April-June: Out Loud
This Spring, explore all things sound at The Hive with our new cultural events theme Out Loud. Delve into the worlds of music, sound, communication, spoken word, oral history, voices and expression, with events and experiences that you might not usually expect to see at your local library.
The Hive is a great place for reading and study, but it’s also a cultural hub with so much more going on which deserves to be shouted about. With guest talks, performances, wellbeing experiences, exhibitions, lecture presentations from the University of Worcester and so much more on offer, there’s something for everyone to enjoy...
Spotlight event:
Live at The Hive: Comedy Night
Saturday 29 June, 7pm-9pm
Treat yourself to an evening of comedy with some of the best stand-up comedians on the circuit right now! Britain’s Got Talent finalist Nick Page will be joined by Alexis Roy, Tarik Badawan and Burt Williamson, and MC Aaron Wood for a night of laughs in the Studio. A bar will be available for ticketholders.
Doors and the bar open at 6pm and the show will begin at 7pm.
£6 per ticket.
Tickets are limited so we encourage you to book online in advance - book your place here
Talk: Is This Music to my Ears? Exploring the links between music and the brain with Dr Mathieu Di Miceli
Thursday 16 May, 7pm-8:30pm
In this interactive session, we will explore the physical properties of music and how our brain processes sound, which can influence emotional behaviour. In addition, the links between music and neuroscience will be deciphered to ascertain whether sound therapy could be used to treat stress, anxiety, pain, or memory impairments.
Tickets are free but booking is essential - book your place here.
Talk: Cowboy Carter and the 'Funny Little Concept' of Genre with Lou Aimes Hill and Issy Gawne
Monday 20 May, 7pm-8pm
Cowboy Carter, the highly anticipated second instalment in Beyonce's 'triiilogy', furthers her musical odyssey with an exploration of the country music genre. A self-described 'Beyonce album', not a 'country album', it secured the top spot on the Billboard Country Charts making her the first Black woman to ever have a number one country album. Join us as we take a rodeo through the album and its encapsulated histories; sonic interpolations, women in country, and the 'funny little concept' of genre.
Tickets are free but booking is essential - book your place here.
Discussion Group: Talking Taboos
Join academics from the Department of English, Media & Culture at the University of Worcester to discuss taboo, risky and potentially controversial topics. Learn why they're considered 'taboo' or 'risky' in the first place, then discuss and share opinions in a safe and inclusive space.
Week 1: Fat Activism with Robyn Platt
Wednesday 5 June, 12pm-2pm
Week 2: Sex, Consent and Cultures of Silence with Holly Barnes-Bennetts
Wednesday 12 June, 4pm-6pm
Week 3: Cancel Culture with Katy Wareham Morris
Wednesday 19 June, 12pm-2pm
Find out more about each session and book your free places here.
Talk: How to Write a Song About a Place with Dr Paul Newland
Thursday 6 June, 7pm-8:30pm
University of Worcester academic Paul Newland publishes research about film, place, landscape, architecture and sound. He is also a critically-acclaimed songwriter and musician. In this talk he will explore his songwriting, by specifically focusing on how he tries to evoke places. Paul will talk about a range of famous songs about places, and will consider what makes them so evocative. He will also draw on the work of a range of songs and songwriters.
Tickets are free but booking is essential - book your place here.
Talk: Feminist Oral Herstories with Katy Wareham Morris
Monday 10 June, 7pm-8pm
This talk will begin with a contextual overview of consciousness raising oral practices in feminism. In the 1960s and 70s, this involved groups of women talking about their experiences of womanhood in cafes or living rooms without the presence of men. This often raised the awareness of women, specifically in relation to their experiences of forms and types of oppression. Later, these practices also involved public speaking and poetry,
Katy will go on to discuss her own practice-based research, that is her poetry which represents and provokes a 'discussion' about the contemporary conditions of womanhood. She will perform and discuss her poetry, practice and experiences.
Tickets are free but booking is essential - book your place here.
An Evening with Andrew Scheps
Saturday 15 June, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Fully booked - to register your name for a ticket in the event of a cancellation, please email thehivelibrary@worcestershire.gov.uk
Join three-time Grammy award winning mix engineer, recording engineer, record producer and record label owner Andrew Scheps to hear about his extraordinary life in music. Described by Abbey Road Studios as someone “whose credits read like a who’s who of popular music”, Andrew has worked with Low Roar, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Adele, Beyonce, Black Sabbath, Ziggy Marley, Hozier, The 1975, and so many more iconic artists. Hear Andrew speak about how he forged his way in the music industry, see a live demo of how he works and take part in a Q&A which will shine a spotlight on an extensive career and wealth of experience.
Weeping Bank Library Tales presents POCK
RESCHEDULED DATE: Tuesday 18 June, 7pm-9:15pm
“We all know the legend, if you carved your name in the sandstone of the cave and left a gift, Pock would grant you a wish.”
“And what was the catch?”
“Catch?”
“There’s always a catch in a fairytale.”
After a sellout first performance in January, The Librarian of Weeping Bank returns to The Hive to present POCK – an immersive talk after dark that will draw you into the shadowy world of witchcraft, possession, and the occult.
Please note, Weeping Bank readings contain moments of heightened tension. The reading is unsuitable for anyone under the age of 15 or those of a nervous disposition.
£3.50 per ticket, booking is essential - book your tickets here.
Lisa Power in Conversation
Thursday 20 June, 7pm-8:30pm
Lisa Power MBE, co-founder of Stonewall and the Pink Paper, is an icon of the LGBTQ+ rights movement and a force to be reckoned with. Described by London Friend as “an outspoken lesbian and role model since the 1970s”, Lisa was active in the fight against Section 28, Secretary General of the International Lesbian and Gay Association, and the first openly queer person to speak for LGBTQ+ rights at the UN in New York.
Lisa will speak about her life of campaigning, her biggest achievements and her incredible journey at The Hive, with plenty of time to ask questions.
Tickets are free but booking is essential - book your place here.