Shayne brings a smile to children's ward

By Nicola Anderson

Saturday March 26 2011

HE might not be good at building things out of Lego but former 'X Factor' winner Shayne Ward is a dab hand at winning hearts.
Mothers, nurses and young patients at Our Lady's Children's Hospital Crumlin, in Dublin, were all agreed on one thing yesterday -- there is just "something" about Shayne. Call it "the X factor", if you must.
The pop star, in Ireland on his 'Up Close and Personal Tour', slipped into St John's Ward yesterday to spend some time with children who have cancer and blood disorders, acting as the "special delivery guy" for boxes of Lego donated by the toy company.
The singer signed autographs and posed for pictures. Gerard Gaffney (6), from Lusk, Co Dublin, played with him on the tractors. And the look on the face of Niamh McNulty (16), from Convoy, Co Donegal, said it all as her idol posed for a picture beside her.
Awaiting a bone marrow transplant, she is a "huge fan" and had seen him in concert at Belfast. But did she ever think she would get to play Lego with him? "No," Niamh said in disbelief, watching as Shayne grappled with the pieces, laughing at his own attempts.
Shayne divulged he was keen to move to Ireland some time in the near future. "I'm going to move here -- of course," he said. "I love it and I have family here."
He said he hoped his visit would give the children a boost, adding: "A smile on their faces is the biggest reward I could get."

- Nicola Anderson

Irish Independent

Review: Shayne Ward Olympia, Dublin

By Ed Power

Monday March 28 2011

SHAYNE Ward offers a sobering lesson in what happens when a reality television star tries to cling on after their allotted 15 minutes has turned to smoke.
The 2005 'X Factor' winner had been eking out a respectable career as a one-man boyband but how the wheels came off when his relationship with Simon Cowell started to cool.
Delayed by 18 months, his most recent album, 'Obsession', was a something of a flop, limping into the UK Top 20 and falling shy of the Top 10 here, where Ward's following has been especially intense on account of his Manchester-Irish roots.
A sign of his diminishing stock is that he's performing in The Olympia, having once headlined what was then The Point (though, to be fair, he's booked for three nights).
Stomping around stage, in T-shirt and jeans, he looks less like the "new Justin Timberlake", as Cowell once described him, than a brick-layer with a decent voice.
Dark clouds have trailed him through his current tour. According to press reports, his gigs in London were sparsely attended -- which may have been as well, as he apparently used the occasion to launch a flailing broadside against his former mentor.
"I haven't spoken to Simon since I left the show," he reportedly stated at Shepherd's Bush Empire. "He seems to call everyone else but me."
Perhaps it has finally dawned on Ward that the raison d'etre of 'The X Factor' isn't to unearth new talent.
He does put in a spirited performance, illuminated by a gutsy cover of Bruno Mars's 'Just The Way You Are'. You only hope the next time he treads the Olympia boards it isn't for Christmas panto.

- Ed Power

Irish Independent

Alexandra Burke Performs At Children's Champion Awards

The stars come out for the charity event ...

By Christine Lee on Thursday 31st March 2011 Photo by WENN.COM

shayne Ward attended the show and Alexandra Burke performed at the ceremony at Grosvenor House. It was hosted by Davina McCall and Simon Cowell.

Stars including Alexandra Burke and Simon Cowell came out last night to honour the unsung heroes who help improve the lives of children across the UK.
The 'News of the World Children's Champions Award' took place last night where X Factor winner Burke performed in front of guests Davina McCall, Kerry Katona and previous X Factor winner Shayne Ward.
The 'Broken Heels' singer wore a pink printed dress with hot pink heels and promised to give an extra special performance for the winners, who were taken to 10 Downing Street to meet Prime Minster David Cameron before the ceremony.
Burke told Now: "When I was in X Factor we came to these awards and I remember being moved to tears by the stories. It was so humbling. I never imagined one day I'd be up on that stage, I'm going to sing my heart out."
The ceremony will be televised on Sky Living HD on April 3.

Live Review shayne ward @ Manchester apollo

22nd Mar 2011

Reviewed by: Chris White

Bar an X-Factor performance and the low-key release of Shayne’s recent album Obsession, the comeback of someone once touted as one of the UK's premier male pop stars has been somewhat muted. Quite what’s been going on at SyCo, the Simon Cowell owned record label to which Shayne is signed, remains to be seen. Rather the forge ahead with a more traditional promotional campaign, it seems the powers that be decided a rather low-key UK tour would be the best way to re-introduce Mr Ward to the public and his remaining fans, and after Friday’s gig at Manchester Apollo, this may have in fact been a very wise decision.

Performing to a packed house, it was obvious from the start how much this gig in particular meant to the boyishly handsome singer. An early introduction to his family in the audience followed a gushing and emotional declaration of how good it was to be back on home turf, performing live. It’s widely been reported that Shayne is one of the nicest men in pop, and I’d have to say those reports are extremely accurate. Charming, humble, and seemingly very appreciative to be back on stage, you couldn’t help but share his joy and feel pleased for him.

The set-up was simple yet effective; and hour and a half of Shayne backed by a small live band (including Phoebe, a dynamite Estelle-lookalike backing vocalist), singing his biggest hits and some choice cuts from his three albums to date. Oh and a fabulous cover of Bruno Mars’ ‘Just The Way You Are’; a pretty failsafe way to get the predominantly female crowd singing along. Whilst the cheese factor certainly gets cranked up on numbers such as ‘Melt The Snow’ and ‘If That’s Ok With You’, emotional ballads such as ‘Foolish’ and ‘Breathless’ (performed to  three giggling 10 year olds plucked from the audience, no less) are by far Shayne’s forte.

Most note-worthy of everything from this gig has to be Shayne’s quite simply incredible voice. In his recent three year hiatus from the music scene, you’d be forgiven for forgetting just what he sounded like. The answer is breathtaking. Even the most hardened of music fans would fail to not be impressed by vocals like this. I can report the ‘hairs standing up moments’ count finished at... well, it was a lot. Falsetto notes most recent X-Factor wannabes could only dream of hitting were nailed with ease.

Although perhaps at odds with the concept behind this tour, it would have been nice to see a few more of the Timberlake-like moves we know he’s capable of to vary the pace at times. The set list also seemed a little lacking in the best tracks from his most recent album, which unfortunately could desperately do with a kick back into the charts. But as more of a showcase for why Shayne became a pop star in the first place, I’d say all bases were covered. Also worthy of mentioning were the support act, fresh new 2011 girl band Parade. Tight dance routines and in actual fact, bloody good voices left me thinking we’d be seeing a lot more of these girls this year.

A solid, impressive, and at times heart-warming performance, this was a hugely enjoyable gig and hopefully the start of a new chapter for Shayne Ward.

Shayne Ward UK tour with Parade to support

Shayne Ward is well and truly back with his new album Obsession, the top ten hit Gotta Be Somebody and soon his first UK tour in two years. 2011's most exciting new girl band PARADE have just been confirmed to support Shayne across his Up Close and Personal UK Tour. 

Despite having yet to release their single, PARADE are already building a devoted following thanks to their sassy spirited live performances packed with jaw-dropping dance routines. They recently supported Shakira on the UK leg of her tour and Alexandra Burke on her 28-date UK tour. Their single 'Louder' is released on Asylum records on 13th March. 

Shayne Ward's show stopping performance on X Factor at the end of last year and the release his third album reminded everyone of his very special vocal prowess. Ward, a singer's singer, if ever there was one, is thrilled to be back out on the road. Shayne says 'as a singer and performer nothing beats the excitement of working with a live audience'. Live has always been Shayne's natural habitat and now taking Obsession out on the road, he's putting on the ultimate show, these are his first set of intimate tour dates which start Wolverhampton on 15th March.

Ward will be performing an array of his hits, right from his X Factor smash That's My Goal to his RnB infused No U Hang Up to new fan favorites on current album Obsession. Having found his rightful place in pop society, The X Factor may have launched him but each generation throws up real talent and that always rises to the top whatever the route. This time it's Shayne Ward. 

UK Concert Dates

Tuesday 15 March 2011 Wolverhampton Civic Hall 
Wednesday 16 March 2011 London O2 Shepherds Bush Empire 
Friday 18 March 2011 Manchester O2 Apollo
Saturday 19 March 2011 Glasgow O2 ABC

Tickets are £25 regional (£26.50 London) 

The album 'Obsession' is out now on SyCo Music.

www.shayneward.com 
www.twitter.com/shaynetward 
www.paradeofficial.com 

Shayne Ward to play live at the Manchester Apollo

SHAYNE Ward has announced his first UK tour in two years, which comes to the Manchester Apollo tomorrow (Friday).

A show-stopping performance on The X Factor and the release of his third album late in 2010 reminded everyone of his vocal prowess.

He said: “As a singer and performer nothing beats the excitement of working with a live audience.”

Shayne will be performing an array of his hits, from his X Factor smash That’s My Goal to new fan favourites on current album Obsession.

For ticket details, ring 08444 777 677.

Shayne Ward / Parade Civic Hall, Wolverhampton on Tuesday 15 March 2011

Illuminous bunny ears, menopausal women and hand-made banners were the predominant features upon my arrival at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall. No less than what I expected from such a show really, as the clientèle of anticipated followers and fans queued in line, to witness a performance three years in the making, and, to the cynical, five years too late.

Supporting Shayne Ward on tour are five-piece girl group Parade, who opened the show with a band-less 15-minute set, painted with body-popping and overall shininess. Prior to their slot, their single 'Louder' was placed at number 7 in the UK singles charts, so I shouldn't really have been surprised by their enjoyable set. After all, if you are literally the proprietor's of the 7th most popular track in the UK, then a decent stage presence should be the lowest of expectations. The girls seemed genuinely excited to share the bill with Ward, and they loosened the crowd up nicely with beats to dance to. Their rendition of Cee-Lo Green's 'Forget You' was a bit of an easy crowd-pleasing move, but as a member of said crowd, I should have been happy that such joy wasn't being worked for. 

After a 45-minute break, the lights were shut down, and revived by Ward's appearance to a soundtrack of a very harsh electric guitar riff. 'U Got Me So' jolted an audience into a small frenzy, postponing the archetypal swaying and lighter-waving for later on. 

Two tunes in, and Ward addressed the crowd, with quite a warm tone. Undergoing such a strange career of having everything, then a lot less, and then partaking in a voyage for more, it's important to keep in mind that this is a performer who had to learn the tools of the trade very quickly. His early mass-audience gigs were easy, as the crowd had already been feasting on a starter menu of magazine articles, X-Factor performances, and all the media coverage that comes with it. Back then, Ward didn't have to say a word, but now, he was being properly consumed by ticket-buyers that he was clearly grateful for.

Credibility is not something that TV talent competitions bring to a performer's arsenal, which is why I was very reluctant to simply jump on the band-wagon of reviewers and writers who deem manufactured pop beneath them. Unfortunately, Ward does make it easy to climb aboard.

After six songs, Ward addressed the crowd, explaining to them that he had been listening to a lot of music since his last performance, and wanted to try something different. He began to list off major names of 2010; Plan B, Katy Perry and Tinie Tempah. 

I began to plead that Ward wouldn't, but then he committed the sin, and began his rendition of the sublime 'Just The Way You Are' by Bruno Mars. Why he would ever force any audience to compare the two is completely beyond me in all honesty, especially when his fans seemed perfectly jolly at his performance to that point. Both artists couldn't have taken more different routes to record sales, and whilst Ward was hitting the notes cheerfully, the character and passion to ensure the successful delivery of that song just wasn't there.

This wasn't the only wrong turn that the show made, and even though I accept that this set isn't really aimed at me, I felt a few adjustments to the arrangements could have raised the show to a level that didn't just stir the arms and feet, but heart and mind.

Amid the glittery hits, Ward has at his disposal two extremely moving songs that, if performed correctly, could spurn a tear from even the most reluctant of listeners. Both 'Breathless' and 'No Promises' have this potential in abundance, and with a simple retraction of a baseline, or a reducing of tempo, those 7-or-so minutes of awe-filled enjoyment would leave an audience in emotional enlightenment and hard-clapping of appreciation. Sadly, both songs were underwhelming.

'Breathless, which Ward began to sing immediately after one of his major hits 'No You Hang Up', required at least a minutes gap for the audience to regain some composure. Instead, the song was backlit with a heavy bass, a loud backing singer and prompts to the crowd to get involved. If he simply sat on a stool, sang that song staring at the floor and had nothing but a talented pianist to accompany him, then he wouldn't have needed to tell the crowd to sing along. They already would be, but they would be too deep in thought to realise their reciting in their own minds.

Exactly the same can be said about 'No Promises', a lovely track that required so much emotional attachment, that its music video included a woman crying at her departed loved one's grave. But again, instead of an acapella version, the song was uplifted to the point where fans were, again, told to get involved. I was almost screaming at my own softness to wake up and feel what I anticipated prior to the show. But they were firmly asleep, which is a Shame, and completely not Ward's fault.

A few chops and trims for the rest of the tour, and the 'Up Close & Personal' show will be a great spectacle that all attendees will be thrilled about. Shayne Ward has one glaring talent; his vocal range, and it needs showcasing through charm, not predictability.

SHAYNE WARD'S DRY RUN

SHAYNE Ward has imposed a booze ban on his new tour.

Shayne Ward, who kicks off the gigs in Wolverhampton tonight, wants be on top form.

Shayne told me: “I won’t be touching a drop, and I’m going to monitor my band as well.”

Shayne, 26, hopes label boss Simon Cowell, 51, will release another single from album Gotta Be Somebody. 

He said: “I haven’t spoken to Simon since I was back on The X Factor. You want to hear from the main guy.” 

Go Shayne.

Following the release of his comeback album last year, Manchester’s home grown X-Factor star Shayne Ward returns to the North West with his ‘Obsession Tour’ this Friday.

As we all know Shayne became an overnight pop superstar following his triumph on the second series of X-Factor in 2005. His debut single ‘That’s My Goal’ clinched the Christmas number one spot with ease, selling 313,000 copies on its first day of release. A self titled album followed, supported with a smattering of singles and even an autobiography.  

The always difficult sophomore album was in actual fact not that difficult at all for Shayne; in 2007 his ‘comeback’ double a-side single ‘If That’s Ok With You / No You Hang Up’ stormed in a number two whilst the album Breathless entered at six, going on to sell over 450,000 copies and achieve platinum status. A huge UK arena tour capped off another X-Factor success story.

But then things go strangely quiet. No singles, no third album, no anything. Rumours of record company disagreements were rife; to this day the truth behind Shayne’s hiatus has not been fully revealed.  But come Autumn 2010, things were seemingly back on track as Shayne performed his first single in three years on the biggest stage on offer in the UK; the X-Factor finals. A cover of Nickleback's ‘Gotta Be Somebody’, this was the emotional power-pop Shayne does so well. It peaked at twelve on the charts and was closely followed by the albumObsession.

Which brings us to the ‘Obsession Tour’, seemingly a chance for Shayne to reconnect with his fan base and remind people of the reason he won X-Factor six years ago – his incredible vocals. Few stars have the ability to replicate a perfect pop recording voice in a live setting; fortunately Shayne is one of them.  With powerful, soulful vocals, boyish turned man-ish good looks, and a strong album of heartfelt, emotional pop tunes to promote, this tour should see Shayne keeping the loyal fans more than satisfied whilst cultivating a whole new generation at the same time.

Shayne Ward appears live at Manchester Apollo on Friday 18th March 2011.

Words: Chris White

12th Annual Cape Town Festival

12th annual Cape Town Festival celebrates human rights day like never before

11/03/11 19:24 GMT

The 12th annual Cape Town Festival (CTF) kicks off on Friday, 18 March 2011 and culminates in the Human Rights Day celebrations on Monday, 21 March at the Companys Garden in the CBD between 12pm and 8pm daily. The CTF, incorporating the One City, Many Cultures (1CMC) Project, is supported by the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF). 

Some of the artists who will perform at this years festival include Judith Sephuma, Jesse Clegg, The Rockets, Vicky Sampson, The Dirty Skirts, Chad Saaiman, James Bhemjee, Emo Adams, Nomfusi and The Lucky Charms, Virtual Jazz Reality, Die Heuwels Fantasties, the Glenn Robertson Jazz Band, Loukmaan Adams, Tucan Tucan, the Delft Youth Big Band and the Cape Town Philharmonic Youth Orchestra.

The CTF has marked the official Human Rights Day celebration in the city for the past 12 years and has enjoyed the continued support of the City of Cape Town. Executive Mayor of Cape Town, Alderman Dan Plato, will deliver an official Human Rights Day Address on Monday, 21 March, as part of the formalities honouring this momentous day on the South African cultural calendar. 

The City of Cape Town is proud to support the 2011 Cape Town Festival, endorsed Alderman Plato, It is my hope that the 2011 Festival will promote better understanding, respect and co-operation between people from different cultural backgrounds who share this City with one another, he urged.

With a remarkable attendance of approximately 28 000 people over the three-day period last year, the CTF has grown into Cape Towns premier free-to-the-public music festival, offering an annual platform for established and aspirant artists to showcase their unique talent to a diverse audience. The CTF is truly The Peoples Festival, reflecting the colourful, vibrant and cosmopolitan culture for which the Mother City is known the world over. 

To set the tone and share a sneak preview of this effervescent spirit of the CTF, the public are invited to join the festival team for a lunchtime interlude with The Rockets at the Companys Garden on Friday, 18 March 2011 between 12.30pm and 2.00pm. Lively buskers and Festival marketing ambassadors will meander through the lanes of the Gardens to spread the vibe to those who daily frequent this inner city recreational nucleus.
 
We are encouraging Capetonians to come in their soccer, cricket and rugby jerseys to the Friday lunchtime event to show support to our national sports teams, especially the Proteas, who will be participating in the Cricket World Cup in India at the time. The Proteas will be playing their final group game against Bangladesh the next day (Saturday, 19 March), said Cape Town Festival Founder and Executive Chairperson, Ryland Fisher.

In the spirit of creating tolerance and intercultural understanding, the three-day programme incorporates a Religious/Cultural Ceremony on Human Rights Day where leaders from various religious and cultural persuasions  including Muslim; Jewish; Christian; Hari Krishna and African Traditionalist - are invited to recite interfaith prayers.

This years musical bill has everyone in for a special treat with a must-see line-up of some of Cape Town, South Africa and Africas most celebrated performers offering a wide range of musical genres including afro-pop, world music, rock, afro-beat, jazz, RnB, urban-pop, hip hop and soul. 

In line with the vision of the Cape Town Festival, we strive to ensure that our musical content reflects the full spectrum of musical genres and appeals to a cross-section of the citys population, said Fisher.
The headline act is none other than the sensational jazz and afro-pop SAMA Award winner Judith Sephuma whose sultry sounds will permeate the Companys Garden on Human Rights Day with the inspiring and entertaining performance for which she is acclaimed. Judith grew up in Polokwane and moved to Cape Town in 1994 to study as a jazz vocalist. In 1997 she graduated from the University of Cape Town with a Performer's Diploma in Jazz and went on to further study. In 1999 she won the "Best Jazz Vocalist" at the Old Mutual Jazz Into The Future competition and signed with the African division of BMG. Her debut album A Cry, A Smile, A Dance was critically acclaimed and she later followed it up with New Beginnings.

23 Year old Jesse Clegg was only 6 months old when he started touring with his father, the legendary Johnny Clegg. A classic road kid who grew up back stage and on tour busses, carved out an independent direction for himself in the rock genre, very different from the world music style developed by his father. The multitalented singer, songwriter and musician has seen his single Today debut at Number One on the Highveld Homebrew Chart and was nominated for two SAMA awards in 2009 for Record of The Year and Music Video of The Year for the track Today. He performed at the Mandela Day concert in New York City alongside a variety of globally renowned performers and musicians. No doubt this golden boy will rock the crowd in true Clegg style. 

The poignant singer/songwriter and SAMA nominee Chad Saaiman, who continues to wow audiences with his distinctive sound, will take to the stage with a fusion of RnB, soul and pop. A soulful and sensual singer who stems from Cape Town, Chad performs his debut album Chasing Melodies with a sense of maturity and experience that belies his 25 years of age. Drawing from strong musical influences such as Maxwell, John Legend, John Lennon and Stevie Wonder, Chad is at once at home in Soul music while being capable and comfortable across other musical styles as Chasing Melodies proves. Sell out gigs across the country and performances alongside top artists such as Eddy Grant, Loyiso Bala, Danny K, HHP and Claire Phillips prove that Chad Saaiman is a brightly rising star in South African and International music.

She is a lady with a big voice and an even bigger repertoire - Vicky Sampson is undoubtedly one of Cape Towns most dynamic musical exports who never ceases to amaze when it comes to putting on an electrifying performance. From her humble beginnings as a young girl growing up on the Cape Flats in South Africa, Vicky has risen to international stardom, appearing in shows in Austria, England, Germany, Singapore, Sweden, the Netherlands and the United States of America and sharing the stage with the likes of Shakatak, Al Jarreau, Tina Turner, Joe Cocker, Peabo Bryson, George Benson, Grace Jones, Randy Crawford, Maxi Priest, Kool and the Gang and the Stylistics. Vicky has released three albums - Shine, Zai and License to Sing. With each album, her considerable talent and growth as a performer, singer and songwriter has been showcased.

The programme would not truly embrace the Cape Town music scene without the unrivalled sounds of the institution that is The Rockets. Their colourful, uncompromising and energetic act will ignite the stage with an eclectic mix of soulful ballads, mid-tempo melodies and exhilarating dance tunes.  The Rockets have supported many international acts in South Africa, including Ronan Keating, Usher, Alicia Keys, P. Diddy, Shayne Ward, Patrizio Buanne, Will Young, Marcos Hernandez, Luther Vandross, The Spice Girls, Wet Wet Wet, Billy Ocean, The O'Jays and many more. They have performed at many prestigious events in South Africa and have 2 SAMA nominations under their belt in the Best Pop Performance and Best Contemporary Dance Performance categories.

Adding a good dose of township flavour to the musical cocktail is afro-soul star Nomfusi, who has caused an international stir with her fusion of Sophiatown - African jazz from the 60's - with the excitement of Motown, backed by her immaculate six-piece band, The Lucky Charms. Born in the township of KwaZhakele, Port Elizabeth, this overnight sensation has already had bookings flooding in from Europe and North America, including an invitation to perform with a sixty-piece orchestra at the Festival Mundial in The Hague in July this year. This, after having launched her debut album Kwazibani just over a year ago. Nominated in two categories of the 2010 Metro FM Awards, including Best Female Artist, Nomfusi and The Lucky Charms will bring that same magic to the CTF stage.

The desire of a group of musicians from different cultures and nationalities - South Africa, Argentina and Mozambique - to unite and fuse different styles of music, resulted in the launch of World music afro-tropical band TUCAN TUCAN. Their music can be described as a melting pot of African rhythms such as Kwasa Kwasa, Marrabenta, Mbaqanga, Maskandi and High life with South American elements from Samba, Salsa and Chacarera with a strong jazz influence and lyrics in African languages, Spanish, Portuguese and English. Theres only one way to describe a TUCAN TUCAN show, an enchanting journey that captures the audience with soulful sounds to energetic up-tempo compositions, colourful dancing choreographies and band-audience interaction. 

The Tall, Dark and Afrikaans actor, singer, producer and entertainer extraordinaire Emo Adams has spent most of his teenage years singing along to the melodies of the Malay Choirs and annually performing with them as part of his Malay cultural background. Music and melodies became an infectious part of his life. Born and raised in Mitchells Plain in the heart of the Cape Flats, he gave his first step into the world of entertainment when, at the tender age of 9, he was cast as a street child in District Six The Musical, the production written and directed by the late Taliep Petersen and David Kramer. It is here that the theatre bug bit Emo completely. Known for his explosive and interactive performances, Emo promises to be a sure hit at this years CTF. 

Afrikaans alternative pop band Die Heuwels Fantasties are set to shake things up with their idiosyncratic electronic sound. Their first single Oorlewing 101, released in January 2009, was widely received and with great enthusiasm. Since then they have won a SAMA, sold close to 20 000 CD's and appeared live in Amsterdam and London, amongst a variety of high profile live performances locally and abroad. They have also collaborated with Jack Parow and JR. Die Heuwels Fantasties comprises the Bellville trio, Hunter Kennedy (aKING & Fokofpolisiekar); Pierre Greeff (Lukraaketaar) and producer Johnny de Ridder (Fokofpolisiekar). 

A band that needs no introduction in Jazz circles is the Glenn Robertson Jazz Band, known to comfortably move from blues to swing and from bebop to modern Jazz. Comprising of Tony Drake on Piano, Andre Henry on Bass Guitar, Fabian Frantz on Drums and Guest Artist, Donveno Prins on Saxophone, Glenn Robertson plays percussion and fronts the band vocally. Glenns musical influences come largely from the music of Al Jarreau, Nat King Cole and Jimmy Messina, but his musical leaning is definitely toward Latin Jazz. The band has successfully added Gospel Jazz to their repertoire. Glenn was a founder member of the band Airborne and was lead vocalist for the Tony Schilder Trio for a season at the Sherwood, better known as Club Montreal in Manenberg. The Glenn Robertson Jazz Band released their latest album On Your Feet in March 2009. 

Spicing up the programme is the multitalented actor, singer and choreographer Loukmaan Adams who started performing at the tender age of 6 and is best known for his collaborations with David Kramer and Taliep Pietersen, specifically his roles in the musicals District Six The Musical and Kat & the Kings. The elder brother of Emo Adams, Loukmaan has won several accolades including the 2007 Naledi Award for Best Choreographer for the musical Ghoema. Loukmaan has performed to audiences all over the world including West End, Broadway, Vienna, Frankfurt, Zurich, Hamburg, Germany, Netherlands, Japan and New York and shared stages with the likes of Bonnie Tyler, Stevie Wonder, PJ Powers and Vicky Sampson. 

The fiendishly independent alt-indie-rock band The Dirty Skirts is based in Cape Town and is made up of Jess de Tolly on lead vocals and guitar, David Moffatt on guitar, Passion Paliaga on bass and Markie de Menezes on drums. The band has toured the States, United Kingdom and the United Emirates. They independently recorded and released their eponymous debut mini-album in 2005. Singles such as Feeling the Pressure and Set Me Alight scorched up the local and student charts. The album Daddy Dont Disco was released in June 2008 and enjoyed 4 radio play-listed singles. The release Daddy Don't Disco was nominated in the Best Rock Album category at the SAMAs. Winners of the inaugural Red Bull Soundclash, this quirky group will be sure to live up to their reputation of captivating live audiences.  

Virtual Jazz Reality (VJR) is a fully professional outfit comprised of some of the most respected, versatile and experienced artists on the South African music scene. Having performed throughout Africa, United Kingdom, America (New Orleans, New York), Far East UAE (Dubai), Australia, Sweden, Denmark, Europe, their jazz repertoire covers all styles ranging from light cocktail jazz to cutting edge virtuous original compositions. VJR has done numerous TV and radio specials and worked with artists such as Pavarotti, Jonathan Butler, Shirley Bassey, Liberace, Miriam Makeba, Hugh Masekela, Bono, Anastasia, Shakatak, Latoya Jackson, Judith Sephuma (A former member of V.J.R.) and Jimmy Dludlu. 

2010 SAs Got Talent winner James Bhemjee has won the hearts of many South Africans with his magnificent voice. Bhemjee, who has been singing for the past 20 years, was inspired by the legendary Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti. Bhemjee was first discovered on the streets of Cape Town by a woman who overheard him singing whilst he was working as a street sweeper.  She was so impressed that she paid for Bhemgee to have vocal lessons and today he sings with the Cape Flats Tenors, performs at various gatherings and teaches other groups around the city. This former street sweeper is sure to sweep festival-goers off their feet with a bouquet of superb classical renditions. 

The Delft Youth Big Band is an initiative of the Department of Social Development and consists of a 20-piece band drawn from disadvantaged young people from the Cape Flats. Trumpeter Ian Smith is the projects musical director. Big band aficionados will be enthralled by the musical skill being exhibited by these young musicians.

Performers from the Performing Arts Network of South Africa (PANSA), who have their roots in Africa, will usher in each days programme with a display of traditional instrumental, dance and vocal performances in true African style. PANSA is a national network of individuals, NGO's, service providers and mainstream institutions that are engaged in the practice or support of the performing arts involving all forms of dance, music, opera, musical theatre and theatre. 

A selection of community performers, who will have participated in the CTFs Community Festivals during February and March 2011, will be afforded the unique opportunity of having their talent seen by a broader audience on a big stage outside of their own communities. This forms part of the CTFs commitment to not only develop creative abilities; but also to assist in the promotion of these emerging talent. 

The 2011 Community Festivals are set to take place at Voorbrug Sports Field in Delft on Saturday, 26 February; at Atlantis Senior Secondary School in Atlantis on on Sunday, 6 March; at the I.D. Mkhize High School in Gugulethu also on Sunday, 6 March; and at the Milnerton Primary School in Milnerton on 16 April. The CTF will provide free transportation for community members from these areas on Human Rights Day to enable them to experience the Festival in an up-close-and-personal way. These are but some of the highlights that Capetonians and visitors to the city alike can look forward to at the 12th annual CTF. The event will see the Companys Garden transform into a bustling entertainment hub boasting a VIP court and a considerable area allocated to vendors, some of whom will be dishing up a variety of traditional cuisine, while others will have a wide range of authentic arts and crafts on offer. 

The Cape Town Festival takes place in March annually and marks the launch of its year-long programme of events, comprising a 1CMC Discussion; Community Youth Workshop Programmes; Senior Citizens Day; Leadership Forum; Multimedia Exhibition; Community Festivals and the Night Vision street festival on Saturday 12 March 2011. These interventions are strategically designed to engage publics at social, educational, business and creative level in the broader Cape Town society to showcase a united city celebrated for its diversity and liveability.

Stars out in force as Potters Bar mum picks up Tesco prize

                                                                

                                                                                      Godin with her family  

Di Godin, 45, who has twice beaten breast cancer, was honoured for her tireless charity and community work.

After a gala lunch and the awards, hosted by TV presenter Fiona Phillips, there were musical performances from Beverly Knight, The Overtones and former X Factor winner Shayne Ward.

The awards were also attended by Celebrity Mum of the Year Sally Dynevor – who plays Sally Webster in Coronation Street – actress Emilia Fox, former England rugby star Matt Dawson, and radio DJ Sara Cox.

The celebrations continued as Di, of Oakroyd Avenue, and the other winning mums were whisked off to Westminster, where MP Emily Thornberry, the shadow health minister, entertained them in the House of Commons.

Di’s final treat will be a one-week holiday to Cyprus courtesy of First Choice and the Cyprus Tourist Board.

Up Close And Personal

Yay Just a few days away for the tour to start.. Woop Getting excited :D

SHAYNE WARD ON TICHMARSH - INTERVIEW WITH PERFORMANCE OF OBSESSION

Shayne ward on Tichmarsh Show

SHAYNE WARD ON TICHMARSH - INTERVIEW WITH PERFORMANCE OF OBSESSION

Pop star Shayne Ward hopes to break into acting after sealing deal with agency

SHAYNE WARD is hoping to follow Ray Winstone, Vinnie Jones and Jason Statham by signing up to a huge acting agency.

The former X Factor hunk has already been wowing casting directors and producers since sealing the deal a few weeks ago and he has his heart set on making a gritty feature.

Manchester-born Shayne told the Razz: "I've joined Creative Artists Management and am very excited. I've had a couple of meetings with some casting directors as well. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens."

Shayne, who is promoting album Obsession and performs at Glasgow's ABC on March 19, claims his move into acting is something he's wanted to do for a while.

He said: "In high school I did things like West Side Story and I've not just done this because people said to me, 'Try acting'.

"I know I've got it in me to do it and have been asked before. I always do role-play anyway but I'm 26 now and I'm going for it."

Shayne already has the perfect kind of part in mind. He said: "I love dangerous roles, something with a little edge to it like gritty drama.

"I love things directed in the style of Snatch and Lock Stock and I enjoy things like Spooks. Something to do with streets and gangs that will maybe bring out the Irish in me a bit more.

"I'd love to act opposite Mila Kunis. She's very, very sexy and a good actress as well as playing Meg on Family Guy, my favourite cartoon."

Shayne also fancies performing his own stunts on set, although he rules out JLS-style acrobatics.

He added: "As long as it's not back flips, I'm up for it."

Shayne also revealed he couldn't wait to perform live. He said: "I'm always received well every time I come over here. It's a real chance for me to sing my songs.

"I just want to sing rather than try to remember some dance moves.

"I want it to be more about my voice rather than overdo the dancing and pyro. It will be stripped back."

Tickets for Shayne's ABC Glasgow show on March 19 are on sale from www.gigsinscotland.com

credit to Bev Lyons (Mar 11 2011 )