Happy Halloween?

Our dearest of friends from the t’other side of the great pond have long celebrated the force known across the globe as Halloween with a real American sense of enthusiasm which now appears to be spreading. Some would point to blastfamous worshipping of all things frightening and evil whereas most would simply state “it’s just another way of making me spend my money” Sighed the exhausted mother!

 

So for those of you who haven’t quite decided which side of the frightful fence to perilously perch on. Here’s a selection of highly themed and experiential examples;

 

Thorpe Park’s annual fright providing the ultimate ‘Fright Night’ having teamed up with the Scare Group UK to offer attendees’ not only a terrifyingly lit turn on the parks rollercoaster’s but in every crack and crevice of the park zombies along with a variety of characters from the Saw movie series lurk with the no other intent than to scare. Offering a Halloween to remember… genuinely only for those with a high scare threshold, consider this almost a health warning, click here for further details.

 

As ever London offers an array of fright nights from the grizzly to the gruesome, most all coming in the shape of The Vaults, a now unused Underground train station filled with mystery, history and tales of another time and another world. These masters of morgue promise a playground for the freak in all of us. Activities include DJs of the undead, the graveyard cinema, the abandoned end of pier arcade games and crazed capers from the finest twisted cabaret acts. Click here for full listing.

 

 

The extent of our developing fascination with all things spooky can be directly linked to our pagan past and medieval suspicion and now measured by increasing popularity, then recognized by the establishment of national Zombie Day! An event which takes place in over 50 cities worldwide, organized marches of the undead are staged with a meet place and a detailed route for the general public either to join the chaos or hide. This years London march started at Marble Arch Tube station and spread right across the capital ending up in a Zombie Ball.

 

This Halloween rather than being frightfully dismissive or venting annoyance at the fact kids are knocking the doors for sweeties. Perhaps we should start to embrace this celebration both within the industry and our social lives to fully realize its Theming potential. According to the demand for such events and activities, this could be a strong event theme throughout the calendar year. None the less will prove a ‘freaky’ one to watch over the next few years.

Rise to the Rooftops!

This summer has seen an event based, cocktail laden and cinema enthused ascendancy to the roof tops of London. This got me rather intrigued to see the fantastic measures fellow Event Managers are now taking creatively to push borderlines of experiential expectations.

 Once more it would seem that the socialites of this wonderful nation are seeking and demanding further thrills within they’re already diverse night out and events calendars. Heading up onto the cities rooftops would usually indicate that you are in indeed the answer to one of the worlds great riddles, the secret identity of Batman, or you’ve drawn in a panicked crowd with the collaborative plea of ‘Don’t do it!’.

 

No longer… sure our cities have long offered plenty for us to see and do at ground level, even our underground providing our transport and now our roof tops providing us with beautifully scenic ways of enjoying our time.

 

Here are some highly engaging examples; the long established Kensington Roof Gardens a secretive member’s only glamour spot that reeks of exclusivity, then there’s London’s newest beach Camden Beach, that’s right…Camden Beach, a temporary pop up postcard perfect makeshift dreamy beach all on the terrace of The Roundhouse, no North Devon about it strictly North London!

 

Our favourite, The Roof Top Hot Tub Cinema Club what a wonderful collaboration of words and concepts. Now allowing revellers year round to take in the sights of the city, favourite flick all in the comfort of your own hot tub…blissful behaviour.

 

This heady and height based summer trend really has got the IT crowd shaking they’re cocktail flutes with vigorous anticipation flocking up top with tickets in high demand, understandable considering the views naturally on offer and the occasion outside chance of a sunset. Refreshingly in such health and safety focused times, in which we all strive to add value to our event guests, delegates and clients such fresh innovation is brought to the forefront of the industry and celebrated.

 

So then class to recap; Take a fantastic reason for staging an event + take said event concept on top of scenic roof top in a city near you = Great time had by all.

 

Tales of ‘Cirque Berserk’ Theming

Roll Up! Roll Up! Roll Up!

 The Theming trend of the year has caravanned its way into town, or at least to an event near you… followed by an array of beasts, freaks and  right royal Ring Leaders.

It’s the Circus!

Since its arrival into Britain the Circus has long been held close to our hearts, perhaps sometimes for the most questionable of reasons, those Victorians were a curious bunch! Even to a stretched sense in current ‘civilised’ nations such as the Uk we still love to gawp and poke a psychological stick at those who are different or even gifted. Immediately echoed within the events industry, where at present Circus themed events, playing on the Retro Revival are all the rage, without a clown in sight!

 A theme which allows an Events organizer oodles of creative scope, from aesthetics to activities, not to mention the performers! It would appear we’re not alone in our love of the old fashioned Big Top.

 

 

Cirque Du Soleil now operates a worldwide franchise complete with the Elvis Presley and Jackson estates collaborating to tell stories of stars we know so well, through specialist circus performance. All re-designed to take audience members on a journey through a narrative almost to the extreme of forgetting you are indeed witnessing a Circus performance. Something as an experiential events provider we strive to offer such high levels of escapism through all of our themed events.

 

Other experiential examples of this apparent Cirque Craze being offered by the UK’s healthier than ever Festival Industry, no matter the audience whether families or creative’n’cultured types the added element of Circus always seems to please. This years Standon Calling has entirely adopted the lure of this vintage arty entertainment form. It’s fantastic to see like minded forwards thinking within the local industry engaging our local community here in Hertfordshire.

 

If Circus appeals then also check out London’s Southbank where the Wondergroud Festival is now fully underway, with shows ranging from Canadian Lumberjacks to a traditional Parisian Burlesque knee’s up! Something for the clown or contortionist locked away in each of us.

 

For whatever reason the Victorian sense of intrigue continues to resonate within both the current events marketplace and British psyche. Industry wide we can all only admire and hope to emulate as a company the circus’s ability to adapt to its audiences needs, changes in legislation, flexibility to reinvent & diversify in order to continuously pack out venues through the ages.

 

However, one aspect still entirely up for debate being clowns, funny or just creepy? Either way I ruddy loves em!

The Olympic Parks Pop Up Legacy

Firstly dear readers I realise as ever I’ve been an absolute hound on all sorts of frightful fronts! Firstly I’ve only gaawn and bleedin’ swapped shires for summer! Devonshire for Hertfordshire & very plan to continue to pester both! So some entries may be SLIGHTLY less Devonian focused. Secondly I’ve been an as absent as Rolf Harris to children’s television…apologies a situation I plan on resurrecting, no…not Rolf.

 

In recent times I’ve seen an awful amount of interest in all things ‘Pop-Up’. Whether it be exhibition stands, high impact promotional instillations or promotional ‘Pop-Up’ shops offering the latest products.

 

Following the success and positivity of last summers Olympics Londoners have a new exciting and dynamic outdoor event space…The Chuffing Olympic Park! A fresh ‘Popped-Up’ Festival Site. Harnessing the nation’s feel good factor following Olympic glory the park has already played host to an array of outdoor cultural events, ranging from the Open East Festival to the Wireless Festival.  

The sheer scale of the project does impress; amongst the on-going renovation works, you’ll find a festival field you’d never expect, complete with swing ball arenas, cultured catering, multiple stages and a chunk of astro turf to play host to over 70,000 bottoms of all sorts of sizes without feeling squished…no mean feat! 

 

Having recently attended an epic Gentlemen of the Road record label Gig at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, containing some musical chaps you may have heard of Mumford & Sons, Vampire Weekend & Ben Howard. This heady hedonistic heaven got me thinking…

 

 So far, the immediate Olympic legacy has been most enjoyable, with the diverse nature of the Park’s Event calendar perhaps the most pleasant surprise. Yet, the best bit of the lot! Is the fact that this ‘Pop-Up’ perfect festival ground is wham bam in the middle of London’s east end bringing exciting arts programmes to the masses, a green playground which really shouldn’t be. Here lies the nation’s fascination and long may it continue!

Keep your eyes peeled for more thought provoking ‘Pop Ups’ as the trend continues to sweep the industry & nation.

 

Festivals Enhancing Experiential Value

Festival goers now seek that added value, the Wow Factor! Usually through the tantalising aspect of Theming, I’m a chuffing sucker for a hearty slice of themed cake…any chance to dress up & ‘act up’.

 To truly stand out in an already saturated summer music festival market, we’ve noticed the great efforts festival organisers nationwide are making to distinguish their events, whether by creating a niche for themselves or specializing in the wacky and wonderful. We’re huge admirers of the work these guys are doing, by creating experience that are memorable and special to keep ‘goers’ buzzing until the following year’s efforts. With such high experiential levels achieved, then consider the marketing campaign somewhat nailed.

Two Festivals this summer I’ve spotted are; The Playgroup Festival & The Boomtown Fair. (Follow Links for further amazement)

 

 The Playgroup was born from the quirky stirrings of Event Organisers in Brighton, staged in a secret Sussex location; attendee’s are grouped into tribes of toys, picked up and camped separately. Ranging from Toy Soldiers to Dinosaurs... even Barbie’s! Brilliantly the tribes are then pitted against each in a series of Playgroup challenges throughout. Whilst the ‘kool kidz’ from Brighton’s diverse music scenes entertain the lavishly dressed crowd. In a ludicrous lovely nutty-shell, every creative and experiential aspect of a summer festival has been absolutely amplified for the benefit of all fans of nostalgic fun.

 

Anybody partial to all things bonkers’n’brilliant from in and around Bristol will, know and love The Boomtown Fair. Think… Mad Max, think… fun loving zombies, think… the best futuristic apocalyptic world you’d ever want to imagine & BOOM! You’ve arrived at the Boomtown Fair. In a world where a bombed out Tesco’s Store becomes a Jazz Club, Inflatable Churches with Spaceman Pastors officiate legal weddings. Boomtown allows its attendee’s to utterly escape to the best rubbish future time travel, just for three days!

 

Sure, most festivals have SOME quirky factors/ areas, yet these guys can truly be considered the Pioneers upon principle of Perplexing themed events, Experts of festival Escapism, experiential offerings to the Extreme.

Long let the festival industries continue to take us away to worlds we could only dream of. Escapism is something we all seek from the events we choose to attend, if through our festivals we’re enabled to become futuristic zombie pirates for the weekend, let the experiential escapades continue! 

Devonian Festivals All Up in Your Face!

Devonian Festivals all up in your festi-face

Hey fun chimps!

Here I am to fling some absolute laugh turds your way…metaphorically, of course.

This latest instalment has the filthy theme of festivals of a Devon based nature running throughout its core.

Firstly one must declare that one’s retched self-spent the duration of these modern excuses for casual flannel-esque weekends of false hedonism…as a market trader! Like an absolute sell out, sure, I’m going to plug away here…especially after freshly launching the new website…for all of the knowledge you seek punch in www.figureitoutphotography.co.uk or punch the chuffer into facebook.

 

Plymouth Volksfest, a tantalising tasty little festivals based on the notion of life on the road in some sort of variation of Volkswagen automobile…yet the festival however could almost do with its name changing to Plymouth People with a Limited Wallet & Vocabulary Fest. Although boasting quite the dreamy musical line up including Blog favourite (may have excitedly informed you of before) Mr.B The Gentleman Rhymer!!! Mad Dog McCrae…Sure. Countless others relative South West music scene ‘Names’ finely crafting their sounds and skills to highly intoxicated yet appreciative audience.

A strangely enjoyable weekend was had by team Figure It Out! Photography once the ropiest fair weather only Marquee £50 smackers on eBay with free delivery can buy a young rascal had been bodge jobbed to an absolute art form. On a final count of 27 attempts ranging from physically attaching a guide rope to neighbouring traders key cutting van to utilizing skills from boy scouts i.e. gaffer taping sturdy sticks onto flaky metal shearing with every breeze. Oh not to mention picketing an entire fence as an anchor…Pppbah!

 

Onto LemonFest…oh Lemonfest, my little piece of summer perfection what a dream you truly were. After binning the nosher of a Marquee for a weather hardened Transit, instantly adopting the feel of being the long lost love child of Derek trotter, a largely unavoidable consequence of selling stuff from/around a van. Again perfect Devonian sunshine washed over us like summer which was actually longer than a Tuesday afternoon! With some absolute musical finds coming in the delectable shapes and forms of Ekul’s House, Owen Penrice & The Kingskins not to mention the fittest and most adorable ginger topped acoustic female on the planet Lucy Rose, on voice alone, she’d be able to launch a freshly creamed turd into an audience… and nobody would move a muscle purely transfixed almost paralysed by harmonic brilliance.

 

Another noteworthy mention going to that of the sheer existence of Vimto Candy Sprays which instantly mug your brain right off thinking thirst has been clenched yet only providing a largely sugar based coating of the tongue.

Finally… you can almost relax, Devon I’d like to congratulate you on your ever growing list of incredible summer festivals, celebrating & gatherings of a joyous nature ranging in taste, style & scale…long may such organised summer vibed skull duggary continue.

Readers allow the festival season to touch you whether appropriately or not in the most sensual and spiritual of ways imaginable…whatever you choose to attend this summer….friggin’ enjoy it!

Huge thanks to the continuous support of A Kick Up The Arts without whom the above experiences simply would not have been.

A Clockwork Orange To Beach Polo

Apologies Flithbags!

I genuinely intend to update y'all sooo much more regularly than this, the very essence of this bleedin' blog is to tell the stories of a frolicking funster in Devon aspiring to carve his path in life every time a story rears its fruity head....almost weekly. Yet auld father time fingers me in the metaphorical writers bum! I hate it so.

Since we last danced this absolute slow jam of a dance we've two bank holidays and relative sunshine! Consider this Bank Holiday Tales - Part Uno.

Now the first bank holiday of the month was spent as follows; dressed as a massive cultural sexual offender definitely on the list for multiple offences, hopefully largely flashing rather than anything serious.

Firstly came another absolute blast from Kinky & Quirky and show to celebrate all things geek, Sci-Fi & sexy 'May the 4th Be With' Burlesque & Boogie at the English Riviera Centre, Torquay. Headlining was the genius Gentleman Rhymer, pioneer of Chap Hop Mr.B!!! Check this; http://www.gentlemanrhymer.com/ as even i don't possess the words to describe just how good this guy is! Now the rapey element comes with the fact that my drogues and I spent the entire evening dressed the cast of A Clock Work Orange, your maybe thinking COP OUT! Don't....this piece of cinematic mastery is recognised as the 4th best Sci-Fi Movie this world has produced...hence the cultural aspect of the weekend. Yet, one can disappointingly inform, no "Bit of the old in-out, in-out" for me.

The following day contained further dress up as absolute historic sex pests....Pirates! To be exact, the Brixham Pirate Festivals World Record attempt at creating the worlds longest pirate conga line...the port basked in 1980s pirate licked disco glory...mostly as its easy to break a record when your the first to attempt the chuffer. I'll confess we joined and fighted for the noblest of pirate traditions "The right to fight, for the right....to run away" J.Sparrow (1827) There's certainly something soul satisfying for a chap from the South West to fully indulge in a day full of piratical activities such as staggering around bashing all sorts of sword against anyone & anything, surrounded by a world looking the part.

A personal venture of Mine with Figure It Out! Photography, check & FB 'Like'; https://www.facebook.com/#!/FigureItOutPhotography

 

Took me into a world brilliantly madder than a bag of frogs attached to a jet ski....Devon Geek Nights= Wowsers....these guys know how kick it geeky! A juicy little monthly event held on the outskirts of Exeter in The Golden Pond Chinese Restaurant & Bar, Caution this event contains those who are serious about chosen topic and a challenge to their knowledge may result in a lengthy Dr.Who or worse lecture - Re-enactments - An Awesome buffet which is likely to broaden your waistline - Amazing Kapow! vibed prizes. Great show all round! Confirming once more....i know nothing about Star Wars, nor do i wish to!

 

Finally for this week, sure i attended the annual champagne licked & filthy rich enthused annual Beach Polo Exhibition, held on the sands of Watergate Bay, Newquay. The sun shone, the horses or 'Ponies' as the absolute British Sargent Major type commentator referred affectionately to them as pounded the sands as if they actually knew what was going on....all to the fine reggae reggae sauce sounds of the Back Beat SoundSystem! Shamazingly these chuffin' 'ponies' genuinely seemed to wince at exactly the right to avoid an absolute clobbering in the chops...most of the time. Even with an occasional spot casual animal cruelty, quite the spectacle backed up by a sexual Atlantic sunset.

 

Stay tuned as next week...I'll give a right royal review of filthy festivals & my trading experiences at... for the time being indulge yourselves in this word smithery whilst i scrubby some of the mud outta me inner loins.