IN PRAISE OF...DOCKSIDE DANDIES

The Dockside Dandies were 1960s young fishermen who had created their own stylish fashion, unique to the seaside town. For fifty years this piece of cultural history had remained hidden until artist Peter Wylie researched the phenomenon and brought together a town wide exhibition of the fashion and the men who created it.

What enthuses me about this endeavour is that it has involved so many people in Lowestoft, from students and staff at Lowestoft College to Burtons Menswear, who have a new reproduction of one of the Dandies colourful suits in their High Street window.

The exhibition can be found across seven locations in the seaside town – from the Library and Tourist Information Centre, to the Maritme Museum and Lowestoft College. Photography, art work, accompanying texts, the remade suits, a film and audio recordings of the fisherman today build an entire picture of youth culture in this once busy port town.

Peter Wylie's exhibition, funded by an Arts Council Lottery grant, shows the value of our history as an artistic, cultural and educational source to explore in the present.

Paul Hobb's created a short film of the Dandies, which was showing in the Library on my visit. Two gentlemen were hot in discussion about Teddy Boys, Mods and Rockers on the East Coast in the early 1960s as they watched the film. As the loud colours and feminine lines of the Dandies' suits flickered in front of them, one said: “Of course, you'd never pick a fight with a Dandy. They were tough.”

The exhibition continues until 31 July.

HURRICANE HIGGINS DIES AT 61

Alex "Hurricane" Higgins has died at the age of 61. Even the best of the newspapers consider his dying, when it was his living that utterly changed the game of Snooker. The history of Snooker is interesting, for it was always a tension between the hierarchy of its control at the top level and the firebrand sleaze of the working class snooker hall feeding it.

From a poor Belfast home, Higgins struggled up the hard way to transform Snooker from a laborious game of strategy to a fast, dynamic pursuit close to art. The "Hurricane" forged a way forward for the aspirations of kids who had nothing. Unlike running round a track or kicking a ball, Snooker is the balance of the body in response to the sponteniety of the mind based on hour upon hour of practice around a grand table built for hotels and grand homes. Higgins made that table look small and exciting with the spin of the cue ball, exact positioning, restless and frantic speed, and lightning responses.

He was a Hurricane.

MILESTONES JAZZ CLUB, AUGUST

EAST ANGLIAN GUITAR MASTER PHIL BROOKE AT MILESTONES JAZZ CLUB

This month's concert at Milestones Jazz Club on Sunday 1 August features the East Anglian master guitarist leading his on band - The Phil Brooke Quartet.

Guitarist Phil Brooke has long been the first choice of both local musicians and visiting stars for his tasteful, intelligent playing and sympathetic accompaniment.

But here is a rare opportunity to hear him leading his own band through a programme of standards that explore the rich harmonies, winding lines and direct styles of his main influences - Barney Kessel, Tal Farlow and Joe Pass.

Originally from Leeds, Phil is a classically trained musician who is at home in a wide range of styles from the traditional jazz of The Vintage Hot Orchestra to working with modern stars like Alan Barnes and Digby Fairweather.

As well as being an excellent musician, Phil is also a respected teacher and arranger on a number of recording sessions.

Joining Phil at this concert will be trumpet virtuoso Ray Simmons. Well known as an orchestral musician, he was not only the principal trumpeter with the Royal Philharmonic for nearly two decades performing with some of the world's leading musicians but also a prominent instrumental professor, notably at the Guildhall School of Music.

The band’s full line-up features Phil Brooke (guitar), Ray Simmons (trumpet), Ivars Galenieks (double bass) and Brian McAllister (drums).

Listen to Phil Brooke's music at http://www.milestonesjazzclub.co.uk/coming.htm

All Milestones gigs are held on the first Sunday of every month and take place at Hotel Hatfield, Esplanade, Lowestoft with the doors opening at 8pm.

Admission - £7 / £6 (concession).

NB Milestones Jazz Club takes place in a basement room that requires the use of stairs. If you have a disability please contact milestonesjazz@hotmail.co.uk or (01502) 568684 for more info and help in entering the building.

IN PRAISE OF... POPIN CAFE, GREAT YARMOUTH

Somehow, the traditional cafe has survived the recession - many recessions - and supermarket cafes, high street department store cafes and the "chains" of Pizza Hut and McDonalds.

Dumbed down by the dummer-downers of the "chain" profiteers, one thing this country can be proud of are our independent "greasy spoon" caffs.

"Greasy spoon" is long gone. Most independent cafes offer four things McDonalds & co cannot match: great service, cheap meals, excellent healthy food and incredibly diverse menus. Best of these is Popin, Great Yarmouth. You'll find this fabulous cafe in The Arcade. EVERYTHING you could wish for - and so fresh and clean. The caff to visit.

RECYCLING, TESCO-STYLE?

Pete is an unassuming kind of guy. He recycles carrier bags as carrier bags. That is, they are re-used. Recently, he ran out of used carrier bags and took some from Tesco's recycling box. The police were called and he was verbally cautioned that his action was theft.

So, Tesco are getting YOU to recycle your old plastic carrier bags with them, in order to make profits from "recycling" rather than re-use!

The whole point of a bag is to be able to use it over and over again, rather than send it to be melted down to make new ones! Of course, if Tesco can sell this plastic by the tonne, they not only get new bags cheap but make a profit from blocking re-use.

If Tesco dispute what I'm saying, they can get in touch. And they can let Pete re-use OUR carrier bags!!

LOWESTOFT

GERALD NASON EXHIBITION

'Off The Wall Picture Cards' by Gerald Nason

Halesworth Gallery, Suffolk

Saturday July 31 to Wednesday August 18 11am to 5pm (2-5pm Sundays)

GAIETY - DOUBLE BILL, NORWICH

A Crude Apache double bill commissoned by Norwich Pride to celebrate the run-up to it's the second LGBT Proud year!

This is a FREE event (donations of course welcomed/encouraged) however space is limited so its best to call the Crude Apache Hotline to pre-book:
0775 870 3766. If you get voicemail, please leave a m...essage. If you cannot get through, email joannayorke@hotmail.com with
*Name under which your party is booking
*Number of people in your party
*Night you wish to attend.

Gay Play by writer/director Chantal Schaul.

This camp and flamboyant new comedy in one act takes you from doctor's surgery to erotic garden and on to medieval torture dungeon, meeting some truly grotesque characters along the way.
- Will Derrick ever come to terms with his sexuality?
- Will Toby find his one true love?
This "Everyman's" journey with a difference is sure to delight.

And, after the interval:

For Adults Only: The Weimar Years by the Crude Apache Broadcasting Corporation.

The new live show, destined for the sleazy clubs and stages of 1930s Berlin, features sketches and songs by Beverley Nichols, Lady Kitty Vincent, and of course, darling Noel Coward.
Constance Tidge, Angus McBride, Magda Staarsgard, Octavia de Lacey, Harry Humbolt, Sydney Goldberry and the irrepresssible force of nature that is Bunny Allthrop are all back to delight you, musically supported as ever, by the Red Hot Seven!
But, there's many a slip twixt cup and lip and final rehearsals in Blightly don't quite go according to plan...

Come all, t'will be riotously fun, and support Norwich Pride!!

CABARET DERZ, SOHO

My favourite poet KM Dersley - 'The Derz' - is taking off again, in new ways, with a performance reading at a new Soho Cabaret

You can find this poet's website and MySpace on the links - right.

Hey, this is A Car Boot Sale!

These bootless beauties (or "booties" as Norfolk folk insist - get it?) turned up at the Aylsham "late one" on Saturday. They're fabulous but where do they put their booty booty?

Others arrived on four wheels

At least some arrived in four wheeled vehicles at today's Brands Lane car boot. Or, in this case, "on" four wheels. A seriously old tractor ("trakka," they say in Suffolk)

And look who's driving!

Fat Bear!