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Aerial spectacular over Southampton (From Daily Echo)
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Aerial spectacular over Southampton
11:59am Monday 29th June 2009
IT was an evening of free entertainment that brought hundreds of people into Southampton city centre.
The bizarre sight of colourful drummers playing 40 metres above the city streets which were then lit by a firework display has been hailed a huge success for organisers and spectators.
And now city leisure chiefs say the Midsummer Dreams show at Guildhall Square could be just the start of a series of similar events.
International street dance acts, plays put on by local schools, open air theatre, light shows and orchestral performances are among the events that could soon hit Southampton streets.
Hundreds gathered to see the show which marked the creation of the city’s cultural quarter.
Having worked up a pulsating beat among the crowd street performers and a trapeze artist ascended into the night sky.
As the event ended with rapturous applause, residents told the Daily Echo this was just the kind of show needed to revive the city’s neglected art scene.
It had been organised by the city’s Nuffield Theatre and funded by Southampton City Council.
John Hannides, council boss in charge of leisure, culture and heritage, promised this will be the first in a programme of events.
He said: “For too long Southampton has been punching under its weight as far as culture and heritage go.
“The plan is to bring exciting events to the city to help develop emerging talent and create something the city can be proud of.
He went on to say the national Cultural Olympiad on July 24 to 26 would be a chance to showcase what Southampton has to offer.
The programme is still being discussed but it may include art exhibitions, street theatre and a celebration of the city’s maritime and aviation history.
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Your Say YourEcho
gorf, Southampton says...
12:23pm Mon 29 Jun 09
Maybe should give us some advanced notice next time too
seany1966, southampton says...
12:30pm Mon 29 Jun 09
EchoElation wrote:couldn't agree more.... would loved to have gone to this , never saw any advertising for it .. Come on Southampton City Council get off your overpaid ar5es and promote this city and all its worth while events.. You cant rely on hear say all the time..
Why on earth wasn't this pulicised??? What an awesome event, hundereds attended? Should have been THOUSANDS! Another poor show by Southampton City Council. YOU NEED MORE COMMUNITY EVENTS ADVERTISING!! When will you get the message? Stop selling all the JC Daveraux Advertising spaces to burger king and the latest perfumes, and get some space to advertise local stuff! Take that huge pillar at the top of the pedestrianised zone, it's just two massive commercial ads repeated twice each! I think there should be a policy that says any public advertising space should feature a space for local events. Especially in Southampton where there are NO designated places to post bills for events, and RUBBISH turn outs to all the amazing events we have (i.e. Access Festival in Mayflower Park, Freerange Festival on the Common and now this!) Sorry, but Southampton desperatly needs to loose the low-risk high profit mentality and start getting wise to promoting the city as a happening place. Rant over...
Tom Bargate, Southampton says...
12:54pm Mon 29 Jun 09
Well, why did the council cancel the balloon and flower festival? Why does Southampton no longer stage international yacht races? What happened to the music festivals involving schools and bands around the city and a concert for orchestra and fireworks at the Sports Centre?
And if Councillor Hannides is keen on culture and heritage, why is he selling parts of our award-winning art collection?
Even, Gosport can manage a successful music festival.
Ian24, Sholing says...
12:56pm Mon 29 Jun 09
I have not been to the centre for some years and its like a ghetto with derelict buildings and mess everywhere. Is this really the place for a cultural quarters? The drummers were great though.
Jonny7oma, Bitterne says...
12:58pm Mon 29 Jun 09
Keith Oftergrass, Portswood says...
1:05pm Mon 29 Jun 09
I for one was pleased that with the turnout of decent people without the usual riff-raff you get comign along to other events.
TumbleWeed, Bitterne says...
1:06pm Mon 29 Jun 09
THEKILLER, SOUTHAMPTON says...
1:41pm Mon 29 Jun 09
EchoElation, Southampton says...
2:31pm Mon 29 Jun 09
The one form of advertising that actually works.
Little P, Totton says...
3:22pm Mon 29 Jun 09
THEKILLER, SOUTHAMPTON says...
3:41pm Mon 29 Jun 09
EchoElation wrote:I would have thought that a leaflet to your home would have been perfect! There were posters in the city, outside the guidhall and in the the shopping arcades.
Posters my friend, posters.
The one form of advertising that actually works.
iamlouis23, Totton says...
3:50pm Mon 29 Jun 09
THEKILLER wrote:Southampton maybe, but not the neighbouring towns. I live in Totton and I never got one. I never saw any adverts on TV, I don't listen to any local radio stations (mainly because there aren't any good ones!) and only go on this website for the football.
EchoElation wrote: Posters my friend, posters. The one form of advertising that actually works.I would have thought that a leaflet to your home would have been perfect! There were posters in the city, outside the guidhall and in the the shopping arcades.
Posters are the main form of advertising, and if posted around Southampton City centre and inside shops and the West Quay, would have attracted a much bigger audience - thousands instead of hundreds!
If the Council is reading this, advertise the next event better!! Simple as that. I would have loved to go, and know many others who would have too!
MRP999, Southampton says...
4:42pm Mon 29 Jun 09
soton1980, Southampton/Winchester/Fareham says...
5:29pm Mon 29 Jun 09
BRING BACK THE BALLOON FESTIVAL!
http://www.facebook.
com/home.php?ref=hom
e#/group.php?gid=629
34096810&ref=ts
Boris Remmington, Wellow says...
6:02pm Mon 29 Jun 09
Its not the Elgin Marbles !
Chakka Khan, Chakka Khan, Soton says...
6:03pm Mon 29 Jun 09
Didn't know it was on.
Chakka Khan, Chakka Khan
gj1023, Colden common says...
6:43pm Mon 29 Jun 09
beaudog, portswood says...
6:51pm Mon 29 Jun 09
I LOVED IT
robfishman, Chandlers Ford says...
7:12pm Mon 29 Jun 09
dbuxey52, Southampton says...
7:36pm Mon 29 Jun 09
Southampton and his wife were there. Good show.
Derek.
MrGMan, Shirley says...
8:38pm Mon 29 Jun 09
Er it was on a poster site outside the bus stop by Sainsbury's in Shirley for a start and I saw it on posters in the centre too.
For those that live in Totton, you don't come under Southampton council so how can it advertise then in your area. Do you want my council tax to go on paying for any advert outside your house?
Quite Frankly, Southampton says...
11:15pm Mon 29 Jun 09
SouthamptonBusDriver, Southampton says...
11:30pm Mon 29 Jun 09
MrGMan, Shirley says...
1:53pm Tue 30 Jun 09
1)Big Poster on the round poster site outside waterstones and JD sports that has the clock on it
2)Big poster outside Marlands and outside Nationwide
3)Big poster opposite the square balloon
4)Big poster on civic centre road
5)6 different posters along Shirley High St / High Road
By the way, a lot fo the sites are now advertising tyhe free ashes cricket on a big screen, I thought I would mention this as I wouldn't want the one person in the city to miss all the posters to miss out!
H.BEAR, Right side of river says...
12:57pm Wed 1 Jul 09
Hythe, hythe says...
11:41pm Wed 1 Jul 09
Aerial spectacular over Southampton
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EchoElation, Southampton says...
12:15pm Mon 29 Jun 09
When will you get the message? Stop selling all the JC Daveraux Advertising spaces to burger king and the latest perfumes, and get some space to advertise local stuff! Take that huge pillar at the top of the pedestrianised zone, it's just two massive commercial ads repeated twice each!
I think there should be a policy that says any public advertising space should feature a space for local events.
Especially in Southampton where there are NO designated places to post bills for events, and RUBBISH turn outs to all the amazing events we have (i.e. Access Festival in Mayflower Park, Freerange Festival on the Common and now this!)
Sorry, but Southampton desperatly needs to loose the low-risk high profit mentality and start getting wise to promoting the city as a happening place.
Rant over...