WOW November 2013

WOW 1

A Co-educational Day and Boarding School

Your complete journey to academic success

01634 828115

rochester-college.org

• Year to 6th form • class size 8 • performing 10:56 & non-selective WOW ad 71138mm x Average 98mm h:Layout 1 High 23/10/13 Page •1No uniform • Minibus services *Plus part-time courses • GCSE, AS & A2 after-school tuition, weekdays 4.30 - 6pm • All subjects, All boards*

Mike Chaplin Retrospective & His Museum Inspiration

A lifetime’s work of etchings, watercolours and oil paintings from Mike Chaplin, as seen on the TV Series Watercolour Challenge.

Including paintings from the Museum collection selected by Mike for their significance to key themes in his own exhibition.

9 November to 3 January 2014

Admission FREE

Watercolour Challenge Workshop

23 November, 10.30 - 16.00, £35/Concessions £30 Join Mike Chaplin for a day of painting tips and techniques.

Maidstone Museum & Bentlif Art Gallery, St Faith’s Street, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1LH

museuminfo@maidstone.gov.uk, Tel: 01622 602838

facebook.com/MaidstoneMuseum @MaidstoneMuseum

www.museum.maidstone.gov.uk

OPEN Monday to Saturday 10.00 - 17.00 Sunday & Bank Holidays Closed

CONTENTS 5 WELCOME 6 NEWS 9 TWO EXHIBITIONS 10 FILM 11 NICK WALKER 12 MAIN FEATURE: BEN CAMERON

14 FILM 17 THEATRE & COMEDY 18 VISUAL ART 20 PRINT OR KINDLE? 21 ROB FLOOD: NOVEMBER GIGS 22 THE ARTIST’S SPACE: CHRIS F CLARK

ITALIAN with a qualified teacher All levels l Conversation l Italian Culture

Monica Maesani Hills (BA Hons) T: 01634 927699 E: deperabo3@gmail.com

dianne reeves handmade prints

www.diannereeves.webeden.co.uk

0798 1812627

renew and restore stained glass design and restoration based in rochester: design - creation - repair restoration - installation steve harries - 0779 608 0338 steve.harries@blueyonder.co.uk

Dance & Theatre Classes for 2 years +

First class FREE with this advert!

Laura Dudman Tel: 07939 241105 www.CaterpillarDanceSchool.co.uk

EDITORIAL: editor@wowkent.co.uk 0845 388 2243 (local rate from BT landlines) FREE LISTINGS: listings@wowkent.co.uk ADVERTISING: advertising@wowkent.co.uk New advertiser & excellent series booking discounts available to all. All ads also appear in the online edition at wowkent.co.uk DESIGN: A Stones Throw astonesthrowdesign.co.uk

WELCOME TO WOW

PRINTING: The Colour Factory Ltd, Sittingbourne, 01795 470 825, www.colour-factory.com

Your guide to the best of What’s On Where Medway, Maidstone and the accessible beyond

PUBLISHER: Emma Dewhurst

I am absolutely delighted to welcome a brand new regular contributor this month in the form of Strange Paul, aka Ben Cameron.

Sam Froudist interviews Ben for our central feature (p12) and it is Ben who is responsible for our glorious cover. Elsewhere this month, Chris F Clark graces The Artist’s Space (p22), Rob Flood takes us on a whistlestop tour of Medway’s best gigs (p21) and Helen Thompson muses on the pros and cons of print versus Kindle (p 20).

Current print circulation: 6000 copies Distribution: Medway Towns, Maidstone & Gravesend Copy/listings deadline for Dec/Jan issue: Wednesday 20 November ©WOW Kent magazine All rights reserved. While every effort has been made to ensure that details in this publication are correct, we cannot accept responsibility for such.

Readers are advised to check information listed, to avoid disappointment.

Views expressed by contributors and advertisers do not necessarily reflect those of the editor and publisher. wowkent.co.uk

A new round of award winners was announced in October by the good people of the Ideas Test programme from Creative People & Places Swale & Medway. This is a unique chance to find support for your creative ideas. To find out more, please show your support for WOW by using the specially created link: creativepeopleplace. info/wow.

Emma Dewhurst editor@wowkent.co.uk

CONTRIBUTORS COVER ILLUSTRATION: BEN CAMERON (SEE ARTICLE) PHOTOGRAPH OF THE EDITOR BY RIKARD ÖSTERLUND

AMBASSADORS PLEASE! If you love the magazine please become a WOW ambassador and mention it, especially if you use any of its advertised services, or attend an event because you saw it in the magazine. Thank you.

Find us on Facebook facebook.com/WOWMedway @EmmaDewhurst7 WOW magazine is printed on 100% recycled paper

Robert Flood (Music & Features) is a life-long Medway resident. He runs a Rochester based events company called Feet on the Ground which provides technical support for live events. He is a passionate music fan with a love of the Medway scene and a local history buff who is a member of the City of Rochester Society.

Sam Froudist (Features) is a writer and bunting enthusiast. She co-runs bunted!, a bespoke bunting business, and is a card carrying member of the Rochester Vintage Society. You can find her blogging over at hellosamgoodbyesamantha.com.

Helen Thompson moved to Rochester in 2012 after living for 23 years in the US and Guam. She is a lecturer, writer, and director of Academic Honours, a company offering writing support and tutoring to students and adults in Medway. Visit academichonours.com.

Nick Walker (Film) is the director of the Rochester Film Society, screening contemporary world cinema and classics at various venues around Medway. Nick previously wrote for the Guardian, was director of National Schools Film Week and is currently a freelance writer, teacher and film cinema/festival programmer. For more information on the Rochester Film Society visit rochesterfilmsociety.co.uk

THE WORKING ARTIST A MASTERCLASS WITH CRISTA CLOUTIER TUESDAY 26 NOVEMBER 9.00AM - 4.45PM The Learning Lab, The Beaney, 18 High Street, Canterbury CT1 2BD This day-long masterclass presented

by Kent Creative Live promises to give visual artists at any stage of their career the tools necessary to become a successful working artist. Highly experienced Cloutier, who has worked in the art world both internationally and in the UK, seeks to demystify the professional art world and challenge conventions.

Cost to members of Kent Creative Live: £52; nonmembers £65. kentcreativelive.org

ART, CRAFT AND FOOD!

WHAT’S ON AT

SUN PIER HOUSE 1 PROJECT POW WOW! A new, monthly social get together for crafty types or creatives with a project. Bring your knitting, scrapbooks, card making, sewing, doodles, crochet, or other creative project along to work together and share ideas over tea and biscuits. Newcomers positively wanted!

The first POW WOW! is on Thursday 7 November, 10am-1pm, with the second on Tuesday 12 November from 7pm to 9.30pm.

Free to attend but please email Heather to reserve your mug! heather@sunpierhouse. co.uk

Lenham’s medieval tithe barn hosts a pre-Christmas craft, art and produce market, showcasing the work of mainly Kent based artisans working in clay, glass, iron, wood, wool and silver. Artisan foods including cheese, honey and chocolate are also on sale.

2 CREATIVE OFFICES – Free trial During the week of 11-15 November Sun Pier House is offering a free trial to anyone interested in experiencing what it’s like to work in their Creative Office space. Register your interest at info@sunpierhouse.co.uk and you will be sent more details about access times, facilities etc.

LIGHT LUNCH AND REFRESHMENTS AVAILABLE. FREE ENTRY AND PARKING. THE EVENT SUPPORTS DEMELZA HOSPICE CHILDREN’S CHARITY.

3 LIFE DRAWING This term’s class is full, but get in touch to pre-book for 2014.

LENHAM’S MID-WINTER MARKET Weekend of 23 & 24 November 10am-4pm

LET’S FIKA! The Swedish, alcohol free version of ‘going for a pint’ is about to hit Rochester elevenses! ‘Fika’ is a social institution in Sweden, and roughly translates as a social coffee-break with a selection of sweet buns and biscuits (often seven different kinds). Heaven.

Launched by a local Swede who was missing his Grandma’s fika delights, Fikabrőd (pronounced ‘fee-ka-brőd’ which translates literaly as coffee – break – bread) will be selling a selection of goodies from the Swedish fika-table at the pre-Christmas Rochester Fleas, including cinnamon buns, lussekatter (saffron buns) and pepparkakor (gingersnaps) for Christmas ; chocolate balls, chocolate cakes and a variety of cookies. There will be a number of gluten-free, egg-free and vegan goods on offer, too.

A series of new yoga classes are starting at various venues across Medway, including sessions in: Vinyasa Flow, Power Yoga, Yin Yoga and Pregnancy Yoga. facebook.com/RootedInYoga

CHRISTMAS BEGINS...

CHRISTMAS LIGHT SWITCH ON TIMES: MAIDSTONE Fri 15 Nov Live music and entertainment in Jubilee Square from 4pm. Lights switch-on at 6pm.

MEDWAY TOWNS Chatham: Fri 15 Nov Rochester: Sat 16 Nov Gillingham: Fri 22 Nov Strood: Sat 23 Nov Rainham: Fri 29 Nov

GRAVESEND Town Centre has a Twelve Days of Christmas event from 15 November, with a gradual switch-on of lights over the 12 days.

Rochester Christmas Market runs over three consecutive weekends starting with Sat 30 Nov & Sun 1 Dec.

CREATIVE PEOPLE AND PLACES SWALE & MEDWAY - LATEST Projects supported by the IDEAS TEST programme happening this month are: CREATIVE STORYTELLING TASTER WORKSHOP Led by Physical Folk at Luton Library Sat 2 November 1-2.30pm.

Part of the Family Arts Festival.

FAMILY FUN WORKSHOP FOR FAMILIES WITH DEAF CHILDREN Sun 17 November 2-4pm Artist Chris Sacre leads this workshop at Nucleus Arts, Chatham 2-4pm.

ROBERT JARVIS - SINGING WINDOWS Runs to 14 January Look out for this on Rochester High Street!

To sign up for the Ideas Test newsletter, or to get involved please use this link and give WOW a thumbs up at the same time: creativepeopleplace.info/wow

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Squarecube Artisans Sq3Art Mural painting & Art workshops Transform your home or workspace Find us on Facebook or contact Richard on 07808 216494

Lampshades by WEIRDANDGILLY Bespoke handmade fabric lampshades made to order weirdandgilly@hotmail.co.uk Like us on Facebook and see our latest makes

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FREE wash & cut for all new clients with a full price colour (min spend ÂŁ30)

Call Sarah for an appointment: Home 01634 403455 Mobile: 07717 142592 www.coderedhair.com

PROUD PRINTERS OF WOW MAGAZINE

Posters // Leaflets // Brochures // Folders Business Cards // Magazines // Books 01795 470825 colour-factory.com

Sittingbourne Kent

VISIT THESE: TWO NEW EXHIBITIONS GRACE OUR TOWNS

maidstone

medway

JOHN DOWNTON AWARDS

ENCOUNTERS:

County Gallery, Sessions House, County Hall, Maidstone ME14 1XQ

Royal Engineers Museum, Library and Archive, Prince Arthur Road, Gillingham ME4 4UG. Tel: 01634 822839

It is worth taking time out of your daytime schedule to pop in to this heartening exhibition of entries to the John Downton Awards, showcasing the works of young people across the county. The standard is impressively high and in a variety of mediums, including photography, mixed media and painting.

A different, more intimate side of the Museum’s collection can be seen in this fascinating exhibition, which explores the narratives told by a selection of photographs from over 600 photo albums and scrapbooks owned by the Museum. The photographs date back to the 1850s and offer an intriguing mixture of private photography and commercial prints and postcards.

for YOUNG ARTISTS

The annual awards were established in 2000 at the request of Hilda Downton, the sister of John Downton, the celebrated Kent artist, poet and philosopher who was born in Erith in 1906. This year there were 300 or so competition entries from 30 schools and colleges. The John Downton Trophy is awarded for the best overall school submission and visitors to the exhibition may express their views by voting in the People’s Choice Award. The winners will be announced at an awards evening on Thursday 14 November.

The exhibition runs to Saturday 7 December, open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm and admission is free

Photograph Albums And Their Stories

The collection largely exists due to the expansion of the British Empire: explorers, travellers and Royal Engineers were active all over the globe and used photography as a key documenting tool. New photographic methods were developed in response to the challenging climates encountered by many Royal Engineers – one of the most well-known figures being Sir William de Wiveleslie Abney.

The exhibition runs until 30 May 2014. Open Tue-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat & Sun 11.30am-5pm. Closed Mondays.

Pay once for unlimited access for 12 months: adult £8, conc £5.50, family £21.50. Students, children and serving Royal Engineers free. re-museum.co.uk

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FILM MAIDSTONE FILM SOCIETY

Hazlitt Theatre, Earl Street, Maidstone ME14 1PL 01622 753922

A diverse range of world cinema.

Licensed bar. Fixed rate parking in Fremlin Walk after 7pm. Yearly subscription rates: Adult £24; Couples £42; Senior/Student £19; Guest per film £3.50.

A ROYAL AFFAIR (15) 2012 Mon 4 Nov 8pm. Dir: Nikolaj Arcel Cast: Alicia Vikander, Mads Mikkelsen Oscar-nominated Danish period drama. 137 mins DANS LA MAISON (15) 2012 Mon 18 Nov 8pm. Dir: François Ozon Cast: Fabrice Luchini, Kristin Scott Thomas. Much fêted psychological black comedy (French). 105 mins maidstone-film-society.org.uk

CHATHAM ODEON CINEMA, Maritime ME4 4LL 0871 2244 007 £9.25 Conc £7.00, student £3.50.

BREATHE IN (15) 2013 Thu 7 Nov 7.45pm. Dir: Drake Doremus. Cast: Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Amy Ryan, Kyle MacLachlan English music student’s exchange trip to a small upstate New York town. 98 mins THE WAY WAY BACK (12A) 2013 Thu 14 Nov 7.45pm. Dir: Nat Faxon, Jim Rash . Cast: Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Sam Rockwell. Funny, poignant comedy-drama in directorial debut from writers of ‘The Descendants’. 103 mins

The Brook, Old Town Hall, Chatham ME4 4SE MFS

OUT OF THE PAST (1947) [Build my Gallows High] Fri 29 Nov 7.45pm. Dir: Jaques Tourneur. Cast: Robert Mitchum, Jane Greer, Kirk Douglas. Beautiful, beguiling and resolutely ominous film noir. B/W. 97 mins With CRIMINAL TANGO (1985) Dir: Solveig von Kleist Animated noir short. medwayfilm.org.uk ROCHESTER FILM SOCIETY Rochester Film Society screens contemporary world cinema and classics at a number of venues in Medway. The films are introduced and are followed by a post-film discussion over a glass of wine.

LIKE SOMEONE IN LOVE (12A) 2012 Tue Nov 12 7.30pm. Dir: Abbas Kiarostami . Cast: Rin Takanashi, Tadashi Okuno, Ryo Kase Young prostitute develops an unexpected connection with a widower. Japanese with subtitles.

109 mins SOMETHING IN THE AIR (15) 2012 Tue 19 Nov 7.30pm. Dir: Olivier Assayas. Cast: Clément Métayer, André Marcon, Lola Créton French drama set in the months after the heady weeks of May ‘68.

122 mins AKIRA Tue 26 Nov 7.30pm. Dir: Katsuhiro Otomo . Acclaimed 1988 Japanese animated cyberpunk action film. rochesterfilmsociety.co.uk

MEDWAY FILM SOCIETY

MFS project 16mm prints: main feature with an intriguing short.

Members’ season tickets available.

Non-members welcome: £6.50 per screening (concessions £5.50). See website, tel 020 7638 0012 or email medwayfilm@tiscali.co.uk

struggles to break free in 1920s France. 110 mins

THE KINGS OF SUMMER (15) 2013 Thu 21 Nov 7.45pm. Dir: Jordan VogtRoberts . Cast: Nick Robinson, Gabriel Basso, Moises Arias. High praise was given to this coming-of-age movie at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.

95 mins ANY DAY NOW (15) 2012 Thu 28 Nov 7.45pm Dir: Travis Fine. Cast: Alan Cumming, Garret Dilahunt. A gay couple in the ‘70s take in an abandoned mentally handicapped teenager. 97 mins ROCHESTER PICTURE PALACE Princes Hall, Corn Exchange, Rochester ME1 1LS

£7.50, £5.50 conc, students £4 (£5 if you display your RFS ticket from the Odeon Cinema screening of that week) THRESE DESQUEYROUX (12) 2012 Tue 5 Nov 7.30pm. Dir: Claude Miller Cast: Audrey Tautou (Amelie), Gilles Lellouche, Anaïs Demoustier An unhappily married woman

SCREEN CLASSICS

Central Theatre, 170 High Street, Chatham ME4 4AS 01634 338338

A monthly celebration of classic cinema on the big screen in association with Rochester Film Society. Introduction to the film and post-film discussion over a free glass of wine hosted by programmer Nick Walker. £7, concs £5, includes free drink.

MEET ME IN ST LOUIS (U) 1944 Mon 18 Nov 7.30pm Dir: Vincente Minnelli Cast: Judy Garland, Mary Astor, Margaret O’Brien Hit MGM musical set in Louisiana in 1904, a year before the St Louis World’s Fair. 113 mins CENTRAL THEATRE ‘AFTERNOON TREAT’ Screening of MEET ME IN ST LOUIS Tue 19 Nov 2.30pm Tickets £4 (includes hot drink and teacake) medwayticketslive.co.uk

ROCHESTER FILM SOCIETY PRESENTS…

AKIRA

ANY DAY NOW

Director Katsuhiro Otomo created a film that has been something of an iconic, even cult film among anime fans. It tells the story of a secret military project endangering Neo-Tokyo when it turns a biker gang member into a rampaging psychopath that only two kids can stop.

Director Travis Fine’s film of a gay couple fighting a biased legal system to keep custody of the abandoned mentally handicapped teenager who comes to live under their roof is set in the 1970s but is a very topical story, as even now the prejudice against homosexuality precludes gay adoption in a number of states in the USA.

The apocalyptic oeuvre was all the rage in the 1980s, mixing sci-fi with fantasy to reflect something of the dangers of the Cold War and threat of global nuclear war. ‘Akira’, set in 2019 and based on Otomo’s serialised comic, utilises telekinesis and telepathy as the motifs of the future where they are imagined as evolutionary reactions to a de-humanised, machine-driven world.

This future doesn’t seem too ridiculous – violent street gangs terrorise the city on motorbikes, with the police and the teenagers’ educators having little influence on their behaviour. However, the apocalypse has a human face as first, lead character Tetsuo, and then the resurrected Akira himself, have the power of a nuclear explosion at their fingertips, something the military and government want to curtail.

This iconic film is clearly influenced by Fritz Lang’s ‘Metropolis’ (1927) and Blade Runner (1982); has influenced many, been referenced by many more and been deified by critics since its original release 25 years ago.

‘Akira’is screened on Tuesday 26 November at 7.30pm at the Rochester Picture Palace, Princes Hall, Corn Exchange (High Street entrance), Rochester ME1 1LX.

Very likely this film will make you laugh, cry and feel very annoyed at the injustices and prejudices the characters face from bureaucracy and bigotry.

It is based on a true story, which adds to its power, as a new family is created and then struggles to sustain itself.

The film offers a convincing portrait of a gay couple whose ability to do the right thing is challenged. Alan Cumming gives a strong performance, with soul and depth and Garret Dillahunt is perfect as his foil: their chemistry feels just right. First-time feature film actor, Isaac Leyva, also makes a positive debut It is clearly an unblinking depiction of institutionalised homophobia yet also feels like a story about outsiders, kept from the mainstream by fear and blinkered attitudes, masquerading as religious or moral beliefs.

Nick Walker ‘Any Day Now’ is screened by the Rochester Film Society on Thursday 28 November at 7.45pm at Chatham Odeon, Chatham Maritime, ME4 4LL. rochesterfilmsociety.co.uk 11

WELCOME TO THE TRAGI-COMIC DOODLES OF WOW’S BRAND NEW CONTRIBUTOR

SAM FROUDIST INTERVIEWS BEN CAMERON, THE NICE GUY DOWN THE ROAD MAKING A LIVING DOING WHAT HE LOVES We all know the story: a nice guy works in a dead end job, earning a wage but going nowhere. Somehow he discovers a hidden talent, and boom! His life has changed, and he’s working harder but getting paid to do what he loves. We’ve seen the films, and we’ve all grown up enough to realise that it doesn’t quite work like that; no one makes money being an artist these days. It just doesn’t happen to people you actually know. Except when it does.

A born and bred Medway lad, Ben Cameron of Strange Paul fame was minding his own business, working in retail with what he terms “low ambition for anything career wise”. Looking for ways to entertain himself, he began keeping scraps of paper in his pockets and doodling when he could steal a chance. The initial goal was for each new doodle to amuse his co-workers more than the last. “It gave me something to think about”, Cameron tells me, finding a cringe just as welcome as a laugh, or at the very least a slightly bemused chortle.

“I created a little character called Strange Paul, a really simple man with almost no features, mainly doing benign activities like standing on a bus, or looking at a jar of jam.” He soon began to sell his work to colleagues and friends, printing t-shirts and cards, sharing his work online through Twitter, Facebook and via his Wordpress blog.

Over the next year, interest in his work waxed and waned, and he began to broaden his scope, experimenting with larger scale hatchwork pieces, and developing his signature Benbears. These soon proved to be the start point for a huge range of “tragidoodles”, small pieces focussing on life’s moments of tiny heartbreak. It was during this period he was faced with the age old artistic dilemma: to change jobs to something sensible, having made his way into the print industry, or throw caution to the wind, and take a chance on the creative dream?

I first met Cameron over a year ago, in our shared workspace at coFWD, Rochester. By his own modest admission things had become “a bit hectic” as his nowfamous ‘world’s saddest doodle’ (foretelling the end of the dinosaurs) had just gone viral on Twitter. He soon attracted the attention of media powerhouses The Huffington Post and Buzzfeed, making the front page of Reddit, and gaining a few thousand Twitter followers in the process. It’s safe to say he chose to make a go of it as an illustrator, and one year in it’s looking as though he made the right choice.

Our acquaintance developed over my total fangirl reaction to his series of Potato Doodles, my imagination utterly captured by the ridiculous personalities he had bestowed upon the humble potato. It’s his sense of the absurd that sets Cameron apart from his contemporaries: it’s not so much that his work inspires me (although it does) or that it’s art that challenges the viewer by its very nature, but that his doodles often touch on the universal experiences of the human condition: love, loneliness, grief, joy and gay abandon.

When we speak, Cameron tells me he is about to reach his first year anniversary of self employment, and I find myself totally impressed. Cameron himself doesn’t

quite seem to believe it either. “Twitter has sustained me throughout, and without it I definitely wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing.” He has mastered the art of promoting not only his work but himself through social media. It could be said that he has created the persona of Ben Cameron - the slightly off centre interpreter of the mundane, yet crushingly poignant moments in life.

But that wouldn’t do the man justice - he truly is the character he presents to the world, as anyone who has seen his Vine video posts online will attest.

Despite all this attention, Cameron is in no danger of forgetting his roots, being a regular fixture at local arts festivals like Medway Open Studios, and more recently The Rochester Flea, where his work will be on sale for the rest of the year. Here at WOW we’re thrilled to have him join the contributor ranks, and as much as I’m filled with jealous rage at his success, I can’t help but be drawn into the charming world of his creation.

To view more of Ben Cameron’s work or to purchase online, head to strangepaul.com, follow him on Twitter @ben_cameron or meet him in person at the Rochester Flea at The Gordon House Hotel, Rochester on 16 and 30 November.

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MUSIC ALBUM: SHANGRI-LA Ben Jones and The Rifle Volunteers This Maidstone band formed in 2011 from the embers of The Lovedays. Released earlier this year, Shangri-La is a heady mix of power pop and rock ‘n’roll. Available from i-Tunes and bjrv.co.uk THE BARGE

63 Layfield Road, Gillingham ME7 2QY 01634 850485

Music starts 9pm, free entry Fri 1 Nov: BEN JONES. Wed 6 Nov : BARDS @ THE BARGE OPEN MIC. Thu 7 Nov: SIRENS + RICHARD DE SOUSSA SILVA + PATRICK CHANNON + DAN FITZGERALD. Sat 9 Nov: THE HIGHER STATE. Wed 13 Nov: ARCELIA. Sat 16 Nov: JAMES POWLETT. Sat 30 Nov: MEDWAY EYES PRESENTS… thebargepub.co.uk

Sponsored listing

MUSIC TO WINE AND DINE TO: AWARD-WINNING 144 CLUB THE ROFFEN 41 New Road, Rochester, ME1 1DX

Wed 6 Nov DICK PEARCE (of Ronnie Scott Quintet fame) AND BAND. Doors 7.15pm for reception, meals and bar for 8.15pm start. 2 and 3 course meals available. Tickets from £11 available from 01634 365 453 or from 144club.co.uk SUNDAY LUNCH at LARKFIELD PRIORY RESTAURANT 802 London Road ME20 6HJ (on A20 next to B&Q – formerly Hamlets)

Sun 3 Nov: JULIAN MARC STRINGLE & band. One of the world’s best clarinet players, Julian was the last clarinet player for Kenny Ball. Doors 12.45pm for 1.15pm service. Full roast menu, tickets include music and food, available via 01634 365453.

BROOK THEATRE

Old Town Hall, The Brook, Chatham ME4 4SE 01634 338338

FOLK AT THE BROOK: MARTIN CARTHY Thu 21 Nov 8pm.

Legendary folk singer and guitarist. £12 medwayticketslive.co.uk

CITY OF ROCHESTER SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Sat 16 Nov 7.30pm.

Music from Benjamin Britten, Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky & Rachmaninov. £16, £12, concs available. FASCINATING AIDA Sat 23 Nov 7.30pm. Songs old and new in polished cabaret. £19.50,£18 medwayticketslive.co.uk EARLS

30 Earl Street, Maidstone ME14 1PS 01622 751286

THE CHARLIE RIVERS BAND + ROKOKO + PAPER CASTLES Thu 7th Nov 8.30pm.

DAVID MIGDEN & THE DIRTY WORDS + THEATRE ROYAL Thu 21 Nov 8.30pm. Free Entry

Lower Halstow Dock 01634 365343

MOVEABLE FEAST Fri 15 Nov London-based world roots band.

ATKIN AND THE GHOST LINE CARNIVAL Fri 22 Nov WE GHOSTS Fri 29 Nov Hatches open 6.45pm, music from 7.30pm. Tickets £8. Tel 07814 950442 or visit edithmay.com THE FLOWERPOT

96 Sandling Rd Maidstone, Kent ME14 2RJ 01622 757705

TOBY STARKS + others.

Sat 16 Nov 8.30pm HASTINGS ARMS FUNCTION ROOM Lower Rainham Rd (leading to Danes Hill), Gillingham ME7 2YD

ROCHESTER SWING PRESERVATION SOCIETY Thu 28 Nov 8.30pm With guitar duo THE BARRETT BROTHERS featuring the music of Django Reinhardt and Gypsy Jazz. . £5. Free parking. Reservations: 01634 712217.

Find them on Facebook ‘Rochester Swing Preservation Society’.

PIZZA EXPRESS MUSIC ROOM 32-34 Earl St Maidstone, Kent ME14 1PF 01622 683548

CENTRAL THEATRE

170 High Street, Chatham ME4 4AS 01634 338338

EDITH MAY THAMES BARGE

FINCHCOCKS MUSICAL MUSEUM

NATE NAJAR TRIO Sat 16 Nov Doors 7pm. Jazz, blues, gospel & bossa nova. £15. Book at pizzaexpresslive.co.uk

Goudhurst, TN17 1HH

44TWO SPORTS & SOCIAL CLUB

Fri 1 Nov: ART THEMEN AND BAND. Doors 7pm,7.30pm (meal), jazz at 8.45pm. Tickets £10, £15 with supper. Information and bookings: finchcocks.co.uk or 01580 211702

Thu 14 Nov 8.30pm: DONN BARCOTT BAND + Elaine Diane on vocals.

Raffle & bar. £6

On Wed 13 Nov the ROAN KEARSEY-LAWSON QUINTET appears in Trinity Theatre’s BBC Children In Need Concert in Tunbridge Wells.

Featherby Road, Gillingham ME8 6AN 01634 405037

ST GEORGE’S CENTRE

Chatham Maritime ME4 4DU

ROCHESTER CHORAL SOCIETY Sat 9 Nov 7pm. Works by Elgar, Chilcott, Britten and Finzi. Tickets £15, concs £5. Email tickets@rochesterchoral.co.uk .

THE STYLE & WINCH

FOR MORE GIGS SEE ROB FLOOD’S OVERVIEW, p21

72 Union Street, Maidstone ME14 1ED 01622 752351

THE SOUNDCASTERS + THE JACS Fri 8 Nov 8.30pm. Free entry

KENT

Ale

Affordable spaces for clubs, workshops, group meetings and community activity

NOVEMBER Sun 3rd Tues 5th Wed 6th Thurs 7th Sun 10th Wed 13th Thurs 14th Sun 17th Tues 19th Wed 20th

Jam Night Ukulele Jam Night Desert Turkey - Blues & Jazz Silverbeard - Acoustic Blues Jam Night No Worries - Folk Jem Turpin Trio - Blues & Jazz Jam Night Quiz Night - teams of 4 Bruise - "...breathtaking..."

Tom Robinson Thurs 21st Fate the Juggler - very lively folk Sun 24th Jam Night Wed 27th Phil Woollett - funk'd up blues & roots Thurs 28th Tener Duende - funky flamenco jazz

Scan the code to download FREE Kent Live Music app ANDROID

APPLE

John St, Rochester

tel: 07772 214315 www.themanofkent.com

• Space Hire from £10 per hour • Rochester High Street Location • Time Flexible (Inc. Eves & Weekends) • Chairs, Tables & Sofas Available • Facilities and Basic Kitchen • Fast Ethernet & WiFi Internet • Close to Car Parks & Train Station Based in an old bank building, we have a number of flexible spaces available for short-term use. Take a video tour and say hello at:

www.coFWD.org 15

ng i h c t a c Eye t n e m n i a entert Thu, 7 Nov 7.30pm - The Brook Theatre

Barry Norman’s Favourite Films

A unique evening of clips and chat with Britain’s favourite film reviewer.

Tickets: £16

Fri, 22 Nov 7.30pm - The Central Theatre

Nigel Kennedy presents: Bach and Fats Waller A typically maverick musical programme promises an electrifying evening.

Tickets: Band A - £32.50, Band B - £29

Wed, 19 Feb 7.30pm - The Central Theatre

Mike + The Mechanics Plus special guest Sadie and the Hotheads fronted by Elizabeth McGovern Lady Cora in Downton Abbey.

Tickets: Band A - £29.75, Band B - £28

www.medwayticketslive.co.uk 01634 338338

THEATRE BROOK THEATRE

Old Town Hall, Chatham ME4 4SE 01634 338338

Circo Ridiculoso presents THREE LITTLE PIGS Sun 10 Nov 11am and 2.30pm Hilarious re-telling of the classic tale. Physical comedy and circus skills. Adults £6, children £5, any four tickets £20 KIDS CABARET OF CURIOSITIES Sun 17 Nov 3pm. Cabaret and circus acts for all. Adults £6, children £5 CABARET OF CURIOSITIES Fri 22 Nov 8pm Adult version of the above, more naughty, just as much fun (16+ only). £11 medwayticketslive.co.uk HAZLITT THEATRE

Earl Street, Maidstone ME14 1PL 01622 758611

Billy Cooper

VIENNA FESTIVAL BALLET: SNOW WHITE Sun 17 Nov 2pm £19.50, concs £16.50, family ticket available EXCHANGE STUDIO: TIBETAN MONKS Fri 15 Nov 8pm. Sacred music and monastic dance. £10, concs £8 hazlittartscentre.co.uk

the excellent Propeller. Ages 11+.

Runs one hour. Various times. £12, concs 10 TRANSLUNAR PARADISE (STUDIO) Sat 16 Nov 2pm & 8pm. Mask and movement theatre from awardwinning Theatre Ad Infinitum. £12 marlowetheatre.com (booking charges applies via internet) marlowetheatre.com

The Friars, Canterbury CT1 2AS 01227 787787

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF Tue 5Sat 9 Nov, 7.30pm. Thu & Sat mat 2.30pm. With Paul Michael Glaser.

From £15 GLYNDEBOURNE TOUR 2013 presents: HANSEL UND GRETEL Tue 12 Nov, 7.15pm. From £29.

L’ELISIR D’AMORE Wed 13 & Sat 16 Nov, 7.15pm. From £29. Britten’s THE RAPE OF LUCRETIA Fri 15 Nov 7.15pm. From £32.50 POCKET MERCHANT (STUDIO) Tue 5-Sat 9 Nov Shakespeare from

Earl Street, Maidstone ME14 1PL 01622 758611

COMEDY NIGHT (EXCHANGE STUDIO) ROB DEERING & JOE LYCET Wed 6 Nov 8pm. £10, free drink if booked in advance LEE HURST Sat 9 Nov 8pm. £16, concs £14 BOND Thu 28 Nov 8pm. One-man show spoof. £12, concs £10 hazlittartscentre.co.uk JOKING WITH INTENT

The Good Intent, 3 John Street, Rochester ME1 1YL

ORCHARD THEATRE

Home Gardens, Dartford DA1 1ED 01322 220000

WILLY RUSSELL’S BLOOD BROTHERS Mon 18-Sat 23 Nov, 7.30pm, Wed & Sat Mat 2.30pm.

From £15 TO SIR WITH LOVE Tue 26-Sat 30 Some performances with Matthew Kelly as Florian, with ex-RSC Ansu Kabia as Braithwaite. Eve perf 7.30pm except Wed 7pm. Wed mat 1.30pm, Sat mat 2.30pm. From £10 A CHRISTMAS CAROL Mon 2 – Tue 3 Dec, 7.30pm. Tue Mat 1.30pm.

Musical version of the classic tale.

From £15 orchardtheatre.co.uk

COMEDY MARLOWE THEATRE

COMEDY AT THE HAZLITT

BILLABONG CLUB Victoria Street, Rochester ME1 1XJ

STUART MITCHELL, GARY COLMAN & KATE LUCAS Thu 28 Nov doors 7.30pm. £12 on door, £9 in advance BILLABONG CLUB at LARKFIELD PRIORY HOTEL 802 London Road, Aylesford ME20 6HJ

JOHN NEWTON, CHRIS MAYO & LARRY DEAN Fri 8 Nov. £10, £24.95 inc comedy, meal & drink voucher (advance only) billabongcomedyclub.co.uk

OPEN MIC COMEDY CLUB First Thursday of the month.

Thu 7 Nov, 8-10pm. Line-up tbc. £2 admission.

Find Joking with Intent on Facebook MARLOWE THEATRE STUDIO The Friars, Canterbury CT1 2AS 01227 787787

MARLOWE COMEDY CABARET: PAT CAHILL, MC STEVE BUGEJA, PHIL WANG & STEPHEN CARLIN Sat 23 Nov 8.15pm (includes adult themes & language) £13 marlowetheatre.com (booking charges applies via internet) STEPPING STONE STUDIOS 2 Museum Avenue, Maidstone

THE COMEDY CLUB Live standup every third Friday of the month. Next gig: 15 Nov. £5 in advance, £8 on door. Call 07787 470495 or go to wegottickets.com.

Doors 7pm. Food available. steppingstonestudios.co.uk THE WOODVILLE

Woodville Place, Gravesend DA12 1DD 01474 337774

LAUGHING BOY COMEDY CLUB presents: JOHN GORDILLO, RACHEL PARRIS, IVAN BRAKENBURY & MARK OLVER Thu 14 Nov 8pm. Tickets £12.75 or £18.25 with curry! woodville.co.uk

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VISUAL ART BELOW 65 GALLERY

Gilbert & Clark Frame & Print 65 High Street, Maidstone ME14 1SR 01622 685146

Free entry. Open 9.30am-4.30pm Mon-Sat. Late openings throughout December: check website for details CREATIVITY UNFRAMED: A WINTER ART FAIR Mon 4 Nov –Sat 21 Dec Fantastic, varied selection of local artists’ work for sale, including prints, paintings, textiles, cards and more. Great for affordable Christmas pressies. gilbertandclark.com

NUCLEUS ARTS

272 High Street, Chatham ME4 4BP 01634 812108

Gallery opens Mon-Sat 9.30am5.00pm, Sun 11-4pm. Free entry NUDE: Various artists Fri 1-7 Nov. Includes works by Peter Reeds, Nick Evans, Anne Taylor and others.

KENT AUTISTIC TRUST Fri 8 –Thu 21 Nov. Sensory works by members of ARTISM. AFFORDABLE ART EXHIBITION Fri 22 Nov – 24 Dec nucleus-arts.com

COUNTY HALL GALLERY, MAIDSTONE JOHN DOWNTON AWARDS 2013 See page 9

DEADLINE EXTENSION!

DEAF CAT COFFEE BAR & GALLERY

Open to all: children (8+) and adults

83 High Street, Rochester ME1 1LX

We are extending the competition deadline for one month! New deadline: Monday 2 December 2013. Fantastic prizes on offer, including a Ralph Steadman original, arts materials vouchers and for one exceptional aspiring artist the chance to win the Ralph Steadman Art & Design Scholarship.

Open all week 9.30am-5pm ROLLING EXHIBITION of contemporary works by local artists, cleverly curated by artist Matt Bray.

To submit email art@thedeafcat.com thedeafcat.com FRANCIS ILES GALLERIES

103 High Street, Rochester ME1 1LX 01634 843081

Opens Mon-Sat 9.30am-5.30pm AUTUMN EXHIBITION: RETROSPECTIVE SCARLAND To 9 Nov. Delightful John Scarland plus new works from the Gallery Artists. Free entry. RESTORATION DAY Sat 9 Nov, 11am-3pm. Oils and watercolours: free consultation by Francis Iles’ highly qualified restorers.

ART ON A POSTCARD (raising funds for Hounds for Heroes) Wed 27 Nov 6pm, for one week.

CHRISTMAS ROOM is open! francis-iles.com MAIDSTONE MUSEUM CAFÉ

St Faith’s St Town Centre ME14 1LH 01622 602838

Opens Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, closed Sun Nov-Mar MVAN CHRISTMAS EXHIBITION Sat 2 – 30 Nov. Maidstone Visual Artists Network members showcase a variety of work for sale. Free entry

THE BEST OF… ART COMPETITION Head Judge: Ralph Steadman Competition Theme: NOW

£11, concs available - gives unlimited return to all Dockyard attractions for one year.

FROM SHORE TO SEA: PAINTINGS

BY SIR JOHN LAVERY RA To 1 Dec. Evocative paintings depicting WWI from a naval perspective. thedockyard.co.uk ROCHESTER ART GALLERY

Visitor Information Centre, 95 High Street, Rochester ME1 1LX

01634 338319 Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 10.30am-5pm Free entry ADRIFT ON LIFE’S TIDES: Jessie Brennan To 4 Jan. Solo exhibition of drawing, video and installation

by London-based Brennan. Siteresponsive work exploring the stories of the River Medway.

ARTIST TALK: Sat 30 Nov 1- .30pm CRAFT CASE Intriguing artefacts relating to the River Medway’s history donated by local collectors.

ENTER NOW! Download an application form from wowkent. co.uk or rochester-college.org NUCLEUS ARTS, ROCHESTER 75 High Street, Rochester ME1 1LX

Open 10am-5pm Mon-Sat; Sun 115pm 01634 780932 Eclectic not-for-profit gallery shop.

NUCLEUS ARTS MAIDSTONE 2-4 Granada House, Gabriel’s Hill, Maidstone ME15 6JR

Open 10am-5pm Mon-Sat; closed Sundays. 01622 690337 Contemporary gallery space.

NO.1 SMITHERY: The Gallery

The Historic Dockyard Chatham, ME4 4TZ 01634 823800

Open 10am-6pm. Entrance to gallery included in normal admission: Adults £17.50, Children

RECOMMENDED: ROCHESTER CATHEDRAL Rochester ME1 1SX

Exhibition open Mon-Fri 10am-4pm, Sat 10am-2.30pm; Sun 12 noon to 4pm. Free entry THE VALUE OF TOUCH by Wendy Daws Sat 2 Nov – Fri 8 Nov. Exhibition telling the story of the extraordinary tactile plate made by Daws of Sergei Fyodorov’s baptismal fresco, in association with the Cathedral and members of Kent Association for the Blind Medway Art Group. Go and touch!

ROYAL ENGINEERS MUSEUM ENCOUNTERS: Photograph Albums & Their Stories See page 9

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I love books. I love the way the paper feels in my hands, the sound of the pages turning, and even the dust up my nose when I find one I haven’t read in a while. Books are old friends to sit with on a rainy day curled up in a big comfy chair with a steaming cuppa. I have lots of books and never enough bookshelves. I like good books, ones that I will read more than once and find enriching every time. I rarely read books that will stand only one reading to be passed on or thrown away.

I also love to travel and I must say that these two passions do not co-exist comfortably together.

PRINT V KINDLE? HELEN THOMPSON DISCOVERS THERE’S ROOM IN LIFE FOR BOTH Imagine my trip during the summer of 2010.

I am at John F. Kennedy airport in New York ready to fly to San Francisco then on to Honolulu, Hawaii and finally to Guam, a small island in the Western Pacific where I used to live. A total of 19 hours’ flying time, not counting the stopovers.

I have mistakenly packed most of my books in my suitcase, leaving one, not-very-thick novel, something by Ian McEwan, Atonement I think, to get me through the gaps in between dinner and landing.

I finish it by the time I get to San Francisco. It’s a beautiful book and I enjoyed it immensely but I am ready for a new world to plunge into so I rush to the airport bookshop before I find the gate to my next flight. San Francisco is a very cool city, but it appears that travellers through the airport are not great readers.

Choices are rather limited. I do find a book and I read it from cover to cover but I leave it on the plane because 1) I finish it by the time I get to Honolulu and 2) I don’t want to read it again.

My Honolulu airport experience is worse because I can’t find a book seller before getting on the next plane, so with nothing new to read I slurp a few plastic cups of wine and sleep my way to Guam.

Plane journeys, doctors’ waiting rooms, morning commutes, bedtimes and visits to the in-laws are all intolerable without a good book to transport you to some other plane of existence. I vowed from that journey on I would invest in a Kindle so that I would never again run the risk of running out of reading material.

I’ve had my Kindle since 2010 and while I prefer the sensory experience of the printed page, I love the Kindle’s convenience, weight, and portability. I have about 100 books on the device and as long as it’s charged (there’s always a catch), it provides many hours of satisfying reading.

My library has room for the presence of hardbacks and paperbacks as well as virtual books, which are also much easier to move from Guam back to the UK. But that’s another story.

Helen Thompson is the director of Academic Honours. See inside front cover for her essay competition for students. academichonours.com

MEDWAY’S MUSIC SCENE

CONTINUES TO REVERBERATE WITH TALENT BOTH SEASONED AND NEW

ROB FLOOD WHIZZES US THROUGH NOVEMBER’S HIGHLIGHTS

The delightfully named Bear vs Manero (pictured) are launching their fantastic new EP ’Bifacial’ at the Billabong Club in Rochester on Friday 15 November. The EP has been produced by Tim Cedar of Part Chimp fame so if that means anything to you, you know it’ll make your ears blister. Riff-tastic Stooges meets Jesus Lizard with Tim Curryesque Rocky Horror Show vocals make Bear vs Manero one of the most exciting bands around.

Support comes from Frau Pouch and KILL RPNZL. Entry is £1 and doors open 8pm.

The Mourning Birds are also launching their new single this month. Released on The Preservation Society Presents label, ‘Oh Yeh’ is a 101 second Jack White meets the MC5 slap in the face. It’s featured on the latest NME Buzz Playlist and has been described as “a nuclear energy powered rock riot debut” by Rocklands TV. The Mourning Birds are playing the Beacon Court in Gillingham on 22 November, doors at 8pm.

the Truth’ is Unc’n’Chunk’s most accomplished effort to date. It also includes the best lyric I’ve heard in a long time: “There is a fella on the corner and I think he is a racist, I know his brother pretty well, he’s a big fan of Oasis, But I’m not inclined to agree, I have a mind of my own, and your hate isn’t mine, I’ve got my beady eye on you.” Check out http:// groovyuncledotcom.wordpress.com for more details.

The brilliant Friday Night Alternative at St Mary’s Social Club in Gillingham returns on 29 November. Oliver and Robbie from Theatre Royal headline, entry is £1 and doors are at 7.30pm.

Finally, also worth a quick mention, Medway’s favourite ‘60’s time machine Groovy Uncle has released a new album with vocal soul queen Suzi Chunk. Released on main man Glenn Pragnell’s own Trouserphonic label, ‘One Vowel Away From

Darryl Hartley

Le Fort Promotions are putting on their first Medway gig at the Kings Head in Rochester High Street on 7 November when a solo multi-instrumental version of Pity Party are joined by ethereal indie dreampopsters Future Echoes. Both bands will be playing stripped down sets – no drums so they don’t upset the noise police, doors are at 8pm and entry is free.

Phil Dillon

If we’ve been super-efficient and managed to get your November WOW magazine to you in good time, and if you’ve been equally efficient and read it as soon as it arrived, and if there are any tickets left, you’ll be able to catch our first gig recommendation of the month.

The A-Lines bring their lady punk to Light Vessel 21 at Gillingham Pier on Saturday 2 November. Support comes from mad surf scientists The Sine Waves and the genius of DJ Vic Templar will be providing a ‘50’s/’60’s Halloween Horror soundtrack.

Tickets £6 from www.wegottickets. com/event/244978 and doors open 7.30pm.

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the artist’s space

“Clark’s collages are a departure point for discovery. Sea, sky and landscape; birds, horses, boats, motorcycles and trucks… there is a great sense of motion, movement and of travelling through the great outdoors, of throwing caution to the wind and getting on with it all, having fun, feeling free.” Beth Anderson, Sept 2013

Artist Chris F Clark will be selling her quirky collages and digital illustrations at The Rochester Flea on Saturday 30 November. She would love you to come and find her, say hello, and treat yourself to some visual candy!

The Rochester Flea, Gordon House Hotel, 91 High Street, Rochester ME1 1LZ. Open 11.00am to 4.00pm chrisfclark.tumblr.com

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XMAS DELIGHTS AT SWEETPEA & OLIVE! OPEN EVENING Thursday 21st November til 9pm

W 15% discount for all WOW readers W Gorgeous handtied bouquets, luxury table centres, garlands, wreaths, owls, reindeers and unusual gifts for collection or delivery Pop into our lovely shop, call or buy online 118 Maidstone Road, Rochester ME1 3DT 01634 843024 www.rochesterflorists.co.uk

STUDENT ESSAY COMPETITION ‘What makes a good writer?’ (500 words) A BRAND NEW POLAROID TABLET FOR EACH CATEGORY WINNER!

TAPAS&DELI THE FINEST GALICIAN WINES AND ARTISAN FOOD

Authentic Spanish tapas, foodie gifts, award-winning cheeses, charcuterie and more

CATEGORIES: STUDYING FOR GCSE (OR EQUIVALENT) STUDYING FOR A LEVEL (OR EQUIVALENT) STUDYING FOR AN UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE PLEASE VISIT ACADEMICHONOURS.COM FOR FULL DETAILS

UNTIL 29TH DECEMBER 10, High Street, Rochester, Kent ME1 1PT For bookings and information call 01634 407 458 23

RICHARD WATTS CHARITIES

art competition RICHARD WATTS CHARITIES

i Theme: Chatham Intra* and Lesser Known Chatham *the area between the east end of St. Margaret’s Bank, roughly where the railway bridge crosses Rochester High Street, and the Chapel of St. Bartholomew

Entries will be accepted in any 2D medium, including photography

PRIZES: 1ST - £1000 2ND - £500 3RD - £250

All entries will be considered for purchase

by Richard Watts Charities.

In addition to the cash prizes RWC will be holding an exhibition of short-listed work at Nucleus Gallery in Chatham for 2 weeks from 4 - 17 April 2014.

There is a £10 fee per entry, with a maximum of three entries per person.

For further details and application form please visit www.richardwatts.org.uk.

Email fleur.boyce@richardwatts.org.uk or telephone 01634 842194 for more information.

Closing date: Friday 28 February 2014.