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Global Sounds For 2012: Contemporary, Jazz, Folk, World And Roots Music

Town Hall and Symphony Hall Birmingham January - June 2012

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Two Trad-Jazz Legends Together - Martin Simpson Trio - Transatlantic Sessions - Sierra Maestra - Laura Marling - Time Gentlemen Please! - Portico Quartet - Fairport Convention - Nanci Griffith - An Evening With Joan Baez - Caro Emerald - The Spaghetti Western Orchestra - The Dubliners - Jack Bruce and His Big Blues Band - Charlie Landsborough - Roberto Fonseca + Ayanna - Kailash Kher With His Band Kailasa - Don Williams - The Imagined Village - The Chieftains - The Eukulele Orchestra of Great Britain Explores The Cecil Sharp Songbook - Folk For Free - Mid-Day Mantra - Rush Hour Blues - Sax In The City

A new season featuring contemporary, jazz, folk, world and roots music from artists including Sierra Maestra, Laura Marling, The Portico Quartet, Jack Bruce, The Imagined Village and The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain amongst others is now on sale at Town Hall and Symphony Hall Birmingham.

Between January and June 2012, the two world-class venues will present a programme of over 20 ticketed events and more than 40 free events spanning music from across the globe such as son Cubano, British trad-jazz, Irish folk, US country, Indian classical and many styles in between.

Season highlights include performances from Grammy nominees and Latin music heroes Sierra Maestra, the Symphony Hall debut by 2011 Brit Award winner and Mercury Prize nominee Laura Marling, a return to Town Hall by legendary Cream bassist and songwriter-storyteller Jack Bruce and his Big Blues Band, a visit by inspirational folk-world experimentalists The Imagined Village and a specially commissioned work exploring the songbook of folk's founding father Cecil Sharp from The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain.

Town Hall and Symphony Hall will also host performances from The Chris Barber Big Band and Acker Bilk and his Paramount Jazz Band, Martin Simpson Trio, Transatlantic Sessions, Demon Barbers: Time Gentlemen Please!, The Portico Quartet, Fairport Convention, Nanci Griffith, An Evening with Joan Baez, Caro Emerald, The Spaghetti Western Orchestra, The Dubliners, Charlie Landsborough, Roberto Fonseca + Ayanna, Kailash Kher with his band Kailasa, Don Williams and The Chieftains.

Paul Keene, Director of Programming at Town Hall and Symphony Hall, said, "2012 sees Birmingham's internationally acclaimed Symphony Hall begin its 21st Anniversary celebrations alongside our continuing commitment to developing Town Hall as a world-class venue for wonderful and distinctive music-making. We're doubly thrilled, therefore, to be delivering another season of exciting concerts featuring outstanding artists both new and established, whether it's Laura Marling and Portico Quartet at the cutting edge of cool, or legendary musicians like Joan Baez and Jack Bruce."

In addition to ticketed events, music fans can get their fix of jazz, folk and world music for free at the weekly Rush Hour Blues and monthly Mid-day Mantra, Folk For Free and Sax in the City sessions in the Symphony Hall Cafe Bar.

Rush Hour Blues, the free early Friday evening performance programmed in conjunction with Birmingham Jazz, regularly attracts audiences of around 400 and has presented hundreds of solo artists, ensembles and orchestras to date.

Folk For Free, presented in association with Moseley Folk, showcases some of the very best in contemporary folk from around the West Midlands once a month. Similarly, Mid-day Mantra, presented in association with sampad, introduces outstanding Asian artists from the UK and the Indian subcontinent in relaxed and informal free sessions. Veteran jazzman Andy Hamilton and the Blue Notes also perform free monthly Sax in the City gigs in the public space.

For ticket sales and information on all events please visit www.thsh.co.uk or call Town Hall and Symphony Hall Box Office on 0121 780 3333.

Season overview (in chronological order):

54 years after releasing a live recording at Town Hall, Chris Barber returns to the venue for a gig with his Big Band and the mighty Acker Bilk and his Paramount Jazz Band on 3 February.

Martin Simpson - up for Best Album and Musician of the Year in the 2012 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards - performs with his trio (Andy Cutting on melodeon and Andy Seward on bass) at Town Hall on Sunday 5 February.

Featuring an all-star cast of fifteen that counts singer-songwriter Eddi Reader, Pentangle founder and bassist Danny Thompson, US vocalist and guitarist Raul Malo and musical directors Jerry Douglas and Aly Bain MBE amongst its number, BBC Four's Transatlantic Sessions rolls in to Symphony Hall on 8 February.

As keepers of the Cuban son flame for over thirty years, Sierra Maestra are intrinsically connected to both the musical history of the Caribbean island stretching back to the 1920s and their fellow exponents, the Buena Vista Social Club. The nine-piece make their debut at Town Hall on 1 March.

Following a unique tour taking in some of Britain's best loved Cathedrals; the 2011 Best British Female Solo Artist Brit Award winner and Mercury Prize nominee Laura Marling debuts at Symphony Hall on Friday 2 March.

Time Gentlemen Please!, the creation from Yorkshire's folk innovators The Demon Barbers which sees B-Boys and Morris Dancers team up for extravagant performance of hip-hop and folk music and dance, visits Town Hall on Friday 2 March.

Mercury-nominated four-piece cool jazz experimentalists The Portico Quartet return to Birmingham for a gig on 7 March at Town Hall, performing material from their third and self-titled album, to be released on Real World Records in early 2012.

Simon Nicol, Dave Pegg, Chris Leslie, Ric Sanders, Gerry Conway - aka Fairport Convention, folk rock legends and 'Britain's friendliest band' head Brum-wards for a concert on Friday 9 March at Town Hall.

The Texan folkabilly musician and Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter Nanci Griffith brings her influential political commentary and traditional music to Town Hall with an evening performance on Monday 12 March.

Hot on her heels comes Joan Baez, accomplished American folk singer with over 50 years experience of performing, a passion for social activism and 30 albums in eight different languages to her credit. An Evening with Joan Baez is on Tuesday 13 March at Symphony Hall.

Close-harmony and funk-jazz singer Caro Emerald kicks off the first night of a mini-UK tour at Symphony Hall on Thursday 15 March in support of debut album Deleted Scenes From The Cutting Room Floor, which spent a staggering 30 weeks at number one in the Dutch album charts.

Five comic maestros and over 100 instruments, the Spaghetti Western Orchestra, bring Ennio Morricone scores such as The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and For A Few Dollars More to life on stage at on Friday 16 March at Town Hall.

For the third year running, one of Ireland's best known musical exports The Dubliners choose Town Hall Birmingham to play on St Patrick's Day night - celebrating 50 years in the business on Saturday 17 March.

Very few artists can claim to have played with Frank Zappa, Gary Moore, Lou Reed, John Mayall and Burt Bacharach amongst other giants of 20th century music. Legendary Cream bassist and songwriter-storyteller Jack Bruce is one such musician. He performs with his Big Blues Band on Thursday 29 March at Town Hall.

Singer-songwriter Charlie Landsborough, awarded Best Male in the British Country Music Awards three years in succession, heads to Town Hall for a performance backed by his five-piece band on Friday 30 March.

Roberto Fonseca, charismatic pianist, co-producer of legendary Havana vocalist Ibrahim Ferrer's last album and former member of Buena Vista Social Club is joined by hot new cello and vocal talent Ayanna for a night of Afro-Cuban-British sounds on Sunday 1 April at Town Hall.

Kailash Kher, the celebrated Indian singer and composer, performs a selection of his big Bollywood hits such as Allah Ke Bandey, Tu Jaane Na and Chak De Phattay plus new material and favourites from the world-renowned Pakistani musician Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan on Wednesday 4 April at Symphony Hall. Part of Symphony Hall's 21st Anniversary festival.

Nicknamed 'The Gentle Giant' owing to his bass voice, soft tones and six foot plus stature, Texan Don Williams is the real deal when it comes to US country music, having had his songs performed by Kenny Rogers, Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings amongst others. He performs on Tuesday 1 May at Symphony Hall.

Folk-world supergroup The Imagined Village, who count Simon Emmerson, Johnny Kalsi, Eliza and Martin Carthy amongst their regular numbers, and Benjamin Zephaniah, Billy Bragg and Paul Weller as collaborators return to Birmingham for a night of genre smashing music at Town Hall on Monday 21 May.

Up there with The Dubliners as some of the greatest Irish musicians of all times, The Chieftains - a six-time Grammy award winning band - also mark 50 years of bringing traditional music to the world with a concert on Tuesday 5 June at Symphony Hall.

The much-loved Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain celebrate music penned by the founding father of folk in their inimitable and hugely entertaining way on Thursday 28 June at Town Hall with the specially commissioned concert The Cecil Sharp Songbook: Waly Waly on the Ukulele.

For ticket sales and information on all events please visit www.thsh.co.uk or call the Town Hall and Symphony Hall Box Office on 0121 780 3333.

Town Hall and Symphony Hall are managed together by Performances Birmingham Limited, a Registered Charity No 1053937. Between them, the two halls present an exciting and varied programme of over 600 concerts and events a year, designed to appeal to people of all ages and backgrounds. Over 500,000 people visit Town Hall and Symphony Hall annually, and through a thriving Education and Community department, a further 12,000 young people and over 6,000 adults participate in musical activity of all ages.

Town Hall Birmingham re-opened in October 2007 following a £35m renovation funded by Birmingham City Council (£18.3m), Heritage Lottery Fund (£13.7m), European Regional Development Fund (£3m).

Town Hall Sumphony Hall Box Office: 0121 780 3333

Online Booking: www.thsh.co.uk

(£2 fee per transaction on all bookings except those made in person at the box office)

Ripping Yarns - The Complete Series (15)

Following the phenomenal success of "Monty Python's Flying Circus", Michael Palin and Terry Jones created the BAFTA-winning Ripping Yarns - The Complete Series (15). A parody of Boy's Own-style adventure annuals, "Ripping Yarns" sees Palin take the lead role in nine fantastic adventures - from stirring tales of sporting endeavour, intrepid exploration and wartime heroism to skullduggery, supernatural mystery and murder! It's available to own as a 2-disc set on 5th March 2012, RRP £19.99.

An illustrious supporting cast includes Ian Ogilvy, John Le Mesurier, Iain Cuthbertson, Denholm Elliott, Joan Sanderson and Don Henderson, with Terry Jones starring in one episode and fellow former Python John Cleese also making a cameo appearance. "Ripping Yarns" was produced and directed by the multi award-winning team of Terry Hughes (The Two Ronnies), Jim Franklin (The Goodies) and Alan J.W. Bell (The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy).

Special Features:
· Commentaries on all episodes by Michael Palin and Terry Jones
· Deleted scene from Murder at Moorstones Manor
· Audience laughter-free tracks on all episodes bar Tomkinson's Schooldays and Murder at Moorstones Manor
· Comic Roots - Michael Palin returns to his home-town of Sheffield
· "Secrets" - a BBC play from 1973
· Stills Gallery
· Michael Palin's Original Scripts PDF.

Originally broadcast on the BBC between 1976 and 1979, this set is a must-have item for all fans of great British comedy.

Ripping Yarns - The Complete Series (15) is available from Network DVD
Release Date: 5th March 2012
RRP: £19.99
Discs: 2
Running Time: 225 mins (approx.)
Screen Ratio: 1.33:1 Colour
Catalogue Number: 7953361

Disc One

TOMPKINSON'S SCHOOLDAYS. Set in the frontier days of British education, when upper lips were stiff with cold and corporal punishment was an A-Level. A savage, searing indictment of something or other.
Produced and Directed by Terry Hughes. Original BBC Transmission 7 January 1976

THE TESTING OF ERIC OLTHWAITE. A boy becomes a man in the harsh world of the Depression. The rough, tough story of folk who couldn't afford to go on the Jarrow March.
Produced and Directed by Jim Franklin. Original BBC Transmission 27 September 1977

ESCAPE FROM STALAG LUFT 112B. A tale of courage and valour behind the lines in the Kaiser's Germany. An inspiring story of camp life and a British officer who wouldn't lie down.
Produced and Directed by Jim Franklin. Original BBC Transmission 4 October 1977

MURDER AT MOORSTONES MANOR. Hugo and Dora drive down to see Mumsie and Dadsie-pie for a long weekend in the country. But it turns out to be longer than they thought.
Produced and Directed by Terry Hughes. Original BBC Transmission 11 October 1977

ACROSS THE ANDES BY FROG. The stirring story of one man and six frogs who tried to defy the world in the greatest gamble of all.
Produced and Directed by Terry Hughes. Original BBC Transmission 18 October 1977

THE CURSE OF THE CLAW. The terrifying account of a man who dabbled in the dark mysteries of the Orient, and lived to tell the tale. Or did he...?
Produced and Directed by Jim Franklin. Original BBC Transmission 25 October 1977

Disc Two

WHINFREY'S LAST CASE. Dashing, debonnaire Gerald Whinfrey saves his country twice a week. But in 1913 a German plot to start the First World War without telling anybody coincides with his holiday. Where do Whinfrey's priorities lie? Has he got any? A knockabout tale of international intrigue.
Executive Producer Sydney Lotterby. Produced and Directed by Alan J.W. Bell. Original BBC Transmission 10 October 1979

GOLDEN GORDON. A torrid tale of football fanaticism in the 1930s. Super-fan Gordon Ottershaw supports a team which hasn't won a match for six years. But worse is to come, and Gordon and his bicycle clips are reunited in a last desperate bid for glory and Bovril. Executive Producer Sydney Lotterby. Produced and Directed by Alan J.W. Bell
Original BBC Transmission 17 October 1979

ROGER OF THE RAJ. Roger Bartlesham comes of age in a world of eighteen-course breakfasts and twelve servants per leg. But when the Great War breaks out Roger finds himself in a world of changing values and is forced by circumstances to the most despicable act known to the British Army. Produced and Directed by Jim Franklin.
Original BBC Transmission 24 October 1979

ITV To Premier The First Trailer Of Titanic This Christmas

ITV is excited to announce that a special 2 minute trailer for the much anticipated epic mini series TITANIC will be shown for the very first time on ITV1 this Christmas Day.
Written by Oscar-winning screenwriter Julian Fellowes, TITANIC is the extraordinary re-telling of that doomed voyage as it's never been told before. This is the first time the public will be introduced to some of the characters involved, before they come to screen to commemorate the centenary of the disaster.

The trailer will be shown after Downton Abbey on ITV1 on Christmas Day but viewers can see it ahead of it's premiere on the ITV Player from midday on Friday the 23rd of December.

Rufus Radcliffe Director of Group Marketing and Research commented: "Titanic promises to be a massive TV event in 2012, and what better moment to start building anticipation amongst our viewers than an epic trail coming out of ITV's Downton Abbey Christmas special"

TITANIC weaves action, mystery and romantic narratives featuring fictional and historical characters, before coming together in an explosive finale. Whilst James Cameron's 1997 film was primarily a love story between the two central characters, BAFTA-winning producer Nigel Stafford-Clark was inspired by the hundreds of untold stories of those aboard, and the drama provides a unique portrait of the society which gave birth to the liner, and which was heading as obliviously towards its own nemesis in 1914 as Titanic towards its iceberg.

TITANIC is a Deep Indigo/Sienna Films/Mid Atlantic Films co-production in association with Lookout Point and ITV Studios.

Written by Oscar-winning screenwriter Julian Fellowes and directed by Jon Jones (Northanger Abbey, Diary of Anne Frank), the 4 x 60' series is produced by BAFTA-winning Nigel Stafford-Clark (Bleak House, The Passion) and Chris Thompson (The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency, Love Actually).

Simon Vaughan, Kate Bartlett, Julia Sereny, Jennifer Kawaja, Howard Ellis, Adam Goodman all Executive Produce.

TITANIC features an all-star ensemble cast of leading stage and screen actors, flowing camerawork and interweaving multi-arc storylines, as viewers get to know the multi-class, multi-nationality characters, brought to life by a huge company of no less than 89 actors, including Linus Roache, Celia Imrie, Toby Jones, Geraldine Somerville, Sophie Winkleman and Timothy West.

TITANIC was originated by Nigel Stafford-Clark's Deep Indigo Productions and international co-production specialist Lookout Point, who teamed up with ITV Studios to further develop the project. Working with distributor ITV Studios Global Entertainment, the project has since attracted a host of global partners including US Network ABC and ITV1, the UK's largest commercial broadcaster. The project is produced as a treaty co-production between the UK, Hungary and Canada.

Simon Vaughan, Chief Executive of Lookout Point and Executive Producer of TITANIC explains, "The goal is to mount a global co-production that does not look or feel like one. The material itself straddles the world. Working with ITV Studios Global Entertainment we have pulled together over a dozen separate sources of finance - but we are producing a miniseries with a clear creative voice: an authored piece from a wonderful creative team."

Production designer Rob Harris (Generation Kill, Hornblower, The Devil's Whore) has created an extraordinary 2-tier set, housing a 60m promenade deck, 50m boat deck, 4 working lifeboats, 2 collapsible lifeboats, the ship's bridge and pursers' offices, stairways, 75m of interior corridors and over a dozen separate interior rooms - from boiler rooms to dining rooms, third-class bunkrooms to first-class suites.

Director Jon Jones says, "It's an incredible, evocative playing space. We have built a huge section of the ship, that is jam packed with a warren of rooms arranged to allow us a sense that we have the run of the ship. Once you enter the studio, it is like boarding the ship - you get a real sense of the space. We want to get to grips with how it really was to be confined in a tiny cabin in steerage - or effortlessly ensconced in a First Class stateroom. Our set allows us to really enter that world."

To deliver the key water sequences, the team built the biggest indoor tank in mainland Europe, on the outskirts of Budapest. This vast 900m2 water tank features a sliding immersible section of the ship's deck and interior, and a huge 360º green screen backdrop.

A project of this scale cannot be achieved without CGI, the storylines include scenes in London, the shipyard in Ireland, and the Southampton departure dock and on to open water. VFX Supervisor Tom Turnbull of Rocket Science (The Nativity, The Day of the Triffids, National Treasure) is recreating the huge gantry cranes and the imposing cathedral-like brick and sandstone Victorian building which housed Harland & Wolff's headquarters, and of course the arresting sight of the grandest ship ever built.

Broadcast partners around the globe include ITV1 in the UK, ABC Network in the US, Global Television in Canada, Seven Network in Australia, Antena 3 in Spain, TV3 in Ireland, Network Seven in Australia, SVT in Sweden, TVNZ in New Zealand and SIC in Portugal.

The drama is executive produced by Lookout Point's Simon Vaughan (Ben Hur, Coco Chanel, The Hot Zone (working title)) together with ITV's Kate Bartlett (Marchlands, Identity, Vera), Sienna Films' Jennifer Kawaja and Julia Sereny (Diamonds, The Hot Zone (working title)) and Mid Atlantic Films' Howard Ellis and Adam Goodman (The Borgias, Pillars of The Earth) and David Collins of Samson Films, Ireland. The miniseries will air globally in April 2012, to coincide with the landmark centenary anniversary of the ship's sinking.

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Festival Awards Europe Honour Michael Eavis with Lifetime Achievement Award

The founder of Glastonbury festival, Somerset farm owner Michael Eavis is to be presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s European Festival Awards ceremony.

Each year the prize is dedicated to an individual whose personal vision and energy has propelled the entire festival industry forward in a dynamic, creative and positive way.

Michael is to be given the Lifetime Achievement Award because of his seminal role in the European festival industry. Glastonbury and its success have inspired thousands of festivals to be launched, and Michael’s own personal philosophy of philanthropy has been adopted by countless promoters.

Commenting on his award Michael said: “After 41 years, to win something of this magnitude is something to be incredibly proud of. To still be doing this after that amount of time is no mean feat!”

Michael will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Festival Awards Europe ceremony on Wednesday 11th January in Groningen, The Netherlands.

Speaking about the honour, James Drury Managing Director of Festival Awards said: “Since founding one of the most famous and long-lasting festivals in the world, Michael has dedicated his life to Glastonbury and the millions of festival-goers which have attended the event over its 41-year history. Glastonbury is the grandfather of the incredible festival market which Europe enjoys, and Michael is cited as an inspiration by almost every festival organiser I speak to across the world. This is why he is so deserving of this honour.”

Michael launched Glastonbury festival in 1970, after being inspired by the very first such gatherings such as the Isle of Wight Festival. After 11 years the event finally made a profit and Michael looked for good causes to support in the UK and around the world. Nowadays he aims to raise £2 million per year to make the quality of life better than it is, at present, for millions of people.

Presented in association with YOUROPE and Eurosonic Noorderslag, the Festival Awards Europe are the only pan-European body solely dedicated to recognising the contributions and achievements of the event organisers and performing artists that generate billions of Euros for local economies and brighten up the summer for tens of millions of festival-goers each year.

Christof Huber, Yourope general secretary said, “Michael Eavis is an icon in the European festival scene and in my view, Glastonbury is the mother of all European festivals. He is just the right person to get the Livetime Achievement Award at the Festival Awards Europe’

Festival Awards Europe Tickets:
Tickets are now on sale for the special awards ceremony, which will open Eurosonic Noorderslag on Wednesday 11th January 2012, with a gala ceremony held at De Oosterpoort in Groningen, The Netherlands.

Featuring a drinks reception, buffet dinner, live acts and an aftershow party, the awards is also a great opportunity for the industry to come together under one roof to celebrate the achievements of the past 12 months, make new connections, and catch-up with established ones.

Tickets are EURO 75 for Eurosonic Noorderslag delegates (EURO 85 on the door) – a 25% saving on the full cost! Buy tickets here

Please note: Registration for Eurosonic Noorderslag does not automatically entitle you to access to the European Festival Awards. Tickets need to be bought in addition to your Eurosonic pass and space is limited at De Oosterpoort, so buy early to avoid disappointment.

BBC iPlayer now streaming through 3G mobile networks - but know your data limits,warns expert

Michael Phillips, product director at Broadbandchoices.co.uk commented: "32% of mobile phone users access the internet through their handset so the iPlayer app update for 3G is long overdue. Watching Eastenders on the train home from work could fast become a habit for over-enthusiastic iPlayer fans, however this raises the risk of breaching data limits and incurring hefty penalty charges as a result, particularly amongst younger customers as they are the biggest users of this type of service.

 

"Most smartphones come with a data cap of around 500MB or 1GB per month, so considering that an hour of TV viewing through iPlayer will set you back around 300MB there is serious potential for some nasty bill shocks at the end of the month. Ask yourself if finding out the latest Albert Square gossip is worth data charges of £2 per MB and think twice before streaming. Check the size of each file prior to downloading or use the below guide as a rule of thumb to keep track of your usage."

ONLINE ACTIVITIES:
Watching a 3 minute music video on YouTube: 12MB
Downloading a movie of DVD quality: 1.5GB
Watching an hour of Downton Abbey on iPlayer: 300MB
Uploading a photo to send to family overseas: 2MB

Broadbandchoices.co.uk's top tips for minimising data charges:

• The right tariff for you: When choosing a mobile tariff always compare your options and keep in mind your needs as a user. If you are a heavy mobile broadband user and access the internet through your phone frequently, you will need a package that reflects this - preferably with an unlimited data allowance.

• Size matters: Before downloading or streaming any content through your mobile phone, check the size of the file beforehand to make sure you are not unwittingly breaching your data limit. Bear in mind that HD files are considerably larger than usual and will eat into your allowance.

• Make use of wi-fi: Many places now offer free wi-fi when you are on the move – from train stations to libraries or even your local Starbucks. It is worth switching to these services whenever possible as downloading through free wi-fi will not count towards your data usage and will help you stretch out your allowance for longer.

Comedian Andrea bags £500 in Boom-Tish talent search, sponsored by E-Lites

Up-and-coming comedian Andrea Hubert had the last laugh when she won the Boom-Tish talent search this week and was presented with a £500 cheque from the event sponsor, E-Lites.

The 33-year-old freelance writer, from North London, was the entrant who gained the most giggles from a panel of judges including Miranda actor Tom Ellis, comedian Bob Mills, Coronation Street writer Damon Rochefort and Cath Gagon from TV production company Avalon.

As the overall winner, she proudly picked up the ‘funny money’ prize donated by E-Lites, the UK’s leading electronic cigarette manufacturer. And just as importantly, the event raised some serious money significant for Barts And The London Charity, which provides funding for vital healthcare initiatives.

Andrea said: “I can't believe I won! I'm absolutely delighted. Boom-Tish is a brilliant night to be involved in and raises a lot of money for charity, as well as supporting the local arts communitt. Plus, I won a trophy that says ‘Winner’. It doesn't get much better than that!”

Andrea only started doing stand-up last year, acting on the advice of a friend who suggested that she ‘please just go and talk to someone else about your problems’. Within six months, she had beaten over 1,000 comedians to gain second place in the Laughing Horse New Act Competition, as well as making it to the semi-finals of So You Think You're Funny. In 2011, she again gained 2nd place in the Bath Comedy Festival New Act of the Year competition, and has since performed all over the UK.

Most recently, she has worked on a pilot programme for the BBC and is now working on her 2012 Edinburgh Festival show.

Boom-Tish is a new brand of comedy and variety night, based at the Music Palace in Crouch End, London, but expanding to a number of new venues in 2012. For more information, go to www.boomtish.co.uk

E-Lites provide smokers with a safer, healthier and more affordable alternative to traditional tobacco cigarettes, as well as being legally available to use anywhere, whether indoors or outdoors. For more information, go to www.e-lites.co.uk

E-Lites (www.e-lites.co.uk) was established in the UK in 2007 and is already a leader in its field, producing some of the most advanced electronic cigarettes on the market. The company is expanding nationally and internationally as demand grows for its innovative products.

Its latest range of G9 range of E-Lites includes a disposable device that provides the equivalent of 40 cigarettes and is priced at £9.99. Rechargeable options include the hard-cased E200 starter kit, which provides the equivalent of around 200 cigarettes and is priced £39.99. Customers can then order E-Tip refills from the website, which are priced £7.99 for the equivalent of approximately 80 cigarettes.

E-Lites’ revolutionary products are the result of extensive UK research and development. The evolution of E-Lites has been supported by significant investment in design and testing to ensure its electronic smoking devices are made to the highest standards and deliver the most authentic and luxurious smoking sensation possible.

The company’s manufacturing facility uses the latest state of the art micro-electronic technology, ensuring E-Lites set the standard within the electronic smoking industry. E-Lites are globally patented, internationally trademarked, and are backed by an international parts replacement guarantee.

Michael Ryan, one of the founding directors of E-Lites, is also chairman of the Electronic Cigarette Industry Trade Association (ECITA), a representative body which provides advice, guidelines and support to members, as well as working to ensure the correct regulatory framework is applied to such products. For more information, visit www.ecita.org.uk

Can You Become a True Knight in The Last Story?

Nintendo announces the upcoming release of The Last Story, the action-packed RPG from Final Fantasy developer Hironobu Sakaguchi.

The Last Story™ is the latest action-packed RPG to come from Hironobu Sakaguchi, available in Europe exclusively on Wii from February 24th 2012. The Last Story features time-honoured RPG gameplay and story elements but also adds modern twists to the traditional RPG formula. Customise your items and character and master the innovative combat system to succeed in this epic new RPG universe.

During The Last Story you take control of Zael and from time to time his partners, a band of mercenaries in search of their fortune. You undertake a series of missions and explore Lazulis Island and its sprawling medieval capital Lazulis City, while trying to help Zael achieve his ultimate goal of leaving his life as a mercenary behind and becoming a true knight.

The Last Story features a high level of customisation for both items and characters appearance. There are two main ways of customising your party’s equipment including visiting blacksmiths to increase their abilities and using dyes to change their colour. By visiting the various blacksmiths who are situated within Lazulis City and within some dungeons gamers can upgrade weapons and armour.

Unlike many other RPGs, The Last Story not only features a thrilling single player campaign with an engaging story, but also Online Multiplayer options including Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch and Co-Op modes. Now you can battle against or alongside up to five other RPG fans from across Europe using your own customised character from the Single Player game.

Master the innovative combat system, customise characters and gather items discovered throughout the game, and by utilising new features in The Last Story take on the many enemies and bosses that can be found across Lazulis Island. Combat mixes traditional melee, ranged and magic attacks that are often found in RPGs with an innovative cover system and unique magical abilities. Gamers will have to master a mysterious ability called The Gathering to help Zael and his band of mercenaries complete their missions and battle vast bosses by discovering their weak spots, picking a suitable strategy and using team work to bring them down.

The Last Story, the latest action based RPG from Hironobu Sakaguchi launches across Europe exclusively for Wii on 24th February 2012.

For further information, please visit:

Nintendo UK: http://www.nintendo.co.uk
Club Nintendo: http://www.club-nintendo.com
Iwata Asks: http://www.iwataasks.co.uk

One Direction's 2012 Calendar Is Bestselling Celebrity Calendar Of All-Time At Amazon.co.uk

Just a year on from performing on The X Factor final, One Direction have beaten long-running calendar favourites including Cheryl Cole, JLS and Cliff Richard to have the bestselling celebrity calendar of all-time at Amazon.co.uk

Their 2012 calendar is currently 181% ahead of JLS's 2012 offering and 241% ahead of perennial favourite Cliff Richard's 2012 calendar in this year's calendar bestsellers list.

"There will certainly be many homes and offices across the UK that will feature images of One Direction throughout 2012," said Darren Hardy, books manager at Amazon.co.uk Ltd. "One Direction have had a busy first year with their album 'Up All Night' and biography 'Dare to Dream: Life As One Direction' proving to be big hits and their calendar is obviously high on their fans' Christmas Wish Lists as well."

Top ten bestselling celebrity calendars of all-time at Amazon.co.uk:

1 One Direction 2012 Calendar
2 Official Cheryl Cole 2011 Calendar
3 Official JLS 2011 Calendar
4 Official Cliff Richard 2011 Calendar
5 JLS 2010 Calendar
6 Official Take That 2010 Calendar
7 Official Take That 2011 Calendar
8 Official Justin Bieber 2011 Calendar
9 Official Cliff Richard 2010 Calendar
10 JLS 2012 Calendar

Current top ten bestselling celebrity calendars for 2012 at Amazon.co.uk:

1 One Direction 2012 Calendar
2 JLS 2012 Calendar
3 Cliff Richard 2012 A3 Calendar
4 Justin Bieber 2012 Calendar
5 Take That 2012 Calendar
6 The Wanted Calendar
7 Michael Bublé 2012 Calendar
8 Cheryl Cole 2012 Calendar
9 Kylie 2012 Calendar
10 Only Way is Essex 2012 Calendar

'Official One Direction Calendar 2012' is available to purchase at www.Amazon.co.uk currently priced at £4.99.

OMG! A free Zombie game!

A new game to promote Phones4U alongside their ‘Missing Our Deals Will Haunt You’ advertising campaign has been played more than two million times since its launch.

The Zombies Ate My Phone game, created by viral game specialists Koko Digital, was launched on October 19th and has become a massive hit, with more than 1m plays in its first week alone. It has now been played 2.25 million times.

Set in a shopping centre, players can choose from a range of weapons including water balloons, fire extinguishers and vinyl records to fight off their undead foes and rescue their friends, too!

Director Chris Steele said: “The game has been one of the most enjoyable we’ve worked on, and is probably the funniest we’ve created, taking comedic elements from Shaun of the Dead and other zombie films.

“The Facebook version gives players the option to choose which friends they rescue and which friends they don't, which has gone down really well.

“It was designed to tie in with Phones4U’s current TV ad campaign and printed marketing materials, and has been a great success so far, helping them build a huge database of potential customers and diverting lots of traffic to their website.”

Players can enter a competition to win an iPhone 4S, by providing their email address when their game is over.

The stand-alone version of the game is available now, while the Facebook version is here.

Koko Digital was formed in 2006, and specialises in viral advergames and social media applications. Previous clients include Microsoft, Currys and the BBC.

Further information is available at the company website.

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Bingo Liner Offers £10 Free Bingo Gift to New Players

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Mega Bingo is one promotion which is proving particularly popular amongst members of late due to the fact that at least £500 is up for grabs every single day. Players who buy five cards into the game, at a cost of £1 each, will receive an extra 10 cards for free further adding to chances of winning.

This month, in the Mega Bingo promotion alone, £15,500 will be up for grabs. Players who wish to take advantage of this game and the many more which are on offer at Bingo Liner should visit the site where more details can be found.

Walk into a Winter WonderGrand at galacasino.co.uk!

Winter is here, the first spots of snow have landed and the temperature is dropping, so what better way to keep warm this December than to “walk” into the Winter WonderGrand at galacasino.co.uk?

Gala Casino, one of the UK’s leading casino operators, is welcoming all new players with up to £1,000 in bonuses for players across all blackjack, roulette and slots games from December 5th 2011.

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To step into your Gala Casino Winter WonderGrand, and take advantage other great promotions, sign-up and deposit today at www.galacasino.co.uk.

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