#Butlins Music Weekend

[iamdjgordon]

Mighty Hoopla Big Weekender ‘24 part 1 🍭✌🏼🎶

[allthegeopolitics]

A group of trans people were dragged from a female toilet at a music festival being held at a Butlin’s venue at the weekend, in what has been described as an “obvious display of transphobia” and an “unprovoked act of aggression”. The incident happened on Saturday night (5 October) at Bang Face, an electronic dance music festival, at Butlin’s Skegness Resort, and involved a third-party security team.

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[thelenazavaroniarchive]

1st December 2024.

𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟗𝟕𝟒. Lena was mentioned in Hollywood Hot-Line and the French magazine; Madmoiselle Age tendre.

𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟗𝟕𝟒? Lena at the Grudko’s house. she stayed with them when she was in London until 1978. Photographs via the fan club.

𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝟏𝐬𝐭 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟗𝟕𝟕. Lena appeared at The Roxy Theatre, Harlesden.

𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝟏𝐬𝐭 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟗𝟕𝟕. The Gwent Gazette reported that Phil Jones had won the Butlin's Star Trail competition final held at the London Palladium, this is the event mentioned on the 27th November where Lena appeared in the post competition cabaret show.

𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 / 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟗𝟕𝟖. Lena attended a party for Liza Minnelli.

𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝟏𝐬𝐭 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟗𝟕𝟖. In America, the weekend television pages for the coming week mentioned that The Carol Burnett Show with Lena as a guest would be shown on Tuesday at 7:00 pm.

𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝟏𝐬𝐭 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟗𝟕𝟗. In Music Week, Somewhere South of Macon was still getting very little radio airplay.

𝐓𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝟏𝐬𝐭 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟗𝟖𝟏. The Liverpool echo published an interview with Lena.

𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝟏𝐬𝐭 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟗𝟖𝟐. The Edinburgh Evening News mentioned Lena's show the previous night.

When he found out that Lena was in hospital, Frankie Howerd sent her flowers and a get well soon card / letter.

𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝟏𝐬𝐭 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟗𝟖𝟐. The Western Daily Press commented on the amount of energy that Lena put into the show.

Could she have been fed amphetamines to get through the shows?

𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟗𝟖𝟓. Flyers were distributed with a booking form on the back for Aladdin at The Wimbledon Theatre.

𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝟏𝐬𝐭 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟎𝟏. "Funk" by David Thompson was published. again Lena was blamed for contributing to Stax Records' fall from grace.

[whatsonmedia]

Thursday Thrill: March Madness Your Ultimate Weekend Rundown!

Get ready to dive into an exhilarating whirlwind of events this weekend! From legendary music festivals to uproarious comedy nights, there's something for everyone to enjoy. Let's explore the electrifying lineup awaiting you Southport Weekender 15 - 17 Mar Southport Weekender is three epic nights in Spring for the annual event that's earned itself a reputation of being called The World's Friendliest Party!  It's been going for 25 years having evolved each year to become a premier sellout EDM UK event. The legendary Southport Weekender is always in high demand. It's one weekend on the annual dance music calendar that's become legendary and not to be missed. It's a weekend where 6000 like-minded dance-music lovers turn up with one thing in mind. To escape from the norm for the mother of all benders taking over Butlins, in Bognor Regis.  You turn up, get your chalet keys, and get on it straight away.  No worrying about driving anywhere for the whole weekend.  Featuring a massive stage production across six arenas with state-of-the-art sound systems.  It's going to be pure dance music heaven. This year the line-up is off the chart featuring one of its biggest line-ups of famous DJs flying in from across the globe including Kerri Chandler, Mr. Scruff, Moodymann, Inner City, Kenny Dope, Wookie, David Rodigan, Brandon Block, Barbara Tucker, Tony Humphries, Loose Ends, Ron Trent, Louie Vega, DJ Spoony, Mr. Thing, Natasha Kitty Katt, Craig Smith, Neil Pierce, Shortee, Shy One, DJ Spen, E Double D, Rampage, MC Rankin, Gordon Mac, MC Shaq D, D-Nyce, Mike 'Ruff Cut' Lloyd, Brand New Heavies and more It's a beautiful south! Tickets & More Info SpringFest Rave 16 Mar Nice Underground hosts the almighty Day rave at Lab 11 In Birmingham's best and lives’ clubbing district. Party-loving ravers can expect to hear the finest heart stopping sounds of the Bassline, Club Classics, and UK Garage dance music genres.  Keeping the dancefloor packed all night long.  If this sounds like something you fancy, getting hot and sweaty surrounded by like-minded friendly Brummies. You are sure to have a bangin' SpringFest rave! Hosted by one of the standout underground club brands, who definitely know how to throw a big party.   With three different arenas to choose from. All of which feature a line-up of quality artists who deliver on their Djing A-game. Headline acts DJ Luck & MC Neat, Joe Hunt, Moppa & Dekka, Pied Piper, Mc DT, Ms Pink, Hyperactive MC, Trudos Sounds, Shorterz, Sandi G and other stellar DJ talent. Lab 11 will be looking mighty fine dressed up for its best night including special fx, a massive production, dancers, glitter stations, and all the best festival vibes! It's one of the raves with a fierce reputation for selling out. And ticket availability is down to the last 10%! So if you're up for a mega danceathon with like-minded ravers go and snap your tickets up before you're left out in the cold. Time to get naughty and NICE! Tickets & More Info Tomorrowland Winter 16 - 23 Mar Tomorrowland is known to host some of the biggest and most famous summer festivals on the globe. Taking their festivals to the next level back in 2019 the festival promoters held their first winter festival adventure.  Where a staggering 25,000 ravers from around the world turned up for a mind-blowing dance music festival that was off the chart like no other on their festival dreams and expectations. Back again for its third instalment on the global festival calendar, 22,000 global festival goers return for an exceptional Tomorrowland Winter offering. For a week-long festival which is both unique and epic.   And one festival not to be missed! Set in truly, beautiful surroundings high up the magnificent mountains of the L'Alpe D'Huez piste, France, where you can have your best danceathon, meet old friends and new, get hammered, and go skiing and snowboarding. This year its promoters are taking things to the next level! With two brand-new stages, Youphoria (in the heart of the ski resort) and Frozen Lotus (in the mountains). What is not to like?  With a menu of dance music that caters to everyone, it's sure to take all lovers of EDM to their happy place. Throw in a line-up of exceptional elite DJs flying in from all corners of the globe.  It's one winter sun festival to be top of your festival bucket list.  The headliners include Armin Van Buuren, Afrojack, Steve Aoki, Netsky, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Tchami, Sebastian Ingrosso, Lost Frequencies, Kölsch, Yves V, Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano, Da Tweekaz, Malaa, MATTN, Kevin De Vries, Andromedik, The GOODBOYS, MC Chucky, 3 Are Legend, Amber Broos, B Jones, Henri Pfr, Konstantin Sibold, Mark with A K, Regi It's gonna be a big one on the piste! Tickets & More Info Lollapalooza Chile 2024 15 - 17 Mar Lollapalooza brand is synonymous with clubbers from all over the world.  Hosting annual festivals. This weekend, Lollapalooza returns to its festival site at the Hipódromo de San Isidro in Buenos Aires, Chile. The South American edition takes its festival-goers on a magical trip of discovery and adventure that not only features influential Chilean music acts, with a double whammy of seeing some famous world music artists that the world has to offer. The festival offers all the usual festival thrills and more to give you the best memories. This year lineup features Above & Beyond, Arcade Fire, Blink-182, Diplo, Hozier, Jaden, Jungle, Nothing but Thieves, Phoenix, Pierce the Veil, Rina Sawayama, Sam Smith, The Blaze, The Offspring, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Timmy Trumpet, ZHU and more La La Loopie! Tickets & More Info Just For Laughs 16 Mar It's St Patrick's Day weekend and for those of you who'll be in the capital to celebrate this very special day and sinking a few pints of the Guinness and watching the St Patrick's Day parade. London's iconic Indigo O2 is hosting a star-studded comedy event making sure this is a highlight of the you’re going Out weekend. Featuring a line-up of stand-up comedy's finest talent. To be sure, there'll be nonstop laughs in bucket full! Hosted by some of the UK's funniest comedy elite, 'Mock the Weeks' very own Dara O Briain brings a very special evening of Irish comedy gold with Dara’s friends Deirdre O' Kane, Andrew Mazwell, and Ardal O' Hanlon Tickets & More Info Read the full article

[thehappyhomecook]

My my, how the mighty have fallen. I remember listening to Wheatus as a kid and thinking they where the best thing since sliced bread. Once dominating the charts with teenage dirt bag bow they’re reduced to weekend gig in A Butlins holiday camp! #wheatus #teenagedirtbag #music #rock #rockstars #song #butlins #holidaycamp #holidaypark #holiday #throwback #charttoppers #album #musicians #saturdayvibes #weekend #blog #blogger #bloggerlife #vlog #vlogger #vloggerlife #band #musicband #musicgroup (at Chipping Sodbury High Street) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bvok4b0gg09/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=k3kq2ze7peiz

[brn1029]

this day in Music History...

August 14th

1958 - Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley's mother Gladys died. At her funeral two days later Presley was so overcome with grief he was unable to stand and had to be supported. Over 500 police were at the service to keep the gigantic crowd at bay.

1962 - The Beatles

Unhappy with drummer Pete Best's role in The Beatles Brian Epstein and the other three members decided to sack him. Best played his last gig the following night at The Cavern, Liverpool. Ringo Starr who was nearing the end of a three-month engagement with Rory Storm & the Hurricanes at a Butlin's holiday camp received a telephone call from John Lennon, asking him to join The Beatles. Ringo gave Rory Storm three days notice and on August 18, appeared as a member of The Beatles for the first time.

1964 - Johnny Burnette

US singer Johnny Burnette was killed in a boating accident on Clear Lake California, aged 30. His unlit boat was struck by an unaware cabin cruiser, the impact threw him off the boat and he drowned. Burnette scored the 1961 US No.8 & UK No.3 single 'Your Sixteen'.

1965 - Cher

Sonny & Cher started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'I Got You Babe'. Sonny Bono is said to have been inspired to write the song to capitalize on the popularity of the term "babe," as heard in Bob Dylan'ss 'It Ain't Me Babe

1966 - Bruce Springsteen

Little Anthony & The Imperials, The Shadows and The Castiles (with Bruce Springsteen on vocals) all appeared at the Surf ‘n See Club in Seabright New Jersey.

1967 - Radio Caroline

All UK offshore pirate radio stations were closed down when the marine broadcasting act came into force. Radio Caroline continued to broadcast until March 68.

1968 - Arthur Brown

'Fire' by The Crazy World of Arthur Brown was at No.1 on the UK singles chart. As part of his act Brown would perform the song on stage with his hat set alight!

1970 - Stephen Stills

Stephen Stills was arrested on suspected drugs charges while staying at a San Diego Hotel after being found crawling along a corridor in an incoherent state. Still's was later freed on bail.

1970 - Elton John

The first day of the three day UK Yorkshire Folk, Blues & Jazz Festival at Krumlin, Yorkshire took place featuring Atomic Rooster, Pink Floyd, (who didn't appear after being fog bound at Paris Airport), The Kinks, Elton John, Mungo Jerry, Yes, Alan Price, Georgie Fame, Juicy Lucy, Pretty Things and The Groundhogs. Weekend tickets, £3.

1971 - The Who

The Who released their fifth studio album Who’s Next which featured the classic song 'Won't Get Fooled Again' and has since been viewed by critics as the Who's best record and one of the greatest rock albums of all time. The cover artwork shows a photo of the band apparently having just urinated on a large concrete piling, but according to photographer Ethan Russell, most of the band members were unable to urinate, so rainwater was tipped from an empty film canister to achieve the desired effect.

1978 - The Police

The Police released their third single 'Can't Stand Losing You' as the follow-up single to 'Roxanne' which when released the following year peaked at No.2 on the UK chart. Written by singer and bassist Sting as a song about suicide, the song gained minor controversy for its single cover art, featuring Stewart Copeland hanging himself.

1988 - Robert Calvert

Lead singer, poet and frontman of Hawkwind Robert Calvert died of a heart attack. He was a member of Hawkwind from 1972-1979 during which time he co-wrote their hit single 'Silver Machine' and directed their Space Ritual Tour.

1988 - Roy Buchanan

Guitarist Roy Buchanan died after hanging himself with his own shirt in Fairfax County Adult Detention Center having been arrested for drunkenness. Buchanan released over 15 solo albums; Jeff Beck dedicated the song 'Cause We've Ended As Lovers' to Buchanan in 1975 on his Blow by Blow album.

1992 - Tony Williams

Tony Williams lead singer with The Platters died in his sleep of emphysema aged 64. He sang most of the group's hits up until 1961 when he was replaced by Sonny Turner. Had the 1959 UK & US No.1 single 'Smoke Gets In Your Eyes'.

1993 - Freddie Mercury

Freddie Mercury had his first solo UK No.1 single with 'Living On My Own'. The song had been a minor hit in 1985 when released from his solo album Mr. Bad Guy, this remixed version was

1995 - Foo Fighters

Foo Fighters made their network television debut on The Late Show with David Letterman when they performed their new single 'This Is A Call'.

1999 - Ronan Keating

Ronan Keating had the UK No.1 single with 'When You Say Nothing At All'. The debut solo single from the Boyzone lead singer. The song was from the film Notting Hill.

2001 - The Beatles

A pizza-stained piece of paper signed by three of the four Beatles sold for $48,000 (£17,441) to an anonymous collector at an auction in Melbourne. John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison all signed the paper during their 1964 tour of Australia. Drummer Ringo Starr had laryngitis and was not on the tour. A fan managed to get the autographs while the band was staying in a hotel in Adelaide.

[trascapades]

🎶#ArtIsAWeapon In addition to a few of my fave DJs, the LIVE music line-up for the next @southportweekender (March 17-19, 2023) is FIYAH - @patrice.rushen @erro44 @peven.everett @theangiestone @childrenofzeus_ and more...

•

If you're thinking about going and are traveling from the U.S., I highly recommend flying into @gatwickairport (instead of @heathrow_airport), and planning to get there a day or two before and stay a day or two after. It is easy to travel by train to the festival site at Butlins Bognor Regis and to #London from Gatwick.

Reposted from @southportweekender We are immensely proud to announce the full line-up for Southport Weekender 2023. Final hotel rooms available - book yours before it's too late! 🪩

Book your room at https://southportweekender.co.uk

#SouthportWeekender #SoulMusic #DanceMusic #HouseMusic #RnB #DJs #HouseMusicFestival #WillTravelForMusic #HouseHeads #UKMusicFestival

[iamdjgordon]

Big 2023 mood 😎👐🏼 (+ more Hoopla moments)

[whatsonmedia]

Thursday Thrill: Clubbing Craze & Festival Fever

January blues got you down? Fear not, party people! This weekend's jam-packed with epic beats and good vibes to chase away the chills. Drum 'n' bass legends, dazzling festivals, and inclusive trans celebrations – buckle up, it's gonna be wild 30 Years of V 27 Jan This Saturday one of Birmingham's biggest clubbing meccas is cookin' up an almighty clubbing storm pulling in a big crowd to celebrate 30 Years of V bringing the house down with the biggest drum 'n' bass at XOYO.  This one is for the clubbers who are up for a hot and sweaty night with back-to-back DJ sets from some fire DJs.  The line-up is pure gold and is going to deliver delightful dancefloor bangers.  Hosted by an epic collection of dance music labels including Broken Minds, V Recordings & Weird Science.  OML are you in for a treat! Featuring Bryan Gee
, Jumpin Jack Frost, Escape, 
Frenetic, Phase2 
Hosted By IC3, Moose, Busta, and special guests Randall B2B Dillinja (2 Hour Set)
 and maybe a few little surprises, listen out for some afterparties to keep your party going 24hr style. Tickets & More Info XOYOBirmingham.co.uk Mighty Hoopla Big Weekender Festival 26 - 29 Jan The excitement is brewing for all those packing up their suitcase, including lots of glitter, sequins, and fancy-dress all of which are welcome as the road trip is planned and ready for one big January festival showdown.  This weekend the redcoats lay the red carpet for all those festival-loving people making their way through the gates of Butlins, Bognor Regis.  For a whole weekend of non-stop dance music and holiday fun, not so sunny but who cares with a packed itinerary from dawn till dusk or dusk till dawn for the hardcore.  It's the royal return of Mighty Hoopla the Big Weekender.  I hope you've booked Monday off work because there's sure to be some sore heads!  One of the best weekends to see off January 2024 in festival style.  Expect lots of fun and fabulous vibes. The line-up features a host of DJs and live acts including the Artful Dodger, Katy B, Horse Meat Disco, Natalie Imbruglia, Gabrielle, Sonique, Cascada, Diana Vickers, Damage, and many more. Tickets & More Info www.mightyhoopla.com CTM 26 Jan – 4 Feb Taking place at various electrifying venues across the city of Berlin, CTM returns for its annual music throw-down.  Although there has been a turn of events this week surrounding the Strike Germany movement, several artists including Jyoty and Manuka Honeyon from the already packed-out line-up have withdrawn in support of the ongoing crisis.  As they say, the show must go on, well the festival in this case.   CTM is known for hosting new generations and musical direction at some iconic Berlin dance music venues including the world-famous techno club Berghain, which is celebrating 25 years this year. This year sustainability is on the agenda of raising awareness and ticket holders will be treated to view Oceanic Refractions which is one big massive art structure a testimony of Papua New Guinean elders in the wake of global ecocide.  CMT is a ten-day festival adventure with some mighty raves to sink your teeth into which includes exceptional art and cultural delights. With a bangin' line-up flying in from all corners of the globe including Skrillex, Eprom, Ben Frost, Special Request, Monolake, Kim Ann Foxman, Kali Malone, Aisha Devi, Backxwash, Felicia Atkinson, HiTech, and more CTM is set to be one epic festival.  Tickets & More Info www.ctm-festival.de BEATFOREST 27 Jan Love music and the environment? Then BEATFOREST festival is for you! This new festival is happening next to Thailand's stunning national park, so you can groove to cool tunes amidst breathtaking scenery. BEATFOREST is more than just a party; it's a mission to plant trees and fight climate change. All festival-goers are encouraged to plant a tree, so the area can one day become a lush green forest. Music lovers unite for the planet! Chill vibes from artists like Sunju Hargun, Footprints on Mars, and Mae Happyair fill the air, making BEATFOREST the perfect place to relax and connect with nature. And if you want to dance, there's plenty of opportunity for that too! BEATFOREST is just a two-hour drive from Bangkok, so it's easy to get to. So grab your friends, your dancing shoes, and your eco-warrior spirit, and head to BEATFOREST for an unforgettable experience! The line-up includes laidback sounds from Sunju Hargun, Footprints on Mars, Mae Happyair, Marmosets, JASSS, CEM, Stefan Goldmann and more Tickets & More Info www.ra.co TRANUARY 27 Jan After a successful debut festival Tranuary returns for another full-on daytime tonight, right royal knees up.  Back in the northern hemisphere of the UK, Manchester is the glorious city for the TRANUARYsafe inclusive space event.  Run "by trans for trans" the community event brings together a mix of performances to make January feel a little more exciting after the lull of Christmas. Expect anything from dance classes, craft sessions such as a Lino printing workshop hosted by Cleo, and lots of DJ sessions where you can get your brightest and biggest dance-off and a whole lot more. With the ethos of people sharing resources and building alliances of new friends and old within the trans community. Tickets & More Info www.ra.co Read the full article

[bluesdoodles]

Skegness Solid Live Music More Blues than Rock in 2017

January drawing to a close, Christmas lights a fading memory. Then your calendar clicks around to Butlins, Skegness for the Great British Rock & Blues Festival, the next year of musical journeys begins. This year the emphasis is on Blues, Rock has fallen if not silent but reduced to a whisper this year, upsetting some and definitely changing the balance and feel of the weekend.

The Introducing Stage got the show underway from 4pm Friday until the early hours of Monday morning. The gaps were minimal the music quality, meeting of friends chatting about what stood out and having fun was the order of the day.  The grumble about the lack of rock was justified. The title of the weekend is Rock & Blues so you would expect a balanced mixture. Everyone who knows me knows that I love my Blues of every hue, but I love the energy of Rock, the power of Rock and energy of the stage shows and this year this injection of power was missed. Without the balance of Rock and Blues, we didn’t have the contrast of razor-sharp, sparkling blues guitar and the full-on power chords and stinging licks of granite fueled rock.

Bluesdoodles, Liz Aiken enjoyed the weekend visiting the stages catching acts, missing others. With four stages this was a hectic few days.  Starting off with the highlights across the days on Introducing Stage, run by Steve Stanley, of Solid Entertainments with the help from Paul Stiles and the Blues In Britain Team to hand out the voting disks.  The Skeggie road takes us to Centre Stage – designated as ‘The Rock Stage’ by the Butlins programming team. The journey continues with a visit to Jaks with its late night sessions jams and a distinctive atmosphere, organised by Blues Matters. Finally, our travels and weary feet take us to Reds, 2017 the Blues stage.  The programming was without argument patchy by the Butlins team what was good was very good, interspersed by mediocre and poor. The Road was definitely a Blue cobbled street rather than a rocky trail throughout the 2017 weekend. Let’s hope this is a transition year and next year the balance between Rock and Blues is restored. There are so many young exciting bands on the circuit that would be delighted to entertain the Skeggie crowds.

Now, for the music. GT’s Boos Band got the show under way and they were one of the thirteen excellent bands who delighted the crowded area at the heart of the Skyline Pavilion.  The bands played for the chance of performing on a stage at Butlins 2018, decided by public vote.  The three successful bands this year were Friday Night – Tom Walker Trio, Saturday, Southbound and the final finalist on Sunday was Greg Coulson Band.  The competition was tough every band bought an interpretation of blues and rock that shows the depth of live music in the UK today. Tom Walker Trio, played a set that sparked including originals and an interesting, entertaining interpretation of Joe Bonamassa’s John Henry. Hitting the authentic blues spot Backwater Roll certainly pleased the audience in a packed area. Saturday night showed that this stage is getting more popular every year as the place to find new festival gems that you will want to see live again. Southbound were great on the night with a live performance showcasing the power of the rhythm section as they delivered their distinctive Blues Rock with a bucket of soul sound thrown in for good measure.  Matt Edwards Band with Stuart Dixon on bass impressed as did their 2015 album Four Berry Jam. Matt has a voice that makes you listen and his guitar playing has an infectious tone. Amy Eftekhari’s performance of Somewhere Over The Rainbow got the crowds purring with delight. Then it was Sunday two performances really stood out and on another day Elles Bailey would have won. Her vocals have power and the addition of Nick Garner on harp added another dimension to this class act; for me the winner of Sunday night. But the popular vote went to Greg Coulson, who delivered by surrounding himself with excellent musicians and a confident stage presence on the day. His experience as keyboardist with The Selectors shone through combined with strong numbers from his forthcoming debut album. This was party music that lit up the Introducing Stage.

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Centre Stage is where queues form every night long before the doors open. At least now they are entertained by the adjacent Introducing Stage. This year designated The Rock Stage for the first time had one certainty rock would be hard to find. Friday night opened with one of last year’s winners Sugarman Sam & The Voodoo Men. Wow, the transition to main stage fitted the band perfectly with a strong set. The music was hefty blues-rock, punctuated with authentic blues licks that curled around the rhythm section. Sugarman Sam, is growing as the new number She’s A Woman demonstrated. The following act was Eric Sardinas & Big Motor highly anticipated and deeply disappointing in the delivery.  Yes, a string did break, but why the length of time off stage, as so many said surely someone of this calibre should have a spare guitar tuned for slide, do a different number or have a guitar tech. It was left to the bass player, Paul Loranger who held the fort not once but twice as Sardinas left the stage and flounced off again. What the band played was good but the flow of the set was disjointed and definitely an off night for this colourful performer of Rock-blues.

Saturday with two sessions the afternoon opened by Texas Flood another winner from 2016. What a winning Rock n’ Roll set. Texas Flood definitely washed away any cobwebs with a rip-roaring high octane set that rocked. This is the rock we want to hear at Skeggie, but why the early timing? It was not as if the evening bands were that exciting. The energy was high, the timing sharp they certainly did Wales proud! The interplay between guitar and bass was sharp and entertaining.  Closing the afternoon the Helen Hardy Band entertained. A good R n’ B band the covers we know and flowed through the auditorium as Saturday afternoon drew to a close.  Saturday night. Kenney Jones & The Jones Gang, may not be classic rock but this was a band that delighted the crowds with songs from his vast back catalogue. Kenney Jones, the drummer who was the heart of three of the great bands The Small Faces, Faces and The Who. The crowd sung along with delight to Itchycoo Park and more.  Leafhound, a rock band were well received with Luke Rayner’s guitar sounding superb, the most underrated of the weekend. (Bluesdoodles spent most of the time in Reds and Jaks this just didn’t rock our boots)

Last day of the festival with a feeling of the night after the day before.  The last of 2016 Introducing Stage winners the Rainbreakers started things off. This is a band that never rains on your parade but brings a ray of sunshine Once again proving what a great launch pad the introducing stage is as they also stepped into Centre stage limelight delivering a storming set. The testimony to this was the queue for the merch as people wanted to get their hands on the latest E.P.  Rise Up. This was R n’ B with attitude, full of tasty riffs and delicious licks in the eclectic selection of numbers. A class act with loads of potential to be a name on everyone’s lips. Popa Chubby Band closed out the afternoon with his own brand of Blues and R n’ B with his trademarked lead breaks, held together by a solid rhythm section. The crowd really warmed to him many hearing him for the first time. Definitely class blues BUT definitely not Rock as Poppa described his music as Working Class Blues.  The night was not about rock but there were three acts that delighted the audiences. Kicking off the double celebration of the Rocking Blues was Laurence Jones with his new line-up. He built the energy, excited the packed house, the guitar was sweet. Laurence full of confidence gained from years of touring and playing live across Europe and the UK. The set was one-hundred percent Laurence with ribbons and bells as he showcased his latest album Take Me High. That is definitely what he did he took us high in to a dazzling blue encrusted music with the edge of rock  With Joanne Shaw Taylor up next we were going to be in for a Wild ride. Reflecting her current album, the set was full of deep blues riffs and licks that curled around the audience with a sensuous and stylish flow.  The interaction between Joanne and her bassist Luigi Casanova adds energy a visual focal point. Then she breaks away and soars into her renowned guitar solos that hit the spot where musical memories are made. Tonight, was the best I had heard her vocals the balance was perfect so voice and guitar were in balanced harmony. Closing out the festival on Centre Stage was Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel where many re-lived memories and reminded many of the sound track of their youth.

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The weekend selection at Jaks was vast, full of delights and festival gems plus the fun of Saturday afternoon Jam. Ranging from the gently harmonious blues from Fran McGillivray to the dynamic sounds of blues with a punk attitude and sassy energy from the Husky Tones as this duo caught your attention. With a new album out soon this is a band we will be hearing lots of as they ask  Who Will I Turn To Now? Closing the night as the other stages fell silent we danced into the early hours with The Revolutionaires led by the charismatic and energetic Ed Stephenson.  Saturday afternoon is all about the Jam which two young men, Mikey Maclennan and Steve Liddle ran with style as unfortunately Jam stalwart Gary Boner from Roadhouse was unwell following a recent operation. Everyone wishes Gary a speedy recovery and a hearty welcome back to Skegness 2018. Saturday evening was a night of magic live-music. With two of the acts for many the bands of the weekend. Firstly Catfish who played a blinding set. Deep emotional blues full of verve and style as Matthew Long with his voice and guitar dominated the stage capturing the audience so that no-one was tempted away. Catfish’s rendition of Make It Rain was stunning and the emotions were charged and there were tears of joy as the passions of the audience and the band connected. Their new album, out 28th January, Broken Man will be a hit of 2017 there is definitely nothing broken about this band.  How do you follow that with Dom Pipkin & The Ikos and some New Orleans infused music. Closing the night and welcoming in Sunday were LaVendore Rogue. A band that is like marmite with the supporters outweighing those who cannot connect to their interpretation of the blues. Mixing up the set with old Hokie Joint numbers and tracks from the debut album, Light Up With they definitely shone music into our soul tonight.  Sunday evening, without Roadhouse they pulled a blinder by filling the gap with Ash Wilson. The anticipation was high, many had seen him play dual guitar in the Sean Webster Band. On stage he was joined by Bob Fridzema and Roger Inniss who played on his debut album, Broken Machine. Joining him on drums tonight was Wayne Proctor sitting in for his brother Phil Wilson who was otherwise engaged playing drums with Laurence Jones on Centre Stage. The set was mature, accomplished a quality performance of R n’B from everyone on stage. We heard covers like My Babe done the Ash way.  Ash’s vocals are strong at times sounding like molasses with the bass drum the heartbeat like cotton popping in a sun-drenched field as he  Holding Hands was sung. The Revelator a Jesse Davey number picked up the tempo. There was a pure synergy between these top drawer blues musicians a delight to behold and listen to.   Be delighted to see him on the Blues main stage next year.  Following this Will Johns & Friends, with Mikey Maclennan once again coming to the rescue as stand-in drummer. He met Will and the band a few minutes before stepping on Jaks stage with them to play a festival set. What a brilliant job he did. Very entertaining with witty repartee, brilliant guitar with a fantastic tone. What a high quality set of blues. The festival had one more act as the clocked turned into Monday, Jaks was packed as everyone squeezed a few more musical memories out of The Great Rock & Blues Festival 2017. Kris Barras Band, who delivered blues rock with power and a force to be reckoned with. Another live act that delivers every time building on the studio sound heard in their current album Lucky 13.  Blues Matters once again delivered music that will hold many memories and hats off to the DJ Clive Rawlings who each year acts as the glue that held the sessions together.

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Reds this year was coloured with Blues of every hue and shade.  With Friday and Saturday dedicated to firstly to the harmonica and then to Alligator Records. Opening the festival for Reds was A Harmonica Explosion, a night where this German folk instrument was re-shaped in tone and playing by Southern States Blues musicians to be forever connected. Blues and harmonica are a perfect pairing. Opening the night was Giles Robson Band, a very entertaining set engaging the audience who were delighted to participate when asked. The music was an explosion of blues harp as we stepped on board the steam train and followed Giles on a ride full of tonal twists and turns of the blues-harp. Later on in the evening he was joined by three more renowned harp-players Magic Dick, who for some reason was not on top form, James Harman beset with frustrating technical issues so his harp was silent for far too long and the cream of the night a musician on fire Billy Branch. When they all played together at the end of the evening we were treated to a harp firework display.  The acoustic set from Martin Harley opening on Saturday afternoon was a melodic delight as he explored the tonal ranges of his lap Weissenborn guitar. The covers took us deep into the Delta full of acoustic twists and turns gently kick-starting a harmonious Saturday in Reds turned Blue.  The tempo then changed and Reds was packed as loyal fans of Nine Below Zero were once again caressed by the band that knows how to deliver. The only disappointment was this set was on in the afternoon many felt it suited an evening slot. The music drew you in the blues was delivered and everyone left with a deep sigh of contentment. The evening was a celebration of all things Alligator. With a first for Skeggie a Q&A session with Bruce Iglauer President and founder of Alligator records. Lots of interesting questions and we all gained an insight into how a blues label works. Three blinding sets unfurled showing the diversity of electric blues. Marcia Ball got the Alligator Party rocking turning Reds into a Roadhouse for this Blues Spectacular.  Proper Chicago blues played by a wonderful group of musicians who with a smile opened up the joy of the blues and entertained. Marcia Ball sung like an angel accompanying herself on the piano with the musicians that pulled together to showcase the sound they just love to share with everyone who listens. Blues is heavenly when played this well. The harmonious and interesting combination of drum shuffles, sax, keys and the power of vocal lyrics was infectious with the guitar pulling the show together. Wow! How do you follow that? Easy when you have the depth of Alligator artists to choose from. Next up blues with a difference a trio, Moreland and Arbuckle. All eyes are focused on Moreland with his cigar box guitar and Arbuckle’s, harp and vocals. A  high octane band playing Roots music that rocks you  to your core. Electrifying raw delta infused music that gets the adrenalin pumping feet tapping and you get a warm feel good glow as the music surges through your veins.  Closing tonight we headed deep into Southside Chicago for authentic urban blues with Toronzo Cannon. Having learnt his craft in the competitive and demanding Windy city club scene it takes a special blues magic to rise above the crowd. Toronzo has that with style and a flourish as he melds smooth vocals and stinging guitar chords. With a mix of his own numbers with strong lyrics and a couple of covers; what a dynamic end to an evening that enveloped you in Chicago Blues and so much more.

Sunday at Reds was a mixed package for me opening with Lil Jimmy Reed featuring Bob Hall on Keys this was the perfect blues smoothie for early Sunday afternoon. Followed by Paul Jones and Dave Kelly as a duet Sunday was a smooth affair. The evening was a mix David Knopfler on acoustic guitar, disappointed, The Blues Band as ever delivers British blues with style and aplomb. Closing the night is Jamie Williams and The Roots Collective; this is blues infused with English Folk and roots music. Closing the festival on Reds they delivered a stylish set that didn’t for me shout out the blues. Not a celebration but a party we all enjoyed.

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There were many highlights of every Blue hue the strongest stages over the whole festival weekend were Jaks and the Introducing Stage. The night celebrating Alligator Records was a combination of brilliant blues drenched music. The three young bands who won The Introducing Stage Sugarman Sam & The Voodoo Men, Texas Flood and The Rainbreakers, all added a shine to the festival.  Memories of 2017 will be many and all tinged in blue rather than rock. The acts that you should run to see again are Catfish, LaVendore Rogue, Ash Wilson, the winners of the Intro Stage and Elles Bailey. Joanne Shaw Taylor in this form is a force to be reckoned with, Marcia Ball , Moreland & Arbuckle, Toronzo Cannon and the harp supremacy that is Giles Robson.

    Skegness Solid Live Music More Blues than Rock in 2017 Skegness Solid Live Music More Blues than Rock in 2017 January drawing to a close, Christmas lights a fading memory.

[rhythm86radio]

Southport Weekender Festival Postponed Until September 2021

Southport Weekender Festival Postponed Until September 2021

Health concerns amid the continuing spread of the COVID-19 led Southport Weekender Festival organizers to call off this year’s edition, just over a week after announcing is was all systems go. The UK’s longest running dance and urban music festival created by Alex Lowes was originally scheduled for March 20th-22th at Bognor Regis’ Butlins Resort, but due to the initial spread of the coronavirus…

[curtibyte]

Festival Research 5/5

Southport Weekender Festival:

Southport Weekender is a UK based music festival that features artists from the house, disco and soul genres.

The festival is planned to be located at the Butlins, Bognor Regis, for its 2022 event. This event has previously had a capacity of 5,500 visitors and offer apartment accommodation on the site. The festival will span through 18th-20th March 2022.

The main thing that can be done at this festival is watching the live shows over the multiple days. However, food and drinks are distributed throughout.

The audience that would attend this festival would be festival goers that enjoy music from the house, disco and soul genres. The youngest you can be to attend is 18 years, due to the distribution of alcohol, so the audience would have to fall into that group.

The visual design for the festival uses illustration to appeal to its audience. The colours used in their graphics are often bright, contrasting colours that give off a feeling reminiscent of a sunny day. The typography used in the logotype is a serif typeface. This contrasts against the other fonts used in unison with it. The choice to do this would be to make the logo stand out more in the design. The illustration used in their designs are simple uncoloured line drawings that depict people celebrating, clouds, birds and spaceships. The symbol for the event is a red ball that is made up of multiple shapes. This has been changed to different colours to match that year’s colour scheme.

[upthenorthmountain]

Something Just Like This - Chapter Four

Previous Chapters

Chapter Four

“The problem with you, Kristoff,” his friend Sven had once said, “Is that you think about things too much. The time to ask a woman out is as soon as you realise you like her, not after you've spent weeks pining over her from afar. Just ask and be done with it.”

That had been years ago - pre-Leanne - but Kristoff could hear Sven’s voice in his head when Anna had complained about having no one to go out with on her birthday. What’re you waiting for, a written invitation?

Why had he kissed her? Okay, yes, she'd kissed him first, but he could easily have played that off as a joke; smiled, said thanks, changed the subject. He wasn’t normally so impulsive. Maybe part of his brain just felt he deserved something nice, something simple. A friend, but sometimes we kiss.

“You need to get back on that horse,” Sven had said more recently.

“That doesn’t sound very flattering to - well, anyone,” Kristoff had replied.

“You know what I mean. Please don’t spend ten years moping about, waiting for the love of your life. Because then when she does appear you’ll be too scared to talk to her. Get some practice in. I mean, still find a nice girl you like and be nice to her, but aim more at the level of - we’ve had a nice dinner and now we’ll have a kiss and a cuddle on the sofa. Start there, work your way back up.”

“Nice girls don't exactly grow on trees.”

But, what did you know.

-----

“Are you ready for this weekend?” was the first thing Anna said to Kristoff when she saw him on the way to work that Friday.

“Ready as I’ll ever be.”

“I’ve never done anything like this before!”

“Really? They do it every year here.”

“Team-building things at my old places were all conferences and seminars and boring things like that. Oh, one time we did a firewalk.”

“What’s that?”

“You know! Where you walk on hot coals.”

“Why?”

“To prove, you know. You can do anything you put your mind to.”

“Did you do it?”

“Of course! It was fine. It was only a few steps.”

“Huh. Well, thank you for making me feel better about a scavenger hunt and a barbecue, even if we do have to sleep in wooden sheds afterwards.”

Anna laughed. “It’ll be fun! And they’re cabins.”

“I slept there last year. They’re definitely sheds.”

“Do we get one each?”

“Oh, no. There’s one for boys and one for girls. Bunkbeds.”

“I’ve been informed,” Anna said, “That it’s - and I quote - ‘not so much a barbecue as a piss-up.’”

Kristoff laughed. “Did Dan say that? A few of them get quite drunk, yeah. Go to bed by midnight if you don't want to hear the printers singing dirty rugby songs.”

“Maybe I know a few rugby songs.”

“Well, I’ll look forward to it then.”

-----

From: april.howell@arundelprint.co.uk

To: all staff

Subject: Team-building weekend 2017

It’s nearly here! The famous ARUNDEL PRINT ANNUAL TEAM-BUILDING WEEKEND!! :)

Itinerary:

Saturday:

10am: Arrive and unpack

11am: Assault course: admin/design/management vs printing/binding/distribution!! Wear trainers and joggers/t-shirts that you don’t mind getting muddy!!

12 noon: Lunch

2pm: Spaghetti towers - build the tallest tower out of (dry!) spaghetti to win!! Groups of three or four for this one, try and stay in departments if poss!!

4pm: Scavenger hunt - choose a partner and whichever pair finds the most items wins!! All new items for 2017!!

7pm til late: Barbecue and bonfire!! Behave yourselves please, let’s not have a repeat of last year!!

Sunday:

9am: Breakfast

10am: Tidy up and leave

(we need to all be out by 11!! So no dilly-dallying, remove all rubbish from bunks and campsite please, no one is leaving until it's all clean)

Any dietary or other requirements let me know ASAP please as I am going to the cash and carry on Thursday!!

-----

“Not exactly Center Parcs, is it,” Judy said cheerfully as they unpacked in the cabins.

“It's barely even Butlins,” Anna replied. Judy laughed.

“I think they do outward bound things here, for schools and youth groups, most of the time,” she said. “Did you get a look at the assault course?”

“Yeah - does everyone do it?”

“In a relay, usually. Then whichever team gets the best time wins.”

“And we need three for the spaghetti thing? So we’ll do that as a department?”

“Three or four, so I thought we could ask Kristoff to join us?”

Judy had her back to Anna as she pushed her suitcase under the bed, but Anna could feel her grin.

“Sure,” she said. “Why not.”

-----

“Ow,” Anna said. “No, no, it's fine. It only hurts if I bend it like this - OW.”

“Are you sure you don't want to go to A&E?” Kristoff said.

“Oh, no, it's definitely not broken.” She rubbed her wrist with her other hand. “I've broken it before. We won, though, didn't we.”

“Well, yes -”

He had to admit that Anna’s run round the assault course had been impressive. She'd insisted on going first and had attacked it with such gusto that her low time had more than made up for the CEO ambling round the course like he had all day (while Anna bounced on the balls of her feet with frustration). She seemed to consider the fact that she'd probably sprained her wrist as a minor annoyance.

“What use are you to us now,” Dan said, “If you can't tape spaghetti together.”

“I’ll supply creative vision.”

“Such as?”

“Triangles are strongest.”

“We need height, not strength. We need to get that marshmallow the highest off the ground if we're going to win, and you're the competitive one, apparently.”

“You need strength to get height,” Kristoff said. “Where is our marshmallow?”

Anna looked guilty.

-----

“Okay, for the scavenger hunt we need you all in pairs,” John the CEO announced. “Everybody pair up. Try and stay in departments if you can.”

Dan leant over towards Anna. “Oh dear,” he said. “Our department is three people.”

“So it is,” she replied.

“That’s an odd number. Anna, would you do me a personal favour? Would you let me partner with Judy? Though that does mean you’ll have to find someone else, I’m sorry.”

“That’s fine,” Anna said, trying not to laugh, “did you have any suggestions? Isn’t HR just one person?”

“I think he means me,” Kristoff said, behind her. “If you can stand any more of my company.”

“Of course,” Anna said, turning to him. “Rather you than Dan, I spend enough time listening to him complain.”

“Fine,” Dan said. “For that, we’re going to beat you,” and he turned on his heel and went to find Judy.

Everyone else was pairing up, too. Anna collected the list of scavenger hunt items and looked down it.

“I wish everyone wouldn't look at us like that when we stand next to each other,” Kristoff said.

“They all think we're sleeping together,” Anna said matter-of-factly.

“Really?”

“Mmm. Having some torrid affair.” She grinned at him. “So you’ve done this before - how do we win?”

-----

The barbecue was perfectly good fun, Anna didn’t know what everyone had been complaining about. The food was fine, for a barbecue, and there was a campfire, and someone had managed to get some music playing. And there was plenty of wine and beer.

At the beginning of the evening Anna had tried to circulate, to sit and talk with different people from different departments, but she kept gravitating back towards one in particular. Kristoff mainly sat over to one side and only spoke to people who spoke to him; when she looked over he was either watching her or looking at his drink.

Finally she gave in and sat down next to him on the log by the campfire. His smile was immediate. “Having a good time?”

“Yes! This is fun.”

To her surprise, he put his arm around her. “You look so pretty today,” he said.

“Thank you.”

He pulled her in a bit closer. “I know they’re all looking,” he said. “Looking at me with the prettiest girl in the room. Field. Whatever.”

Anna laughed. “You’re sweet.”

“May I kiss you?” he asked, very serious.

“Everyone can see us.”

“Oh.” He looked down at his feet.

“I didn’t say no.”

His face lit up again, and Anna wondered exactly how much he’d had to drink; but then, she wasn’t exactly sober either.

He kissed her, but Anna jumped away from him when a piercing wolf-whistle went off on the other side of the fire. Kristoff just laughed, then cupped the back of her head and kissed her again; this time a cheer went up but it didn’t last long. The kiss lasted longer, and when it finished Anna found that she was now sitting on Kristoff’s lap - which one of them had done that? Maybe both.

It was comfortable, though. She snuggled up and accepted another plastic cup of the not-as-bad-as-she-was-expecting white wine that was being passed along the line. She loved team-building.

-----

By half-eleven the group round the bonfire was noticeably thinning as people retired to their bunkbeds. Anna decided she might as well go to bed as well - the evening was clearly winding down - so she said her goodnights and tottered off in the direction of the women’s cabin.

She was walking along the path through the trees, wondering vaguely if she was going to be able to climb into her bunk with only one good hand without falling off the ladder, when someone came up behind her and grabbed her arm.

She jumped, and yelped. “I'm sorry!” the man said, and she turned to see Kristoff, looking worried. “I'm sorry, I'm sorry,” he said again, slipping his arms round her waist. “I didn't mean to startle you, it's only me.”

“What are you doing here?” she said, “I was just going to bed.”

“I wanted to kiss you goodnight,” he said. “May I?”

His lips were already only millimetres from hers. Anna reached up and pulled his head down to close the gap.

They kissed. Anna’s legs were already a little wobbly, and she let herself lean on Kristoff; he stumbled slightly, and Anna ended up with her back pressed against a tree. Kristoff moved his hands to her hips, then let one wander upwards as he started to kiss her jaw and neck.

He’d never been this forward before; his whole body was pressed against hers, and when his kisses returned to her lips they were deep and passionate. Anna pulled herself up on his shoulders and hooked a leg round his hips; he ground against her and she gasped against his mouth.

And then she had a sudden mental image of them trying to sneak onto the bunkbed to have sex and snorted with laughter. Kristoff pulled back a little in surprise. “What?” he said.

Anna kept giggling as she put her foot back down. “Sorry. Sorry. It’s just -”

He let go of her and pulled back further. Anna was confused until she saw a group of people coming along the path to the cabins, and she quickly stepped back onto the path and pulled her top straight.

“Goodnight,” she said.

“Goodnight,” Kristoff replied, and then he was gone.

[musicaljojo]

I’ve not had the easiest time lately, my anxiety has been sky high and I’ve really been struggling plus hubby has been having a really stressful time at work so it hasn’t been the happiest of times in our household so we decided that we needed a break and hubby had booked some time off so we decided to search for last minute breaks in the UK.

A friend of ours had gone to Butlins in Skegness earlier in the year and she had really recommended it as she has a toddler the same age as Haribo, so we decided to take a look if they had any last minute deals.

They did and I know my hubby was a bit skeptical about it all as he was like isn’t it just cheesy and really tacky and I hadn’t been since I was about 9 years old, I remember having a fantastic time but I was 9 so I would now be seeing it through adult eyes and not children’s eyes, but we both said that it would be great to create some memories for Haribo and to have a break and a change of scenery for ourselves.

We booked a last minute deal for Friday-Monday and found the booking process online really easy, so we packed our bags and set off on an extremely soggy Friday!

Friday

When we arrived, it had totally changed from when I last visited, there was a massive pavilion which you could see as you approached and you now had a drive- in check-in, which was where we found out that we had been upgraded in our accommodation which was a fantastic surprise!  (Huge thanks to whichever member of staff did that for us!!)

We were staying in a fairground apartment which was a 10 minute walk away from the main pavilion  where all the shows and entertainment was and a 5 minute walk from the fairground.

Main area of our Fairground apartment

Haribo loved everything being on one level and when he walked in, his reaction made me melt, he said ‘Wow mummy…look at this!!’ he thought it was fantastic, the apartment was very tastefully decorated, with vintage Butlins decor and a fun fairground mirror which Haribo called the ‘Wobbly Mirror’ It had two bedrooms, one double and one twin, bathroom and a living room which also had a kitchen/dining room.

We set off to find something to eat and ate at the appropriately called Pub & Restaurant, it served traditional pub food but also had a good range for Vegan/Vegetarians. I had the vegan bean chilli and it was delicious!  

We then nipped to the onsite supermarket to grab some basic supplies for our stay and had a quick go in the amusement arcade in the main pavilion however on our way back to the apartment, the heavens opened and it just poured with rain, I don’t believe I have ever gotten so wet in my life, to the point where my mascara had run into my eyes and I couldn’t see because it was stinging….not a good look!!

Saturday

We got up early, well we never get much of a lie in with Haribo anyway and set off to watch one of the shows in the pavilion as it was a Teletubbies show.

Haribo enjoys the Teletubbies and he loves a show and he was transfixed, singing along with the show and the Redcoats entertainers did a fantastic job of getting everyone involved, we also had our photo taken with them and the Butlins Mascots Billy and Bonnie Bear.

On the way back to our apartment for lunch Haribo went on the little stars fairground, which had rides suitable for anyone under 150cm, they were all included in the cost of the stay so Haribo loved that he could keep going on them and we only had a short wait.

After Lunch and Haribo’s nap we headed into Skegness and went on the beach as it was such a lovely day, we had a look around the pier, Haribo had a ride on the Donkeys and had an ice cream. We then sat in an area right near the beach and ate fish and chips, was delicious and a lovely treat! The shop even did battered Halloumi for vegetarians so that was a delicious treat!

We then went back to the resort and spent some time in the arcades and on the fairground before heading back as everyone was tired after such a busy day!

Sunday

We hit the swimming pool, it was so busy in there but we still enjoyed ourselves, Haribo loved the little water slides, I was apprehensive about him going on it but his huge smile and laughter showed that he loved second of it so it was very much worth it. There were so many different sections, a toddler pool, then a main pool, a wave machine area, rapids, a lazy river and 3 different huge water slides.

Hubby went on some of the bigger water slides whilst I took Haribo to get changed and whilst we were in there a woman had lost her child, she couldn’t find him anywhere but I must credit the staff, the whole place went on lock-down and tannoy announcements were going out constantly with a name of the missing boy. I helped look for him where I could as I couldn’t even begin to imagine what that poor mother was going through and I never did find out what happened because we had to leave as Haribo was getting cranky but I really hope that he’d just gone back on to the water slides or something!

After lunch, we spent the afternoon exploring the resort, we went to the Little Tikes town where they had lots of Little Tikes toys to explore and play with, we also went to the playground and the little splash pad where the fountains danced to music on the hour.

We also watched a few more of the shows, there was a dance troupe and a circus skills show, all the performers were excellent and made it really entertaining to watch, however we did grab a drink from the coffee shop near by and it was super expensive, it came to £10.95 for a cappuccino, smoothie and a muffin so I’m not sure I’d go there again!

We then headed back to our apartment for some dinner and our evening was spent taking one last walk upto the beach which you could access from the resort, attending a toddler disco and spending more time in the amusement arcades and fairground.

Monday

We had to leave our apartment by 10am on the Monday morning, so we quickly had our breakfast and loaded up the car however you were allowed to stay in the resort till 11am, so as soon as we packed up the car we headed to the fairground again as Haribo had asked to go on the car and rocket rides again.

  We headed back into Skegness to have a quick look around a few more shops and then headed for home!

We had a fantastic weekend, it was just what we all needed. Haribo had a fantastic time and he still keeps talking about meeting the Teletubbies, collecting shells on the beach and going on a Donkey so it shows he must have enjoyed it!

I think hubby was pleasantly surprised and he said he would definitely go back because there was just so much to do, we couldn’t see some of the more adult themed shows in the evening because of Haribo but there looked like some fantastic acts on, I would definitely recommend it to families as there was always something to do, be it football training or dance classes, every age group was catered for!

Disclaimer: This holiday was paid for by ourselves, I have received no payment nor have I been asked to do this post. It is not an advertisement or a sponsored post. These are my own opinions and I just wanted to share our good time.

  Our family weekend away at Butlins! I've not had the easiest time lately, my anxiety has been sky high and I've really been struggling plus hubby has been having a really stressful time at work so it hasn't been the happiest of times in our household so we decided that we needed a break and hubby had booked some time off so we decided to search for last minute breaks in the UK.

[iamdjgordon]

Ahoy there ⚓️🛳️

[mummyof5miracles]

Butlins - Back to the 2000's - Adult Weekend - Skegness - November 2017

Butlins – Back to the 2000’s – Adult Weekend – Skegness – November 2017

A couple of weeks ago I went away on a weekend break with some friends to Butlins in Skegness. I have been several times to their weekends away and if like me you love to socialise, relax and just let your hair down then these breaks are perfect. They always have live acts from whichever decade it is that you’re at be it 70’s,80’s ,90’s or in this instance it was 2000’s.

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