Well, of course I know you’ve only just come back from your summer holidays (did you go somewhere nice?) but the nights are drawing in and we do like having something to look forward to.  And we all know how quickly the festive season comes around and smacks us on the back of the head, when we realise we have made no plans, we haven’t booked a band, we haven’t even thought about a venue and everyone at the office is asking “so, where’s the party this year?”

Of course, it’s not just a case of looking in Yellow Pages, closing your eyes and stabbing an entry.  You’ve got to make sure it’s a memorable night (for all the right reasons) and your future career might depend on it.  We asked a few people for their take on what signifies that a party is in trouble:

1. The ‘few brief words’ that the Boss wants to share with you all after the dinner requires a PowerPoint presentation, projector and slides.
2. Your sneak peak at the table plan tells you you’re seated between the IT nerd and the company’s Health & Safety expert, both of whom will be keen to share their expertise.
3. Management make a decision to ban alcohol from the Christmas party this year – a nice fruit punch will be so much more refreshing….  Could this have anything to do with the debauched shenanigans at last year’s do?
4. The ‘live music’ turns out to be Sid from Despatch (on keyboard) with his wife, Shirl, doing an excruciating Carpenter tribute.
5. The theme this year is ‘Inner Child’ and you’re all expected to display your baby snaps in 10 x 8 format.

So our advice is get ahead of the game, book your Christmas party now and everyone will want to be your new best friend.  Bring your party to our Party at this year’s Rock with Laughter, the glorious VIP experience in the ‘Backstage’ Party Pavilion.  Not only do you get VIP parking and VIP access to the arena show, you actually walk past the backstage area, the artists’ “Green Room”, the dressing rooms and everything!  Just the other side of the partition Jimmy Carr is tweeting his hilarious one-liners, Dara O Briain is warming up that delicious Irish voice, Sarah Millican is deciding which of the puddings is beautiful enough to join her gallery of pud pics on her website, Marti Pellow is telling everyone that Love is all around us, Gabrielle is asking for just a little more time and 10cc argue that none of them are in love, you know………

Well, what’s the deal, I hear you say?  You may well ask.  Here’s the thing, you don’t have to go to all the trouble of researching the best place to go for the best Christmas party – we’ve done it all for you and created the whole shebang.  All you have to do now is book your place.  Who knows, it could result in that promotion you’ve been hoping for, your partner may propose at long last and your aged aunt may leave you all her worldly wealth.  Or not.  If nothing else, you’ll have had a blast.  And you don’t have to organise a huge number of people to be eligible for this stonking Christmas outing – 2 people or 200, you’ll all be most welcome.

To reserve your place at THE party of 2011, go to the website – www.rockwithlaughter.com/party-packages or call the delightful Rock with Laughter Hospitality Team on 01527 894000.  We hope to see you there – oh and just like the BBC, we must say that other parties are available – they just won’t be as much fun as ours!

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Out of the hundreds of applicants who sent in their demo tapes, the choice was narrowed down to three finalists and there was absolutely no hesitation in picking Emma Skipp as the winner – her voice was quite simply amazing and she was a truly worthy Star.  On the opening night, she looked perfectly at home out there on that huge stage.  Her stunning vocals didn’t disappoint, she absolutely held the audience in her hand, and if she enjoyed it half as much as we did, she had a pretty fabulous time.  The VIPs at the glamorous ‘backstage’ party had a very welcome surprise when Emma also performed on the party stage later that night, together with X Factor finalist, Niki Evans, and the dance band TopCatz, entertaining the guests until the early hours.  That was some party.

So, where is she now?  Well, you’ll all be pleased to know she’s out there, performing her music as a fixture on the Midlands gigging circuit.  However, what you might not know is that since Emma’s appearance on RWL, she has also made a single with The Enemy, ‘No Time For Tears’ in 2009, and the album reached number 2 in the charts.  (The ‘Hit Parade’, for those more mature members of our audience…..)  Emma toured the UK and Ireland with the group and even appeared on the Jonathan Ross Show – ooh, get her!  Then with hardly a pause for breath, she was asked to perform backing vocals for the Ocean Colour Scene album ‘Saturday’ which also took her touring all over the UK, including a performance at The Royal Albert Hall, a first that stands out in her memory of all-time greats.  (After Rock with Laughter, of course.)

“My Dad, always my Dad,” she said, fondly.  “He had worked at the NEC since it opened!”  (Actually, I think they built it around him.)  He and Emma’s Mum nearly burst with pride when they saw their little princess on the arena stage, performing to 10,000 people.  When asked to describe the experience, Emma said  “Surreal, overwhelming.  My Mum said to me ‘remember this moment, no matter what you do, nothing will ever compare to this first time’ and she was right, of course.  Even singing at Wembley didn’t come close!”

Emma is a prolific writer of her own music and lyrics; trying to describe her style is evidently quite tricky:  “I’ve been asking myself the question recently.  It’s pop music, but not bubblegum, it can be almost folk, but not like traditional folk; the electric set is more lively, more soulful.”  We think it’s great music for all seasons, but that’s just our opinion.

Has winning the competition actually changed anything for Emma?  “Absolutely,” she said, enthusiastically.  “Before the competition I was with my band, learning the hard way and business was tough, I was at quite a low point.  Winning the competition, performing at such a terrific show, put me back on my game, gave me confidence to keep at it.  It has certainly paid off!”

We asked Emma what advice she could give to the millions of other young people, hoping and dreaming of making a career in music.  She was a little cautious and diffident, not wanting to sound pompous (as if!) but she thought about it and said:

“I would go the hard route, get in a band, learn an instrument, even if it’s only enough to help you write music, get out and play, do everything that’s offered to you, as a singer, do session work for producers and studios, get to know other bands and people involved in the industry.”  One other nugget of advice occurred to her:  “Oh, don’t let it rule you, have other interests, it will keep you sane.”  Emma certainly has other interests – she has just picked up her BA Hons in Philosophy and Creative & Professional Writing - not just a pretty face, you know.

We’re looking forward to catching up with Emma backstage at this year’s Rock with Laughter shows, but who is she most looking forward to seeing on stage this year?  “Gabrielle, of course.  What a legend.”

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Sarah Millican

Gabrielle

“If we aren’t supposed to eat animals, why are they made of meat?”  She asked and really, nobody had an answer for that.  But one of my favourite JB quotes is “Birthdays are nature’s way of telling you to eat more cake.”  I can’t help thinking that Jo and Sarah may have more in common that we realised.

Of course, that was the year that Elkie Brooks joined us, too.  A fantastic, timeless and stunning performer, I just wished we’d had more show time for her huge list of
hits.  Mind you, as long as she belts out ‘Pearl’s a Singer’ we’re happy, aren’t we?  I hear that she’s out on tour again this autumn, so I might just catch up with her later in the year when she swings by our neck of the woods.

Looking at the list of performers, we realise just how male-dominated the summer shows were – The Manfreds (all chaps) Jasper Carrott, Lenny Henry, The Blockheads with Phill Jupitus (not a feminine form amongst them) and the Bootleg Beatles – gosh, an excess of testosterone all around the tents!

Perhaps we need a bit of Girl Power here – how about commenting on the Rock with Laughter Facebook page with your favourite female performers.

Rock with Laughter is at the LG Arena Birmingham Friday 16 & Saturday 17 December 2011 – more artists to be announced.

info@highfieldproductions.com

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Jimmy Carr – “a comedy hero for our times”, according to The Guardian, and they know these things.

Dara O Briain – one of Britain’s most in-demand comedy performers.

Sarah Millican – well, according to those incredibly perceptive people at The Guardian again, “she can make a room rock with laughter” – how apt!

Marti Pellow with his band, his only UK concert performance this year, playing the hits we know and love.

Gabrielle and her band -  her only UK concert performance this year – remember those fantastic hits, Out of Reach, Rise, If You Ever…..

10cc – those iconic numbers – Dreadlock Holiday, Rubber Bullets, Art For Art’s Sake and, of course, I’m Not In Love.

And there’s more – watch this space, sign up to the mailing, and keep an eye on the website – www.rockwithlaughter.com – for more news when the next announcement is made.  Not only can you buy show tickets via the website, you can upgrade and join the fun at the VIP ‘Backstage’ Pavilion Party (live music from The Subterraneans) and make a night of it with our special hotel deal at Hilton Birmingham Metropole.  Put it in your diary – Friday 16 and Saturday 17 December, but get your tickets NOW.

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10 facts to amuse and startle you this Christamas.

1)  A real Turkey
Before Turkey the traditional Christmas meal was a pig’s head with mustard
Ed:( what no Cranberry sauce? )

2) Come home to a real fire
The Yule Log is a tradition that dates back hundreds of years. The Yule Log on TV is a relatively new tradition for those who have no fireplace to burn their own log. WPIX in New York has broadcast 24 hours of a burning fireplace on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day since 1966.
Ed: (at last something interesting on TV for Christmas)

3)  A Christmas drummer boy
For his sixteenth Christmas special in a row, legendary singer Bing Crosby wanted to sing with a young star. As he was on a concert tour of London, someone suggested 30-year-old David Bowie, who was then one of Britain’s more offbeat glam-rock artists. Bowie happened to be a huge Crosby fan, so he jumped at the chance. In a segment filmed on September 11, they sang “Little Drummer Boy,” which was perfect for Crosby’s crooning, but as Bowie’s voice was higher, he also sang Peace on Earth as part of the same number. Bing was impressed by the “clean-cut kid” and gave him his phone number. Sadly, the crooner died a month later, giving extra poignancy to the special when it was shown in November.

4′) Speedy Santa
Scientists in the United State have calculated that Santa would have to travel at 650 miles a second and visit 822 homes every second to deliver all the worlds presents.
Ed: (So that would be how many mince pies a second…?)

5) Bring back Christmas
Christmas was banned for thirteen years between 1647 and 1660 by Oliver Cromwell after the the English Civil war.

6) Just like the ones I used to know
The biggest selling Christmas single of all time is White Christmas by Bing Crosby with more than 50 million copies since 1942.
Ed: (I think I’ve got most of those on my Christmas compilation CD’s)

7) Christmas day at the Palace
The Queens Christmas speech was first broadcast in 1957

You must eat your greens
More than 15000 tonnes of Brussell sprouts are bought at Christmas, and we all eat on average, 14 each.

9) Let your fingers do the talking
On Christmas day we send more than 60 million text messages
Ed: (Merry Christmas Orange, O2, Vodaphone……..!)

10) Finally, talking Turkey..
The worlds biggest Turkey weighed in at a massive 86lbs. It was sold for £4,400 in 1989.
Ed: (And  they’ve still got some in the fridge)

So as Rock with Laughter draws nearer, we can reveal that we have a few surprises, and all will become clear over the next 2 nights. We take this chance to say we hope you have a great time at Rock with Laughter so sit back, relax and enjoy the show.

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Did you know that Alan Carr, our cheeky, tongue in cheek comedy specialist holds a BA (Hons) degree in Drama and Theatre Studies, graduating from Middlesex University.

Alan has also been awarded 3 LAFTA awards, 2006 & 2007 LAFTA’s Funniest Double Act (with Justin Lee Collins) and also in 2006 LAFTA’s Funniest Entertainment Show for The Friday Night Project 2005.

Whilst walking along Blackpool pier in 2006 with Lional Blair, they came across a man hanging by his fingertips from the pier. They pulled him to safety, effectively saving his life.

Alan’s dry out-spoken sense of humour has gotten him into trouble more than once, saying he could “slap Lily Allen”  for cancelling on his show Chatty Man at short notice, and that he was brought up in Britains most boring town ( Northampton ) .

Alan is the son of former professional footballer, Graham Carr, so does this mean when he gets bored of comedy……?

Jo Brand‘s early career in stand-up comedy began when, after ten years as a psychiatric nurse she was persuaded by an agent to go into comedy. She was part of the British alternative comedy movement, working in London alternative comedy clubs, where she acquired the stage name “The Sea Monster”.

One of her most unforgettable TV appearances was in 2009 when she participated in Let’s Dance for Comic Relief, another Comic Relief fundraiser, dancing as Britney Spears, reaching the final.

Jo once told posh girls/fashion-bullies Trinny and Susannah where to go after being wrestled to the ground by the TV Style gurus.

Our favorite quote from Jo is “With two small children, I haven’t had a wash since 2001 so the chance to go shopping is way down the list”

This years Rock with Laughter has a host of stars to brighten your Christmas and is a fantastic mixture of Comedy and Music. Taking place at the LG Arena on the 10th and 11th of December it promises a night to remember.

Tickets are going fast so get along to Ticketmaster to book your places now. Why not treat yourself to one of our VIP packages and get pampered, go on it’s Christmas.

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When Lenny Henry appeared on the show last week he discovered Rachel’s hidden past of being a stand up comedienne, so he invited her to be part of the warm up for Rock With Laughter. She’s agreed to take up the challenge but as the nerves take over she is looking for some support from you – and not just to watch her but to actually join her on stage!

So who thinks they are funny enough to do a five minute set?

Open mic auditions will be under way very soon to look for the best of the West Midlands comedy talent from all of our hopefulls who have registered to take part, watch this space for more….

See what happened when Lenny met Rachel ….

Visit Heart, the station for the West Midlands

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It was a difficult job picking the winning entry out of the hundreds received – we kept laughing too much!

However, one joke stood out above all the great laughs and so congratulations to Jayne Foulks, originally a Brummie but now residing in sunny West Sussex, who won her pair of prime position show tickets to the opening night of Rock with Laughter.

A well done to everyone who entered – it was a shame we could only have one winner.

Jayne’s joke was – A Russian couple were walking down the street in Moscow one night, when the man felt a drop hit his nose. ”I think it’s raining,” he said to his wife. ”No, that felt more like snow to me,” she replied. ”No, I’m sure it was just rain,” he said. Well, as these things go, they were about to have a major argument about whether it was raining or snowing, when they saw a Communist Party official walking toward them. ”Let’s not fight about it,” the man said. “Let’s ask Comrade Rudolph whether it’s officially raining or snowing.” As the official approached, the man said: ”Tell us, Comrade Rudolph, is it officially raining or snowing?” ”It’s raining, of course,” he replied, and walked on. But the woman insisted: ”I know that felt like snow!” to which the man quietly replied “Rudolph the Red knows rain, dear.”

A close contender was Gary Leonardi with: – A sausage, a piece of bacon and a fried egg walk into a bar. The Barman says “I’m sorry, we don’t serve breakfasts.”

Thank you all for taking the time to enter the competition and better luck next time to those who didn’t win this year.

For more promotions and extra bits for Rock with Laughter why not sign up for our blog. You never know you could be joining us as a guest as well.

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Yes the XFactor is back this year with Simon Cowell, bless him, along with Louis Walsh, Cheryl Cole and Dannii Minogue. Gathering together once again a host of expectant singers all chasing the dream. Well why not, now in series 7, the XFactor has produced many  stars and a fair share of the talent has appeared here at Rock with Laughter.

Way back in 2006 we had Ray Quinn strutting his stuff on the Rock with laughter Stage. Ray, runner up in the Xfactor series 2, wooed our lady members of the audience with his crooning and swing-style of singing and just last year went on to win Dancing on Ice 2009 after receiving a perfect score of 60/60.

Rock with Laughter 2007 saw Niki Evans taking to the stage, after an invite from Jasper Carrott, our host  at the time. Niki, a local girl from Tamworth in Staffordshire, started her career at the age of 16 when she was signed to Libido Records, an off shoot of Pete Waterman’s PWL Label.

Niki went right through to the XFactor semi finals and Sharon Osborne said she was “in a class of her own”. Niki is back on tour in 2010 and this Christmas is in pantomime as The Fairy Godmother in Cinderella at The Wolverhampton Grand Theatre.

So will there be an XFactor finalist in this years Rock with Laughter? Who knows?
The best way to find out would be to book your tickets now.

Rock with Laughter at the LG Arena, 10th & 11th,  December.
Book your tickets online now

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