Our Pick of Independent Sheffield
17 & 19 August, Don Valley Bowl
leadmill.co.uk
As the hot, hazy days stretch out into August, what better way is there to spend a weekend than dancing and singing along to the tunes you love while basking in the glorious glow of sunshine and nostalgia? With that in mind, you’ll be glad to know that The Leadmill are bringing Haçienda Classical and Ocean Colour Scene to Don Valley Bowl on the 17 and 19 of August respectively, and we can’t wait.
Friday night’s Haçienda Classical will see the iconic club’s dance heritage work in perfect harmony with the world of classical music as Manchester’s most adventurous orchestra, the Camerata, breathe new life into the tunes that defined a generation.
On Sunday, Britpop favourites Ocean Colour Scene will top off the weekend with a day-long indie extravaganza. Although it’s knocking on 30 years since the band first formed, they continue to play anthems like 'The Day We Caught The Train' and 'The Riverboat Song' with the same verve and vigour that they did in the nineties.
Joining Ocean Colour Scene (on what we hope will be a balmy and sun-soaked August day) will be indie psych-poppers The Coral, fresh from touring with the Manic Street Preachers. And to top it all off, they’ll be joined by The Bluetones, The Magic Numbers, Dodgy and Sheffield-born five-piece Sheafs. Be sure to get your tickets booked for this one. It’s going to be a blissful trip down memory lane.
|18 August, 9am, Rother Valley Country Park | £20 adult, £14 child, £60-80 family
tchc.org.uk
Sheffield Children's Hospital is a world-class facility with an impressive reputation, bringing children from all over the country to see its specialists. The Children's Hospital Charity exists to help the hospital deliver above and beyond its basic provision, raising much-needed funding for high-end medical equipment and facilities, as well as initiatives that brighten up the hospital, making its young patients feel more at home. Since 2012, the charity's Make It Better Appeal has funded 46 en-suite bedrooms and 6 four-bed bays in the new wing of the hospital, for example.
Theo's Inflatable 5K is an inflatable obstacle race and another upcoming fundraising activity that offers family-friendly fun for the over 5s, all going towards a very good cause - a helipad for the hospital.
We are assured the race will be big and bouncy, with laughs a-plenty for both participants and spectators. Places are limited, with tickets priced at £20 for adults and £14 for children, and family tickets also available at £60-80. It's also suggested that you raise £30 in sponsorship to run the race to help boost the final funds, but it's not mandatory. Either way, all proceeds will go towards making Sheffield Children's Hospital better equipped and more welcoming for its patients.
|27 Sept - 6 Oct
sensoria.org.uk
Sheffield is full of festivals of different shapes and sizes, but what makes Sensoria different is that often it explores the hinterland where formats and disciplines collide, hosting events which look at new multimedia possibilities and genuinely challenge audiences.
This year is no different, with early announcements for Sensoria 2018 very much piquing our interest. In terms of music, now confirmed is Indiana-based experimental electronic artist Jlin (29 Sept, Trafalgar Warehouse), who has risen from the footwork scene in the Chicago area to justified critical acclaim. Another huge music booking is BEAK>, the hypnotic krautrock act led by Geoff Barrow of Portishead fame (4 Oct, Foundry), with support coming from Ex-Easter Island Head.
If you prefer things even further 'out there', the Will Gregory Moog Ensemble (6 Oct, Trafalgar Warehouse) will see the Goldfrapp keyboard player showcase new and reworked music for vintage synthesisers. Also strongly recommended is XFRMR (6 Oct, Uni Drama Studio), Robbie Thomson's audio-visual project harnessing the sheer power of the Tesla coil to stunning effect.
For those engaged in the industry side of things, there is also SensoriaPro (5 Oct, Trafalgar Warehouse), featuring talks and informal networking opportunities with musicians, filmmakers, publishers and festival representatives. For the super geeks, don't miss Synthfest (6 Oct, Octagon).
All in all, another fine programme, with more to come. Stay tuned.
|27 September to 4 November, Yorkshire Artspace
artspace.org.uk
At Your Service is a new exhibition by local visual artist Mir Jansen, exploring such timely topics as the NHS, the EU and Brexit. Jansen was a programmer at Yorkshire Artspace for 14 years until 2014, when she resumed her own creative practice.
Part of the Ways of Making series, and following on from the hugely successful residency by Andrew Hunt at Persistence Works Gallery, Jansen's thought-provoking exhibition looks at the contribution that European employees make at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals.
The artist interviewed a number of individuals to gather details of their lives, as well as their experiences of living and working in the UK post Brexit referendum.
The outcome is an exhibition that celebrates both unity and individuality, made up of portrait imagery and other inspirational fragments gleaned during interviews.
At Your Service runs from 27 September to 4th November.
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