Your Ultimate Festival Survival Guide

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Frostie

From a field in the West Country to the Nevada desert, festivals are sexy! Mud, hot pants, sun, hot pants, alcohol, hot pants. The pressure to appeal to the opposite sex is on. Here’s our hedonistic health kit with everything you need to make you cleaner, safer, pain-free and altogether hotter this festival season!

Talking dirty

When you are jumping up and down to your favourite band in the middle of a muddy field, oral hygiene will be the last thing on your mind. If you know that the excitement of live music will be enough for you to forget the toothbrush then why not try Oraldiet. Oraldiet is an innovative oral probiotic lozenge that contains the probiotic lactobacillus reuteri. The formulation binds to your saliva and therefore stays in the mouth – allowing you to feel fresh for longer. The presence of aloe vera gel ensures that your mouth flora kept healthy at all times, leaving you to concentrate on more important things – like which stage to visit. Oraldiet is available from www.revital.co.uk. £6.35 for 30 lozenges.

Best foot forward

Plastic wellies may be great for trudging through muddy fields, but they can cause your tootsies to sweat and smell. If your wellies are causing a stink, try using a good foot deodorant such as Carnation Footcare’s Cool Foot spray to keep feet dry, clean and sweat-free; the perfect remedy after a day’s hard welly-wearing. Carnation Footcare’s Cool Foot spray is available from www.firstaidfast.co.uk £3.83.

Keep it clean

A combination of dancing, lack of showers and mud means one thing: sweat! Make sure you are the last one dancing with Thursday Plantation’s Tea Tree Deodorant. The 100% Tea Tree formulation will keep you feeling fresh and clean throughout the whole day whilst the aloe vera extract will sooth your skin during the sweatiest of musical moments. It’s also organic and aluminum free, meaning you’ll be feeling at one with nature whilst shaking your body to the beat. Thursday Plantation’s Tea Tree Deodorant is available from www.revital.co.uk £4.95 for 60ml.

Get water savvy

Shona Wilkinson, Head Nutritionist at The Nutri Centre, www.nutrticentre.com, recommends drinking plenty of water throughout the day ‘to help maintain energy levels, a clear head, and because dehydration will only worsen the effects of any alcohol you drink later on. If the weather’s hot and sunny and you’re sweating a lot, you’ll also be losing vital salts and minerals. Try adding an electrolyte solution to your water to maintain the correct levels. Elete Electrolyte water, £5.52 from www.nutricentresports.com makes 10 litres of hydration liquid, is 100% natural and is taste and calorie-free.’’

The Wanted Announce their First Single of 2013 ‘Walks Like Rihanna’

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Frostie

Released June 23rd

One of the biggest pop acts in the world, The Wanted, have announced details of their first single of 2013. ‘Walks Like Rihanna’ is to be released in the UK on June 23rd. The new track was co-written and produced by the legendary Dr Luke who has previously worked with the likes of Katy Perry, Kelly Clarkson, Pink and Britney Spears.

‘Walks Like Rihanna’ is a pure pop summer anthem, on the song Tom Parker said,

“We are really excited about this single. We feel it’s a little different from the usual Wanted sound, we’ve stripped it back to pure pop, it’s just a feel good, fun track. Fun is a good word to describe the video too. Let’s just say it’s got a lot of character.”

The video for ‘Walks Like Rihanna’ takes a tongue in cheek look at what being in a boy band is all about, in the undeniable style of The Wanted. It was shot in LA and will be released on Tuesday 7th May.

Subscribers to The Wanted Wanted World, the Wanted online fan club, will be able to access an exclusive first listen to a section of the new track from 10am on Friday 26th April.

The single includes vocals from Nathan Sykes who under went specialist surgery to correct a hemorrhaging vocal cord in Los Angeles in mid April. The surgery went as planned however it is still uncertain when Nathan will be re-joining the band.

2013 has been an exceptionally busy year already for The Wanted. It began with them scooping The People’s Choice Award for Favorite Breakout Artist, beating off competition from Fun, Gotye, Carly Rae Jepson and One Direction.

The band have been filming a TV show in the US for E! titled, ‘The Wanted Life’, the show will air in the US on June 2nd with UK and international transmission dates to be confirmed shortly. They have also been in the studio working on their forthcoming album which will be released globally later this year.

The Wanted will be performing shows and completing major promotion across the globe this year from Australia, Japan and Europe. UK dates include The Capital FM Summertime Ball on June 9th, Chester Rocks and North East Live. A full list of tour dates can be found here.

Fans will be able to pre-order ‘Walks Like Rihanna’ from iTunes on Tuesday 7th May. The first play of the single will be on Monday 29th April across UK radio.

Sunday Times Rich List 2013: Who Made The List

Posted on April 13, 2013 by Frostie

SIR PAUL McCARTNEY IS WEALTHIEST MUSIC MILLIONAIRE, WITH £680 MILLION FORTUNE IN 25^th ANNIVERSARY SUNDAY TIMES RICH LIST

ADELE TOPS LIST OF YOUNG MUSIC MILLIONAIRES WITH A £30 MILLION FORTUNE

McCARTNEY TOPPED 1993 MUSIC RICH LIST, WORTH £400 MILLION, AND HAD £80 MILLION IN 1989

The 25^th anniversary Sunday Times Rich List, to be published on April 21, 2013, will reveal that Sir Paul McCartney is the country’s richest performer, topping the list of the 50 wealthiest music millionaires in Britain and Ireland. He has a £680m fortune, which is shared with his wife Nancy Shevell.

McCartney, 70, has topped all the charts for the country’s wealthiest musicians since The Sunday Times Rich List began in 1989, when the former Beatle was worth £80m. By 1993, the McCartney fortune had grown to £400m.

Aside from starring roles at the Queen’s diamond jubilee and closing the opening ceremony for the London Olympics, McCartney’s On the Run tour grossed $57m from 18 dates in 2012. The tour has helped add £15m to his fortune, which, at £680m, includes £150m for wife Nancy Shevell’s stake in her father’s New England Motor Freight trucking operation.

Profits from his hugely successful stage shows, such as Phantom of the Opera, Evita and Cats, have helped to boost composer and theatre owner Lord Lloyd-Webber’s fortune by £30m to keep him in second place in the Music Rich List, worth £620m. Lloyd-Webber also held second place in the 1993 Rich List of the top UK music millionaires with a £200m fortune, ahead of Elton John, who is now worth double his 1993 wealth of £120m.

The Sunday Times only started to measure wealth in Ireland as part of its annual Rich List in 1997.

THE SUNDAY TIMES RICH LIST 2013

THE 50 WEALTHIEST MUSIC MILLIONAIRES IN BRITAIN AND IRELAND

This list excludes music company owners and producers

Music rank2013	Name	2013 wealth	2012 wealth
1	Sir Paul McCartney and Nancy Shevell	£680m	£665m
2	Lord Lloyd-Webber	£620m	£590m
3	U2	£520m	£514m
4	Sir Elton John	£240m	£220m
5=	David and Victoria Beckham	£200m	£190m
5=	Sir Mick Jagger	£200m	£190m
7	Michael Flatley	£191m	£192m
8	Keith Richards	£185m	£175m
9=	Olivia and Dhani Harrison	£180m	£180m
9=	Sting	£180m	£180m
11	Ringo Starr	£160m	£160m
12	Roger Waters	£150m	£120m
13	Sir Tim Rice	£149m	£144m
14	Sir Tom Jones	£145m	£140m
15	Eric Clapton	£140m	£130m
16	Rod Stewart	£130m	£120m
17	Phil Collins	£115m	£115m
18=	George Michael	£105m	£100m
18=	Robbie Williams	£105m	£100m
20=	David Bowie	£100m	£100m
20=	Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne	£100m	£95m
22	Brian May	£95m	£90m
23=	Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow	£90m	£72m
23=	Roger Taylor	£90m	£85m
23=	Charlie Watts	£90m	£85m
26	Enya	£87m	£86m
27	David Gilmour	£85m	£85m
28=	Jimmy Page	£80m	£75m
28=	Robert Plant	£80m	£80m
30=	John Deacon	£74m	£70m
30=	Noel and Liam Gallagher	£74m	£65m
32	Pete Townshend	£70m	£40m
33=	Engelbert Humperdinck	£65m	£65m
33=	Mark Knopfler	£65m	£65m
35=	Gary Barlow	£60m	£50m
35=	Barry Gibb	£60m	New
37	Nick Mason	£55m	£55m
38	Sir Cliff Richard	£52m	£52m
39=	Guy Berryman	£50m	£40m
39=	Jonny Buckland	£50m	£40m
39=	Will Champion	£50m	£40m
39=	Brian Johnson	£50m	£50m
39=	John Paul Jones	£50m	£45m
39=	Kylie Minogue	£50m	£45m
39=	Van Morrison	£50m	£50m
46=	Jay Kay	£45m	£40m
46=	Bernie Taupin	£45m	£45m
48=	Mick Hucknall	£40m	£40m
48=	Sade	£40m	£40m
50	Sarah Brightman	£36m	New

In the 1993 Sunday Times Rich List, Paul McCartney was also Britain’s richest performer with a £400m fortune. There were 15 music millionaires, see below, in the 1993 Rich List which measured the wealth of the 400 richest people in Britain, with David Bowie ranked 15^th in the music list worth £20m.

The only two musicians to appear in the first Sunday Times Rich List of 200 names published in 1989 were Paul McCartney, who was worth £80m, and Elton John, with a £40m fortune.

THE SUNDAY TIMES RICH LIST 1993

TOP UK 15 MUSIC MILLIONAIRES

Excluding music company owners and producers

Music rank1993	Name	1993 wealth
1	Paul McCartney	£400m
2	Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber	£200m
3	Elton John	£120m
4	Mick Jagger	£90m
5	George Michael	£80m
6	Keith Richards	£70m
7	Mark Knopfler	£60m
8	Cliff Richard	£45m
9	Bernard Taupin	£35m
10	Dave Stewart	£30m
11=	George Harrison	£25m
11=	Rod Stewart	£25m
13	Bill Wyman	£24m
14	Phil Collins	£22m
15	David Bowie	£20m

Adele tops the 2013 Young Music Rich List, of entertainers aged 30 and under, see below, with a £30m fortune. With the continued worldwide success of her album 21, this is a 50% increase on the £20m fortune the Oscar-winning singer-songwriter topped the Young Music Rich List with in 2012.

New entries to the Young Music Millionaires Rich List, each worth £5m, include singer-songwriters Emeli Sandé, aged 26, Ed Sheeran, 22, and all five members of One Direction, Niall Horan, 19, Zayn Malik, 20, Liam Payne, 19, Harry Styles,19, and Louis Tomlinson, 21.

One Direction have become Britain’s richest boy band, with combined wealth of £25m. This puts them just £1m ahead of the combined wealth of the four members of JLS, Jonathan (JB) Gill, 26, Marvin Humes, 28, Aston Merrygold, 25, and Ortisé Williams, 26, who now share a total fortune of £24m, being each worth £6m.

THE SUNDAY TIMES RICH LIST 2013

YOUNG MUSIC MILLIONAIRES IN BRITAIN AND IRELAND

AGED 30 AND UNDER

Music rank2013	Name	2013 wealth	2012 wealth
1	Adele	£30m	£20m
2	Cheryl Cole	£14m	£12m
3=	Leona Lewis	£12m	£12m
3=	Katie Melua	£12m	£12m
5	Florence Welch	£9m	£7m
6=	Charlotte Church	£8m	£8m
6=	Jessie J	£8m	£5m
8=	Lily Allen	£6m	£6m
8=	Nadine Coyle	£6m	£5m
8=	Duffy	£6m	£6m
8=	Jonathan (JB) Gill	£6m	£5m
8=	Marvin Humes	£6m	£5m
8=	Aston Merrygold	£6m	£5m
8=	James Morrison	£6m	£6m
8=	Nicola Roberts	£6m	£5m
8=	Oritsé Williams	£6m	£5m
17=	Niall Horan	£5m	New
17=	Zayn Malik	£5m	New
17=	Liam Payne	£5m	New
17=	Emeli Sandé	£5m	New
17=	Ed Sheeran	£5m	New
17=	Harry Styles	£5m	New
17=	Louis Tomlinson	£5m	New

The 25^th annual Sunday Times Rich List – the definitive guide to wealth in Britain and Ireland – is published on April 21 in a special 104-page supplement, which profiles the 1,000 richest people and families in the UK and the wealthiest 250 in Ireland. The list is based on identifiable wealth, including land, property, other assets such as art and racehorses, or significant shares in publicly quoted companies. It excludes bank accounts, to which the paper has no access. This year, a £75m fortune is required to make it into the top 1,000 in the Rich List.

The Sunday Times Rich List 2013 is compiled by Philip Beresford, the leading authority on British wealth, and edited by Ian Coxon.

The Sunday Times Rich List

Katy Perry teams up with UNICEF and visits children in Madagascar

Posted on April 7, 2013 by Frostie

Beautiful and talented singer/songwriter Katy Perry has visited Madagascar to bring attention to the situation of children in the tropical island country, one of the poorest in the world and still recovering from a political crisis that began in 2009.

“In less than one week here in Madagascar, I went from crowded city slums to the most remote villages and my eyes were widely opened by the incredible need for a healthy life – nutrition, sanitation, and protection against rape and abuse – which UNICEF are stepping in to help provide,” Perry said.

“I am grateful to UNICEF for giving me the opportunity to see first-hand how their programmes make a real difference in children’s lives. Support for UNICEF is saving children, I am a witness to it.”

On her first visit in support of UNICEF, Perry saw a full range of programmes, from education, nutrition, health and child protection to water, sanitation and hygiene.

Beginning her trip in a slum area of the capital Antananarivo, she visited a child protection centre and met abused and abandoned children and young mothers receiving support and counseling. More than three out of four children in Madagascar live in extreme poverty, making them vulnerable to exploitation.

Most international donors have frozen development aid following the 2009 crisis, forcing the government to make drastic cuts in public spending and resulting in large parts of the population not having access to basic health care and primary education. Perry visited a UNICEF supported pre-school and a primary school built to enable children to go back to school.

At the Sahavola pre-school, 117 boys and girls between the ages of 3 and 6 receive a quality early education and learn the importance of thinking creatively and working collaboratively. They are also encouraged to participate in health and hygiene practices at an early age. To promote proper hygiene and sanitation, UNICEF constructed latrines and sinks at the pre-school, where Perry took in hand washing with the children.

The old village primary school, made from sticks and with a thatched roof, was destroyed by one of the tropical cyclones that hit the island every year. It was replaced by UNICEF with a solid, cyclone-resistant building.

Schooling rates in Madagascar are alarmingly low. Only three children out of every 10 who start primary school complete the cycle. Two-thirds of teachers have not received any formal training.

UNICEF and national school authorities are working to improve the situation through school construction and providing learning materials, training for teachers and supporting community action plans for education.

“An education is an incredible opportunity here. I visited a very remote community, where children and teachers walk for 45 minutes just to get to school. This is a testament to how appreciative they are about their education,” said Perry in the UNICEF- supported primary school in the village of Ampihaonana.

In the nutrition centre in Androranga village, Perry learned about UNICEF’s efforts to tackle another serious problem of the country – chronic malnutrition. Half the children in Madagascar are chronically malnourished, putting the country among the six worst in the world for chronic malnutrition.

Poor maternal nutrition, poor feeding practices and poor food quality contribute to the failure of these children to reach their full potential mentally and physically. The centre, run by a community health worker, identifies cases and works with village mothers to improve children’s nutrition, including focusing on the importance of exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of a child’s life.

Professor Green Performs at Barclaycard Contactless Gig with Fiancee Millie Mackintosh

Posted on March 25, 2013 by Frostie

Professor Green makes 2013 live debut at

Barclaycard Contactless Gig

One of Frost’s favourite couples were at the Barclaycard gig. Professor Green to perform, and Millie to support. The couple got engaged yesterday so congratulations are in order. Check out the cute outfit Millie is wearing.

Hundreds of Professor Green fans flocked last night to see the London-born rapper make his 2013 live debut with a storming set list which included favourites such as Remedy and Read All About it.

Professor Green said: “Being a London lad born and bred, I have been using public transport all my life so I was happy to headline the Barclaycard Contactless Gig which celebrates this new form of payment on London buses.”

Launch Party For Russian Week in London 2013

Posted on March 1, 2013 by Catherine Balavage

The Russian Week in London, Festival Maslenitsa

Frost went along to the amazing restaurant Mari Vanna to celebrate the opening of the Maslenitsa Festival, Russia’s cultural welcome to spring and celebration of pancakes. We greatly enjoyed the canapes and the drinks, including vodka infused strawberry juice. We enjoyed the presentation and talks about the up-coming Russian festival and were told to ‘drink in moderation’ by Boris Johnson. All in all, we had a great time and will be popping down to the Russian Festival. See you there.

The Russian Week in London, Festival Maslenitsa

FREE entry, 13:30–18:30, Saturday 16 March 2013
Trafalgar Square, London, UK

Zdravstvuj! (Hello!) What better way to welcome spring and banish winter than Maslenitsa, the Russian Sun
Festival. This Shrovetide feast before Lent is celebrated the world over with traditional Russian arts and
culture events and, of course, delicious Russian cuisine – including the iconic and delectable blini (pancake).

Organised by Ensemble Productions, London’s Maslenitsa festival has the backing of the Mayor of London
and Natalia Vodianova’s Naked Heart Foundation as official charity partner, and is the largest Russian
celebration of culture, art, music and food outside of Russia. The free event returns for its fifth year on
Saturday 16 March in Trafalgar Square from 13:30-18:30. Coinciding with Maslenitsa celebrations across
Russia, a live satellite link will allow audiences to share in the authentic festival atmosphere and exchange
cultural dialogue as well as highlight important links between the UK and Russia, with a particular emphasis
on the Olympic years of London 2012 and Sochi 2014.

Comments the Mayor of London Boris Johnson:

“I am delighted to give my backing to London’s Maslenitsa celebrations, a sure sign that spring is on its way. London has a large Russian population and this popular event is an opportunity to become immersed in the rich traditions and heritage of that great country. It also offers a taster ahead of Sochi 2014, which is now just a year away and I am sure will be a huge success. Int he meantime, whether you try a delicious blini, pirogi or chebureki, to our friends in Moscow and Russians everywhere have a fantastic Maslenitsa! Maslenitsa gulyaet – vesnu vstrechaet, zimu provoshaet!*”

The popular festival features a variety of activities for all ages including musical performances by Russia’s
leading musical talent, a children’s marquee with songs, competitions and games, and a bustling bazaar
organised by the Russian National Arts and Crafts organisation, with original Russian art, handicrafts and
souvenirs for sale.

Maslenitsa is also known as Pancake Week and there will be plenty of authentic Russian dishes to sample. In
addition to blini there will be other traditional staples such as beef stroganoff and borscht (beetroot soup)
as well as delicacies such as pelmeni (Russian-style pasta).

Maslenitsa 2013 will include, among others, a special visit by Eurovision Contest 2012 stars the Buranovskie
Babushki (Singing Grannies); performances by celebrated folk diva Nadezhda Babkina with her
contemporary take on traditional Russian sounds; young folk group Rodnaya Storonka who cover multiple
genres; the legendary State Academic Ensemble Berezka; the award-winning and innovative Bis-Quit
Quartet; charismatic and much-loved soul Russian artist Petr Nalich accompanied by his band; national
treasure Oleg Gazmanov and one of the most famous Russian rock bands of all time, Smyslovye Galuzinazii.

The festival comes at the culmination of the Russian Maslenitsa Week which includes satellite events across
the city of London. These include the exhibition Treasures of the Royal Courts: Tudors, Stuarts and the
Russian Tsars at the V&A, a culinary evening at Russian restaurant Mari Vanna, a Russia Literary Evening at
Waterstones and a performance by the vivacious Theatre Praktika. This year’s Maslenitsa festival will also see
the first winner of the Maslenitsa Prize for Song and Dance take to stage to entertain the crowds at
Trafalgar Square.

“Due to high interest from the public, the Maslenitsa Festival remains an extremely important cultural event
not just in the UK, but in Europe,” comments Olga Balakleets of Ensemble Productions. “Each year the
festival grows, allowing more and more people to learn about the modern face of Russian culture as well as
its rich cultural heritage.”

Maslenitsa also serves as a platform that fosters business and cultural links between the UK and Russia.
Commented Vitaly Nesis, CEO of Polymetal International, one of Maslenitsa’s event sponsors:

“We are delighted to be supporting the Maslenitsa Festival in London and providing the opportunity for more
people in the United Kingdom to see and experience a range of exciting Russian culture and social events.
As a company that has most of its operations in Russia and many of its shareholders in UK, we are keen to
see the relationship between the two nations prosper backed by thriving business and cultural cooperation.”
Added Dmitry Mints, Chairman of the Management Board of fellow sponsors, O1 Properties, “The
Maslenitsa festival offers audiences in the UK the unique chance to take part in this ancient Russian tradition,
and O1 properties is happy to support this cheerful event.”

A special VIP Gala Dinner will take place on 15 March at the Royal Courts of Justice. Tickets are available for
purchase from Ensemble Productions.

Russian Week in London, Festival Maslenitsa: Line Up

Tuesday 12 March
Culinary Evening
Mari Vanna
Situated in the heart of Knightsbridge, foodies have the chance to sample some of Russia’s spectacular
culinary delicacies, with a special menu curated by celebrity chef Alexander Rappoport.

Wednesday 13 March
Russian Literary Evening
Waterstones, Piccadilly
Book and culture lovers unite in Piccadilly’s iconic bookshop to immerse themselves in the English versions
of Russian best sellers, including a special theatrical performance.

Thursday 14 March
Craft Fair
Russian Culture Centre (Rossotrudnichestvo)
The Kensington High Street-based culture centre will host two sessions – a master class and children’s class
– to introduce DIY lovers to authentic Russian crafts.

Friday 15 March
Talk and tour of Treasures of the Royal Courts
V&A
Art and history fans can explore over 150 objects from Henry VIII to the early Romanovs, including royal
portraits, jewellery and luxury goods, as well as processional armour and heraldry, chronicling the close
relationship between the English monarchy and the Russian Tsars.

Saturday 16 March
Maslenitsa Festival
Trafalgar Square
A day of pancakes, music, art and live performances, this free fun-filled family day brings together people
from all walks of life in a celebration of the coming of spring and the wonderful cultural offerings of Russia.

Sunday 17 March
Edward Boyakov’s Theatre Praktika
Duke of York Theatre
Praktika’s mission is to reflect modern reality in all its complexity and address questions that are of burning
importance to contemporary society – hold onto your hats for the company’s iconic new theatre style and
vibrant energy.

Further information on venue details and event timings will be announced in due course. Updates, along
with a list of performances to take place on the main stage are available on the Maslenitsa Festival website
http://maslenitsa.co.uk/

For more information or to book tickets, call +44 (0) 20 8832 7424

The Russian Week in London, Festival Maslenitsa

Trafalgar Square, London
13:30–18:30
Free
Dates: 11 March 2013 – 17 March 2013

Naked Heart Foundation

Mayor of London, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Embassy of
the Russian Federation in London, Federal Agency Rossotrudnichestvo, Russky Mir Foundation,
Polymetal International, ICT Group, O1 Properties, Lycamobile

About the Naked Heart Foundation

It was the Beslan school siege in 2004 that motivated international model Natalia Vodianova to set up the Naked Heart Foundation. Desperate to do something to help, she had a simple idea – if the young survivors could be distracted by play for at least five minutes each day, it would help them to heal. Providing them with safe outdoor play facilities would redefine their city landscape and act as a form of therapy. The Naked Heart Foundation was set up in the same year, and in 2006 it completed its first play park, five minutes from where Vodianova grew up in Nizhny Novgorod. In 2009, 40 play parks and 30 Russian cities later, Vodianova had fulfilled her dream of giving the children of Beslan their very own Naked Heart play park. To date the charity has built 90 play parks and playgrounds and is now creating a network of family support centres to care for families raising children with disabilities. It also provides funding for dozens of Russian NGOs working in the field and holds an annual international Forum for child development specialists. In 2013 it will open its 100th site. For more information visit www.nakedheart.org or www.facebook.com/NHFcharity

BURANOVSKIE BABUSHKI (SINGING GRANNIES)

Buranovskie Babushki visit The Russian Week in London,

Festival Maslenitsa, 14 & 15 March

Translated as ‘The Grannies from Buranovo’ – or better known to us as the ‘Singing Grannies’ – Buranovskie
Babushki is an ethno-pop band comprising eight elderly, yet sprightly, women. After finishing second in the
2012 Eurovision Song Contest for Russia, the Grannies became an Internet sensation with more than 30,000
hits in less than a week. They will be visiting London in support of the Festival Maslenitsa and will be
attending the British Russian Gala on 15 March at the Royal Courts of Justice as part of the Maslenitsa Week.

The Grannies sing in their native Udmurt, and often surprise audiences by singing covers of Tsoi,
Grebenshchikov and The Beatles. The grannies are currently using their Eurovision money to help rebuild a
local church from their home town Buranovo.

Festival Maslenitsa: FREE entry, 13:30–18:30, Saturday 16 March 2013
Trafalgar Square, London, UK

Festival supported by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson
Official charity partner, Naked Heart Foundation, founded by model Natalia Vodianova
Free entry, family-oriented day of fun and special children’s marquee
Live satellite link between Moscow’s Red Square and London’s Trafalgar Square during festival
Bazaar featuring Russian culinary delicacies and traditional arts and crafts
Tickets to VIP gala reception available through organisers Ensemble Productions
Week of events preceding Maslenitsa Festival includes a literary salon at Waterstones and Russian
delicacies at Mari Vanna restaurant in Knightsbridge

BRIT Awards – Emile Sande, Ben Howard see social media surge, Muse get little

Posted on February 24, 2013 by Catherine Balavage

BRIT Awards – Emile Sande, Ben Howard see social media surge, Muse get little

New figures reveal that Brit Winners saw a significant rise in new social media fans following her win and performance at the BRIT Awards ceremony.

Emeli Sand, who picked up the awards for Best British Female and Best British Album, saw a 60% increase in the number of people choosing to follow her on Twitter.

According to figures released by Musicmetric, the global music analysts, in the 24 hours following the Brits Sande the number of people following Sande on social media increased by 100% to 20,000, compared with 10,000 in the 24 hours leading up to the awards ceremony. Her Twitter growth was the most notable with nearly 15,000 new followers compared to almost 9,000 the day before.

Sande wasn’t the only big winner at last night’s star-studded ceremony; relative newcomer Ben Howard who took home the prizes for Best Male Solo Artist and Breakthrough Artist saw a massive spike in his new social media fans with an almost 250% increase on the previous day. The singer saw the most substantial leap in his new Facebook fans jumping to nearly 4000 in the last 24 hours compared to 600 the previous day.

Growing popularity on social media was also reflected in the iTunes charts. Emeli Sande, Grammy winners Mumford & Sons and Brit nominee Jake Bugg have all seen their albums enter the top ten of iTunes’ UK album chart.

Devon glam-rockers Muse, in spite their performance with a 60-piece orchestra, did not see a significant increase in fan uptake. On the day of the Brits, Muse gained 12,000 new fans on social media platforms, compared with the previous week’s peak of 15,000 new fans on the 15^th February.

Gregory Mead, chief executive of Musicmetric, said:

“Awards ceremonies – like album releases, marriages, and deaths – have a big impact the online profile of artists.

“With more and more music fans are choosing to listen to and discover music online through social media and platforms such as Spotify, it is important that music industry bosses understand this activity in order to maximise revenue.”

Artist	New social media fans:Pre-Brits (Previous 24hrs: Feb 19^th-20^th)	New social media fans:Post-Brits (Last 24hrs: Feb 20-21^st)	Percentage change
Emeli Sande	8,737	27,433	213.99
Ben Howard	1,243	4,241	241.19
Muse	9,753	11,969	22.72
Adele	44,915	48,927	8.93

Anti-Social Media

Posted on February 22, 2013 by Catherine Balavage

New research from youth charity reveals youngsters are facing rising abuse online – but also that more and more are becoming trolls themselves

A third of young people (aged 14-18) have been trolled online in the last six months, with over a quarter (27%) of young people facing ‘regular’ attacks

A third of youngsters (29%) are shattered by these attacks and are ‘losing confidence’, with the majority of these messages about the victim’s appearance (40%) or religion and race (16%)

But almost half(47%) of victims keep the attacks secret as they don’t feel they can tell anyone

However, one in ten youngsters admit to being trolls themselves, with nearly a quarter (23%) admitting they find it funny, and almost a third (29%) doing it because their friends are too

A quarter (25%) want to learn about how to use social media correctly, with 38 per cent wanting to learn about it from the social channels themselves

The new Lolz not Trolls campaign is the latest Do Something UK action from youth volunteering charity vInspired. The Lolz not Trolls campaign gives young people the opportunity to make a positive pledge not to troll, as well as to share information on appropriate online behaviour with their peers by following a set of ‘netiquette’ guidelines, with the aim of making social media channels a happier, safer place

Celebrities supporting Lolz not Trolls include reality TV star Lauren Goodger, Hollyoaks actress Jazmine Franks, TV presenter Caroline Flack and singer Delilah

YOUNG people are battling a tide of vicious internet troll attacks, with almost a third (32%) falling victim to cruel online comments in the last six months, a shocking new survey from youth volunteer charity vInspired, as part of its Do Something UK initiative, reveals.

Worryingly, more than two thirds (67%) of 14 to 18 year olds received the vile messages from someone they know – shattering the myth that troll attacks are only perpetrated by strangers.

A quarter (26%) of the 2,000 youngsters polled said they face regular attacks and have been trolled ‘many times’ during the last six months.

But the research also revealed that a huge one in ten young people (9%) actually admit to being trolls themselves by sending negative or abusive messages to someone they know, while eight per cent admit to targeting a celebrity online in this way.

Worryingly, there is evidence of a ‘digital disconnect’ about trolling, with one in five (18%) thinking messages sent in cyberspace are less damaging than insults hurled face to face – and with 16 per cent claiming they didn’t think the messages would hurt the recipient and nearly half (49%) believing it’s ok to say things online that you wouldn’t to someone’s face.

However the majority of youngsters (60%) agree sending trolling messages is wrong. In fact, almost a fifth (17%) are adamant trolling is worse than bullying in person.

And over a quarter (28%) think that trolls send messages online due to the anonymity of their actions, with 30 per cent believing trolls are too scared to do it in person.

Shockingly, nearly a quarter (23%) did so as they thought it was funny, with nearly a third (29%) trolling because their friends were doing it too and almost a fifth (18%) because they thought the person ‘deserved’ it.

The comprehensive study shows that Facebook is the most common place for victims to be trolled, with 45 per cent of those who have experienced it having had abusive messages posted on their own walls, while 28 per cent are the subject of slurs posted on someone else’s.

Of those who are trolled, one in five (23%) receive the abusive messages on Twitter, a further one in 14 (7%) are attacked on YouTube and one in 20 (6%) are abused on their own or on another person’s blog.

While the majority of messages (40%) denigrated a victim’s personal appearance such as their weight, 16 per cent focused on the victim’s religion and race. One in ten (8%) were even aimed at getting (boyfriends or girlfriends) friends to break up with the victim.

Almost a quarter (22%) rubbished pictures posted by the victim while one in 20 (5%) posted snaps the victim did not want to share. And in a sinister twist, one in 40 (3%) admit they have been blackmailed by a troll over intimate pictures.

The effect of the electronic messages is devastating, with almost a third (29%) of youngsters receiving them confiding they had ‘lost confidence’ after the attacks.

One in five (19%) felt they could ‘no longer trust those around me’ while 12 per cent admitted that they felt alone.

SO, in order to combat this rising tide of trolling, vInspired has launched a new campaign ‘Lolz not Trolls’, aimed at educating young people on the effects of their attacks and help them to learn how to behave correctly online.

Social media expert Professor Mark Griffiths, who is working with vInspired on the Lolz Not Trolls campaign, said the phenomenon is growing as more youngsters grow up in the digital world.

He defines trolling as: “An act of intentionally provoking and/or antagonising users by posting inflammatory messages in an online environment with the aim of provoking an emotional response from who the message has been sent to.”

But despite the wave of troll attacks engulfing the internet, young people feel there is very little help or guidance for how to tackle trolling.

Half (50%) of those questioned don’t know where to go for more information on trolling, with 38 per cent wanting to learn more about the issue from social network channel themselves, such as Facebook and Twitter.

A quarter (25%) are desperate for a comprehensive guide on how to use social media correctly, with 24 per cent asking for information on how to support victims of trolling and 26 per cent wanting to know where to go for support if they are being trolled.

The Wanted, Pop band

“Through the years we have met a lot of fans, ranging from all ages around the world. It would be horrible to think that these young people are becoming the victims of trolling, or are even trolling themselves. We’d like to encourage people to sign up to the Do Something campaign and pledge their support through the Facebook page.

Show that you can make a difference!”

Delilah, musician

These days if you are a teenager, the chances are that you have been born and brought up with a computer and you will know exactly the impact that things like trolling have on web users. Log onto Facebook and pledge your support to be more positive online!

Jazmine Franks, Hollyoaks actress currently going through a Trolling storyline

I recently had first-hand experience on Hollyoaks of exactly what trolling entails as my character Esther was pushed to try to commit suicide due to both on and offline bullying – it’s an awful situation for anyone to find themselves in. Thankfully many instances of trolling aren’t as severe but it’s not an experience anyone should ever have to go through.

In the 21st century, bullying doesn’t just stay in the playground, it follows you home to your computer and it’s getting harder to escape being victimised.

It’s surprising how many young people don’t realise that what they write is sdo hurtful and the impact they have on the recipient. This is why the vInspired’s Lolz not Trolls Do Something campaign is so important – educating young people on how to behave online and empowering them to stand up and be counted against the trolls. This is why I urge you to pledge your support and sign up to take the pledge online at www.facebook.com/DoSomethingUK to be Lol, not Troll and help make the internet a happier, safer place.

So to help youngsters become aware of correct online ‘netiquette’, vInspired, together with Professor Griffiths, have created a downloadable guide on the top ‘dos and don’ts’ for using social media, with all the tips crowd-sourced from youngsters themselves.

This guide is available from the campaign Facebook page where youngsters are also encouraged to sign up and take a ‘pledge’ to ensure they use social media correctly:

·       Look at what I write before I post – recognise how it might make someone feel
·       Own what I write – take responsibility for what I say
·       Live online the way I live offline – treat others how I would want to be treated

vInspired has also created a ‘Trolling under the Bridge’ experience at Waterloo’s IMAX underpass to show people the real effect that negative messages can have on people.

On 22nd February, displays of real life trolling messages will be projected and written on the walls of the underpass and people’s mood and response to these being measured to show the impact these do have.

Professor Mark Griffiths, Director of the International Gaming Research Unit at Nottingham Trent University, said: “The ability to remain anonymous online can lead to people saying what they may not in person over social networking channels. Young people need to understand the consequences that these comments can have, and it’s important to teach them how to use social media correctly, to make the internet a safer and happier place.”

Terry Ryall, CEO at vInspired, said: “We have all heard of cases where youngsters have harmed themselves due to troll attacks – so writing a trolling message isn’t harmless fun, it’s potentially deadly. Our aim isn’t to attack the trolls, but instead to get young people to do something positive and pledge not to be a troll themselves, abiding by the ‘netiquette’ guide we have created.

“Through our campaign ‘Lolz not Trolls’ we are hoping to make a real difference to the way young people behave – and are therefore treated – online. We are encouraging all young people to sign up to our campaign page on Facebook – www.facebook.com/DoSomethingUK to take a positive step towards making the internet a more secure and enjoyable experience for everyone.”

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