Off the Shelf presents a weekend of great musical memories in Sheffield

A good read and great music...it's a winning combination for Off the Shelf and the University of Sheffield Students' Union.
University of Sheffield Students' UnionUniversity of Sheffield Students' Union
University of Sheffield Students' Union

Off the Shelf, Sheffield’s famous festival of all things literary has joined forces with the Students’ Union for a weekend of events with a musical theme this October.

On October 22 at 2pm, the Raynor Lounge at the Students’ Union is the setting for #sheffieldgirl presented by Girl Gang and #sheffieldgirl founder Auriel Majumdar

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They will present an afternoon of discussion about Sheffield women and their music with a chance for everybody to share their own musical memories.

That is followed at 6pm by a special appearance by 1970s singer and star Patti Boulaye, one of the very first TV talent show celebrities after winning ITV’s New Faces in 1978.

Born in Nigeria, Patti survived the Biafra War and came to Britain with the intention of becoming a nun.

Instead, she appeared in controversial musical Hair, became a household name with New Faces and released nine albums before focusing on charity work.

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The final event of the day will be held in Firth Hall at 8pm, when author and journalist George Monbiot and folk singer Ewan McLennan will take loneliness and social isolation as the theme for a collaborative project.

Singing ‘a cappella’ with guitar and banjo, Ewan will perform songs from album The Age of Loneliness, interspersed with George’s depiction of the human stories behind the songs.

On Sunday, October 23 at 3pm, The Foundry at The Students’ Union will host Lesley Ann Jones, who will share her memories of her friendship and working relationship with rock icon David Bowie, who died earlier this year.

At 5pm The Foundry will be the setting for Young Soul Rebels, a personal history of Northern Soul with Stuart Cosgrove, the esteemed fanzine and NME writer, broadcaster and BAFTA winner, who will talk about the atmospheric world of iconic clubs, amphetamine-fuelled all-nighters, heaving dance floors, obsessive record collecting, the bootleggers that made it infamous, the splits that divided the scene and the great unknown records that built Northern Soul’s global reputation.

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Finally, at 7pm Michael Bradley will host Teenage Kicks: My Life As An Undertone.

One of the Derry teenagers who created one of the best loved bands in pop history, Michael tells a bitter-sweet and heart-warming tale of unlikely success, petty feuding and playful mischief growing up in the music industry.

From recording John Peel’s favourite record to working as a bicycle courier, he presents a chronicle of terrible deals, great records and unforgettable experiences which will delight Undertones fans old and new.

All events are open to the public. For full information, prices and bookings visit http://su.sheffield.ac.uk/what-s-on

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