Merthyr Express column

25th March 10

Open Mike Night

Next month’s Open Mike Night on 15th April welcomes this year’s winner of the prestigeous TS Elliot Prize, author Philip Gross, born in 1952 in Delabole, Cornwall. Son of an Estonian wartime refugee and the village schoolmaster/s daughter. He has written poetry for adults and children, novels for young people, plays for radio and stage, short stories and opera libretti. Besides this year’s TS Elliot Prize, he has won an Eric Gregory Award and numerous others, and his 1998 collection The Wasting Game (Bloodaxe, 1998) was shortlisted for the Whitbread prize. A teacher of creative writing since 1984, he joined the University of Glamorgan in 2004 as Professor in Creative Writing. The Open Mic Night starts at 7.30pm and is free entry. Open Mic Nights are supported by MTCBC and Academi. For further information please contact: (01685) 725382 or arts@merthyr.gov.uk

Global Village

This year’s Global Village festival looks to be every bit as successful and entertaining as last year’s event. The main festival event, celebrating the diversity of Merthyr Tydfil, will take place in Cyfarthfa Park on Sunday, 23rd May, with music, dance and performance art from cultures from across the world, including India Dance Wales, Didgereedoo playing, North American Hoop Dance, traditional Portuguese folk dancing, Welsh pipers and much more. The main event is also preceeded by a two week series of different workshops and activities in various community settings across the borough. Details soon to be posted on the What’s On pages of the www.merthyr.gov.uk website. For further information please contact: (01685) 725382 or arts@merthyr.gov.uk

Bedroc
Get ready to rock with Bedroc. The Welsh language music festival, which includes rock, pop and folk music will return again this year, bringing the best of Wales’s Gymraeg music scene to the Merthyr borough with another full weekend in Bedlinog from 18th to 20th June. Past years have included iconic names from the world of Welsh music including Dafydd Iwan, Y Tebot Piws, Meic Stevens, Hanner Pei and Huw Chiswell plus many more including current Radio Cymru favourites Merthyr’s very own Y Betti Galws. Details on this year’s event soon to be announced. For further information please contact Menter Merthyr or Cymdeithas Beddllwynog: jamie@merthyrtudful.com or 01685 725382 or visit www.cymdeithasgymraegbeddllwynog.co.uk

Mam and Dad Rock!
Newport’s Riverfront Theatre are offering a great opportunity for senior rockers with an over 50s Battle of The Bands competition. The competition is open to anyone in south east Wales in a band or able to put a band together. For the chance to perform in this event send in your details before May 2010, stating: Name of band, contact details, what type of music you play. Heats will be held prior to the finale and winners will be given the opportunity to record their own CD. Send details to: riverfront.education@newport.gov.uk or telephone 01633 656656. The finale will be held at The Studio in the Riverfront on Friday, 16th July at 7.30pm.