Chelmsford granted city status

In her Diamond Jubilee year, the Queen has granted Chelmsford as a city. Along with Perth in Scotland and St Asaph in North Wales, Her Royal Majesty granted three cities on three corners of the country a new city status in order to help mark the celebration of her 60th year as our monarch.

As the county town of Essex and with a population stretching to around 160,000, many people would say that this news has been a long time coming. Most importantly due to the cathedral, which is often a defining aspect of a city, many people have argued the case of Chelmsford's city status for quite some time.

Chelmsford Cathedral

After 24 towns across the UK placed a bid to win a competition to be officially granted as a city, Chelmsford fought off some strong competitors, including Middlesbrough, Bolton and even Reading, the bookies favourite due to being the largest town in the country. With just 18/1 odds, the outlook did not seem particularly promising, so the news came as a shock to the council and to those who helped to place the bid.

Chelmsford even beat Colchester and Southend to claim the title, becoming the first ever city in Essex. It seems only just that the county town should become a city before any others.

With so many assets that would be expected from a city, it only seems about time that Chelmsford should be upgraded from a town to a city. Anglia Ruskin University has, in recent years, been expanded using a £81 million investment and is one of the largest universities in Eastern England.

Chelmsford also boasts multiple top-class high schools, each varying greatly in specialities; these include Moulsham High School specialising in Humanities, Boswells School in Performing Arts, Great Baddow High School in Sport, as well as the two grammar schools, Chelmsford County High School and King Edward Grammar School, which are within the top schools in the country.

The former town also provides various superb amenities that you would expect from a fantastic city.

With a fantastic high street and two shopping precincts, The Meadows and High Chelmer, Chelmsford is packed full of retail opportunities. With John Lewis on its way for 2013, Chelmsford will be complete with virtually every popular high street store that the country is offered.

Chelmsford's Broomfield Hospital is the largest in Essex and with a substantial re-development in recent years, various new facilities have been added. The St Andrew's Centre within the hospital is worldly renowned for its specialist work for people suffering with burns and a cleft lip or palate.

Substantial development: Broomfield Hospital's new building

The sporting successes within Chelmsford have been awaited this news for quite some time, with Chelmsford's football club being called Chelmsford City! Chelmsford is also home to Essex County Cricket Ground, as well as ice hockey team Chelmsford Chieftans. It will also welcome the Olympic Torch as part of the Olympic Festival celebrations in July.

Chelmsford receives media attention through the V Festival, held in Hylands Park, every year. With some of the UK's and the world's biggest musical artists coming to Chelmsford every year, it seems only right that the likes of Eminem and Rihanna, who performed at the festival in 2011, should be welcomed into the City of Chelmsford, as opposed to the town.

Crowds pack out at the annual V Festival in Hylands Park

Having been specifically chosen by the Queen to be one of the three places representing her within her Diamond Jubilee year, Chelmsford should hopefully receive the appropriate positive publicity that it deserves, as a place packed full to the brim of exceptional facilities and figures. The news should attract business and investment into what is a bustling and successful city of the UK.

In Case You Didn't Know... Olly Murs CAN sing!

Ever since his appearance on the X Factor, critics have often been scathing of this Essex lad. However, after a sell-out, nationwide, arena tour, it's time these critics hushed and accepted the fact that Olly Murs is a true star, and a very talented one.

After the success of his Number One album, titled 'In Case You Didn't Know', as well as the first two singles from the album rocketing to the top position in the chart, there is no denying that Murs does have a talent. Despite what I imagine is widely considered by some, the 'Heart Skips a Beat' singer has written most of the songs on both of his albums, proving that his talents stretch from being a singer to a song-writer, as well as being an all-round good guy too.

Anybody who appears on the ITV show The X Factor will always be confronted with scrutiny by the press and by music journalists who are too quick to snub the pop sounds that are created by the talent show. It only requires a glance on Twitter to see how it is the likes of JLS, Olly Murs and One Direction, all X Factor finalists, who attract such large fan bases and therefore dominate the charts when their singles are released. Although many people believe Simon Cowell is trying to manipulate the UK's musical tastes, he is in fact just finding artists that appeal to it.

This negative conception of X Factor artists is unfairly held by too many people who attempt to reject this mainstream field of music in order to be seen with a more 'respectable' taste in music. However, this mainstream music is exactly that for a reason - it is popular and enjoyed by the masses. Whether a genre is deemed as 'Pop' or 'Indie', this holds no effect on the actual talent that the artist holds and I think that this can often be mistaken.

As a fan of Olly Murs myself, it may seem biased that I have such high praises of him. However, so will the thousands of other people who saw Mr Murs at his recent tour. It takes a special something, or a special somebody, who can sell out The O2 Arena on two successive nights, as well as two more dates in the same city at Wembley Arena just a week later. With even more dates taking Olly to the largest cities across the UK, crowds packed out to see the spectacular live show that Murs provides. 

Even despite inches of snow disrupting journeys, and even preventing many fans from getting home in some cases, the arenas remained full, certifying that the concert was very much worth the hassle!

Cheeky chappy: Olly Murs rocking The O2 Arena, London

Opening with an uplifting and lively track, 'Anywhere Else', from his latest album, the lyrics perfectly suited the occasion. "Nothing compares to this moment and nothing ever will" ultimately summarises the exhilarating feeling at the start of any live music event, with the show that I saw at the O2 Arena on the 4th February being no exception.

Continuing with all of the greatest songs from his first two albums, as well as some cover versions, including Aloe Blacc's "I Need a Dollar" and a medley of James Brown's greatest hits, Mr Murs clearly defined his vocal ability, proving to audiences of thousands why he rightly deserves his place at the top of the UK charts.

Anywhere Else: "Tonight, our arms are open wide"

Complete with a top-class band, including tremendous back-up singers who helped Olly with a few of his dance moves throughout the show, I would thoroughly recommend paying a visit to see this Essex-boy on one of his upcoming summer shows. These include a homecoming, headlining concert in Hylands Park on 16th June, before returning to the park again on 19th August for the annual V Festival, where Murs will be making his debut appearance on the Main Stage.

If you're not altogether convinced about Olly Murs or he's still not your cup-of-tea, be sure to see him perform live and I can guarantee you will have a good time.

Fuze find a fan in McFly

This week, Pop rockers McFly will begin their nationwide, 26-date, theatre tour, which sees them travelling across the length and breadth of Britain performing to all their fans. As the band travel to York on the 17th April, they will be joined by a very talented Essex band.

Fuze, made up of Ed Alston - lead vocalist and guitarist, George Kirchner - lead guitarist, Jack Goldsmith - bass guitarist, and Keir Adamson - drummer, beat hundreds of other hopefuls to the position.

From left: George, Keir, Ed, Jack

From November of last year, McFly begun their Battle of the Bands competition, looking for fresh and under-the-radar artists to support them on their tour. With many acts across the country entering videos of themselves to the website, the public had a chance to vote online over a 3 month period for their favourite.

The top 50 were then whittled down to 26 as McFly, made up of Tom, Danny, Dougie, as well as Essex's very own Harry Judd, picked the bands they wished to appear alongside them.

Having been crowned Chelmsford's YFest winners in August 2011, as well as giving regular performances at live music venues across the county including The Box in Chelmsford, Fuze are very much prepared for a live audience. However, with a sell-out gig at The Barbican theatre in York, the group will have to adjust to a 1,500-strong crowd - a spectacular experience for any artist

Lead guitarist, George is filled with excitement at the prospect of their upcoming gig. "It will be the biggest gig we've ever played. To have this opportunity to perform to 1,500 McFly fans, as well as McFly themselves, will be so awesome."

After receiving a call from an unknown US number at the start of February, George was ecstatic to hear the voice of McFly's manager Richard Rashman, with "the words [he] had been waiting for months to hear".

"My heart literary started to beat faster than ever before, I couldn't breathe and I just knew that we made it on to the tour! As soon as I got off the phone, I went to scream at the top of my voice but nothing came out! I then ran down stairs and told my mum, phoning the other guys in the band shortly after."

In order to prepare for their supporting slot at the chart toppers' gig, Fuze will be hosting a warm up gig on 13th April. Starting at 7:30 at The Box, Fuze welcome anybody to attend to support them in preparing for this once-in-a-lifetime show.

In recent months, Fuze's album has been available to buy on iTunes and Amazon, with the band's latest single, 'By Your Side', available to download for 89p on iTunes. The four-piece have also recorded a video to accompany the single, which is also available.

If you wish to find out more about Fuze, head to their official YouTube page FuzeBandTV to see some clips of Ed, George, Jack and Keir performing live, as well as a sneak preview of the latest video, or visit the Fuze Facebook page

Fuze's 'By Your Side' is available to download now