One of the less anticipated signs of summer [not least thanks to its predictability, ubiquity and outrageous price-point] The DHRA Summer Calendar is once again imminent. Notice was served earlier this week by President, Chair and Romance Advocate for Life*, Mrs Amanda J Threadbone who - with an enthusiasm as admirable as it was astonishing - confidently predicted that this the 35th iteration would be "amongst the most beautiful and best".
* Incorporating the historic and now redundant positions of Platonic Love Advisor and Unacceptable Sexual Positions Warden
Perhaps sensing that she had not completely captured the room, Mrs Threadbone went on to announce that this year's Summer Calendar would be the first to feature the newly commissioned [2024] DHRA logo. Revised and updated by the DHRA's favoured design team - Charles and Maurice and MacPro - the re-worked signifier features a modern ["groovy"] font and a stylelized rose picked out in red. And just in case that was stillnot enough, Mrs Threadbone added that the Calendar will - for the first time - come with a completely free - gratis and for nothing - "giveaway" Sounds of Summer CD**.
** The completely free - gratis and for nothing - "giveaway" Sounds of Summer CD contains 15 tracks featuring artists old and new [Edmund Hockpiece, Hank Pratt and the Tits, The Unfortunate Sisters, Bert Camembert, Ferguson Thrupiece and his Cafe Orchestra, Fernando Moediantepiezza and His Latin Rhythm, The Harry Styles Skifflemen, Ziggy and the Belle Ends, Ziggy and the Snowflakes, Ziggy and the Boners, Shitrag, Clifford Richbone, Gladys Bellowes, The Balcombe Girl Guides Ukulele Duo and The Doris Slocombe Washboard Trio].
This year's surprise Guest Editor is none other than Mrs Amanda J Threadbone herself, whilst the Calendar's Keynote Foreword has been provided by Dorset's doyen of crime fighters, RDC Chief Constable Sir Rising Crimewave. His topic: My time in handcuffs: the pleasures and pains of life in the Vice Squad. Unlike the rest of the Calendar the Foreword comes - thankfully - unillustrated.
Our Semiotics Editor Sim Bology writes:
The new DHRA logo is certainly startling and a marked improvement on several earlier rather conventional designs. Charles and Maurice MacPro are [in]famous for their spirited sense of innovation and occasionally irreverent takes on the appropriate public image of even our most conservative and austere institutions. This effort is typically playful - even flirty. The font is upfront, bold and jaunty, suggesting a cheekiness not always associated with the hitherto rather staid DHRA, whilst the rose is both beautifully drawn and strikingly contemporary. All in all this represents a significant leap forward for the DHRA and, on the back of it, I fully expect it to take on the 20th century with a new confidence. 10 out of 10 and chapeaux to the MacPros!
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