SouthseaScene

Portsmouth Guildhall is throwing open its doors on Saturday 14th August, 11am – 5pm, to welcome people back into the city’s premier Concert and Events venue and give a sample of some of the performances, activities and workshops that the venue and its creative partners have to offer throughout 2021/22, and to celebrate the city’s creative economy. SAMPLED, a FREE event, will offer something for everyone including live music from LMSUK Media, the chance to get creative in a craft & design workshop with The Maker’s Guild, circus skills with The Parenting Network and a samba workshop with UVG – The Urban Vocal Group. In a taster of the Guildhall’s Games Fest and Portsmouth Comic Con events, there will be the opportunity to play new and retro board and computer games with partners Dice and Game Over and the chance to meet some of your favourite superheroes and characters with GoGeek Events. If you’ve always wanted to be the star of the show, now is your chance as you can take you...

Determined that the show will go on for young people this year, The Guildhall Trust is taking its hugely popular dance competition event for schools and colleges, Dance Live! on the road to record pupil’s performances and then screen them as an evening of Dance Live! TV. Liaising closely with the schools and colleges that were registered to perform in the competition’s heats in March and finals in April at Portsmouth Guildhall, the Dance Live! team has worked to secure an option that meets the challenges posed by Covid-19 restrictions whilst ensuring the event can still go ahead for the young people who have already missed out on so much over the last year. The plan to take an LED screen, backdrop, dance floor and filming equipment into each school or college at the end of May (when hopefully restrictions will allow) will give participants the opportunity to record their performances within their bubbles and produce their ‘Journey to Dance Live!’ and ‘Screen Content’ videos as planned,...

Portsmouth Guildhall becomes University of Portsmouth teaching space in a creative response to the Coronavirus pandemic. This exciting new partnership will see Portsmouth Guildhall temporarily used as a teaching space by the University of Portsmouth. The venue’s 2,000 seat auditorium and a suite of ten smaller rooms, which would normally host concerts and conferences, will be repurposed for Covid-secure face-to-face teaching and student welcome events from the end of September until December. The mutually beneficial agreement between the two organisations comes following an extended period of closure for the landmark building. Its indoor space and proximity to campus make it a great venue for additional teaching space for students. Covid-secure measures such as one-way systems, face coverings, social distancing and hand sanitiser stations will be used to make the venue as safe as possible for students and staff. The University’s Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Berni...

Today Portsmouth Guildhall launches its Summer Staycation series of online events to help you make the most of your summer holidays at home in the UK this year. Featuring a range of interactive events, live-streamed performances, competitions and activities there is something to keep all ages entertained throughout August and even a special offer to get on board with the excitement of the Government’s ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ scheme! Singers and non-singers of all abilities are invited to give their lungs a workout with the Guildhall’s weekly live sing-a-long sessions (every Wednesday at 4pm) with the Urban Vocal Group who take on the classics with a different themed twist each week from Disney to Disco and 60s to the Musicals!    If sitting back, relaxing and watching some fantastic local artists is more your thing don’t miss out on the weekly Summertime Sessions in association with LMSUK Media every Thursday at 7pm, featuring chilled live-streamed gigs from the sitting rooms of...

The city’s iconic Portsmouth Guildhall may currently be closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic but The Guildhall Trust, the charity behind the busy concert and conferencing venue, is determined that the ‘Show Will Go On’ when they are given the go-ahead to re-open, with lots of rescheduled shows and new events also going on sale. The Guildhall’s popular Portsmouth Comic Con is moved back to Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th August with Jamie Cullum, Elbow, Jimmy Carr and the world’s leading MJ tribute; King of Pop all moved back to dates later in the Summer and Autumn. Other shows are moving into the Winter/Spring of 2021 including Paul Weller, Chris Ramsey, Milton Jones, Strictly Come Dancing – The Professionals, The Boys are Back and The Joe and Dianne Show. The Guildhall Trust is still working with the promoters of a small number of shows to reschedule dates and they thank people for their patience as promoters work through the monumental task of rerouting their entire tours. Existin...

The Guildhall Trust recently announced that composer, pianist, bandleader and broadcaster, Jools Holland OBE DL is to join the Trust as a Patron and advocate for the Renaissance of Portsmouth Guildhall. As a regular performer at Portsmouth Guildhall, Jools was keen to offer his support to the Trust’s ambitious Renaissance programme of renovation and restoration which will support the Trust’s vision to become one of leading cultural organisations in the country; inspiring, entertaining and transforming lives. To be completed in two phases over the coming years, Renaissance will create a welcoming and accessible hub for the community and provide improved customer facilities, backstage areas and dynamic social spaces. After starting out playing pubs in the East End docks, Jools Holland went on to lead his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra and sell millions of records worldwide. He was an original member of the band 'Squeeze' and he has worked with many artists, including St...

As part of its Discovering the Guildhall history project to preserve people’s memories of the Guildhall and the historic events which surround it for future generations, the Guildhall has created a fun memory booth based on an original recording studio, which people can step inside and record their memories to be included as part of a digital archive and potentially major exhibition which is to be launched in January 2020. The venue has received a fantastic response so far to a call-out for memories but it is hoped the booth will capture some more recent and quirky anecdotes from those visiting throughout the busy Autumn season and allow people wishing to add their memories in a more informal way to pop in at a time that is convenient to them. Located on the ground floor, next to the Guildhall’s Square Kitchen café, people are welcome to visit the booth whenever the venue is open to non-ticket holders Monday – Friday, 9am-5pm and Saturday 10am-2pm. Opening times may be restricte...

As published in Portsmouth View 12 April 2019 Echoes of Home is the theme of the evening concert by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra at the Guildhall with music from Sibelius, Tchaikovsky and Smetana on Friday 12 April, 7.30pm. Celebrate physical format music and independent record shops during the Record Store Day on Saturday 13 April with Pie & Vinyl, from 8am to 9pm. Continental Circus Berlin will be in Southsea Common until Sunday 14 April. Enjoy brilliant circus acts, music and high energy, fantastic performers from all over the world. Portsmouth born Ant Middleton, best known as the Chief Instructor for Channel 4's hit shows SAS: Who Dares Wins, Mutiny, and Escape will bring his brand new, fully immersive show The Mind Over Muscle Tour to the Guildhall on 15 April, 7pm. Join The Elizabeth Foundation’s Community Fun Day on 17 April, 1-3pm, with activities for the whole family. Take a walk with baby alpacas Pippin and Nugget, take part in a variety of activities or si...

Here's my review of places to go for lunch around the Guildhall. The Square Cafe Inside the Guildhall, the selection of pizza at this cafe is good value at £4.50. Our favourite is the Greek one with spinach, red onion and Feta cheese. A good selection of cakes also available with the usual selection of coffee. It can get quite crowded during lunch time. Canvas Cafe Tucked inside the Portsmouth & Southsea Station it's worth a trek for the best coffee and cakes. They come from Bread Addiction. Andre's Food Bar Everything looks good in this branch of the well-known family run cafe. The menu tends to be adventurous and there are daily specials too. Not many seats available. 113 Kitchen & Bar On the site of a formerly bustling cafe, this joint is also serving mainly pizza. The decor is a little sparse and grey but the food is good. We can also recommend the calamari starter. Leilamezze Occupying the former Old Vic Pub the Lebanese mezze place is becomin...

Children and young people came together on Wednesday 13 March at Portsmouth's Guildhall for an evening of music, drama and dance. Soundsational was a celebration of musical talent in Portsmouth and it was an opportunity for the young performers to take to the stage in front of enthusiastic audience of friends, families and members of the public. In the company of the Deputy Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, Councillor David Fuller, schools and colleges from across the city performed a variety of familiar songs, stage hits and extracts from musicals. Elton John's Circle of Life, Too Darn Hot from Kiss Me Kate and songs from Fame were just some of the songs performed alongside music from the Kings of Leon, Nirvana and Foo Fighters. The stage was packed with rock bands, choirs, dance groups and the audience were delighted by the eclectic mix of music that left everyone wanting more. Cllr Suzy Horton from Cabinet Member for Education said after the show: "It's been an incredible ...

As appeared in Portsmouth View March 2019 British Science Week will be celebrated across the UK from Friday 8 to Sunday 17 March and not least in Portsmouth. There are activities sponsored by the British Science Association Portsmouth and Isle of Wight Branch of which I am a volunteer. Catch artist Immy Smith and her sciart at the aspex gallery Family Saturdays on 9 March from 11am until 1pm. The unique workshop is led by local artists Bethia Wentworth and Jordan Baines and it’s free. On Wednesday 13 March, one the Thai boys rescue divers will be in Portsmouth to talk about his experience. Jason Mallinson is also an alumnus of the University of Portsmouth. This free event is held at the King’s Theatre, 6pm. For your ticket, go to port.ac.uk/events Join the Skeptics in the Pub at The Rifle Club in Fratton on 14 March at 7pm. James Williams, Lecturer in Education at University of Sussex will talk about Alfred Wallace who famously sent Charles Darwin an outline of the theory of e...

The Guildhall is hosting a free event to celebrate the cultural and creative industries in the city on Thursday 31 January from 8:30am-1pm at Guildhall Studio, Portsmouth Guildhall. At the event, Cllr Steve Pitt,Cabinet Member for Culture Leisure and Sport at Portsmouth City Council, will talk about the importance of cultural and creative industries for the region's economic growth while Professor Trevor Keeble from the Faculty of Culture and Creative Industries at the University of Portsmouth will talk about employment and enterprise in the UK Creative Industries and in Portsmouth. There will also be key note speakers from successful international creative film, design and music industries who will be sharing their experiences, discussing future challenges and how we shape future growth in the city. Cllr Steve Pitt said: "There's a huge amount of creativity in the city and many cultural and creative industries to celebrate including literature, film and music, art, ...

Award-winning pianist Steven Osborne will be in concert at Portsmouth Guildhall on Monday 5 November. Steven is one of the most highly regarded pianists in the world. His numerous awards include The Royal Philharmonic Society Instrumentalist of the Year (2013) and two Gramophone Awards. You can learn more about Steven from his blog where he has reflected on why people go to concerts and reminisced about attending a concert that his wife, who is also a musician, took part in. The responses to his blog post offered different motivations to why people attend concerts: One audience member said, “It’s about the experience and emotion connected to music. You lose yourself, it's overwhelming & uplifting.” A mother brought her 7 and 12 year-old boys to a concert to show them that there is a new world where beautiful music exists. In Portsmouth, one person goes regularly because the music takes her mind away from her anxiety and depression. Whatever your motivation might be, ...

Portsmouth Chamber Music Series announces its lineup for the 2018-2019 season in Portsmouth Guildhall, beginning on Monday October 8, 2018 at 7.30 pm. The series marks its 15th year with six concerts, featuring works by five composers new to the programme, including the young British composer Joseph Phibbs. The series welcome back Ensemble 360 and the Piatti Quartet. New to the series will be world renowned pianist Steven Osborne, Goldmund Quartet and Trio Isimsiz. The particular feature of the chamber series in Portsmouth is that the audience is seated around the musicians. It is a very intimate setting and gives everyone the feeling of shared musical experience which the audience really enjoy. Sponsored by the University of Portsmouth, the concerts are jointly promoted by Music in the Round in Sheffield, the UK’s largest promoter of chamber music outside London, as well as the Portsmouth Cultural Trust and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. “If I had a crystal ball in 2004 when ...

Mike & The Mechanics, who have sold over ten million records worldwide – announce their 2019 nationwide ‘Looking Back Over My Shoulder Tour’. An epic run of 34 UK concerts between February and April will see them in concert at the Portsmouth Guildhall on 30 March 2019. Mike + The Mechanics are Genesis founding member Mike Rutherford (Guitar) – one of the UK’s most prolific R&B singer, Andrew Roachford - Lead and backing vocals – (whose previous hits include Cuddly Tour and Family Man) and Canadian-born singer, Tim Howar - lead and backing vocals – who formed and toured with his band Vantramp, with the likes of Rod Stewart and Paulo Nutini. Tim shares vocal duties with Roachford and they both add a new soulful dimension to the band’s already established sound. Following on from their recent sold-out tour in the US, the ‘Looking Back Over My Shoulder Tour’ in 2019 will include tracks from their highly acclaimed latest album ‘Let Me Fly’. Also included will be their massive...

Portsmouth Guildhall offers advice and support to young people considering career opportunities in the creative economy at its most successful Creative Choices Day yet. Over 80 pupils from schools across the region attended Portsmouth Guildhall’s fourth Creative Choices Day, a day of workshops to inform young people about the range of careers available in the Creative economy, the UK’s fastest growing sector. Year 9-11 pupils from Milton Cross, St John’s College and Mayville High School took part in sessions led by the Guildhall team on Front of House and Stage Management, working in live events with Ticketmaster International and a lighting workshop with White Light Ltd. The free sessions gave pupils the opportunity to try out the different job roles for themselves and speak directly to experts in the industry who were able to share their entry routes, career paths and experiences with the students. John Talbot, Artist Relations Development Manager for Ticketmaster Intern...

Portsmouth Chamber Music Series continues on Monday 29th January with Music in the Round's resident Ensemble 360. The programme pairs a remarkable septet by Janacek with a late-romantic piece by Korngold, with Mozart's wonderful wind quintet in between.  Korngold is a fascinating example of someone who was equally at home composing Viennese art-music and early Hollywood film-music. Tickets are £18 with £16 concessions, available in person from the Guildhall, by calling 0844 453 9028, or from the website:  http://portsmouthguildhall.org.uk/events/ensemble-360

Violinist Tamsin Waley-Cohen was in concert at Portsmouth Guildhall last night with pianist James Baillieu.  Tamsin gave a superb rendition of Prokofiev's Violin Sonata No. 1; strong, angry and despairing. It was emotional and stunning at the same time. The memory of this concert will linger for months. In contrast, the C.P.E. Bach pieces were light and capricious in parts. It was a delight to hear the pieces. One audience members said the music was intriguing and surprising, while the Schubert Sonata was subtle and warm.  Each piece was full of fireworks! It was a wonderful concert and we felt privileged to be there.  The rest of the Portsmouth Chamber Music season includes: Ensemble 360 - 29 January Gould Piano Trio and Robert Plane - 19 March Marmen Quartet - 16 April More details from Portsmouth Guildhall

As appeared in Portsmouth View, October 2017 edition. Portsmouth is home to the arts and this month you can see just what a variety there is for everyone to enjoy. The fifth “Created in Portsmouth” arts and craft trail will take place the weekend of 13- 15 October and will feature a number of exciting local artists showcasing work in their studios. See the work of painter Lizzie Cornelius at her Hotwalls Studio, or Myrtle Clark Bremer at her home on Pelham Road. Popular graffiti artist, My Dog Sighs is exhibiting above the Wedgewood Rooms. Details from their website http://www.createdinportsmouth.co.uk/ Along the way, make a stop at many of the area’s great cafes. There is The Canteen at Hotwalls, Bread Addiction on Elm Grove and Casa de Castro on Albert Road, as well as Hunter Gatherer further along near Highland Road. Every third Wednesday of the month there is a free, drop-in interactive Story Time session at Fort Nelson. Great for the under 5s, the session on Wednesday 18 ...

We welcome a new, temporary exhibition which opens today at Portsmouth Guildhall and is available until 8th January 2018. The exhibition, created by Dave Allen and hosted by the Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries, marks the 50th anniversary of the so-called ‘Summer of Love’ with a focus on Portsmouth in the late 1960s and the legacy of those interesting times. The familiar histories tell tales of Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, swinging London and young people with flowers in their hair and bells round their necks, traveling in their thousands to San Francisco’s Haight Ashbury district to join the hippies there. The histories of those times also tell us that after the explosion of colour and new sounds of 1967, the following year’s revolutionary spirit became more political and less peaceful, leading to some terrible events in the immediate aftermath such as Altamont, Manson and Kent State. Dave Allen’s book, Autumn of Love: How the Swinging Sixties & the C...