I was fortunate enough to be amongst the very elite of Chelmsford society when I was recently chosen to attend the opening bash held by Creation Studios who have recently relocated to Moulsham Street.

Creation Studios do a lot of professional 3D animation and CGI work and, as I'm a student film maker, they were obviously keen to invite me along.

Actually, they didn't specifically invite me along at all, despite me being a student film maker and a writer for this most humble local periodical. In fact, I was only there due to their fairly lapse door policy which allowed me my official guest sticker of my name and the vague description of ‘editor’ as my occupation, and I only ended up staying for quite so long as the free bar had captured both my imagination and my full attention.

The offices themselves, which are in a nice building right next to the church, are well equipped and boast a little cinema screening room there too. It is both light and airy with the only real drawback being the hideous installation of artificial palm trees with metal green leaves and recessed lights. I'd hoped that they were just there for the launch party, but on closer inspection, they looked like a permanent fixture. During the event the company showcased their latest venture into online video called ‘film lounge’, which could give independent filmmakers a new launching pad for their work. They're currently looking for investors and I hope it works out for them - and for the benefit of all struggling and aspiring film-makers. So, while I was enduring, via the wonderful gift of the free bar, the corporate speeches and the other right honourable guests (what Mr. Edge would no doubt call RHG's) attending this bash, it was suddenly announced that the Chelmsford Mayor would be making a speech. I was surprised for two reasons. Firstly, I didn't know the Mayor was at the party. Secondly, I didn't know that Chelmsford even had a Mayor. But apparently we do as he was definitely there (that’s him, pictured below). It's just really rather unfortunate that he had wet himself shortly before encountering an Edge columnist who’d had a skinful at the free bar, has a rather poor sense of humour and a camera on his mobile ’phone to boot.

As to the source of the wetting, well, it’s really hard to say. Bathroom accident? Some kind of unfortunate bounce back or clothing overhang after too much free wine? General bathroom haste combined with a damaged or trapped zipper, perhaps? It's impossible to conclude for sure, so I'll have to leave that up to your own imagination.

But back to this Mayor business; am I the only one who didn’t know that Chelmsford had one? I only ask because I'm wondering whether the chap (above) is definitely real, or if he's the sort of Mayor that you can hire from the Yellow Pages in the same way that you can hire a Bouncy Castle for a children's party?

As ever, this particular Edge columnist brings you the important, but slightly uninformed, local stories and news events that you really cannot read anywhere else.

Young Actors Studio Opens in Chelmsford

This country consistently produces some of the worlds finest actors. Although a variety of acting classes for all ages have been available in London for years, Chelmsford has had very little to specifically offer talented youngsters who want to work towards an acting career.

For those of you who cannot travel to our capital city, professional actors Keeley Lawrence and Helen Leon are opening Chelmsford's first acting-only studio, dedicated to nurturing young peoples talents. Having both trained at drama school and the Actors Temple in London, the girls have a decade of industry experience between them which they're keen to share with Chelmsford's younger generation of budding actors.

The Young Actors Studio have chosen to work from The Old Court Theatre on Springfield Road to help give young people a chance to develop and train in a professional environment. To give their students the best chance in their acting careers, they are also able to help students work on their show reels and to attract casting directors as well as other guest actors to teach.

Personally, I wish them every success, if only to help ensure that there are enough real Essex-born actors in the future to guarantee that the distinctively northern Sean Bean is never again given a role as an ‘Essex Boy’.

Taster workshops will take place this summer at the Old Court Theatre, 233 Springfield Road, Chelmsford, every day from Monday 11th to Friday 15th August and again on Tuesday 26th and Wednesday 27th August. There are sessions for juniors (6-10) and seniors (11-16).

Contact Keeley on 07818 071610 or at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it for further information or to reserve a place.

'Live Music' at the Two Brewers

When the Bay Horse shut it doors for the last time, yet another music venue disappeared from the Chelmsford scene. However, things are looking up thanks to the opening of barhouse on Victoria Road, and that towering denim-clad giant and long term local music addict known as Shakey from Shakster Records, who has finally found a new home for ‘live music’ in Chelmsford - every Friday night at the Two Brewers, Springfield Road (now under new management). Shakey has managed to entice four different bands to play at The Brewers every single week, ensuring that there is an eclectic mixture of music and a variety of styles. I've been down there a couple of times already, rather than simply staying in and watching Jonathan Ross, and take it from me, there has always been a band worth seeing.

The first thing that impressed me about the place was that the sound really was rather good for a local venue. The Brewers doesn't seem to suffer in the same way that a lot of local pubs do, so well done to Shakey for taking the time and the trouble to provide a decent platform for good old ‘live’ local music. It has certainly encouraged bands such as Blackmarket and Redtrack who've thrived and delivered fantastic sets on the occasions I've been there. Death of Elephant, who'd I'd seen at the Fleece and not rated that highly, almost sounded like a different band when I saw them at The Brewers and I enjoyed their set all the more because of it.

The first night I attended was particularly memorable as I was given a branded clothes peg with the name of a band printed on the side by a guy who looked like Bill Bailey. I'd never been given a printed clothes peg or met anyone who looked like Bill Bailey before, so the combination really stuck in my mind. The unfortunate thing is that somehow I didn't actually see the band at all, despite being in the pub when they were playing. All I can really say is that if you're in a pub where they're playing, you may not notice them until afterwards when you're given a clothes peg. I haven't named them as I've been informed that they're a pretty good band and that I'd probably had too much Guinness, so I figured I'd wait until I was both at a gig and able to notice them playing before passing on any further judgement.

Shakey's dedication to the local music scene around here cannot be discounted quite as easily as a peg giving band and (as I write) he is currently in America promoting his third compilation CD of local Essex bands which, due to the popularity of the first two albums, is a double CD containing 17 songs on each CD. The two part album, one titled ‘Rock’ and the other ‘Roll’ features some great bands and has some superb cover artwork, as always.

Those of you who remember last years Music and Beer Festival at Galleywood’s Seabright’s Barn will be glad to hear of its return once again this year. It's the weekend after V Festival - 23rd, 24th, 25th August - so if you're like me and wish that every weekend could be spent watching bands out in the open air, you should definitely get yourselves down there and see how many great bands there are playing locally. Confirmed acts include Redtrack, The White Gospel, Matt Herbert and the Heavy Hitters. Meanwhile, the aforementioned, yet unnamed, clothes peg wielding band will also be there, so I really do hope to notice them this time. What’s more, the festival will also feature 9 real ales, a BBQ and Hog Roast, as well as Tarot Card readings and Psychics.