Can Recommend
Busy busy busy! There was no newsletter last week as I have been away. I had a weekend in Filey, and discovered I quite enjoy watching cricket after a trip to see Yorkshire vs Hampshire at Scarborough Cricket Club – shame we lost, especially by such a small margin. I then headed up to Whitby and yes I saw lots of whales on trips with Whitby Coastal Cruises, I won’t bore you with the details but it was amazing. It may not sound like the most thrilling of holidays, but I love the Yorkshire Coast, and I discovered a new café in Whitby called Fanny’s. Insert your own joke here! It’s also worth a trip up the coast to Saltburn-by-the-Sea if you like traditional seaside towns: pier, funicular, tuppeny falls machines, beach, Cat Nab Fish & Chips is excellent, and lovely views.
I was straight back to work on the day of my return, and the following night went to see Hal Cruttenden at Theatre@41. I’ve only got into comedy shows in the last few years, and I am loving them. Support act Kuan Wen was fun, if sometimes a little cliched in his sharp observations of British people, I would go see him again preferably at a longer show. Hal Cruttenden was not rip-roaringingly funny, more of a witty meander into what happens to a divorcee after the dust settles and having lived it myself, it struck some chords.
I think the audience found this out as I am the woman on the front row Hal kept talking to, bit of a rabbit in the headlights moment for me! Several moments in fact, and for the record, I was enjoying myself thoroughly. He even dressed for the occasion, looking like a slightly struggling, rumpled and stained middle aged single male but was suited and booted in the pub afterwards. After the show we went next door to the Black Horse and in he walked, yes I got a photo and spoke to him, if only to reassure him I had not been upset or taken offence. He’s back at Selby on Saturday, I am debating going again but maybe this time keeping out of sight. I don’t want him thinking I am stalking him.
We also caught the second set of the band Subject to Status, first time at this venue and went down well. A great covers band if you enjoy rock but with some quirks with other genres thrown in but rocked up. They took requests from the floor, and obliged with great version of Killing in the Name towards the end.
It was a change of pace on Sunday for a bushcraft day at St Nick’s Nature Reserve, run by Forest Quest and this session was just for adults. Fantastic fun making shelters, a bit of wood whittling, tree identification and making fires. There’s something very satisfying in looking at a small fire knowing you created it. I wish I had thought to take marshmallows to toast.
This Week
We have a special event on Sunday at The Crescent with A Gig for Gaza. Starting at 6.30pm, Borgia, Cast, Fat Spatula, Knitting Circle, Lara McClure, Tom & Ethan from Captain Starlet and The Bricks will be raising money for Medical Aid for Palestine and Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund. Please note this is not a political event, it’s about trying to save the lives of children and adults living in a war zone. They’re dying from bombs and famine, and this shouldn’t still be happening in the 21st century in any country.
It has been organised by Navigators Art, which is a network of York-based artists, writers, musicians and performers who are opposed to bigotry in any form, and they work hard to achieve gender balance and across-the-board inclusivity in all their events and activities.
They work with community groups and projects to enhance and creatively interpret their activities for a wider audience. They’ve started the Micklegate Art Trail, put on performances and exhibitions, and they mentor new musicians, artists, poets/spoken word, comics and other performers, and give them an opportunity to work alongside more established names. And something else: they are volunteers. They have no physical base or regular funding. Navigators Art are keeping the arts alive in York, and are bringing on the next generation. Find them on the socials, and show them some love.
Also this week we have the Battle of the Bands continuing at The Fulford Arms, with Heat 3 on Thursday and Heat 4 on Saturday. Also on Saturday, Rock Paper Goose (surely goose wins every time?) are launching their album Okay! at the slightly more unusual venue of The Cyclist York café in the Hospital Fields Road branch of Cycle Heaven.
We have a few tribute act nights coming up, with the wonderfully titled Highway to Hull AC/DC tribute at The Fulford Arms on Friday, and next week on Wednesday we have Tekkin Back Sunday, not surprisingly a Taking Back Sunday tribute but with a Yorkshire slant, also at The Fulford Arms. The Busted Experience and local band Sweeping Statement will be their support acts.
La Bola Dorada Latin Night is celebrating their fourth anniversary at The Golden Ball on Friday. Head down there to dance to “the best Latin American music in a friendly space.”
If you want to carry on dancing into the early hours, there’s a free rave at The Drawing Board & Bluebox that carries on until 4am, advance booking is essential.
On Saturday night, Sotano and The Crescent both have DJ nights on, with Deviant Funk regulars and DJ Snafu in the Little Stonegate basement, and Irie Vibes with Dean Atkins and Jonny Crawshaw at the community venue.
On Sunday from 3pm TanGentle ViBes Flock @ The Inn will be starting a new open mic session at The Heworth Inn on Heworth Green.
For those who like gentler exercise, St Nick’s Nature Reserve is inviting people to join them on Friday from 10am for a walk and talk workshop entitled The Blackberry Line. They are collecting stories about the old Derwent Valley Light Railway, or Blackberry Line as it has become known, that is now the foot and cycle path that starts behind the Foss Islands Road Morrison’s and heads out of town. Your stories can be about your memories of the newer path, not just the old railway. There will be hot drinks and blackberry bakes back at the environment centre afterwards. If there are any blackberries left along the walk, there may be some blackberry picking going on too!
Moving into the weekend, it’s nearly mid-September but there’s still plenty of events going on. Poppleton Community Railway Nursery has a Heritage Open Day on Saturday (please note: no card payments). This is part of the Railway 200 celebrations. It’s the last show of the year for The Ancient Society of York Florists at Wigginton Recreation Hall, Holgate Carnival is at Acomb Primary School, and in the evening the St Leonard’s Hospice Moonlight Walk is taking place.
If you haven’t worn out your dancing shoes on Friday night, on Saturday there’s a Barn Bash Hoe Down at Kay’s Barn in Dunnington, and a Ceilidh with Alterego at Dunnington Reading Room. It’s all going on in Dunnington this weekend!
You can wind down on Sunday with an Autumn Craft Fair at York Cemetery Chapel, visit The Crescent Record Fair or check out the Bishopthorpe Community Festival.
There’s plenty of comedy coming your way over the next few weeks. Amongst others, on Thursday it’s Right Here Right Now improv night with Riding Lights in the Friargate Theatre, and Funny Fridays are returning to Patch at The Bonding Warehouse with Mick Tickner, James Earl Marsters, Kerris Gibson, Jamie Clinton, Hannah Margaret and hosted by Katie Lingo.
The autumn season at the theatres opens with Military Wives at York Theatre Royal on Wednesday and runs for the rest of the month, with Musicals Across the Multiverse at Theatre@41 also from Wednesday. On the same night, Pick Me Up Theatre starts Fun Home at York Medical Society on Stonegate where it runs until Friday of next week.
On Thursday, The Wizard of Oz opens at the Grand Opera House where it runs until September 20th, with Inspector Morse starting three days later. Disney’s The Little Mermaid opens on the same night at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre.
On The Horizon
York Fashion Week starts on September 16th, events include Mannequin, a great idea to get more people involved as the 80s film inspires windows in fashion shops around the city centre.
The following night Union Jill and Adderstone are at Rise@Bluebird Bakery in Acomb, for an evening of music, storytelling, comedy and raising money for Palestinian farming families.
Friday of next week sees the return of Ghosts in the Gardens, with more of the amazing wire sculptures appearing around the city. Maps will be available online on the York BID website, and from the Visit York information centre on Parliament Street.
There’s an event on Saturday I wish I had taken part in when I was younger and fitter: the Inflatable 5k on the Knavesmire. I managed a Pretty Muddy 5k, this event looks like just as much fun if not more.
And finally, York Lesbian Collective presents the ROAN Zine Party at The Den in the micklegate SOCIAL next Tuesday. They exhort you to put on your best outfits and get ready to take part in some serious community creativity!
There’s plenty more going on, please check the website and social media
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