Sutton Coldfield Festival of Arts

Sutton Coldfield Town Hall (0121 464 8990; www.suttoncoldfieldtownhall.co.uk):

July 9 – Launch night: High School Reunion - Natalie Powers & Ian Palmer + Gemma Shaw introduced by Charlie Neil (8pm) £15

July 11 – Midsummer Music: Sutton Coldfield Orchestra, Vaughan Singers and Four Oaks Cluster Choir (7.30pm) £8 (£6 concessions, £3 children)

July 13 - Shirt & Tie… debut musical by Sutton composer Stuart Jones (7.30pm) £7

 

The Gate Inn:

July 10 - Norman Haines and Phil Andrews with Roger Hill (9pm)

July 11 - David Moore Band (9pm)

July 12 – Bridging The Gap (2pm-5pm)

            - Sutton Unsigned: Hot Monocles + Gemma Shaw + Ben Drummond + James & Edwards (8pm)

July 13 - Scorched Earth Trio featuring Mike Gates, Chris Bowden and Andy Wheeler (4pm)

 

The Station:

July 13 - Sutton Blues Collective: “Summertime Blues” (all day)

 

Emmanuel Church:

July 13 - Emmanuel Choirs directed by Richard Mason (popular choir music, sacred and secular) + Sutton Trombone Choir + strawberry tea (2.30pm; admission £5 inc refreshments)

 

Waterstone’s:

July 12 – book signings by Kitty Aldridge (1pm), Anne Bennett (2pm), Christine Coleman (3pm), John Bassett and Patrick Hayes (3.30pm)

            - readings by members of Centrestage School of Speech & Drama (4.30pm)

 

Pizza Express (0121 354 9261):

July 10 - Sally Minchin and Mike Fowler (8pm)

 

Starbucks:

July 12 - Centrestage School Of Speech & Drama (11am and 2.30pm)

 

Bishop Walsh School:

July 11 - Arts showcase with special performance by Irish band Cairde (7pm)

 

Plantsbrook School:

July 10 - School concert featuring orchestra, swing band, woodwind and choir + art display (7.30pm)

 

Arthur Terry School (0121 321 2221):

July 11 - School concert (7.30pm) to raise money for partner school at Rondevlei, South Africa. Tickets £10

 

Streetly School:

July 10 - Summer concert featuring big band and classical music (7pm)

 

Highclare School (St Paul’s site, Lichfield Road):

July 11 – series of arts workshops involving Highclare and other central Sutton primary schools (1.15pm-3.15pm)

 

Highbury Theatre:

July 9 to 12 - Highbury Youth Theatre: Their Scarves Were Red by Darren Vallier and Rob Sweetman (7.30pm)

 

Mere Green Community Centre:

July 8 – Line dancing with Martin Blandford (2.30pm-4pm)

July 11 - Martin’s: a chance for the public to watch a Latin American and ballroom dancing class, run by Martin Blandford and Gill Ward (2.15pm-3.45pm)

 

Destiny, The Lanes, Wylde Green:

July 12 - Dance display involving Sutton dance schools (10am-4pm)

 

Fairfax School:

July 12 - Year 12 Fairfax students perform Black Comedy by Peter Shaffer + music from Blister + Voiceshop (7.30pm)

July 15 – Creative Artsfest (7.30pm); GCSE art exhibition from 7pm

 

Fellowship Hall, South Parade:

July 12 – Blenheim Wind Quintet + Sheila Knapman – Hansel & Gretel (2.30pm-3.30pm)

 

Middleton Hall:

July 13 – Local Churches Together and Middleton Hall Trust present Garden Praise (3pm-4.15pm; admission £2 per car, £5 per minibus; 0121 378 1555; www.falconlodgechapel.org.uk)

 

Sutton Library – Meeting Room 1:

July 12 – rock and indie day, compered by Arthur Terry student Joe Aston:

Relentless (11am-11.30am);

The Flood (11.45am-12.05am);

Highly Strung (12.20pm-12.50pm);

Marlem (1.15pm-1.45pm);

James & Edwards (2pm-2.30pm);

4 Star Treatment (2.45pm-3.15pm);

Shoot Panda!? (3.30pm-4.15pm)

 

Sutton Library – Meeting Room 2:

July 12 –

Reading Dickens – a workshop presentation by BVGS classics teacher Philip Blackshaw plus students, with props, costumes etc – and a few surprises (10.30am-12.30pm);

Folk music by Bob Allaway (1pm-1.45pm);

Storytelling performance by Chris Lowe (2pm-2.30pm)

Jazz with Carte Blanche Trio (2.45pm-3.30pm)

Acoustic blues with Paul Cowley (3.45pm-4.30pm)

 

Sutton Library – Lending Library:

July 12 – showcase of poetry written by members of Sutton Coldfield Poetry Society (SCOPUS) (10.30am-11am)

 

Ask restaurant, Manor Road (0121 354 8834):

July 13 – Eat My Words: food-inspired storytelling night with Tessa Lowe and Chris Lowe (7.30pm)

 

Royal Hotel:

July 11 – Junction – covers band (10pm)

July 12 – Those Charming Men – covers band (10pm)

July 13 – open-mic session hosted by Sutton band The Full Act (6pm-9pm)

 

Royal Hotel, Assembly Hall:

July 11 – Claret barn dance (8pm, free)

July 12 – Royal Scottish Country Dance Society (11am-11.30am)

             - The Studio School Of Dance (11.45am-12.30pm)

             - Fairfax: a fusion of four dances from the school’s Eisteddfod, on the theme of Inspiration (12.45pm-1pm)

             - dance performance by Streetly School pupils (1.15pm-1.40pm)

             - Fairfax: A musical medley arranged by Daniel Gormley (2.30pm-2.45pm)

             - Plantsbrook Swing Band (4.30pm-5.30pm)

 

Royal Hotel, Club Kitchen:

July 12 – Julie Boden’s Poetry Party (11am-4pm)

            

Sutton Coldfield Grammar School For Girls:

July 17 – School concert (7.30pm)

 

Holland House Infant School & Nursery:

July 12 – Art and dance display, with coffee and cakes provided by PTA (10am-11.30am; 1.30pm-3pm)

 

16 and 18 Knighton Drive, Four Oaks:

July 13 – Garden and sculpture show in aid of WWF. Open gardens with sculptures by members of the Shapeshifters Sculpture Group (2pm-5pm)

 

Empire Cinema:

July 12 – Director Niall Johnson introduces a screening of his film Keeping Mum (15) (starring Rowan Atkinson, Kristin Scott Thomas, Maggie Smith and Patrick Swayze) and hosts a question-and-answer session (10am-1pm) (£2 admission in aid of Poppy Fields Appeal; tickets must be collected in person in advance)

 

Wishaw Golf Club:

July 10 – live music with Martin Daley, Graham Savage and Rob Moore plus guests (8pm-11pm)

 

Woolworths Café:

July 12 – Songwriters’ café:

             - Von & Kon (11am-11.45am)

             - Tim Robinson solo and as Claret duo with Sandra Robinson (12 noon – 1pm)

             - Cairde (1.15pm – 1.45pm)

             - Matt Tyler (2pm-3pm)

 

Sutton Coldfield Methodist Church, South Parade:

July 11 – Razzamataz Theatre School production – pop dancing and singing, street dancing, musical theatre (ages five to 14) (6pm) (tickets £2 in advance on 0121 686 0594)

 

Holy Trinity (C of E) Parish Church:

July 12 – New Streetly Youth Orchestra – music from screen and stage, 8pm (Tickets £5, children £3 on 0121 321 1144 or via s_thebridge@yahoo.com

July 13 - service of Summer Praise, 5.30pm, followed by a concert by vocal group Ensemble 1685, directed by Richard Jeffcoat, with guest appearance by opera star Richard Lloyd Owen, 7pm.  Tickets on 0121 321 1144 or via s_thebridge@yahoo.com

 

The Mall Sutton Coldfield (outside Starbucks):

July 12 – organ grinder Danny Brain (10.30am-11am and 2pm-2.30pm)

 

Marks & Spencer café:

July 12 – live music compered by Sheila M:

             - Beryl & Tony Baker (10.30am-11am)

             - Gary Saunders (11.15am-12 noon)

             - The Sweet Peas (12.15pm-1pm)

             - Stuart Jones and friends (1.15pm-2pm)

 

O’Neill’s:

July 10 – Ten Days Late (9.30pm)

 

Sutton Coldfield College Theatre, Lichfield Road:

July 10 – The Theatre Of Fusion – college students present their own variety performance (7pm)

 

The Place 2B, Chester Road, Boldmere:

July 10 – KMB – blues, rock and R&B (7.30pm)