BACK in 1979, Norman Jay and his brother Joey set up the Great Tribulation Soundsystem at the Notting Hill Carnival. Two years later they changed the name to Good Times, wanting a more optimistic name to reflect the UK’s changing attitudes towards race relations and partying. Norman took quite a few risks behind the decks: he championed Philly soul, disco and early electro at an event that was predominantly reggae. People soon came round to his way of thinking, and sound became for many the centre piece of The Carnival.
It's a long way from illegal raves to Buckingham Palace. But Norman Jay became first black British DJ to be made an MBE.
This Minister of Sound holds court at The Magnet on Sunday supported by London powerhouse Neil Pierce who has been smashing the soulful house charts in recent years with his Rhemi Music production crew.
Hustle presents Norman Jay, Magnet, Hardman Street, Sunday April 5, 10pm-5am. Tickets £13.
Roll away the stone
PERFORMED over four nights during Holy Week, Liverpool Cathedral's Passion Plays have become an increasingly popular way to mark Easter. So don't miss the climax this Saturday to get you into the spiritual side of things.
Act 4, the Resurrection, combines drama, liturgy and music, guiding audience members around the great space of the cathedral building to watch - and at points even become part of - the re-enactment of Christ’s Passion.
This year’s plays will also see the addition of a brand new fifth Act that will be performed on Saturday 9th May.
This year the tag line is ‘Whom do you seek?’ inspired by the Quem Quaeritis Easter liturgy and the Visitatio Sepulchri (visit to the tomb) liturgical dramas of the medieval period. However contemporary concerns are reflected.
*Act 4, The Passion of Christ, Liverpool Anglican Cathedral, Saturday April 4, 6.30pm. Free.
Food and Drink Festival
Hold onto your Easter bonnet, or if not, your hot scotch pickled one. Yep, the Liverpool Food and Drink Festival people are are rolling into to Sefton Park.
Is it September already? NO. But it's the same old shindig.
Over Easter Sunday and Monday expect to find the park filled with food and drink producers flogging you bubbly and bangers, with bush tucker trials and lots of things for kids, including a giant inflatable village and a Mad Hatter's tea party.
There's something from the Bierkeller called Beer Pong, which is normally what greets you when you walk into a pub of real ale drinkers on a Sunday evening.
There are also chocolate making and floristry classes, but keep your thieving hands away from that yonder field of daffodils. You are better than that.
*Liverpool Food and Drink Easter Festival, Sefton Park, Easter Sunday-Monday April 5-6, Tickets, £6.50 per day. Kids under 14 go free.
Happy Monday
Out of the jaws of winter and into a cafe near you ride the Legion of Doom.
Spilling across the land like a glass of water forgotten about on the living room floor, the highly acclaimed trio of sketchmeisters bring comedy by the skip load, this Easter Monday at 81a Renshaw Street.
Jim Alsbalstain's Human Zoo will get you in chortle mode, followed by the The Man with the Burning Duck...Al Greaves. Then there's Sir Dickie Benson and Frank Astaire of the Brethren of Levity.
The LOD lads have just been nominated for best unsigned act gong in the London Sketchfest 2015 awards, so catch them while you can at this Comedy "Knight". You can't have everything, but you can have an extra K.
*Comedy Knight with the Legion of Doom, 81a Renshaw Street, Monday April 6, 8pm shall we say?
