Crafting Ideas: Creating Culture
Urbis, Cathedral Gardens Manchester
Tuesday 1st December 2009
7:30pm – 10:00pm
Free entry
Having first begun in 1999 as an ‘avant-garde’ performance night at Manchester’s Star and Garter, Club Brenda is fast approaching a decade of subversive art thrills. Presenting the city with diverse performance and music, the innovative club night remains loyally attuned to the sounds of the Manchester DIY underground, from emerging bands and musicians, to a network of artists, photographers, film-makers, designers and poets.
‘Imagine what a club would be like if it combined bands, performance art and a deliberately eclectic music policy…if it reached out to everyone: gay, straight, black, blue; but in particular, welcomed life’s uglier ducklings – the outsiders, the strange ones…’
To mark this occasion we are launching the limited edition Brenda book, Strange Trees, which moves through the history of club Brenda, using a series of classic narratives to form a dark urban fairytale, alongside a series of commissioned photography and artwork.
Instead of Jack and the Giant, we have Dirty Honky, turning vaudeville tricks for magic beans. Savage Wolf prowls through the ever-changing forest but isn’t quite the predator we expect, and the same goes for Holly Gore, who some like to call the witch… in the strange forest of Club Brenda, no one remains what they were…
Limited edition prints and posters from acclaimed artists including Rachel Goodyear will be available to buy on the night, along with copies of Strange Trees.
Also, exclusively to the launch, limited edition paintings will be for sale from leading Northwest artist and Strange Trees contributor David Hoyle, perfect for Christmas presents.
Music will be provided by DJs and bands on the Switchflicker Records label.
The book comes with a CD featuring tracks from The Sisters of Transistors, David Thomas Broughton, Magic Arm, Real Dolls, Egyptian Hip Hop, Paddy Steer and Peter Parker.
Artists work included in the book are acclaimed northwest artist Rachel Goodyear, David Hoyle, Andrew Brooks, Daren Newman, Chris Drury, Savage Wolf and Alexis Milne.
Strange Trees, is a collaboration between visual artist, Rachel Goodyear, shortlisted for this year’s Northern Art Prize and music promoter / producer, Jayne Compton winner of the Best of Manchester 09 at Urbis.
The launch will take place at Urbis, Manchester’s contemporary exhibition space in Cathedral Gardens, on Tuesday 1st December 2009 from 7:30pm – 10:00pm.
