tumbling National Age Group Finals 2022

NEC

June 01-05 Circus Vegas 03-05 UK Games Expo 16-19 BBC Gardeners’ World Live 16-19 BBC Good Food Show Summer 18-19 The National Cycling Show 20-21 Higher education

TOWN HALL & SYMPHONY HALL

June 01 Gilbert O' Sullivan (TH) 01 Rumours of Fleetwood Mac 2022 (SH) 02 CBSO 2021/22: Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Concert (SH) 03 On Record: In Conversation with Xhosa Cole (SH) 04 WM Platinum Jubilee Anthem World Premiere (SH) 04 Gospel Revisited (TH) 05 National Open Youth Orchestra (TH) 06 Lunchtime Organ Concert with Thomas Trotter: By Royal Appointment (TH) 08 CBSO 2021/22 Handel's Messiah (SH) 08 Jimmy Webb with special guest Ashley Campbell (TH) 09 Concerto Budapest Symphony Orchestra (SH) 10 The High Kings (TH) 10 CBSO 2021/22 Rodgers & Hammerstein: Some Enchanted Evening (SH) 11 Keep Fit Association National

teacher tells him he would amount to absolutely nothing.

Aston Villa were complete underdogs. So was Paul.

Would You Bet Against Us? marks the 40th anniversary of an iconic event for Aston Villa, for Birmingham and for Paul. Created by The Rep and renowned storytellers Told by an Idiot and written by Brummie and life-time Aston Villa fan Paul Hunter, this is a hilarious, poignant, and uplifting show about challenging expectations and proving people wrong.

On Wed 25 May audiences can join Told By An Idiot Artistic Director, Paul Hunter, for a Pub Quiz as he tests how claret and blue your shirts really are.

Festival: The Magic of Dance (SH) 11 Shake That Thing! The Great British Swing Dance Show (TH) 12 Birmingham Philharmonic Orchestra: Mahler's Seventh Symphony (TH) 13 With a smile and a song: Music of Life Celebration Concert 2022 (TH) 13 Elvis Costello & the Imposters (SH) 15 Guardian Football Weekly Live (SH) 16 Macy Gray (SH) 17 Help! I Sexted My Boss Podcast: Live (TH) 17 Beyond the Bricks of Brum feat. BBC Symphony Orchestra, Black Voices, Casey Bailey, Sanity (SH)

FOR 6 WEEKS from 28 May anyone will be able to award the Key to the City to whomever they want, for whatever reason they want.

Key holders will be able to explore private and intriguing places and spaces that they might not have happened on before, bringing a new perspective to the city. Keyholders will be able to access these locations until 7 August 2022.

All 15,000 keys and their respective locks have been produced by security experts, Yale who are the official sponsor of Key to the City. Locations include special access to 103 Colmore Row; Northfield Community Garden; ACME Whistle Factory; Green Lane Masjid and Ikon Gallery.

Creator of Key to the City Paul Ramírez Jonas said: “What if everyone, not just the chosen few, could be recognised with the Key to the City of Birmingham?

What if anyone could decide who is deserving of the Freedom of the City? What if this key could open dozens of previously unexplored spaces around the city? And what if all those spaces together created a portrait of Birmingham?”

Remounting it for Birmingham 2022 Festival will reveal to a whole new audience, in an entirely different city, that culture can still be a freely shared experience, whilst also highlighting the increasing privatisation of urban space.

18 Ronan Keating: All The Hits (SH) 18 In Conversation with the Sopranos (SH) 19 Gladys Knight (SH) 20 Lunchtime Organ Concert with Thomas Trotter; Summer Requests (TH) 20 ABC (SH) 21 Jeff Garlin (TH) 22-25 CBSO 2021/22 Season Finale: Mahler’s Resurrection (SH) 23 Lea Salonga (SH) 24 Electric Ladies : Toyah, Lene Lovich & Saffron of Republica - In support of Hazel O'Connor (TH) 24 Yes: Close to the Edge (SH) 28 George Benson in Concert: Special Guest Sunny War (SH)

l Queen and Adam Lambert rock the Utilita Arena on 11+12th June

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Page 32 - The Phoenix Newspaper - June 2022

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Jeff Dunham HAS Birmingham ROLLING IN THE AISLES

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omedian/ventriloquist Jeff Dunham returned to Birmingham last month as part of his “Seriously?” tour, alongside his favourite pals including Peanut, Bubba J, Achmed and new friend URL (pronounced Earl).

Starting off the show with a bit of a recap of the last 2 years, pandemics and lockdowns, Dunham explains that this was pretty much the first time since third grade that he’s not performed live for an extended period of time.

There was a great section explaining how his two young boys have started to ask … those … kind of questions, which are never easy to answer, but for a comedian lead to some great punchlines that persisted throughout the show.

It turned into a very wholesome and relaxed chat with the audience, with Jeff gauging how some of the more risqué jokes would go down

with the Birmingham crowd.

Before too long though, Jeff brought out his pals, but with a caveat, especially in the wake of Will Smith’s now infamous slapping of Chris Rock following a joke about Jada, a warning that while some of his routines may not be politically correct, there will still be parts of the show that you'll find great, and to stick with him.

This is where Dunham really shines. Whereas the jokes about his life were good, when he is freely adlibbing back and forth with his pals, there really isn't anything, or anyone, quite like it.

There were even a few points where some new ad libs happened off the cuff, leaving Jeff giggling at his own jokes, while using the puppets to ridicule him as he regained composure.

It was a very refreshing version of a performance, that while obviously rehearsed and fluid, allowed itself to

be taken wherever the conversation had ended up meandering to.

Peanut (right) was the final act of the night, a character whose sole aim seems to be to annoy and aggravate Jeff in any way possible.

An "Ask Peanut" section, taken from questions posed by fans in the crowd as they entered the arena that night was a particular highlight, from mispronunciations, to meeting Geoffery and his twins who were celebrating their birthday, and finally to being caught out by a fake name joke on his own stage.

While Jeff Dunham certainly is not an act for everyone, he had Birmingham rolling in the aisles, although there were some jokes that didn't quite hit, due to being far more American-centred in their nature.

All in all, for nearly 3 hours of entertainment, you were definitely left feeling like you'd got your moneys worth from the show.

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