Sefton Park Social is a new boutique music, food and drink festival experience launching in the heart of Liverpool's iconic Victorian park throughout Spring/Summer ’24 .The carefully curated series will be see bespoke genre led music events covering all tastes from Disco, Soul, Jazz, Latin, Folk, Country, Indie, 80’s, 90’s and beyond coupled with cultural, craft and well being activities including vintage stalls, yoga and kid play days for all the family. The events series kicks off on the first May Bank Holiday ( 4 th & 5 th ) with the Saturday hosting an official fundraiser for the award winning city gem Africa Oyé, helping to support their ‘non-profit’ annual event and ensure it remains ‘free for all’. Looking back at a phenomenal Oyé ’23 with headliner Seun Kuti, son of legendary afrobeat originator Fela Kuti. Also now looking forward to Oyé ’24 in June with none other than Julian Marley - son of Reggae godfather Bob Marley - the Sefton Park Social invite you to celebrate the life and music of Fela Kuti X Bob Marley & their influences with vibes supplied by all your favourite Trenchtown and Freetown DJs, plus more! Liverpool Disco Festival takes over Sunday 5 th with an all-star line up including one of the world's biggest DJ/producers, Dave Lee fka Joey Negro, Glitterbox crew Lev & Moplen plus New York House legend Pal Joey, with Secretsundaze founder and NTS Radio’s Giles Smith & LDF DJs on support, making up the bill for what will be a quick sell-out spectacular. Sefton Park Social say “ We are delighted to be bringing this series to the much loved park surroundings away from the hustle and bustle of the city and bringing something for everyone, young and old. We will be bringing you some of the best local talent and traders, plus some very special guests from our wide range of genres. Looking forward to a fantastic summer, see you in the park” Details of other forthcoming events from some of the city's best promoters such as Evol, Downtown Nashville and more will be dropping over the coming weeks along with details of bottomless brunches, outdoor cinema evenings & more. And for all Sefton Park woofers out there they even promise some dog friendly days so you can ‘pooch in the park’ with your best buddies!  Tickets for the first phase of Sefton Park Social events via Skiddle: https://www.skiddle.com/g/sefton-park-social/

Created and emceed by UK hip hop maker, Sadlers' Wells Associate Artist, and Breakin’ Convention Artistic Director Jonzi D, Breakin’ Convention Festival returns to Sadler’s Wells in Islington to celebrate hip hop culture in all its forms over the Early May Bank Holiday. The Festival showcases international acts from the USA, South Korea and France, as well as performances from local and national talents on Sadler’s Wells stages. The Festival’s programme displays a wide variety of hip hop styles including breaking, popping, krumping, threading, funk and bruk up. Performances, activities for children o f all ages, live DJs sessions , dance and bespoke graffiti workshops, freestyle sessions and shows take over the entire building. From 6pm on Saturday 4 & Sunday 5 May, audiences will be able to see performances from some of the world’s leading hip hop acts. Including Femme Fatale (USA), Sons of Wind (France) and Jinjo crew (South Korea); CREATE4 (Netherlands) and Ekleido (UK); Ivan Michael Blackstock ’s company TRAPLORD (UK), Boy Blue (UK), When Time Was New (UK) , Gully South Block (GSB) (UK), Company DHW (UK), Sasha Mahfouz Shadid (UK) and ShaolinOrShao (UK) – plus a solo by Jamal Sterrett (UK). During the interval, Cie Kilaï (France) performs in the Lilian Baylis Studio. Founded in 2017 by Chaquille Forrester-Osborne, Gully South Block (GSB) (Above) is a South London-based krumping collective whose aim is to give an intimate insight into one’s lifestyle, and to highlight that there is strength in vulnerabilities. They took part in the Breakin’ Convention artistic development programme Back to the Lab and return for their second Festival in a row. Femme Fatale (below) is a collective of three female dancers based in Los Angeles, originally from France, Mexico and Korea. Marie Poppins, Lily Frias and Dassy Lee bring their piece UNBOUNDED, showcasing their skills in popping, animation and robot through stories of the street dance scene, gender inequality, self-discovery and the ongoing challenges of being an artist. Femme Fatale performed for famous artists and brands and have starred in So You Think You Can Dance and America’s Best Dance Crew. Special activities for families take place front of house. On the First Circle from 4.30pm and again during the interval, the Tiny Totts Workshops are dedicated to children who want to explore various hip hop dance foundations, hosted by two fully qualified facilitators. Live DJ sessions take place in the foyer , featuring DJ Pogo , Cutmaster Swift and Yugson Hawks . Audiences can also learn to tag in the Graff Zone on the First Circle, and in Sadler’s Wells outdoor space, the Yard – while children from all ages are invited to take part in drawing workshops. The main wall in the foyer will be painted by Nean , a Belgian graffiti writer from the Kingdom crew . An hour of improvised theatre, the Freestyle Funk Forum is in the Lilian Baylis Studio. During the interval on both nights, French company Cie Kilaï performs Raw , an intimate show featuring four dancers and spoken word centring women in hip hop in the Lilian Baylis Studio . The company was created in 2014 by Sandrine Lescourant – known as Mufasa – who heads a hip hop troupe with variations on classical, contemporary and traditional African dances. 2024 is a significant year for breaking as it becomes an official Olympic sport for the first time at the Paris Olympics this summer. Academy Breakin’ Convention will open at Sadler's Wells East, offering a full-time further education programme for 16 to 19-year-olds that includes training in all aspects of hip hop – the first of its kind. Academy Breakin’ Convention will have a stall at the Festival on both days, where audiences can find out more about the course, and will host auditions on Sunday 5 May. Find out more information here Home - Academy Breakin' Convention (academybreakinconvention.com) . Breakin' Convention Festival runs on Saturday 4th & Sunday 5th May, for tickets please call the Box Office on 020 7863 8000 or visit the website www.sadlerswells.com . Images above Gully South Block - (c) Belinda Lawley below Femme Fatale - (c) Paul Hampartsoumian

‘ An impressive knack for both observational wit and quirky flights of fancy’ - Evening Standard Join award winning comedian Paul F Taylor (as seen on Harry Hill’s Club Nite ) to take flight in a hot air balloon of hilarity, up and away from the realities of life into a world of whimsy as he brings his critically acclaimed, veritable daydream of a show to theatres from Middlesbrough to Southampton and lots in between. Paul F Taylor has always been a man that has thrown himself to the gods of chaos. Growing up, people often accused him of having his head in the clouds. Having recently been diagnosed with ADHD, perhaps it’s little wonder he’s not had his feet on the ground. Paul has appeared on Harry Hill’s Nite Club on Channel 4 and written for the award winning BBC Radio 4 sketch show Please Use Other Door. A winner of the prestigious New Act of the Year (NATYs) competition, he has since been nominated for Best Show at Leicester Comedy Festival 2017 and the A mused Moose Comedy Award for Best Show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. As well as having performed 11 shows at the Edinburgh fringe, Paul’s warm stage presence and cleverly written surreal material have seen him establish himself as a headliner in the UK and overseas. Along with his wife Rebecca Shorrocks, he is one half of sketch duo Short & Curly who enjoyed mass critical success at the Edinburgh Fringe as well as being nominated for Best Character and Sketch Act in the Chortle Awards. Now Paul questions his place in this world of distractions that is seemingly not built for people like him. As a new father he’s learning the hard way, having something that demands him to keep his focus, when he can’t, isn’t easy. But in this very serious world, maybe we can all benefit from having our head in the clouds a little now and then. If you would like to join Paul and find the clouds with the surreal rather than silver linings full details of his tour can be found at: - https://www.paulftaylor.co.uk/ / Twitter: @paulyftaylor / Instagram: @paulyftaylor  Image (c) Ed Moore

"There’s no money in honesty!” A comedy about hypocrites, hysterics and hustlers. A brand-new adaptation of Nikolai Gogol ’s satirical masterpiece, THE GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR , premiering at the Marylebone Theatre from 3 May – 15 June 2024. This hilarious new adaptation sets the action in a small parochial town in late 19 th century Britain, where the corrupt local officials mistake an over-privileged, vainglorious liar, who just happens to be passing through the town, for a high-ranking government inspector. Desperate to cover up their crimes and escape censure, the town’s Governor and his cronies pull out all the stops to try and bribe this dishonest buffoon with money, wine and women. The production will star TV comedy royalty Vicki Pepperdine (Poor Things, Getting On, Dear Joan and Jericha) as Mrs Swashprattle alongside Kiell Smith-Bynoe (Ghosts, Stath Lets Flats, Taskmaster, Man Like Mobeen) as Percy Fopdoodle and Dan Skinner (Shooting Stars, This Time with Alan Partridge, The Kennedys) as Governor Swashprattle. Vicki Pepperdine said, “ I’m looking forward to getting to grips with Patrick’s great new adaptation of this classic tale, full of subterfuge, flirtation and plenty of jokes about government corruption! " Kiell Smith Bynoe said, "Very excited to be back on the stage in this hilarious adaptation. Can't wait to get in front of an audience and misbehave.” Dan Skinner said, " The Government Inspector is an absolute classic and there has never been a better time than now to retell this story of corrupt councillors, vanity and opportunism. As well as being a story for our times, it's also very funny and I can't wait to get stuck in!" They will be joined onstage by Peter Clements (The Incident Room – New Diorama Theatre, Frau Monde: Farewell to the Theatre – Hackney Showroom) as ‘Ivan Brabble’, Chaya Gupta (Hansel and Gretel – Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, We’ll Have Nun Of It – Edinburgh Fringe & The Other Palace) as ‘Miss Swashprattle’, David Hartley (Macbeth & Henry VI – Shakespeare's Globe, Measure for Measure – Shakespeare's Globe & US Tour) as ‘Reverand Jargogle’, Nigel Hastings (And Then Come The Night Jars – Theatre503, UK Tours and Film Adaptation, Dmitry – Marylebone Theatre) as ‘Dr Mumpsimus’. Christopher Hunter (Mr Selfridge – ITV, Romeo and Juliet – Royal Shakespeare Company) as ‘Postmaster Cumberworld’, Daniel Millar (The Pillowman & The Play That Goes Wrong – West End, King Lear & Frankenstein – National Theatre) as ‘Fudgel’, Anna Savva (The Durrells – ITV, Henry VIII – Shakespeare's Globe) as ‘Judge Woofit’, Dan Starkey (Doctor Who – BBC, Class Dismissed & Wizards vs. Aliens – CBBC) as ‘Ivan Grubble’ and Alison Ward (NewsRevue – Canal Café Theatre, Big Field - BBC3) as ‘Cyril/Marigold’. The Government Inspector has cemented its reputation as one of the greatest comedies in world literature and ensured that wherever a corrupt and hypocritical government is in power, this play finds its way to the stage. The play is adapted and directed by Patrick Myles, with set and costume design by Melanie Jane Brookes, lighting design by Ric Mountjoy, sound design by Jamie Lu, and casting consultancy by Matilda James. TICKETS ON SALE NOW HERE

In celebration of their 40th Anniversary ( 1984-2024 ), legendary British AOR rock band FM are proud to announce their forthcoming fourteenth studio album Old Habits Die Hard released by Frontiers Records on Friday May 3rd. Released to coincide with the bands 40th Anniversary (1984 – 2024), vocalist, guitarist and founding member Steve Overland says, “ the new album encompasses the best melodic elements of the band’s illustrious 40-year spanning career.” “We really looked at what made the most popular FM albums great and tried to focus on that, ” says Steve about the new album Old Habits Die Hard . FM are known by many for their big choruses, twin lead guitars and Steve Overland’s intimate, yet powerful vocals, and clean guitar sound. Following 2022’s Thirteen album, Old Habits Die Hard was delayed slightly by keyboard player Jem Davis’ cancer diagnosis (thankfully he’s now received the all-clear) and then by the sudden passing of FM’s founding guitarist Chris Overland (Steve’s brother), which hit the band hard. Over the past 12 months, during their extensive touring schedule, FM produced the album themselves and recorded the bulk of it at their own Dale View and Electric Pepperland recording studios. Opening track and first single “ Out of The Blue ” was a song that originated from keyboard player Jem Davis . Says Jem, “ the band love the music of Toto and Foreigner and so I tried to put those influences into one track. ‘Once Steve got involved and started singing it, I knew that we were onto something special.” “ Out Of the Blue is a song that old school FM fans will really latch on to,” says Steve. “So far, the reaction to the track has been amazing. ” Another track which has been well received is "Don't Need Another Heartache" (see below). “ Heartache draws influences from the bands love for bands like free and Bad Company,” adds FM’s lead singer Steve Overland . “ It’s a straight-to-the-point, classic blues rock track. ” ‘ This song will probably be in the live set for the 40th anniversary tour as it’s one of our favourites from the album ,” explains drummer and founder FM member, Pete Jupp . Speaking of that tour, it continues on 3rd May the album release day at Nottingham's Rescue Rooms. Special Guests on the tour will be BRAVE RIVAL , COLLATERAL, ROMEO’S DAUGHTER & HAND OF DIMES. For further information please check out THEGIGCARTEL.COM & FMOFFICIAL.COM Photo Credit: © Tony Ayiotou - FM (L-R) - Jem Davis, Merv Goldsworthy, Steve Overland, Jim Kirkpatrick, Pete Jupp.

One of Hollywood's most iconic canines is back! In this latest family feature from the filmmakers behind the 2020 hit and Lassie’s detective skills are put to the test in a race against time. Kaleidoscope Entertainment is delighted to share the news about the upcoming Lassie: A New Adventure, heading to UK Cinemas from 3rd May. Directed by Hanno Olderdissen, the film stars Nico Marischka, Katharina Schüttler, Justus von Dohnányi, Annette Frier, Anna Lucia Gualano and Pelle Staacken. It's the summer holidays! But this year, Flo (Nico Marischka) doesn't want to be separated from Lassie: instead of spending their holidays in Gran Canaria with their parents, Flo and his loyal best friend opt to visit their Aunt Cosima’s (Katharina Schüttler) farm in South Tyrol, where she lives with Jack Russell terrier Pippa, and her foster children Kleo (Anna Lucia Gualano) and Henri (Pelle Staacken). The adventurous pair soon find themselves in the middle of an alarming new mystery – all of the pedigree dogs in the village are disappearing! When Pippa is the next to be stolen, Lassie’s detective skills are put to the ultimate test in a tense race against time to catch the thieves, rescue Pippa, and foil the despicable dognapping scheme once and for all! Director, Hanno Olderdissen and Producer, Henning Ferber said, " When Lassie Come Home was released in cinemas at the beginning of 2020 it was soon clear: the collie dog had yet again become a celebrated star, with the film being a huge hit in over 150 countries worldwide. The momentum created by the first adventure’s success allowed us to continue on our journey and Lassie has been made even more active in the sequel" "Of course we also have strong human protagonists, but it was important to us that it was Lassie who led through the story. We want to tell an adventure for children, but also for adults who still know Lassie from their childhood. ” Successfully re-establishing Lassie as a contemporary heroine for modern audiences following the global success of Lassie Come Home (2020), a remake based on the original book by Erik Knight, Director Hanno Oldierssen returns with another thrilling family adventure! You'd be barking mad to miss it! Lassie: A New Adventure will be in UK Cinemas from 3rd May

It's not only the Aces that are high! Award-winning rock duo When Rivers Meet , comprised of husband-and-wife Aaron and Grace Bond , are the first independent UK blues act to have an album in the Top 10 of the Official UK Album Chart with their third studio album “ Aces Are High .” The album, which has charted at #9 in the Official UK Album Chart , is the Essex-based band’s first Top 10 album. “ We delighted with the support that we have had from our dedicated fans, ” says When Rivers Meet’s vocalist, mandolin and violin player, Grace Bond . “ Having a Top 10 album means the world to us, ” says WRM’s guitarist, Aaron Bond . “ We can’t wait to perform the new songs when we tour the UK in May 2024.” The pair will be at Manchester's Gorilla on Thursday of this week delighting those many fans. “ Aaron and I can’t wait to get back on the road in 2024 to tour the Aces Are High album, ” says Grace. " The new songs are powerful and intense. They represent where we are right now as both writers and performers. It’s an exciting journey and we look forward to sharing the ride with our dedicated fans. ” When Rivers Meet aka Grace & Aaron will be joined by Special Guests The Dusk Brothers. Since their formation in 2019, When Rivers Meet have been quick to prove themselves one of the most exciting names in British blues rock. Blending Rock, Blues, Americana, and Folk in a distinctly unique manner, they’ve received many awards and accolades. WRM were the first band to win four awards at the UK Blues Awards 2021 and another three awards in 2022, including Blues Band of The Year on both occasions. In 2023, WRM won Blues Band of The Year, making them the only band to win these category three years in a row, and the only band to be inducted into the UK Blues Awards Hall of Fame for this category. I have had the pleasure of hearing the band live on one of their tours, and the infectious enthusiasm for what they are singing and playing spreads to the fans and a very enjoyable time is had by all. It's not just the music Grace & Aaron's banter between themselves and the audience is a joy to behold and holds the atmosphere superbly. To make sure you don't miss them on this tour you can get tickets from:  TOUR — When Rivers Meet Image © Manny Manson

“ You Are The Sun by HurlyBurly is a masterclass in how early years theatre should be created. " Zoe Pickering, Z-Arts Head of Programming HurlyBurly Theatre’s "You are the Sun" , is a folk inspired opera for babies and grownups that explores the magic of nature. Now on tour, "You are the Sun" combines the joy of gentle classical singing and sensory play and is an invitation to see beauty in the smallest things and to let plants be your guide. The interactive and playful set casts a magical spell with locally foraged plants, water, light and soil. parents are led by their babies to reconnect with the natural world. HurlyBurly Theatre make playful theatrical experiences for babies and adults with classical singing at their heart where babies are free to be themselves and grown-ups have a chance to relax, bond and play. ​​Artistic Directors Sarah Forbes and Catherine Carter founded HurlyBurly in 2016 having become new parents themselves. Catherine & Sarah said: “ We believe in creating high quality experiences for very young children and their parents to introduce them to the magic of theatre in a safe stress-free space for them to explore at their own pace." "Over and again audiences comment on how mesmerised their children were by the music, the singing and the sensory play. For us as artists the experience never gets boring because every show is different depending on who is in the room with us. The babies become the performance - it is a great privilege to share this moment of vulnerability and adventure with new parents and their tiny children." The duo who originally trained as classical singers began to work together to create shows they wanted to experience at that time which are as much for new parents as they are for babies. Everyone is free to move around and interact with the performers and space in whatever way they choose. Parents are given a rare opportunity to sit back and relax enveloped in beautiful, soothing and mesmeric music. "You are the Sun" is created by Catherine Carter and Sarah Forbes with words and music by Catherine Carter and design by Kirsty Harris. The show’s development has been supported by The Egg (Theatre Royal Bath), Portsmouth Guildhall and Watermans Arts Centre as well as Arts Council England. Celebrate the gift of nature in this relaxed and playful opera for babies and grown-ups. Help to conjure a world out of breath, water, sunlight and soil in a magical musical adventure for 0 – 2-year-olds. You can find out more about HurlyBurly and the tour of "You are the Sun" at www.hurlyburlytheatre.com or on Facebook: @HurlyBurlyCo // Instagram and X @hurlyburly_co

" Country Music’s Next Rising Star ” (Billboard), Dylan Schneider , “ is proving to be all gas, no brakes in 2024” (Taste of Country) has recently released his latest EP, Bad Decisions. Finding “ storylines that make country music listeners go wild is his superpower, ” and the BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville singer-songwriter “ not only lives up to his hitmaker status, but he exceeds it ” (All Country News). “This is my favourite batch of songs that I have ever released,” says Schneider. " Bad Decisions shares my vision of where I’m heading creatively and sonically. I have a lot of different influences ranging from hip-hop to R&B to country, and with this EP, I’m able to explore all of that. This is also my first project where I co-wrote every single song, so I’m excited to play these out on the road for y’all and see what you think! ” Featuring his viral songs “Ain’t Missin’ You” and title track “Bad Decisions” that PopCulture demanded to “PLAY IT LOUD,” the six-track project includes new songs “Carhartt,” “Ruin This Town” and “Buy That Girl A Beer” that are sure to catapult his already viral resume. At only 24-years-old, Schneider has amassed a social-media following of 1.8M + fans, banked over 350M on-demand streams, and has toured alongside superstars like Florida Georgia Line, Morgan Wallen, Scotty McCreery, Nate Smith and more. Next up, Schneider joins Kane Brown on his US “In The Air” Tour. After posting a snippet of a sharp-witted chorus on TikTok, the sound went viral, racking up over 156M TikTok views, 182k user-generated TikTok videos, 55M on-demand streams and 1M YouTube views, climbing to #3 on TikTok’s Country playlist and securing placement on viral-song charts. Seeing the incredible response, Schneider immediately went back to the writing room to finish the spit-fire track – “Ain’t Missin’ You.” Boasting wily lyrics and an electric hook, the feisty song finds the “Artist to Watch” (Amazon Music, Pandora, Taste of Country) continuing to “expand the bounds of his artistry” (American Songwriter) and lean into MusicRow’s “Next Big Thing” prediction. Continuing to strongly connect, having already amassed over 3.8M TikTok views, 26,000 filter creates, 5,000 user-generated TikTok videos and 7.3M streams. Schneider gave into fan-demand again with the sultry track “Bad Decisions.” Seduced by a magnetic connection with an ex, the seductive song follows a couple who just can’t help but give into temptation. Filling out the rest of the project, Schneider delivers his most-vulnerable song to date with the autobiographical “Daddy Drinks Whiskey” that “takes one of country music’s drinks of choice and turns it into a personal story he’s finally ready to share” (American Songwriter). While the stadium-ready, supercharged anthem "Ruin This Town” showcases his “rapid-fire singing style” (Billboard), the live-in-the-moment reminder of ballad “Buy That Girl A Beer” puts his eclectic vocals and lyrical growth on full display. Finally, the insanely catchy, witty and vibrant groove of “Carhartt” flows with an unforgettable, anthemic beat about a girl who got away that's sure to be his next viral song of summer. To get your hands and ears on the EP and make your decisions, please check out: Website | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | Facebook | X Image below (c) Peyton Dollar