Hi Everybody

This time around we have one of our busiest weekends ever with not one, not two, not three, not eight but SEVEN big events to tell you about

On Friday we have CLUB VELOCITY

Another fine selection of beat combos for the delectation of us all courtesy of Velocity HQ and it looks just so:-

RUNNING WITH FAIRIES
Just finished a UK tour with Ian McCulloch (Echo And The Bunnymen)  A refreshing (and slightly moreish) female folk duo.

THE SEASONS IN SHORTHAND
Hearfelt anti folk punks.  The real deal.

MATT STOCKL
Singer songwriter from the Highlands now based in Windsor.  Recently championed by 6 Music, and winning friends everywhere he plays

THE VANITY PROJEKT
Al Murray is a HUGE fan (allegedly)

We're open at 8pm, and it'll cost you £5 on the door or £4.40 in advance from www.wegottickets.co.uk. 

Saturday is quite busy, even by our standards in lunchtime in the town centre we'll be showcasing THE FLINT GIANT

The Rising Sun’s major project for Reading's Year of Culture, A Landscape of Charms and Machines, involves events, concerts, lectures, exhibitions and participatory projects throughout the year.

At 12 noon, there'll be a spectacular parade of giant puppets – The Flint and Chalk Giants, a marching band – the fabulous Tongues of Fire – and a costumed procession which will make its way along Broad Street. This will be a spectacular celebration of the hidden history and secret landscapes of Reading and will give life to the ground upon which Reading is built. It is part of Reading Year of Culture’s theme for May – the Story of Reading.

Tongues of Fire are one of the country’s top marching bands and will create a joyful musical accompaniment for the giants. The two giants will also be accompanied by a costumed parade representing aspects of Reading’s history and these elements together will create a thrilling and magnificent visual and musical spectacle.

The Flint Giant is the first event in a cycle of talks, exhibitions and performances which explore the hidden histories and secret landscapes of Reading. This event gives expression to the ground on which Reading is built and the two giants, one flint and one chalk, embody the landscape of Reading come to life.

The marching band Tongues of Fire will play music from the specially written suite ’A landscape of Charms and Machines’. This piece, commissioned by the Rising Sun, also explores the hidden history of Reading and the procession will feature costumes representing Reading through the ages.

The Flint Giant is coordinated by the Rising Sun Arts Centre and Funded by Reading Business Improvement District as part of the ARENA town centre free arts and culture programme and Reading Borough Council through the Reading Cultural Partnership.

Also on Saturday afternoon we bring you another instalment of VINYL CLUB

An opportunity to listen to a record undisturbed and the chance to discover new music!  Come and relax at Vinyl Club, as we peacefully and silently listen to two records back-to-back in their fully intended glory

Each month somebody brings along two records to listen to, followed by a short discussion.  Anyone can join in, and the bar will be open for you to grab a tea, coffee, or beer to better help you relax with the music.

If you'd like to bring along some records for a future VInyl Club then drop a line to Guy Siviour [email protected]

We're open from 1pm to 3pm, And it's absolutely FREE!

Saturday evening sees something special from TONGUES OF FIRE

The mighty Tongues of Fire return to The Rising Sun.  The band is a riot of reeds and brass making a "joyful noise" for dreaming, dancing and celebration.  Tongues of FIre was founded by saxophonist and composer Tim Hill in 2004 and features musicians drawn from the worlds of free jazz, brass bands, contemporary classical, theatre and samba

We're open at 8.30pm and it'll cost you £10 on the door

On Sunday morning, we bring you SUNDAY ASSEMBLY

Sunday Assembly Reading is a community group that meets on the last Sunday of each month at the Rising Sun to hear great talks, sing songs, eat cake and celebrate life… it’s a part atheist church, part foot-stomping show.  Each event has a theme with stories, readings and a final address on that topic. No matter what the subject, the goal of The Sunday Assembly is to solace worries, provoke kindness and inject a bit more whizziness into the everyday.  And the best part.... IT’S FREE.

We're open from 11am to 12pm, and everybody's welcome!

On Sunday afternoon Tim Hill and YELLOW TEAPOT CAFE bring you HIDDEN HISTORIES

Join Tim Hill in celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Rising Sun Arts Centre and Reading's history of alternative art spaces, experimental musoic and arts worlds.  Tim was one of the people putting on events in the first years of The Rising Sun and has done so ever since.

If you have anything to share about the early days of the RSAC or Reading's music and arts scene, please come.  Our wonderful Yellow Teapot Cafe will also be open for an extra afternoon to coincide!

We're open from 4pm to 6pm and yet again, it's absolutely FREE!

and finally, because it's a Bank Holiday that's one more day of the weekend - and thus one more thing to add here. Bank Holiday Monday sees us head west to Prospect Park for READING CARNIVAL. This community celebration involves costumes, showcases by local Reading organisations and London masquerade bands, live music and food and arts stalls. This year’s themes are 'The Story of Reading', 'Silver' (25 years of the Rising Sun and Central Mural) and 'Gold' (for Guyana and Barbados' 50 Years of Independence). Over the past few months, our volunteers have been working hard making costumes with Carnival Artist Herman Philbert and building a float (a giant model of Reading past and present) coordinated by Artist Martin West. A massive day out for everyone!

That's everything for another week.  Just to remind you that barring bizarre unexplained phenemona (and those rare events where we're venturing outside), that you can find us at 30 Silver Street, Reading Berkshire, England, Europe, Northern Hemisphere, Planet Earth. The Solar System, Milky Way, Near Andromeda, The Universe, RG1 2ST  (If you put us in your google or satnav we shall magically appear)

Have a nice weekend!