BBC Proms (aka Bribery, Corruption and The Hit Parade)

Keen followers of this blog will remember last week´s Hit Parade interview, 1987 vintage. Julian Henry, now a PR bigwig, has charged one of his many minions with the task of bribing me thus: publicise the BBC Proms and none other than Mr Henry himself will deign to engage in idle chit chat with this very blog.

Being weak of will, easily impressed and seeking content, I have agreed. I know that few of my 44 loyal readers will, if it is indeed possible, think less of me.

So, before the Proms information, should any of you have questions you´d like Julian to answer for a 2007 vintage interview, please send them in. Right, those Proms then:

Five days, eight venues and more than 80 artists

Kaiser Chiefs and Mark Ronson to perform at the 2007 BBC Electric Proms

The BBC today revealed the first of more than 80 artists who will be performing at the 2007 Electric Proms. Confirmed for this year’s five day festival are Mark Ronson and Kaiser Chiefs both of whom will be staging unique collaborative performances for the crowds at The Roundhouse in Camden and for those watching and listening on the BBC.

Taking place from October 24th to 28th, BBC Electric Proms is specifically designed to create new moments in music. Each performance seeks to create something different. It may feature collaborations between new and established acts or new material performed for the first time. Whatever the artists decide, audiences are guaranteed to see and hear something truly memorable.

Mark Ronson and guests with the BBC Concert Orchestra

Mark Ronson will be performing reworked tracks from his hugely successful album “Version” featuring very special guests including Lily Allen, Terry Hall, Santo Gold, Candie Payne and Tim Burgess.

Kaiser Chiefs via David Arnold

Post punk rock heroes Kaiser Chiefs are linking up with legendary Grammy Award winner David Arnold. Arnold, famed for his work scoring James Bond films, will be taking a brand new approach to the arrangement and performance of some of the band’s biggest anthems.

He said “Hopefully, under the umbrella of the Electric Proms, we can throw away the rule book of what you can or can’t do with a rock band and a bunch of musicians that you may not expect to see on stage with them."

SOIL & “PIMP” SESSIONS with Jamie Cullum

Uber Japanese club jazz band SOIL & “PIMP” SESSIONS will be performing with piano maestro Jamie Cullum for a night of musical mind expansion in The Roundhouse’s Dr Marten’s FreeDM Studio.

Sigur Rós – Film and performance

Elsewhere in Camden, at Cecil Sharp House, will be the UK Premiere of Heima - a new film by Sigur Rós. Heima, meaning both 'at home' and 'homeland', is a cinematic and musical feast, providing an insight into one of the world's shyest and least understood bands. The band will also give a unique stripped down acoustic performance of their music.

Sigur Rós: Heima is just one of a collection of music films that will be screened at The Roundhouse during the Electric Proms.

A tribute to Lal Waterson

The music of one of folk’s greatest heroines, Lal Waterson, will be celebrated at Cecil Sharp House as part of Folk Night at the Electric Proms. Featuring performances from Norma and Mike Waterson, Martin and Eliza Carthy, Lal’s work will be performed by those who knew her best at London’s spiritual home of folk.

Electric Proms on the BBC

Further artists and performances will be announced in the next week. The festival can be viewed and watched via a number of different platforms on the BBC:

Radio – There will be live and recorded broadcasts from all areas of the festival on BBC Radio 1, 2, 3, 1Xtra, 6Music, The Asian Network and World Service.

TV – Highlights from this year’s Electric Proms will be screened on BBC Two with additional performances available to Freeview, satellite and cable customers via their red button interactive service.

Online – Complete performances will be available to watch for a week after the festival along with photos and interviews at bbc.co.uk/electricproms

Full listings information will be available on the Electric Proms website shortly.

Festival Director Lorna Clarke said, “I am delighted that the first artists on this year’s line up have embraced the central challenge of the Electric Proms – to create new moments in music. I know that they will give our broadcast audiences across the country something truly special.”

There will be further additions to the line up revealed on 10th September and tickets will be on sale from midday 12th September. For further ticket information and TX details please visit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/electricproms
BBC Electric Proms information hotline: 08703 333 432