Hi Everyone

I woke up this morning to the wonderful sight of a woodpecker in my garden.  By the time I made myself a cup of tea, it disappeared.  What kind of society do we live in when people are coming in to people’s gardens and stealing woodpeckers?

In other news, we have a full weekend at the Rising Sun to tell you about

On Friday, it’s time for another BIG UNTIDY NIGHT OUT

The Big Untidy Night Out specialises in bringing new unusual talent into the Rising Sun.  Singers, songwriters, poets, punk outfits, ambient experimentalists, sensational cellists and demonic banjo-players, the possibilities are endless.

This month’s Untidy celebrates the restless wanderer in all of us...always searching but never quite finding what we want. In celebration of the restless heart we bring you, from Paris, the travellers folk/blues of POLLYANNA, from a bit closer to home the wonderfully poetic Mr RICHARD EARLS and the lovely folk of ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. Completing the bill are international troubadors LOS CHICOS MUERTOS and compering we have the wayward but wonderful MIKHAIL THE TERRIBLE. 

Just remember, it is better to travel hopefully than to arrive

We’re open at 7.30pm and it’ll only cost you a paltry £7 on the door to get in

On Saturday we play host to KINDRED SPIRIT

The Kindred Spirit band sound is special and distinctive, driven by "haunting and bewitching" female vocals, guitar, two classically Trained , virtuoso, lead instrument players (on violin and flute/sax), dynamic drums and bass guitar and laced with jigs, reels and duelling improvisations.

The heart of the band sound is Elaine Samuels’ beautiful vocals, powerful, "perceptive and intriguing" songs and guitar work. The band soars into a rock stratosphere with classically trained, exciting and charismatically eccentric, newest band member, Martin Ash’s thrilling and beautifully melodic violin playing, which takes on the role of electric guitar during the rockier moments. He has been known to jump off the stage and dance with the audience!

Catherine Dimmock's expert and vibrant, classically trained flute & saxophone playing  complements and plays both around and alongside the violin melodies, bursting into "Tullesque" solos, and their lovely vocals harmonise well with Elaine's.

Mike Hislop plays driving and dynamic bass rhythms alongside excellent prog rock drummer, Aleem Saleh.

Support comes from the more electric but no-less-proggy THE ZONE

We’ll be open at 7.30pm and tickets are available on the door for £10 (£8 concessions).

Sunday afternoon sees the return of our VINTAGE TEA DANCE

Begins with a Charleston dance class with Reading Swing Jam 2pm - 3pm

Followed at 3pm with tea and cakes on vintage crockery.  (Our lovely bakers are preparing to bake a delicious assortment of cakes for you, including gluten free and vegan varieties).  Also, live vintage tunes from Lawrie Wright and The Silver Heels

Dress up in your best vintage outfits and shake a leg on the dance floor!  It’s the bees knees

All for just £10 entry

And on top of all this, this week is your last chance to catch our Abel Auer exhibition which is still at the centre until November 11th. That means that there's no excuse to miss it! It really is a wonderful transformation of our space and it’s been great for us to welcome all the people who’ve been here to see it over the past few weeks.

It's open to the public from 11am until 4pm, Monday to Saturday.

That’s everything for another week, just to remind you that we are, as always, at 30 Silver Street, Reading, RG1 2ST (If you pop it into your satnav or Google, we shall magically appear!)