Helposter Blog

When new bands become massive it’s always nice to be the smug person who can claim to seeing them play when know one else knew who they were. Everyone is bound to think that you are the coolest person they know and treat you like some kind of god. Well not really, but if you do want to see some bands headed for the big time, then here are my tips for the hot bands on small stages this summer.

The Brute Chorus. I have seen the Brute Chorus play in London a couple of times and at Glastonbury this year on the BBC ‘introducing’ stage. They are signed to Bumpman records (The Hawley Arms label). They have a bluesy folk sound but dirty and rough around the edges. Fans of Nick Cave or The White Stripes would appreciate this band. Catch them at Greenbelt Festival in Cheltenham, 25th August or at Grassroots Festival in Peterborough 6th September.

The Wave Pictures have been together for a quite a long time and the past year has seen them gigging more and release ‘Instant Coffee Baby’ on Moshi Moshi. You can catch them at The End of the Road Festival in September and I would expect by the end of this summer they will be very big. The Wave Pictures have been one of my favourite bands of this year and I really believe in their world domination potential. They are truly brilliant.

Belvoir Castle will be having a Fireworks display on Saturday set against the awesome back drop.
For the second year in a row MLE Pyrotechnics is holding the event in the premise of the Duke of Rutland’s family house with the crowds performing as judges.

Vanessa one of the promoters, said: “It’s a genuinely good place to be hosting such a night. The fireworks are all set off from behind the lake and are reflected in the H2O.”

Visitors will be treated to 3 organisations from across the land vying for that extra pizazz to win over the audience’s voting.

The firms are Celebration Fireworks from Evesham, Pyromania Displays, Knaphill in Surrey and Spyrotechnics from Chesterfield a 10 or 15 min show with music will be presentation but that isn’t the end of it

Before the contest there will be a demo to hear about the various types of pyrotechnics and see how the teams use them to make their marvelous presentations that dance to the music.

And while guests are voting the nite will be capped off by a breathtaking pyro-musical presentation by the promoters.

With beginnings in 2002 this annual show, Is proving to be immensely successful. The three lead professional firework companies chosen for this year’s event have gained many important titles between them including the British Champions, British Musical Champions and Firework Champions.

And it’s more than fireworks, a Khoom Fay or Sky Lanterns are seen to fill the sky as they softly float in the distance.

Parking and camping is of avail on site and visitors can turn up from 5pm so enjoy the intellectual nourishment and drink accessible from accredited vendors or contribute a hamper while loosening in the glorious grounds of Belvoir Castle.

Unless you have plenty of time, being in the right place at the right time to get a ticket for a sports event or music gig is never easy. For example, the entire U2 have just sold 2.5 million tickets for their 2009 tour of the States. So just how can a person who’s got a full time job get their hands on a ticket if they’re selling out so quickly?

Go online and purchase one.

Not so long ago, the only way to get a second-hand sports or concert ticket was through a ticket tout at the event itself. This inevitably meant getting cheated, or even perhaps being given bogus tickets which would likely be spotted as you entered the gig – meaning you miss the game or concert while wasting your money by being gypped.

Nonetheless, the situation has improved for sports and music devotees. The secondary ticket niche has cleaned up its act in the last 10 years or so, thanks to the internet. These days there is a huge amount of competition to resell tickets on the internet, the industry has actually become self-regulating. The tickets you sell don’t have insurance? I’l get my ticket from another website! Many ticket sellers offer insurance if the sports event / music gig is called off. And with stiff competition online, secondary tickets have come right down in price to the stage that sometimes you’re not spending a lot more than the actual initial price of the ticket. Many ticket buyers compare prices between dozens of vendors selling secondary tickets for the same event / gig. They evaluate the sale prices, seating, insurance, and even history of the seller before making a decision – so the power has considerably shifted away from the tout of days gone by to the ticket purchaser.

Nowadays you can buy tickets for many kinds of concerts and sporting events. From cricket to soccer to basketball matches, to getting hold of decent seats for a world famous band; secondary tickets offer up a 2nd chance to go to the gig you want to see. So what to expect on the web? Simply use a search engine and type in your phrase like V2009 tickets, and you will see a large array of resale ticket agents who have the ticket you’re searching for.

Not everyone is happy with the idea of secondary tickets though. Some people call resale ticket vendors as spongers, and desire to see the forbiddance of resale tickets. They are missing the point of secondary tickets : there are people who simply do not have the time to line up for tickets.

JLS has been announced as one of the major acts that will be taking the stage for this season’s Sound Island Festival at Birchington’s Quex Park.

Though they were only the runners-up from the most recent season of the X Factor reality talent series, the gifted foursome has built up quite the reputation for a dynamic live performance among fans and critics. This performance should be especially appealing to those fans that have been following the boys since they first landed their audition on the show, as it will be the first show to showcase songs from JLS’s upcoming debut album.

The first single from that album is slated for release in June, and the guys couldn’t be more excited about the prospect. The album release will follow in September, but fans have the opportunity to preview the music from the album at the Sound Island Festival, which will take place during a weekend at the end of July.

There are still many more bands that haven’t yet been announced to perform at the festival, though another headliner for the event will be the American girl group the Pussycat Dolls. The hitmakers – whose lineup includes Nicole Scherzinger, girlfriend of Formula One racer Lewis Hamilton – are scheduled to play on Saturday, July 25 as part of their aptly titled tour, Doll Domination.

Tickets for the event are only £32.50, and are currently available from gigantic.com, or via the 24 hour service hotline at 0115-912-9000. They can also be purchased locally from Margate Winter Gardens: 01843-296111/292795.

What exactly is a Gong?

The gong is a musical instrument in the percussion family.
A gong can have either a definite or an indefinite musical pitch. Usually gongs that produce a definite, specific tone are played with other specific-tone gongs in a setting like traditional Gamelan, or an innovative rock concert like the Grateful Dead.

Are there different types of gongs?

Gongs come in a variety of sizes, styles, and shapes. Like dialects of language or sects of religion, the instrument evolved differently in each location and culture it was used.
Many gongs are flat, but some have a central dome, also called a nipple. The outside rim of the gong is usually turned down; it is not sharp-edged like a cymbal.

Generally, you can think of gongs as having two basic styles: Suspended and Bowl.

Suspended gongs, which are more flat, are called such because they are literally suspended. They are hung vertically using a chord that is passed through holes close to the rim. Suspended gongs are played with a mallet or bamboo stick.

Bowl gongs are called such because they are literally bowl-shaped. They can rest on the ground or special cushions. Bowl gongs can be played in several different manners. A musician can bang a bowl gong with a mallet, but might also rub the rim with his or her finger to elicit a whole other sound.

How are they made?

Gongs are constructed of hammered metal. Most are made out of bronze or brass, but with an amalgam of other metals.

Although a lot of gongs are made in China, they are not mass produced like televisions or plastic toys. Each one is handmade.

If you hear a particular gong, like it and order that style, you must expect that the one you get may not sound exactly like the first one you heard. Minor differences are to be expected, and should be embraced. Don’t worry though! Most gong styles, thanks to design specifics, maintain a similarity of tone to the untrained ear.

Andrew Borakove is a media writer and gong aficionado. He also is the proprietor of the internet store, Gongs Unlimited. http://www.gongs-unlimited.com

You can find more info on Gongs there, and all kinds of gongs and related instruments for sale.