ROSEHILL STREET

Saved by her wardrobe: Elderly woman miraculously escapes gas blast that blew huge hole in house… after closet fell on her

• Brave firefighters spent two hours rescuing the pensioners from her devastated home
• A second dust covered young woman was led to safety after being found on top of the rubble
• Neighbours described how they too cheated death, with one passing the house moments before the explosion

By LAWRENCE CONWAY

PUBLISHED: 10:02, 11 May 2012 | UPDATED: 14:56, 11 May 2012

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A pensioner whose house was destroyed in a gas explosion miraculously survived the blast after a wardrobe fell on her and saved her life.

The blast last night was so powerful it blew out the windows of every house on the street in Cheltenham and could be heard half a mile away.

Neighbours of the woman, named locally as Betty Hodgkiss, said it was a miracle no one was seriously injured in the explosion.

Scroll down for video

Obliterated: This aerial view of the house Cheltenham which blew up in a gas explosion shows the scale of the damage

Roof: Tiles were torn from one of the neighbouring terraced homes, but the roof of the second was untouched

The devastating blast ripped through the property in Rosehill Street sending debris shooting 50ft into the air.

The pensioner was buried under rubble and it took firefighters nearly two hours to rescue her from the rubble.

Amazingly she somehow avoided serious injury and was still conscious when she was finally pulled from the debris.

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• Terrified couple and young children rescued from car roof after getting trapped in swollen river as flood alerts move north

 

Witness Jules Annan said: ‘It’s almost unbelievable that no one was killed. The damage was so bad that anyone walking down the street at the time would likely be dead.

Household: A washing machine, circular dining table and other household goods are among the personal possessions left scattered in the property’s back garden

 

‘Betty survived after a wardrobe fell on her and protected her from the worst of the blast. The street looks like the pictures you see of The Blitz.

‘The houses on either side and across the road have all been condemned and the windows have been blasted out for streets around.

‘I was having dinner with a friend who lives opposite at about 8pm last night when it happened. The noise was just incredible.

‘It’s amazing nobody was walking down the street at the time as the whole house was completely destroyed.’

Cold light of day: the house opposite is visible after a gas explosion totally destroyed a terraced home

Aftermath: Neighbours were left surveying the devastation which has affected every house in the street

 

Devastation: The whole street was covered in debris which emergency services spent the morning clearing away

 

Jumble: The remains of the woman’s possessions are visible amongst the rubble of her Cheltenham home

The force of the blast blew Betty’s front door off its hinges and sent it flying through the window of a house across the street.

A bewildered young woman, believed to live next-door to the explosion, was found up perched on top of a pile of rubble.

She was led to safety by passers-by and is also believed to have avoided being seriously hurt.

Residents on Rosehill Street described today how they also cheated death as debris were hurled up the road.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2142801/Cheltenham-house-gas-explosion-Elderly-woman-Betty-Hodgkiss-miraculously-escapes.html#ixzz1ubUJaVoV

PRESS RELEASETu…

PRESS RELEASE Tues 20th March 2012

Parklife Weekender confirms 2012 will be its last year at Platt Fields Park as the festival heads towards its third consecutive sold out event       Ambitions and appetite for the hugely successful festival outgrow its Fallowfield home   Parklife Weekender  Only 12 weeks are left until what is set to become Parklife Weekender’s third consecutive sold out festival, seeing revellers fillPlatt Fields Park in Manchester on 9th and 10th June. Promoters have now confirmed that 2012 will be the festival’s final year at its current location as plans for ever more impressive production and next-level line-ups supersede the potential of the current venue. Those wishing to join The Flaming Lips, Dizzee Rascal and many more of the best pop, indie, electronic and crossover bands, DJs, producers and artists are strongly advised to purchase their tickets as soon as possible. In both its first and second years Parklife Weekender has sold out many weeks in advance, all indications point toward a repeat of this ferocious demand in 2012. Parklife Weekender co-promoter Sam Kandel comments: “Platt Fields provided a great start for The Parklife Weekender and we’ve been really grateful.  In 2010 when Parklife was just an idea, it was really an unknown as to whether it would work. If we had known only three years on we would be moving onto a new site to develop and grow the festival to meet demand – it would have saved many sleepless nights!  The park hosted our launch year and last summer’s expansion to a full weekend festival and will always hold fond memories from ourselves and our customers alike.  A new location is not yet confirmed but plans are in the pipeline. In the meantime we’re really looking forward to bidding farewell to Platt Fields in style.  Goodbye Platt Fields.” In addition to the spectacular talent and kaleidoscopic variety on offer at Parklife Weekender, tickets are quite possibly the best value for money offering across this summer’s festival season. At only £64.50 for a full weekend ticket Parklife Weekender offers a vastly more affordable option for cash-strapped festival-goers who are being charged up to £200 for other events. Line up: Sat 9th June   Mainstage The Flaming Lips Noah & The Whale Kelis The Cuban Brothers DJ Yoda Krysko & Greg Lord + special guests: Chic ft. Nile Rogers Metroplex  Nero (Live) Pendulum (DJ Set) Zane Lowe Sub Focus (DJ Set) Jaguar Skills Tempa T DJ Hype Goldie 16 Bit North Base Crosstown Rebels   Damian Lazarus Art Department Maceo Plex Clive Henry Danny Daze Subb-an Now Wave  Crystal Castles Tom Vek Spector Friends Spector Django Django Phenomenal Handclap Band Stay+ To Kill a King Now Wave DJs Will Tramp! + special guests: Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaus Thrasher  Redlight Pearson Sound Araabmuzik Jackmaster Ben UFO Thundercat presents Archimedes (Live) Daedelus  Space Dimension Controller Lone B Traits Damu Chibuku   Fake Blood James Zabiela Simian Mobile Disco Tensnake D/R/U/G/S Justin Robertson Screendeath James Rand Kaluki  Heidi Marco Effe & James Mile Romano & Luca Bear Ellesse & Josef K Us & Them Pete Zorba     Line up: Sun 10th June   Mainstage  Dizzee Rascal Labrinth Azealia Banks Delilah (Live) Murkage Mista Jam Juicy DJs + special guests De La Soul Metroplex  Justice (Live) Annie Mac Erol Alkan Madeon Busy P Will Tramp + special guest: Jacques Lu Cont Now Wave  The Rapture Mount Kimbie Gold Panda Ghostpoet Twin Shadow Other Lives The Field  Jessie Ware Now Wave DJs + special guests: Factory Floor Hospitality  High Contrast Netsky London Elektricity Danny Byrd Loadstar Logistics Nu:tone SPY Jessie Alan Fred V & Graffix MCs: Wrec, SP & + special guests: Zinc (Jungle set) Wax:On  Maya Jane-Coles Claude Von Stroke Julio Bashmore Todd Edwards Joy Orbison Miguel Campbell Eats Everything Kysko Ape Carnival Sounds  Fresh (Live) Buraka Som Sistema (Live) Caspa Shy FX David Rodigan Dam Funk & Master Blazter Dot Rotten Toddla T Onemand DJ Derek Rich Reason Footwork Soul Clap Wolf & Lamb DJ Harvey Floating Points Bicep Drop The Mustard Zutekh DJs     Ticket info: Standard weekend ticket £64.50 Day ticket £38.50 Hospitality weekend ticket £94.50 Hospitality day ticket £49.50 Box Office info: Parklife.ticketline.co.uk 0161 832 1111 Skiddle.com 0844 884 2920 Venue info: Platt Fields Park Wilmslow Road Fallowfield Manchester M14 6LA Media Partners: Editors notes:   From the same team behind The Warehouse Project, The Parklife Weekender is Manchester’s newest and most in demand summer event. Born as a one-day festival in 2010, the inaugural year was a sell out success and lead to an expansion in 2011 to a full weekend party. Year two also proved a big hit once again seeing all tickets flying off the shelves weeks in advance. The Parklife Weekender is Manchester’s official start to the summer and fast becoming the UK’s best value for money festival.   Website/Social Media www.parklife.uk.com www.twitter.com/parklifefest www.facebook.com/parklifefestival *ENDS*   PR contacts   Sean Harwood sean@wearefullfat.com 07912 756 444 Dan Walsh  dan@wearefullfat.com 07775 770 37

JUAN ZELADA AT GLOUCESTER GUILDHALL

 

nGloucester Guildhall Presents

JUAN ZELADA
‘High Ceilings & Collarbones’

BBC Radio 2 Album of the Week

Release date 16^th April 2012

Juan Zelada will be the first musician ever to offer a money-back guarantee to the audiences on his 26 date tour of the UK.  Times are hard and people want to know they will get value for their money, few people are taking chances spending on the unfamiliar.  What’s an artist to do?  How about guaranteeing them a good time or they’ll get their money back in full. 

Hotly  tipped Juan is already a favourite at radio making it onto radio A-Lists throughout the country.  His sold out shows have built through rave reviews and word of mouth, the BBC have tipped him as one to watch. Juan’s fanbase was recently widened when he was the guest artist for Mumford & Sons nationwide tour, says Ben Lovett of M&S “Juan Zelada is without question one of the most exciting live acts of 2012. We challenge you to leave without a smile on your face!”

 

Juan who played in Amy Winehouse’s band on her infamous Back in Black tour is serious about the money back guarantee.  Says Juan, “I think people are reluctant to spend money doing things they wouldn’t normally do, I love new people coming to my shows, this is a great way to encourage them, I know they will have a great time.  This way they have nothing to lose, I’m guaranteeing it.  Shops guarantee stuff you buy, people send back food in restaurants if it’s not good, why shouldn’t they be able to get their money back if they feel my show wasn’t good enough? 

Juan’s spreading his money back guarantee message through a national press ad in The Guardian on March 1^st and social networking.

Juan, who can count Paul McCartney and Paloma Faith amongst his fans, transforms any room into a wild party. Throwing heart and soul into every performance, his joy is infectious, spread through a simple smile, a head-nod, or dancing with abandon. Nobody can remain seated during his gigs; Juan gets everyone on their feet, singing and dancing.

QUEEN WITH ADAM LAMBERT , KISS AND FAITH NO MORE TO HEADLINE SONISPHERE 2012

QUEEN, WITH ADAM LAMBERT,EXCLUSIVE HEADLINE SET CONFIRMED FOR SONISPHERE 2012

KISS EUROPEAN EXCLUSIVE AND FAITH NO MORE UK EXCLUSIVE ALSO CONFIRMED TO HEADLINE, TIM MINCHIN LEADS COMEDY ELEMENT WITH HEADLINE SLOT ON SATURN STAGE

Earlier on there were rumours of us splitting up, but I mean – f*** ‘em – how can you split up when you have an audience like this.”   Freddie Mercury. Knebworth Park, August 9, 1986 With a quarter of a century having since passed, rock legends Queen are to return to play a second concert at the venue that provided them with the setting for one of their biggest and most historic concerts. Queen’ Brian May and Roger Taylor today confirmed the band will headline the second day of this year’s Sonisphere Festival appearing at the festival home ground Knebworth Park, Stevenage, on Saturday July 7. Knebworth was the setting for Queen’s final concert with Freddie Mercury in August 1986. May and Taylor also confirmed that for this special one-off concert they will be joined by US singer-songwriter Adam Lambert. Since first encountering each other during American Idol Season 8 in May 2009 where Lambert joined the band to perform We Are the Champions the two have repeatedly hinted at a future collaboration, most recently with Taylor telling Billboard Magazine “He (Adam) has grown into a really great performer with an astonishing voice with a range that’s great. We would like to work with him again. There’s nothing signed just yet but …it could be very exciting.” After their brief meeting on American Idol, the potent chemistry between Queen and Lambert finally broke the surface when at the invitation of Queen’s Brian May and Roger Taylor Lambert joined them for the closing showcase at the recent MTV Europe Awards where Queen were present to collect their Global Icon award. Their eight minute MTVE set ignited an immediate reaction across the internet with social network sites buzzing with excitement and campaigning for a more formal union between Queen and Lambert. The Sonisphere 2012 Knebworth stage will at last provide an eager public the opportunity to see May, Taylor and Lambert delve deeper into exploring their very evident artistic appreciation of one another. Says Brian May: “Judging by my incoming mail, this decision will make a lot of people very happy. It’s a worthy challenge for us, and I’m sure Adam would meet with Freddie’s approval! And what better place to revisit, and walk those emotional paths than Knebworth? It will be a rush.” Lambert adds: “I’m completely in awe of the Queen phenomenon. The thought of sharing the stage for a full set is so beautifully surreal. I’m honoured to be able to pay my respects to Freddie’s memory. He’s a personal hero of mine and I am deeply grateful for the chance to sing such powerful music for fans of this legendary band. I know the evening will be a huge milestone for me, and with the support of Brian, Roger and the rest of the band I know magic will be on display.” Queen’s previous performance at Knebworth Park, close on twenty-six years ago ,  August 9, 1986, was set up to be the glorious last stop for the band’s monstrously successful Magic Tour which had spread out across Europe over eight weeks of that summer.  Over a million people had already paid to see them. Now riding one of the highest crests in their career, Queen drew a record crowd of 120,000, their biggest ever UK audience.  Coming on the back of two stunning shows at Wembley Stadium – to this day regarded as among their finest performances – anticipation was high. Queen delivered the goods, winding up the crowd by arriving above their heads in a custom decorated helicopter, and then going on to perform a Queen textbook set to a deliriously enthusiastic audience, winding up with an emotional ‘God Save the Queen’ and Freddie wishing his audience ‘sweet dreams’. What no-one in that Knebworth Park audience, and as far as we know, not even the band could anticipate that day, was that a new chapter in Queen’s history was being written: after more than 700 concerts together, what was taking place was the very last live concert of Freddie Mercury with Queen. With the exception of an appearance in 1988 with Spanish operatic soprano Montserrat Caballe to launch Barcelona’s successful bid for the 1992 Olympic Games performing their duet ‘Barcelona’, Mercury would never again be seen performing to a public audience. On what will undoubtedly rate as one of this summer’s most highly anticipated and emotionally charged concerts Queen’s Roger Taylor says: “I remember Knebworth as being the most incredible gig, with the most amazing audience and the sound on stage was utterly perfect. It was a fitting last stand before a live audience for Freddie. It will be a real challenge to complete the circle by returning with Adam.” Shooting rockets. Blood spitting. Face Paint. Shiny Boots and utterly jaw dropping triumphant live shows: SONISPHERE is proud to announceKISS as Friday’s headliner. With a reputation for being perhaps the most flamboyant and entertaining band on the planet, the American Kings will bring their stage extravaganza to SONISPHERE as their only European performance of 2012. For the final, Sunday night, SONISPHERE KNEBWORTH is proud to announce the legendary FAITH NO MORE as the headline act on the APOLLO stage. Mike Bordin, Roddy Bottum, Bill Gould, Jon Hudson and Mike Patton are poised to set KNEBWORTH on fire when they close the last night at SONISPHERE with their only UK appearance in 2012. Of their set Gould comments:“It was over 2 years ago when we decided to reform and play those amazing UK shows. The good news is, we’ve had a couple of years to improve our skills; moving our song to error ratio down 3.5 full percentage points. Watch out UK, we’re going to do it right this time!!”   Joining the three superb headliners are some of the biggest names from the world of rock and metal including: WITHIN TEMPTATION - only UK show of 2012, EVANESCENCE - only UK show of 2012,THE DARKNESS,INCUBUS - only UK show of 2012, MARILYN MANSON – only UK show of 2012, ANDREW WK - only UK festival show of 2012, REFUSED - only UK show of 2012,MASTODON - only UK festival show of 2012, THE BLACKOUT and more. As well as the exciting names from the world of rock, SONISPHERE once again shows it’s forward thinking nature, and invites musician/comedian TIM MINCHIN to headline the Saturday night on SATURN. Since his first appearance at SONISPHERE back in 2010 theTIM’s success has gone from strength to strength, resulting in his first UK arena tour, his first West End Musical (Matilda The Musical) and numerous high profile TV appearances. After the astounding success of Bill Bailey’s SATURN slot last year, TIM - with full backing band in tow – is bound to deliver a much talked about and highly memorable show atSONISPHERE. Tickets on sale to the public from 9:00am Thursday 23rd February fromwww.sonispherefestivals.com / 0844 871 8803priced at £145 for a weekend ticket (£180 with 4-day camping, £170 with 3-day camping), with a very limited number of day tickets available for £75. To spread the cost of the festival customers can pay a non-refundable deposit of £50 to secure their weekend tickets and then pay the balance off anytime before 30th April 2011. SONISPHERE KNEBWORTHtakes place July 6th – 8th at KNEBWORTH HOUSE. On top of the host of talent on offer at SONISPHERE KNEBWORTH, organisers are offering the first weekend ticket buyers a very limited number of tickets to SONISPHERE MADRID, which takes place 25th and 26th May. Headliners METALLICA - who play their Black album in its entirety – are joined by an impressive cast featuring the likes of SOUNDGARDEN, andSLAYER and many more. Two Sonisphere festivals for the price of one! www.sonispherefestivals.com LINE UP SO FAR: Headline sets from: KISS (European Exclusive) – QUEEN (World Exclusive) – FAITH NO MORE (UK Exclusive)- TIM MINCHIN ANDREW WK * THE BLACKOUT CYPRESS HILL EVANESCENCE** FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM FLOGGING MOLLY * GHOST * GOJIRA * I KILLED THE PROM QUEEN INCUBUS** KATATONIA * LACUNA COIL * MARILYN MANSON** MASTODON * REFUSED** SWITCHFOOT * THE DARKNESS WITHIN TEMPTATION ** WOLFMOTHER ** *denotes exclusive festival appearance **denotes only UK show of 2012

Ticket info: Fan Club presale starts 8:00pm Monday 20thFebruary, tickets on sale to the public from 9:00am Thursday 23rd February fromwww.sonispherefestivals.com/ 0844 871 8803 priced at £145 for a weekend ticket (£180 with 4-day camping, £170 with 3-day camping), with a very limited number of day tickets available for £75. Venue info: Knebworth Park Knebworth Hertfordshire SG3 6PY

Contact info: Music Press: Adam Sagir adam@thenoisecartel.com 020 8202 4314 Music Radio/TV: Nelly Liger nelly@thenoisecartel.com 020 8202 4314 All news / mainstream media: Sean Harwood sean@wearefullfat.com 07912 756 444

MADONNA WORLD TOUR 2012 ANNOUNCED

Madonna World Tour 2012

Tour Starts May 29th In Tel Aviv

Two UK Dates: London Hyde Park July 17th
Edinburgh Murrayfield Stadium July 21st

London, Tuesday 7th February – Madonna is having a huge party and everyone’s invited! The Madonna 2012 WorldTour begins May 29th 2012 in Tel Aviv, Israel, it was officially announced by Live Nation Entertainment, the tour’s international promoter. The shows will include arenas, stadiums and special outdoor sites including the Plains of Abraham in Quebec and a return visit to South America and Australia where she has not performed in 20 years. The tour will stop in 26 European cities including London, Edinburgh, Paris, Milan and Berlin.

Tickets go on sale at 10am on Friday February 10th and will be available from http://www.livenation.co.uk

 

Tickets prices (subject to booking fee) are as follows:
London Hyde Park July 17th £125 and £70
Edinburgh Murrayfield Stadium July 21st £125/£80/£75/£70/£60/£45

The announcement of Madonna’s 2012 World Tour follows an extraordinary week which along with Madonna’s Bridgestone Super Bowl halftime performance saw the release of Madonna’s new single, “Give Me All Your Luvin” from her highly anticipated new album MDNA on Live Nation/Interscope Records – scheduled to be released on March 26th. MDNA is already No. 1 on iTunes in many countries including the US, UK, Germany, France, Spain, Canada, Italy, Sweden and the Netherlands.

The single’s video which stars Nicki Minaj and MIA previewed last Friday on her YouTube channel. The Madonna directed Golden Globe Award winning film “W.E.” is on general release.

Madonna’s phenomenally successful “Sticky & Sweet” Tour reaffirmed her status as one of the most successful touring artists of all time. The historic tour included such incredible touring feats as a 70,000 seat sell-out in Werchter, Belgium, a 76,000 seat sell-out in Helsinki (the largest show ever in Finland by a solo artist), 40,000 tickets sell-out in Oslo, Norway, and 72,000 tickets sold out in one day in Tallinn Estonia. Other record breaking ticket sales around the globe include 650,000 tickets sold in her series of South American dates, 72,000 tickets at Zurich’s Dübendorf Airfield – the largest audience ever assembled for a show in Switzerland, 75,000 tickets in London and four sell outs in New York’s Madison Square Garden (60,364 tickets).

“Madonna’s track record as a world class entertainer and touring artist speaks for itself. Her artistry, talent and creative productions get bigger and better with each tour and Madonna 2012 will be no exception. We are thrilled to have her back on the road and know her fans feel the same,” commented Arthur Fogel, CEO Live Nation Entertainment Global Touring and Madonna tour promoter.

In the course of her phenomenal career, Madonna has a record breaking 37 Top 10 hits on Billboard’s Hot 100 Singles Chart along with a record breaking 40 Number 1’s on Billboard’s Dance/Club Play Song Charts. No other act has more Top 10’s on the Hot 100 or Number 1’s on the Club Chart. Madonna has sold over 300 million albums and holds the record for the most successful tour by a solo artist in history. She is a seven time Grammy winning singer, songwriter, producer and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee. Her last CD “Hard Candy,” debuted at Number 1 in 37 countries including US, UK, Canada, France and Australia. Madonna 2012 World Tour is the Material Girl’s 9th Tour. Her first tour was the 1985 Virgin Tour.

Madonna’s recent Golden Globe winning song “Masterpiece” from The Weinstein Company film ”W.E.” as well as “W.E. Music From The Soundtrack “W.E.” film have both recently been released digitally on Universal’s Interscope Records. A physical release is to hit stores in the UK on February 13th.

Icon is Madonna’s official fan club. Lifetime Legacy members of Icon will receive first access to tickets and VIP Packages starting February 7, 2012. Registered free Icon members will have the opportunity to purchase an “Icon Live Pass,” which gives them access not only to ticket & VIP Package pre-sales, but also to a tour devoted forum and an exclusive tour gift. Sign up for a free Icon membership at Madonna.com today.

VIP packages will be available through Live Nation Experience.
For VIP Experiences and Hospitality buy online at http://www.LiveNationExperience.co.uk or call 0207 009 3484

viagogo, Europe’s leading secondary ticketing company (www.viagogo.co.uk), has been named as the Official Premium and Secondary Ticketing Partner for Madonna’s 2012 summer tour dates across Europe. viagogo will handle premium tickets for select Madonna European shows this summer, offering fans the chance to see one of the most anticipated concert tours of the year. Fans that can no longer use their tickets will be able to resell them to other fans through viagogo’s secure online platform, and, as always, all tickets are guaranteed.

MADONNA 2012 WORLD TOUR

 

May

Tue 29th Tel Aviv, Israel, Ramat Gam Stadium

June

Sun 3rd Abu Dhabi, Yas Arena
7-Jun Istanbul, Turkey Turk Telecom Arena On sale soon

Mon 11th Zagreb, Croatia, Maksimir Stadium
Thu 14th Milan, Italy, Stadio San Siro
Sat 16th Florence, Italy, Stadio Franchi
Wed 20th Barcelona, Spain, Palau Sant Jordi
Sun 24th Coimbra, Portugal, Estadio Cidade de Coimbra
Thu 28th Berlin, Germany, O2 Arena

July

Mon 2nd Copenhagen, Denmark, Parken Stadium
Wed 4th Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Ziggo Dome
Thu 12th Brussels, Belgium, Stade Roi-Baudouin
Sat 14th Paris, France, Stade De France
Tue 17th London, UK, Hyde Park
Sat 21st Edinburgh, UK, Murrayfield Stadium
Tue 24th Dublin, Ireland, Aviva Stadium
Sun 29th Vienna, Austria, Ernst-Happel-Stadion

August

Wed 1st Warsaw, Poland, National Stadium
7-Aug Moscow, Russia Olimpiski Arena On sale soon.
8-Aug St. Petersburg, Russia SKK Arena On sale soon

Sun 12th Helsinki, Finland, Olympic Stadium
Wed 15th Oslo, Norway, Telenor Arena
Sat 18th Zurich, Switzerland, Stadion Letzigrund
Tue 21st Nice, France, Stade Charles-Erhmann
Tue 28th Philadelphia, PA, Wells Fargo Center
Thu 30th Montreal, QC, Bell Centre

September

Sat 1st Quebec City, QC, Plains of Abraham Site
Tue 4th Boston, MA, TD Garden
Thu 6th New York, NY, Yankee Stadium
Mon 10th Ottawa, ON, Scotiabank Place
Wed 12th Toronto, ON, Air Canada Centre
Sat 15th Atlantic City, NJ, Boardwalk Hall
Wed 19th Chicago, IL, United Center
Sun 23rd Washington, D.C. Verizon Center
Sat 29th Vancouver, BC, Rogers Arena

October

Tue 2nd Seattle, WA, Key Arena
Sat 6th San Jose, CA, HP Pavilion
Wed 10th Los Angeles, CA, Staples Center
Sat 13th Las Vegas, NV, MGM Grand
Tue 16th Phoenix, AZ, US Airways Center
Sat 20th Dallas, TX, American Airlines Center
Wed 24th Houston, TX, Toyota Center
Sat 27th New Orleans, LA, New Orleans Arena
Tue 30th Kansas City, MO, Sprint Center

November
Thu 1st St. Louis, MO, Scottrade Center
Sat 3rd St. Paul, MN, Xcel Energy Center
Sat 10th Cleveland, OH, Quicken Loans Arena
Thu 15th Charlotte, NC, Time Warner Cable Arena
Sat 17th Atlanta, GA, Philips Arena
TBC Miami, FL, To Be Confirmed

The tour will also visit South American and Australia.

 

Additional cities and venues to be announced. Itinerary subject to change.

Red Hot Chili Peppers return to the UK in 2012

Red Hot Chili Peppers return to the UK in 2012 for two massive shows next summer

Multi-platinum American rock band to perform at Knebworth and Stadium of Light Sunderland in June 2012
Knebworth Park, Stevenage – Saturday 23rd June 2012

Stadium of Light, Sunderland – Sunday 24th June 2012

General sale tickets available from November 4th 2011
http://www.kililive.com

Following the recent release of their tenth studio album I’m With You earlier this year and a sold out UK arena tour, Kilimanjaro Live is proud to announce that Red Hot Chili Peppers will return to Britain in June to perform two massive open-air shows – their only UK dates of 2012. Red Hot Chili Peppers will take to the stage at Knebworth Park, Stevenage on Saturday 23rd June and Stadium of Light, Sunderland on Sunday 24th June 2012. Tickets go on sale from Friday 4th November 2011 from See Tickets http://www.seetickets.com

Set to occur just weeks before the launch of the 2012 Olympic Games in London these two very special shows will be the only opportunity for UK fans to see Red Hot Chili Peppers live in concert in 2012. Not only will the band play its first-ever major show in the North East of England (their only previous appearance being the 400 capacity Newcastle Riverside gig in 1990), Red Hot Chili Peppers will also join a list of such luminaries as Led Zeppelin, Queen, Robbie Williams and Genesis as headliners of the iconic Knebworth Park

Back in 2005, the band’s three-night headlining stint at London’s famous Hyde Park became the highest-grossing concerts at a single venue in history. These shows were bookended by the release of 2002’s By The Way and 2006’s Stadium Arcadium, which found Red Hot Chili Peppers at the height of its fame in the UK. Their current album I’m With You debuted at #1 on the UK album chart and has been critically acclaimed by British media.

One of the most successful acts in rock history, Red Hot Chili Peppers have sold more than 60 million albums, including five multi-platinum LPs and won six Grammy Awards, including ‘Best Rock Album’ for Stadium Arcadium, ‘Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group’ for Dani California, ‘Best Rock Song’ for Scar Tissue and ‘Best Hard Rock Performance with Vocal’ for Give It Away.

When asked if they’re looking forward to these headline shows, Red Hot Chili Peppers front man Anthony Keidis commented: “Our philosophy is we’ll play any day, any time and we’re coming to do Knebworth and Sunderland”. Outspoken bass player Flea also added “Hell yeah! I just wanna explode.”

Special guests joining Red Hot Chili Peppers at these two dates are to be announced in due course.

Ticket details – on sale Friday 4th November 9:00am

Standard tickets are £50 (Knebworth), £45 (Sunderland).

Tickets are available from 0844 871 8803, 0871 989 1601, KILILIVE.COM/RHCP, SEETICKETS.COM

FOR OFFICIAL VIP PACKAGES WITH PREMIUM RESERVED SEATED TICKETS:

KNEBWORTH: MARK BUTLER ASSOCIATES 0207 603 6033 | WWW.MARKBUTLER.CO.UK
SUNDERLAND: 0871 911 1555 | WWW.SAFCCONCERTS.COM | RHCP@SAFC.COM

FOR ALL HOTEL AND TRAVEL INFORMATION VISIT WWW.KILILIVE.COM/RHCP

THE BEST WAY TO GET TO KNEWBORTH PARK IS BY COACH OR TRAIN, TRAVEL PACKAGES ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE WEB SITE. IF YOU DO NEED TO COME BY CAR YOU CAN PURCHASE CAR PARK TICKETS PRICED £10 IN ADVANCE AND £20 IF PURCHASED ON THE DAY. PLEASE MAKE USE OF CAR SHARING BY VISITING WWW.GOSHARE.COM

Joe Bonamassa’s UK tour continues this week!!

On Saturday October 15^th, Joe Bonamassa came down with the flu and was forced to re-schedule his Blackpool Opera House concert Saturday October 15^th to the new date of Thursday April 5^th 2012. Joe’s Nottingham Capital FM Arena concert on Sunday October 16^th has now been re-scheduled to Monday April 2^nd 2012.

The good news is that Joe has now fully recovered from the flu, and will perform the remaining dates on the current leg of his UK tour as follows:

Cardiff International Arena Tuesday October 18^th

*Plymouth Pavilions Wednesday October 19^th *Few tickets remaining

*London Hammersmith Apollo Friday October 21st *Few tickets remaining

*London Hammersmith Apollo Saturday October 22^nd *Few tickets remaining

For further information about Joe’s UK October concerts, click here – http://www.noblepr.co.uk/Press_Releases/joebonamassa/tour.htm.

STEPS ANNOUNCE 1ST TOUR IN 10 YEARS

Monday 10^th October: After a break of 10 years, the multimillion selling, BRIT winning pop band STEPS are back. Claire, ‘H’, Faye, Lisa and Lee have reunited for an explosive TV documentary series on SKY Living, a new album and now a huge return to the live circuit with ‘The Ultimate Tour’ set for April 2012. The album and the tour will celebrate their biggest, chart topping hits.

The Ultimate Collection and Tour marks the return of one of Britain’s best loved bands. From their first hit, ‘5, 6, 7, 8,’ STEPS went on to have an amazing 14 consecutive Top 5 hits. Memorable chart toppers included ‘Tragedy’, ‘One For Sorrow’ and ‘Heartbeat’. Their first album, ‘STEP ONE’ was certified five times platinum, cementing their position as the UK’s biggest pop sensations. Their next album, ‘STEPTACULAR’, featuring smash hits ‘Love’s Got A Hold Of My Heart’ and ‘After The Love Has Gone’, helped the album go four times platinum. In total, across 4 albums, STEPS sold an astonishing 15 million records.

When fans buy Steps ‘The Ultimate Collection’ album through Ticketmaster they will be given exclusive access to a ticket presale. By purchasing the album fans will be able to purchase tickets 4 days before they are made available to the general public. Simply visit Ticketmaster.co.uk from October 10^th to order the album and get access to tickets before everyone else, from http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/promo/5nw86z

STEPS’ return to the live arena will undoubtedly be a highlight of 2012.

April 2012

April 2^nd Odyssey Arena Belfast

April 3^rd 02 Arena Dublin

April 4^th Liverpool Echo Arena

April 6^th Glasgow SECC

April 7^th Aberdeen AECC Press and Journal Arena

April 8^th Newcastle Metro Radio Arena

April 10^th Manchester Evening News Arena

April 11^th Nottingham Capital FM Arena

April 12^th Birmingham LG Arena

April 13^th Cardiff Motorpoint Arena

April 15^th Sheffield Motorpoint Arena

April 16^th Bournemouth BIC

April 17^th Brighton Centre

April 19^th London The O2 Arena

Tickets go on sale at 9am on Friday 14^th October at 9am from www.livenation.co.uk and are priced at £35.00 Regionally and £40 & £37.50 in London (subject to booking fee).

For meet & greet & VIP packages visit livenationexperience.co.uk

or phone 0207 009 3484 for further information.

The Ultimate Collection is Out Now on Sony Music.

sky news name the man who died at Glastonbury

A man has been found dead at the Glastonbury Festival.

The body of the man, thought to be in his 50s, was found overnight at the music event at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset.

BBC Somerset understands that the body was found in the toilets in the interstage area, which has restricted access.

Avon and Somerset Police are investigating. No other details have been released.

Sky News have released the name as Christopher Shale chief executive, Oxford Resources; Mr Shale was also the Chairman of the West Oxfordshire Conservatives

ONE OF IRELAND’S MOST FEARED PARAMILITARY LEADERS ….. JOHNNY “MAD DOG” ADAIR

HERE IS MORE INTERACTIVE AND HOPEFULLY AN EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND AND INSIGHT  DOCUMENTARY FOOTAGE INTO THE WORLD OF JOHNNY ” MAD DOG” ADAIR

WELL WORTH A LOOK

FROM WIKIPEDIA

Jonathan Adair, better known as Johnny “Mad Dog” Adair (born 27 October 1963 in Belfast, Northern Ireland) is the former leader of the “C Company”, 2nd Battalion Shankill Road, West Belfast Brigade of the “Ulster Freedom Fighters” (UFF). This was a cover name used by theUlster Defence Association (UDA), an Ulster loyalist paramilitary organisation. Adair was expelled from the organisation in 2002 following a violent internal power struggle. Since 2003, he, his family and a number of supporters have been forced to leave Northern Ireland by other loyalists.

Paramilitary activities

By the early 1990s, a new leadership had emerged on the Shankill Road following the killing of powerful South Belfast Brigadier and the UDA’s Deputy Commander John McMichael in 1987 by a booby-trap car bomb planted by the IRA; less than three months later, the Supreme Commander Andy Tyrie resigned after an attempt was made on his life. He was not replaced; instead the organisation was run by its Inner Council. With the West Belfast UDA brigadier and spokesman Tommy Lyttle in prison and gradually eased out of the leadership, Adair, as the most ambitious of the “Young Turks”, established himself as head of the UDA/UFF’s “C Company”, 2nd Battalion based on the Shankill.^[2] When Adair was charged with terrorist offences in 1995, he admitted that he had been a UDA leader for three years up to 1994. During this time, Adair and his colleagues were involved in multiple and random murders of Catholic civilians, mostly carried out by a special killings unit led by Stevie “Top Gun” McKeag.^[3] At Adair’s trial in 1995, the prosecuting lawyer said he was dedicated to his cause against those whom he “regarded as militant republicans – among whom he had lumped almost the entire Roman Catholic population”.^[4] Royal Ulster Constabulary detectives believe his unit killed up to 40 people in this period.^[5] Adair once remarked to a Catholic journalist from the Republic of Ireland upon the discovery of her being Catholic, that normally Catholics travelled in the boot of his car.^[6] According to a press report in 2003, Adair was handed details of republican suspects by theIntelligence Corps, and was even invited for dinner with them in the early 1990s.^[7] In his autobiography, he claimed he was frequently passed information by sympathetic British army members, and that his own whereabouts were passed to republican paramilitaries by the RUC Special Branch, who, he claimed, hated him.^[8] As brigadier of the West Belfast UDA Adiar was entitled to one of the six seats on the organisation’s Inner Council and in this role Adair, who wanted to continue on the path of violence, clashed frequently with East Antrim brigadier Joe English, who advocated seeking a peace settlement.^[9]

The Provisional Irish Republican Army‘s Shankill Road Bombing of a fish shop in October 1993 was an attempt to assassinate Adair and the rest of the UDA’s Belfast leadership in reprisal for attacks on Catholics. The IRA claimed that the office above the shop was regularly used by the UDA for meetings and one was due to take place shortly after the bomb exploded. The bomb went off early, killing one of the IRA men, Thomas Begley, and nine Protestant civilians. The UFF retaliated by carrying out the Greysteel massacre, a random attack on the Rising Sun bar in Greysteel, County Londonderry, in which eight civilians, two of whom were Protestants, were killed. Adair has survived 13 assassination bids, most of which were carried out by the IRA and Irish National Liberation Army.^[10]

During this time, undercover officers from the Royal Ulster Constabulary had recorded months of discussions with Adair, in which he boasted of his activities, producing enough evidence to charge him with directing terrorism. He was convicted and sentenced to 16 years in the The Maze prison.

Adair was held with other loyalist prisoners in their “block” of the prison. In prison, according to some reports, Adair sold drugs such as cannabis, ecstasy tablets and amphetamines to other loyalist prisoners, earning him an income of £5,000 a week.^[10]

In January 1998, Adair was one of five loyalist prisoners visited in the prison by British Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Mo Mowlam. She persuaded them to drop their objection to their political representatives continuing the talks that led to the Good Friday Agreement in April that year. In 1999, Adair was released as part of early-release scheme for paramilitary prisoners under the Agreement.

ALSO FROM WIKIPEDIA

Exile from Northern Ireland and personal life

He was released from prison again on 10 January 2005. He immediately left Northern Ireland and joined his family in Bolton, Lancashire where it was claimed he stayed with supporters of the far-rightCombat 18 group. ^[12]

The police in Bolton have questioned his wife, Gina about her involvement in the drugs trade, and his son (nicknamed both ‘Mad Pup’ and ‘Daft Dog’ [2]) has been charged with selling crack cocaine and heroin.^[13] Adair himself was arrested and fined for assault and threatening behaviour in September 2005. He had married Gina Crossan, his partner for many years and the mother of his four children, at the Maze Prison on 21 February 1997.^[14] She is three years Adair’s junior and grew up in the same Lower Oldpark neighbourhood. Gina was part of the local skinhead scene and Adair began dating her in 1980 when she was 14 years old. Adair and Gina have four children: Jonathan, Natalie, Chloe, and Jay.

A former girlfriend, Jackie “Legs” Robinson, claimed that after a UDA/UFF killing had been set up and carried out, he would become highly aroused and afterwards be “particularly wild in bed”.^[15][16] It was also alleged that the mere discussion of an operation’s details gave him a “sexually charged excitement”; even when the actual killings had been done by others he had personally chosen as hitmen.^[17]

After being released, he was almost immediately arrested again for violently assaulting Gina, who suffers from ovarian cancer.^[18] Since this episode Johnny Adair is reported as having moved to Scotland, living in Troon in Ayrshire.^[19] The Adair family moved to Horwich, Lancashire in early 2003.^[20]

In May 2006, it was reported that Adair had received £100,000 from John Blake Publishing for a ghost-written autobiography.^[5]

In November 2006, the UK’s Five television channel transmitted an observational documentary on Adair made by Donal MacIntyre. The focus of the film centred around Adair and another supposedly reformed character, a former neo-Nazi from Germany called Nick Greger, and their trip to Uganda to build an orphanage. Adair was seen to fire rifles, stating it was the first time he had done so without wearing gloves.

In November 2008 Adair appeared in an episode of Danny Dyer‘s Deadliest Men which profiled fellow C Company inmate Sam “Skelly” McCrory.