Capstone Programme Highlights

By Joe Coventry

The Capstone Theatre bills itself as 'Liverpool's International Arts Venue', and why not? It has grown in stature since opening it's doors in 2010 to an eclectic mix of diverse and sometimes challenging opportunities for performers and audiences alike in an auditorium worthy of the enterprise.

World inclusive, the season provides a spring-board to dive into the esoteric world of particularly jazz, with luminaries like Sweden's Magnus Ostrom, Robert Castelli from New York and UK oriented Matt Ridley - not to mention the 2014 Jazz Festival next year.

There is more to the Capstone than just jazz. The Albion Band are massively well placed to represent contemporary British Folk while Mediva offers a chance to hear an assorted mix of genre from the Middle Ages, while 1960's indie folk rock morphing into the present day comes courtesy of Trembling Bells and Mike Heron, from The Incredible String Band.

Then there are three excellent free Indian Music concerts provided by Milap. Multi-talented Tarang open the series - try a mood changing curry beforehand! Up-and-coming Samyo Too add strains of the Occident to the traditional mix and Snehashish Mozumder's mandolin sounds intriguing. You will have to pay for the Grand Union Orchestra but it looks well worth it.

Such is the diversity on offer that the classically tuned pianos of Joanna MacGregor (Bach's Goldberg Variations) and that of Balkan based Branka Parlic's new wave and minimalist music recital should have been mentioned by now. Baroque and guitar will also be showcased.

The RLPO10/10 Ensemble have a contemporary update of the Mersey Sound, while Corelli and Stradella feature in conversation as well as music.

Comprising of more racy music, Australian cult band The Necks and the Jimmy Carl Black Memorial Barbeque Band (who will fuse music and backdrop film), are not to be missed. Black played with Both Frank Zappa's Mothers Of Invention and Captain Beefheart's Magic Band (photo above).

There is much more experimental sound based stuff from, (but not necessarily appearing), Mantis of Manchester, and sound, movement and disconnection in communicating from Natasha Davis.

Finally, Merseyside Dance Initiative, Ibsen's Ghosts and Uncanny Theatre question why are we so willing to take everything for granted. That old war horse Much Ado About Nothing will be more than just that. The whole season is in fact much ado about something - something for everyone - so take the plunge and enjoy yourself.

For full details of the Capstone programme go to www.thecapstonetheatre.com

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