Entertainers appearing at Torquay Festival 2012
Crooked Tempo
Are a community Samba Band from South Devon and will lead the Grand Parade at 11am from Union Square to The Harbour. They play funky Brazilian carnival rhythms including Samba, Batucada
and Samba Reggae.
Come and join in and dance through the streets with this lively and exciting band!
Also at Fleet Walk at 1.00pm
2 Tonic
A highly entertaining duo who appeal to young and old alike. With some stomping percussion and driving acoustic guitar by Andy Boddington and twanging jaws harp, mouth bow, soulful blues harmonica and singing from Mark Richardson they provide a foot tapping sonic experience that will grab you from the start.
Audience participation is actively encouraged and it's surprising how much fun is generated by just two individuals. They play hi-energy instrumentals with gusto, sunshine ballads that lift the soul and choice covers from the early 70s. 2Tonic started in 2007 at a festival in Birmingham - they had so much fun, the pair decided to keep it all going and have been wowing audiences with their big sound ever since
1.00 Harbour stage
2.30 Fleet St.stage
Shirlee Sunflower
A loveable nerd with a feisty attitude and a charming ability to get away with doing and saying things that are, well, honest to her and obviously you too, since you always laugh.
She is mostly fun for the whole family but if the kids aren’t around she doesn’t mind to turn it up a notch. She has a wonderful sense of physicality and uses it to create both impressive and ridiculous physical feats and situations.
Shirlee loves to play with the audience and get to know them in a way that is outside the normal performer/audience relationship. Really you have to see Shirlee to believe her! She is a beautiful mix of very funny things and something a little naughty as well.
12 noon Fleet Walk
1.45 Harbour stage
3.00 Union St. stage
Le Navet Bete........
Are a very funny clown troup, their name means The Ugly Turnip, performing mad, high energy, spectacular stunts to make us all roar with laughter and wonder where on earth they came from!
If you like a good laugh with clowns, acrobats and mimes galore then come and see this talented and crazy bunch of guys.
Fleet Street stage 11.30
Harbour stage 3.45
Louise Parker and The Hot House Band
Lively, 'dancy' African/Latin inspired band playing original music, featuring the soulful voice of Louise Parker and the lilting guitar lines of Peter Scott, with up-beat celebratory and romantic songs.
Growing up in a house filled with calypso and opera enjoyed by her Jamaican born mother to the trad, swing and be-bop from her jazz-obsessed father, vocalist Louise Parker, aptly named after Louis Armstrong, was born to create the sort of soulful sound that is earning her a great reputation in the jazz world.
A big hit on the festival circuit and a regular on Radio 2’s Best of Jazz, Louise Parker is a powerful live performer and a skilful interpreter of swing, blues and gospel classics. Combining a potent mix of funk and gospel, Louise blends an effortless rhythmical style with a sweet warm tone and daring scatting to create a performance which truly stirs the soul.
Fleet St.stage 3.30
Jonah's Lift
Probably Cornwall's premier Folk Rock and Ceilidh band. Bring you energy and pace with a full-on 7-piece sound. They play rocked-up folk pieces and classic rock ballads with a definate folky feel, as well as original music and unusual pieces from around the world.
Guaranteed to get you moving and bring a smile to your face.
Fleet St.stage 1.00
Union St.stage 3.45
Glorious Chorus
an a-cappella choir, founded and led by Helen Yeomans, based in South Devon, UK.
Helen writes original songs and arrangements for the choir - songs with a message that move audiences and performers alike.
Although predominantly amateur singers, they are all trained in vocal technique to achieve polished performances and moving music.
Glorious Chorus nurtures talent from within, boasting soloists, poets, rappers and dancers to add texture to its repertoire.
“The concert was one of the most moving musical events I've ever experienced and I feel indebted to you for the privilege of watching such an uplifting and impeccable performance"
Anne Ridgely, Amnesty International
Harbour stage 2.20
Carnival Collective
An exciting 20 to 30 piece band from Brighton. Constantly evolving and changing, they moved quickly from their origins as a purely percussive group to a highly dynamic and original band comprising a full horn section, vocalists, guitar, bass and electronics; all of this backed up by their massed ranks of percussionists.
Their performances at Glastonbury and other music festivals are legendary as are their occasional street parades with a full mobile sound system.
Their music ranges from jungle to surf punk, and includes pretty much everything in between. So come and dance and enjoy Carnival Collective at the Harbour Stage, early evening, on...
Sat 9th and Sun. 10th June
Michael Campari
Michael Campari is something else....... He bears a passing resemblance to a young Frank Sinatra, when sporting his tilted angle trilby, 50s style suit and shirt collar loosened at the neck – but his voice has a sensual deep rich tone all of its own.
An incredibly soulful vocal delivery, a certain rock’n'roll edginess and hugely charismatic persona gives him the X factor in spades, which is why not only is he in huge demand, he’ll also be performing at the Torquay Festival singing the great American songbook.
Union Steet stage 12.45
Fleet Walk 3.00
The Black Eagles
A group of amazing acrobats originally from Tanzania, East Africa where they learnt their acrobatic skills on the streets of Dar-es-Salaam. They have toured extensively in South Africa with the Circus, as well as Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique before coming to the UK.
Since then they have appeared all over the UK and Europe at Glastonbury, the Royal Albert Hall, Canary Warfe as well as on BBC's Blue Peter and at the Torquay festival last year to considerable acclaim. Watch them and hold your breath as you can't always believe your eyes.........
Harbour stage 11.40
Fleet Street stage 2.00
The Great Dave
started performing at the tender age of fourteen in London's famous Covent Garden, and has also performed in theatre, radio and TV but always comes back to street performance. Having recovered from a nasty accident in 2004 Dave is back in fine form performing his trademark trick – the seemingly impossible art of kicking cups and saucers and a spoon onto his head whilst on a unicycle.
The Great Dave is a very funny man and we are pleased to have him back at The Torquay Festival this year. Go Dave!
Union Street Stage 12.00 noon
Fleet Walk 2.30
Harbour Stage 4.30
Bill Ferguson
Bill’s shows combine improvised comedy with audience participation and some spectacular juggling of whatever objects the crowd throw his way — which have been known to include a pram, a skateboard and a bicycle tyre.
This man is seriously funny and will appeal to all ages with his non-stop banter and unpredictable routines! Watch out for the custard pies though.........
12 noon Harbour stage
2.15 Union St.stage
Big Beat
The innovative and original purveyors of junk-percussion music and their energetic funk-fuelled performances make them one of the most exciting festival acts around.
Big Beat produce incredible sounds on a multi-coloured array of industrial waste-including gas pipes, kitchen sinks and plastic barrels. Audiences are instantly amazed by the infectious beats and all kids are welcome to come and join in and develop their own skill and imagination with the members of this fun musical group.
Union Street stage 11.15 and 1.30
Abigail Collins
After expelling herself from The Royal Ballet School, pint-sized comedy powerhouse Abigail Collins has become one of the leading lights on the London Cabaret circuit.
Whether dancing Swan Lake on traffic cones as her Russian diva Katinka, or hooping up a storm as Angel Rodriguez, Brooklyn's answer to Beyoncé, Abigail's work is skillful, sexy and very, very silly.
The physique of an athlete and the mouth of Joan Rivers - what's not to love?
Press quotes -
"The hilarious and flexible Abigail Collins" The Stage
"An absolute star" Angus Mackechnie, Royal National Theatre
Fleet Street stage 12.20
Harbour stage 3.00
http://www.abigailcollins.moonfruit.com/
