Merthyr Express column

22nd April ’10

Battle of The Bands

The heats are over and the valleys wide grand final of the Gathering will be held this coming Saturday (24th April) at Bridgend Recreation Centre, from 1pm until 10pm, featuring the best nine bands from the heats across south Wales. Merthyr Tydfil’s heat winners “Librarian’s Worst Nightmare”, stormed into the final with a blistering attack of their own material, plus two cover versions given the band’s own slant; Oasis’ “Rock’n’Roll Star”, without the drawl but with added kick and “Johnny B Goode” taking the spirit of Chuck Berry’s original into the twenty-first century. Guest stars for The Gathering will be The Guns, who have recently released their new album. Tickets are £8 on the door or £7.50 in advance. For information please contact 01656 815995 or visit gathering.celticaradio.com. The event is strictly no alcohol.

NEW iD
Head for Arts will be staging NEW:iD, a community play in the Eisteddfod Pavilion on 29th July 2010. The project is a bilingual event, so participants are need who prefer using English and/or Welsh. The title for the community play “NEW:iD” can be read as English or Welsh. In English the title is read as “New ID” or “New Identity”. In Welsh the title is read as “Newid” which is the Welsh word for “Change”. The performance will be shown on the Pavillion stage at the National Eisteddfod in Ebbw Vale. Community members from across the eastern Heads of the Valleys area are invited to be involved in this production, giving them an opportunity to showcase their talent and creative skills. The first open workshops for community members to be involved in
NEW:i.D will be taking place on the following dates: Film Workshops, 7:30pm Tuesday evenings at EVI, Ebbw Vale. This is a four week course, starting on the 27th April Adults especially welcome: Drama Workshops, 6 - 8pm, every Tuesday evening at EVI, Ebbw Vale Starting on the 27th April. Any children to be accompanied by an adult: Music Workshops for all musicians - all levels and abilities welcome: Taster sessions on 25th April and 23rd May in Llanhilleth Institute 2pm - 4pm Ages 10+. For further information, please contact Bethan on 01495 357816 or visit www.head4arts.org.uk

Welsh Drama Group
The next meeting for Welsh language drama group (for speakers and higher learners) will be at Y Ganolfan Gymraeg, Pontmorlais, Merthyr Tudful, CF47 8UB on Monday 25th April at 5.30pm until 7pm. The sessions are for adult participants who will be working towards the community play, NEW:iD, from H4A in partnership with Canolfan a Menter Gymraeg Merthyr Tudful, on 29th July 2010 as part of a wider community participation day at the National Eisteddfod in Ebbw Vale. Please get in touch now to be part of this exciting project. Call the Menter Merthyr Tudful office on 01685 722176

Poetry in Dowlais
Dowlais Library will be hosting a poetry event with refreshments on Thursday, 6th May, 2010, between 2pm and 4pm. The session forms part of the introduction to Adults Learners Week.
The project is in collaboration with the Aberdare Poetry Society, Adult Learners Week and Dowlais Library. For further information, please contact Sian Anthony, Community Librarian at Dowlais Library on 01685 723051 or email: sian.anthony@merthyr.gov.uk