Culture Matters - The final four cities hoping to be named the UK's first city of culture in 2013 have been revealed. The cities chosen by an independent judging panel are Birmingham, Derry, Norwich and Sheffield, with a winner due to be announced in the summer. The competition aims to build on the success of Liverpool, which was European Capital of Culture in 2008. It is expected that the successful city will see economic and social benefits which could leave a lasting legacy.
Culture Minister Margaret Hodge congratulated the four cities, which were taken from a shortlist of 14 bidders in December. "The panel was influenced by the expected step change each city was asked to envisage, if they gained the title and subsequent media spotlight," she said. "It's a testament to their hard work - and dedication to culture - that they've come so far in what has proven to be a very tough competition. I'm really pleased that we attracted such a strong and varied field. It just goes to show the richness of culture across the UK."
Festival Update - Designer Wayne Hemingway has launched a summer event which aims to celebrate British music and fashion and inject glamour into the festival circuit. Sandie Shaw, Heaven 17, Aswad, Buzzcocks and The Damned will be some of the acts performing at Vintage at Goodwood in West Sussex in August. Hemingway wants it to be a successor to the Festival of Britain in 1951.
The event will feature a recreation of the Northern Soul venue of Wigan Casino and a vintage high street. Hemingway, and his wife, Geraldine, have organised the three-day event with Goodwood estate owner Lord March. Singer Lily Allen will launch her fashion collection, Lucy In Disguise, during the festival which will also feature a roller disco and DJs Graeme Park and Norman Jay.
Hemingway, who founded the fashion label Red or Dead, said: "In the last two decades of attending a myriad of festivals, I've been consistently underwhelmed by the lack of glamour, by the locations, by the scattergun approach to booking and scheduling and overall by the lack of attention to detail which has sadly not only become the standard but accepted as such."
On The Road Again - Sting has announced he will play five US dates with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra. The tour will include reversions of a string of Police hits, as well some of the singer's best-known solo tracks. It is scheduled to kick off on 2 June at Vancouver's Centre for the Performing Arts. He will also play California, Chicago and Colorado.
And Again... - Sir Paul McCartney has announced he will play four outdoor UK shows this summer, including the Isle of Wight festival and London's Hyde Park. The ex-Beatle will also play his first show in Cardiff for three decades, at the Millennium Stadium, and at Hampden Park, Glasgow.
(Jim Evans)
