The ethos behind A Bite of the Apple is everyone should get the opportunity to shine if they have talent. The show focuses on promoting breakthrough talent.

There are weekly slots of 30mins and one hour sets available to DJs and MCs alike. Music producers can have their newest tracks promoted over a period of weeks.

Outer Limits was launched on the 1st birthday of  A Bite of the Apple where the very best of the djs, mcs promoted over the previous 12 months were showcased in one of the first underground DnB events this far south with over 30 artists involved from London, Birmingham, Bristol and locally.

It was a first time appearance at Beautiful Days for Westcountry legends the Wurzels. Their Saturday afternoon feel good show left me sure they’ll be back again. The crowd bounced throughout their set, singing along and raising their cider to a band that have been going for four decades. One member of the band, always game for a bit of fun, wowed the crowd with a brief strip. The gig, which included all the Wurzles favourites such as Cider Drinker and Combine Harvester and ended with their new single – a Wurzelised version of the Kaiser Chiefs’ Ruby. A track the crowd embraced and sang along with gusto.
Phonic FM’s Paul Giblin spoke to the Wurzles before they went on stage.

Dave and Richard of Zion Train took to the stage with folk singer Ian King, giving a slightly different flavour to what they normally play. Ian plays folk music from the 21st Centaury.
Paul Giblin spoke to Dave from Zion train after he came off stage.
He also tracked down Richard.

Levellers frontman Mark Chadwick talks to Paul Giblin.

Spacex is proud to announce its forthcoming solo exhibition by Paul Rooney, the 2008 recipient of the Northern Art Prize. The show centres round a major new film work, Bellevue.

Bellevue is an intricate, audacious work, shot on location at Harewood House, Leeds.

It is based on Malcolm Lowry’s short story Lunar Caustic, whose flights of fancy emanate from inside the walls of a 1930s New York psychiatric hospital.

Against the idealised backdrop of a picture-perfect English country house, the work depicts an advertising agency focus group discussing the use of Lowry’s writing in a campaign.

Bellevue subjects ‘reality’ to various levels of scrutiny; highlighting the potential for imaginative projection, and creative confusion, engendered by the written word.

The exhibition also includes several other new works. Letters that Rot, 2010, the two screen video work Small Talk, also 2010, and the sound work Words and Silence, 2008.

Bellevue is co-commissioned by Film and Video Umbrella www.fvu.co.uk with the Bluecoat, Liverpool in association with Harewood House, Leeds and Spacex, Exeter.

Paul Rooney (born Liverpool, 1967) is an artist working in a range of media including text, sound, film and video. His work has been widely exhibited, including Tate Britain, Shanghai Biennial and British Art Show 6.

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The third instalment from last week’s Beautiful Days festival features audio with legendary DJ and film maker Don Letts, musician and campaigner Billy Bragg, roots duo Show of Hands, graphic novelist Pete Loveday, Exeter’s Kagemusha Tiako and Bonjo I Binghi Noah from African Head Charge.

Don Letts, the legendary DJ who turned punks onto reggae talked to anyone who wanted to listen on Dirty Dave’s Bandstand on Saturday afternoon, before spinning some tunes in the same spot in the evening. Don Letts’ reputation has been firmly established in both the film and music world by a substantial body of work from late 70s, 80s 90s and 00s.
Phonic FM’s Paul Giblin bumped into him backstage. This is what he had to say.

Musical campaigner Billy Bragg took to the stage in the Beautiful Days Big Top on Sunday night. Alongside making principled stands about greed and racism he is fresh from campaigning for the Jail Guitar Doors group’s attempt to get instruments to prison inmates, in an effort to rehabilitate offenders.
Billy Bragg spoke to Phonic FM’s Paul Giblin about the message behind Beautiful Days.

Exeter based Kagemusha Taiko performed their own western influenced style of Taiko on Dirty Dave’s Bandstand. The group have been performing in theatres, at concerts and at festivals across the country and internationally for the last eight years.
Paul Giblin from Phonic FM spoke to some of the drummers before their performance.

Never a man to miss a good interview Phonic FM’s Paul Giblin found legendary underground cartoonist Pete Loveday bimbling around the Beautiful Days festival site.  Pete Loveday drew many comics charting the adventures of hippie character Russell including Big Bang Comics, Big Trip Travel Agency and Plain Rapper Comix. Themes in his comics are rock festivals, drugs and environmentalism. One of his books was the first of modern times to be printed on hemp paper.
This is what he had to say to Phonic FM’s Paul Giblin.

Show of Hands’ Steve Knightely and Exminster born Phil Beer are widely acknowledged as the finest acoustic roots duo in England. The have built up a huge following, which has sent hem sell out the Great Albert hall three times. The twosome with accompaniment from double bassist and vocalist Miranda Sykes took to the Beautiful Days main stage on Saturday afternoon.
Paul Giblin caught up with Phil Beer before he went on stage.

Psychedelic Africa hit Escot Park as African head Charge took to the stage. The performance of the acknowledged master of dub reggae psychedelia featured a rare appearance from Bonjo I Binghi Noah, who is currently based in Ghana.
Listen to Bonjo I Binghi Noah speaking to Phonic FM’s Paul Giblin backstage.

Still to come is an interview with the Wurzels accompanied by some video of their live show, a chat with Levellers frontman Mark Chadwick.

Surface Arts, working in partnership with Book Cycle, present DIY, a site specific exhibition which liberates a derelict warehouse awaiting development on Water Lane near Exeter Quay side.

DIY will be a cross art form exhibition multi art disciplines on a huge scale. The work will range from sculpture to performance all involving interactive processes and participation.

Surface Arts have created this stimulating exhibition and has invited artists to Exeter in order to respond to this redundant space.

All materials used in this exhibition will be sourced from the site; all artists will work on their own initiatives with limited funds.

The nationally identified artists are Adam Garrett, Chiara Gill, Hanna Downing, James Burgess, Jessica Mautner, Jo Willoughby, Julie McCalden, Mark Houghton, Megan Hoggins, Michele Louise Schiocchet and Sarah Farmer.

This exhibition aims to question artist led activities within this time of financial instability and asks if this way of creating new independent opportunities is now becoming essential. The traditional gallery and studio cannot always respond to the interactive processes of artistic production so this gives artists a chance to develop and realise site specific, performance, ephemeral or time based works and much more.

A short residency or ‘collabortory’ period for artists will take place in the warehouse prior to the exhibition opening. This provides an opportunity for the artists to work together and allows them to produce work that is truly responsive to the site.

The show aims to create a non-alienating environment where artists and the public can engage in a meaningful exchange of art and ideas. The productive space of the working artist as a site of valuable, visual and intellectual interaction will be in plain sight to the public, creating a more holistic creative and exhibition space.

DIY will open with a celebration of live music, performance and art on Friday 17th September from 7pm until 10pm. We welcome everyone to enjoy the evening and celebrate the launch with complementary drinks and a chance to meet the artists and see the space that will be a hub of activity for four weeks.

DIY will run for four weeks form Friday  17th September until Saturday 16th October and will be open to the public Thursdays to Saturdays 10am to 6pm and Sundays 11am to 4pm or by appointment please ring Katie Hawker on 07812566759.

The exhibition will have a positive impact on Exeter and will highlight artist led activity happening in the area. Part of a rolling exhibition program being developed for the warehouse in collaboration with Book Cycle and will also form the first of the ongoing site specific projects being pursued by Surface Arts.

www.surfacearts.co.uk

Fyfe Dangerfield brings his soulful melodies and magnificent pop hooks to Exeter Phoenix in September as part of his extensive UK tour.

Birmingham-born Fyfe Dangerfield burst on to the solo scene in May 2010 with Fly Yellow Moon. A TV commercial for John Lewis featured Fyfe singing his fantastic version of the Billy Joel song She’s Always a Woman.

Fyfe is best known as the founding member of Guillemots, a BRIT Award nominated indie rock band.

Born 1980 in Moseley, he moved to Bromsgrove at the age of eight and studied at Bromsgrove School. He was also music teacher at Cranbrook College for a brief period. The singer- songwriter previously played in The Courtesy Group, which is his brother’s band that have regularly joined Guillemots on tour in Birmingham and London.

Guillemots is made up of Fyfe alongside MC Lord Magrao, Aristazabel Hawkes and Greig Stewart. Their first album Through the Windowpane was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize in 2006. It received critical acclaim and Paul McCartney described the song ‘ear as “a very brave way to open an album…beautiful orchestration.”

Guillemots have enjoyed success with a top 20 single, Get Over It in the UK Singles Charts while their second album Red reached number nine in the UK album charts.

With his irresistibly catchy tunes and magnetic stage presence, Fyfe promises to deliver a brilliant showcase of his own particular brand of quirky indie-pop.

For more information or to book tickets contact Exeter Phoenix at www.exeterphoenix.org.uk or call 01392 667 080.

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He was one of the first broadcasters to play psychedelic rock, reggae and punk records on British radio, and he is widely acknowledged for promoting artists in various styles including alternative rock, pop, death metal and dance music.

A popular feature of his shows was the annual Festive Fifty countdown of his listeners’ favourite records of the year.

The Eccentric Selection (every Monday mid-day to 2pm) is, once again dedicating a special show on Bank Holiday Monday (August 30th) to celebrate his birthday and will feature as many festive fifty number ones as I can squeeze into two hours.

You can get in touch with me (Pat Bensberg) to share memories, dedications and comments via my presenter profile or the Eccentric Selection page on the Phonic FM website.

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The second instalment from the brilliant Beautiful Days festival features audio with Dan Donnelly, Citizen Fish, African Head Charge, John Otway and David Hatfield of Changing World Records.

Citizen Fish were second up on the main stage on Sunday entertaining the crowds with their brand of intelligent ska/punk politics. The band demonstrate the kind of energy you only get from a singer who is 110 per cent committed and must be seen.
Listen to Phonic FM’s Paul Giblin chats to Matt from Citizen Fish.

Rock veteran John Otway dubbed himself rock’n’roll’s biggest failure after his unsuccessful attempt to produce a second hit single after the 1977 classic (Cor Baby That’s) Really Free with Wild Willy Barrett. Quarter of a centaury later he was back in the charts. Phonic Fm caught up with him backstage at perform he performed to a packed crow in the Beautiful Days Big Top.
Phonic FM’s Paul Giblin caught up with him back stage.

Psychedelic Africa hit Escot Park as African head Charge took to the stage. The performance of the acknowledged master of dub reggae psychedelia featured a rare appearance from Bonjo I Binghi Noah, who is currently based in Ghana.
Phonic FM were backstage chatting to the band ahead of their performance.

Apologies for the sound quality on this video.

Beautiful Days regulars The Fabulous Good Time Party Boys serenade festival goers every year on Sunday morning. The band entertains revellers as they arise from their slumber and make their way onto the festival site. Dressed, as always, in fantastic costumes and playing some fabulous covers this year was no exception.
Phonic FM’s Paul Giblin caught up with Dan Donnelly who performed with the boys this year.

Taking in the sights and sounds of the festival hosted in the normally serene setting of Escot park near Ottery St Mary Phonic FM’s Paul Giblin got chatting to a host of random festival folk. When not mingling with the acts he was making conversation with a myriad of other revellers from security to festival fans.
Listen to Paul having a chat with Beautiful Days virgin David Hatfield of Changing World Records based in Glastonbury.

Plenty more interviews with fab festival acts are still to come. Look out for The Wurzles, Show of Hands, Don Letts, another interview with African Head Charge and much, much more.

The fare will feature 12 artists from around the country with work ranging from fine art, sculpture, illustration and design.

Threebproductions aim is to support up and coming artists in this difficult economic time by offering a space in the fare commission free. In addition to this, all profits made will go directly to the artists themselves.

The event (weather permitting) will take place on the terrace of the Exeter Phoenix, where alongside the artist stalls there will also be live music. The fare will run from 2pm-6pm. (If it does rain, the fare will be held in the café/bar)

This is a great opportunity to come and see an eclectic collection of new exciting work by artists from across the country, a place to buy original pieces and a chance to support the artistic community.

So please come along on Saturday the 28th of August to the Exeter Phoenix Art Centre from between 2pm-6pm and enjoy a great selection of art work!

Artists featured:

Alastair Eland
Chris Crook
Chloe Ehninger
Xander Lee
Megan Hoggins
Kate Jeram
Naomi Hart
Stuart Crewes
Hannah Crawford Leighton
Harry F Rook
Natasha Almedia
Alex Bertram Powell

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