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Rock festivals are a unique, perhaps even a once-in-a lifetime experience. It’s a day or two of incredible music from your favorite bands, playing your favorite songs. The air is filled with penetrating sound that flows through massive crowds of people who are excited, stimulated, and thrilled to be there. Everyone attending the festival has made special preparations to come and be a part of this unbelievable time. They are there to hear the music and share in the joy of the whole experience.
However, anyone who’s ever been to a rock/pop festival knows that not all of the experiences are joyful. There can be long queues and long waits for hours. There can be people pushing through the crowd for a better view of the stage. Finding a place to sit down may be difficult or impossible with so many people. There might be days of sleeping in tents or sleeping bags, no showers, and communal toilets. You pray for good weather, but rain is always a possibility, especially in venues like Glastonbury. Despite all of this, people are happy, jumping to the music, enjoying friends, and having a good time. The crowds are overwhelming, yet everyone seems to be in a great mood. Festivals are all about the music and the experience, so thousands of people will return year after year, despite the conditions.
There are ways to make the festival experience more comfortable, and the best way to do that is to take some comforts of home:
Stay Hydrated – take a cooler with adequate water and fluids (we’re not talking Beer here)
Seating – try outdoor bean bags, they make easy, comfortable seating
Sleeping – take good quality sleeping bags for comfort and warmth
Weather Protection – take umbrellas, raincoats, and hats for rain and sun Skin Protection – take sun-block or sun protection lotion to prevent sunburn
Personal Hygiene – take a toothbrush, mouthwash, and deodorant for hygiene
Personal Bathing – take a flannel, small towel, and soap to freshen up
Personal Grooming – take a hairbrush, comb, and hairclips for your hair
It’s difficult to attend a rock/pop festival if you’re overloaded with things to carry, but taking a few things could make a big difference in making your experience more comfortable. Use a lightweight cooler, fold the tent and sleeping bags, bundle the bean bag chairs, and pack all of the personal items in a rucsac. A few simple things can make your rock/pop festival a more comfortable experience, and just a little more enjoyable.
Integral UK, the leading independent provider of nationwide property maintenance services, is pleased to announce a new addition to the management team.
Paul Finan joins Integral as Retail Sales Manager and his appointment is proof of Integral’s intention to further strengthen their presence in the retail sector, complementing their position as one of the UK’s largest hard service providers to shopping centres.
With a background in engineering, facilities management and sales, Paul understands the challenges faced by today’s Facilities Managers and brings a wealth of valuable experience to the business.
Focussed on developing the retail sector of the business, Paul’s responsibilities will include; identifying market opportunities, delivering and winning new business and ensuring best practice within the market place. Aware of the importance of environmental regulatory compliance he will be working closely with clients in the Retail sector to ensure best practice without impacting in-store brand appearance.
Integral UK’s Managing Director, Bryan Glastonbury commented:
”Our focus on ensuring best practice has allowed us to win new clients such as Barclays Bank and Matalan Stores. With Paul on board we are confident that we can build on this success whist continuing to deliver the high levels of service retail customers expect.
We understand that making major reductions in property maintenance costs is key for retailers as rents continue to rise and the economy remains unpredictable and we are dedicated to helping all of our clients to achieve this.”
Renowned for offering a comprehensive range of property solutions across the UK for clients such as Bhs and many high street banks, Integral is well placed to deliver Best Practice and Best Value, providing the highest levels of operational efficiency to UK retailers.
END
Notes for editors:
Integral UK is one of the country’s leading providers of building and facilities maintenance services, providing a comprehensive range of property maintenance and energy solutions to Commercial and Public Sector Clients.
Specialist teams provide an extensive range of services including; manned sites, mobile maintenance, fabric services, projects, communications, housing services, cleaning, PFI/PPP contracts, energy management & controls, fire systems, security systems, interiors & Refurbishments.
Integral has 15 offices throughout Great Britain with technicians located in all postcodes to minimise the carbon footprint. As a result, Integral’s fleet emissions are among the UK’s lowest, with most vehicles producing less than 140g/km.
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Further information:
www.integral.co.uk
For further information please contact Karen Martin, Market Makers Direct, Tel: 02392 659127, or email martink@marketmakers.co.uk
Integral UK, the leading independent provider of nationwide property maintenance services, is pleased to announce a new addition to the management team.
Paul Finan joins Integral as Retail Sales Manager and his appointment is proof of Integral’s intention to further strengthen their presence in the retail sector, complementing their position as one of the UK’s largest hard service providers to shopping centres.
With a background in engineering, facilities management and sales, Paul understands the challenges faced by today’s Facilities Managers and brings a wealth of valuable experience to the business.
Focussed on developing the retail sector of the business, Paul’s responsibilities will include; identifying market opportunities, delivering and winning new business and ensuring best practice within the market place. Aware of the importance of environmental regulatory compliance he will be working closely with clients in the Retail sector to ensure best practice without impacting in-store brand appearance.
Integral UK’s Managing Director, Bryan Glastonbury commented:
”Our focus on ensuring best practice has allowed us to win new clients such as Barclays Bank and Matalan Stores. With Paul on board we are confident that we can build on this success whist continuing to deliver the high levels of service retail customers expect.
We understand that making major reductions in property maintenance costs is key for retailers as rents continue to rise and the economy remains unpredictable and we are dedicated to helping all of our clients to achieve this.”
Renowned for offering a comprehensive range of property solutions across the UK for clients such as Bhs and many high street banks, Integral is well placed to deliver Best Practice and Best Value, providing the highest levels of operational efficiency to UK retailers.
END
Notes for editors:
Integral UK is one of the country’s leading providers of building and facilities maintenance services, providing a comprehensive range of property maintenance and energy solutions to Commercial and Public Sector Clients.
Specialist teams provide an extensive range of services including; manned sites, mobile maintenance, fabric services, projects, communications, housing services, cleaning, PFI/PPP contracts, energy management & controls, fire systems, security systems, interiors & Refurbishments.
Integral has 15 offices throughout Great Britain with technicians located in all postcodes to minimise the carbon footprint. As a result, Integral’s fleet emissions are among the UK’s lowest, with most vehicles producing less than 140g/km.
###
Further information:
www.integral.co.uk
For further information please contact Karen Martin, Market Makers Direct, Tel: 02392 659127, or email martink@marketmakers.co.uk
Ben Lee from acclaimed rock electric violin duo FUSE with Linzi Stoppard sets a new official Guinness World Record holder for “Fastest Violin Player In The World”.
The record stood at 1 min 5.26 seconds, equivalent to 13 notes per second. Not only will Ben Lee be trying to eclipse a seriously fast time, in order to satisfy the criteria laid down by the Guinness World Record™ officials, he will be performing on an acoustic violin, as opposed to his more familiar bespoke Swarovski crystal Bridge electric violin exclusive to FUSE. There will also be an expert from the Royal College of Music on set to make sure Ben hits every note.
In his first attempt before a TV audience of 3 million, Ben reached an astonishing speeds of over 15 notes per second but was deemed to have missed 3 notes. In speed terms that is 1/5 (one fifth) of a second.
Ben wasn’t finished there, “a fifth of a second is tough to take’ he said after the TV attempt but vowed to be back. This is one of the most technically demanding musical Guinness World Records™ but Ben knew it was well within his reach so as promised a further attempt was made on April 2010. This time there was no doubt – Ben took just 64.21 seconds to blaze through all 810 notes of the technically demanding “Flight of the Bumblebee” by Rimsky-Korsakov. Ben Lee had set a new world record and was now the fastest fingers in the world!
Ben Lee is a graduate from the Royal College of Music and has worked with the Arctic Monkeys, Goldfrapp, Mark Ronson, Kaiser Chiefs and Amy Winehouse amongst other acclaimed artists. He is now a member of FUSE, electric rock violin duo with Linzi Stoppard.
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FUSE
Electric violin duo Ben Lee and Linzi Stoppard’s eponymous debut album “FUSE” was out in May 2010 (Universal / edel Records). This year FUSE has performed live on TV to an audience of over 100 million with appearances at GQ Men of the Year Awards, Glastonbury and London Fashion Week. FUSE bridges the gap between classical and pop music showing that the violin is more versatile than just the cliched classical cross-over we have all become used to.
“FUSE” features 14 incredible tracks including ‘Fix You’ by Coldplay, Michael Jackson’s ‘Beat It’, the title track by Andreas Johnson and a stunning blend of the mediaeval ‘O Fortuna’ from Carmina Burana and Zeppelin’s ‘Kashmir’. All tracks have been reworked and reanimated in the unique FUSE way. The duo have had to invent new ways to render melodies that were vocal on the original tracks.
As Linzi says, “It’s completely fresh, no one thought that what we do was even possible. Everything you hear is violins! The style that we use when we play is more akin to that of a guitar player, with more soul and electricity – literally! We chose work from artists that are huge stadium acts, and that’s where we want to be. It is that big and that powerful – get some ear plugs! We specialise in blowing away people’s preconceptions.”
What FUSE do can have a truly global appeal; there are no language barriers. Whilst they are very proudly a string band, listeners can sing along to the choruses that we all know. With the release of “FUSE” in May, FUSE will be bringing their unique brand of entertainment to a whole new audience, let’s hope they are ready!
For more information –
http://www.fuseofficial.com
http://www.linzistoppard.com
Fans! Fans! Fans! We see them all over the newspapers and television. There are hoards of them.
If the word “fan” is short for “fanatic” then it follows that there is a degree of mania here. I gaped in wonder at the enormous crowd in Madrid and the exuberant, mass hysteria over a goal in a football match. I looked at scenes from Glastonbury and asked myself if I would like to have been there?
The answer was, “Err – NO.”
Now! Take the Proms, for example. Sure enough, there you will find lots of “fans” but the Proms are a celebration of history and traditions and, at least, the audience is, on the whole, listening to beautiful music. At least, I can understand that.
What I find fascinating is the mysterious power that can turn totally individual people into a seething mass of hysteria. We saw it in the adoration of Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Chairman Mao. The list is endless.
G. K. Chesterton is well known for saying something to the effect that when people stop believing in God, they don’t then believe in nothing, they will believe in anything.
I wish I understood this strange phenomenon. If anyone could explain this awesome mystery and package their findings and market them, they would make a fortune or, perhaps (and here’s the rub) they could even rule the world.
On a lighter note, a little bit of loyalty to something or someone who gives you pleasure is a good thing. Think of all the people devoted to fly-fishing or bird watching. Think of the great composers and the dedicated students who devote their lives to study, in order to keep the masterpieces alive.
Think of the great writers (and the not-so-great), they have their fans too.
Some people collect toys, dolls, in particular. I have a friend who collects, she even has one on her key-ring.
So! In tribute to all those who remember with affection the little companion of their childhood, and those unfortunate enough not to have known him…
I decided to write this book “The Adventures of Robertson Golly,” in spite of political correctness (of which I am absolutely sick) and in defence everyone’s right to watch football, go to the Proms or spend their time fly-fishing.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA AND NORWELL, MASSACHUSETTS…
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In addition to a brick-and-mortar matchmaking service, eLove also offers online dating services. To find out more, visit www.elove.com. To arrange a consultation with a professional matchmaker or for a membership, contact eLove toll-free at 877-356-8370
For a free copy of Paul A. Falzone’s book “eLove: A Singles Guide”, please visit www.elovesuccess.com.
eLove is all you need
eLove, the next evolution in dating, has arrived. eLove is the first “life stage company” within the dating industry to provide different levels of dating services, from internet to traditional matchmaking, based on how serious singles are about meeting their soul mate. Never before has a dating service catered so completely to everyone regardless of their age, sex, or relationship goals. With 48 matchmaking offices in 23 states and an online dating network of more than three million singles worldwide, eLove is everything that singles have been wishing for whether they are looking for casual dating or a serious, committed relationship.
eLove’s Matchmaking Service offices are located in: Arkansas (Bentonville, Fort Smith, Little Rock); California (Palo Alto, Sacramento, Walnut Creek, San Diego, Santa Rosa); Connecticut (Glastonbury, Stamford); Illinois (Chicago, Downers Grove, Normal, Northbrook, Rockford); Indiana (Carmel, Ft. Wayne); Kansas (Overland Park, Wichita); Kentucky (Louisville); Maryland (Columbia, Frederick); Massachusetts (Newton, Norwell, Shrewsbury, Woburn); Michigan (Bingham Farms); Missouri (Springfield, St. Louis); Nebraska (Lincoln, Omaha); New Jersey (Saddle Brook); Nevada (Las Vegas); Ohio (Cincinnati); Oklahoma (Oklahoma City, Tulsa); Pennsylvania (Mechanicsburg); Rhode Island (Warwick); South Carolina (Greenville); Tennessee (Memphis, Franklin); Texas (Austin, San Antonio); Virginia (Falls Church, Richmond); Wisconsin (Appleton, Elm Grove, Madison).
For more information on eLove, visit www.elove.com.
Somerset, literally translated means the Land of the Summer People, and it is a county, which has been famous for centuries for its fruits of the land.
Somerset is the home of Cheddar Cheese, you can still see it being made today in Cheddar Gorge near the Mendip Hills. The Mendip Hills are also the home of the ancient city of Wells and just six miles away lies the mysterious Glastonbury, burial place of King Arthur.
Somerset apple orchards grow in abundance producing a drink, which gives you a real taste of the West Country, The World Famous Cider.
From the tiny orchards making farmhouse Scrumpy which is a very potent local brew to the large commercial operations producing a smooth refined drink which is increasing in popularity throughout the U.K. and overseas.
There has always been a strong association between Somerset and apples, there is even an Apple Brandy produced in the county called Somerset Royal which further strengthens this link. Many of the orchards are attractions in their own right so make a little time to explore.
The long sweeping beaches and coastal resorts at Minehead, Burnham on Sea, Weston Super Mare or Clevedon are perfect for family holidays made from sand, sea and surf.
Venture inland and Somerset unveils a rustic and wild countryside which is epic and welcoming, alive with colour. Five hill ranges three of which are Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty are home to a diverse range of flora and forna. The Levels and Moors are a rural idyll where traditional crafts still bind the tapestry of West Country life.
Cradled in the arms of the countryside, towns and villages invite you to seek out their history and heritage. Hidden treasures abound as you make your way across this magical county sampling the delights along the way.
A county for all seasons, The Land of the Summer People holds new surprises whenever you visit at whatever time of year.
From mystical Glastonbury Tor, historical Wells, and castles in Dunster and Taunton to a days discovery at The Fleet Air Arm Museum or adventure at Cheddar Caves and Gorge, you will never be wondering what to do in Somerset.
If you get your thrills mountain biking, caving, rock climbing, hiking and exploring or simply by indulging in a little retail therapy or sampling local fare, then the county offers a rich pallette from which to choose.
Fun packed family entertainment at Butlins in Minehead or a journey into the underground caverns and grottos of Wookey Hole, Somerset is a county full of surprises. With so much to do one visit will not be enough.
Taunton is a town in Somerset, in the South West of England. A historic town, Taunton is popular with visitors who are attracted to its traditional, attractive streets and the wealth of attractions nearby and glorious Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty that are the Quantock Hills to the north and the Blackdown Hills to the south of the town.
Other local attractions include fine architectural features including soaring church spires and towns with St Marys boasting the highest tower in Somerset and it is also the start of the Taunton Heritage Trail that takes walkers through the many attractive back streets, parks and gardens and historic corners of the town.
For those wanting something a little livelier then there are an array of arts and cultural attractions to suit everyone and Tauntons cider heritage means theres always the opportunity to sample the local wares whether in a pub or one of the traditional cider farms in the area.
With Bristol, Dorset and Devon nearby the area is the Perfect Rural Retreat and for a day visit, short break or holiday.
Choose from stunning natural countryside, classic gardens, arts & crafts, theatre, steam railway, cider farm and museum and a restored mill. Discover hidden gems in historic villages and market towns and relax and unwind by our tranquil waterways.
The Heart of Somerset offers many different activities from country walks to hot air ballooning, fishing to bingo and of course shopping.
Why not sample the delights of locally grown food, drink and produce in the Heart of Somerset. From visiting local Farmers Markets and producers to wining and dining in the finest venues the Heart of Somerset has something for all culinary tastes.
Eating out Venues, Farmers Markers, and Retailers of local produce, pubs and night clubs are special in Taunton as the residents really show you a good homley time.
Taunton is an excellent touring centre for the West Country. Magnificent Gothic Wells Cathedral, in Englands smallest city, with its unique scissor arches and famous old clock, and Glastonbury Tor on the Isle of Avalon only a few miles away.
Glastonbury is truly steeped in Arthurian legend. The delights of Cheddar Gorge Caves and Wookey Hole will thrill young and old.
On the nearby Somerset Levels is the Isle of Athelney where King Alfred the Great of Wessex burnt the cakes prior to defeating the Danes.
So if you are after a cultural escape from it all, then do not hesitate to visit this lovely and peaceful City called Taunton
The Chemical Brothers are made up of childhood friends Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons, and are a Grammy Award winning electronic music sensation. Originally referred to as the The Dust Brothers until a legal threat from another band of the same name, they changed their name in 1995 after a successful tour of the U.S.
The Chemical Brothers are one of the few bands that successfully made the transition to arena-sized concerts, and the fact they are an electronic act makes this feat even more impressive. Along with The Prodigy, The Chemical Brothers have become known as pioneers of the big-beat electronic dance genre, and have a reputation unsurpassed for their use of complicated sound and light effects to produce amazing live gigs.
In the studio, they have been releasing albums since 1995, when they first put out Exit Planet Dust. Shortly after its release they were snapped up by Virgin Records, under which they started their own offshoot label, Freestyle Dust.
During that year’s Glastonbury Festival, Rowlands and Simons met up with Noel Gallagher from Oasis, who told them how much he liked their debut album, and that he would like to sing on a future track. They got together and recorded Setting Sun, the song being released in October 1996. It gave the duo their first number one single, and also starting a popular trend they would continue, of working with guest vocalists.
In 1997 the Chemical Brothers released their second album, Dig Your Own Hole, after recording it at their studio in south London. During that summer they toured extensively, playing clubs and festivals, particularly in the United States. In Tokyo, they became residents in the Liquid Rooms.
After a break of almost two years, the Chemical Brothers returned with a new single which signalled a subtle change in direction. Hey Boy, Hey Girl was immediately a more commercial record, and as a result went to number 3 in the UK charts and gained them huge publicity.
The third album, Surrender, was released in June 1999, again featuring the likes of Noel Gallagher on backing vocals. The album reached number 1 in the UK and received widespread recognition from all sections of the music press.
Memorable gigs at Glastonbury and a UK tour followed. The album Come With Us was released in 2001, but it was less well received than any of their previous work. This didn’t prevent it topping the UK charts in its first week of release however, as they proved their fan base was loyal to the core.
Early in 2003, the Chemical Brothers went back into the studio to work on new material, including The Golden Path, a collaboration with Wayne Coyne, lead singer of The Flaming Lips. This came out in September 2003, around the same time their Singles 93-03 (best of) album was released.
The following year, they were back in the studio to work on their fifth studio album, Push The Button, again featuring collaborations with Tim Burgess, Kele Okereke and Anwar Superstar, amongst others. The album was released in January 2005 and saw good initial sales, but it wasn’t until July 2007 that the Chemical Brothers released their best-selling sixth album, We Are the Night.
To help promote this, the Chemical Brothers embarked on a hugely sucessful UK tour this December. Their latest single from the album, The Salmon Dance, is out now.
Discography
1995: Exit Planet Dust
1997: Dig Your Own Hole
1999: Surrender
2002: Come With Us
2005: Push the Button
2007: We Are the Night
This article was written by Colin Galbraith for Viagogo.co.uk, a leading European ticket hub. Viagogo connects buyers and sellers of tickets, concert tickets, theatre tickets and more. Viagogo also guarantees all the transactions, so if you are looking for tickets online, Viagogo is the place to go!
Gay-pop icon Lady Ga Ga has caused a stir with her latest publicity stunt – ‘confirming’ she’s a hermaphrodite and giving fans an eyeful at Glastonbury – all hail the new Madonna.
Is there anywhere left to go in the rock’n’roll taboo stakes? There certainly is! Lady Ga Ga has delighted her fans by pushing the kind of boundaries not seen since Madonna shocked her way to the top in the mid 80’s. Back then, it only took a kiss with a black ‘Jesus’ to get Madge ex-communicated and on the front pages – but these days it seems it takes a little, er, extra to make the grade…
Footage (and wonderment) has been viraling across the internet of Ga Ga’s performance at Glastonbury 2009 where the ‘Poker Face’ star is shown high-kicking off a motorcycle giving 80,000 music fans, well, let’s just say every reason to believe the “Is she or isn’t he?” rumors currently clogging up the blogosphere.
The singer’s management has branded the rumors as “ridiculous” but a supposed 2008 blog post by Ga Ga on, um, Starrtrash tells a different story… “It’s not something that I’m ashamed of, just isn’t something that I go around telling everyone. Yes. I have both male and female genitalia, but I consider myself a female. I have both a poon and a peener. Big f*cking deal.”
Right now the singer, real name Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta (try saying that with a poker face) is currently remaining schtum on the matter – no doubt thrilled with the amount of column inches this tale is racking up.
Love her or loathe her, with this sort of gusto Lady Ga Ga is destined to swipe Madonna’s crown….at the very least she’s making that little extra go a very long way.
For weekly gay news, chat and soundbites visit www.maleforce.com
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