Met Brochure January - April 2017

January–April 2017

themet.biz 0161 761 2216

Discover more at the new Met

PB — 1

Address The Met, Market Street, Bury BL9 0BW Phone Ticket office: 0161 761 2216 Administration: 0161 761 7107 Restaurant: 0161 763 9399 email post@themet.biz Website themet.biz Social L themet F metbury I metbury

From punk to poetry...

From learning to love stories...

From dining to dance...

Welcome to the new Met. We’re beyond excited to reopen the doors of our amazing venue following ten months of work to refresh, revitalise and reshape The Met. The programme for spring is packed with fantastic touring theatre and music to be enjoyed by all and we hope you will steal an early opportunity to come and see us.

Situated in Bury town centre, we can at last offer a brilliant, first class experience inside our large and small performance spaces, renamed the Derby Hall and The Box, which matches the grand Victorian exterior and our programme of shows and workshops. Our restaurant and bar offers the very best in pre-show meals and drinks – start your experience off with a meal in Automatic before seeing the brand new theatre bar, the Stanley Bar, and delay your departure with over one hundred whiskies to try in the Malt Bar.

Thank you to everyone who has helped us re-imagine our venue and your arts centre for the future. Thanks to Bury Council, Arts Council England and the trusts, foundations and corporate partners who have all shared our dream for a better Met and stepped up to help us deliver it. Many individuals and audience members also have played their part and we hope you will enjoy the results for a long time to come.

For those who know us, we look forward to seeing you return. For those new to our programme, come and visit to discover a range of amazing music and theatre in what is now one of the most exciting and inviting small venues in the country.

See you in the Stanley Bar… David Agnew, artistic director

2—3

Built in the 1840s.

Reborn in 2016.

Discover the new Met. During the past ten months The Met has undergone a multi-million pound refurbishment, resulting in modernised theatre spaces, a more spacious and inviting bar, a new more accessible lift, and vastly improved backstage facilities.

These images show the state of the building in November, near the end of its remarkable transformation.

Sevenfold by Liz West Photographs by Chris Payne

Food & drink: A tasty treat or a drink before the show makes your visit even better.

Eat before the show at Automatic, The Met’s restaurant, serving straight forward classic dishes, hearty comforts and delightful desserts. Book online automaticcafe.com or call 0161 763 9399.

Opening times Monday to Thursday: 10am–11pm Friday to Saturday: 10am–Midnight Sunday: 12pm–10.30pm Food is served until 9pm Sunday–Wednesday, 9.30pm on Thursday and 10pm on Friday and Saturday.

Our ground floor Malt Bar serves over one hundred of the finest whiskies. Open before and after every show.

The first floor Stanley Bar is open before, during and after performances in the Derby Hall. Enjoy real ales created by Bury’s very own Silver Street Brewery.

Support us: Make a regular gift to help us continue our work and reach new audiences.

We want to nurture talent through the opportunities we provide, from showcasing artists on our small stage to presenting them at larger festivals to helping them record and distribute material in our recording studio. Demonstrating that our local community supports us means we can continue to bring funding into the area and support the social, cultural and economic development of Bury.

Our ticket and workshop prices are significantly lower than other organisations because we believe in allowing the whole community access to the arts and its benefits. But we need your help to continue this.

As a charity we rely on your support so please help us in anyway you can. Our levels of support are set out to the right and what you, as an advocate of The Met, can enjoy in return.

How could your donation help?

• If you give £10 per month for a year this will pay for one band to realise their dream and use the recording studio.

• If 3 people give £10 per month for a year we can invite a theatre company to perform at The Met. • If 4 people give £20 per month for a year we can fund a specialist workshop for a year for children with autism.

• If you’re a tax payer your donation is worth 25% more using the gift aid scheme.

Support £5 per month/£60 per year • Priority booking • Advance notice of events • 10% discount in Automatic • Invite to the artistic director’s spring social • Seasonal newsletter • No booking, refund or exchange fees Showcase £10 per month/£120 per year • All of the above plus…

• One event chosen by the Artistic Director for you and a guest • Your name on our website • Access to artist receptions Headline £20 per month/£240 per year • All of the above plus…

• Your name on our exclusive art work in the new foyer Star £1,000 per year • All of the above plus…

• Your name as patron with thanks on our brochure and website

To begin your regular donation just visit our website themet.biz or phone 0161 761 2216.

6—7

Theatre

From Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads

From Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads Thu 19 Jan 8pm — £12 Adrian Berry’s acclaimed tale of a young David Bowie obsessive.

Martin is a boy with problems – an illness no-one understands and a head full of sound and vision.

So when an unexpected gift arrives on his birthday, Martin embarks on a thrilling journey in the footsteps of his obsession, leading him to discover some long-hidden truths about himself. What follows will change his life forever...

Powerful and touching, this darkly funny and moving solo show features Alex Walton and the recorded voice of comedian Rob Newman. With a blistering Bowie soundtrack, the life of the pop fan is dissected in this tale of unnatural teenage wildlife.

Prison Game

Prison Game

Hercules Productions Wed 8 Feb 8pm — £10 When prison is your world, how do you function within society? This gripping, and at times chilling, one-man physical theatre performance is the story of how prison can define a man.

Developed using real life accounts of extraordinary experiences, this mainly biographical story deals with the effects of institutionalisation on the psyche of an individual and the people around them.

Told through a series of characters, brought to life by the physical dynamism of Marcus Hercules, you are taken on a young boy’s journey from primary school through to adulthood.

Narvik

Box of Tricks Tue 7 & Wed 8 Mar 8pm — £10 Box of Tricks returns after a sell-out run of Chip Shop Chips.

Inspired by tales of Naval veterans, Narvik tells the story of a Liverpudlian man and a Norwegian woman pulled together and torn apart by war as the events of one summer cause ripples across an ocean of time.

Fusing live folk music and new writing to create a patchwork of memory and dream, Narvik is a bold new play set during the Second World War that brings to life a powerful story of love, guilt, heroism and betrayal.

Suitable for ages 14+.

Convicts and Lunatics

Red Ladder Theatre Company and Gracefool Collective present double bill Wrong ‘Un and This Really Is Too Much Wed 22 Mar 8pm — £12 A witty, thought-provoking double bill spanning one hundred years of wayward women and their dangerous ideas.

Red Ladder Theatre Company’s critically acclaimed one-woman musical drama Wrong ’Un follows a Lancashire mill-girl’s journey from schoolroom to prison cell and beyond.

A century later, new dance theatre company Gracefool Collective will bend over backwards, attempting to be three-dimensional, high definition, water-drinking, salad-eating, moisturizing WO-men in This Really Is Too Much.

Dare Devil Rides to Jarama

The Theatre Ballads

Dare Devil Rides to Jarama

The Theatre Ballads

Thu 16 Mar 8pm — £12 SPAIN 1936: When fascism clutched at the throat of the Spanish people, Clem “Dare Devil” Beckett felt at once that his place was with the volunteer International Brigades.

Sat 25 Mar 8pm — £14 The ballad is a story, a story in song. In this newly commissioned piece, Horse + Bamboo depict songs of a great fight, a broken contract and a female smuggler. Each is a historic ballad arranged and performed live alongside puppetry and simple illustrations, drawing out the tales before your eyes!

Townsend Productions

Loved by the masses for his courage and skill on the speedway track he earned the name Dare Devil. A man of the people, he used the same fight against corruption in his sport to defend democracy against Franco’s fascist army.

Townsend Productions’ new play commemorates and celebrates the volunteer International Brigades on the 80th anniversary of their creation with stirring songs, music and poetry.

Box office 0161 761 2216 — themet.biz

Horse + Bamboo

Featuring Bryony Griffith (fiddle, viola, voice and piano), Kate Locksley (voice and narrative presentation), Ewan McLennan (guitar and voice) and John Kirkpatrick (melodeon, accordion and voice).

Jointly commissioned by EFDSS, The Met and Colston Hall, Bristol and funded by PRS for Music Foundation.

8—9

Theatre Two musicals performed by the talented amateurs of Prestwich Amateur Dramatic and Operatic Society:

Avenue Q School Edition PADOS Youth Group

Wed 8–­Fri 10 Mar 7.30pm & Sat 11 Mar 2.30pm & 7.30pm — £10 on Wed 8 Mar / £12 all other days College grad Princeton moves into a shabby New York apartment all the way out on Avenue Q, but soon discovers that it’s no ordinary neighbourhood.

Hypochondriac

Hypochondriac Thu 30 Mar 8pm — £10 Susan Swanton presents a comedy about a woman who gets attention when she’s ill. What starts off as a duvet day develops into a serious illness.

It’s about self-pity, crying wolf, cancer, a freak accident and all of her imaginary illnesses in between. With silly songs, idiotic dances and a melodramatic woman.

Suitable for ages 12+.

Featuring puppets and a catchy score, this is the school edition of the laugh-out-loud musical, adapted to be more appropriate for younger audiences.

The Full Monty PADOS Adult Group

Tue 25–Sat 29 Apr 7.30pm — £10 on Tue 25 Apr / £12 all other days Based on the cult hit film of the same name, The Full Monty is filled with honest affection, engaging melodies and the most highly anticipated closing number of any show!

The Thing That Came From Over There Gonzo Moose

Wed 5 Apr 8pm — £10 A fast-paced rollicking ride inspired by the horror movies of the 1950s.

It’s 1912, and as Scott and Amundsen begin their race across Antarctica, hapless explorer Captain Reginald Cranston has landed on the wrong side of the continent. As Cranston and his crew set up camp, a meteor crashes nearby. They set out to investigate unaware of the danger that awaits them, and the whole of planet Earth.

With spine tingling silliness and blood curdling terror, the show features visual gags, verbal wit, giant puppetry, and live music.

Family shows Musicians of Bremen Compagnie Animotion

Wed 22 Feb 1.30pm — £7 This visually stunning adaptation of the Brothers Grimm’s The Musicians of Bremen tells the tale of four animals put to pasture: a donkey, a cat, a cockerel and a dog.

This non-verbal musical adventure shows that despite our differences, we can be friends and that we’re never too old to live our dreams.

With puppetry, movement and trapeze, this circus and live music show is suitable for ages 3–7 years.

Musicians of Bremen

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice Blunderbus

Fri 24 Feb 11am — £10 A brand new heart-warming adaptation of a timeless tale, especially for little sorcerers aged 3–7 and their grown-ups!

Charlie Hubble is a little boy with a very big dream, he wants to be a world-class magician. So, he saves up his pocket money to buy The Big Book of Magic for Trainee Magicians from Mr Zacoor’s toy shop.

But Mr Zacoor is no ordinary shopkeeper, he’s a real life sorcerer! And he has a very special job for Charlie...

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

This delightful new show comes to life with an irresistible blend of music, puppetry and storytelling and an enchanting toy shop setting filled with all sorts of magical surprises!

There and Back Again – An Odyssey Lyngo Theatre

Sat 4 Mar 2pm — £7 The Odyssey is the classic of classics, the ultimate source of myths and legends full of giants, ghosts, Greeks and great adventure.

Like a God toying with the lives of mortals, CBeebies’ Patrick Lynch will send Ulysses and his companions on a fantastic journey. But the shrewd hero manages to outwit the fates and finally get what he wants – to go home.

There and Back Again – An Odyssey

Box office 0161 761 2216 — themet.biz

With multiple cameras magnifying table-top props Patrick Lynch turns a storm-in-a-teacup into an Aegean tempest. Suitable for ages 6+.

10 — 11

Comedy

The Lancashire Hotpots

Jonathan Pie

The Met’s New Comedian of the Year Competition

Presented by First Thursday Comedy Club Thu 19 Jan 8.30pm — ­£6 Ten rising comedy stars will perform and compete for your votes. You, the audience, are the judges and will vote on the funniest man or woman.

At stake is their reputation, your entertainment and of course a cash prize. Who will win the title, you decide.

Jonathan Pie Sun 26 Feb 7.30pm — £18.50 Jonathan Pie is a respected news reporter for a respected news broadcaster but he has a problem.

He has several problems. He hates his job. He hates his colleagues. But mainly he hates the news.

Join him for this live show where he reveals the truth behind recent news events both at home and abroad. Warning: contains strong language.

The Book of Northern Kinky Boot Institute

Thu 23–Sat 25 Mar 8pm — £8 The entire history of the north-west told in under an hour.

Charting back from the Normans to the industrial revolution, to the cultural revolution, to the first world war, and to our love of drinking, this show covers the entire chronological history of the north-west. Presented through music, mime sketches and silliness.

The Lancashire Hotpots Sat 8 Apr doors 7pm — £14 advance / £16 door (standing) 2017 sees The Lancashire Hotpots celebrate ten years of Chippy Teas and Shopmobility Scooters.

In that time the band have built a well-earned reputation as the number one party night out in the north-west. Join Bernard and the boys for a great big northern knees-up full of singalong music and madcap fun.

Hardeep Singh Kohli’s Mix Tape Thu 23 Mar 8pm — £12 The star of BBC Radio 4 shares his personal mix tape – the joy, the pain and the bizarre middle eight – in this brand new stand-up show from Scotland’s favourite comedian, broadcaster, journalist and chef.

“A master of pace, mixing stories with fantastic quick-witted patter.”  Skinny

First Thursday Comedy Club Thu 2 Feb 8.30pm — £10 advance / £12 door Comedy at The Met on the first Thursday of every month. February’s event features Britain’s Got Talent runner-up Jack Carroll, ex-wrestler and star of BBC’s Hebburn Steffen Peddie, conspiracy theorist Rod Shepherd, and BBC News Quiz performer Peter Brush.

Dance

Orbit

Orbit

DanceSyndrome Mon 23 Jan 7pm — £6 / £4.50 concessions DanceSyndrome is dancer led, disability inspired.

Performance is a vital way for DanceSyndrome’s members to communicate key messages about inclusion, teamwork and achievement, as they challenge perceptions about people with learning disabilities. Be surprised and delighted at the passion, energy and ability of the incredible dancers who have overcome personal barriers to achieve their potential.

Poetry

Lemn Sissay

Lemn Sissay Wed 1 Feb 8pm — £12 Known for his poetry, records, broadcasts, art and plays Lemn Sissay will be reading from his new book ‘Gold from the Stone’, a careerspanning collection from the award-winning poet and national treasure.

Orbit is a new dance performance that will include a combination of solo, duet and group pieces inspired by our relationship to nature and the solar system.

Box office 0161 761 2216 — themet.biz

12 — 13

Music The Stumble

The Stumble

Blues — Sat 7 Jan 8pm — £12 A powerful six-piece who mix uncomplicated guitar solos with the mighty voice of Paul Melville to create rapturous Chicago style rhythm and blues.

With influences ranging from B B King to Muddy Waters to King Curtis, expect original material alongside some well chosen covers.

Nearly Dan

Nearly Dan

Rock — Sat 14 Jan 8pm — £12 advance / £14 door (standing) Less tribute and more homage to jazz-influenced best-sellers Steely Dan. Nearly Dan’s approach is faithful, though not reverential, relaxed but as tight as their namesakes. Look forward to all the Steely Dan favourites in a two-hour-plus performance.

Adam Holmes and The Embers

Adam Holmes and The Embers

Folk — Fri 20 Jan 8pm — £12 A rising star on the UK folk scene, Adam Holmes crafts lyrics that resonate like old folk songs.

Those who saw the band at Ramsbottom Festival 2016 will know Adam Holmes and The Embers combine the rhythm and blues, country and folk music textures of classic artists such as The Band and Neil Young.

IQ

IQ

Rock — Sat 21 Jan 8pm — £18 seated / £16 standing IQ have established a reputation for themselves as one of the world’s leading progressive rock bands. Known for their passionate music and dramatic live presentations, they have released a string of critically acclaimed albums.

Tim Burgess (The Charlatans) DJ Set Club night — Fri 13 Jan 8pm — £10 (standing) We welcome the main man of The Charlatans, Tim Burgess, as he spins some of his favourite tunes.

The Transports

A tale of exile and migration Folk — Sat 28 Jan 8pm — £20 Join some of Britain’s leading folk musicians for a timely re-telling of Peter Bellamy’s legendary folk ballads The Transports.

The Transports tells the incredible tale of a family destroyed by poverty and crime, but resurrected by exile to the new colony of Australia. With fresh script and musical arrangement by Paul Sartin, this famous show re-emerges within a modern context of mass migration.

A rare opportunity to see BBC Award Winners The Young’uns, Faustus, Nancy Kerr and members of Bellowhead together on stage.

Basco Folk — Wed 25 Jan 8pm — £10 An irrepressible Scandinavian folk roots band who are fast becoming an unavoidable phenomenon on the European folk music scene. Their music is varied, full of nuance, beauty and good old fashioned raw, foot-stomping power.

Basco

Mat Walklate and Paolo Fuschi Blues — Fri 27 Jan 8pm — £10 British blues harp champion Mat Walklate and Paolo Fuschi recreate the best of the golden age of urban blues with hot, driving harp, immaculate, searing guitar and soulful vocals.

King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys Mat Walklate and Paolo Fuschi

Jazz — Thu 2 Feb 8pm — £14 seated / £12 standing King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys are more than just the world’s greatest swing band, they are an institution! Their dazzling musicianship and riveting stage performances have established them as the Kings of Swing.

“Behind the fun and rollicking good times lies an outfit skilled enough for the horns to come on with the bite and precision of the Basie Band.”

The Guardian

King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys

Box office 0161 761 2216 — themet.biz

14 — 15

Music Breabach Folk — Sun 5 Feb 8pm — £16 Scottish five-piece Breabach deliver a thrilling and unique brand of contemporary folk music.

“Tempos are often exhilarating, and the ensemble interplay is fiery.

The colours and textures are beautifully layered but spaciously uncluttered lending the Breabach sound a depth and definition that only strengthens its impact.”

Songlines

The Mustangs Blues — Fri 3 Feb 8pm — £12 With a reputation for blistering live shows, The Mustangs are one of the most established blues rock bands in the UK. Expect intense blues rock numbers and beautifully poignant ballads from across their eight critically acclaimed albums.

Edwina Hayes The Mustangs

Folk — Sat 4 Feb 8pm — £12 Beautifully written songs and charming stage presence have won Edwina Hayes a reputation as a true natural talent of gentle folk-americana on both sides of the Atlantic. Her extraordinarily beautiful voice accompanied by gentle finger picking on guitar leaves audiences mesmerised and wanting more. An unforgettable, original and worldwide talent not to be missed.

Balsamo Deighton Edwina Hayes

Balsamo Deighton

Americana — Wed 8 Feb 8pm — £12 Both respected vocalists, musicians and songwriters in their own right, americana duo Steve Balsamo and Rosalie Deighton have joined forces to record Uncovering, an album featuring an eclectic mix of stories inspired by their lives.

They’ll be performing tracks from this collection of “grown up songs on the human condition”.

Three Cane Whale

Three Cane Whale

Folk — Thu 9 Feb 8pm — £10 Three Cane Whale are a multi-instrumental acoustic trio featuring members of Spiro, Get The Blessing and Scottish Dance Theatre.

Their music encompasses both a cinematic sweep and an intimate delicacy.

The Blockheads

The Blockheads

Rock — Fri 10 Feb doors 8pm / on stage 9pm — £20 (standing) Starting out as the band behind Ian Dury, The Blockheads are a legendary outfit. Along with new material you can expect to hear hits from their illustrious back catalogue.

Jaywalkers Folk — Fri 10 Feb 7.30pm — £10 Former BBC Young Folk Award finalists Jaywalkers effortlessly fuse elements of bluegrass and folk to create exhilarating music that is innovative yet deeply rooted in tradition. Their songs are inspired by the stories and poetry of Lancashire life.

Jaywalkers

Fara

Fara Folk — Sat 11 Feb 8pm — £10 Fara brings together four exceptional and respected young musicians at the forefront of today’s Scottish folk scene. With vibrant and inventive arrangements full of rich harmonies, energetic fiddle playing and driving piano, Fara’s exciting live show features a mixture of self-penned and traditional tunes.

Harriet Singer-songwriter — Wed 15 Feb 8pm — £20 With her voice frequently compared to that of the late iconic Karen Carpenter, Harriet is a beguiling British singer-songwriter, garnering ever-increasing international media acclaim. Combining modern day influences with those from the ‘60s and ‘70s Harriet’s sound is timeless. Expect to hear tracks from her self-titled debut album.

Box office 0161 761 2216 — themet.biz

16 — 17

Music The Pitmen Poets Folk — Thu 16 Feb 8pm — £17.50 Celebrate the triumphs, tragedy, humour and hard times of north-east England’s coal mining tradition in an evening of music, song and spoken word, illustrated by atmospheric archive photography.

The Pitmen Poets features Billy Mitchell, Bob Fox, Benny Graham and Jez Lowe.

The Pitmen Poets

Wille and the Bandits Roots Rock — Fri 17 Feb 8pm — £10 A classic blues rock three piece much in the vein of Cream or The Jimi Hendrix experience, Wille and the Bandits take their sound beyond what is expected of a traditional line up, using bizarre instrumentation and eclectic influences.

The Blues Band Wille and the Bandits

Blues — Sat 18 Feb 8pm — £24 Thirty five years after forming a band ‘just to play the blues’, Paul Jones, Dave Kelly, Tom McGuinness, Rob Townsend and Gary Fletcher have earned a reputation around the world as one of the finest exponents of the blues tradition in all its forms.

Andy Fairweather Low and The Low Riders

Andy Fairweather Low and The Low Riders

Blues — Thu 23 Feb 8pm — £22 Andy Fairweather Low came to prominence as the lead singer in Amen Corner. Performing with The Low Riders, this tour sees the latest in a new chapter of the story develop.

Leveret

and the National Youth Folk Ensemble Folk — Fri 17 Feb 7pm — £16 Leveret features three of England’s finest folk musicians in an exciting collaboration. Andy Cutting, Sam Sweeney and Rob Harbron are each regarded as masters of their instrument. Together their performances combine consummate musicianship, compelling delivery and captivating spontaneity.

They are supported by the newly formed National Youth Folk Ensemble.

Steve Knightley

Landlocked Tour 2017 Folk — Fri 3 Mar 8pm — £18 Combining material from recordings for Steve Knightley’s solo Landlocked tour, one half of the evening will feature original and traditional songs of the land and the second half will draw on nautical themes. A BBC Radio 2 Folk Award winner Knightley has been rated one of England’s greatest singer-songwriters.

A Mr Kite benefit.

Michael McGoldrick, John McCusker and John Doyle Folk — Fri 24 Feb 8pm — £18 Michael McGoldrick, John McCusker and John Doyle, three of the world’s finest folk musicians and members of the BBC Transatlantic Sessions return to The Met.

The Grahams Americana — Fri 24 Feb 8pm — £12 A good time rockin’ recipe of country tunes cooked with some fire in the belly, served up by a bunch of excellent musicians who know their way around a stack of different styles.

Michael McGoldrick, John McCusker and John Doyle

Mama – An evening of Genesis music Rock — Sat 25 Feb 8pm — £14 advance / £15 door (standing) Mama faithfully reproduce the sights and sounds of a high octane Genesis rock concert with fantastic musicianship from acclaimed musicians.

Our World

ALFA Education Schools’ performance — Mon 27 Feb, Tue 28 Feb & Wed 1 Mar 7pm — £9 This thought-provoking musical celebration illustrates the many reasons why it is so important to take care of our planet. Performed by local primary and high schools alongside a professional ten-piece band.

The Grahams

Box office 0161 761 2216 — themet.biz

18 — 19

Music Jim Moray

Plus special guest Luke Daniels Folk — Thu 9 Mar 7.30pm — £12 Jim Moray will perform tracks from his new album Upcetera. It’s an album that places the narrative element of these songs centre stage, with Moray’s supple soaring vocal leading the listener by the hand through strange old stories.

Luke Daniels is an award-winning singer and composer whose solo show uses an original 19th century Polyphon machine as part of the performance.

Steamchicken Folk / Jazz / Blues — Sat 11 Mar 8pm — £10 Ceilidh-swing veterans, these seven talented and versatile musicians bring musical genres together.

Folk with a twist and a huge dollop of blues and ska, expect original material together with their own take on a few classics.

Rackhouse Pilfer Steamchicken

Americana — Thu 16 Mar 8pm — £10 Rackhouse Pilfer are a fiery and exciting band who have been getting rave reviews with their roots blend of Irish-­americana.

Daoirí Farrell and Damien O’Kane Trio Folk — Fri 17 Mar 8pm — £14 Traditional singer and bouzouki player Daoirí Farrell and Northern Irish musician Damien O’Kane double headline this St Patrick’s Day show.

Rackhouse Pilfer

Daoirí Farrell’s fluid vocals and instrumental musicianship are driven by a deep love of Irish traditional song.

Damien O’Kane is a musician of many talents.

Teamed with Steven Byrnes and Steven Iveson, this trio take traditional Irish music and adapt it for the twenty first century.

Daoirí Farrell and Damien O’Kane Trio

This Is England Club Night Club night — Sat 18 Mar 9pm — £10 The night promises a timeline of music from the feature film and subsequent TV series’ with a mix of 80s / ska / early 90s house from Andrew Shim (Milky) and Andy Ellis (Gadget).

Watch the film beforehand for a discounted rate of £15. See page 23.

Wishbone Ash TIE A6 D/S FLYER BLANK.indd 1

Ian Siegal

20/09/2016 18:26

Rock — Sun 19 Mar 8pm — £22.50 seated / £20 standing The legendary Wishbone Ash, pioneers of twin-guitar rock, perform tracks from their extensive back catalogue. Plus special guest to be announced.

Ian Siegal Blues — Fri 24 Mar 8pm — £12 Ian Siegal is widely regarded as the most compelling blues artist to have come out of Britain since the sixties.

The Theatre Ballads Horse + Bamboo Theatre

The Theatre Ballads

Folk / Theatre — Sat 25 Mar 8pm — £14 The ballad is a story, a story in song. In this newly commissioned piece, Horse + Bamboo depict songs of a great fight, a broken contract and a female smuggler, illustrated by puppetry and animation. Featuring Bryony Griffith, Kate Locksley, Ewan McLennan and John Kirkpatrick.

Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham

Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham

Folk — Thu 30 Mar 8pm — £18 With Aly’s passionate fiddle playing and Phil’s mastery of the accordion, the pair have won awards including Best Duo at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.

Together they are simply the best traditional musicians you will hear.

Brian Kennedy

Brian Kennedy

Box office 0161 761 2216 — themet.biz

Singer-songwriter — Fri 31 Mar 8pm — £20 Belfast singer-songwriter Brian Kennedy has recently released The Essential Collection a double album filled with all of his most beloved songs.

Expect to hear brand new versions of classics, including A Better Man, Captured and Hollow.

20 — 21

Music Manc Floyd Rock — Sat 1 & Sun 2 Apr 8pm — £12 Manc Floyd return to The Met to perform a selection of Pink Floyd classics. The performance will include a spectacular light show and stunning projections – a must see for any Floyd fan.

Lloyd Cole: Retrospective

Please note the Saturday performance is standing and the Sunday performance is seated.

Lloyd Cole: Retrospective

Playing the Lloyd Cole songbook 1983–1996 Rock & Pop — Tue 4 Apr 8pm — £20 To celebrate the release of the new 1983–1996 anthology, Lloyd Cole will perform songs exclusively from this classic period.

Megson Megson

Folk — Thu 6 Apr 8pm — £12 Debs and Stu Hanna have gained fame on the British folk scene with an infectious mix of heavenly vocals, lush harmonies and driving rhythmic guitars, combined with their northern humour.

John Tams and Barry Coope

John Tams and Barry Coope

Folk — Fri 7 Apr 8pm — £16 John Tams and Barry Coope are a unique collaboration. John is the composer of the music for the stage show War Horse and the TV series Sharpe.

Barry Coope is, of course, one third of acclaimed accapella group Coope, Boyes and Simpson.

The Shee Folk — Thu 13 Apr 8pm — £14 Building a reputation for innovative arrangements and immaculate live performances, The Shee have undoubtedly earned the respect of their peers.

“The Shee are phenomenal, their combination of Scottish folk with just the right amount of bluegrass is an irresistible rhythmic force.”

Spiral Earth

Big Whistle Festival

An Evening with Ian McCulloch

Folk — Fri 5 & Sat 6 May Featuring: Peatbog Faeries Lynched Skerryvore Calan Will Pound and Eddy Jay and many more

Film Bury on the Big Screen

by Bury Cine Society Stacey Kent

An Evening with Ian McCulloch Rock — Tue 18 Apr 8pm — £19.50 Iconic front man Ian McCulloch will be giving a rare solo performance that will feature stripped down versions of classic Bunnymen tracks as well as songs from his own solo catalogue.

Stacey Kent Jazz — Thu 20 Apr 8pm — £16 The internationally acclaimed and Grammynominated vocalist Stacey Kent performs music from her latest album Tenderly.

Tenderly sees Stacey return to familiar ground with her first album of standards and jazz-classics since the release of her breakthrough album of 2003, The Boy Next Door.

Moishe’s Bagel World — Fri 21 Apr 8pm — £14 A thrilling mix of klezmer, folk and jazz.

Stunning original compositions meet sublime traditional melodies, backed up by infectious foot-stomping grooves.

Box office 0161 761 2216 — themet.biz

Wed 15 Mar 7.30pm — £10 A year in the life of Bury recorded in HD. Highlights include two visits of the Flying Scotsman, the Bury Light Night, the Bury Show, the Lions’ Carnival and The Met’s refurbishment process from beginning to end.

This Is England Film Sat 18 Mar 7pm — £7 Shane Meadows’ feature film This Is England was released in 2007 to critical acclaim, and quickly made Lol, Woody, Shaun and the gang household names. This was followed up with the four-part television series This Is England ’86, co-written by Jack Thorne, which aired on Channel 4 in 2010, and This Is England ’88 a year later in December 2011. Five years later and 2015 saw the transmission of This Is England ’90, the final chapter in a decade of the landmark This Is England story.

This will be followed by a Q&A with Andrew Shim (Milky) and Andy Ellis (Gadget).

Keep the party going with the club night, buy tickets for both at a discounted rate of £15.

See page 21.

22 — 23

Learning Metro Jazz Every Mon 6.30pm–9.30pm Spring term: 16 Jan (half term 20 Feb) until 27 Mar; Summer term: 24 Apr (half term 1 and 29 May) until 10 Jul — £80 term / £55 concessions The Met’s community jazz orchestra led by Munch Manship welcomes all musicians of at least intermediate ability, vacancies for frontline musicians especially brass. Suitable for ages 16+.

Met Express Every Mon & Tue 7pm–9pm A drama group for people with disabilities.

This group is not taking new members, contact us to join the waiting list.

Mini Youth Theatre Every Wed 4.30pm–5pm — £3 per week Storytelling and improvisation for 5–8 year olds.

The Met’s Youth Theatre Every Wed 5.30pm–7pm — £3.50 per week For 9–13 year olds. Explore creativity through improvisation, games and activities while developing team building skills, voice projection and confidence.

The Company Every Wed 7pm–8.30pm — £3.50 per week The Company is The Met’s new in-house performance group. We aim to inspire performers to become creative independent artists equipped with the necessary collaborative and interpersonal skills for a successful career in the arts.

Interested in joining? You must be over 15 years, have an interest in performance and a willingness to develop your skills in weekly sessions. This also contributes to achieving the Arts Award.

Metro Jazz

Aiming High Every Sat in term time 9–13 years: 10am–11.30am — £3 per week 14+ years: 11.30am–1.30pm — £4 per week Drama and sensory workshops for young people with mental and physical disabilities. With plenty of artistic and creative opportunities these workshops are lots of fun and a great way to make friends.

Sacred Sounds Women’s Choir workshop Sat 28 Jan 10am — £25 This one-day workshop will explore the interaction between our voices and our life experience through techniques including mindfulness and overtone singing. No experience necessary, all are welcome The workshop is led by Jayson Stilwell, an overtone singer and healing sound practitioner with over twenty years experience as a teacher and performer.

Book early as only 25 places are available.

Performances by workshop groups: The Company performs: Three Billy Goats Gruff Mon 20 Feb 11am, 1pm & 3pm — £3 An exciting reimagining of the popular fable.

Join us at Billy’s barn for fun, interactive creative play and performance involving song and dance.

Suitable for children aged 2–6.

Spring into Summer with Metro Jazz Fri 31 Mar 8pm — £5 The Met’s community jazz orchestra, led by acclaimed saxophonist Munch Manship, perform a highly seasoned mix of the best foot-tapping jazz.

General information Peel Way

Bury Transport Museum

The Rock

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P Bolton St

East Lancs Railway

The Robert Peel

P et St Mark

Edw

P Library Gardens

Wa y

Kay Gardens

P

Bury

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Bury Art Museum

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Angouleme Retail Park

Mill Gate Shopping Centre

The Fusilier Museum

Ma n

bil

t in S

Angouleme Way

Castle Leisure Centre

Ju

P

Bury Parish Church

Bolt on S

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Bury Interchange

Bury Market

Getting here

Access

We are located at the town centre end of Market Street, near the entrance to the Mill Gate Shopping Centre. Our postcode is BL9 0BW.

The Met is a fully accessible venue. There are wheelchair spaces in both the Derby Hall and The Box, and full lift access to all floors.

We have an accessible toilet built to Changing Places standards.

By Metrolink The Bury Metrolink stop is just a few minutes walk from The Met. A journey from Manchester city centre takes about 25 minutes. Check www.metrolink.co.uk for times.

We have staff on hand to help. If you require a personal escort, we can supply them with a free ticket.

By bus Bury Bus Station is also just a few minutes from The Met. Services run from Manchester, Bolton, Rochdale and Rossendale. See www.tfgm.com for timetables.

Guide dogs are welcome, and water can be provided on request.

By car The nearest car park is at the East Lancashire Railway on Bolton Street. Parking is free after 6pm.

Visit www.bury.gov.uk/parking for a full list of town centre car parks.

Volunteer

Tickets & booking

To get involved contact Scarlet Ordish at scarlet.ordish@themet.biz or call on 0161 761 7107.

Call 0161 761 2216 Online www.themet.biz In person at The Met ticket office Bookings online or by phone include a one off transaction fee of £2.50, added at checkout.

There is no transaction fee for bookings in person.

If you have any special requirements call us on 0161 761 2216 and we’ll do our best to help.

The Met has a dedicated group of volunteers who assist with many areas of our activities. All volunteers are interviewed at application to ensure they get the most out of the opportunities we offer.

24 — 25

Hire The Met Whether it’s a conference or a meeting, a gig or a wedding reception, a rehearsal or an away day, we have the perfect room to suit your event at The Met. With venues large and small, we can accommodate any number from 3 to 400. We have a number of rooms for hire including the Derby Hall (273 seated / 400 standing) and The Box (90 seated / 100 standing), and more intimate spaces for meetings or training sessions including the Malt Bar, the Stanley Bar and the Card Room.

Our experienced staff can provide a range of services including catering from Automatic, sound and lighting by our technicians and full ticket office support.

Call 0161 761 7107 or email hires@themet.biz to discuss how we can make your event a success.

Edwin St Recording Studio Edwin Street is The Met’s recording studio, a versatile environment that can be used for bands, choirs, vocalists, string ensembles, voice-overs and even bagpipes.

Featuring state of the art equipment and superb acoustics, Edwin Street is perfect for all aspects of recording, mastering and mixing.

The studio offers affordable options for all.

Sessions start from just £30 per hour, and are free for young people living or studying in Bury.

For more details or to book a session phone 0161 761 7107 or email info@edwinstreetstudio.com.

Free for young people living or studying in Bury.

Diary Date

Time

Event

Page number

Jan Sat 7 8pm The Stumble Fri 13 8pm Tim Burgess (The Charlatans)

DJ Set Sat 14 8pm Nearly Dan Thu 19 8pm From Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads Thu 19 8.30pm New Comedian of the

Year Competition Fri 20 8pm Adam Holmes and The Embers Sat 21 8pm IQ Mon 23 7pm Orbit Wed 25 8pm Basco Fri 27 8pm Mat Walklate and Paolo Fuschi Sat 28 10am Sacred Sounds Women’s

Choir workshop Sat 28 8pm The Transports

14 14 14 8 12

14 14 13 15 15 24 15

Feb Wed 1 8pm Lemn Sissay Thu 2 8pm King Pleasure and the

Biscuit Boys Thu 2 8.30pm First Thursday Comedy Club Fri 3 8pm The Mustangs Sat 4 8pm Edwina Hayes Sun 5 8pm Breabach Wed 8 8pm Balsamo Deighton Wed 8 8pm Prison Game Thu 9 8pm Three Cane Whale Fri 10 7.30pm Jaywalkers Fri 10 9pm The Blockheads Sat 11 8pm Fara Wed 15 8pm Harriet Thu 16 8pm The Pitmen Poets Fri 17 7pm Leveret Fri 17 8pm Wille and the Bandits Sat 18 8pm The Blues Band Mon 20 11am Three Billy Goats Gruff Mon 20 1pm Three Billy Goats Gruff Mon 20 3pm Three Billy Goats Gruff Wed 22 1.30pm Musicians of Bremen Thu 23 8pm Andy Fairweather Low

and The Low Riders Fri 24 11am The Sorcerer's Apprentice Fri 24 8pm The Grahams Fri 24 8pm Michael McGoldrick,

John McCusker and John Doyle Sat 25 8pm Mama – An evening of

Genesis music Sun 26 7.30pm Jonathan Pie Mon 27 7pm Our World Tue 28 7pm Our World

13 15

13 16 16 16 16 8 17 17 17 17 17 18 18 18 18 24 24 24 11 18 11 19 19 19 12 19 19

Date

Time

Event

Page number

Mar

Wed 1 7pm Our World 19 Fri 3 8pm Steve Knightley 19 Sat 4 2pm There and Back Again 11 Tue 7 8pm Narvik 8 Wed 8 7.30pm Avenue Q 10 Wed 8 8pm Narvik 8 Thu 9 7.30pm Avenue Q 10 Thu 9 7.30pm Jim Moray (plus Luke Daniels) 20 Fri 10 7.30pm Avenue Q 10 Sat 11 2.30pm Avenue Q 10 Sat 11 7.30pm Avenue Q 10 Sat 11 8pm Steamchicken 20 Wed 15 7.30pm Bury on the Big Screen 23 Thu 16 8pm Dare Devil Rides To Jarama 9 Thu 16 8pm Rackhouse Pilfer 20 Fri 17 8pm Daoirí Farrell and 20

Damien O'Kane Trio Sat 18 7pm This Is England (The Film) 23 Sat 18 9pm This Is England Club Night 21 Sun 19 8pm Wishbone Ash 21 Wed 22 8pm Convicts and Lunatics 9 Thu 23 8pm The Book of Northern 12 Thu 23 8pm Hardeep Singh Kohli’s Mix Tape 12 Fri 24 8pm The Book of Northern 12 Fri 24 8pm Ian Siegal 21 Sat 25 8pm The Book of Northern 12 Sat 25 8pm The Theatre Ballads 9 & 21 Thu 30 8pm Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham 21 Thu 30 8pm Hypochondriac 10 Fri 31 8pm Spring into Summer with 24

Metro Jazz Fri 31 8pm Brian Kennedy 21

Apr

Sat 1 8pm Sun 2 8pm Tue 4 8pm Wed 5 8pm

Thu 6 8pm Fri 7 8pm Sat 8 7pm Thu 13 8pm Tue 18 8pm Thu 20 8pm Fri 21 8pm Tue 25 7.30pm Wed 26 7.30pm Thu 27 7.30pm Fri 28 7.30pm Sat 29 7.30pm

Manc Floyd Manc Floyd Lloyd Cole: Retrospective The Thing That Came From Over There Megson John Tams and Barry Coope The Lancashire Hotpots The Shee An Evening with Ian McCulloch Stacey Kent Moishe's Bagel The Full Monty The Full Monty The Full Monty The Full Monty The Full Monty

22 22 22 10 22 22 12 22 23 23 23 10 10 10 10 10

26 — 27

Thank you to our supporters Core programme and major capital funders

Capital project supporters

Corporate sponsor

Learning programme supporters

The Hobson Charity The John S Cohen Foundation With thanks to Walker Morris LLP Thanks to our patrons Joanne Collumbine and Keith Gillespie Noreen Kershaw Mark Potter Ian Warburton

The Met is a trading name of Bury Metropolitan Arts Association, a company limited by guarantee.

Registered in England and Wales No: 2370868. Registered office: The Met, Market Street, Bury, BL9 0BW. Registered charity No: 701879.

Brand & design: Instruct Studio