It's Snow Ball Time Again!

Okay, so yes, I'm aware it's been a whole year since I last posted anything on here. Shabby behaviour I know, which started when I began sulking after getting snowed in and unable to attend the 2009 Snow Ball (ironic huh?) thus missing The Remus Lupins *sob*. It continued with me being rather ill and the long period of recovery during which I couldn’t really be bothered to write anything, let alone blog. Then there was what seemed like a major spate of Wizard rockers announcing their retirements, which left me wondering where Wrock was going, or if it was going and to cap it all, my father becoming seriously ill, which had me spending three months during the summer in Spain. Since my return I’ve then been rather too busy to consider posting, as the lack of posts on my Muggle blog also shows.

But I'm back, and ready to Wrock.

Whilst it's true that there have been a number of retirements from the major leagues of the Wrock world, there are a huge number of new bands ready and willing to take their place. Wrock concerts seem to go from strength to strength and there are new sites writing about and reviewing Wrock. Even the Wizrocklopedia has had a makeover.

All in all, even though the end is nigh for the Harry Potter film franchise, wizard rock seems to be growing in popularity, as the Ministry of Magic’s success on ITunes this week shows, and whilst I’m sure there will be many changes in the months and years to come, I really can’t see the Harry Potter fandom and by extension the Wrock community, ending in some dramatic fashion just because the films are done.

This Friday, 17th December, sees the first night of the new and improved Snow Ball weekend and with this excellent event now so close and with the huge amount of new CD releases just begging to be listened to since Wrockstock last month, I felt it was time to return to blogging about one of my favourite genres of music.

As ever it's going to be a mixture of me plugging songs I love, especially as I make my way through the wealth of new bands that I haven't yet listened to, interspersed with me being maudlin about those bands that I love dearly who have decided to call it a day (yes Split Seven Ways, Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office and The Butterbeer Experience, I'm talking about you) to posts of general interest to the Wrock community and any other old rubbish I feel in the mood to write about.

So back to the Snow Ball.

Friday night is being held, as last year, at The Lot and is a fully fledged, dress-up-nicely, Wrock ball, starring the fabulous Riddle TM, Romilda Vane and the Chocolate Cauldrons and Siriusly Hazza P and, this year's US contribution (about which I'm particularly excited), Swish and Flick with some hardcore Slytherin wizard rapping.

Then, at 3pm on Saturday afternoon, the Central Library on George IV Bridge plays host to a FREE, yep that's FREE concert featuring the above four bands with the added attraction of The Lost Diadems, Quickspell, The Pumpkin Pasties and, rather fabulously from my point of view, Split Seven Ways (excuse me while I squee really loudly here, I LOVE this band soooo much and as you’ll see from above Zoe had announced that she was quitting and I didn’t think I’d ever get the chance to see her performing as SSW). Places are still available at the Library concert, so if you're within travelling distance please come along as it’ll be a great afternoon.

If you can't get to Edinburgh you can still join in the fun. The Snow Ball will be streamed live on UStream from 7pm GMT on Friday night and hopefully the Library show will be streamed at the same address the following day.

So come on you Witches, Wizards and Muggles, join us (and yes both I and Quincy the Muggle will be DEFINITELY there this year) in (probably) snowy Edinburgh for the UK Wrock event of the year.

Wizard Rock Show in Birmingham on Saturday 30th May 2009

I meant to mention this before but with a brain like a sieve I completely forgot, so apologies for the short notice!

For anyone at a loose end on Saturday evening there's a Wizard Rock gig being held at Birmingham Library's Centre for the Child, Chamberlain Square, Birmingham, B3 3HQ, starting at 7pm. Expect an evening of top class entertainment from some of the UK's best wrock bands. The line up is as follows:

Siriusly Hazza P
RiddleTM
Split Seven Ways
The Lost Diadems

I am hoping to be there but I've got a poorly car at the moment and I don't finish work until 4pm. With a three hour drive it'll be cutting it fine, but hopefully I'll make it without missing too much of the concert. Maybe I'll see you there.