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Blast BristolYou are in: Bristol > Blast Bristol > Having a Blast at the Harbour Festival Having a Blast at the Harbour FestivalBy Blast reporter Tim Joyce 91热爆 Blast is a showcase for young creative talent, and at the 2007 Bristol Harbour Festival the 91热爆 Blast tour bus was on hand to help young people take part in a number of exciting workshops. Severe rains had been forecast for Sunday, 29 July, so it was a great relief to find the听 expected storm had blown itself out overnight, and that the third day of the festival was a perfect example of the British summer. Arriving at the waterfront, I headed down to the Mud Dock, where Blast on Tour and partner organisation REMIX were vying for attention with a gaudy funfair. The Blast on Tour bus is a state-of-the-art digital studio, and travels the country helping young people who come along to the road show 鈥渕ake it for real鈥. The bus and its staff were bathed in glorious sunshine as I arrived to check out the programme of events for Sunday, and Vivienne Gaskin, Blast on Tour event coordinator, took me around the site and the Blast tour bus itself. The Blast workshops were very busy 鈥淢ost of the workshops we're running have been really popular,鈥 she said, showing me a group working on the film project, an event which had been fully booked on the Blast website. Using the equipment available in the tour bus, and under the guidance of the Blast mentors, the students story board, film and edit their own composition, all in the space of just one day. Also inside the truck, I caught up with Tony Briscoe, the man in charge of Blast鈥檚 music production workshop. Tony has worked with artists such as Craig David and Beverly Knight as a producer and songwriter, but today it was the four aspiring music producers in the workshop who had his full attention. 鈥淲e had a really great mix today鈥, he explained. 鈥淥ne guy did a kind of ska-flavoured piece, and another did a cool urban/R 'n B thing. We even had one who was doing some great filmic influenced stuff, so it was cool to hear those different sounds.鈥 I managed to hear the work of one of the artists, before he headed home with his work burned on a souvenir CD. Jacob described his song, The World Won't Listen, as sounding like, 鈥渁 punk playing with Led Zeppelin鈥 really stadium rock guitars, but still all about not being listened to, being disaffected鈥. Working hard at Blast on Tour 鈥淭he kid is just a genius鈥, enthused Tony, after the very modest Jacob had left the truck. 鈥淗e played it all in himself, did all the effects, everything you hear. With ten minutes left to go, he said 鈥楬ave we got time for vocals?鈥, and then he just grabbed a pen and started writing!鈥 鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely a really great form of expression for him鈥 he doesn't do anything like this at home, he plays the clarinet, and he鈥檚 only just getting into the keyboard.鈥 In the Blast marquees outside the studio, rising dance stars Messy Jam were instructing a group of teenagers in Hip Hop dance, incorporating the students鈥 own styles with their professional hints, and creating a routine to be performed on the REMIX stage later in the day. In the afternoon, there was a chance for young people to learn how to be a Bhangra DJ, with DJ siblings Judge and Deluxe. 鈥淲e got involved with this through the Asian Arts Agency,鈥 said Judge, as I tore him away from the decks. 鈥淲e're showing people how to do beat mixes, drop mixes, and basically just showing them how to mix Bhangra.鈥 Spoiled for choiceThe Blast on Tour event offered such a great mix of workshops and activities that the young people attending really were spoiled for choice. Operations manager, Mark Rackstraw said 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a fabulous event, we've had a great turnout, our workshops have been full, and to be honest, it鈥檚 a massive relief to do a Blast event in the dry!鈥 As Blast closed its doors with all the workshops completed and the early evening sun still beating down, I headed next door to the REMIX stage, to catch the headline act Pinstripe, and leave the Blast crew to their three hour rig-down. Sorry guys! Josh of Pinstripe on the REMIX stage Pinstripe, four 16 and 17-year-olds from Shepton Mallet, have already built up a following, and a sizeable crowd had gathered to watch their performance. Unlike many young bands, these South West boys have developed a sound very much of their own, surprisingly mature and fully-formed considering their age. Front man Josh Thorner certainly has the cheekbones and indie-disco moves behind his keyboard to justify superstardom and thankfully, he has the voice to match. Current single Innocent showcased his range, and many of the crowd sang along enthusiastically. The tightness of the band's live performance is testament to their tremendously dedicated work ethic. After coming off stage at 5.45pm, they were heading off to another festival in Plymouth for an evening performance. 鈥淎nyone coming?鈥 guitarist Louis quipped. 鈥淕rab a taxi. Josh is paying.鈥 With a plethora of gigs on the horizon, hopefully it'll be easy for you to catch Pinstripe live soon. With a show as tight as Louis' jeans and a sound that more than backs up the hype, you've got to get 'em while they're young. last updated: 03/08/07 You are in: Bristol > Blast Bristol > Having a Blast at the Harbour Festival |
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