I am Jack Hepplewhite aka MrBlindPig presents...

Published 5 Apr 2012 15:30 0 Comments

Its been an exciting time here at outside:inside/ MrBlindPig towers recently. We have been planning, not just planning, but really planning. I love planning, it's that time when you can take a step back and look into every possibility, the simple, the adventurous, the achievable, the absurd, the downright ridiculous and the 'possible..if we had a few hundred thousand to hand'.

See we didn't get into this game to just tick along the norm; we have always wanted to make a difference. Whether it is inspiring the community, uniting positive movers and shakers, pushing social agendas or changing politics - standing still is for penguins, and I ain't no penguin. I like to think of us more like dogs. Always scurrying around, digging here and there, getting into trouble, causing mischief, learning - sometimes the hard way, but above all being 100% loyal to what we believe, and who we believe in - and it's about time someone threw us a bone.

What I've learnt about this town is that it has equal parts of excellence, and negativity, a Catch-22 situation if you like. Once you have found the excellence, or are in pursuit of excellence, then another part is putting it down with that flaw of British upper lip absurd sensibility. On a national level, I suppose you could compare it to the amount of whinging the nation has given her hard-earned time to, over a 20-40p rise in the cost of a pasty. Well I say pah! to those. Reading is a great town. We should be proud of the fact that it is possibly the biggest and most powerful forward thinking town in Europe. On a cultural level, we have some of the most exciting projects here in a square mile than anywhere else. The Reading Festival, the BBC Introducing LIVE show, outside:inside Festival, Jelly Arts Organisation, Readipop and Roves & Roams; top promoters from Dumb Drum, Black & White, MonkeySuit, Skint Mondays, Cubed and Club Velocity, all plying you with the many, many fantastic Berkshire-based, born, or bred artists. Just look at the landscape of artists past and present - Pete & The Pirates, DIOYY?, dan le sac, Amy's Ghost, Cooper Temple Clause, Laura Marling! The Good Natured, midimidis, PEERS, Vienna Ditto, Mancub, Vices, Dry the River… Lord, I've not even got started and I'm at the end of my word count!

So essentially, get off your high horse, get out and about; check out the good, the great or even the absurd. Upcoming Mr Blind Pig/EM-BEE-PEE shows include: Weallliveanddie DJ set Saturday; Wednesday April 11, BBC Introducing featuring super group Fictions (ex-My Luminaries/ Digbys Yard, Circus Sands) PLUS a very special secret performer, announced on the day - All show are at Oakford Social Club

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This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 05 Apr 12

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