Author Archives: Ben Howard

Interview with Paul T. Davies on The Killing of Sister George

Taking over as director mid-production is no small task, but for Paul T. Davies, it [...]

Interview with Lesley Watson of #hmvlivendlocal

Lesley Watson has played an important role in supporting Colchester’s local music scene, particularly through [...]

The Smashing Pumpkins to play Colchester

The Colchester Castle Summer Series has unveiled its latest headliner – legendary alternative rock band [...]

David Rodigan to play Colchester Castle Summer Series

David Rodigan joins UB40 featuring Ali Campbell, Aswad, Don Letts, Bitty McLean, Dawn Penn, and [...]

Interview with Tyler Baker of Gasoline Green

By Ben Howard, Keep Colchester Cool It was an unexpected but nice surprise when I [...]

Reliving the Britpop Era: Blow Up returns to Colchester

Get ready for a nostalgic evening of classic tunes as Blow Up, the club night [...]

How to Keep Colchester’s Music Scene Thriving

Colchester has long been a hub of creativity, with a thriving music scene supported by [...]

The Magic of Anthony Roberts’ A Christmas Carol

It’s that time of year again, and Anthony Roberts, Director of Colchester Arts Centre, is [...]

ACT Launches £40,000 Grants Programme to Support Local Projects

The Anglian Community Trust (ACT) has unveiled an exciting new funding initiative, making £40,000 available to support [...]

Colchester Musicians To Pay Tribute to Nick Drake

On Monday 25th November, Coda will host a special evening of music commemorating the 50th [...]

Mercury Theatre Unveils Cast & Creative Team for 2024/5 Pantomime

The Mercury Theatre has announced the full cast and creative team for their highly anticipated [...]

Discover Upcoming Events at Red Lion Books

The festive season has arrived at Red Lion Books in Colchester, bringing with it a [...]

Upcoming Shows and Events at the Mercury Theatre in 2025

The Mercury Theatre has revealed an impressive lineup of shows over the next year, promising [...]

Two Exhibitions to Explore in Wivenhoe

Wivenhoe currently has two exhibitions that celebrate the beauty of the coast. Make the journey [...]

Get Ready for Colchester’s Sound 4

This Saturday, 2nd November, Keep Colchester Cool and Colchester Arts Centre brings you the fourth [...]

Oyster Land: An Interview with Matthew John Harrison

Local filmmaker Matthew John Harrison is showing his latest documentary, Oyster Land, on Saturday 26th [...]

Stage Craft @ Colchester Fringe

Led by Richard Bland (MA in Drama Directing from Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, BA [...]

Interviewed: Wait For June

German folk-indie band Wait for June brings their genre-defying sound to Colchester Arts Centre on Saturday, 19th [...]

YOLO: Seb Fontaine and Carly Wilford to play Trilogy

YOLO and Club76 are excited to welcome DJs Seb Fontaine and Carly Wilford on the [...]

Celebrating 15 Years of Keep Colchester Cool

Fifteen years ago today, on 19th September 2009, I created a Facebook group—something I’d never [...]

About the author:
Ben Howard is a writer, DJ and founder of Keep Colchester Cool. Launched in 2009, the platform documents the city’s gigs, theatre, exhibitions and grassroots creativity through interviews, reviews and event listings.

Alongside running the site, Ben works through Ben Howard Communications, providing PR, content writing and marketing support for businesses, venues and cultural organisations.

He also DJs regularly, and continues to champion the people, venues and events that keep Colchester’s cultural scene thriving.