AN evening of unique multimedia presentations takes place in Ulverston next week.

For the Record features new work by local artist John Hall, and the event takes place at the Laurel and Hardy Museum on Thursday February 25.

The show includes a live reading of a short play, For The Record, a DJ set using BBC Radio Cumbria's Sound Effects vinyl, a collection of music video pieces and the launch of John's vinyl EP, 4 Short Guitar Tunes, 6 Iron Gates.

The project has involved a look into museums, archives and collections, including the BBC vinyl library, Barrow Local Studies Collection, Dalton Castle and the archives of the Ribston School former pupils association. John says: "The Laurel and Hardy Museum is the ideal venue for what I want to do. It has excellent facilities and people love it."

The school connection grew from a find John made while crate-digging in a Leeds second-hand record shop. He found a limited edition single called "In Old Ribston In the Spa," and after a bit of research, including chats with former pupils and a look through old school magazines, he was able to put together a version of the story behind it. 

The result is, For The Record, a comedy play which will be read on the night by Caroline Gilfillan, Ceri Hutton, Fran Riley and Zosia Wand.

The Joy Of SFX is John and Ste Tyson's latest DJ project, and will see the pair playing a unique mix of BBC vinyl, including tugboats, icy winds, actorly coughs and burps and early 1960s radiophonics.

Last year the pair collaborated on a set using John's recent charity shop finds, and will be performing it again at Blackpool's Other Worlds festival in April.


Sound artist John Hall On screen at the Ulverston show will be four of John's recent music and video pieces, including a tribute to a fondly-remembered childhood figure, Ada Simpson - Dinner Lady, and a song with words by astronomer Russell Grant.

There will also be an online listening post where you can hear the results of John and writer Kate Davis' education projects with Roose and Barrow Island schools, and the Newton School audio tour of Dalton Castle, with its accompanying brochure.

His own EP has been recently featured on Radio Cumbria's Gordon Swindlehurst show, when John has been making regular appearances on the show and playing interesting finds from the station's record collection. The record will be on sale at the event alongside boxes of John's collectable Charity Shop Vinyl cards.

Doors open at 7.30pm, and admission is £3, with all door takings being donated to the organisation of Ulverston's Another Fine Fest event.