BandWagon makes booking gigs easy

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BandWagon was created by music fans, promoters and music managers who felt that the creation, application and booking of gigs needed better structure.

BandWagon aims to:

– Facilitate and promote emerging artists as they build a fan base through playing to live audiences.
– Co-operate with promoters and venues by simplifying the gig booking and event management process
– Support the UK live music industry which contributes £1bn to the UK economy

BandWagon enables bands and artists to apply and play various gigs opportunities in their local area and further afield. It allows promoters to create multiple events, book bands and manage their events. BandWagon will improve communication between bands and promoters by providing the necessary platform to seek, communicate and satisfy the thriving live music scene.

Some of the features include: a rating system for bands to rate promoters and vice versa. Submission to events for bands, seamless communication between promoters and bands, social marketing for events created and eventually a ticketing platform to sell tickets.

A premium service will be available for bands applying to paid gigs.

A percentage of the subscription fee will be added to BandWagon’s ‘Bel Esprit fund’ where musicians can apply for funding. Money will be made available to successful applicants for touring, rehearsal space, recording.

http://www.bandwagongigs.com

WHAT DO HARPER BECKHAM, WILLIAM & KATE AND HARRY POTTER HAVE IN COMMON?

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Harper Seven Beckham may have been born into the most famous family in the World, but she now has a new claim to fame after becoming the subject of a list of brand new bingo calls, by Mecca Bingo.

Harper Beckham (number seven), joins Will and Kate (number eight) and Dumbledore (number four) in a brand new list of modern day calls suggested by Meccabingo.com customers, to celebrate Mecca’s 50th Birthday on Wednesday, 19th October.

Since first opening its doors in 1961, the gaming company has evolved to meet the demands of a modern and younger audience. The introduction of online bingo and Mecca’s iPhone and Android apps mean that gaming fanatics can now play their favourite games and win real cash prizes anywhere, at any time.

Whilst bingo calls are not actually used anymore, modernising the traditional calls to reflect today’s culture is a fun way to mark Mecca’s 50th Birthday in a one-off game.

Claire Osborne, head of bingo and games at Meccabingo.com, comments:

“The suggestions we had from our customers were really diverse – from the sublime to the ridiculous – but what we found most interesting was how they reflected modern times and in particular, celebrity culture. For example, it’s no surprise that seven has become ‘Harper Beckham’ given the iconic status the Beckham’s hold on mainstream culture.

“Adele’s popularity is prominent with the title of her début album representing 19. The Harry Potter phenomenon hasn’t escaped either, as the lovable Dumbledore becomes the number four. Of course the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge remain at the height of public consciousness with ‘Will and Kate’ at number eight.”

During the course of the Meccabingo.com Bingo Lingo campaign, a total of 14,835 votes were cast. A selection of the best feature below:

2 Sugars in my brew

4 Dumbledore

7 Harper Beckham

8 Will and Kate

15 Rugby team

17 Driver’s dream

19 Adele

65 Keep on working

69 Sexy time

The brand new calls will make a one-off appearance in selected Mecca Bingo clubs across the UK on Wednesday, 19th October, as part of their 50th Birthday celebrations.

X Factor ChildLine Ball

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The recent X Factor ChildLine Ball at the Savoy raised more than £600,000.

Presenter and writer Esther Rantzen said: “It was a fantastic evening, a really thrilling way for ChildLine to celebrate this very important year, its 25th. Dermot O’ Leary was his usual charming self. Mary Byrne and Rebecca Ferguson were wonderful as they always are. And we raised a staggering amount of money, thanks to Johnny Gould and Peter Dickson. This means we can answer all the desperate children who ring ChildLine and contact us online, giving them hope, advice, and a lifeline.

“Today is also the publication date of my book Running Out Of Tears; telling the story of young adults who rang ChildLine when they were children, and how those phone calls transformed their lives. SO this is a landmark year in ChildLine’s life and in mine.”

Women Miss Their Pets More Than Their Boyfriends.

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NOT ALWAYS’S A MAN’S BEST FRIEND…

One-in-five women miss their pets more than their partners during prolonged absences, according to new research.

Almost 30 per cent think about their dogs and cats at least twice a day when separated for a week or more.

But only half that number think about their boyfriend or husband as often, a poll of female pet owners reveals.

They also worry more about their pets’ welfare – and if they are “eating well” – than their loved ones’ own health.

In fact, over 75 per cent ensure the cupboards are stocked with pet food and treats before they leave, yet far fewer are concerned about the man of the house going hungry.

Meanwhile, one-in-three would cut their trip short “at the drop of a hat” if their pet fell ill or had a minor incident, compared to just one-in-10 for their partner.

The survey into female travelling attitudes also shows that 60 per cent admit to feeling “guilty” about leaving their pets to go on a “girly weekend”.

Only 28 per cent, however, will have the same crisis of conscience over leaving their man on his own for a few days.

The figures were revealed yesterday by short breaks website GirlyWeekend.com, which polled 1,500 of its visitors who own cats and dogs.

Website founder Pat Gardner said she “fully understands” the findings.

“As a pet lover myself, I can fully understand why women would miss their pets more than their partner while away on a girly weekend,” she said.

“Women tend to see their pet cat or dog like a baby, in need of constant care and attention. Men, meanwhile, are seen as being able to look after themselves.”

The poll also revealed that 65 per cent of female travellers would take their furry friend with them on a girly weekend if allowed to do so by their hotel.

Pat added: “We specialise in upmarket breaks for women around the country and one of the questions we get asked a lot is if the hotels and country halls will allow pets.

“It just goes to show much women value the company of their cats and dogs.”

For more information about female short breaks visit www.girlyweekend.com

Brew up your own FestiviTea Party in aid of autism!

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The National Autistic Society (NAS), the UK’s leading charity for people affected by autism, is asking friends, families and colleagues to get together during the festive season and raise money for charity by throwing a ‘FestiviTea Party’. Organising your very own bash couldn’t be easier and requires just three very simple ingredients: tea, cake and friends!

FestiviTea Parties are a chance to roll up your sleeves, don your aprons and bake up a storm with your nearest and dearest, whilst at the same time raising vital funds for the National Autistic Society. You can hold your party anywhere and at anytime. Whether it’s at home, work or out in the local community, you can make your FestiviTea Party as elaborate or as laid back as you like. How you choose to raise the money is also up to you – ask guests to buy tickets, make a donation, or pay for the cakes and biscuits you bake!

Christmas can be a stressful time for many families, but it can be extremely difficult for the half a million people affected by autism, who can often become confused and frightened by sudden changes of routine, unusual foods and new social activities. We need your help to continue to provide vital support and services for individuals and families affected by autism across the UK.

Jane Asher, President of The National Autistic Society and famous for her cake baking said: “I love baking, especially at Christmas time, and if you have children FestiviTea is a great activity to get them involved in too. But you don’t have to be an expert baker or spend lots of time putting together your own tea party: you can keep things simple and easy to organise by asking your friends to help out – or by buying ready-made supplies from the shops.”

“This is the time of year when we all like to get together with our loved ones – but it’s also the perfect time to think about helping those who find Christmas celebrations frightening and confusing. FestiviTea lets you do both at the same time: you’ll have fun with family and friends and every penny you raise will go towards helping the half a million people with autism in the UK.”

Last year, FestiviTea Party organisers across the country raised a fantastic £16,000 and this year, we want to get everyone in the Christmas spirit and raise even more. Every penny raised makes a difference and helps ensure that people with autism across the UK have the support they need to live fulfilling and rewarding lives.

To find out how to organise your own FestiviTea Party, visit: www.festivitea.org.uk or order a pack by calling 0845 180 0426 or emailing festivitea@nas.org.uk.

Christian Louboutin, Daphne Guinness, Bonnie Wright Party in Monaco

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Christian Louboutin, Daphne Guinness, Bonnie Wright Jamie Campbell & Curtis Stigers Attend Roger Dubuis Star Studded Event In Monaco

Haute Horlogerie meets glamour As Monaco’s Hotel de Paris Plays Host to World Renowned Guests Across Film, Fashion and Music

Friday 21st October: Famed watch designer Roger Dubuis welcomed more than 200 glamorous guests to Monaco for a night of glitz, glamour and watches. The star studded guest list was a who’s who of the fashion, acting and art world. Stars included international style icon Daphne Guinness, renowned shoe designer Christian Louboutin, actors Jamie Campbell Bower, James Purefoy and actress Bonnie Wright plus gallery owner Alexander Dellal. There was also an electrifying performance from Curtis Steigers.

The guests were welcomed on the red carpet at the famous Hotel de Paris by Mr. Georges Kern, CEO of Roger Dubuis.

Oddbins is back on a High Street near you…

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Oddbins is back on a High Street near you…

– Unique initiative allows Oddbins’ customers to choose the price of wine –

Oddbins is relaunching in the UK this week with a revolutionary approach that will see customers decide the price of some of its wine range.

From 20-23 October, consumers will be able to blind-taste wines in-store and then provide a price that they would be happy to pay for that bottle.

The wines will then go on shelves at the Customer Recommended Price (CRP).

Ayo Akintola, Managing Director of Oddbins says: “We’re taking the old cliché of ‘the customer is always right’ and actually demonstrating our belief that this is the case. The new Oddbins will put the consumer at the heart of everything we do, so it makes sense that we have a conversation about our pricing with our customers to explain our value based pricing model, while at the same time taking their opinions on board.

“For a long time the noise around wine has been about discounting and price cuts. It is time we have a mature conversation about price and what constitutes value.

“Oddbins has a proud history of innovating in the market place and this is just another example of that. No matter what the occasion, Oddbins is here to provide our customers with the perfect choice of great value wine.”

The unique initiative celebrates Oddbins’ relaunch on the 19th October, which will see 37 stores across the UK reinvigorated with a new look and feel.

The new stores will build on Oddbins’ heritage as an innovative and adventurous selector of wines, and see the retailer continue to offer a carefully considered and great value range.

Staffed by an enthusiastic team of wine buffs – ready to share as much (or as little) advice as customers want – Oddbins aims to bring the pleasure back to wine buying with a personal touch that cruising the supermarket aisle just fails to deliver.

Blake New YA ebook by Sarahjane Funnell

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Children’s Author Sarahjane Funnell has published her
first YA fantasy story entitled Blake, launching as an
ebook with Amazon and myebook.com on Monday 10th
October 2011, published by Gibson Publishing.

Blake, downloadable for £2.99, is the latest literary addition
to her published repertoire, which includes the short story
Princess Rose and the Royal Tea Castle published within
the middle grade Children’s Anthology A Pocketful of Moondust.
Blake is an aloof and mysterious guy. He possesses a sharp glint in his eye and
harbours a hidden secret. Ebony, a schoolgirl, becomes completely mesmerised
by him and his strange character. Longing to unveil just what it is that makes
Blake so different, Ebony desperately searches for him to find the answer. When
Ebony finally has an opportune moment to discover the secret that surrounds
Blake, she learns that it is not only he who hides an unknown identity but that she
too has an inner secret that stretches far beyond her own existence. An unknown
secret that changes not only her thoughts and the ways of the world but also her
physical human form.

Blake is a captivating short story that will spark the imagination of Young Adult
readers, taking them on an emotive journey of self-discovery within two
contrasting worlds. Featuring rich language and powerful emotion, Blake is
perfect for readers looking for an introduction to fantasy fiction or shorter reading.