Show News

All about cycling in Sheffield – and beyond

Today’s episode of new show, Steel Fingers, Steel Wheels, covered cycling in Sheffield – for transport and for fun. Listen to and/or download the podcast of the show here.

Cycling has doubled in Sheffield since 2001 – and this rise has been accompanied by a reduction in the likelihood of an individual cyclist having a road collision. It offers significant wellbeing benefits to individuals, saves money, and benefits employers if staff cycle to work.

There’s now alot of support available to individuals and to businesses, and today’s show included interviews with:

  • Bob, Mark, Colin, Paul, Pete and Melissa from Symmetry Medical with CycleBoost's David Bocking

    Bob, Mark, Colin, Paul, Pete and Melissa from Symmetry Medical with David Bocking

    six workers from Hillsborough-based Symmetry Medical who are enjoying many benefits of cycling to work thanks to the company’s involvement with Sheffield CycleBoost.

  • David Bocking of CycleBoost talking about the scheme, a three-part support service for residents and employees in Sheffield. Services include bike-loan programmes, bike doctor sessions, maintenance classes and cycle skills training.
  • Pauline, Jan, Betty-Ann, and Shirley, all enjoying cycling throughout Sheffield, the Peak District and further afield thanks to attending courses run by Pedal Ready.
  • John Horscroft with Betty-Ann, Jan, Pauline and Shirley in the Sheffield Live studio

    John Horscroft with Betty-Ann, Jan, Pauline and Shirley in the Sheffield Live studio

    Nick Brelsford of Pedal Ready on cycling training.

  • John Horscroft of Ride Sheffield, an advocacy group which helps mountain bikers and other organisations such as the wildlife trusts work together for the benefit of all. John joined presenter Jamie Veitch in the studio for the programme and discussed positive working relationships between mountain bikers and other organisations, new trails at Greno and elsewhere, and the value of cycling and outdoor pursuits to the Sheffield economy.
  • Bicycle mechanic Russell of Russell’s Bicycle Shed, offering a bike repair service at the station and at Parkwood Springs, on common repairs he undertakes – and about maintenance classes offered by Recycle Bikes.
  • Russell doing some bicycle maintenance in the station

    Russell doing some bicycle maintenance in the station

    Plus two competitions: listeners can win a bike, courtesy of show sponsor the Edinburgh bicycle Cooperative, or a family climbing day and month pass courtesy of sponsor Awesome Walls Sheffield.

  • Listen to and/or download the podcast of the show here.

Interview with the Payroll Union’s Pete David

Pete David in the Sheffield Live studio with Max Munday

Max Munday – presenter of Mouthpiece on Sheffield Live each Wednesday from 9am to 11 – welcomed Pete David of acclaimed Sheffield alt-country-folk-rock-Americana band The Payroll Union onto his show today.

The interview marked the start of a new series on Max’s show, Introducing…(covering different musical styles or genres each week).

Pete discussed Americana music, explored its defining features and themes; his influences, several favourite songs and recommendations for further listening.

A must-listen for the growing fan-base of this superb Sheffield group (pick up their compelling album The Mule and The Elephant from The Old Sweet Shop and other good music shops!), the 30-minute interview came at the start of hour-two of today’s Mouthpiece.

If you’ve never heard of Tex-Mex or Desert Noir music, Pete will educate you – as well as tell you about the structure, meaning and message of a good old murder ballad – and much more.

The show also covered the 40th anniversary of Pinochet’s coup in Chile and included an interview with Pedro Fuentes, chair of Sheffield Chilean Community Association who was imprisoned by Pinochet.

What next?

Climber Andy Kirkpatrick interviewed

Accomplished climber, author and public speaker Andy Kirkpatrick featured in new show Steel Fingers, Steel Wheels this morning.

Sheffield-based Andy has made some astonishing ascents on Alpine faces, in Patagonia, and on the soaring granite rock faces of Yosemite in the USA.

Not only that, he’s twice won the Boardman Tasker Award for mountain literature for his books Psychovertical and Cold Wars.

But it’s Andy’s journey from remedial student to successful climber, writer and author that often fascinates his audience the most. Brought up from the age of 6 on a council estate in one of Britain’s flattest cities, Hull, Andy suffered from severe dyslexia which was undiagnosed until he was 19.

Andy spoke openly in the interview about his climbing, danger, suffering, reconciling personal life with ambitions and obsessions, and the process of writing. And he chose a few tracks of music that have accompanied him on his travels. During the course of the hour-long show Andy revealed many fascinating and thoughtful insights into his own motivations.

Download and listen to the podcast of the show here.

More about the Steel Fingers, Steel Wheels series here including details of how to enter two exciting competitions.

What our presenters have been listening to this week

Sheffield Live’s schedule features a fabulous and eclectic mixture of music (and much more: current affairs, comedy, sport, film reviews).

What have our presenters and volunteers been listening to this week? A few picks:

Adam Ellis, co-presenter of the Talking Balls show about sport (Fridays at 6pm): “On a long drive down to Sussex last weekend I was enjoying the Stereophonics most recent album ‘Graffiti on the Train’ – I especially like ‘Indian Summer.’ I was also enjoying Survivor‘s ‘Burning Heart’ from the Rocky 4 soundtrack, one of the most underrated Rocky songs.”

Chris Gibirdi co-presents Talking Balls, and comments: “I’ve been listening to Calvin Harris’ new track ‘Thinking About You’ as it sounds like summer is staying around just a little longer. As a second track I’d go for ‘Summertime Sadness’ – Lana Del Rey vs Cedric Gervais – I’ve heard a few dance remixes of Lana Del Rey tracks and they sound great!”

Natz Beard, co-presenter of the Local Talent Show (every Friday, 4-5pm): “This week I’ve been making Ollie (co-presenter of the Local Talent Show) jealous by listening to Dom Major‘s new EP ‘Me and You’. I’m the only member of the Local Talent Show team who has a copy so far, and I’m quite enjoying hogging it all to myself. This however is soon to change, as we will be giving it a play on our show in the next week or two and hopefully getting the man himself in the studio again (come back Dom we miss you!)  I particularly love the song ‘Spin the World’ as it’s really upbeat and catchy.”

Dale Le Fevre of the Max Chance Show (Tuesdays, 5pm) has just returned from a quick trip to Germany: “At one stop, I listened to a lot of oldies, and will feature many on my next show. Songs I will be playing include Otis Redding (Try A Little Tenderness), The Boxtops (The Letter), Los Bravos (Black is Black). These songs are the soundtrack of my younger life, so hearing them brings back memories of what I was doing and what I was feeling during this time.”

Jamie Veitch (presenter of Steel Fingers, Steel Wheels starting on Saturday at 10am): “Tomorrow’s guest Andy Kirkpatrick sent in some choices of music that he’s played while scaling the kilometre-high rock faces in Yosemite, USA. You’ll have to listen to the show to find out all of Andy’s choices, but one was the funky ‘Night Call’ by Kavinsky & Lovefoxxx from the soundtrack of 2012 movie, Drive. And on a drive I made myself to and from Stoke-on-Trent one evening this week, the journey was enriched by the Low Duo‘s ‘Dive and Slide into the Blue’ EP – Leigh and Adam are two Sheffield brothers making astonishing, dramatic, indie-folk-minimalist-pop with poignant songwriting. My final pick was played in Lee Price‘s latest Vancouver Manouver show last Saturday – Maestro Fresh Wes‘ ‘Drop the Needle’ had me dancing around the kitchen to the embarrassment of my son.”

Graham Marshall and Sinead Rankin, co-presenters of Spirit of the Wapentake (Wednesdays, 5-7pm), really enjoyed The Who’s ‘Baba O’Riley’ which they played in their show this week. “An amazing one of a kind with a really strange ending for a rock track.”

Andy Cooper of the Communities Live team: “This week I have been mainly listening to ‘Angels Unite’ by Scarlet. This is the same Scarlet aka Julie Anne Tulley who used to be a part of 90’s pop group Rednex, whose biggest hit ‘Cotton Eye Joe’ is still a perennial favourite. Now a solo-artist, writer and producer, Scarlet will also be a guest presenter with Charlotte and myself on Communities Live next Thursday (12 September).”

Sdot Phillie presents the Saturday Soundclash, 5pm – 7pm (every Saturday!) packed with grime, UK Garage, hip-hop and house. He’s been enjoying DJ S.K.T.‘s ‘Kick It’ and Coco‘s version of ‘Hey Mambo’.

Dave Eyre of Thank Goodness It’s Folk (Fridays, 10am – noon) featured special guest, multi-talented musician and photographer Elly Lucas on his show today and loves her track ‘A Place Called Home’, which he played on today’s show – podcast including interview with Elly is here.

Barney and Paul presented today’s Peace in the Park show at 5pm: “Toots and the Maytals’ ‘Funky Kingston’ and Bola Johnson‘s ‘Lagos Sisi’ were just two stops on our global musical tour on the show today.” Listen to these and the whole show on their podcast.

Paul Sellers‘ show Eclectica, is every Sunday at noon. “I’ve being listening to The Clangers Soundtrack! What a beautiful thing, composed by Vernon Elliot! So good that I will share it with you all, this Sunday at 12 noon on Eclectica at Sheffield Live!”

Simon Thake of the Monday Uprising (7am – 9am on Monday mornings): “I love the Arctic Monkeys‘ single, ‘Do I Wanna Know’ and have been playing that to death on Monday mornings. Cracking lyrics and melody from Alex Turner. I also really like the Katy B track ‘What Love is Made Of’. Great dance track and a really good comeback for her. That will be played this Monday for sure. I’m also counting down the Sheffield A-Z  of great Sheffield bands and artists. We are up to letter  J so are actively looking for suggestions over the weekend.” Email Simon.

A few picks here from some of our presenters. Remember, if you miss your favourite programmes on Sheffield Live you can download the podcasts afterwards. And why not discover some new music by tuning into a few more shows?

Listen to new show, win a bike and a climbing outing

Sheffield is a hub for climbers, cyclists and mountain bikers, with fantastic opportunities to enjoy these sports in the nearby Peak district and great facilities in the city. And we are home to some of Britain’s – and the world’s – leading climbers and cyclists.

A new series of four programmes on Sheffield Live, Steel Fingers Steel Wheels, are broadcasting every Saturday at 10am in September.

Featuring interviews with inspirational figures from cycling and climbing, as well as ‘how-to’ features demonstrating how you can get involved in these exciting and healthy activities (at low cost), the shows also include two fabulous competitions:

How do you win?  See below!

Guests on the series include:

  • ‘Big wall’ climber Andy Kirkpatrick. Irreverent and extremely funny, Andy has accomplished extraordinary feats on Alpine faces and the soaring granite walls of El Capitan in Yosemite. Not only that, he’s won the Boardman Tasker prize for mountain literature. But it’s his journey from remedial student to successful climber, writer and speaker that interests his audience most. Brought up on a council estate in one of Britain’s flattest cities, Hull, Andy suffered from severe dyslexia which went undiagnosed until he was 19. Andy was a guest on the show on Saturday 7th September.
  • Remarkable all-round professional climber Lucy Creamer. Lucy has excelled in all disciplines of climbing: bold adventurous ‘traditional’ climbs; gymnastic ‘sports’ climbing, short but intensely powerful ‘bouldering’; mountain routes and ice climbing. She also repeatedly won British climbing competitions and qualified for world-cup climbing finals. She’s a keen mountain biker too between time on the rock. Lucy will be on the show on the 21st September.
  • Down Hill Mountain biking world champion Steve Peat – Peaty – 2009 UCI DH World Champion; 3x World Cup Champ; 2x European Champ and 9x British Champ. Chapeltown-born Peaty also organises the Steel City Down Hill race and is known as one of the nicest guys in mountain biking – but he’s also got that Sheffield Steel that’s made him a winner! Steve will be on the show on the 28th of September.
  • We’ll also feature interviews with the strong climber Mina Leslie-Wujastyk, making impressive ascents of boulder problems across the world (and a competitor in the British Bouldering Team); professional cyclist Dean Downing of Rotherham, fresh from competing in the Tour of Britain for Madison Genesis with an impressive track record of results in his professional career (both also in the show on 28th September).
  • And we’ll have guests from organisations working with and representing climbing and cycling; advice on how to get involved
  • And two fabulous competitions:
  • Win a bike: Edinburgh Bicycle Co-operative is giving away a Revolution bike to the value of £350 to one lucky winner of this competition. To enter, all you have to do is email comp@sheffieldlive.org with your name and address and the answer to the following question: how many cooperative members are there in the Edinburgh Bicycle Cooperative as of the 1st of September? Remember, that’s not shops, it’s members. Take a look at the Our advertisers page on the Sheffield Live website if you need a clue!
  • Win a family climbing taster day and a month’s free climbing pass from Awesome Walls when their new climbing wall opens in Sheffield at the end of the month.  To enter, all you have to do is email comp@sheffieldlive.org with your name and address and the answer to the following question: in which other locations in the UK does Awesome Walls operate climbing walls? Clue – take a look at their website.
  • For both competitions, you need to send your answer by 5pm on Friday 27th September and by entering you accept Sheffield Live’s standard competition entry terms and conditions. So get your entry in now!
  • Make sure you listen in – every Saturday in September, 10am on Sheffield Live! 93.2FM and livestream from this website
  • The Steel Fingers, Steel Wheels shows are sponsored by Edinburgh Bicycle Cooperative and Awesome Walls Sheffield. Find out more about them and listen to their Sheffield Live radio ads here

What we’ve been listening to this week

Every week Sheffield Live brings you a fantastic, diverse and eclectic mixture of music within our schedule.

Our DJs and presenters (of all shows – not only music, but current affairs, comedy, sport, film reviews and more) love their music – just like you do.

So what have our presenters and volunteers been listening to this week? Here are just a few picks:

Stevlor, presenter of Soul Casino (Thursdays, 5-6pm): Jerry Fuller – Double Life. “From 1966 and one of the finest blue-eyed soul boys.”

And, Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs – Being Without You. “More famous for having the shortest song to ever get to number one – northern favourite ‘Stay’, but for my money this one ticks the box just as well.” [Listen to both tracks on the podcast of this week’s Soul Casino]

DJ Cardiac, presenter of Drop the Funk Drop the Bass (every Sunday, 1-3pm): Tomb Crew ft Rubi Dan & Serocee – The Sermon. “The track was definitely geared up towards carnival. The track delivers high energy with ragga influences seeping through from one of Toddla T’s sound boys Serocee and some quick tongue flow from Serocee, this is one to turn up loud and blow your whistles to.”

And: Preditah ft Zoe Kypri- Let’s take it back
“Preditah seems to be sitting on some very serious UK Garage Productions. This one has all the elements of an old skool garage track but pushing things forward with his super slick production along with the impressive vocals of up-and-coming vocalist Zoe Kypri.” Don’t miss DJ Cardiac this Sunday at 1pm! But if you can’t listen live, you can get the podcast here.

Graham Marshall, co-presenter of Spirit of the Wapentake (Wednesdays, 5-7pm): Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band – I’m Gonna Booglarize You. “From his ‘Spotlight Kid’ album, it’s a complete one-off.”

Sinead Rankin, co-presenter of Spirit of the Wapentake: The Foo Fighters – All My Life. [Listen to the Beefheart & Foo Fighters tracks on the podcast of this week’s Spirit of the Wapentake].

Laurence Peacock, presenter, each Wednesday, of Communities Live has been listening to a lot of Sam Carter, a folk musician who is playing at the Library Theatre next month.

Sam Hindley co-presents the Thank Goodness it’s Folk show on Fridays from 10am to noon. His pick: Gordie MacKeeman and his Rhythm Boys‘ – Ragtime Cowboy Joe. “Lively, cheerful and a great start to a radio programme,” and this track was indeed the opener for today’s Thank Goodness it’s Folk show – missed it? Podcast is here.

Danni and Marshall Smith are part of the presenting team for Friday’s Communities Live show. Danni picked John Legend‘s Ordinary People: “a track that makes me cry” and Marshall chose Daft Punk‘s “funky, fresh and feelgood” Get Lucky.

Paul Gregory presents It’s me, PG, every Saturday morning from 8 until 10am. What’s Paul been listening to? Santana‘s Samba Pa Ti, “my favourite track of all time,” says Paul.

Natz Beard, co-presenter of the Local Talent Show (every Friday, 4-5pm): “Local artist Philippa Hanna has just done a collaboration with BCee, ‘Back to the Street’, I can’t stop listening to it! Totally different from her usual releases the track is drum & bass meets Philippa and her amazing vocals. With over 100,000 views on the YouTube video, it’s going down a storm. Philippa has also just released a video for her own song Hollywood which is well worth a watch.”

Dale Le Fevre‘s Max Chance Show (Tuesdays, 5pm) always features an eclectic playlist – Dale’s been playing and listening to a lot of David Wax Museum. Have a listen to the podcast of Dale’s show from this Tuesday.

Andy Cooper – whose Communities Live show on Thursday featured special guest Sarah Taylor – has been listening to Emily Heath, “with more than a passing musical resemblance to the fantastic Sandi Thom, the track Emily says she’s most proud of is Sugar and Sweeteners – Emily’s Soundcloud page is here.”

And Jamie Veitch (poster of this article and soon to present four shows about climbing and cycling in Sheffield) – Payroll Union’s Mary Lamson and, really the entire album, The Mule and The Elephant. “Pete David’s stunning fingerpicking and searing lyrics and the rollicking rhythms of the band combine to create a bittersweet album of americana, bluegrass and folk rock that, once I start, I have to listen to all the way through.”

Just a few picks here from our presenters. Remember, if you miss your favourite programmes on Sheffield Live you can download the podcasts afterwards. And why not discover some new music by tuning into some different shows?

Girlfriends’ Sarah joins Communities Live team

Sarah Taylor [photo: Jamie Veitch]

Sarah Taylor

Sarah Taylor, star of ITV2’s Girlfriends, joined Communities Live presenter Andy Cooper today to guest present a special edition of our flagship magazine programme.

Sheffield lass Sarah was in the hit TV series last year in which three single ladies met 100 eligible bachelors, then whittled down their potential suitors to try to find Mr. Right.

Sarah and co-presenter Andy Cooper discussed fashion and dating; and Sarah gave Andy some behind-the-scenes gossip from the TV series.

Today’s Communities Live programme also featured an interview with Dave Douglas, MD of new climbing wall Awesome Walls which is opening this autumn in Sheffield.

And Grand Designs’ Naomi Cleaver was interviewed on the show, offering her tips for how to make the most of the space in our homes.

Sarah will be back to co-present Communities Live again soon.

What next?

Girlfri3nds
Girlfri3nds

Scribble and Zero Budget Film Festival on Communities Live

Today’s Communities Live show – broadcasting live from noon until 1pm – has a great lineup of guests.

Presenters Laurence Peacock and Andy Cooper will be joined by:

Sheffield Writer (@SheffieldWrite on twitter), AKA Chris, who runs the Scribble open mic nights, showcasing Sheffield writers, poets, and singer / songwriters; and is organising the Sheffield Short Story competition.

Martin Currie from The Zero Budget Film festival, taking place in Burngreave on 14th September, will also join us.

What next?

A trail of musical moments – throughout city shops!

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More live music treats in store for Sheffield!

This Saturday, 10 August, a host of amazing home-grown talent and high-profile bands will be scattered around Sheffield’s city centre playing acoustic sets in unusual, pop-up buskers’ spots.

The free “City Centre Sessions” event starts at noon at Devonshire Street Market and takes place around a circuit of city centre shops, with bands appearing in sequence around the circuit, finishing back at Devonshire Market’s outdoor stage five hours later.

It features The Crookes, Nat Johnson, Laurel Canyons (Monkey Swallows The Universe), Stuart Faulkner (Pink Grease, The Barnacles) and the BeVox flash mob choir – with more bands coming on board too.

Venture into town and be surprised and amazed at what and who is lurking around each clothes rail and shoe rack. Stop off to browse and indulge yourself in many of the city’s best independent food makers and artisan retailers too.

City Centre Sessions is part of Sheffield’s Summer Saturday’s Programme.

Confirmed locations for City Centre Sessions this Saturday include Devonshire Markets’ outdoor stage on Devonshire Green, Orchard Square, John Lewis, Birds Yard, A New Shop and Costa.

What next?

Blues legend Lil’ Jimmy Reed coming to Sheffield

Alabama blues legend Lil’ Jimmy Reed is coming to Sheffield – and he’ll be a special guest co-presenter on the Keynote Club later this month.

Lil Jimmy Reed. Image: http://www.livebluesworld.com

Every week on The Keynote Club, Bob Hall – one of Britain’s finest blues and boogie pianists – treats listeners to an hour of the best and the rarest in blues and rhythm ‘n’ blues, interspersed with quirky humour from his vast personal collection.

Lil’ Jimmy’s visit will be a treat for all blues fans. 75 year old Jimmy – AKA Leon Atkins – has had a lifelong love of music. He picked up his first guitar, made from an old cigar box, at the age of six.

Jimmy and Bob will be playing together at a gig at the Greystones on 31 August and Jimmy will join Bob to co-present the Keynote Club in an episode to broadcast on Wednesday, 28th August – don’t miss it!

What next?