Sensoria festival takes to the streets in 2011 (19/04/2011)
Sensoria, the UK's Festival of Film and Music, is delighted to announce a packed programme for its fourth edition, running from 29th April - 8th May 2011. As the festival opens on Royal Wedding Day, what better way to kick off proceedings than with a Sensoria Street Party? Sensoria will be taking over Sheffield's Devonshire Street for a day of alfresco entertainment, including buskers and children's entertainers.There will also be a market on Devonshire Green throughout the day. Devonshire Market will feature over 70 stalls as well as live music and street entertainers. The event will also boast a wine shop, a cocktail bar and a host of gourmet foods and is organised by the team behind Tramlines festival. Screen Yorkshire funds Sensoria with Lottery funding.
The iconic Washington pub are presenting Off With Their Heads - 29th April - 1st May - a three day live music festival of lovingly chosen Sheffield acts and DJs. No schmaltz. No flag waving. Just killer bands. Featuring The Violet May, Pete David and the Payroll Union, Death Rays of Ardilla, The Ratells and more.
Sensoria continues to take to the streets from 4th - 7th May, with an outdoor screen presenting themed daily programmes of films including hip hop and streetdance, plus musicals, live performance films and Sheffield on Film.
Sensoria will welcome Bill Drummond to Sheffield as the festival’s first ever composer in residence. Drummond will be based at Sheffield Forgemasters, a global force in steel production and engineering. He will compose a score a day which will then be posted around the city.
May Day Bank Holiday bliss The bumper Bank Holiday means lots more to do the whole weekend. May Day itself features folk films and music:
Way of the Morris (CTBA) Monday 2nd May 4pm Showroom Cinema
Tim Plester’s deeply personal journey from the barleyfields of his childhood to the killing fields of The Somme, in search of a connection with these much-maligned native dances that run deep in his bloodline. Featuring contributions from iconic singer/songwriter Billy Bragg and Fairport Convention’s Chris Leslie.
Beltane Celebration - folk music & film Monday 2nd May 6pm onwards, The Forum, Devonshire Street
A May Day spring celebration featuring a packed evening of folk film and live music. The line up includes The Big Eyes Family Players, Magpie, John T. Angle & The Sicknotes.
A Bibliotheque Discotheque (Library Disco) 7pm on Tuesday 3 May. Sensoria has a reputation for events in unusual buildings and this year the festival felt there was no better place to bring background music to the foreground than Sheffield’s Central Lending Library. DJ’s include Jerry Dammers, Jonny Trunk, Richard Bradley (The Pony Harvest) and Ian Cracknell.
65daysofstatic have moved away from their standard touring format to present a new project for 2011 – live soundtracking the 1972 sci fi kitsch classic, ‘Silent Running’. The film will be presented with the original dialogue intact, as an engaging cinematic experience. Add to that the excitement (and volume) of 65daysofstatic’s barrage of sound and multi textured music. The event will be presented in mSheffield’s c. 1973 Queens Social Club on Friday 6th May.
The beat on the street - Sensoria pulls together some events reflecting the rhythm of city life with Swedish film Sound of Noise and Steel City Pulse. Sound of Noise follows guerilla percussionists who terrorise a city with their anarchic public performances using the paraphernalia of everyday city life and creating symphonies of chaos. A tone-deaf police officer embarks on a mission to silence the six drummers who everything from a hospital operating room to heavy machinery and power lines to create their unforgettable sound.
Steel City Pulse in association with Galvanize festival
Saturday 7th May 7pm Portland Works, Randall Street
Many Sheffield musicians have referenced the industrial sounds and sights of Sheffield as a major influence on their work, the rhythmic sounds of the steelworks are like the heart and arteries of the city. This unique event will bring drummers and percussionists from various Sheffield bands together for a performance full of bombast, set against an industrial backdrop - the sound of a forge hammer will kick off proceedings.
Sensoria celebrates the underground and city counter culture:
Underground exhibition Thursday 28th April - Saturday 14th May, Bank Street Arts, Bank Street.
Shaun Bloodworth mounts his first solo exhibition, 'Underground’ featuring photographs documenting the electronic music scene, with portraits and films from the UK , Europe and the United States since 2005.
Films selected include the prophetic Egyptian film Microphone - This realistic, exuberant film celebrates the underground art scene of Alexandria and the aspirations of its youth all desperate for change in their lives. A must-see film that proved very prophetic of the changes taking place in Egypt only six months after the production was shot. Screening at Showroom Cinema, Saturday 30th April.
Other highlights include:
Diaspora Magnet part of Echo City
29 April - 8 May SIAD Gallery, Arundel Street
An installation by Martyn Ware and Malcolm Garrett. Echo City was the British Pavilion exhibition for the 10th Venice Biennale of Architecture. This installation presents Sheffield as an exemplar of post-industrial cities everywhere, using the city as a paradigm for discussion of their identity and renewal. Sensoria 2011 marks a rare appearance for Bill Nelson with a solo performance that will weave together multi-layered backing tracks, live guitar and sonic processing, all set to a series of moving video paintings. Saturday 7th May 8.15pm Tickets £10 / £8.50 concs.
SensoriaPro, 5th and 6th May, Showroom Cinema.
A 2-day industry event that explores innovations in music and the moving image and this year will welcome Feargal Sharkey, Mary Anne Hobbs, Rob da Bank, Martyn Ware and more. Discussions and sessions include getting music placed in film and tv, tribute bands and nostalgia, music festivals, production music and what makes a great music video.
Book tickets now: www.sensoria.org.uk
