Hi Everyone

So January is behind us. It was cold, it was damp but the January blues never made it inside the Rising Sun’s front door.

We listened to great music, we danced, we raised money for wonderful charities, we discussed the benefits of different biscuits, we ate said biscuits, we sang and we were especially pleased to see the sight of so many familiar and new faces come through our door.  We thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

Anyhow, February... 

As the days get a little longer and warmer it's not entirely surprising to discover that the first bunch of bands have been announced for this summer's Reading festival!   People who only visit this town once a year in order to leave a billion tonnes of unwanted tents and other rubbish behind can look forward to  Foals,  The Exciting Fire Engines, Showdogs In Transit, Crystal Castles, Giant Seismic Hens, Violent Restaurant, Disclosure, Blazin Squad featuring The Singing Postman, Courtneeners, Finding Burma, Stern Margarine, Flanders Pigeon Murderer  (actually, she's pencilled in for T in The Park... my mistake), Mental Radiator Historians, Rat Boy, Octagonal Rabbit Frenzy, 2012 Ovaltine Comedy Award winner Gavin Smug will also be making an appearance (there might also be some comedians who don't appear on Mock The Week anymore because they were funnier than Jack Whitehall).  If you've just read this and thought that some of those names are made up, you'd be in good company.  I, your humble narrator, am absolutely convinced that no band in their right mind would call themselves Foals...  ridiculous name!

And after all that, it might be somewhat prudent and wise to tell you what's here for your delectation at the Rising Sun this weekend

On Friday we bring you the first TRIBUTE NIGHT of the year otherwise known as THEN THAT'S WHAT WE CALLED MUSIC: 1991

Anyone who has been to a Rising Sun Tribute Night will already know the deal. Every three months we pay homage to a much-loved band or artist.  Everyone picks a song or two, practices them for a bit, then gets together again on Tribute Night to play them to a crowd - always with fascinating results. The next Tribute Night’s hero is announced at the end of the evening. It’s a simple but winning formula and is silly amounts of fun.

Saturday 9th February 1991 saw a former Victorian temperance house on Silver Street fling its doors open to the good people of Reading and announce irs new mission as a participatory arts space.  The Rising Sun Institute was born!

25 years on, the Rising Sun Arts Centre continues to thriver as an indispensable part of cultural life in Reading.  As part of the centre's 25th birthday celebrations, we attempt to recreate the musical flavour of the Rising Sun's first year.  Come and join uin the fun and listen to a variety of local musicians performing songs from the year that gave birth to the Rising Sun 
 
We'll be open at 8pm for an 8.30pm start and as usual, there will be no charge on the door, but  we suggest you keep £5 or more aside for when the friendly people with hats circulate the room, the bar, the hallway, the porch, the little bit of pavement out the front, and the smoking pen out the back.  

On Saturday we bring you the first KABARET KOLLECTIVE of the year!

Join MC and chanteuse Baroness Maria von Hackermann for a night of live, eclectic klein kunst. Famed for her performances at Alternative Queen of Reading and Here Comes the Sun festival, The Baroness is back at the Rising Sun!  This month's guests include an extra helping of ukelele madness with PETE PETER CHARLES, plus KATE IZZARD and her Memoirs of a Princess, as well as the continuously quirky ELSIE FANACKERPANTS

We're open from 8pm and it''ll cost you £10 (£8 concs) on the door

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!)
 
Have a nice weekend!