Rise

I went into town for the launch show of Bradford 2025 - the kick off to a year as the UK City of Culture.

The train was very busy on the way in as 10,000 of us descended from all corners of the District and beyond. It was a gated event, so there were the inevitable ticket (a token cost of £2) and security checks, but all the digital systems seemed to work and it was a pretty smooth process. 

The show, RISE, had been created by theatre director Kirsty Houseley, with the Bradford-born magician Steven Frayne (formerly known as Dynamo) as creative director and effectively as the headline performer. It was a show of about an hour, starting with a lot of local-led spoken word, rap and dance at various different points in City Park. Frayne took to the stage about halfway through, and led us through a sequence of crowd-work magic and a big final reveal. 

It was a good show, and a nice environment despite the sub zero conditions. I felt it just sort of stopped - there was no final proclamation of the City of Culture being open, no fireworks, but as we know there is not the money around for cultural events that there used to be. 

I will try to get along to various events and exhibitions as the year progresses, and hopefully many blippers will come and visit us as we enjoy a year in the spotlight as Bradford2025.