Make yourself a cuppa scrape the icicles forming on the inside of your windows and listen to what we have for you from now til New Year

... and if you don't pay us a visit, we'll make that the carol singers visit you!

On Friday we have the STAND UP CINEMA CHRISTMAS PARTY

In true demonstration of the Rising Sun's festive spirit, this month's Stand Up Cinema is absolutely free – our little present to the cinemagoers of Reading!

Our main feature is Vincente Minnelli's MEET ME IN ST LOUIS

Vincente Minnelli's classic musical stars his future wife, Judy Garland, as a young St. Louis girl in love with the boy next door. Set in St Louis at the turn of the century, this is a valentine to the charms of American idealism, echoed by a superlative score, which includes such classics as ‘The Boy Next Door’, and the old favourite ‘The Trolley Song’ with all its merry zings, dings and clangs and featuring ‘Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas’ just to set the tone for the festive season. Unashamed hokum but great fun.

We're open at 7.30, and if you're planning on coming please arrive early as space will be limited!

Continuing the theme, Saturday sees us pay host to a festive edition of BAND-O-RAMA.
 
Band-O-Rama’s seasonal wassail looks something like this

SIX NATION STATE
Living local legends. They used to number five,but they now number four.  John their bass player quit,this time last year.  They signed to Jeepster, released their super/special/sexy debut album. Which everyone who purchased it, loved it to pieces. They toured their collective feet off.

They received acclaim in abundance from XFM, Radio 1, Dermot O’Leary and Jonathan Ross. Six Nation State used to play 250+ gigs in a year, not only in traditional venues but also adding shows at their fans' request in homes, schools, offices and even the Avon canteen

Their record label went bust. Most of the band moved to London.  They are still living the dream. They have been recording most of 2009. They coming out the studio to play a one off at their favourite Reading venue-that being Rising Sun Arts Centre
www.myspace.com/sixnationstatetheband

SIXTY WATT BAYONETS
Four young kids from centre of Reading.Lead singer Penny is a History school teacher by day, punk banshee at night. Their shows are becoming legendary. Penny spends the whole gig in the crowd, singing and dancing-in your face! Sixty Watt Bayonets were selected by Radio 1 to play Reading/Leeds Festival this year.They were the only Reading band to play the both festivals this year. They released their debut record in the summer and it was picked up by XFM, Radio 1 and BBC Radio Berkshire. The printed media said.

"Penny Bayonet’s powerful vocals drive the band’s sound, underpinned by a tight disco-punk stomp, that draws equally on fuzzy, eccentric garage rock." - Rock Sound
 
"the ability to write songs that make you want to shimmy your ass, wave your fists and shake your head like a rabid Chihuahua fresh out of a washing machine." - Kerrang!
 
"UK ladies with pipes are old news, but Penny Bayonet is no Adele. Her shouting and wailing has a depth even Beth Ditto can’t beat. Backed by an all-out rocknroll band, Sixty Watt Bayonets are intense to the point of exhausting." - www.venuszine.com
www.myspace.com/sixtywattbayonets

MIDIMIDIS
Local 8 Bit punks.This two piece do not sound like anyone else on planet earth. Championed by XFM;Radio 1. 2010 should be their year.
www.myspace.com/midimidis

We'll be open at 8pm and entry is a paltry £6 on the door, or £5 with a flyer or via www.wegottickets.com

As you can imagine, we'll be a little quiet for a few days, but don't forget that in two week's time we have the CLUB VELOCITY NEW YEARS EVE PARTY

DOLLY AND THE CLOTHES PEGS, OFF THE RADAR and DAMIEN A PASSMORE will be providing the music

Even if we say so ourselves, last New Year was insane!! This will be too, so you might want to turn up early!!!

We'll be open at 8pm and it'll cost you no more than £6 to get in

That's finally all from us for 2009, and it just remains for us to say

Indeed so!  So much so, in fact, we have a weekend that's packed with events, and time is rather short,so without any further ado,here's what we have for you in our humble abode this weekend...

On Friday, we welcome back THE BIG UNTIDY NIGHT OUT

Evenin' All!

Before I regale you with what we have for you this weekend, you might be interested to know we have a 1920's Charleston Dance Class happening tonight!

It's really good fun and easy to learn. You can also use the steps you have learnt at our Tea Dance happening on Sunday 29th.  It starts at 8.30 and it'll only cost you £5. 

And of course, there's also another class following on next Thursday at the same time.

This weekend we have something special from THE OUT TO LUNCH CLUB

The next performances in the Out to Lunch programme are very special events. Both are tributes to Pete Hay by artists and musicians who knew and collaborated with him and shared his interests in the secret landscapes and histories of Reading.
 
The first is on Friday and is a performance of the piece ‘A LANDSCAPE OF CHARMS AND MACHINES’ written by Tim Hill and commissioned by the Rising Sun.

The piece was premiered here month and is a beautiful work which draws on the composers experience of the same waterways and landscapes which inspired Pete Hay.

We're pleased to tell you that this performance is taking place in St Laurence's Church in St Mary’s Butts, an iconic Reading Landmark which featured in Pete’s work.
 
The music is a powerful piece and this is a great opportunity to hear this new work in surroundings not often used for presenting this kind of work.
 
The performance starts at 8.00 pm. And costs £10. 
 
Then on Saturday, Out to Lunch bring you two events.

In the afternoon, we have an illustrated lunchtime talk about the work of Pete Hay. The talk is free and it takes place at 2pm

And then, in the evening we'll be hosting a perfeormance of CHARMS AGAINST JACKALS.

This is another tribute to the late Pete Hay, painter, print-maker and the driving force of eclectic publishing house Two Rivers Press for many years.

Pete was devoted to Reading and its many neglected treasures be they people, places or ideas.

'Charms Against Jackals' is an evening of music and text. It incorporates field recordings made by Jonathan Coleclough around Reading's waterways; the Kennet, Thames and Holybrook, as well as sounds made from the flint stones that are found throughout our local environment, processed electronically into a soundtrack for hidden landscapes.

During the performance poet and author Geoff Sawers will write a narrative which will be projected onto the walls for all to read. Poet David Greenslade will read some of his poems. And composer and saxophone maestro Tim Hill will play a variety of horns.

We'll be open at 8pm and it'll cost £7 on the door. (The performance starts at 8.30)

That's all from us for another week!  Til next time...

Hello again!

It just happens that we have an extra event to tell you about, it's on Sunday morning and it's caled BOOKFACE

Bookface is a celebration of the unconventional book!

And as well as the chance to buy a wide range of books, and creations from a local artist or two.  We'll also be bringing you artist demos, live poetry to name but some, and much more.  However, if we told everything that was happening at Bookface, we might still be here on Sunday!

Why not have a look at the link to find out a little more

It's a great opportunity to see something you don't often find in Reading these days.  We'll be open from 11am, and it won't cost you anything to get in!

And now, I'm going back to bed...

I've had flu for the last couple of nights, which is why this little missive from us to you has been delayed again.

Anyway, I've get off my deathbed to tell you what we've got for you down the Rising Sun this weekend.

This very evening, we bring you CLUB VELOCITY

Our pals at Velocity HQ bring you another fantastic evening of live music, and the bill looks a little like this

THE WOOKIES
Prog hippy nonsense from the Oxford Road,Reading. Championed by Steve Lamacq and Stuart Maconie (6 Music) Anyone dressed up as a forest gets in free. No hippy trees though. They released their debut single earlier this year.It features their classic ditty "In The Forest".

HALF RABBITS
One of the biggest bands in Oxford, if not the biggest of the decade. They can easily sell out Oxford Carling Academy. They have not played Reading for quite a while, they only play for Club Velocity because they know which side of bread is buttered.

So do Rolling Stone, who took a break from talking at great length about bands that sell shedloads in the US, but nothing over here to say we should expect great things!

QUIET QUIET BAND
Heartwear Process 'super' group in debut show shocker! Paul Smith and Jay Newton feature, with a couple of metal teenage sexy kids!?! So what do they sound like i hear you ask. Well they are the missing link between Low, Broken Social Scene and Modest Mouse.

It is however, our solemn duty to inform you that they dont sound like Steel Panther

We're open at 8pm, and it's only £5 to get in or £4 with a flyer.

On Saturday, we bring you a HALLOWEEN FRIGHTFEST

We are getting together on the eve of All Hallows to celebrate all things creepy and not quite alive anymore.  We're open from 6pm.  Expect some scary storytellers, a spot of cabaret, and much more

Sunday sees another offering from THE OUT TO LUNCH CLUB

The next particular presentation is its a real treat for anyone who appreciates high quality cutting edge Jazz.
 
Tony Bevan, a member of legendary drummer Sunny Murray's European trio, has turned the lumbering bass sax into an amazingly agile source of improvised magic (his tenor sax is pretty hot as well) . For this gig he’s joined by Dominic Lash, whose recent exploits include touring with The Convergence Quartet and debuting a trio with English improvising pioneers John Butcher and John Russell. Boston-based Joe Morris is a brilliant but unflashy (and thus criminally under-valued) guitarist with a totally distinctive approach, built on fleet single-note lines and a great use of space. Australian drummer Tony Buck has an especially high profile through his membership of The Necks. and the ‘deep listening’ he displays at the heart of that cult trio makes him the ideal man to anchor this amazing band.

This is a great chance to see some incredible musicians and playing of the the highest quality.

We're flinging our doors open at 8pm, and it's a paltry £7 to get in.

With blood beginning to collect on my palms and visions of St Francis dancing in my eyes, it's time for me to bid you farewell...

Unfortunately I've been catching up with some old episodes of The Sweeney the past couple of evenings, so bear with me a second while I hit pause...

This weekend at the Rising Sun, we have something special for you.

Tonight, tomorrow and Sunday we are proud to be playing host to the READING EXPERIMENTAL FILM FESTIVAL

It's a full weekend of experimental filmmaking. Through the movie scope this year we have submissions, retrospectives, installations, commissions, live performance, new work, music to film, from local, national and international artists. 

Tonight features a part-retrospective, part-retrospective from filmmaker MATT HULSE, and also music from THE FORM GROUP

Tomorrow features a selection of films from the 1970s to the present day including such filmmakers as PETER GIDAL, DAVID HALL, ANNE REES-MOGG, ROSALIND NASHASHIBI, JAYNE PARKER, TANYA SYED and CHRIS WELSBY.

There's also a performance made specially for REFF by GUY SHERWIN and LYNN LOO including a UK Premiere and featuring Guy's seminal piece "Man With Mirror"

Sunday sees a screening of "KARPOUZIAAA" by MARK AERIAL WALLER, films from REFF Bursary Winners EMMA HART, WAI YAN CHAN, KIRK PALMER and SIMON RAVEN.

There's also open submission screenings from filmmakers including EMMA CHARLES, MICHAEL DAY, DAUN CHUNG, KIRK HENDRY, SAM HOLDEN, ANNA MALNI, FARAH MOHAMED, CHRISTPOHER STEEL and MIKE TAYLOR.

Opening Times and prices vary, for full details have a look at www.reff.biz

That's us done for another weekend, I'm about to get back to watching some seventies policemen drive a car through a pile of cardboard boxes...