Between Hello and Goodbye: the Secret World of Sarah Records

Concerts and screening
Saturday 3 May, 7.30pm, £18/£16 concs

Exhibition
Friday 2 May – Monday 5 May, 11am – 6pm, free

Operating at first from a telephone-free basement at the top of Blackboy Hill and then from a house overlooking Bedminster station, Sarah Records released 100 7″ pop singles between 1987 and 1995. Clare Wadd and Matt Haynes, the label’s young founders, then took out adverts in the music press headed ‘A Day For Destroying Things’ announcing that the label was over and that they didn’t do encores.

Since then, Sarah has acquired almost legendary status around the world, and is now the subject of both a documentary – My Secret World, made by filmmaker Lucy Dawkins – and a book, Popkiss: the Life and Afterlife of Sarah Records (forthcoming from Bloomsbury).

As well as displaying a healthy DIY punk attitude, the idiosyncratic label saw its productions as something of a love letter to its home city. Photos of Bristol featured on the centre labels of its singles, compilations were named after local places, and postcards that formed a jigsaw of Temple Meads station were given away.

On the Saturday evening, My Secret World will be previewed during a concert programme featuring performances by The Orchids, Secret Shine, and Amelia and Rob (ex-Heavenly).

Over the bank holiday weekend, there will be an exhibition of Sarah memorabilia (including original artwork, sleeves, posters, fanzines), themed walks, and more.

Clare Wadd and Matt Haynes: In Conversation
Sat 3 May, 5.30pm, £3/free to concert ticket holders

Walking Tours
Sat 3 May, 1pm, Sun 4 May, 11am, Mon 5 May, 11am, (leaving from Arnolfini foyer), free just turn up

On the three days of the holiday weekend, as part of Arnolfini’s Between Hello And Goodbye: The Secret World of Sarah Records, label co-founder Clare Wadd will be leading themed city walks. The walks will take in some of the Bristol locations which gave the idiosyncratic label’s releases their names, and some of the places featured in their cover and centre-label photos, but they will also be of interest to anybody who wants to explore a little more of Bristol.

Starting from outside the Arnolfini each day of the festival, the walks will run for about an hour and a half (covering approximately 3-4 miles). They will be free of charge and are in conjunction with the local Ramblers, Brunel Walking Group.  Clare Wadd has been a Ramblers walks leader for over a decade and likes to highlight the variety of public walks the charity offers.  

Part of Bristol Art Weekender

A weekend festival celebrating art across Bristol
2 – 5 May 2014.

The Official Bristol Art Weekender Party
Saturday 3 May, 10pm – 2am, free

Celebrate the inaugural Bristol Art Weekender. Party till late at the Arnolfini cafe bar to a selection of Indie pop, Northern Soul and Motown classics, and enjoy a very special all-vinyl ‘C86’ DJ set by Ian Watson of London-based club night, How Does It Feel To Be Loved?

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