Friday, April 29
* THREE, an exhibition featuring work by installation artist Vicki Kerr from New Zealand, moving image artist, poet and musician Heather Phillipson, and photographer Michelle Sank, at ABERYSTWYTH Arts Centre gallery to May 21.
* MOJO FESTIVAL, free holiday weekend music event with Pete Keeley and Slow Burner playing tonight at The Vaults, BISHOPS CASTLE. There’s more on Saturday and Sunday including Dirty Ray, Electric Blues Reaction, Blues Boy Dan, and Rubee and the Rockets.
* JON CROWE & EDDIE GARTRY, live music at the Castle Hotel, BISHOPS CASTLE.
* SPARC GALLERY, work by three local painters on show during April at the BISHOPS CASTLE venue.
* MID WALES ART CENTRE, following the official opening of the Stefan Knapp Sculpture Project and the 1921-96 Lifetime Retrospective Exhibition of the artist Stefan Knapp, who would have been 90 this year, on to the end of May at the CAERSWS gallery and grounds (pictured right).
Other sculptures in the grounds include works by Ambrose Burne, Dave Wade and Jean Lawley-Maitland. Open Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, 11am to 4pm. Also open bank holiday Monday.
* BORDERLINE BLUES BAND, at the White Horse Inn, CLUN.
* CLARE LOVELL, the Monmouthshire artist’s exhibition at ERWOOD Station Craft Centre and Gallery to May 12. Open seven days a week with free admission.
* MUSEUM OF MODERN ART WALES, exhibitions at the MACHYNLLETH gallery comprise the new exhibition by Bruce Cardwell on to April 30; plus the new Royal Cambrian Academy exhibition; the Montgomeryshire Society art competition winners; and “Love Dogs” by Stephen West.
* NEUTRIX, at the Lowfield Inn, MARTON.
* IAN PHILLIPS, new exhibition by the artist who produces lino prints and lives near Machynlleth, on until May 25, at the CountryWorks Gallery, MONTGOMERY.
* ORIEL DAVIES GALLERY, new “Placement”: Ceramics Connections Wales and Scotland” exhibition, explores the narrative possibilities of ceramics through material, form, history, image and context, at the NEWTOWN venue.
Also open in the TestBed space in “Aggregates” by Jonathan Anderson who works with natural materials such as sand, soil and coal as a way of reconnecting with the living world.
* EUROPEAN UNION CHAMBER ORCHESTRA, featuring violinist Nicola Benedetti, at Theatre Severn, SHREWSBURY.
* INSPECTOR GADJO, award winning border gypsy jazz group, at the High Street Wheatsheaf, SHREWSBURY.
* STIFF WITNESS, local border band at the Dun Cow, SHREWSBURY.
* SHREWSBURY INTERNATIONAL CARTOON FESTIVAL, annual event continues with things going on including the the S-mile-athon Cartoon Trail on to April 30; the “Personal Bests: Celebration of Athletic Prowess” exhibition at the Bear Steps Gallery until May 6; and the “Joking for Gold” cartoons by Giles inspired by the Olympic Games 1948 to 1988, exhibition at Shrewsbury Museum and Gallery to May 15.
* SHREWSBURY BOOKFEST, on to May 2 with visiting authors including Arlene Phillips, and Steve “Astrosaurs” Cole, plus this Saturday Andrew Fusek Peters from Lydbury North launches his new “Ravenwood” book at 2pm at Shrewsbury School Ashton Theatre. Visit www.shrewsburybookfest.co.uk for full details.
* JACQUI MCSHEE’S PENTANGLE, the classic British exotic folk band in latest Stone Circle gig, at WORTHEN Village Hall. If you have had quite enough of the Royal Wedding why not spend the evening in the company of a fabled British folk band in the latest Stone Circle gig.
The theme song to a popular BBC TV series entitled “Take Three Girls” gave the original Pentangle a hit in the 1960s, but the band was more respected for having a line-up that included some of the era’s most exciting young acoustic guitarists like Bert Jansch and John Renbourne.
With Jacqui McShee on vocals the band’s 1969 album “Basket of Light” was a landmark and Pentangle became a major name on the British folk crossover scene.
In the mid 1990s Jacqui put together a new Pentangle to record and tour playing a mix of old and brand new compositions. The line-up includes one of the country’s most respected drummers Gerry Conway who was in the last of the original Pentangle line-ups as well as with Fairport Convention; Stephen Couzens on keyboards and vocals, regularly tours the world with Joan Armatrading; and bass player lan Thomson, a long-term member of the John Martyn Band. Newest member is Gary Foote on sax and flute, a multi-talented musician who has played drums as well as sax on Joan Armatrading’s world tours. Together they play an exciting and eclectic mix of folk, blues, jazz and world music.
With support by the guitarist, songwriter, author and playwright David Hughes.
Saturday, April 30
* MID WALES CHAMBER ORCHESTRA, acclaimed violinist Marcia Crayford leads soloists in music by Britten’s Simple Symphony; Michael Berkeley’s Meditations; Shostakovich’s Pieces for Strings Octet; and Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings, at Theatr Brycheiniog, BRECON.
Also at ABERYSTWYTH Arts Centre on Sunday, May 1.
* AMP FESTIVAL, all day music event for young musicians in the Boars Head Yard, BISHOPS CASTLE.
* PLAYING FOR DANCING, fifth of 10 TASC weekly music workshop days for eight to 18 year olds, from 10am at St John Ambulance Hall, LLANDRINDOD WELLS. Focussing on playing music for dancing to provide opportunities for children and young people in Mid Powys. Leading to creation of a band to perform at a community event later in the year. Visit www.tradartsupport, org.uk or call Philip Freeman on 01686 688102, or Helen Wilding-Smith on 07772 697401.
* GREEN MAN FESTIVAL, traditional bank holiday weekend event at the border village of CLUN, starting tonight with the electric folk band Sheelanagig at the Memorial Hall with local folk trio Flaxenby,
Sunday afternoon in Clun Square will include live music from Parti Gungrog, Morris dancing, “The Swords of Chivalry, the Clun Mummers Play, and much more. Eddie Gartry and Blues State UK play at the White Horse Inn and Rhythm Thieves at the Sun Inn at night.
Monday is the big day including the battle on the bridge re-enactment between the Green Man and the Frost Queen, with the May fair at Clun Castle including folk music from Whalebone, wandering characters Hodman and Sally, and Morris and maypole dancing.
* MORRISTON RUGBY MALE VOICE CHOIR, with guests harpist Alecs Peate, tenor Edryd Williams, and soloist Angharad Lewis, in grand annual Hospice Support Group concert at St Mary’s Church, LLANFAIR CAEREINION.
* COR MEIBION DYFI, at LLANFIHANGEL-YNG-NGWYNFA Village Hall.
* PAUL HASSETT, playing Irish, folk and blues music at the No.46 Wine Bar, PRESTEIGNE.
* THE DRIFTERS, playing some of their biggest hits at Theatre Severn, SHREWSBURY.
* CELLO MUSIC BY CANDLELIGHT, with Graham Walker at 6.30pm, followed by the Boscastle Busker at 9pm, at St Chad’s Church, SHREWSBURY, as part of the St Chad’s Music Festival weekend.
Sunday, May 1
* MARK BROWN, Hereford musician plays at the Red Lion, LLANFAIR CAEREINION.
* ACCESSIBLE ART 4 ALL, new local community arts group as part of Newtown History Day with art displays and workshops, live music, and the chance to have a go at clay modelling and adding to a tapestry of the day’s events, in NEWTOWN Park.
* STEADY EDDIE & THE BOOGIE MEN, at the Royal Oak, PRESTEIGNE, with free admission.
Monday, May 2
* ”THE NEW MAN, Four Exercises in Utopian Movements” presented by LIGNA is a performance without actors and stage at ABERYSTWYTH Arts Centre tonight and on Tuesday, May 3 at 4, 6 and 8pm. Dispersed in the theatrical space, the players listen to a radio play, that not only deals with the four aesthetic positions, but proposes gestures and movements according to the different blueprints of the new man.
* ACOUSTIC NIGHTS, singers and songwriters welcome at the Golden Lion Hotel, LLANDYSILIO, every Monday and Wednesday.
* ”A FOOT IN THE DOOR”, opening night for Richard Harris play by Newtown and District Amateur Dramatic Society, with performances at the Powys Theatre, NEWTOWN, at 7.45pm every night to Saturday, May 7.
* STORIES WITH WINGS, BRAVE GIRLS & CELTIC KINGS, presented by Milly Jackdaw and musician Ailsa Mair Hughes, at 2.30pm at Theatre Severn, SHREWSBURY.
* TONY CHRISTIE, concert tour date celebrating 50 years in music and the release of his new “Now’s the Time” album, at Theatre Severn, SHREWSBURY.
Tuesday May 3
* HEARTSONG COMMUNITY CHOIR, weekly meetings include the Outdoors project with National Theatre Wales and Berlin’s theatre-makers Rimini Protokol, meeting at the Court Royal Hotel at 7.15pm revealing stories of each choir member on the streets of ABERYSTWYTH.
* NEWTOWN MALE VOICE CHOIR, weekly practise on Tuesdays with new members welcome at the United Reformed Church at 7.30pm.
Annual celebrity concert will be at Newtown Baptist Chapel at 7.30pm on Sunday, May 15, with the Three Welsh Basses - Tom Evans, Trebor Evans, Sion Goronwy, with their accompanist Eiron Owen. For more information ring secretary Enid Morgan on 01686 626894.
Wednesday, May 4
* ”RUN JACK RUN”, debut performance the latest musical, storytelling show by The Magical Illuminarium, based on the story of Pennant Melangell, at ABERYSTWYTH Arts Centre. Featuring cellist, singer and composer Ailsa Mair Hughes and fiddle player/multi instrumentalist Pixy Tom.
* “DESIRE LINERS”, Sherman Cymru present Ian Rowlands’ new play at ABERYSTWYTH Arts Centre. Wryly funny and heartfelt, it is a lyrical portrayal of the journey of one man around Wales.
* POTTERY CLUB, new season starts at the Mid Wales Arts Centre, CAERSWS, from 7pm with all ages and abilities welcome.
* ACOUSTIC SESSIONS, informal folk, blues and jazz every Wednesday from 8.30pm at the Elephant, LLANIDLOES. Musicians welcome.
* COR MERCHED MALDWYN, Montgomeryshire Ladies’ Choir, meets at 7.30pm on Wednesdays at NEWTOWN Evangelical Church. Next concert at LLANDYSSIL Church on Saturday, May 14. Contact secretary Ruth Hamer Jones on 01686 6213191.
* ”THE BARBER OF SEVILLE”Swansea City Opera present the Rossini opera, at Theatre Severn, SHREWSBURY.
Thursday, May 5
* “SERIOUS MONEY”, Walking Exploits presents Caryl Churchill’s surreal take on the power of money and the struggle between morals and personal greed, directed by Mathilde Lopez, at ABERYSTWYTH Arts Centre.
* ”TIDE TABLES”, spanning arts/science boundaries, the play tells the story of one woman’s midlife beach holiday where she finds herself stranded with an acapella vocal group and a mysterious lifeguard, at ABERYSTWYTH Arts Centre.
Also coming to Theatr Brycheiniog, BRECON, on Tuesday, May 10.
* GUILSFIELD SINGERS, rehearsals at 7.30pm every Thursday at the Old School, GUILSFIELD. Working on next concert at St Mary’s Church, WELSHPOOL, on May 14. Call 01938 559612.
* BUTTINGTON MUSICAL THEATRE COMPANY, first rehearsal at the Chelsea Lane Baptist Church, WELSHPOOL with a showing of a DVD of the musical “Carousel” which will be this year’s production to be staged from November 9 to 12 this year.
The company is keen to attract both existing members and also any new singers/actors who have not worked with BMTC before. Contact this year's producer Pat Edwards on 01938 811063.
Friday, May 6
* HORRIBLE HISTORIES, Birmingham Stage Company return to present “The Ruthless Romans” at 7pm tonight and at 2pm on Saturday; and “The Awful Egyptian” at 7pm on Saturday May 7, at Theatr Brycheiniog, BRECON.
Saturday, May 7
* HALFWAY HOUSE MALE VOICE CHOIR, in concert at BELAN Old School near Welshpool.
* MONTGOMERYSHIRE COUNTY MUSIC FESTIVAL, the massed choirs and soloists soprano Megan Llewellyn-Dorke and baritone Jeremy Huw Williams perform this year’s concert at LLANIDLOES Community Centre at 7.3pm, to include the world premiere of “The Gentle Earth of Wales” conducted by the composer Patrick Larley. Contact choir secretary Charles Gratrix on 01686 411028 or email cvgratrix@yahoo.co.uk
* SIDNEY NOLAN TRUST SCULPTURE PROGRAMME, Open Day including taster sessions from 10am at the Grain Barn, Rodd Farm, PRESTEIGNE. Visit www.sidneynolantrust.org