What's on where around Luton and Dunstable: listings, January 4 edition

THURSDAY JANUARY 12

Ramin Karimloo and the Broadgrass Band play at The Stables, Wavendon, at 8pm. Olivier and Tony award nominee Ramin Karimloo is best known for playing leading roles in both of the West End’s longest running musicals – Raoul in The Phantom of the Opera and Jean Valjean, Enjolras and Marius in Les Misérables. Ramin’s show will incorporate a range of influences from the rootsy sound of bluegrass to the passionate drama of theatre. Featured hits will include Bring Him Home, Empty Chairs at Empty Tables and Music of the Night. Tickets £25. Call 01908 280800 or visit www.stables.org to book.

FRIDAY JANUARY 13

There aren’t many tribute bands that can say they’ve been endorsed by the original group, but Bootleg Blondie is one of them. They are the only Blondie tribute to play on some of the same stages as Debbie Harry and co. From the world-famous CBGB’s in New York to the Isle of Wight festival, Bootleg Blondie have earned their credentials on an international level. They play at The Stables in Wavendon at 8pm. Tickets £15. Call 01908 280800 or visit www.stables.org to book.

SATURDAY JANUARY 14

Backed by a powerhouse band that includes a mighty brass section, Signed, Sealed, Delivered features a cast of boy and girl singers aiming to do justice to the phenomenon that is soul. Featuring classic tunes including Reach Out I’ll Be There, Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone and, of course, Signed, Sealed, Delivered, this varied show takes you on a journey celebrating the music of Stevie Wonder, The Four Tops and The Temptations as well as many others who defined the soul era. The show starts at 8pm. Tickets £26. Call 01908 280800 or visit www.stables.org to book.

The Griffin Players present Rapunzel: a Tangled Pantomime at Luton Library Theatre. Visit www.griffinplayers.co.uk or call 07906 075455 to book.

SUNDAY JANUARY 15

Globe-trotting laughter master Stephen K Amos returns to The Stables at 8pm with his new show. In the past 12 months, Stephen has performed his unique brand of feel-good comedy all over the UK as well as in Europe and Australasia. Call 01908 280800 or visit www.stables.org to book.

Iain Morrison & Michael Chorney play at the Stables, Wavendon, at 8.45pm. Iain Morrison is a writer, singer and musician from the Outer Hebrides. He met American composer, guitarist and saxophonist Michael Chorney at the 2011 Celtic Connections Festival in Glasgow while they were both working on Anaïs Mitchell’s folk opera Hadestown. Iain’s most recent album, Eas, is a collection of songs based around piobaireachd, the classical music of the Scottish pipes. Michael is a member of Vermont-based jazz quartet Hollar General. Tickets £10 in advance, £12 on the door. Call 01908 280800 or visit www.stables.org to book.

The Griffin Players present Rapunzel: a Tangled Pantomime at Luton Library Theatre. Visit www.griffinplayers.co.uk or call 07906 075455 to book.

MONDAY JANUARY 16

The Griffin Players present Rapunzel: a Tangled Pantomime at Luton Library Theatre. Visit www.griffinplayers.co.uk or call 07906 075455 to book.

TUESDAY JANUARY 17

The Pitmen Poets celebrate the songs, humour and culture of north east England’s coal mining tradition, bringing together four of the region’s leading champions of its musical heritage. With archive footage and photographs, they come to The Stables, Wavendon, with a journey through the centuries of a once-great industry, from the songs that saw it thrive to those that saw its demise and the resulting aftermath. Tickets £20. Call 01908 280800 or visit www.stables.org to book.

The Griffin Players present Rapunzel: a Tangled Pantomime at Luton Library Theatre. Visit www.griffinplayers.co.uk or call 07906 075455 to book.

WEDNESDAY

JANUARY 18

Comedian Hall Cruttenden performs at the Bear Club in Luton on a bill also including Funmbi Omotayo and Simon Caine. Visit www.wegottickets.com/happysharkcomedy to book.

The Griffin Players present Rapunzel: a Tangled Pantomime at Luton Library Theatre. Visit www.griffinplayers.co.uk or call 07906 075455 to book.

Stand-up, actor, writer, star of Rev. and News Quiz host Miles Jupp brings his show Songs of Freedom to The Stables in Wavendon at 8pm, when he will try to make sense of some of life’s more baffling elements. Tickets £17. Call 01908 280800 or visit www.stables.org to book.

THURSDAY JANUARY 19

The Stables in Wavendon hosts An Evening with Tom Paxton with special guests Cathy and Marcy from 8pm. Tom Paxton has enjoyed a music career spanning more than 50 years. Those five decades have seen the recording of many enduring songs and thousands of live performances around the world, as well as a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award in 2009. As he performs timeless classics including The Last Thing On My Mind, Bottle Of Wine and Ramblin’ Boy, Tom’s famously generous nature and desire to bring people together shine through. Tickets £29.50. Call 01908 280800 or visit www.stables.org to book.

The Griffin Players present Rapunzel: a Tangled Pantomime at Luton Library Theatre. Visit www.griffinplayers.co.uk or call 07906 075455 to book.

FRIDAY JANUARY 20

New Yorker Popa Chubby has been hard rocking the blues in his fierce and soulful way for more than 25 years. He is a force to be reckoned with on the guitar and his tempestuous, soulful playing has never been more powerful. With a performance style he describes as “the Stooges meets Buddy Guy, Motörhead meets Muddy Waters and Jimi Hendrix meets Robert Johnson”, Popa is an endearing character and one of the genre’s most popular figures. His most recent album, Catfish, was released in 2015. Popa plays at The Stables, Wavendon, at 8pm. Tickets £16.50. Call 01908 280800 or visit www.stables.org to book.

The Griffin Players present Rapunzel: a Tangled Pantomime at Luton Library Theatre. Visit www.griffinplayers.co.uk or call 07906 075455 to book.

SATURDAY JANUARY 21

Ronnie Scott’s All Stars present The Ronnie Scott’s Story at The Stables, Wavendon, at 8pm. Combining world-class live jazz from the Ronnie Scott’s All Stars, narration, rare archive photos and video footage, The Ronnie Scott’s Story is a visual and musical celebration of this world famous jazz club. The show charts its rise from a basement bar where local musicians would jam, through its trials and tribulations and landmark performances to today’s status as an internationally acclaimed jazz venue. Tickets £21 and £19.50. Call 01908 280800 or visit www.stables.org to book.

The Griffin Players present Rapunzel: a Tangled Pantomime at Luton Library Theatre. Visit www.griffinplayers.co.uk or call 07906 075455 to book.

Alex Cornish plays at The Stables, Wavendon, at 8.45pm. Alex is a singer songwriter from Scotland. He has produced four critically acclaimed albums, toured all over, enjoyed heavy rotation on BBC Radio 2 and 6 Music and his songs have been featured in numerous films and television shows. Alex is performing a series of solo acoustic shows in January to promote his forthcoming fifth album. Tickets £10 in advance, £12 on the door. Call 01908 280800 or visit www.stables.org to book.

The Grove Theatre in Dunstable hosts The Neil Diamond Rocks Tour, performed by tribute artist John Hylton and Real Diamond, at 7.30pm. Visit www.grovetheatre.co.uk or call 01582 609 351 to book.

SUNDAY JANUARY 22

Back to Bacharach celebrates the magical music of Burt Bacharach, one of the most accomplished popular composers of the 20th century. Together with Hal David he penned some of the most memorable and iconic hits of all time. Songs featured in the show include Alfie, Anyone Who Had A Heart, Arthur’s Theme, I Say A Little Prayer For You and Magic Moments. The show comes to The Stables, Wavendon, at 8pm. Tickets £23. Call 01908 280800 or visit www.stables.org to book.

The Griffin Players present Rapunzel: a Tangled Pantomime at Luton Library Theatre. Visit www.griffinplayers.co.uk or call 07906 075455 to book.