Last chance to be Saved

Stop press Mit Senoj is unable to to lead the srtists tour on Saturday. Make sure you catch this show before it finishes.

Above the altar in Christ Church there currently hangs a small piece by artist Mit Senoj. Along with the other people in this challenging show this artist has a Macclesfield connection.Jerwood Drawing prize 2009 winner, Senoj leads a tour of the ten works by artists with a personal Macclesfield connection and introduces discusses his own work, this Saturday.
This groundbreaking exhibition finishes on Sunday. Not to be missed.

Save Us Christ Church, Macc 10am-4pm until Sun


Crucially also see Stowage in the old Shackletons Shop window at the top of Church street. It is a loop favourite part of Barnaby and ends this weekend also.
http://www.foundspace.co.uk/guide.html

This Is What We Do

If we were whales, we'd do this underwater:
meeting in a circle of sea-monoliths
a slow deep gathering of singing philosophers.

If we were apes - as we so nearly are -
we'd convene in the jungle canopies
a shrieking parliament of fruit and grooming.

But since we're human, what we need
to feed our appetites is carrot cake and Nora Jones;
ukuleles, geisha clowns and noodles;
forests of silk flags, and seas of sundrenched skin.

Since we're human, what we need is to keep each other close;
to gather somewhere we can play at being
nothing but ourselves.

The words of Jo Bell, Poet, boater, archeologist and procrastinator. The organiser of National Poetry Day across the UK, the Bugged Project and here, poet in residence at the Glastonbury Festival. Visit www.glastonburyfestival.com for this poem in full and other such insightful words.

Biddulph Festival

This year's Biddulph Festival kicks off tomorrow morning on the Town Hall steps when The Mighty Zulu Nation come to town alternating with slots from local bands Sugarlust and Toy Guns Club (from 10am). The festival is once again an action-packed affair with 53 events......taking place next Wednesday (June 30) at the Biddulph Arms with the LOCAL LIVE SHOWCASE rearranged from a snowy January. The evening will feature slots from some of the best local performers many of whom have played support slots over the last eighteen months. Starring Lizzie Campbell, Graham Dawson, Dave Dove and Robbie Sherratt (Blackfingers), Ali Heath, Hollie Lucas, Phil Maddocks, Jennifer Pickering, Pete Shirley and a couple of surprise guest appearances.

Biddulph Arms Wed 30 June £5 . the £2 off vouchers not valid as all the money taken will go to the artists, several of whom are still at school or college.
Information on all the festival events can be found at www.biddulph.co.uk

Photo of SAVE US at Christ Church Macc, by Louise Murphy

Something for the weekend?

For an exuberant write up about Barnaby see the Manchester Evening News: http://shar.es/mEU17

Start the weekend early and go and listen to Tornado Style at the Jolly Sailor on Sunderland St tonight at 9pm or the Year 10 concert at Fallibroome. ( 7.30pm).

If you haven't already seen the ground breaking Save Us exhibition at Christ Church get along sharpish. Watch though there is a controversial David Shrigley animation that may cause offence (if you choose to watch it). We loved it!

Keep the Barnaby buzz going with a peep at the archives in Macc library for pictures and records of Barnaby Holidays of old with Fairs and Frivolities..Catch the last few days of the fantastic Young Macc:Art in the Town Hall. Brilliant showing orff the best of Childrens Art from Schools in Macc.

Don't forget the marvellous Shackletons shop window at the top of Church St for the fanatstic Stowage Show. Check out those Morse Mints...then cross the road to G Fine Art for the Macc a new View photographs. Splendid! You can also see Moving Clay in Dukes Court until 27 June. Mixed show in this great space. Surely should become a longer term Art venue?

|More visual stuff from the Bollington Art Group exhibition on Friday & Saturday, (June 25 & 26 10.00am – 6.00pmsunday June 27 10.00am – 4.00pm) at Bollington civic hall, Palmerston st.

Get along to the Bandstand in South Park with your picnic for another Sunday concert 2-4pm. and for more music, The Unusual Suspects play Fresh on Saturday and there is a Blues Gig at the Hollins this Friday.

Check out Barnaby festival facebook page for lots more reviews and pictures of last weekend. That great atmosphere!

'In 2004, the Times named and shamed Macclesfield as the most uncultured town in Britain. Sometime last year, some very talented, passionate and clever people began plotting, in the back rooms of the town’s pubs, to stamp all over that image of our little mill town, and to bring back Barnaby.

Barnaby was the town’s historic weekend of wild, creative debauchery. In recent years it has faded away, but came back this weekend, and then some. In a whirlwind of art, cabaret, graffiti, poetry and opera, the whole town was swept up and tumbled around and came out smiling. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen so much smiling in Macclesfield come to think of it (we are northern, and a mill town after all)

We played a small part of it, with some very silly Alice in Wonderland storytelling as you can see here.

We are, it has to be said, on the floor with admiration that the slightly motley crew that make up the Barnaby team have pulled off such an amazing, marvellous feat. I know this post is gushing, but if ever there was a time to gush, this is it.

As one helpful soul said to us this morning, “that’s it then, you’re next up”. Gulp.'

Taken with permission from Just So Festival Blog. Take a look.www.justsofestival.org.uk

You said:

Victoria Scholes said...' My neighbour announced yesterday that she was suffering from Barnaby-lag, and she speaks for both of us. Now I've had a day to two to cool down and think about it, I find I haven't finished singing its praises. But it wasn't just fun, there was a general feeling of satisfying a real hunger for something like this. It energised traders, residents, council and local artists. It encouraged us to look differently at a place we have known for years. Visitors from out of town told us how lovely Macclesfield was. It is, but you know, I'd got a bit bored with it and stopped looking. Not only do I want a Barnaby Festival every year, I’m exciting about what it might mean for the vibrancy of the town. I’m really getting my head in gear to think about what I might do to do my bit… Well done to everyone, I love you.'

Victoria Scholes said... And what a triumph! For a long time I've felt that Macclesfield was a cutlural desert, but how wrong I was. Great work Loop, for championing the Barnaby Festival and preparing the ground for it to happen. I enjoyed fab arts, food and music, explored buildings unknown to me, and revisited ones I hadn't been in for years. I met lots of people I knew also enjoying the ambience, and actually started to feel like I am part of a community again. More more more! Please let's have one next year

Photo Loop Jane B courtesy Fiona bailey photography/whitegallery

Barnaby Fine and Barnaby Fair

Macclesfield's first modern revival of the Barnaby Festival was an astounding success. A palette of local talent and creative energy to rival any local festival from Edinburgh to St Ives; and bathed in sunshine. In celebration theLoop would now like you to ask you to share your thoughts, feelings, favourite memories and any photographs or video footage taken on the day. Feel free to comment here or contact us at: maccloop@googlemail.com

To start you off, here's a view of Jo Bell's Barnaby photograph album... you know Jo Bell organiser of all things spoken word, in particular, National Poetry Day, the Bugged Project and lest we forget poetic queen of Glastonbury.

Something for the weekend?

One word should suffice. Barnaby.

Actually there is also the glorious Farmers Market at Cloverbank on Saturday and the start of a Food an d Drink festival in Congleton on Sunday.

Theres bonkers cabaret tonight in Macc and Marionettes in the Library. Flaming Fire Show in the Market Place at 11.30. On Saturday Rock Out with Barnaby at the Fresh all dayer, get down with younger bands at Toast ( not Repent as in Brochure) after watching the wonderful parade, picnicing at the fete and getting hands on in the sculpture garden.Try and catch the Macc related film Control at Cinemac at 10pm ( not 11pm ). Have a good breakfast (at the Waters green foodie's market?) on Sunday before hitting the Art Market in St Michaels Church Yard,Frii Spray and the the Monkey Run Opera and a host of free events in the Market Place. Must get my strenghth up, there's serious fun to be had. PS Pick up an Art card ( Barnaby Stall in the Market Place) to guide you round the 22 Art venues. Yes thats right 22...

www.barnabyfestival.org.uk

An alternative breakfast

Just in the door from an extraordinary, grown up, potent Art Show in Christ Church. Blimey this didn't feel or look like Macc. The best thing :it really was a high quality challenging exhibition in an glorious disused Heritage Building. We left grinning.

One half of the Janes is playing poker with a romantic contortionist and a brace of comiedians. Someone's got to.(www.barnabyfestival.org.uk, only 12 tickets left).

Do it differently this Sunday with poets Jo Bell ( Dir National Poetry day) and Joy Winkler ( former Cheshire poet laureate). al PANINOS on Chestergate are hosting a Poetry Brunch. Grab a very good coffee and something crumbly and head upstairs to listen to Jo and Joy . Read some of your own work too if you want to, in front of a friendly audience.

Sun 20 June al Panino, Chestergate 11am-12noon. Poetry free
Pull the Other one Cabaret Fri 18 June 8.30pm £10 doors and bar (Nice beer). 9.30 showtime.

We are saved

Truly unbelievable. We are still reeling from the shock of this groundbreaking moment. ART. MACCLESFIELD.THE GUARDIAN Not three words that are ever heard together but this weekend 9 Barnaby Visual Art shows appeared in The Guardian Guide.
Crikey are we finally shrugging off The Times 'badge of shame'? One look at the Barnaby Festival Brochure, and the answer is a very loud 'yes'.

There are actually 22 Visual Art Exhibitions this coming weekend. Grab an Art Card ( avail at Art Venues soon) and hit the Art Trail. Maybe take a copy of the Art Start Childrens Quiz with you to lure your kids along. This will be available from the website to print off and at the venues themselves.Cinemac tickets and a Craft pack from the Art Store to be won.

Loop readers are invited to special openings this week.
Local Perspectives See previous post .
Moving Clay at Dukes Court Thursday 17 June 5-9pm 13 Cheshire Artists show their work.
Save Us Preview Opening 17th June 2010 5-9pm

An exhibition of ten emergent to established artists curated by Karen Gaskill.
Selected and curated on the connections of the artists themselves to the town of Macclesfield, and located in one of the town's oldest churches, Save Us reflects affinities to place, parish and the familiar.
Artists include: Andrea Booker, Ben Cook, Nick Crowe and Ian Rawlinson, Ian Davenport, Hilary Jack, Ralph McGaul, Mit Senoj, David Shrigley, Jen Southern and Daniel Staincliffe.

Arts Council funded.
www.barnabyfestival.org.uk

Art show :must go

The Ultimate loop social

Over the last eighteen months we have lured you out to hear live music, listen to charismatic poets, watch odd ball films and creative writers reading.
Now for the big One

Join us in the rather grand Assembly Rooms in Macclefield Town Hall for a completely off beat Cabaret from Time out award winning team Pull the Other One .

'London's Emporium of Variety, Comedy and Extravagance comes to Macclesfield with it's artful box of cabaret delights'.

There's humour, music and weirdness in roughly equal measure from this highly unconventional troupe.Comedy Award Winners Boothby Graffoe (oft heard radio 4) and Martin Soan star alongside the surreal up 'n' coming comedienne Holly Burn, and romantic contortionist Emmi Ogle. Also local handbag swingers, balloon modellers, as well as celebrated Macclesfield bard Tim Woodhouse and special guest, poet/ performer Jo Bell.

Friday 18 June
The Bar opens at 8.30pm so join us for a drink ( there's decent beer) at candlelit tables, before 'showtime' at 9.30pm. ( Sorry 18+ only, it may be risque!).
If you are game for a sprint you can even watch the footie and get to this too!

As we leave the Town Hall at 11.30 brace yourselves for enlightenment as the Market Place will be aglow with fire breathing and dancing ......

Please book in advance: Tickets £10 from Waterstones, Tourist Info Centre and the whitegallery Bollington, Also online at www.Barnabyfestival.org.uk

Let us know if you will be coming along, we really hope to see you there.
The Janes

Something for the weekend?

What we would really like to do this weekend is lie down in a darkened room with a cold compress. However as this is the last weekend before Barnaby there is simply too much to do!

Make sure you nip into town to buy your tickets for key events*: The Marionette Theatre Co at the library on Friday, The Monkey Run Opera and the extraordinary Jim Moray at Fresh on Sunday. For us the big one is the eccentric Pull The Other One cabaret at the Town Hall on the Friday night and we hope to get a good loop showing for this wonderfully peculiar night (with real ale too).

Delighted to see M&S behaving in such a 'local' way and truly joining in the spirit of the Festival. Look out for more creative windows too.

If you enjoy your Art with a glass of good wine in your hand ( who doesn't?.) then Renaissance Art and Wine have re badged themselves ( formerly Paragon) and have a wine tasting with their show on Saturday.

Moving Clay group of Artists have a new show opening in the upstairs Dukes Court Art Studios with a selling exhibition of paintings, sculpture, ceramics, glass, jewellery and textiles.

Fairs and Frivolities opens a Macc library, an intruiging visual record of Barnaby Holidays of former times taken from their archives..And they have a busy morning of free craft activities too. See posting below.

If you fancy some Trad Jazz, Annie's Saints and Sinners are stomping at the Egerton Arms in Chelford on Friday night and and you can hear Silk Brass playing on the restored band stand in South Park on Sunday ortry the Irish Acoustic night at the Hollins on Friday night. Meanwhile Dazed and Confused and the Screaming Beavers bring the music to The East Cheshire Hospice fund raiser GIG & A Game. You know which game..



*Tickets also available on line via www.barnabyfestival.org.uk
Renaissance Art & Wine Waters Green Art and wine tasting sat 11 June 9.30am-5pm 01625 502111
Moving Clay Exhibition 12-27 June Mon-Wed 11am-5pm Thurs-Sat 11am-7pm Sun 12-5pm Upstairs Dukes Court, Mill St, Macc 077823 12264
Fairs and Frivolities 12-26 JuneMon-Fri 9-5 Sat 9-1
Gig & A Game Sat 12 June 6.15pm £15 01625 433477
The Hollins Black Road, Macc

A Literary Calling...

Book lovers all, look to Waterstone’s in Macclesfield for some exciting up and coming events. This Thursday (10 June) between 7 and 8 pm hear local author, Elizabeth Horrocks talking about her latest release THE EDGE OF DOOM, a fantasy novel featuring the sandstone hill of Alderley Edge. Elizabeth is a BBC Mastermind champion.

And, a real booksigning coup, MEET Chris Cleave author of bestselling novels Incendiary and The Other Hand. Thursday 17 June between 11.30am and 12.30pm.
Both events are free of charge.

Plus... every Sunday hear Storytime in the Children's department. Turn up at 10am and be spun a wonderful weekend tale. With colouring fun and prizes too.

WATERSTONE'S MACCLESFIELD
01625 424212
www.waterstones.com

Barnaby Bunting!

Worth the Hike

Poems and Pints 5th Anniversary Party

They are CHEAP AND CHEERFUL –

Buy one Cheshire Poet Laureate and get TWO FREE!

John Lindley comes fresh from the success of latest book

The Casting Boat. His poetry is wise, witty and warm and he hosts Goostrey’s regular Poems and Pints evening.

Jo Bell and Joy Winkler bring us Never Throw Stones at Your Mother, a selection of readings on mothers and daughters. Bring your mother, your daughter and all the menfolk!

Wednesday 9 June 7.45pm

The Crown Inn, Goostrey

Tickets a mere £5 from Poems and Pints,

or from janet.ollier@tesco.net or call 01477 544467

Picture: courtesy Four Penny Circus

sculpt the birds

Ceramic Sculptor Helen Wright will be artist in residence on Saturday 19^th June from 1pm – 4.30pm at the Barnaby Sculpture Garden in Sparrow Park.

Helen will have some of her ceramics on show and is inviting people of all ages to come along and create a bird sculpture for Sparrow Park.

All work will be displayed in the Sculpture Garden for the Barnaby weekend

www.barnabyfestival.org.uk for more details

Fun to be had at the seaside. In Macc.

Jean Westbrook is planning all sorts of seaside themed activities in St Michaels Church over Barnaby weekend (18-20 June)centering around beach huts/deckchairs/sea/sand/Punch and Judy/ice creams/pebbles and donkeys!Come and join in and have a look at old pictures of Blackpool and and have a go at knitting, weaving, colouring, sewing, pin the tail on that donkey. She could do with some help though. Do you have any of the following you could give to Jean for this or can you lend a hand with the activities? WOOL; knitting needles; green, blue, yellow carrier bags (Argos ones are good), marker pens and pebbles. Contact her at nothing-quite-like-it@live.co.uk
www.barnabyfestival.org.uk for full details of the weekend's events.

A word from Garry White

We couldn't get a long to the bands heat on Friday night, so we asked Garry how it went... 'After a couple of hitches early in the evening everything went swimmingly and a good result was achieved. we are step closer to Barnaby Rocks Out with the addition of the final two acts on the bill namely Glass Ankle and Zap Zap Zap. The judges were unanimous in their verdicts which made life easier at the end.

My thanks go to Shelagh Malley, Jo Williams of Butterfly Jam, and Ross Massey of RoughTwist who helped me with the judging and did such a good job. And also to Jacko of RoughTwist for his help on the night.

It was really great to see so many of the bands who are playing BRO were there to see and encourage the contestants.

Regards, Garry'

Barnaby Rocks Out Sat 19 June 2010 £10 2pm-2am Fresh, Pickford St
See www.barnabyfestival.org.uk for full details

Image courtesy Glass Ankle