Is there a more exciting new band in Leeds right now than ALASKA? Not judging by their brilliant, disarming debut video ‘Girl’ (below).

Like a 21st Century episode of The Monkees with a wonky, woozy soundtrack by Pavement, how refreshing to see a few green shoots of recovery planted in the wasteland wilderness of landfill indie by a band exhibiting – dare we say it – a little personality?

‘Girl’ has notched up 700 YouTube hits in the five days since it’s celebratory premiere at The Packhorse. ALASKA’s debut DIY gig was a succinct yet thoroughly eclectic evening’s entertainment – as befitting the band’s bracingly tuneful, psychedelic garage-surf clatter.

The 100-strong crowd’s fervent reaction to the raucous spaghetti western rumble of Reptile – accompanied by giant video images of copulating insects –contrasted sharply with their spellbound silence during an equally beguiling acoustic support set by Samuel Foxton Welles.

Such is the scope and ambition of ALASKA’s occasionally hallucinogenic, but utterly ‘pop’ worldview.

With an appearance at the ever-discerning Green Man Festival confirmed for August, surely ALASKA’s addictive cult of personality will take root beyond their burgeoning Leeds fanbase before the summer’s out?

Take a look at ‘Girl’, and decide for yourselves.

www.alaskaofficial.com

www.samuelfoxtonwelles.co.uk

I feel remiss – I thoroughly enjoyed Big Society at The City Varieties and have been very tardy telling you about it! Luckily there is still time for you to catch it – Big Society is running until Saturday 4^th February, so book that ticket!

Of course I love Phill Jupitus and combined with Red Ladder Theatre and Chumbawamba you just know you are in for a rollicking evening. Written by Chumbawamba founder member and guitarist Boff Whalley, Big Society! A Music Hall Comedy features twelve new songs and follows the on and off-stage exploits of the cast of a music hall variety show. It’s 1910 and the cast is fighting for survival, threatened with shock/horror disclosures by a corrupt and moralistic newspaper, ‘The Double Standard’. Trapped between an elitist, public-schooled government and a two-faced, mercenary press, the performers grapple to justify their existence and hold onto their jobs – that is, until Eve, escapologist and mistress to King Edward VII, decides to take things into her own hands.

The other big star of the evening was City Varieties itself. What a perfect little theatre. It’s small, intimate and you are drawn into the performance. As the cast arrived wandering down the aisles playing their instruments it was so right. My only complaint about the whole evening was that it could have been a bit more hard hitting – after all, ‘The Big Society’? There was so much to go after.

But catch it while you can – you really will enjoy it. Tickets (£10 – £17) are available from the City Varieties Box Office on 0113 243 0808 or www.cityvarieties.co.uk.

Photos: Tim Smith

Northern Ballet opens its spring tour with Perpetual Motion, a programme of short dance pieces, at the Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre from 9^th – 18^th February.

Perpetual Motion features a mixture of work from well-established choreographers including Christopher Hampson, recently appointed as Artistic Director of Scottish Ballet, and Northern Ballet Artistic Director David Nixon. It also presents the choreographic debut of Northern Ballet Premier Dancer Kenneth Tindall, and a piece by Ballet Master Daniel de Andrade.

“Performing a mixed programme is important as it offers the Company and audiences the chance to experience different styles of dance”, said David Nixon. “Bringing in other choreographers also offers new opportunities to the dancers and introduces a new direction for them to explore.”

Perptuum Mobile, by Christopher Hampson, is set to Bach’s Violin Concerto in E Major and celebrates dancers’ strength with spins, jumps and beats. Kenneth Tindall’s Project #1 is set to music by Dinah Washington and Max Richter and was developed to highlight the dancers’ individuality. Glass Canon by Daniel de Andrade is a high energy and mischievous piece set to ‘Tanzt Glassidic’, which is Moishe’s Bagel’s mischievous take on what it might sound like if written by Phillip Glass. And, The McGoldberg’s Jig and Reel has a comedic black and white 1920s cinema feel to it.

The programme is rounded off with Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, with five couples fusing ballet and jazz. Choreographed by David Nixon, Rhapsody in Blue forms part of the Northern Ballet production I Got Rhythm, the full production of which will be at Leeds Grand Theatre in May.

Photo: Jason Tozer

Greg with England Head Coach Stuart Lancaster

Greg Mulholland MP met the England Rugby Union squad at a special open training session at the Leeds University training ground at Weetwood, last week. The squad are training at the West Park Rugby Club, Bramhope, all week, ahead of the opening round of Six Nations next weekend.

Besides their training at West Park, the squad has also run training sessions for children there and in Otley.

Greg, who plays both codes of the game, and plays for the Commons and Lords Rugby Union team, met with the interim England coach, Stuart Lancaster and some of the squad, who are fighting for a place in England’s opening fixture against Scotland at Murrayfield next Saturday.

“It is fantastic to have the England Squad here in Leeds North West”, said Greg. “It was great to chat with Stuart Lancaster, who was involved at Leeds Carnegie for many years as the academy coach and as director of rugby. He still lives in Headingley and is a constituent of mine!

“The decision to hold their pre-Six Nations training camp here has proven a great success and praise must go to Stuart, who decided to bring the team to Leeds rather than the usual camp they hold in Portugal. I wish the whole team the best of luck in the upcoming Six Nations; I’m sure that under Stuart’s leadership they will put up a strong fight and look to emulate the success of last year’s competition.”

If Walls Could Talk, which presents true stories, punctuated with live music, told by the people who’ve lived them, is the debut show from the young, Leeds-based theatre company Tip of the Tongue.

After a five-star run at the Edinburgh Festival, Tip of the Tongue returns to The Carriageworks for two nights only. With two new guests to share their stories, If Walls Could Talk promises a unique performance with every show. The company works collaboratively to produce engaging theatre that is universal in its essence. Performers Will Barwick, Louisa Beadel, Tom Black, Alison Ford, and Emma Lawson have worked extensively with Aireborne Theatre Company, Dugout Theatre and Ravenrock.

Creative Director Patrick Turpin is an award-winning stand-up and sketch comedian. Past work includes Finish Your Story, the scratch performance that catalysed If Walls Could Talk, and True Tales at the Left Bank – a series of not-for-profit storytelling events held in Leeds, which featured local residents telling true stories from their lives. It is a simple idea, but one that celebrates life experience and the art and craft of storytelling.

If Walls Could Talk is Upstairs @ The Carriageworks on Thursday 2^nd and Friday 3^rd February at 7.45pm (1.00hr). Tickets from 0113 224 3801, www.carriageworkstheatre.org.uk  For further information regarding Tip of the Tongue, email tipofthetonguetheatre@gmail.com or visit www.tipofthetonguetheatre.blogspot.com

Fashion Pony will be the headline sponsors at the ‘Vau Vau’ Charity Fashion Show and Art Market on Friday 27^th January at Left Bank, Cardigan Road, Leeds.

Currently in its second year, the Vau Vau Charity Fashion Show is organised by Leeds photographers Toria Brightside and Emma Parry, and aims to raise money for chosen charities – 100% of the proceeds will be shared equally between Cancer Research UK and Guide Dogs for the Blind. The event will also showcase and raise awareness of local creative talent.

Sponsored by Fashion Pony, an online fashion boutique which specialises in fashion from independent and emerging designers, the evening promises to be extremely entertaining, with a catwalk show featuring clothes from local stores and designers, including Bo Carter (one of Fashion Pony’s resident designers), Best Vintage, Bird Shell and innovative latex designer Eustratia.

In addition to the catwalk show, there will also be an exciting art and fashion market, consisting of up to 30 stalls selling everything from vintage clothing and alternative accessories, to custom graffiti canvases. Well known photographers and artists from Glasgow and London will be exhibiting, together with work by some of the best Leeds fine art and photography students.

Doors open at 7.30pm. Tickets (£8) available from Dusty & Dylan, Otley Road, Headingley; Rebel Pin Up & Paper Dress, New York Street;  Best Vintage, New Market Street; or email hello@emmaparry.co.uk  or  toriabrightside@hotmail.co.uk

Brooke Kinsella, Leslie Ash, Abigail Burdess & Tara Flynn.                         photo: Steve Ullathorne

City Varieties is racking up the shows for 2012. One to catch in February is All the Single Ladies. A new comedy written by Abigail Burdess (That Mitchell & Webb Look), it has all the hallmarks of a good night out – lies, deceit, embarrassment, regrets, hangovers and revenge!

This is Abigail’s first full length play. Starring Leslie Ash, Brooke Kinsella, and Tara Flynn, it explores the love lives of three women in the festive glow of New Year. We caught up with Abigail just before rehearsals were due to start and asked her how she had found the experience. “This has been really enjoyable”, she told us. “For the first time I was writing for female voices and drawing on characters I knew well. It revolves around three single women with a bit of life experience behind them, but whose focus in life is not necessarily being attached to a man.”

Abigail started out training as an actor at The Drama Studio London, where she met a bunch of people who were interested in comedy. Once she had started down that road it seemed to gather its own momentum. As well as appearing and writing for That Mitchell and Webb Look, she has also written for Lucy Montgomery’s Variety Pack on Radio 4, appeared at The Edinburgh Festival both in sketches and her own one-woman show, and she was recently commissioned to write some more sketches for BBC Online with Cicily Giddings.

Writing for the stage has presented other advantages too. “Unlike stand-up, writing a play gives you the time to set up situations”, explained Abigail. “Every line doesn’t have to be funny, there are fewer restraints. It was far more enjoyable than I expected and I’m looking forward to doing more.”

All The Single Ladies is at City Varieties from Monday 13th to Wednesday 15th February. Details: 0113 243 0808 or www.cityvarieties.co.uk

Absolutely No Agencies, thank you.

Soprano Lucy Watmough recently collaborated with an old school friend, Chris Bevan, to record a song to raise funds for the Help for Heroes campaign. The friends both studied music at Prince Henry’s Grammar School in Otley but went their separate ways when Chris left to study at Leeds College of Music.

They were reunited earlier this year when Chris contacted Lucy to see if she would consider singing the song that he had composed, with lyrics by Miki Stokoe. “I hadn’t seen Chris since Prince Henry’s”, said Lucy, “and his call came a bit out of the blue. He said he wanted to create a piece of work that demonstrated the respect that today’s youth has for the sacrifices that our armed forces are constantly making for us and I was happy to help.”

In July the team made a start on the music video, shooting the first part of it on location at a military preparation college in Wrexham, with help from Kevin Petch, music photographer and Sean Lloyd as project co-ordinator. The second part of the video and the recording of the song itself took place at Dave Ashman’s studio in Castleford in October.

The video is on youtube as well as selected city centre big screens. A download of the single will be available from iTunes, Amazon mp3, HMV digital, Napster and many more digital music retailers. All royalties will go to Help the Heroes.

Directed by Tom Bellerby, Associate Artist of Pilot Theatre, the show, which centers on the idea of writing a message to yourself in the future, fuses together poetry, theatre and elements of a writing workshop, creating a unique and interactive experience for audiences of any age.

Henry performs a range of his poems focusing on growing up – from cartoons, comics and crayons, to teenage crushes, alcohol and friendship. The audience is encouraged to write their own letters to their future selves, packed with memories, loves, ambitions, hopes and funny stories.

“I’m very excited to get Letter to the Man (from the boy) out to new audiences”, said Tom. “It’s a unique piece that not only presents Henry’s brilliantly honest, comic and intelligent poetry, but also gives the audience a chance to reflect on their memories past and present.”

Henry was recently appointed the Associate Director of the 2012 Takeover Festival and has been accepted onto the prestigious young writers course at The Royal Court Theatre.

Letter To The Man (from the boy) will be at the Workshop Theatre, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane 1^st & 2^nd February and City Screen Basement, Coney Street, York on the 10^th February. 

For further information, e-mail tombellerby@hotmail.co.uk