Astoria Centre, Barnsley

John Atwell has been rehearsing this afternoon for his performance at the Astoria Centre tomorrow (Saturday) at 2.30pm. There’s been some gorgeous sounds from the Compton and those attending the concert are in for a real treat.

Join us at the Astoria Centre for a wonderful afternoon of delightful music.

Tickets are available using the link below or on the door on the day from 1.45pm.

http://shop.astoriacentre.co.uk/product/ticket-john-atwell

It’s ‘all go’ here at the Astoria Centre this week.
Tuesdays are volunteer days. These are when our wonderful team of volunteers work behind the scenes, preparing the venue for events and help refurbish various parts that make up a theatre pipe organ.

Wednesday is our weekly afternoon tea dance commencing at 1pm. This weeks organist is Kevin Grunill, providing music for dancing.

Thursday’s are ‘Music & Memories’ days, when we present a varied selection of music to bring back memories of melodies spanning over 100 years of popular music. This week, we welcome back Kevin Grunill at the console.

Friday, our technical crew will be preparing the organ and setting up the venue for a special concert the following day.

Saturday, we are proud to present one of Australia’s finest theatre organists - John Atwell, making his only appearance at a Compton organ as part of this brief tour. The concert commences at 2.30pm, with tickets being able to be booked in advance via the link below or on the door on the day from 1.45pm.

http://shop.astoriacentre.co.uk/product-category/tickets

David Ivory made his first appearance at the Astoria Centre this afternoon and took the audience on a journey of ‘Music & Memories’, including a selection of tunes from 1934 - the same year the Astoria, Purley (which forms the basis of the organ) was opened. It’s amazing to think that we were hearing melodies that parts of this instrument would have played at the time.

Many thanks, David and we are pleased you enjoyed your visit as much as the audience did.

For this Thursday’s ‘Music & Memories’ lunchtime concert, we welcome guest organist - David Ivory, making his first visit to the Astoria Centre. There’ll be a mix of music, including favourites old & new for you to enjoy.

What a great afternoon we’ve had today at the Astoria Centre for our ‘Tower Tea Dance’. Dancers had travelled from far and wide to attend the event and were treated to some superb music from the Compton organ in the hands of Blackpool Tower’s ‘Maestro of Music’ - Phil Kelsall MBE.

The atmosphere was wonderful and it was a pleasure to listen to the music and watch the dancers glide around the dance floor with ease and elegance. A ‘full house’ too, which is always great to see.

We’d like to share with you some photographs taken this afternoon at the event.

The audience were treated to a music-packed afternoon with Phil Kelsall at the console of the Compton organ. A wide range of music entertained the audience with music from stage & screen to hits of the 70s, 80s, 90s etc.

This afternoon at the Astoria Centre we welcome the ‘Maestro of Music’ from the famous Tower Ballroom, Blackpool - Phil Kelsall MBE. Phil will be performing a musical afternoon of popular music, bringing his own style of Blackpool Rock to Barnsley.

Please pre book your tickets if at all possible using the link below.

http://shop.astoriacentre.co.uk/product-category/tickets

We are thrilled that our 2025 event leaflets have just arrived. There’s a great selection of events to come along to next year, with music from many of your favourite performers.

Pick up your copy of the leaflet at either of the Phil Kelsall events this weekend or on your next visit to the Astoria Centre, Barnsley.

There’s just 8 tickets remaining for the Tower Tea Dance at the Astoria Centre, Barnsley this coming Sunday afternoon featuring the Blackpool Tower’s ‘Maestro of Music’ - Phil Kelsall MBE.

Don’t miss out on a superb afternoon of music & dance.

The last remaining tickets can be purchased online using the following link.

http://shop.astoriacentre.co.uk/product-category/tickets

This Wednesday’s afternoon tea dance features Alec Walters at the console of the Compton organ for your dancing and listening pleasure.

On Thursday, Kevin Grunill will be performing the ‘Music & Memories’ lunchtime concert at 1pm.

Join us for two music-packed afternoons.

There’s just a week to go before Blackpool Tower organist - Phil Kelsall performs in concert on the Astoria Centre, Compton organ on 14th September at 2.30pm.

Phil has been performing to audiences at the famous Blackpool landmark for over 45 years now and he’ll be bringing his own brand of ‘Blackpool Magic’ to Barnsley, when he performs an afternoon full of music to set your feet tapping and bring back your wonderful memories of listening or dancing in the iconic Tower Ballroom.

Come along and listen to Yorkshire’s largest theatre pipe organ in the unique setting of the Astoria Centre, Barnsley.

Tickets (allocated seating) are available using the link below or on the door (unreserved seating) on the day from 1.45pm.

http://shop.astoriacentre.co.uk/product-category/tickets

We look forward to welcoming you to the Astoria Centre.

Meet the ladies this week when both Liz Harrison and Jean Martyn (Jean Martyn Music) will be our guest organists at the Astoria Centre, Barnsley.

Elizabeth Harrison will be providing the music on the Compton organ for dancing on Wednesday 4th September from 1pm, just like she does at the Tower Ballroom, Blackpool, so come along and enjoy the music and atmosphere. Even if you don’t dance, there’ll be some great music to listen to.

Britain’s Got Talent finalist - Jean Martyn will be the organist for the ‘Music & Memories’ lunchtime concert on Thursday 5th September, commencing at 1pm. Jean’s bubbly personality and music is bound to get your feet tapping and bring happiness to all.

The Astoria Centre
Unit 16A
Gate 1 Metro Trading Centre
Barugh Green Road,
Barnsley. S75 1JT

We have a busy and exciting month at the Astoria Centre in September.

In addition to the weekly Wednesday Afternoon Tea Dances and Thursday ‘Music & Memories’ lunchtime concerts, there are a number of other events not to be missed.

Blackpool Tower organist - Phil Kelsall is bringing his own style of Blackpool rock to the Astoria Centre on the weekend of 14th & 15th September.

On Saturday 14th September at 2.30pm, Phil will be performing in concert on the mighty Compton organ (a larger instrument than at the Tower Ballroom), showcasing some of the popular pieces he’s performed and recorded there over his 45+ years as Principal Organist.

On Sunday 15th September at 2.30pm, you can dance (or just listen) the afternoon away, when Phil recreates the atmosphere of a Tower Tea Dance. There’ll be all of the Tower Ballroom dancing favourites, together with your dancing requests in a music-packed afternoon. Our tea bar will be serving hot & cold snacks, as well as delicious cakes all throughout the afternoon for you to purchase individually.

A special afternoon concert takes place on Saturday 28th September at 2.30pm, when we welcome one of Australia’s top theatre organists - John Atwell, making his first appearance at the Astoria Centre. Don’t miss John, as he puts the Compton organ through its paces and performs a musical afternoon for your delight and enjoyment. This will be John’s only U.K. performance on a Compton Theatre Organ, so a unique event to experience.

Tickets can be purchased in advance (reserved seating), using the link below or on the door on the day (allocated seating).

https://astoriacentre.co.uk/special-events

The Astoria Centre was alive with the sound of music yesterday afternoon, when Declan Poole performed an entertaining concert on the Compton organ. Declan included a wide range of popular music old and new, which delighted the audience, some of who had travelled from far and wide, including The Netherlands.

Declan knows the Astoria Compton organ literally ‘inside and out’, as he’s an active member of the team that look after this fine instrument and operate the Astoria Centre. Knowing that there were so many people in the audience that he knew, Declan performed a programme that was very much the type of music that our audience love to listen to. The appreciative applause, not only at the end of the concert but throughout the afternoon clearly showed that his carefully chosen pieces were certainly crowd pleasers and everyone left the Astoria Centre at the end of the afternoon smiling and happy, which is all we strive to do.

Thanks, Declan for an entertaining afternoon.

Today at the Astoria Centre…..

An afternoon of popular music with Declan Poole at the console of the Compton Theatre Organ. Come along and enjoy the music of Frank Sinatra, Richard Rodgers, the fabulous hits of the ‘swinging 1960s’, plus lots more.

Doors open at 1.45pm.

See you there!

It’s another busy week at the Astoria Centre.

Yesterday, we held our weekly Wednesday afternoon tea dance and today our weekly Thursday ‘Music & Memories’ lunchtime concert with Kevin Grunill at the Compton organ at 1pm.

On Friday, the Compton is being tuned in preparation for this coming Saturday’s concert with Declan Poole at 2.30pm. Declan is part of the team at the Astoria Centre and this is a great opportunity to hear him perform on the Astoria Centre Compton - an instrument that he really does know inside and out.

Tickets can be purchased in advance using the following link or on the door from 1.45pm on Saturday.

https://astoriacentre.co.uk/special-events

Join us at the Astoria Centre on Sunday 15th September at 2.30pm for a ‘Tower Tea Dance’, featuring none other than the legendary Phil Kelsall MBE - Resident Organist at the Tower Ballroom, Blackpool.
Phil will be playing the mighty Compton organ for your dancing pleasure and featuring the music you love to hear when dancing in Blackpool’s most famous landmark.
Tickets are limited and we strongly advise booking in advance via the Astoria Centre website using the link below.

http://shop.astoriacentre.co.uk/product-category/tickets

‘Eeh by gum’, this Thursday’s ‘Music & Memories’ lunchtime concert falls on 1st August, which is Yorkshire Day, ‘tha knows’.

Come along (get thissen darn) to the Astoria Centre and enjoy the thrilling sound of the Compton theatre organ, played by Yorkshire organist - Kevin Grunill, who will be featuring music associated with this wonderful county, as well as melodies written by Yorkshire-born composers.

There’ll be a Yorkshire theme carried through to the refreshments & snacks on offer, including Yorkshire ham and other local produce, with copious amounts of Yorkshire Tea to wash it down with.

Doors open at 12 noon and music commences at 1pm.….. it’ll be a ‘reight good do’.

Come along and enjoy the music of our very own Declan Poole at the Astoria Centre on Saturday 10th August at 2.30pm.
There’ll be a great mix of music ranging from Frank Sinatra classics to the lavish music of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s ‘South Pacific’, plus lots more…. All performed on Yorkshire’s largest theatre organ.

Admission is available on the door, or you can book online to reserve your specific seating requests using the link below.

https://astoriacentre.co.uk/special-events

We look forward to extending you a warm welcome to the Astoria Centre, Barnsley.

The latest development at the Astoria Centre is the installation of a ‘new’ Flute rank. This rank replaces the Astoria Open Flute, which has now become ‘Flute Celeste’. The Astoria Flute is small scale and quite delicate, which didn’t really give the foundation to the accompaniment that it ought to, so a larger scale rank was sourced.

The ‘new’ Flute rank was originally built in 1937 for the Gaumont, Carshalton Compton, which rather interestingly is the organ that our Gamba, Violin Celeste (ll ranks) & Trumpet ranks at the Astoria Centre originated from, so we’ve reunited them after several decades apart from one another.

Our team of volunteers have been busy restoring and installing a suitable chest for the Flute to sit on and a new rack board made to suit the pipes.

Many thanks to all involved in making this project happen. The result is very pleasing and will be enjoyed by visitors and organists alike.

We were treated to a very enjoyable show yesterday at the Astoria Centre with Michael Wooldridge at the console of the Compton organ. Michael included a wide variety of popular music, ranging from ‘Phantom of the Opera’, ‘West Side Story’, the hits of Andy Williams & Doris Day to the music of George Gershwin, which delighted the audience.

It was nice to welcome visitors from as far afield as Peterborough and Dorset, who had travelled especially to attend the event.

Thank you Michael for such an enjoyable afternoon at the Astoria Centre.

We welcomed members from Wakefield Civic Society this afternoon to the Astoria Centre. It’s great to hear that they enjoyed their visit and we look forward to welcoming them back on a future occasion.