Norwich Arts Centre
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- Website www.norwichartscentre.co.uk
Andrew Maxwell
Irish scamp Maxwell shows why his reputation for moments of comedy genius is so well-founded.
Thu 18 Apr
£16.80 (£14.40)
Chris Difford
Chris Difford is a rare breed. As a member of one of London's best-loved bands, the Squeeze co-founder has made a lasting contribution to English music with hits such as 'Cool For Cats', 'Up The Junction', 'Labelled With Love', 'Hourglass' and 'Tempted'. Despite the fact that Chris has helped soundtrack so many fans' lives since his first release in 1977, the passion for innovation and love of playing still drives him to carry on writing rather than sit back and admire his handiwork. Chris recently celebrated his 60th birthday and for 41 of those years he has been writing with Glenn Tilbrook, very much the Odd Couple. When Squeeze take a break from the road, Glenn and Chris have been touring their 'At Odds Couple Tour' both in the UK and the US.
Chris and Glenn wrote a new Squeeze album based on the life of Danny Baker, it was the soundtrack for a BBC2 production called 'Cradle To Grave' staring Peter Kay. All original music, it became the first Squeeze record in 15 years. 'From The Cradle To The Grave' was a very exciting project for all concerned and it was so good to be back in the charts and on the radio again.
Over the course of a 13 album career with Squeeze, it was clear from the very beginning that Chris Difford has few peers when it comes to smart, pithy lyricism. His 'kitchen sink-drama' style has drawn plaudits from fans on both sides of the Atlantic, while his influence is keenly felt today. The likes of Lily Allen and Mark Ronson, Kasabian, Razorlight and The Feeling have all recognised the debt they owe to Squeeze's music and to Difford's way with words, while journalists were moved by his winning combination with Glenn Tilbrook to dub the pair 'The New Lennon and McCartney'.
Chris first learned to stand on his own when he wrote the lyrics for the fictional band Strange Fruit in the 1998 British comedy film 'Still Crazy', for which he won his first Ivor Novello award. Since then he has written and contributed lyrics for the likes of Elton John, Wet Wet Wet, Jools Holland, Paul Carrack, Lisa Stansfield and Bryan Ferry.
Chris has curated 'Songs In The Key Of London' event at the Barbican, bringing together musicians old and new such as Glenn Tilbrook, Suggs, Jools Holland, Blaine Harrison (Mystery Jets) and James Hunter, as well as students from the local community. A second event took place in Greenwich Park in 2011 with Gary Kemp, Chris Wood, UB40 and others. In 2014 'Songs In The Key Of London' took place in Regents park with Gregory Porter, The Strypes, Guy Barker Ed Harcourt and Sophie Ellis Baxter. A new 'Songs In The Key Of London' event is being planned for 2018.
Chris hosts songwriter workshops and has done so for over 25 years. In 2014 he formed a partnership with 'The Buddy Holly Foundation' to run a week of writing at Pennard House Glastonbury. Other writing events include Guardian Master Classes held in London and smaller events at The Rathfinney Wine Estate in East Sussex.
'Chris To The Mill' a box set of his 3 studio albums comes out in March 2017 on Edsel Records. Available also on Amazon. His forth studio album follows sometime in the summer, written with Boo Hewerdine it's called 'Not Only But Also' and is a collection of songs written in their spare time over the last three years. It's coming out on Boo's own label.
Tue 14 May
£24.75
Corduroy
NME award winners who specialise in soundscapes, infectious melodies and pure, groovy rhythms.
Thu 4 Apr
£16.50
The Leisure Society
We self-released our first single The Last of the Melting Snow in December 2008, swiftly followed by our debut album The Sleeper. It was named a Rough Trade Album of the Year, and iTunes Singer Songwriter Album of the Year. We were lucky enough to receive a lot of media support during that period, which intensified when Melting Snow, then Save it for Someone Who Cares received two consecutive Ivor Novello nominations for ‘Best Song, Lyrically and Musically’. Being the first unsigned artists to be nominated brought with it quite a lot of media attention. The nadir was probably the Sun headline ‘Ivor no idea who he is either’. Anyway, we signed to Full Time Hobby, re-releasing The Sleeper (+ bonus disc) and putting out our next 3 records (Into the Murky Water, Alone Aboard the Ark and The Fine Art of Hanging On) with them. In the intervening years we’ve enjoyed some amazing highlights and honours; packing the acoustic tent at our first Glastonbury, playing Meltdown Festival for Richard Thompson, then for our hero Ray Davies, (who asked us to record and perform new material with him), getting to work with Brian Eno, helping score our friend Paddy Considine’s debut film Tyrannosaur, performing with The Heritage Orchestra at The Barbican, touring the UK’s cathedrals with Laura Marling and building our own live following up to a Shepherd’s Bush Empire headline show. We’re currently finishing off our 5th album, the biggest, most ambitious one yet.
Tue 21 May
£14.85
Meat Puppets
The original line up of the legendary Meat Puppets are back together and playing at ULU Live - London on the 20th June 2019.
Legendary Arizona alt-rockers Meat Puppets returned with their first new album since 2013, and their first featuring their original lineup intact since 1995. Though brothers Curt and Cris Kirkwood reunited in 2006 and have toured and recorded together since then, the band's original drummer, Derrick Bostrom, has not recorded with the band since 1995's No Joke! The original Meat Puppets first reunited for a performance at the Arizona Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame in 2017, and subsequently began work on a new full-length. Now Dusty Notes, their 15th studio album, is due out March 8 on Megaforce Records. Also joined by Keyboardist Ron Stabinsky and Curt's son Elmo (guitar).
Tix on sale Monday 11th Feb at 10am.
Wed 19 Jun
£25.30
Molly Naylor: Lights! Planets! People!
Renowned space scientist Maggie Hill recently launched a career-defining mission to find habitable planets. It didn't go well. Shortly afterwards, her girlfriend stopped speaking to her. She's going to have to address both of these catastrophes. Maggie is giving a lecture about her career, to inspire young women to work in science. She's also attending her first therapy session, in which she's at pains to state how her bipolar disorder isn't relevant to the conversation. The spaces overlap as we begin to build a picture of Maggie's greatest achievements and biggest regrets. LIGHTS! PLANETS! PEOPLE! is an intimate and exhilarating story about communication, both interpersonal and intergalactic.
'Brave, funny, tough and beautiful writing.' The Guardian
Wed 8 May
£9–£11
Norwich Arts Centre, housed in the converted 14th-century church of St Swithun, has a lively programme of exhibitions and family events, but is also distinguished by a commitment to live performance, featuring touring bands and live comedy. The centre earned a small but notable place in rock history as being the venue where, in 1991, Manic Street Preacher Richey Edwards notoriously squicked out journalist Steve Lamacq by carving the words '4 REAL' into his own forearm. The centre has hosted many other bands and comedians, including Nirvana, Oasis, Coldplay, The Libertines, Mark Lamarr, Sue Perkins and Mark Thomas.
Norwich station is situated about 20 minutes away by foot, to the east of the city. Bus stops on nearby Westwick Street are served by routes 5, 28, 29, 29A, 29B and 29S.
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