Our 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 7 November 2024
Title of the event: Talking Towers: Panacean Towers
Panacea Museum, 11 Newnham Rd, Bedford, MK40 3NX @ 12.30pm – 1.15pm
Free entry
A special talk by Museum Director Zara Matthews. Part of the national Being Human Festival. The Panacea Society built their own chapel and clock tower, and named their outposts around the world ‘towers’.
Thursday 7 November 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 7 November 2024
Live music: Holy Moly Youth Movement
Bedford Esquires @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £10
Following their storming set earlier in the the year at the Ceremony Festival at Esquires, Holy Moly Youth Movement return as part of their debut UK Tour.
This five-piece band hails from Bristol and cites the likes of Primal Scream, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Stooges and dance acts like The Chemical Brothers and Underworld as major influences. H.Y.M have managed to combine elements of both Rock n Roll and Dance / Electronica into their immense sound.
Thursday 7 November 2024
Live music: The Crazy World of Arthur Brown + Omnivibes
Bedford Esquires @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £20
The God of Hellfire is coming to Esquires this monthfor his debut performance at the venue.
Arthur Brown is synonymous with his 1968 hit “Fire” and the Hammond-driven “Crazy World” line-up which spawned it. However, in 1970, he returned with a new project: the prog-festival freak-show Kingdom Come followed by a varied solo career. Those initial four band albums, by The Crazy World of Arthur Brown and by Kingdom Come are now considered psych rock classics.
Best known for his flamboyant theatrical performances and his powerful, wide- ranging operatic voice, he has been a major influence on a wide range of musicians due to his outstanding vocal ability and wild stage persona and concepts. He is considered a pioneer of shock rock and progressive rock and influential on heavy metal music. An associate of Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Frank Zappa, Hawkwind, Klaus Schultze and Alice Cooper, his countless collaborations include The Alan Parsons Project, The Stranglers and The Prodigy.
We are promised a full evening of ‘psychedelic individuality, ingenuity and madness.’ Featuring great musicians, iconic dance, stunning visuals, and sonic adventure. Come dressed as elaborately, creatively, flamboyant or low key as you feel….
Thursday 7 November 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.
Thursday 7 November 2024
Quizzing: Irish folk night
The Castle, 17 Newnham Street @ 8.30pm
Free entry
Head to the Castle for a fun night of Irish tunes by the pub’s resident musicians. Playing some classic foot tapping Irish tunes for all to enjoy.
Friday 8 November 2024
Comedy: Felicity Ward: I’m Exhausting!
The Quarry Theatre @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £15
Star of ‘The Office’ (Australia), Felicity Ward returns for her first national tour in six years.
In a two hour laugh out loud extravaganza, Felicity Ward talks about something that no one has ever done before – she had a baby.
The show is about pregnancy, and not getting pregnant, and birth, and post-natal depression, and motherhood, and identity, and sexuality, and the disintegration of how things were, and missing home, and quorn, and transition lenses, and fingering. All the big things. All of them.
As seen on Wakefield, BBC’s Live At The Apollo, Mock The Week, Stand Up Sketch Show and direct from her very own Amazon Prime stand-up comedy special. As heard on The Guilty Feminist, The News Quiz and The Now Show.
Friday 8 November 2024
Dance music: Smoove & Turrell
Bedford Esquires @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £20
The story of Smoove & Turrell began in the post-millennium North East of England with a group of working class lads and a shared passion for soul.
Their first track was the now classic ‘I Can’t Give You Up’ recorded at band-member Mike Porter’s house as his Hammond Organ was immovably wedged in his utility room. Their newfound Northern Soul style demanded that a Smoove & Turrell live band was formed so they swiftly filled out their ranks with a crack team of like-minded Geordie musicians.
Airtime on BBC6Music’s ‘The Craig Charles Funk & Soul Show’ was a kick-starter for their assault on national radio eventually landing Radio 2 record of the week twice and a playlist on 6 Music.
Friday 8 November 2024
Live music: The Last Chance Ragtime Band
The Cellar Bar @ 8.30pm / Bar opens at 6pm / Happy hour 6pm – 9pm
Free entry
The Last Chance Ragtime Band are returning once more to The Cellar Bar this month. In their own words: “We are a stomping Lindy Hop Jazz Band from Bedford. We play the best swing music especially crafted.” Can’t wait!
Friday 8 November 2024
Live music: Lawrence Hill
D’Parys, D’Parys Avenue @ 7 – 9pm
Free entry
Every Friday in November the D’Parys will be hosting live music performances in the bar. This week, catch singer/songwriter Lawrence Hill.
Saturday 9 November 2024
Walking: North Bedfordshire Ramblers’ weekly walk
Stagsden, MK43 8SQ @ 10am
Tempsford, SG19 2AN @ 1pm
This week’s Saturday morning walk is an 11.5-mile circular countryside route around Stagsden.
In the afternoon, join the group at the meeting point in Tempsford for a circular 6.5-mile walk to Blunham and Great Barford.
Please bring a drink, snack or lunch as the group always stops for a break. Check out the North Bedfordshire Ramblers’ excellent website for further information.
Saturday 9 November 2024
Crafts: Demonstration by Aragon Lacemakers
Panacea Museum, 11 Newnham Rd, Bedford, MK40 3NX @ drop in between 10.30am – 2pm
Free entry / no need to book
Lacemaking demonstration from local creatives from Aragon Lace. Watch how traditional lace is made and have a go with the help of their friendly volunteers.
Saturday 9 November 2024
Live music: Soul Factory – Saturday Afternoon Chillout with DJ Rocky
The Cellar Bar @ 3pm
Free entry
Head to the Cellar Bar for an afternoon of soul, rnb, northern soul and Motown vibes with Soul Factory. For an added bonus, Happy Hour is also now from 3pm on a Sunday.
Saturday 9 November 2024
Live music: Karen Sharp’s Quartet with Nikki Iles, Steven Brown & Dave Green
St Andrew’s Church, Kimbolton Road, Bedford, MK40 2PF @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £12.50
Award-winning jazz musician and professor at the Royal Academy of Music returns to her home town for a rare performance, bringing her great musical friends to St Andrews in the Karen Sharp Quartet.
Karen, a multiple award winner and prominent artist on the jazz scene will be appearing with her long-established line-up of Nikki Iles, Dave Green and Steve Brown – world-class musicians who also happen to be great friends.
Karen, herself a winner of multiple British jazz awards, is an established figure on the UK jazz scene and works with a broad variety of musicians and ensembles including the Nikki Iles Jazz Orchestra, Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Orchestra, her own trio featuring guitarist Colin Oxley and bassist Simon Thorpe and her quartet. Nikki Iles is known across the globe for her piano playing and extraordinary writing for which she has won numerous awards. She is in demand as visiting director for big bands across Europe and in 2022 was awarded the British Empire Medal for services to music.
This is a rare opportunity to see these incredible musicians on your doorstep at an incredible price!
Saturday 9 November 2024
Comedy: Rob Newman: Where the Wild Things Were
The Quarry Theatre @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £20
This monthly event takes place at The Eagle Bookshop in St Peter’s Street.
Rob Newman’s epic stand-up show goes from cave paintings to car-free cities, by way of Imperial Rome’s chariot ban, Rapper’s Remorse, and the dance steps of Homo Ergaster.
Saturday 9 November 2024
Live music: Megapint?
The Cellar Bar at 8.30pm
Free entry. Bar opens at 6.00 pm
The guys are back for another regular gig at The Cellar Bar. Expect musical excellence mixed with a wonderfully curated list of rock/pop classics
Saturday 9 November 2024
Theatre: The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
The Place Theatre @ 7.30pm
Tickets: from £12
Candlelit Theatre bring The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde dramatically to life with their signature storytelling approach using shadows, sounds and theatricality to faithfully recreate the tale.
Praised as being “an inspiration for aspiring playwrights” (The Stage ) Bart Lee skilfully guides the audience with his adaptation and direction enabling wonderful acting and choices that both thrill and delight.
Imagination ignites in the darkness. This show is perfect for those studying the text at GCSE and for drama lovers alike.
Saturday 9 November 2024
Live music: Evil Blizzard + Thee Alcoholics
Bedford Esquires @ 8pm
Tickets: £18
A gig nine years in the making – that’s how long Esquires have been asking, cajoling and…begging them to come south to Bedford.
Preston’s Evil Blizzard are truly an enigma. Four bass players, a singing drummer and an array of rubber masks that will give both children and adults sleepless nights for days on end – they are the most ingenious and charismatic live experience on the music scene today.
Evil Blizzard delve into many musical wells. Mixing their musical heritage from early Sabbath, Dub & krautrock through to more modern and diverse contemporaries such as Hawkwind, Public Image Limited and Killing Joke (the latter two even personally asking for Evil Blizzard to open for them). It appears that no musical genre is safe from their reach.
Blizzard have not only won over some very hard-line partisan crowds, but they have also gone on to conquer such music festivals as Kendal Calling, Super-sonic, Rebellion, The Great British Alternative Music Festival, Supernormal and The International Festival of Psychedelia in Liverpool.
Saturday 9 November 2024
Classical music: Bedfordshire Symphony Orchestra concert
Bedford Corn Exchange @ 7.30pm
Tickets: Prices vary
Guest Conductor John Beswick.
The Bedfordshire Symphony Orchestra will present just two works in their forthcoming concert, but they are formidable compositions by giants of 19th and 20th-century classical music.
Edward Elgar’s technically difficult as well as musically appealing Violin Concerto, in B minor, Opus 61 will be performed by the multi-award-winning violinist, Michael Foyle. The second half of the programme will be devoted to Tchaikovsky’s magnificent Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Opus 64, in which, although not explicitly nationalistic, a distinctively Russian flavour pervades many of the themes.
Saturday 9 November 2024
Live music: The Bug Club + British Birds
Bedford Esquires @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £15
Formed in 2016 in the little-known rock n’ roll hotbed that is Caldicot, Monmouthshire, The Bug Club’s name does a good job of introducing the band and their music. A tight-knit, collaborative effort focused on telling tales of the everyday that we often take for granted, shot through with humour and riffs-a-plenty.
Initially championed by BBC 6 Music’s Marc Riley, along with Adam Walton and Huw Stephens on Radio Cymru, The Bug Club have since earned the support of DJs, fellow artists and press worldwide.
Saturday 9 November 2024
Dancing: Motown and Soul Night with Geoff, Martyn and Chris
The Wellington Arms @ 7.30pm
Free entry
Out from behind the bar, Geoff Ware will be spinning the best of Motowne and soul with Martyn and Chris.
Saturday 9 November 2024
Live music: Black & Gold
The Castle, 17 Newnham Street @ 8.30pm
Free entry
Head to the Castle ffor some serious foot-tapping Irish music. The craic is sure to be mighty!
Sunday 10 November 2024
Shopping: Bedford Flea, Affordable Art and Local Produce Market
St Paul’s Square @ 10am – 3pm
As we edge closer towards the festive period, this month’s Flea with have a wealth of seasonal offerings, flavours, colours and trends, with many stalls offering items perfect for gifting. The perfect time to start your Christmas shopping and you’ll be supporting local businesses while picking up some truly unique gifts.
Live Music throughout the day is supported by the Seeing Eye Rum team. They are passionate about supporting independent live music and they make the ‘Seeing Eye Music Stage’ possible, so you can enjoy free live music whilst you browse. Be sure to stop by their stall to sample some of their delicious spiced blend.
The Bedford Flea family will be honouring the Remembrance Day two minutes silence at 11am, so please join them in taking a few moments to reflect and remember.
Sunday 10 November 2024
Dance music: Daytime disco for grown-ups
The Cellar Bar @ 3pm / Happy Hour until 9pm
Free entry
It’s back! This Sunday, The Cellar Bar Daytime Disco is the chance to dance and sing along to some of the greatest hits ever on a Sunday afternoon! Why wait for the evening to have fun? And it’s all free! No tickets required.
Indulge in an afternoon filled with nostalgic tunes, singalongs, and a great atmosphere. The glitterball will be up and the neon outfits on. We welcome dressing up. Anyone who does will get a free shot from the bar. Free glow sticks and props.
Not only are we giving customers coming to this event a fabulous time, but please remember that we are just a bar and anyone can just come in, you don’t need to come just for events.
Sunday 10 November 2024
Live music: Thr3e play the Sunday Afternoon Session
Bedford Esquires @ 5pm – 7pm
Free entry
A warm welcome back for THR3E to this weeks Sunday Session at Esquires.
Sunday 10 November 2024
Music: Maddie Morris
The Place Theatre @ 7.30pm
Tickets: from £10
Folk singer Maddie Morris is an artist who strives to make a difference in the world. Bold, insightful and refreshingly unique, they take traditional song in new directions to shine a light on contemporary issues, offering new perspectives about the world we live in today.
Maddie was recently commissioned by Unlimited to explore LGBTQIA+ experiences of disability through traditional music, and has also been proud to collaborate with organisations such as Queer Folk, The Bit Collective and Trans Pride Brighton.
Sunday 10 November 2024
Live music: Benjamin Francis Leftwich
Bedford Esquires @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £16
Esquires have finalled snagged a date with the wonderful, Benjamin Francis Leftwich as part of his UK tour this November.
Artistic transformation is often associated with a blast of fanfare – the dramatic unveiling of a new look, or lofty announcement of the revelation that prompted such a change. In the case of Benjamin Francis Leftwich, reinvention transpires with significantly more subtlety on his latest album, Some Things Break.
“It feels like a new voice, in a way.” the York-born artist says. “I guess a more human and perhaps a more surrendered voice. Learning to hold on to certain things and let go of others with as much grace as possible…I feel like I’m hiding less on this record. Ultimately i think it’s a record about a kind of slow acceptance that some things break and for me – sometimes that’s necessary for healing”
Fans of Leftwich’s earlier work will associate him with a rich but pared-back acoustic singer-songwriter sound. Hit songs such as “Atlas Hands” and “Shine” – both from his Top 40 debut Last Smoke Before the Snowstorm – were infused with a charming wistfulness, and the yearning for sweet escape. Fans and critics alike were struck by this new artist’s disarming honesty; his lyrics were lauded for their candidness and vulnerability.
Sunday 10 November 2024
Live music: Luke Combs tribute
Bedford Corn Exchange:
Tickets: £30.25
Get ready to experience the heart and soul of country music as Bedford pays homage to one of the genre’s biggest stars. Join in a night of incredible songs, authentic Southern vibes, and a whole lot of boot-stomping fun!
With sold-out shows up and down the UK and Ireland, Luke Combs UK does not disappoint. The image of Luke Combs and more importantly that North Carolina Country vocal and sound are on full display in this incredible show, with a jaw-dropping closeness to the real thing.
The live five-piece band perform all of Luke’s hits and fan favourites from across all of his albums and continues to wow audiences who come for their Country fix. If ‘beer never broke your heart’ and y’all wanna get ‘beautiful crazy’ then this show is for you.
Monday 11 November 2024
Local history: Lost Pubs of Bedford – a pictorial pub crawl
The Wellington Arms @ 7.30pm
free
Join Mike MacKechnie as he takes you on a pictorial pub crawl of over 60 former pubs that existed in Bedford town centre between 1890 and 2018. Some you may remember, some may surprise you!
Monday 11 & Tuesday 12 November 2024
Theatre: The Man Who Thought He Knew Too Much
The Quarry Theatre @ 4.30pm on 11 November & 7.30pm on 12 November
Tickets: from £12
Wes Anderson meets Hitchcock meets Spaghetti Western in this multi-award-winning, intercontinental, inter-genre, cinematic caper of accusations, accidents, and accents.
Roger, a Frenchman in 1960’s New York, has spent years following the same predictable routine, until a minor delay saves him from an explosion. Throwing his ordered world into chaos, Roger chases his would-be assassins around the globe.
Raucously funny and endlessly inventive, this Lecoq-trained theatre company delights and stuns with live, original music and virtuosic acrobatics in this fast-paced, OFFIE-nominated whodunnit.
Tuesday 12 November 2024
Live music: Tuesday lunchtime concert
St Paul’s church, St Paul’s Square @ noon
Free entry with retiring collection (suggested donation £5)
This week’s concert features a recital by Margot Pommelet, Flute and Arthur di Francesco, Piano
Free with a retiring collection.
Tuesday 12 November 2024
Live music: Fran’s Monthlly Quiz Night
The Castle, 17 Newnham Street @ 8.30pm
Free entry
Head to the Castle pub for Fran’s monthly Quiz Night. Maximum of six people per team/£2 per person. Winner gets the pot. Chance to win the bonus rollover.
Tuesday 12 November 2024
Film: Bedford Film Society presents – The Settlers
The University of Bedford, Polhill Avenue @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £70/annual membership, £5/day guest
Set in Chile at the turn of the 20th century, three horsemen embark on an expedition, tasked with securing a wealthy landowner’s vast property until one of them comes to realize their true mission is to violently “remove” the indigenous population.
Tuesday 12 November 2024
Live music: Quireboys fundraising gig
Bedford Esquires @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £25
Spike and Nigel Mogg from the Quireboys have announced a special one-off gig for their great friend and former bandmate Luke Bossendorfer, at Esquires.
Luke was born and raised in Bedford and played in local bands ‘Shrunk’ and ‘Crash Dummies’ before joining the Quireboys and then moving to America. He has recently been diagnosed with CNS Lymphoma, a rare and aggressive type of lymphoma that occurs in the lymph tissue of the brain.
“We hope everyone who loves rock ‘n’ roll, Quireboys fans old and new from Bedfordshire and beyond will turn out in force and show their love and support for such a talented guitarist and an amazing bloke,” said Spike.
“All of the money raised from the show will be going to Luke and his family to help them through this terrible time.”
Wednesday 13 November 2024
Food & drink: Alpine Nights – Cheese Fondue
D’Parys, D’Parys Avenue @ 7pm – 9pm
£35 per person
Head to the DParys every Wednesday this November and December for a cosy evening at their Ski Chalet, where the warmth of a rich, creamy cheese fondue and the vibrant beats of our DJ live music will transport you straight to the Alps. Ticket price includes a welcome glass of mulled wine or cider,
A warm elcome with a glass of mulled wine or cider, a delicious cheese fondue and live DJ setting the perfect après-ski vibe
Whether you’re coming with friends or loved ones, this is the perfect way to embrace the winter season in style. Warm up, relax, and let the music take you away.
Wednesday 13 November 2024
Live music: Daddy Long Legs + Bobby Dazzle
Bedford Esquires @ 7.30pm
Tickets:£15
New York’s brilliant Daddy Long Legs will be returning to Esquires this month. Just one of the best live acts out there, this is not to be missed…
Thursday 14 November 2024
Talk: Talking Towers: Towers in the Bible and Apocalyptic Thinking
Panacea Museum, 11 Newnham Rd, Bedford, MK40 3NX. 12.30 -1.15
Free entry
A biblical discussion with CenSAMM Academic Director James Crossley. The Panacea Museum is an appropriate venue for discussions around The Apocalypse, as The Panacea Society was formed here over 100 years ago, ending in 2012.
This Christian group believed that the end times were imminent, and looked forward to immortality in their own Garden of Eden here in Bedford.
Thursday 14 November 2024
Theatre: Another Goodbye
The Place Theatre @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £12
Another Goodbye – A performance and conversation about love and loss. “We don’t know whether this will be the last time we’ll see each other…”
When Adie’s mum decided it was time to stop her medical treatment, Adie promised herself that she would travel to Germany and visit her regularly. Then the pandemic happened…
This is a story of a letting go, a passing on, another goodbye. Another Goodbye is a gentle exploration of the questions we face when confronted with the death of someone we cannot imagine living without. The performance is followed by a conversation with staff from Keech Hospice Care.
Thursday 14 November 2024
Live streaming: Wolf Witch Giant Fairy
Stevington Cinema Club, Stevington Village Hall, MK443 7QT @ 6.45pm
Tickets: £6
Wolf Witch Giant Fairy is a wild folk opera of music, mischief and magic and a collaboration between The Royal Opera and Little Bulb, who performed this Christmas show in 2023.
Join the ragtag band of wild musicians – including Bedford’s very own Peter Brathwaite as the narrator – as they guide all the family through this famous tale with new twists, turns, magic and song.
Thursday 14 November 2024
Dancing: Planet Swing featuring The Mark Keeley Solo Show
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 15 November 2024
Comedy: Garrett Millerick Needs More Space
The Quarry Theatre @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £15
Garrett Millerick Needs More Space, sees comedy’s ‘angriest optimist’ return for a hilarious, honest, and mostly historically accurate, exploration of space travel. In his new hour, Garrett examines his totally insignificant place in the universe and how little we actually know about anything.
His powerful performances and ability to blend personal experiences with hilarious social commentary, whilst also avoiding political partisanship, has seen Garrett establish a reputation as one of the most challenging, honest and original comedians of his generation. Needs More Space promises to be his funniest show yet as he looks to the stars to find solutions to our earthy complications.
Friday 15 November 2024
Language: Spanish Workshop
The Place Theatre @ 6pm
Tickets: free – just turn up
On Friday, 15 November, Bedford Language Centre will be hosting a Spanish speaking workshop at the Place Theatre. It’s the ideal opportunity to gain experience speaking a foreign language and of course, practice makes perfect.
From 6pm there will be different workshops taking place throughout the evening. You can drop in on the day or send an email to info@bedfordlanguagecentre.co.uk.
Friday 15 November 2024
Live music: The Magic of the Beatles – the Shake It Up Baby tour
Bedford Corn Exchange @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £28.50
Come together, right now – it’s time to shake it up baby with the concert show of the year.
The sensational The Magic of the Beatles features an incredible cast that not only look and sound like John, Paul, George, and Ringo, they also generate that same, famed incredible excitement that was the trademark of the greatest group the world has ever seen – with the Fab Four’s unique sense of humour thrown in for good measure too.
Enjoy She Loves You, A Hard Day’s Night, Help!, I Feel Fine, Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Hey Jude, Here Comes the Sun, Get Back and so many more non-stop chart toppers. Concertgoers are invited to join a magical musical tour that takes you back to the golden era of pop music, featuring hit after hit after hit!
Friday 15 November 2024
Live music: The Krakens
The Cellar Bar at 8.30pm / bar opens at 6pm / Happy hour 6pm – 9pm
Free entry
The Krakens are back! This four-piece rock band features Chris Craigen on Keys/Vocals, Naomi Vranas on Bass, Jon Mason on Guitar and Seb Hensman on the Drums.
Covering a variety of rock songs through the ages including hits from Elton John, Queen, Nirvana, Goo Goo Dolls, Green Day and many more.
Friday 15 November 2024
Live music: Jah Wobble & The Invaders of the Heart
Bedford Esquires @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £24
Combining global music, reggae, fusion and punk influences, Jah Wobble has entranced the world with his hypnotic bass riffs for over four decades and has become one of Britain’s most influential and distinct bass players. Accompanied by his band, Invaders of the Heart, Jah Wobble is reborn into a new decade as defiant as ever with a brand new UK tour.
Born John Wardle, the nickname was given to him by Sid Vicious following an evening of drunken antics. Sid Vicious then went on to give Jah his first ever bass guitar. As a bassist, Jah Wobble is well known as one of the founding members and ultimately the back bone of the legendary Public Image Limited (PiL) during the early years.
Since departing with PiL, Jah Wobble is now a prevalent solo artist with his band, Invaders of the Heart and was nominated for a Mercury Music Prize for his debut album, Rising Above Bedlam. Following the release of the highly acclaimed second album, Take Me To God, Jah Wobble also became a successful entrepreneur by developing his own independent record label, 30 Hertz Records.
Friday 15 & Saturday 16 November 2024
Dance: ‘From the Roof of the World’: Tibetan Monks from Tashi Lhumpo Monastery
The Place Theatre@ 7.30pm
Tickets: from £14
Tibet – the Land of Snows: home to Buddhist lamas whose ancient rituals have fascinated people for thousands of years.
‘From the Roof of the World’ presents chant, mantras, music and dance by eight Tibetan Monks from Tashi Lhunpo Monastery who open a magical window on to a world of reincarnation and Buddhist mysticism which has inspired audiences in theatres and festivals throughout Europe.
From the contemplative, mesmerising chant of Buddhist texts to swirling costumed masked dances accompanied by ancient Tantric musical instruments including horns made from human leg bones, skull-drums, cymbals, bells and with the shattering sound of the dungchen (long horns), the Monks evoke the atmosphere of sacred Tibet: an experience of an ancient culture accessible to all, with introductory explanations offering additional insight into this endangered world.
Saturday 16 November – Tuesday 24 December
Exhibition: Eagle Gallery Christmas Exhibition
20 St Peter’s Street, Bedford, MK40 2NN @ 10.30am – 5pm (Monday – Saturday) 11am – 3pm (Sunday)
Free entry
The Eagle Gallery’s Christmas exhibition features a variety of original artwork created by local artists – all available to buy. Items include pottery, glasswork and jewellery as well as paintings in many different styles and genre, and photographs. Christmas cards and handmade decorations also available.
Bedford Councillor Henry Vann will officially open the exhibition at 10.45 am on Saturday, 16 November and visitors on the day can enjoy a glass of festive mulled wine and the chance to meet some of the gallery’s exhibiting artists.
Saturday 16 November 2024
Dance Workshop: Tibetan Monks from Tashi Lhunpo Monastery
The Place Theatre @ 2pm
Tickets: Pay What You Can from £4
An opportunity to meet the Tibetan monks from Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, who will introduce you to the unique traditions of Buddhist monastic art. These include sand mandala making – ‘painting’ with coloured grains of ground marble – the printing of prayer flags and the delicate art of butter sculpture. You can learn some Tibetan language and make a dukar wheel which will be blessed by the monks to offer protection from negative influences.
Saturday 16 November 2024
Learning: One-day workshops
Rothsay Education Centre, 6 Rothsay Gardens, MK40 3QB @ 10am onwards
Membership rules apply. Non members welcome with a day membership
From 10am on Saturday, 16 November, the Rothsay Education Centre is hosting eight one-day workshops that are open to members and non-members alike.
Choose from politics, art, publishing, poetry and more. Full details can be found on their Facebook page here.
Saturday 16 November 2024
Family crafts: Creating Towers – paper crafts
Panacea Museum, 11 Newnham Rd, Bedford, MK40 3NX @ 10.30am – 2.30pm
Free entry but booking essential
Join local artist Marisa Straccia to make papercraft towers. This free event is inspired by our current temporary exhibition Preparing for the Apocalypse – Towers, Prophets and Meaning. Free to take part but please book in advance on the Panacea Museum website here.
Saturday 16 November 2024
Walking: North Bedfordshire Ramblers’ weekly walk
Clapham Twinwood MK41 6HP @ 1pm
A walk 7.5-mile walk around the Twinwood site and return via Milton Ernest.
Please bring a drink, snack or lunch as the group always stops for a break. Check out the North Bedfordshire Ramblers’ excellent website for further information.
Saturday 16 November 2024
Live music: Cherry Lee Mewis
Bedford Esquires @ 7.30pm
Tickets: £10
Cherry Lee Mewis has a story to tell and she tells it through her music, her way.
The power-house singer/songwriter has released her much anticipated pre-Corona-crisis live album, LATE NIGHT LOCK IN, a real pick ‘n’ mix of songs from a collection of six previous releases recorded over the space of three different shows.
Saturday 16 November 2024
Live music: Danny Barton
The Cellar Bar at 8.30pm / bar opens 6pm
Free entry
The wonderful Danny Barton returns to The Cellar Bar, playing a mix of acoustic rock and pop crowd-pleasers and new material.
Saturday 16 November 2024
Live music: Bazooka Joe
The Cellar Bar @ 11pm / bar opens 6pm
Free entry
For two decades, Bazooka Joe have been exciting UK audiences with their versatile repertoire of 80s classics which embody the enigmatic, creative, and buoyant spirit of the decade.
Expect hits from Duran Duran, The Specials, Madness, Bon Jovi, Whitesnake, Human League to Queen, The Jam, Simple Minds and many more!
Sunday 17 November 2024
Live music: U18’s Open Mic
The Cellar Bar @ 5pm – 7.00pm / bar opens at 4.30pm
Free entry
The Cellar Bar is throwing its doors open to the next generation of Bedford musicians, with a dedicated junior open mic session for under 18s.
Whether you sing, play guitar, drums, or any other musical instrument, or are a band already, you are welcome to take part. It’s a chance for you to perform on a stage in front of an audience with a full pa, drum kit, amps, lighting.
Hosted by none other than Mat Roberts, Mat will be on hand to offer support and advice, as well as doing a few jam sessions of his own.
Under 18’s are welcome in the bar from 5pm until 9pm on Sundays for Junior Open Mic.
Sunday 17 November 2024
Live music: Bold As Love play the Sunday Afternoon Session
Bedford Esquires @ 5pm – 7pm
Free entry
Formed in early 2024, Bold As Love faithfully pay homage to the unparalleled creativity and electric energy of one of music’s greatest icons – Jimi Hedrix.
Comprising passionate and talented musicians, Bold As Love capture the essence of Hendrix’s unique sound, from the explosive riffs of “Purple Haze” to the soulful melodies of “Little Wing” and way beyond. With an authentic vintage aesthetic and a commitment to delivering an unforgettable live, raw experience, BAL aim to transport audiences back to the golden era of rock n roll. Their performances are filled with the energy and improvisation that Hendrix was renowned for.
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
