Your weekly what’s on guide for Bedford and the surrounding area from the Bedford Clanger.
Never miss a thing in Bedford ever again. From theatre to film, live music to art exhibitions, The Bedford Clanger what’s on guide lands every Thursday and is the only guide you need to know what’s on and what’s happening across the Borough for the next 10 days.
The Bedford Clanger’s What’s On Guide is kindly sponsored by The Cellar Bar.
Thursday 26 September 2024
Theatre: One Man Poe
The Quarry Theatre @ 7pm
Tickets: from £13.50
Renowned as the ‘Godfather of Gothic Horror’, Edgar Allan Poe was a pioneer in establishing the horror genre. Although his works are nearly 200 years old, Poe’s stories have stood the test of time and have inspired a countless number of horror writers.
Using Poe’s original text from the 1840s, one actor faithfully brings his words to life on stage, performing four of the most terrifying examples of gothic literature.
Thursday 26 September 2024
Dancing: Planet Swing featuring Grandma’s Wooden Leg
The Dance Hall, Wixams Retirement Village, Bedford Road, Bedford, MK42 6EA @ 8pm – 10.30pm
Tickets: £12.99
An evening for dancers and music enthusiasts alike. Cashless bar, plenty of seating (night club set up) and dance floor. Book in advance and come along at 7.15pm for a 45-minute dance class in Balboa, one of the original swing dances of the era. For the main event, just turn up – pay cash at reception – have fun, no booking needed.
Friday 27 September 2024
Family fun: Exploring with Kaye Leidoskope
The Place Theatre @ 10am
Tickets: £2/adult from £6 pay what you can/child
Join Kaye Leidoskope for these lively and lovely interactive storytelling sessions for under-fives and their grown-ups. Expect songs, games, crafts and dancing. Perfect for little ones to creatively learn through play!
Kaye Leidoskope (aka Kaye Mahoney) is an experienced performer and workshop leader who loves to help little ones (and big ones!) create and learn. She also runs Puggle Club, the preschooler’s creative arts programme at The Higgins, and you can follow her on social media to find out more on Instagram or Facebook.
Friday 27 September 2024
Comedy: Looking for Me Friend: The Music of Victoria Wood
The Quarry Theatre @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £22
This feel-good show has spread nostalgia and laughter throughout the UK and has the seal of approval from Victoria’s very own school-chums and colleagues.
Featuring the star of BBC1’s ‘All Together Now’, Paulus The Cabaret Geek “King of Cabaret” (The Stage) with Michael Roulston (Fascinating Aïda) on piano, it is an evening of pure joy filled with Victoria’s best-loved songs, including the iconic ‘Ballad of Barry & Freda’ (Let’s Do
It) and the classic ‘It Would Never Have Worked’.
This show is for fans of Victoria and for those yet to discover her, to come together and relish her breathtaking wizardry with words. In telling Victoria’s story, Paulus unfolds his own. A relatable story of a 1970s childhood and what it really means to find your tribe.
Friday 27 September 2024
Live music: The Future Sessions presents Daybreak, WKTD, The Greensands & Matty Ram
Bedford Esquires @
Tickets: £8
This month, The Future Sessions will bring four of the area’s best new and emerging young bands to Esquires, celebrating original music from the next generation.
On Friday, 27 September, Daybreak, What Killed the Dinosaurs (WKTD), The Greensands and Matty Ram will take to the stage at the legendary live music venue, Esquires, which has played host to the early gigs of the likes of Elbow, Kae Tempest, Coldplay, Idles, Tom Grennan and Lizzo.
Read: The Future Sessions shine spotlight on four emerging local bands at Esquires
Friday 27 September 2024
Live music: Simon and Garfunkel – Through the years in concert
Bedford Corn Exchange @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £28.50
Simon & Garfunkel: Through the Years is the most authentic sounding concert to the unforgettable music of Simon and Garfunkel. Made up of Dan Haynes and Pete Richards, Bookends have toured the globe extensively with their concerts being described as ‘simply breath-taking’.
Performing the songs in a truly captivating way, against a backdrop of iconic imagery, their delicate recreation of the unmistakable sound of the American folk-rock duo is something of a masterpiece. Bookends have been performing their unique, world-class concert to audiences in some of the finest theatres and concert halls across the UK, Europe and the United States.
Hear hits including The Sound of Silence, Mrs Robinson, The Boxer and Bookends’ own beautiful rendition of the unforgettable Bridge Over Troubled Water. This is without doubt the closest thing to Simon and Garfunkel touring the world today.
Friday 27 September 2024
Live music: The Orb + Violeta Vicci
Bedford Esquires @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £27.50
Thirty-five years since Alex Paterson lit the multi-coloured touchpaper on The Orb’s interstellar space odyssey, he continues to swerve, becoming his own tribute act by never standing still and preparing a cluster of fresh new projects.
SETI, the latest collaboration between Alex Paterson and Andy Falconer of The Orb, takes listeners on an intimate and enchanting nighttime voyage through the cosmos. It’s an “ambient unplugged” experience filled with acoustic instruments and nostalgic samples, bridging the realms of old-world charm and uncharted territories. The album presents a harmonious blend of glacial-paced melodies, Nyabinghi percussion, mandolin, and acoustic guitar, offering a unique fusion of elements.
SETI, which stands for Search For Extra-terrestrial Intelligence, not only explores the universe but also provides a comfortable, chill-out space within its musical ambience. This record is a testament to the creative synergy between Paterson and Falconer, who effortlessly navigate uncharted musical territory, building on decades of trust and shared curiosity.
Friday 27 September 2024
Live music: Double header – Chris & Kyri and Megapint?
The Cellar Bar @ 8.30pm / bar opens at 6pm
Free entry
Two solo artists are joining together as a duo to perform at the Cellar Bar as part of this Friday’s Double Header. Chris & Kyri will be singing pop and rock duets across the decades.
They are followed by Megapint? who are back for another regular gig at The Cellar Bar. Expect musical excellence mixed with a wonderfully curated list of rock/pop classics.
They will be a regular addition to the Cellar Bar’s 2025 schedule too!
From Saturday 28 September 2024
Exhibition: Community Portrait
The Higgins Bedford @ check website for opening times
Free entry
Photography techniques from the past, present and future are on display at the Higgins as part of a new collaborative exhibition with Bedford Creative Arts and with the support of Fujifilm UK, which is celebrating its 40th year in Bedford.
Opening at the end of September in The Higgins’ Sir William Harpur Gallery, this new five-month-long exhibition will feature portraits of Bedfordians taken by local photographers using photographic technology either from the past (such as cyanotype or glass-plate techniques) or the present with the latest Fujifilm X Series digital cameras.
The exhibition also features an interactive Artificial Intelligence (AI) exhibit created by digital artists Fergus Laidlaw and Arnab Chakravarty which invites visitors to reflect on the possible future of photography in a world where AI has a growing impact.
Saturday 28 September 2024
Free art workshop: Decorate a paper pigeon
Nomad Cafe, Church Arcade @ 10am – 12pm
Aconchego Portuges, Church Arcade @ 1pm – 3pm
Free
Artists Anne-Marie Abbate and Sara Tunrer (Permission2 CIC) are running a free workshops this Saturday, 28 September in Church Arcade. Be a part of their Heritage and Art project by decorating a paper pigeon and tell them how and why you came to live in Bedford.
The pigeons will become a trail around Pigeon Square at an event in October. Workshops are completely free and all materials and refreshments are provided.
Saturday 28 September 2024
Local history: Reflections on Writing the Community’s History
The Panacea Museum, 11 Newnham Rd, Bedford, MK40 3NX @ 2.30pm
Ticket price: £2.50
Professor Shaw ‘discovered’ the Panacea Society community and its archive in 2001. There followed a decade-long project working in the archives, cataloguing as she went along.
Now, nearly 25 years after her first interaction with the Society, Jane reflects on the work she undertook and her relationship with the surviving Members in the early 2000s.
Jane Shaw is Professor of the History of Religion at the University of Oxford. She is the author of several books, including Octavia, Daughter of God: The Story of a Female Messiah and her Followers (Jonathan Cape 2011). She reviews books for the Financial Times and is on the editorial board of Prospect magazine. The talk will be held in the ‘Joanna’s Box’ room in our ‘Castleside’ building.
Saturday 28 September 2024
Music: Born To Swing
The Quarry Theatre @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £24
Following a run of sell-out shows, the Quarry is excited to present a first-class evening of live entertainment by one of the UK’s youngest and finest Swing and Big Band artists. Fresh from his success in ITV’s ‘Starstruck’ final as Frank Sinatra, Andrew Bourn brings his live band together to celebrate the best of ‘The Ratpack’ along with many more favourites from Matt Monro, Nat King Cole and Bobby Darin to Michael Buble and other modern-day crooners!
Performing irresistible standards and singalong classics, Andrew tells his story of the 20 years he has enjoyed performing them, including his journey through to the Britain’s Got Talent finals and beyond, recording a top ten album with his band ‘Jack Pack’ and singing for HM King Charles III.
Saturday 28 September 2024
Festival: Innsmouth Literary Festival After Dark 2024
Bedford Esquires @ 7pm
Tickets: £11.55
This autumn marks the first ever Innsmouth Literary Festival – a one day event celebrating the centenary of Weird Tales magazine and weird and speculative fiction in general. The Festival will include guest authors, readings, panel discussions and trade stands.
The ILF is being organised by authors and podcasters Tim Mendees and Robert Poyton, along with author and artist Shelley de Cruz of Graveheart Designs.
Saturday 28 September 2024
Live music: Double header – Tess & The Durbervilles + Joe Cullen
The Cellar Bar @ 8.30pm / bar opens at 6pm / Happy Hour until 9pm / 3am close
Free entry
Tess & The Durbervilles and making a welcome return to the Cellar Bar this month. This four-piece band hail from Bedfordshire and are guaranteed to get you dancing throughout the night. With hits from six decades, they’ll cover everything from The Beatles to Jessie J, Dusty Springfield to Kings of Leon, Aretha to the Scissor Sisters and Madonna.
Also returning to The Cellar Bar, is local musician Joe Cullen. He’ll be playing covers by Ed Sheeran, The 1975, Oasis, Harry Styles, The Killers, Coldplay and maybe some Irish folk mixed in!
Saturday 28 September 2024
Live music: The Magic of Motown
Bedford Corn Exchange @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £32
Music fans are invited to the biggest party of the year as the unstoppable Magic of Motown show steams into town! Prepare yourself for 40 back-to-back classic Motown hits, glittering costume changes, dazzling dance moves and outstanding musicianship in this explosive concert experience.
Celebrate the sound of a generation as the timeless music of Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, The Supremes, The Four Tops, Martha Reeves, Jackson 5, Smokey Robinson and more, are sensationally recreated by an exceptionally talented cast and band.
This breath-taking concert spectacular takes you on a musical journey through all your favourite songs, including: Ain’t No Mountain, Signed Sealed Delivered, Grapevine, Get Ready, Dancing In The Streets, My Girl, Blame It On The Boogie, Uptight, Endless Love, My Cherie Amor, All Night Long, Heatwave and many, many more.
Sunday 29 September 2024
Walking: “The Jewel in Bedford’s Crown” guided walk
Bedford Town Centre @ 11am at the gold postbox in St Paul’s Square
Tickets: £4/£2 (Please use the code HIGGINS30 to remove the transaction fee)
The Jewel in Bedford’s Crown is undoubtedly the River Great Ouse and its Embankment. This entertainig and informative circular walk takes you along the banks of the river, which has been described as one of the finest riverside settings in England. Learn the story of the Victorian Embankment development and enjoy a walk in the ornamental gardens.
Join the Association of Bedford Tour Guides for one of their fascinating weekly walks. Each walk is of 90 minutes to two hours duration and covers a distance of one or two miles. Most walks are suitable for people who are less mobile.
Children of all ages are most welcome on all of the walks but those aged 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Each walk costs £4 per adult or £2 for children over 8. All walks must be pre-booked.
Sunday 29 September 2024
Family crafts: Crafternoon with Marisa Straccia
The Higgins Bedford @ 2pm – 4pm
Free
Professional artist, Marisa Straccia is running an Edward Bawden-inspired crafternoon to make split-pin puppets. Super easy and fun for all the family!
The craft sessions are free, materials will be provided and there is no need to book.
Sunday 29 September 2024
National Theatre Live: Prima Facie
The Quarry Theatre @ 2pm
Tickets: £15.50
Jodie Comer’s (Killing Eve) Olivier and Tony Award-winning performance in Suzie Miller’s gripping one-woman play returns to The Quarry Theatre. Tessa is a young, brilliant barrister. She has worked her way up from working-class origins to be at the top of her game; defending; cross examining and winning. An unexpected event forces her to confront the lines where the patriarchal power of the law, burden of proof and morals diverge.
Prima Facie takes us to the heart of where emotion and experience collide with the rules of the game. Justin Martin directs this solo tour de force with music by Self Esteem, captured live in 2022 during a sold out run at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London’s West End.
Sunday 29 September 2024
Live music: Sunday Chillout Afternoon Session featuring Acoustopaea
The Cellar Bar @ 5pm / bar opens @ 3pm
Free entry
Acoustopaea are making a welcome return to The Cellar Bar. They are an acoustic trio comprising two acoustic guitars, electric bass and three part harmony.
Sunday 29 September 2024
Live music: Sunday Afternoon Session featuring The King Bees
Bedford Esquires @ 5pm – 7pm
Free entry
The King Bees return to Esquires’ long-running Sunday Afternoon Session.
Monday 30 September 2024
Live music: A Place to Bury Strangers + Stella Rose
Bedford Esquires @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £17.50
Fans all over the globe know: Oliver Ackermann always brings surprises. The singer and guitarist of New York City’s A Place To Bury Strangers has been delighting and astonishing his audience for close to two decades, combining post-punk, noise-rock, shoegaze, psychedelia, and avant-garde music in startling and unexpected ways.
As the founder of Death By Audio, creator of signal-scrambling stomp boxes and visionary instrument effects, he’s exported that excitement and invention to other artists who plug into his gear and blow minds.
In concert, A Place To Bury Strangers is nothing short of astounding — a shamanistic experience that bathes listeners in glorious sound, crazed left turns, transcendent vibrations, real-time experiments, brilliant breakthroughs.
Tuesday 1 – Saturday 5 October 2024
Exhibition and art sale: Bedford Hosptial charity annual art sale in aid of Primrose Car Service
Basement @ Bunyan, Mill Street
Free entry
Bedford Hospital Charity is holding its annual art sale in aid of the Primrose Car Service this October at the Basement at Bunyan on Mill Street.
There will be a wide range of art works, many of the Bedford area, and lots of unique items on display and for sale. The Primrose Car Service is a much valued chauffeuring service that takes Bedford Hospital patients undergoing radiotherapy from their home to Addenbrookes in a door to door service during one of the most challenging times in their lives.
The Bedford Clanger is the proud sponsor of this event – the only publication dedicated to arts, culture, events and more in Bedford Borough.
Tuesday 1 October 2024
Live music: Lunchtime recital
St Paul’s church, St Paul’s Square @ noon
Free entry with retiring collection (suggested donation £5)
Tuesday lunchtime concert featuring a recital by the trio, Peng Lin and Friends. Free with retiring collection.
Tuesday 1 October 2024
Film: Bedford Film Society presents – Scrapper
The University of Bedford, Polhill Avenue @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £70/annual membership, £5/day guest
Bedford Film Society’s new season begins this month, with screenings now taking place on Tuesdays at the University of Bedfordshire Theatre on Polhill Avenue. Membership, including tickets for the full season, is £70 (£3.50/film), with day-guest tickets at £5.
The season kicks off with the Sundance Grand Jury Prize-winning British film, Scrapper, the debut from writer and director Charlotte Regan. Living alone in her London flat, 12-year-old Georgie must confront reality when her estranged father, Jason, shows up out of nowhere.
Uninterested in a sudden new parental figure, she remains stubbornly resistant to his efforts. As they both adjust to their new circumstances, Georgie and Jason soon find that they still have a lot of growing up to do.
Wednesday 2 – Saturday 5 October 2024
Food & drink: Bedford Beer and Cider Festival
Bedford Corn Exchange
Tickets: CAMRA members £2 / non-members £5
Bedford’s annual Beer and Cider festival returns to the Corn Exchange, celebrating the 150th anniversary of the venue. Visitors can expect to sample a selection of 75 different cask beers and 21 brands of cider and perry, plus a small range of about 10 draught foreign and British craft beers will also be available on KeyKeg dispense. A range of German bottled beers will include two from Bamberg, Bedford’s twin city in Bavaria.
Click BBCF46 beer list to see cask, craft and foreign beers already confirmed. More will be added, so keep watching this space!
Commemorative festival pint glasses with this year’s logo will be available for a refundable £5 deposit, or take one home as a souvenir.
Wednesday 2 October 2024
Walking: “The Silent Faces of Bedford” guided walk
Bedford Town Centre @ 11am at the gold postbox in St Paul’s Square
Tickets: £4/£2 (Please use the code HIGGINS30 to remove the transaction fee)
Bedford has many impressive statues and memorials. They cannot speak for themselves but our guides can tell you their story and why they take their place in Bedford’s history.
Join the Association of Bedford Tour Guides for one of their fascinating weekly walks. Each walk is of 90 minutes to two hours duration and covers a distance of one or two miles. Most walks are suitable for people who are less mobile.
Children of all ages are most welcome on all of the walks but those aged 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Each walk costs £4 per adult or £2 for children over 8. All walks must be pre-booked.
Thursday 3 October 2024
Theatre: Steel Magnolias
The Place Theatre @ 7.30pm
Tickets: from £12.50
Is it best to live 30 minutes of wonderful or a lifetime of nothing special?
This warm, witty play explores the impact we make on those around us and along with some heart-ache delivers many laugh out loud moments. Based on the film, which starred Dolly Parton and Julia Roberts, Steel Magnolias is a bittersweet comedy about six distinct but connected women who meet regularly at a hair and beauty salon in Chinquapin, Louisiana.
There are many hurdles for all the women to face but they find comfort in one another. The play is by Robert Harling whose sister died from complications relating to diabetes and potential for such tragedy is always lurking in the wings in this emotional, funny and thought-provoking drama.
Thursday 3 October 2024
Music: Swing’s The Thing Big Band
Sharnbrook Mill Theatre @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £15
Join the Sharnbrook Mill Theatre team for a wonderful fundraising evening of big band swing music with this nineteen-piece orchestra comprising a mix of accomplished professional musicians and extremely talented amateurs.
Thursday 3 October 2024
Quiz: Esquires Monthly Music Quiz
Bedford Esquires @ 8pm
£2 per person / max six people per team
Brain cells at the ready, it’s Esquires music quiz and everyone’s welcome. Featuring music from the 50’s to the present, it’s £2 per person to enter with teams of up to a maximum of six people.
Cash prize for the winning team.
Thursday 3 October 2024
Dancing: Planet Swing featuring Chris Lord and Her Blues Express
The Dance Hall, Wixams Retirement Village, Bedford Road, Bedford, MK42 6EA @ 8pm – 10.30pm
Tickets: £12.99
An evening for dancers and music enthusiasts alike. Cashless bar, plenty of seating (night club set up) and dance floor. Book in advance and come along at 7.15pm for a 45 minute dance class in Balboa, one of the original swing dances of the era. For the main event, just turn up – pay cash at reception – have fun, no booking needed.
Thursday 3 October 2024
Live music: Karaoke
The Cellar Bar at 8pm
Free entry
The ONLY place you need to be for karaoke on a Thursday night – The Cellar Bar on the High Street. Pure karaoke with over 50,000 songs to choose from.
Perform like a pro with the Cellar Bar’s professional lighting, sound and a proper stage, with the best-sounding performers and acoustics on the High Street. Sing with your friends using multiple microphones and, of course, the one and only Matt Bedford hosting your night.
Thursday 3 October 2024
Live music: Tom Vek + Max Taylor
Bedford Esquires @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £18
Anyone who frequented the ‘Loaded’ club night at The Pad (RIP) will have heard CC (You Set The Fire In Me) and Nothing But Green Lights pumping out on a weekly basis. Tom has rarely toured over the years, so for Esquires to get a date here in Bedford is somewhat of a coup.
After the avant-garde mix of sounds of Tom’s fourth album New Symbols, the Confirm Yourself EP saw a return to a raw guitar-based live sound. Always fiercely independent, Tom played every instrument plus produced and mixed every track.
Friday 4 October 2024
Comedy: Spontaneous Potter: The Unofficial Improvised Parody
The Quarry Theatre @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £15
Grab your wands, don your house robes, and apparate yourselves to the box office! A very magical improv show awaits…
Spontaneous Potter is an entirely improvised wizarding comedy play, based on an audience suggestion of a fanfiction title. An entirely new Potter adventure is magically improvised on the spot – with live musical accompaniment! Accio tickets for this award-winning adult Potter parody.
Friday 4 October 2024
Live music: Matt Bedford
The Cellar Bar at 8.30pm
Free entry. Bar opens at 6.00pm
Cellar Bar regular Matt Bedford is back to perform some classic 80’s songs. Matt hosts the Thursday Karaoke nights, so those of you that have been will have had a glimpse of Matt’s talent. Now it’s time to watch the full show!
Friday 4 October 2024
Live music: SNAYX + Alien Chicks
Bedford Esquires @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £14
Formed from a mosh pit, SNAYX were last seen ripping up the Esquires stage at Ceremony#3. The trio will be bringing their communal carnage back to Bedford this October.
Friday 4 October 2024
Dance: Flamenco Express
The Place Theatre @ 8pm
Tickets: from £15
Flamenco is as universal, powerful and versatile as the blues, as epic as opera, and as delicate and pin-sharp as ballet.
For over thirty years, Flamenco Express has existed to do justice to this unique art form by choosing the best artists and allowing them total freedom of expression. The result is a new emotional and artistic experience every night, delivered by an astonishing range of talent.
Friday 4 October 2024
Dance music: Swiftoggeden – the Taylor-themed club night
Bedford Esquires @ 10pm
Tickets: £7
SWIFTIES! The London residency may have just finished, but the party continues, with the return of Swiftogeddon, a night dedicated to worshipping at the altar of Taylor Swift: non-stop Swifty all night: deep cuts, extended mixes, fan favourites and all the hits.
Do you have a Blank Space in your diary? Then this night is Taylor-made for you! Join fellow fans in a celebration of the genius of the Swift – because she’ll never go out of Style.
This is an 18+ event.
Saturday 5 – Sunday 6 October 2024
Exhibition and charity sale: Pop-Up Art Exhibition & Sale
The MS Therapy Centre – Bradbury House, 155 Barkers Lane MK41 9RX @ 10am – 5pm
Free entry
With over 100 artists signed up to display and sell their works, this annual pop-up art exhibition and sale is raising much-needed funds for the Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire MS Therapy Centre in Bedford.
From jewellery, ceramics and sculpture to paintings, pastels and prints, there is something to suit every taste and budget. Artists will be demonstrating throughout the weekend and more information can be found on the MS Centre website here.
Saturday 5 October 2024
Family fun: Fun Palaces
The Higgins Bedford @ 10am – 5pm
Free entry
A day of free fun activities awaits at this year’s Fun Palaces taking place at the Higgins Bedford on Saturday, 5 October.
Fun Palaces is a free, nationwide campaign for culture at the heart of community and community at the heart of culture and this year the museums will transform into a hub of artistic exploration as families take part in hands-on workshops and exciting activities led by local artists and creators, all completely free of charge.
- Be the first to crack the case! Join “Murder at The Museum“, a brand-new murder mystery app by Cardboard Clues
- Harness the power of nature and learn how to create stunning cyanotype prints using sunlight
- Spread joy with vibrant blooms and craft beautiful crepe paper flowers, perfect for home décor or gifting
- Explore typography and storytelling in The Higgins Bedford galleries. With Edward Bawden’s artwork as inspiration, use colour, line and drawing to find and make stories
Saturday 5 October 2024
Workshop: Howlin Mat – Cigar Box Social
The Place Theatre @ 12 midday
Tickets: £40 (inc food)
Ever wanted to make and own your own guitar? Then now is your chance at this workshop with Blues guitar maestro, Howlin’ Mat. He’ll introduce you to the Cigar Box Social and guide you through making your very own. However, this is more than just a workshop – come and meet like-minded people and leave with a new guitar and a new group of friends.
Howlin’ Mat is a nomadic solo blues artist who has played 1000’s of gigs from The Sahara to the North Pole, receiving plaudits from legendary artists such as John Paul Jones [Led Zeppelin] and Mud Morganfield [son of Muddy Waters]. He was introduced to the Cigar Box Guitar very early on in his playing career and fell in love instantly. Now you can too! theplacebedford.org.uk/
Saturday 5 October 2024
Music and ideas: Levitation ‘24
Bedford Esquires @ midday – 2pm
Tickets: £75
Castles in Space presents their annual festival of electronic music and ideas.
The 2024 lineup features: A’Bear, Field Lines Cartographer, Graham Dunning & DJ Food, James Adrian Brown, James Holden, Jo Johnson, Loula Yorke, The Mistys, Nik Colk Void, Paul Cousins, Polypores, The Soundcarriers, Stone Anthem, System 7 , Twilight Sequence, Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development Plan.
Saturday 5 October 2024
Dance music:
Herd, St Cuthbert’s Street @ 3pm til late
Free entry
Playing the best in reggae, hip hop, soul and funk, Wes B, Kearns and Jay are on the decks at Herd from 3pm.
Saturday 5 October 2024
Music: Howlin Mat Concert
The Place Theatre @ 7.30pm
Tickets: from £12.50
Howlin’ Mat is a Blues musician who has performed everywhere from the Arctic Circle to the Sahara Desert. He performs up to 200 shows a year and his escapades include him opening for the Happy Mondays, spending an evening with Led Zeppelin legend John Paul Jones on an Island 130 miles inside the Arctic Circle in the middle of winter and having a birthday party being thrown by a notorious biker gang.
Armed with his guitars and a slide on his finger, Mat follows in the footsteps of his musical heroes such as Mississippi Fred McDowell and Muddy Waters and onstage he combines his musical talents with hilarious tales of his time on the road.
Saturday 5 October 2024
Live music: Five Five Six
The Cellar Bar @ 8.30pm
Free entry
If you’ve not seen Five Five Six at The Cellar Bar before, you are in for a treat, get ready for a great night of legendary rock tunes. The Cellar Bar literally rocks when these guys play!
Saturday 5 October 2024
Comedy: Kane Brown: Don’t Listen to Me
The Quarry Theatre @ 8pm
Tickets: £18.50
Fearlessly hilarious delivery combined with honesty and sincerity. Kane Brown is 19 years in the game, has performed around the world, has opened for Guz Khan on his UK Tour, can be seen on Man Like Mobeen (Netflix), Deepfake (Channel 4), She’s the One (Amazon) and heard on his hit Podcast, Rated 18.
Sunday 6 October 2024
Walking: “Bedford in WWII” guided walk
Bedford Town Centre @ 11am at the gold postbox in St Paul’s Square
Tickets: £4/£2 (Please use the code HIGGINS30 to remove the transaction fee)
A walk that reveals the way of life in Bedford and some of the little-known facts about the role it played during World War II. Learn how Bedford became the main hub of the BBC during the war and how it also became a centre of wartime entertainment. Discover a ‘secret’ Bedford and the connections of the town to the code breakers at Bletchley park.
Join the Association of Bedford Tour Guides for one of their fascinating weekly walks. Each walk is of 90 minutes to two hours duration and covers a distance of one or two miles. Most walks are suitable for people who are less mobile.
Children of all ages are most welcome on all of the walks but those aged 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Each walk costs £4 per adult or £2 for children over 8. All walks must be pre-booked.
Sunday 6 October 2024
Live music: Devil’s Mojo play the Sunday Afternoon Session
Bedford Esquires @ 5pm – 7pm
Free entry
A welcome return for this female-fronted rock and pop covers band to the Sunday Afternoon Session at Esquires.
Sunday 6 October 2024
Live music: Sunday Chillout Afternoon Session – Cameo
The Cellar Bar @ 5pm – 7pm / Happy Hour 3pm – 9pm
Free entry
Cellar Bar favourite Cameo is back for another solo performance, this time at the Sunday Chillout Afternoon Session.
Expect a beautiful voice and some cracking party tunes from Dolly Parton to Fleetwood Mac to The Red Hot Chili Peppers and so much in between.
Sunday 6 October 2024
Film: What’s Love Got to Do With It
The Quarry Theatre @ 4.30pm
Tickets: £15
The Bedford Volunteer Group is hosting a charity screening of What’s Love Got to do With It in aid of The Hope Foundation (HOPE). The film follows an award-winning filmmaker who documents her best friend’s journey into an assisted marriage in line with his family’s Pakistani heritage.
In the process, she challenges her own attitude towards relationships. Since 1999, the Hope Foundation (HOPE) has positively impacted the lives of three million disadvantaged individuals in Kolkata, India and 97,000 street-connected children have benefited from education programmes. thehopefoundation.org.uk.
Sunday 6 October 2024
Poetry: Read Poets Society
The Eagle Bookshop @ 7pm
Free
The Eagle Bookshop continues to host the Swan Poetry Society’s Read Poets Society evening, with readings to reflect the season. It’s free to attend, but you must book via the Place Theatre’s website.
This month’s theme is Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea.
Sunday 6 October 2024
Live music: STARCAT ft Slim Jim Phantom, Phil Polecat and Neal X + The Zipheads
Bedford Esquires @ 7pm
Tickets: £20
Prepare yourself for an evening of high-octane rock ‘n’ roll from three of the best as Esquires welcomes STARCAT the brand new band ft Slim Jim Phantom, Phil Polecat and Neal X to Bedford for one of their very first shows.
Slim Jim Phantom has secured his place as a true rock-n-roll icon. As the legendary drummer for the Stray Cats, Phantom, alongside band mates Brian Setzer and Lee Rocker, spearheaded the neo-rockabilly movement of the early 80s. Over 30 years and millions of record sales later, Slim Jim Phantom continues to inspire and excite audiences worldwide. With a sound, style and image that remain as fresh today as they ever were, Phantom has cemented his place among rock royalty.
Phil is the bass player of The Polecats. In 1981 they released their debut LP “Polecats are Go” produced by Dave Edmunds a jewel which every fan of the band should have. They hit the Top 40 alongside the Stray Cats with their take on Bowie’s “John I’m Only Dancing”.
Neal X is the former guitarist with Electro Glam potentates Sigue Sigue Sputnik. They had a No. 3 UK hit single with “Love Missile F1-11” in 1986. He has worked as a sideman for Marc Almond since the ’90s and formed “nearly all-girl” rockabilly outfit The Montecristos who released their debut album “Born to Rock ‘N’ Roll” in 2015.
Special guest support comes from THE ZIPHEADS, a headliner in their own right the band join the tour as special guests straight off the back of recent UK tours with Hayseed Dixie and Reverand Horton Heat.
At the Higgins Bedford
Exhibition: Rediscovering Black Portraiture
The Higgins Bedford
Free entry
The newest exhibition at the Higgins began as a diversionary lockdown project in 2020 and can now be seen at Kensington Palace, the Bodeian Library in Oxford and now in Bedford.
It features the work of Manchester-born professional opera singer, Peter Brathwaite, who has lived in the Black Tom area of Bedford since 2018.
With all his singing work cancelled during the pandemic, Peter began looking for an outlet for his creative talents and started recreating famous and lesser-known Black portraiture paintings using as props whatever he could find around his house.
It was inspired by the Getty Foundation’s lockdown project, but quickly took on a life of its own, gathering a large international online following. You can explore the project at his Instagram page @peter_brathwaite.
And from Saturday, 18 May, they will form part of an installation at the Higgins Bedford which will lead visitors through the main collections and into Cecil Higgins’ house, with Peter’s interpretation of The Paston Treasure at its heart.
Read: ‘Rediscovering Black Portraiture’ at the Higgins Bedford this May
Exhibition: Edward Bawden & Me
The Higgins Bedford until
Free entry
Brand new work by some of the biggest names in contemporary British art, illustration and textiles are on display at an exhibition at the Higgins Bedford in celebration of the work of one of Britain’s most inventive and influential artists
Entitled Edward Bawden & Me, the exhibition has been curated by Bawden’s good friend, illustrator and printmaker, Chris Brown and also features work by local artists’ collective, the Circus of Illustration.
Read: Star-studded new Edward Bawden exhibition opens at the Higgins Bedford
You can also read the full article in the February issue of The Bedford Clanger.
At the Panacea Museum
Permanent exhibition: Discover the amazing story of a unique religious community
Panacea Museum, 11 Newnham Rd, Bedford MK40 3NX
11am – 5pm (last entry 4.30) Thursday – Sunday | From 3 October: Thursday- Saturday – 10am – 4pm (last entry 3.30)
Free entry
This fascinating hidden gem of a museum tells the story of the Panacea Society – a Christian group formed in the early twentieth century who created their own ‘Garden of Eden’ in the centre of Bedford.
The Panacea Museum is located across several Victorian buildings that formed the community’s headquarters. It tells the story of the Panacea Society and other similar religious groups.
Every Thursday
Cocktails, Quiz Night & Karaoke
The Cellar Bar from 5.00pm
Pit your wits against The Cellar Bar’s resident quizmaster to see if you can win the jackpot every Thursday from 8pm. £2 per person entry and a maximum of six per team. The winning team will win the jackpot PLUS a round of shots. Followed by Karaoke til close
Every Saturday
Food & drink: Cocktail mixology masterclass
The Cellar Bar @ 3pm / doors open at 12 noon
£30 per person
The Cellar Bar’s resident mixologist, Marley, will explain how to create some outstanding cocktails for your tasting enjoyment. Then, it’s your turn to put what you’ve learned into practice by making (and drinking) three cocktails!
Every Sunday
Live Music: Open Mic Night
The Cellar Bar @ 7.30pm
Free Entry
Every Sunday, join Mat Roberts for the Cellar Bar’s weekly Open Mic night. An opportunity for new and experienced performers to get up on stage and perform.
So whether you think you are the next Tom Grennan or just want a good night of entertainment, head the to Cellar Bar from 7.30pm.
Theatre highlights by Paula Walker
