News
Kent Life article - February 2006
As Tunbridge Wells begins its year of 400th birthday celebrations, a major music and arts event is launching in Kent, Spafest looks set to emerge as one of the leading annual events for Tunbridge Wells and the South East
The organisers of Spafest promise an explosion of talent with a diverse and wide-ranging mix of live entertainment, involving the whole community. Music presentations encompass all genres of musical influence: classical, opera, jazz, soul, R&B, rock, pop, folk and world music. The festival programming also boasts comedy, large-scale free community concerts, family events and a dynamic education and outreach programme called M’Brace.
Spafest is the brainchild of Ian Bowden and Vicki Haxton of the Primo Group, based in Tunbridge Wells. Primo Group specialises in event management and production of live events. Its pedigree extends to presenting artists such as Simply Red, Dionne Warwick, Michael Ball and Heather Small at venues such as at Leeds Castle, Penshurst Place and the Royal Opera House, London, as well as many other concert presentations and arts related activities in the South East and London.
Spafest has gained the support of numerous high-profile sponsorship partners. including Bentley Kent, sponsor of the Spa Hotel concerts, Allianz Cornhill sponsors of the classical, contemporary, education and community concerts, Yamaha Music, Lloyds TSB Private Banking and Buss Murton Solicitors.
Holiday at home
The organisers behind Spafest are encouraging people to take their holidays at home this summer, Spafest runs for just over two weeks, encompassing three weekends from the 21 July launch weekend in Calverley Park through to the finale weekend presentations at Dunorlan Park on the 5 and 6 August.
The festival programming already boasts a number of internationally acclaimed artists such as classical cellist Julian Lloyd Webber and concert pianist Jeremy Menuhin, both of whom are also patrons of Spafest.
On the contemporary and jazz side a selection of names include BBC award winning jazz vocalist and presenter Stacey Kent and Curtis Stigers. Curtis Stigers shot to international fame with his worldwide hit I Wonder Why and You’re All That Matters To Me and contributed to Whitney Houston’s album The Bodyguard. From pop idol to jazz superstar, Curtis Stigers is recognised as one of the world’s most gifted singer-songwriters.
The John Wilson Big Band, who performed with Kevin Spacey in the Hollywood movie, Bobby Daren, are also confirmed together with Dennis Rollins with his band Badbone.
Also part of the contemporary programme is Chantz, now 17 but has been playing trumpet since he was seven. He has an incredible confidence and maturity mixed with an amazing freshness, you can’t categorise his music exactly, let’s just say it has a jazz base, takes on funk, soul, R&B, and he even tap dances full-on broadway style.
The organisers are also delighted to welcome Joseph McManners, the 13-year-old from Canterbury recently signed by Sony BMG in a £2m record deal. Destined to be the next Aled Jones or Charlotte Church, you’ll be able to tell your grandchildren you saw him here first.
A number of international headline artists are yet to be announced and Spafest are encouraging people to keep up to date as the festival publicity officially launches in early March. Check out www.spafest.co.uk and you can also register your interest and become involved in the festival through the website forum.
Fringe activities throughout the two weeks include lunchtime performances and numerous evening performances including commuter jazz, classics and comedy at intimate venues across the town.
Spafest is delighted to be working with comedy writer and performer Nick Swift. Nick, a former Tunbridge Wells Grammar schoolboy, has shaken his comedy bits extensively on the circuit for several years and is a prominent comedy writer for Radio 4. He is currently writing a show to premier at the festival called 'Disgusted'. Partly autobiographical, the show talks about growing up in Tunbridge Wells but is also an exploration of middle-class activism, angry letters to local papers, and the art of complaining.
Other comedy programmes will include a fresh mix of established and up and coming stand-up, sketch and character comedy, plus a chance to see artists outside of the usual London and Edinburgh circuits.
Among these many festival elements Spafest will be delivering a number of intimate and unique presentations, including two evenings of music & picnicking on the lawns of the Spa Hotel and an exclusive five-course gourmet dinner and theatre presentation at Thackeray's Restaurant. Professional actors in period costume will perform extracts from the works of William Makepeace Thackeray who lived here during his writing years.
One of the core values for Spafest is enabling participation, encouraging education and giving back to the community. The ‘M’Brace outreach programme will take the festival to those who would normally be unable to attend. Comedians, artists and musicians will visit hospices, care homes for the elderly, children’s homes and special needs centres, whilst an allocation of tickets for all events will be given to disadvantaged groups and disability groups with mobility transport provided.
Education projects include master classes and workshops. From chamber tots, an under 4’s introduction to music, to adult drama workshops, mime, drumming, saxophone, cello and guitar master classes. Well-known international artists such as Robbie Williams’ saxophonist and Travis’ guitarist and Julian Lloyd Webber will teach many of the master classes.
Town pageant
In keeping with the 400th anniversary of the town a pageant involving 300 local school children will take place during the launch weekend in Calverley Park. School children combined with a professional cast a will re-enact 16 scenes from the 400-year history of Tunbridge Wells with music, theatre, song and dance.
The final of a battle of the bands competition will kick off the free community concerts at Tunbridge Wells common on 29 and 30 July. Spafest will encourage regional and local bands and performers to enter a competition across a number of music categories. Winning artists will support headline artists at the community concerts and the finale headline concerts.
Spafest International Arts & Music festival promises to be a dynamic, ground-breaking festival and well worth putting in your diaries now as we look forward to our summer breaks, and as for dispelling the age-old reputation ‘Disgusted of,’ here’s the cure!
Spafest will take place throughout Tunbridge Wells from Friday 21 July to Sunday 6 August. Can you afford to miss it? Keep updated in future editions of Kent Life and at www.spafest.co.uk.
