Brolly dash
Friday marks the beginning of Liverpool’s Brazilica Festival, back again this year to bring heaps of Brazilian fun to the city. Though the bigger events take place over next weekend, beat the crowds and visit the Metquarter to see the Frevo Drop exhibition on display.
Comprised of thirty beautiful hand painted umbrellas, after admiring them, you can smile knowing that on this beautiful weekend, you won’t feel an urge to pinch any of them for the walk home.
Frevo is a Brazilian style of high tempo carnival music and dance so distinct to the culture of the north east region of Perambuco that it is recognised by UNESCO. Dancers with frevo bands are known for their energetic moves accompanied with the waving of colourful parasols.
The relevance of the umbrellas is more than just spectacle, and can be traced back the late 19th Century and the origins of the dance, when competition between frevo bands on parade could be deadly. Fights would erupt in the crowds, and bands had to resort to hiring protection. The Brazilian martial art capoeira was illegal on the streets, so fighters would cover up their moves as dance and used the seemingly harmless props of umbrellas as weapons to avoid arrest.
* Brazilica Festival, on in Liverpool from Friday July 12th – Saturday 20th July.
*Frevo Drop, Metquarter, Friday July 12th – Saturday 20th July.
Capstan full strength
If you love markets, there are three fairs trying to grab your attention this weekend.
Firstly, Capstan’s Grand Bazaar has its debut this Sunday. Set up in a transformed warehouse in the Baltic Triangle, the stalls will be laden with arts and crafts, vintage clothing, second hand books and plenty of vinyl to rummage through. You might also struggle to walk past the local produce on offer; cheeses, meats, fruit and vegetables will all be under your nose at HAUS. A browser’s dream, get there early to take advantage of the free car parks surrounding the site. The maximum stay is two hours, so try not to get too carried away!
Why not also head over to Sefton Park to check out the Down South Liverpool Summer Flea Market this Sunday? Promising a similar stock of goodies, you can leave the tired slackers behind to watch the bags on the grass. Browse to your heart’s content around the equally impressive range of stalls there.
Also on this weekend is the monthly Stalls in the City market, situated in Liverpool One directly opposite the Albert Dock. There will be over 20 local artists and makers displaying their creations throughout Saturday and Sunday. Jane Adams’ etchings of Liverpool architecture look particularly beautiful, so try to find time to hunt down her patch.
This really does seem like the perfect weekend to stock up on birthday and wedding presents. But how could you possibly choose amongst the three markets? Liverpool One is, of course, bang in the city centre, and Capstan’s Grand Bazaar is free to park at. The big game changer is that Sefton Park market not only serves booze, it also has a big outdoor area where you can lounge around, catch some rays, and if you’re really organised, bring a picnic. Let’s be honest, the temptation of having a cold beverage while you nosey around the stalls might mean that you gravitate towards the Flea Market this Sunday afternoon.
*Stalls in the City, Liverpool One, Saturday 13th & Sunday 14th July, 10.30am-5.30pm.
*Capstan’s Grand Bazaar, HAUS warehouse, Baltic Triangle, Sunday 14th July, 11.00am-5.00pm.
*The Down South Liverpool Summer Flea Market, Sefton Park, Sunday 14th July, 1.00-5.00pm.
Dust to dust
View Two Gallery on Mathew Street presents its monthly Acoustic Dustbowl, an evening of live Americana music on Saturday Night. Hosted by Liverpool’s own Southbound Attic Band, the main act will be Chuck Melchin, a musician who has ventured across the pond from Vermont. His group, The Bean Pickers Union found critical acclaim in 2007 with their first album, Potlatch. Now they are surfing another wave of success after releasing their second album, Better the Devil, earlier this year.
The support act, Matthew McGurty, is bound to impress when he performs his diverse range of songs. Be there on time because he will do a good job of warming up the crowd.
You can search the artists online if you want a taster of their music. All three acts are on Youtube, but it is probably better to venture towards MySpace, or in Matthew’s case, Soundclound, for a good preview.
*View Two Gallery, Mathew Street, Saturday 13th July, Doors open at 8pm. Tickets £5 in advance or £6 on the door.
I’m sick of the sun. What’s on in the theatre?
Are you or any little people you know fans of Dora the Explorer? Well darling Dora and Map, Backpack, Boots and Diego are all visiting Liverpool Empire this weekend. Lasting just over an hour (relieved?), the show provides two acts of singing, dancing and all round entertainment. Join Dora on her epic journey to find her missing teddy bear in the City of Lost Toys. Be prepared for many excited and participating children. Enjoy!
*Dora the Explorer Live, Liverpool Empire Theatre, Friday 12th-Sunday 14th July.
Extreme Withdrawal
Not a fan of Dora? The Shiny New Theatre, Liverpool’s new fringe festival, opens its curtains for the first time this weekend. If you are ready for the heavy stuff, spend your Friday evening in The Lantern Theatre watching Extreme Withdrawal is Manifest, a play following a mother through the stages of her daughter’s disappearance. From a theatrical perspective, the show will be interesting. It is performed by a very small cast of two acting graduates, Laura Hills-Leigh and Alice Smithson. They take on multiple roles and use multi-media to explore a clinically unstable mind onstage.
A lighter pick amongst the shows on at the fringe this weekend is Totally Ninja. David Alnwick’s magic show has proved to be both popular and perplexing. Apparently you have no hope of working him out; challenge accepted?
*The Shiny New Theatre, The Lantern Theatre, 12th-21st July.
*Extreme Withdrawal is Manifest, The Lantern Theatre, 12th July, 7.30pm.
*Totally Ninja, The Lantern Theatre, Saturday 13th & Sunday 14th July, 9.00pm.
Chester Zoo opens its new BUGS! exhibition on Saturday. It boasts a 30ft wide tarantula and a scorpion 24ft long, with an unlucky (if you’re scared of insects!) thirteen gigantic bugs on show.
Did you know a scorpion is about as dangerous to a human being as a bumble bee? The zoo has pledged to boggle your mind with plenty of fun facts.
The exhibition is included in the admission price, so it could be a great addition to a full day out in one of the world’s best zoos. Take the kids, bring a packed lunch, and enjoy the glorious weather!
Bugs! Exhibition, Chester Zoo, opening on Saturday 13th July.
