Plastic Bag

Gabba Gabba We Accept You, We Accept You One Of Us

2012-01-24T22:23:00.004Z

Are you one of us? Were you there in the '70s when Glam rocked, disco danced and punk rebelled? Three great musical traditions in one short decade.

Someone I follow on Twitter had a fifty-something birthday today, Older Than Elvis, and she wasn't happy. She started me thinking though, and I realised that every now and then I still think that people who are 50 are old and then I remember that I'm 51 and I don't consider myself old at all. One rule for me and one rule for everyone else.

I'm still seeing and doing new things, experiencing new things (hey, I baked cakes for the first time two weeks ago!). I haven't settled into the kind of routine I saw my parents enter and, presumably, every generation before them. I'm not old, but I'm older. I still think in terms of 'when I grow up' (and only sometimes I'm joking), when I settle down, when I buy the cottage in the country or by the sea... and it'll probably never happen.

I'm deeply proud of some of my heroes. I was browsing through some old blog posts to find something about the Blood Red Shoes and found my post about Siouxsie playing at Shepherds Bush four years back and noted then that I said I was proud of her. It's an odd thing to say, that I'm proud of someone I don't actually know, but I am. Those old punks are still doing things. The onus is on us to still be worthy of them.

One song that always gets me going is 'Quickstep' by The Adverts from their 'Crossing The Red See With The Adverts' album that includes the line, 'Pretty soon you're gonna see what punks can do...'. And we all did - you changed music, you changed culture, you changed me.

Young people are beautiful, all of them. And so are older people. We are all beautiful. Look into my eyes and guess what wonders they've seen, Look at my feet and wonder which paths they've wandered. Have you seen what I've seen? Have you done what I've done? Have you sat in a theatre with tears running down your cheeks with emotion or pogoed all the energy out of you to ear-splitting music?

Yasmin Limbert tweeted last week asking about things to do before you're 50. I replied seeing the orange/pink dawn over the Ganges at Varanasi. I could have added wandering down jasmine-lined country lanes in Nuwara Eliya in Sri Lanka. Or danced with ghosts at Karnak? Or be taught to use chopsticks by an old Japanese couple in a restaurant in a little town outside Siem Reap in Cambodia. Or be shown how to see the rabbit in the moon in ruined temples at Kandy? I could add lots of things. I've seen wonders.

I wouldn't have seen those wonders - or appreciated them - if I was 20 or 30. Wisdom may not come with age, but experience certainly does. So does death, sadly.

I was strangely affected by the death of Poly Styrene last year, one of the great heroes of my youth and a hero of my older age by releasing 'Generation Indigo' last year. Poly came back to us in a flash of glory and then left to join Krishna. I never met Poly and I wish I had.

I also never met The Ramones but I saw them play back in the day. The founding Ramones all sadly died, but Tommy Ramone is still going and I had the joy of meeting him and shaking his hand when he supported Buffy Sainte-Marie in New York a few years ago. I *had* to go up to him and say I enjoyed his set as Uncle Monk, I just *had* to.

For me, the real punks were always just being themselves, not what anyone else thought they should be. And that's a key message for all of us. Don't be homogenised, don't be the same as everyone else. Walk your own road and be you. You might not be terribly radical but that doesn't matter. I always wear mis-matched socks as a choice. I'd rather not wear socks at all, but the weather doesn't always allow that. I have glitter in my bureau to comb into my beard when needed. I can see ballet one night and raucous punk the next night. That's all part of me.

Be you. Are you one of us?

Blood Red Shoes Are Back

2012-01-24T21:07:00.002Z

At long last, Blood Red Shoes are back with some new music! They tweeted a link to their new site to promote the album, 'In Time To Voices' and it fell over with the volume of hits. So they tweeted a link to a sound-only video on YouTube for the first single, 'Cold', and here it is with both Laura-Mary and Steven sharing lead vocals. No doubt there'll be a proper video appearing over the next few weeks. Give it a listen and enjoy.

Matilda The Musical

2012-01-19T21:42:00.007Z

Last night Chris treated me to a late booking to see the new musical on the block, 'Matilda The Musical' at the Cambridge Theatre. I'll pre-empt a lot of wittering on by saying it is excellent. It really is. And great fun.

As soon as we got inside it started to draw me in with the chalk boards all over the walls with kids drawings, silly jokes, comments on school dinners and suchlike, getting us all in the mood. My favourite joke as 'Why is 6 scared of 7? Because 7 8 9' (geddit?). I'd be scared too! Inside the theatre proper and the stage and surrounds are also decorated with chalk boards and building blocks with letters scrawled on the side, flooding the place like a big primary school. It worked really well, not too over-powering but just enough to get us all in the mood.

It's the story of little five year old Matilda Wormwood starting school. Her parents didn't want a child and, if they did, wanted a boy not a girl. She's a genius in a humdrum household of a ballroom dancing mum and a used car salesman dad. But Matilda can tell stories and can challenge authority in the shape of the evil headmistress and help the nice teacher get her inheritance. O yes, Matilda is special all right.

I was terribly impressed with the professionalism of the child actors singing and dancing their hearts out, choreographed to a T and no flagging at all. The child actors change regularly but I was very impressed with James Beesley as Bruce with his love of chocolate cake, Jemima Eaton as Lavender who must tell us everything and, of course, Cleo Demetriou as Matilda. She gave a masterful performance, striking all the right poses, tugging at out heart-strings and successfully speaking Russian at the end. It'll be interesting to see where she in in 10 years times.

Of the adults, I liked Peter Howe as Matilda's dad - he usually plays her brother but was stepping up due the normal dad being off - and Josie Walker as her selfish mum. Lauren Ward was lovely as Miss Honey, the nice teacher (naturally) and Bertie Carvel was magnificently menacing as the creepy and evil Head Mistress, Miss Trunchbull, the former Olympic hammer thrower.

The songs are by Tim Minchin and they stand up in their own right with no hint of his voice singing them. I loved 'Loud' sung by Mrs Wormwood in praise of make-up and hair-dos and being loud as opposed to the mousey Miss Honey but my favourite song was 'When I Grow Up', the proper opener to the second half. It's a lovely song of hope and aspiration from the point of view of a small child and it transported me back an awfully big number of years to when I might have sung that song. I bought the cast recording on the basis of that song and I'm enjoying listening to the whole show again.

I also bought a badge at the merch stand that reads, 'The Bigger The Telly The Smarter The Man'. That is so *wise*.

Go and see it as soon as you can. And then see it again. I shall.

The Slow Demise of the Record Shop Lesson 15

2012-01-16T20:54:00.004Z

There are very few record shops around these days. There are some brave independent shops fighting the good fight in various nooks and crannies but the only high street shop is the venerable HMV that's been around forever. It had a poor Christmas season and doesn't seem to know what to do to increase sales. Its days are probably numbered, at least as it is now, so I try to support it by shopping in my HMV of choice on Oxford Street. It is a huge shop with two floors full of music and one full of DVDs and I love browsing there, picking things up and putting them down, then picking things up and heading to the till to pay for it.

One thing I like about the big HMV shop is that it's virtually guaranteed to have every record on the day of release and, as a fan, that's when I want to pick up the new music from my heroes. Or, the re-released and re-mastered records from my heroes. So, since today, all the records from Public Image Ltd were re-released in re-mastered form (except 'Metal Box' that we re-released in 2009), I hopped on a bus to my record shop of choice and headed for 'P' in the racks and there they were - lots of shiny PiL records!

I was busy harvesting my records of choice without really paying attention, just checking they were all the re-mastered versions, when I suddenly noticed the price - £13 per CD. £13?!?! Eh? Single CDs don't cost that much these days - double albums maybe, but even then I'd think twice. I put the records back, all except for 'Happy?', a PiL album that was deleted back in the 90s and a record I never had until a year or so ago when it was finally available for download. I couldn't leave without any records, after all.

I've just taken a look on Amazon and all the PiL re-releases are priced at £6.99. Amazon is undoubtedly making a profit from selling the records so what kind of mark-up is HMV expecting to get from these records? For a company that's already in trouble, why is it going out of its way to alienate customers with a silly pricing policy? I'll buy my PiL albums from Amazon, thank you.

Butterfly Cakes

2012-01-15T19:28:00.008Z

Today I took my first steps into a bigger and tastier world. I baked my first ever cakes!

Over the summer last year I found myself becoming more engrossed each week by a telly programme, The Great British Bake Off presented by Mel & Sue. I'm not a great one for cooking shows (or cooking generally) but I like Sue Perkins so I tuned in to see what the programme was about and fell under its spell. Then last week there was a celeb version of the show for Sports Relief. That was it, it tipped me over the brink into wanting to try baking myself.

Today I went out to buy some cooking scales and a load of ingredients and then started making cakes. I'd picked the easiest recipe I could find in the Be-Ro cookbook online and this was for Butterfly cakes baked with a straight forward Victoria sponge recipe. Butter, caster sugar, eggs and flour, carefully mixed in the right order, spooned into 16 paper cake cases and then baked for 15 minutes. I was astonished to see them change colour and rise as I watched them in the oven - the magic was working!

Then I made the buttercream icing with butter, icing sugar and a few drops of vanilla essence. Cut the top off the cakes, spoon on some icing and then put back the cake top cut in half to make wings. I used the plain icing for most of them and then added red stuff to the icing so the last few were more colourful. I need more practice, obviously, but an hour after I started and I was eating my own cakes.

I know it's not the most amazing thing in the world, to bake some simple (but yummy) Butterfly cakes, but I'm quietly proud of myself. There's now a messy kitchen to clean up but that's nothing compared to the glow of pride and the yum in my tum!

The T.A.M.I. Show

2012-01-15T10:10:00.005Z

Last night I watched the T.A.M.I. Show on DVD, the Teenage Awards Music International (or sometimes the Teen Age Music International). It's a live music show filmed over two nights in Santa Monica, California, in 1964 and then released as a film across America. It was released on DVD only in 2010.

The film is compered by Jan & Dean and includes great live performances from the Beach Boys, Chuck Berry, James Brown, Marvin Gaye, Gerry & The Pacemakers, Lesley Gore, Billy J Kramer and The Dakotas, The Miracles (with Smokey, of course), the Supremes and the Rolling Stones. An odder line-up will be hard to find. It was full of go-go dancers (on speed from the looks of it) that included a young Teri Garr and Toni Basil and John Landiss (later to become a film director) was in the audience and provides a short commentary on the DVD.

If you're a fan of any of the bands you'll love this DVD - they all look so young. Except, of course, Chuck Berry and James Brown and, in all honesty, Mr Brown stole the show with his consummate professionalism and showmanship, falling to his knees in exhaustion only to get up again and drive the show forward. It was a case 'ouch' for his poor knees followed by 'wow' for the recovery. It must've been awful for the young Rolling Stones to have to try to follow that performance since they topped the bill that night. The Supremes looked a little bit lost in their nice evening frocks and big wigs standing next to the Stones (that Jan & Dean introduced as "Merseybeat").

The performance that made me think and wonder was from Billy J Kramer with his rocker hair and big white smile. Billy was big in 1964 and the decline started the next year. He was 21 and his career peaked with this show - he had more hit singles but none were as big as his 1964 hits, especially 'Little Children' and 'Bad To Me'. I'm not a fan of Billy but he has a nice voice, a big white smile and looked so young in the film, starting out on his career without realising that the biggest hits were already behind him. That's not to say that the best times were behind him - they probably weren't - but it must be odd to think that nothing will ever be the same again when you're only 21 years old. Of course, you don't necessarily know that at the time.

On the other hand, that's a great way to start your adult life, all the travelling, the people he must have met, the places he's been and things he's seen. He lives in America now and still performs now and then. He still has an impressive mane of hair.

The Dresden Dolls Live On Tap

2012-01-14T12:53:00.004Z

Last week I watched Their Holinesses The Dresden Dolls play live in Australia over a webcast on Party On The Internet. The full show is now available online courtesy of those nice folks at Moshcam so here it is for you to enjoy:

Watch Enmore Theatre and other great gigs on Moshcam.

The gig starts with an acoustic 'Cosmic Dancer' before launching into Brian's thumping drumming for 'Sex Changes'. I saw The Dolls play 'Cosmic Dancer' years ago at the Astoria and still remember the buzz of conversation while they played since so few people knew the song (it's by T.Rex, of course) but good on Amanda and Brian for still playing it.

You can also see the encore in which a drunk twat gothgirl gave Amanda a nasty hickey and The Dolls play Black Sabbath's 'War Pigs', another old school song. Now I have live Dresden Dolls in high quality video available on tap whenever I need a fix.

Thank you Amanda and Brian and thank you Moshcam and Party On The Internet.

Vinnie Jones hard and fast ...

2012-01-09T20:32:00.002Z

This is a new advert from the British Heart Foundation that is being shown on telly throughout January - forget the kiss of life and go for hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Let Vinnie Jones show you how...

The Dresden Dolls Live in Sydney

2012-01-08T12:31:00.008Z

Yesterday morning I saw The Dresden Dolls live on stage from the Enmore Theatre in Sydney, Australia, through the wonder that is the internet. The gig was filmed by Moshcam and broadcast through Party on the Internet. The quality of video and sound was excellent and it was great to see Amanda and Brian together on stage again.

They played an old school Dresden Dolls concert with a mix of their own songs, covers and surprises and it was fun to see Amanda take over the drums while Brian picked up his guitar hero axe for 'You've got to fight! for the right! to paaartaaaay!'. Starting with 'Cosmic Dancer' and finishing with 'War Pigs' was like the olden days returned for a re-run and it was great to hear Amanda's solo song 'Astronaut' with Brian bashing and clashing and tishing away most creatively on his drumkit. It sounded excellent.

The only bit I didn't like was during the first encore song of 'Mein Herr' when Amanda went up into the theatre balcony to sing and some drunk or stoned goth girl latched onto Amanda and wouldn't let go until she was prised off by a security bloke. Standing at the edge of the balcony looked dangerous. Afterwards Amanda tweeted a pic of her throat that the twat of a gothgirl had been sucking on and it looks nasty (see below or avert your gaze).

'Mein Herr' took me back to seeing the Dolls for the last time at The Roadhouse in 2008. They played two nights and I went on both nights. The gig was filmed for DVD and it's widely available. I still have fond memories of lighting up a sparkler to wave during 'Sing' at the end - little things make me happy.

Anyway, I took a few screen-grabs during the broadcast so here are a few pics of the Dolls live and kicking in 2012. Love at ya!

Official Photographer To A Legend

2012-01-05T20:23:00.003Z

Imagine my surprise when, scrolling through Facebook updates after a long day at work, I came across a photo I recognised. I thought, hang on a moment, isn't that one of *my* photographs? I clicked on the link and took a look at the photo, then looked at my pictures folder on the laptop and yes, it was mine. It was a photo of Buffy Sainte-Marie from her gig at the Union Chapel in London on 30 June 2011 and it was used in Buffy's blog! Now, I've no idea whether Buffy looks after her own blog or whether there are 'people' for that and I don't really care - I take it as official endorsement and shall now consider myself to be Buffy's official (London) photographer.

Buffy's blogpost reproduces an article from 'The Guardian' a few years ago (click here) and ends with my photo of her from last year. I originally published that photo in my blog about Buffy's Union Chapel gig last year (click here). And here is the photo:

I have to say that I've never been satisfied with any of the photos I've taken of Buffy in concert. I always wish I'd taken them a second earlier or two seconds later, or when the spotlight was one her or a thousand other things. I have a couple of very nice ones of me being the fanboy and posing with Buffy but I'm not publishing those anywhere, they're *mine*.

One day I *will* take a good photo of Buffy on stage. She's playing the Highline Ballroom in New York next week and I'm now kicking myself that I didn't book time off to go there. I saw Buffy play there in 2008 (click here) before 'Running For The Drum' was released. One day, o yes, one day ...

The Plastic Bag Awards 2011

2012-01-01T10:46:00.016Z

It's that time again, The Plastic Bag Awards 2011 or, in other words, the Baggies! I've dropped the 'Best Film' category this year since I've seen so few in the cinema but that didn't spoil the enjoyment of the judging panel. So, here we go ...

Best Theatre - Play

There are five nominees in this category:

Flare Path
Clybourne Park
Doctor Faustus
Othello
Jerusalem

I could easily have added 'The Last Of The Duchess' to this list but the panel is limited to a maximum of five nominees. It's a difficult category to judge since all the nominees excelled in one way or another and, in the case of 'Dr Faustus', it's a play I've waited 30-odd years to see again. 'Othello' was an eye opener, 'Clybourne Park' had its twists and turns and 'Flare Path' had its excellent writing and single-mindedness. But the award goes to 'Jerusalem' for the magic and mayhem, the celebration of life and England and the magnificence of Mark Rylance in the lead role.

Best Theatre - Musical

I saw some excellent musicals this year but the nominees have been narrowed down to:

How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying
South Pacific
Fings Ain't What They Used T'Be
Crazy For You
Sweeney Todd

One of the highlights of this list was seeing Daniel Radcliffe in his first singing and dancing role and he wasn't bad at all. It was a joy to see after seeing so many mediocre productions in New York earlier in the year. 'Fings' was produced in a tiny studio theatre under the arches in Southwark (most appropriately) and was a show I've heard of but not seen before. 'Crazy for You' was a tap-dancing joy to behold and 'Sweeney' excelled with Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton.

The judges have quite rightly awarded the Baggy to 'South Pacific', the production I first saw at Lincoln Centre in 2010 with a foot of snow outside the theatre and I trudged and slipped my way back to the hotel in a south seas dream. Seeing it at the Barbican had a lot to live up to with Samantha Womack as Nelly Forbush, and it fully lived up to my expectations. An excellent production I went back to see again at the Barbican and have tickets to see the touring production at Wimbledon. A worthy winner.

Best Entertainment

This category picks up any performances that aren't plays or musicals and this year the nominees are:

Meera Syal at The Purcell Room
'Big People Show' with Chris Tummings and Victor Romero Evans
Noddy Holder narrating 'A Christmas Carol'
Matthew Bourne's 'Nutcracker'
Slava's Snowshow

Despite the fun of seeing Sir Noddy Holder narrate a new version of 'A Christmas Carol' the judges unanimously awarded the Baggy to Mr Slava Polunin for his magnificent Snowshow. Anything that can bring such joy and have me giggling like a loon while being pelted with snow in a theatre deserves an award and this is my humble offering to a great clown.

Best Gig

I haven't been to as many musical gigs this year as in previous years but I saw bands, solo artists and collectives, such as the Ready, Steady Go! show and Carole King and Friends. The nominees this year are:

Jimmy Cliff @ The Indigo2
Amanda Palmer @ The British Library
Buffy Sainte-Marie at Porchester Hall (with Donovan and Roger Cooke)
Alan Price @ the Queen Elizabeth Hall
Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine @ Brixton

Jimmy exhausted me with his energy, Amanda exhorted me to should 'Fuck It!' in the British Library, Buffy was the star of the Songwriters Cirlde recording I attended and Alan Price was a genuine star appearing in Ray Davies' Meltdown over the summer. However, the award goes to those Carter USM lads for the glorious music after a 20 year wait, a great atmosphere and a blinding light show (literally). Well done chaps!

Best Live Performance

I always like to pick out a few live performances from the gigs I've seen that stand head and shoulders above the rest for adding that something else to the overall experience. The nominees are:

Shelby Lynne - You Don't Have To Say You Love Me
Sandie Shaw - (There's) Always Something There To Remind Me
Ray Davies - Lola
Buffy Sainte-Marie - He's An Indian Cowboy At The Rodeo (@ Union Chapel)
Buffy Sainte-Marie - Cod'ine (@ Porchester Hall)

Shelby was in great form over the summer as was Sandie Shaw in her pink Union Jack coat and bare feet. Ray Davies brought the roof down with the crowd singing along to 'Lola' and Buffy Sainte-Marie has earned two nominations from different gigs. This one really was a difficult decision for the judges but the winner is 'He's An Indian Cowboy At The Rodeo' by Buffy Sainte-Marie and her great band.

I've seen Buffy perform 'Indian Cowboy' several times and it's one of my favourites, especially with the powwow singing at the end of the lovely song about a teenage crush. This time she took it further with not only extended powwow singing but also powwow dancing, with Buffy and the band dancing round the stage in front of the pulpit in the chapel, a glorious sight! A well deserved Baggy for a joyful experience!

Best New Album

Most of my new albums this year have been from 'old' bands and it's been a bumper crop. The nominees start off with the only 'new' artist:

Amanda Palmer - Amanda Palmer Goes Down Under
Poly Styrene - Generation Indigo
Blondie - Panic Of Girls
Kim Wilde - Snapshots
Kate Bush - 50 Words For Snow

New albums from Blondie, Kim Wilde and Kate Bush was great news, particularly the new 'un from Kate which wasn't expected at all given the release of 'Director's Cut' earlier in the year. Amanda's album was, in part, a filler until she gets round to a new studio album but it's packed with great songs. However, the album I downloaded in New York and listened to endlessly on the flight back to London and then endlessly over the summer and autumn is the magnificent 'Generation Indigo' and the Baggy goes to Poly Styrene.

This is especially poignant since Poly left us in April just weeks after the new album was released. Poly died of cancer and never had a chance to promote the album or play the songs live - something she tweeted she was looking forward to doing - and what great songs they are. The songs are still a staple on my playlists and 'Generation Indigo' is my most played album of 2011 according to Last.FM. Namaste Poly!

Best New Song

There have been some great new songs in 2011 and the nominees are:

Amanda Palmer - In My Mind
Poly Styrene - LUV
Blondie - Girlie Girlie
Cerys Matthews - Sweet Magnolia
Kate Bush - Snowflake

'Generation Indigo' is the best album of 2011 and I could've picked any of the tracks to nominate but I chose 'LUV for its simple and heartfelt message. Any song that can make me cry on a first listen is great in my book and that's what 'Snowflake' did to me, just as Blondie made me smile and Cerys made me sway with pleasure. However, the Baggy for best new song goes to Amanda's 'In My Mind' for it's gentle simplicity and brutal honesty, a beautiful song.

Best Exhibition

I've been to various exhibitions this year and the nominations are:

Diaghilev & The Ballet Russe - Victoria & Albert Museum
Devotion By Design - National Gallery
John Martin's Apocalpse - Tate Britain
Fra Angelico et Les Maitres de La Lumiere - Musee Jacquemart-Andre
Punk And Beyond - Signal Gallery

It's not fair to beat about the bush since the winner is obvious - the Fra Angelico exhibition in Paris, a glory of light and colour bringing life to the pure vision and belief of the wondrous Fra Angelico.

And there you have it, the Plastic Bag Awards 2011. Let's see what 2012 has in store for us ...

Christmas Entertainments

2011-12-29T23:00:00.015Z

I enjoyed four entertainments either side of Christmas, two before and two after the Big Day.

First up was 'The Comedy of Errors' at the National Theatre starring Lenny Henry, a play and a performer I've never seen before but which I wanted to see. It's the tale of twins separated shortly after birth along with their twin servants (as normally happens, of course) and the confusion and hi-jinks that occur when they're finally in the same city at the same time and get mistaken for each other (as you do). With a dramatic set and clever lighting, I was looking forward to this play. Unfortunately, that's where I went wrong.

I liked what I saw, I just couldn't follow the dialogue. The actors were attempting to speak Shakespeare's verse in different accents and that just threw my ear for most of the first half and I found it very difficult to follow the plot. Why were the leading ladies acting and speaking like Essex girls when no-one else in the play was? Even Lenny used his basic west African accent for some reason (which I could follow since he's used it so often on telly). By the second half I was getting used to the accents but I'd still missed - and guessed at - setting up the plot in the first half.

The first half was also marred by some of the scenery not moving when the scene changed, leading to someone coming out on stage to say they'd start the scene again when the scenery could be moved. The second half had some odd Keystone Kops moments, with silly chases round buildings, people jumping out and surprising others, police arresting the wrong twin, everything you'd expect. But it didn't gel for me, it didn't work. Throw all the ingredients into the pot and stir briskly but something was missing...

In recent years my annual Christmas treat has been the latest Matthew Bourne production at Sadlers Wells and this year was the turn of 'Nutcracker'. I last saw this production in 2007 (see here) and it was a great thrill to see it again. It starts off in a grim orphanage and moves into Sweetieland before the final surprise but I'll leave that for you to find out for yourself.

Matthew Bourne's productions are a joy to watch as the story unfolds and the dancers do their stuff, each with a character of their own irrespective of their role in the performance, as much actors as dancers. The temporary happiness and ongoing wretchedness of the orphanage was summed up by throwing the spindly Christmas Tree out of the window at the end of that scene, such a tiny yet poignant statement. And then the Nutcracker appears and wrecks the orphanage, showing the children the road to ice skating, snow and then to Sweetieland where everyone is made out of sweets. Yum.

Sweetieland is a mass of colour and tastes (judging from all the licking that goes on) with bonbons, Mr Nickerbockerglory, the gobstopper lads, Battenburg cake and everything else. And, of course, a giant cake. Yum again.

The dancing and characterisation were all excellent, taking us all on a trip to wonderland, eyes sparkling and hearts pounding and we want our heroine to get her heart's desire. I got mine and thoroughly enjoyed it, especially being just a couple of days before Christmas.

Just after Christmas was the ideal time for 'Slava's Snowshow' at the Royal Festival Hall, guaranteed to put a smile on your face and a bounce in your step. I saw Slava at Wimbledon Theatre four years ago and it was a joy to see him and his colleagues again - I had a silly grin all over my face from start to finish. Clowns aren't my favourite form of entertainment but Slava goes so far beyond that word with the beauty and simplicity of his show that it is thoroughly inadequate. Rather than the faux violence of slapstick, Slava's show is gentle and warm. And very daft indeed.

The first half ended by being covered in a giant cobweb as we passed it back, back, overhead and yet further back in the audience as it went on and on and on. I was picking bits of webbing off my and out of my beard throughout the interval. When we got back to our seats the People in Green Coats were playing with the audience, running over the tops of seats, spraying bottles of water accidentally over people and generally making a fuss - and they were lovely.

The finale is, of course, the most magnificent scene, with snow falling, clouds of dry ice forming on stage and then, suddenly, a blinding white light and a wind machine blasting the snow out into the audience and I loved it. I was giggling like a loon as I was covered in snow. And as the snow stopped, the balls started, giant bouncing balls being boinged around the auditorium by the audience as more balls of all sizes arrived to be thrown around. There were lots of kids in the audience but it became full of kids as us adults regressed into big kids to bounce the balls all over. I loved it! Miss it at your peril!

My final entertainment - and final entertainment of the year - was Ken Russell's film of 'The Boy Friend' at the British Film Institute (or National Film Theatre if you prefer). I've never seen it before so it was with an open mind I took my seat, expecting Twiggy to introduce it (as noted in the handout) but the film started Twiggy-less.

I assume this was the full, original version of the film, lasting for over two hours with some very lengthy dream sequences that I assume were edited for the cinema release back in the early 70s. It's a simple love story in which Twiggy is the assistant stage manager in a provincial theatre who has to take the lead role in a truly awful musical when the leading lady (a rather glam Glenda Jackson) breaks her ankle. Twiggy is in love with the leading man and, guess what? It seems he loves her too...

Much as it's fun to see Twiggy in her film debut after all these years, the secret joy for me was seeing Georgina Hale as one of the vampish chorus girls and Barbara Windsor playing the less-than-servile servant. It was lovely to see Barbara in something other than a Carry On film but as soon as I realised I was watching Georgina my mind fled back to the early 70s and the series 'Budgie' with Adam Faith in the title role.

Carter USM - 'Christmas Shoppers' Paradise'

2011-12-26T14:02:00.002Z

A Christmas present form those Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine lads. Jimbob (@MrJimBob) tweeted the link to this on Christmas Eve.

Viv Albertine - 'It's A Christmas, Single'

2011-12-21T18:55:00.002Z

Here's the great new Christmas single from Viv Albertine, 'It's A Christmas, Single'. Naturally, it's not quite what you expect but give it a listen and then fall in love with it. Go for it Viv!

Pet Shop Boys - 'It Doesn't Often Snow At Christmas'

2011-12-20T00:43:00.004Z

Here's one of my favourite Christmas songs, 'It Doesn't Often Snow At Christmas' by the Pet Shop Boys. The great thing was that this gig was a few days before Christmas in 2009 and there was a load of snow on the ground. It was very important to sing along to the "Bing Crosby" line and then appeared the daft Christmas Trees. It was a lovely moment.

Slade at Koko

2011-12-19T23:20:00.007Z

Last week I saw 75% of original SLADE live on stage. I saw Sir Noddy Holder at Union Chapel narrating a fun, new version of 'A Christmas Carol' and last night I saw Dave Hill and Don Powell as part of their version of Slade at Koko. Now all I need to do is bump into Jim Lea and that'll be all four of the Lords of Noize.

The gig at Koko was a benefit for The Lords Taverners and was filmed for a DVD release next year. Mike Read introduced Slade who bounded on and roared into 'We'll Bring The House Down'. Then followed a set lasting about 90 minutes alternating between hits from the 70s and hits from the 80s. It's easy to forget that SLADE had two bites at the cherry with a string of mega-hits in the first half of the 70s and then again in the early 80s. How many bands have managed that kind of longevity?

They were in fine form last night, Don pounding away on his drums virtually without stop, finishing one song and starting straight in on the next, and Dave doing what he does best, posing with his guitar and getting us doing anything he wanted. Back in the day Dave said that Nod and Jim would write the songs and he'd sell 'em through his costumes, his antics and his show biz. He sold them back then by the million and he's still doing it now. It was a pleasure to see him running across the stage, pose during a solo, jump on the riser to be seen above the crowd, run back to the mic for his vocals, still full of energy, humour and cheeky smiles.

It was a show of the hits - that's all we heard, hit after hit after hit, so many great songs and all the audience knew them. And it was a funny audience - I sort of expected the audience to be largely blokes in their 50s (and there were lots of them) but there was a healthy sprinkling of women and young people, some seemed to be with the oldies (presumably their parents?) but there was a goodly load of youngsters with each other, which is a good thing with a new audience for Slade.

It must be strange for John Berry and Mal McNulty to be part of the band but not the part we want to see - we want Nod and Jim. They were more than happy to name check Dave and Don but I don't think they were named at all through the gig. That's a shame really, since, without them, we wouldn't be seeing Dave and Don. I couldn't help but think a couple of times, that, although this wasn't SLADE, that was the original guitar and the original drums to all those songs I grew up with and loved. There in front of me were two of the heroes of my youth and yes, they ended with a rousing version of 'Merry Christmas Everybody' with them all in Santa hats.

I shall still believe that a proper reunion of SLADE is possible but until then I'll be happy with what I can get. And, of course, I can't wait for the DVD!

'Pippin' at The Menier Chocolate Factory

2011-12-16T22:28:00.003Z

Last night we went to see 'Pippin' at the Choccy Factory. Don't be surprised if you've never heard of it before - I hadn't - but it's an early work from the bloke who wrote 'Wicked' so that gives you an idea of what to expect.

This is a new production updated to the internet age and a set that reminded me of the film, 'Tron' from the 80s. You walk through Pippin's bedroom to get into the theatre and then through a lazer display and that really sets the scene. The play is structured by the different levels of a computer game and geek Pippin needs to advance through the levels in his alter ego as th son of Charlemagne in the middle ages. Pippin goes on a personal journey (as they say on the talent shows) to find himself and instead he's saved by the woman he loves... at a price...

I loved this production with lazers and lights all over, people crawling through walls all over the set, Bob Fosse poses and dancing, revealing costumes and Charlemagne's annoying dreadlocks. I loved the loud rawk guitar in a few of the songs in the first half and they could've built on this in the second half but didn't.

The star of the show in more ways than just playing the lead character was Harry Hepple as Pippin. Harry has a lovely voice and his speaking voice occasionally has the added charm of belying his North Eastern roots. I saw Harry in the 'Spelling Bee' at the Donmar earlier this yearbut much preferred this production. His voice has lovely tone and expression and I look forward to following his career.

If you get the chance, go and see this production - it's great fun! I quite fancy paying a repeat visit myself.

Noddy Holder in 'A Christmas Carol Unplugged'

2011-12-16T20:08:00.005Z

On Wednesday we went to Union Chapel to see Sir Noddy Holder as the Narrator in a new version of 'A Christmas Carol' at Union Chapel. It was a great thrill to see Noddy mount the steps into the pulpit to narrate his tale of Eddie Scrooge and the record biz.

Eddie Scrooge is a record company executive who releases any old pap to make money. His PA, Roberta Cratchet, lives in Tooting, the Ghost of Christmas Past is a sullen 70s punk and he meets the Ghost of Christmas Present in CBGBs in New York. The core of the Dickens' tale is all there, just transported to 2011 and set in the music industry. The narration of the tale was supplemented by renditions of modern Christmas songs such as 'Stop The Cavalry' (Jona Lewie), 'Fairytale of New York' (The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl), 'I Believe In Father Christmas' (Greg Lake) and the mighty 'I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday' (Wizzard). There were 14 songs in all plus an encore of 'Do They Know It's Christmas' (Band Aid).

The event was designed with Christmas in mind. When we went in we were given programmes like Christmas cards, the chapel had a big Christmas tree all lit up and tinsel wound around the mic stands. The band and singers came on stage and then Noddy climbed the stairs into the pulpit in a red tartan coat and Dickens top hat with a red ribbon (everyone wore a mix of red and black). And then he started reading the story, putting on voices and accents for the different characters, ad libbing about Rod Stewart never buying him a drink, and every now and then stopping for a song. Sadly, Nod didn't sing, but he was there on stage in front of me, for the first time in 30 years and that's enough for me.

This was the first time they'd performed the show and it showed but, irrespective of that, it was a very enjoyable night out. Nod was great fun as the Narrator, we had some great songs and performances and it was all in the spirit of Christmas present. Knox from the Vibrators sang a few songs, my favourite being The Kinks' 'Father Christmas' (it seemed appropriate somehow). The best voice of the evening was Marc Atkinson who has a smooth, clear voice and his version of 'I Believe In Father Christmas' was lovely.

At the end of the show, someone was introduced over the speakers as 'Norman' and on came a middle aged bloke to sing 'I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday'. According to the programme he's Norman Baker, a LibDem MP and a junior Transport Minister. He didn't sound too hot to me.

Noddy came down from the pulpit and stood at the back of the stage clapping along to Wizzard's hit (which was kept off the top spot by SLADE's magnificent 'Merry Christmas Everybody' in 1973). When it was time for the encore of 'Do They Know It's Christmas' Nod came to the front of the stage to clap along to the song and sing although he wasn't standing close to a mic and I couldn't hear him at all - bet he was just mouthing the words! I don't care, he was there and he shouted 'Merry Christmas' at me (well, at us all, I suppose, but in my mind it was for me).

The performance was filmed but I don't know if it'll be released or whether the aim is to use it as the basis for another show next Christmas. I'd love to see it again. I'm very familiar with the tale of 'A Christmas Carol' and read the story most years in the run up to Christmas but Nod brought it to life in a new way. I'd love to see it again!

'The Ladykillers' at The Geilgud Theatre

2011-12-12T19:49:00.004Z

Last week we went to see 'The Ladykillers', a stage version of the old film with Alec Guinness. It's a grand old British thriller comedy with a little old lady at the centre being taken in by a group of thieves who rob a train at Kings Cross. The comedy comes from hiding their real natures and purpose from the little old lady, nick-named Mrs Lopsided by one of the thieves because she lives n a lopsided house near Kings Cross that is affected by subsidence. One by one they try to kill her and one by one they fail. Of course.

This is a great, fun and ever so slightly daft play with a great cast and set and some lovely self-knowing jokes. The main set is Mrs Lopsided's house with every door and wall at an odd angle to reflect the subsidence and the house turns round a few times so we see outside. My favourite outside view was for the daring robbery enacted by toy cars on the wall of the house, very unexpected and very daft.

Marcia Warren plays Mrs Wilberforce (aka Mrs Lopsided) with great aplomb, a moral and principled lady born in the Victorian era and living through two World Wars with the sad quality of trusting people she doesn't really know. Peter Capaldi plays Professor Marcus, the Alec Guinness character, who rents a room in Mrs Wilberforce's lopsided house as the perfect cover for the perfect crime. He plays the role to a T, beguiling and smiling, wrapped round with a huge scarf and relentlessly taking advantage of his victim. James Fleet plays the posh criminal with a penchant for wearing lady's dresses and Clive Rowe is excellent as One-Round who creates the name Mrs Lopsided and is the muscle in the gang. I also liked Stephen Wright as the likely lad either too up on blues or too down on reds and who likes cleaning furniture.

This is one of those rare plays that makes me smile throughout and every now and then break into a broad grin and a chuckle. I enjoyed it. Immensely. If you have a few hours spare and happen to be on Shaftesbury Avenue then this is the place to spend them.

'Hamlet' at The Young Vic

2011-12-07T22:27:00.004Z

Last week we went to see the new production of 'Hamlet' with Michael Sheen in the lead role at The Young Vic. 'Hamlet' seems to be an annual event these days, with Jude Law taking the role in 2009 and Rory Kinnear in 2010. It's always interesting to see a new take on the play and we certainly got that.

I was quite intrigued by what I'd heard about the production being set in a hospital, with the audience walking through hospital corridors to get to their seats, people wandering round in hospital uniforms and suchlike. Claudius was king and head doctor handing out prescriptions and tablets, doors were locked at night to keep the patients inside and Polonius was a psychiatrist with a dictaphone to record his interviews. The concept didn't quite work for me and seemed over-laboured, like Ophelia handing out tablets instead of flowers in her final scene. That seemed too contrived.

It also failed for me in the characterisation of Hamlet. I'm in two minds about this since I thought Michael Sheen was excellent in the role and he was clearly giving his all to his impressive performance. Two things in particular didn't work for me: Hamlet seemingly being possessed by the ghost of his father rather than having a separate ghost; and Hamlet was clearly on speed or whiz from the performance whereas if he was in an asylum of some kind he'd be on downers. Any doctor seeing his manic performance would get the prescription pad out and prescribe something more calming. It's not the performances I criticise, it's the concept and delivery. It didn't ring true to me. It reeked of 'student'.

Michael Sheen was excellent, if a bit too manic, as Hamlet. The part I was impressed by was Horatio, played (unusually by a woman) by Hayley Carmichael. She played it very downbeat, very much the old friend - the only friend really - is with Hamlet when he dies and seems to mean it when he says, "Now cracks a noble heart. Good-night, sweet prince; And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest." That touching moment was spoiled by arrogant Fortinbras kicking Hamlet's body into the sand-pit rather that the usual speech of honour.

It was an interesting and worthy experiment but it didn't work for me. Some of the performances were excellent while others seemed to be from student theatre. The concept was interesting but didn't follow through with a solid production. Too much unlikely running about, too many pills, too many bits that didn't ring true. Having said that, I'm pleased I've seen it, another version to add to the collection. 'Hamlet' is a great play with some beautiful poetry and deserves to be on every year. It would be boring if every production was the same...

Gavin Creel - "NOISE" An Anthem for Equality

2011-12-07T20:37:00.003Z

Gavin Creel is a singer-actor who will, forever for me, be Claude from 'Hair', the conflicted hippy from Manchester England, England. Since seeing the show in New York and then in the West End I've watched out for Gavin and saw him in concert at the Jazz Cafe last year. He's active in gay rights and raises money for Broadway Impact. His latest venture is the single 'Noise' to raise some money and encourage people to make some noise about equality. Watch the video and then download the song from Amazon or iTunes.

Go on, get loud and make some noise!

Christmas Miracle #1 - SLADE!

2011-12-07T19:20:00.004Z

I've had my own small Christmas miracle today. Next week I'm seeing 75% of original SLADE, sadly, not all together on the same stage, but I don't mind, at least I'm seeing three of 'em!

SLADE were my first heroes. They bestrode the world of pop music like mighty gods of yore in the early '70s, brash and loud, in your face and great fun. Noddy and Jim wrote the songs, Dave provided the spectacle and Don pounded away at the back of the stage. They kept going until 1991 and since then Dave and Don have continued to tour as Slade, mainly in Europe, with new band members, Noddy has done acting and presenting and Jim has surfaced a few times with new music, most recently under his real name of James Whild Lea. I've seen Dave and Don play live a couple of times in the last few years and I've seen Nod on telly but not in real life, and not seen Jim at all.

The last time I saw SLADE was in 1980 or 1981 at the students union in Cardiff. The abiding memory from that gig was afterwards, when I helped the roadies load the kit onto the lorry, and Dave offered me a cigarette - a Benson & Hedges - and I nervously said 'no thanks'. How on earth could I accept a tab from a god? I would've self-combusted when I lit it. I didn't meet Noddy though.

So, next week I have tickets to see Noddy Holder - sorry, *Sir* Noddy Holder as he should be - at Union Chapel on 14 December when he takes the part of the narrator to a new version of 'A Christmas Carol' updated and set in the world of the music business. It sounds like fun and will be filled with Christmas songs so I'll be happy. I doubt that Noddy will sing, but who knows?

Then at the weekend I'm seeing Dave and Don's Slade at Koko on 18 December. I'm looking forward to that and to singing along to 'Merry Christmas Everybody' mere days before the big event itself.

Now all I need is to somehow get Jim Lea back onto a stage before Christmas ...

Miracles *can* happen. Believe, people, believe.

'Punk and Beyond' at The Signal Gallery

2011-12-06T23:36:00.008Z

This afternoon we went to see the 'Punk and Beyond' exhibition at the Signal Gallery. It's an exhibition of artworks by (former) punks curated by Gaye (Advert) Black and includes some works in tribute to Poly Styrene so I had to see it.

The Signal Gallery isn't very big but it crams a lot in there without being overwhelming. There was no-one there when we arrived but three people joined us so that's not bad for a Tuesday afternoon. There are six portraits of Poly plus two large black and white photos and Gaye Black has a half dozen works on show. There was a self-portrait by Marco Peroni from 1976 on some tattered brown paper and it's nice to know that someone cherished it enough to keep it in such good condition. I think my favourite was a small painting by Paul Simonon of an autumn scene looking out of his window at a dog in the road.

The most surprising exhibit was a photograph of The Adverts on stage at the Rainbow supporting Iggy Pop on his 1977 'Lust for Life' tour. The reason for the surprise is that Chris mentioned earlier that he'd seen The Adverts at that very gig, so to find a large photo of them in the exhibition made us smile (and become teenagers again).

It's a nice exhibition and I'm pleased I got round to going. I'm slightly proud that the old punks are still being creative in their own way and in different media. They're still doing something that I'm not and good on 'em!

The exhibition is open until 17 December so pop along if you can.

'Carole King & Friends at Christmas' at Stoke Newington Town Hall

2011-12-06T00:03:00.005Z

This evening we went to Stoke Newington Town Hall to see a recording of a BBC Christmas programme called 'Carole King & Friends at Christmas' starring (you've guessed it) Carole King. I kept thinking, 'Carole King? in Stoke Newington? who would've thought it?'. But it's true.

The friends in question were Richard Hawley, The Puppini Sisters, The Mummers and Gregory Porter. With Carole King, of course. The Puppini's were great fun (I will have to look out for their Christmas record), The Mummers were definitely interesting and I will have to explore their work, Gregory Porter was a great find with a lovely smooth voice and again, I need to explore his work. Richard Hawley was, I'm afraid, a bit dreary and monotone (anyone that starts with a dirge-like 'Silent Night' needs to re-think the set). And Carole was amazing, sitting at a white grand piano. She only sang three songs and I won't spoil the surprise by saying what they were - watch the programme!

The BBC had made an effort to make the place look Christmasy, with Christmas trees and lights everywhere, Chinese lanterns hanging above the stage and an enormous glitterball in the middle of the ceiling. The room was set out cabaret style and all the tables had black table cloths with glitter sprinkled on them and candles to add atmosphere (I'll probably find bits of glitter on my coat for weeks to come). As ever at these things, they didn't tell us what was happening until the show began so I sat there bored for ages, taking photographs of my glass of wine (see below) and of the glitterball.

Anyway, the main thing is that I have finally seen the elusive Carole King play live. That's a good thing. Watch the programme on BBC4 on 22 December and watch out for me twirling my ever-lengthening Christmas beard in the audience.

Poly Styrene - 'Black Christmas' and 'City Of Christmas Ghosts'

2011-12-01T22:14:00.003Z

It is now December so I'm allowed to listen to Christmas songs in the run up to Christmas. The first song I listened to was 'Black Christmas' by the marvellous Poly Styrene that was released last year as a teaser for the new album. I love it.

I listened to a lot of my favourites on the way to work and coming home tonight, and then up popped 'City of Christmas Ghosts' by Goldblade featuring Poly Styrene. This was Poly's first new song in ages and came out in December 2008, a few months after her glorious X-Ray Spex gig at the Roundhouse at which Goldblade was the support band.

I loved this song when it was released (and still do) for getting Poly recording again, for its energy and its punk simplicity. It includes the line, "Raise a toast to the ghosts of the friends we lost last year" and that made me pause. We lost Poly this year. I won't stop listening to it and I'll think of her smiling and singing and bouncing along to the song.

I shall raise a glass and sing "La la la-la Christmas Ghost" most loudly!

'The Last of the Duchess' at Hampstead Theatre

2011-11-25T22:04:00.003Z

Last week we went to see 'The Last of the Duchess' at the Hampstead Theatre at Swiss Cottage. This was the first time I'd been to that theatre and I was surprisingly impressed with the place, only built a few years ago so there's lots of space, restaurant and bar areas and nice comfy seats. They do lovely wedges (ie fat chips).

It's a short play about the last days of the Duchess of Windsor in her mansion in Paris. We don't see the Duchess, but we do see her lawyer, a mature woman who considers herself to be the protector of the Duchess and a younger journalist whose job is to get an interview with the Duchess. It's based on the true story of the journalist going to Paris in the 80s to interview the Duchess but ends up interviewing the lawyer and arranging for Lord Snowdon to photograph her. For some light relief we have Lady Mosley, also an exile in Paris, who visits the Duchess and who knows Lady Caroline, the journalist, and they have an oddly endearing chat.

I wasn't sure what to expect at all but I most impressed by the construction of the play, the simple set and the great acting by the three leading ladies. We had Sheila Hancock as Mme Blum, the fierce French lawyer and Anna Chancellor as the journalist with the drink problem, plus Angela Thorne as the gossipy Lady Diana Mosley. All three ladies were excellent, fully convincing and appalling and endearing by turns. It was one of those rare plays that I wanted to go on for just a little bit longer so I could learn some more about the characters.

Go and see it if you can - and have the chips!

Poly Styrene - Somali Refugee Appeal Single

2011-11-23T22:45:00.004Z

Poly Styrene's team have been running a remix competition for people to remix 'No Rockefeller' from 'Generation Indigo' for charity. Poly's site says:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We are pleased to announce the winning remix of No Rockefeller, chosen by the record’s producer Youth, is the Wass n Burls by Miles Highson.

Celebrating Poly’s mix race background, the remix will be released on December 4^th as part of a digital only single, in aid of the Somali refugee appeal with all proceeds being donated to UNHCR – The UN Refugee Agency to help directly with their Somali campaign.

More than 1.4 million people are internally displaced in Somalia and over 600,000 Somalis live as refugees in neighbouring countries. After Afghanistan and Iraq, Somalia is the third largest refugee-producing country in the world.

http://www.unhcr.org.uk/resources/monthly-updates/august-2010/somalia-update.html

Also included in the EP will be Poly’s Black Christmas, a non-album track originally released last November when Poly announced her return, along with a brilliant remix of this song from Kahn, a fast rising new Bristol blood.

Click here to preorder the EP from iTunes now!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Poly was half Somalian, so this is a worthy charity. I'm looking forward to hearing the remix. I loved Poly's 'Black Christmas' last year and am intrigued to know that there is now a remix by Khan - should be interesting. I'll be downloading the single and I hope you will too.

Carter USM at Brixton

2011-11-22T21:39:00.004Z

On Saturday night I went to see Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine at Brixton Academy. Such a simple sentence and such fun! I was wreathed in smiles from when the lights went down and the chants of 'You fat bastard' started, to when the show closed. It's one of the funnest gigs I've been to in ages. And the brightest. And the loudest.

When I walked in it was obvious that this was a lads gig. I'd guess that 90% of the people there were men, probably aged between 30-45 and probably a bit worse for wear. The talk in the bar queues was about getting a 'late pass from the missus'. The smart hair-do's let some of them down, despite the jeans and tee shirts, clearly with nice middle class jobs during the week and this was their chance to let their hair down. And they did. Jim Bob tweeted the next day that they'd broken the record for the sale of beer at the gig (not sure whether that was a record for Carter USM or for the venue) but it felt comfortable with blokes just wanting to have fun, none of the aura of violence you can get at boozy gigs.

As the lights dimmed they played 'Two Little Boys' by Rolf Harris before the two lads appeared with the power chords of 'Surfin' USM' and the blinding white lights shone from the stage into the audience. We were off and running with Jim Bob and Fruitbat, aka Carter USM! I love the various photos that have appeared on Twitter of the heads of the audience blinded by the light from the stage.

They played for around two hours, blasting out a host of fabulous songs including '24 Minutes From Tulse Hill' (more like 10 minutes these days), 'Lean On Me I Won't Fall Over', and the fabulous series of 'Glam Rock Cops', 'Do Re Me So Far So Good', 'Blood Sports For All' and 'Only Living Boy In New Cross'. The encore included 'Down In The Tube Station At Midnight' and, of course, 'Sheriff Fatman'.

And that's it, Jim Bob, Fruitbat and the tape machine playing loud n proud for two hours, lights blinding the audience and everyone singing along to the choruses. Everyone slightly tipsy (or more) and having the time of their lives. I loved it.

Where is the thrash today? where is the risk and danger? where is the threat to the establishment? Come back Carter, we need you.

Beverley Knight at The Royal Albert Hall 2011

2011-11-21T23:32:00.003Z

Last week we went to see Beverley Knight at the Royal Albert Hall for the third time. Bev's last three gigs in London have all been at the RAH and, much as I enjoy Bev's gigs, it's getting a bit tired in a venue that holds no soul for a soul gig and no balls for a rock gig. It's prestige venue and that's about it.

Beverley is promoting her latest record, 'Soul UK', which is a collection of British soul songs from the 80s and 90s that either Bev likes or influenced her. While I can appreciate her devotion to the genre, I was slightly puzzled by the enormous Union Jack flag that unfurled behind her later in the gig. Her band was augmented with a three-man brass section adding a different sound to some of the songs.

I've seen Bev lots of times in different venues and have to say that the least favourite are when she's at the RAH. It's a soul-less venue, too big and with a totally ambient-less stage. Bev stalks the stage like a big cat hunting, back and forth and challenging us in the audience but even she can't fill that stages' emptiness. I hope her next London gig is somewhere else. I loved her a couple of years ago at the sweatbox that is the ICA on The Strand, an intimate gig that introduced us to the '100%' album. And , on that note, where were all the songs from that album?

Bev had four costume changes as she prowled the stage, alternately singing her own hits and those featured on the latest record. She made me tired with her energy. I preferred the older songs, particularly 'Come As You Are' (with a brass section), 'Gold' (a beautiful song by anyone's reckoning), 'Made It Back' (because she did) and 'Queen Of Starting Over'.

This tour will be a success - it can't be anything other with Bev's boundless energy and commitment. But can I please make a plea for another London venue? There's lots to choose from and you don't have to go for the prestige venue every time.

Fra Angelico at the Musee Jacquemart-Andree

2011-11-20T22:54:00.006Z

Last weekend we went to see the first exhibition of the works of Fra Angelico in ages. I am very partial to Brother Giovanni and nothing would prevent me from boarding the Eurostar train to Paris to see his paintings. The exhibition, 'Fra Angelico et les Maitres de la Lumiere', is at the lovely Musee Jacquemart-Andree on Boulevard Hausmann (the other end of the road to the big department stores). The museum is based in a grand old mansion house and has a lovely cafe that sells the most delicious pastries, but more about that another day.

The exhibition is a smash hit judging from the posters all over town and the queues outside for tickets. We'd booked tickets in advance but still had to take our place in the slow-moving queue as people were slowly let into the crowded exhibition. All was worth it to stand in a room and be surrounded on all sides by the magnificent works of Fra Angelico.

I first became aware of Fra Angelico when I was 16 and doing history of art at school. I loved the early Renaissance painters from around Europe but Fra Angelico was one of many. It wasn't until I saw his frescoes in San Marco in Florence that I saw his true greatness. It's important to see original paintings whenever you can - reproductions lose much of the colour and intensity of paintings and are a poor substitute for the originals. That's why I went to Paris.

The exhibition is a mix of the paintings of Fra Angelico and those artists who influenced him and those he influenced. I counted 23 paintings by the Angelic One and a glory they were to behold, most of which I've never seen before. Out of these shall pick three highlights:

The Virgin and Child that is the face of the poster advertising the exhibition, glorious blues and golds with the fully realised faces of the Virgin and the child. It is the centrepiece of a small room with other depictions of the Virgin and Child but this is the one that caught me, with the child gazing out peacefully at the viewer. To be surrounded by Fra Angelico paintings is special feeling.

The triptych of 'The Ascension, The Last Judgement and Pentecost' with its bold and gorgeous colours, protected over the years in the vaults of the Vatican. The colours are unbelievably deep and rich and this photo doesn't give any hint as to how rich the painting really is. It has to be seen to be believed.

The 'Coronation of the Virigin; is from the Uffizi in Florence and I blogged about it earlier this year when I first saw it. It's on loan for this exhibition along with the 'Theabaed' from the Uffizi. This painting is gorgeous, dripping with gold and belief as Christ enthrones his mother in heaven with the choirs of angels and the great and good watching. I like Fra Angelico's crowds of people because they all look different, they look at each other and out of painting at you, they're you and me in the court of Heaven. This is a magnificent painting and you must, if you get the chance, see it in the flesh.

Fra Angelico was not a rigid stylist. He experimented with perspective, with foreshortening his characters to display different bodily movements and add reality to his paintings. At the same time he painted Heaven. He painted his sincere beliefs, his vision, his hopes and dreams and, as far as I'm concerned, he succeeded. I glimpse a tiny part of his vision when I see his paintings. He makes me share a small portion of his belief which reaches out to Heaven. He makes his belief real for me and that's the power of his paintings. That's what makes my sight blur with tears.

The exhibition runs until 16 January 2012 so there's plenty of time for you to order tickets. The catalogue is entirely in French with no English translation but it's full of glorious paintings. It also weighs a tonne. But a tonne is good when it's made up of Fra Angelico.

Amanda Palmer - 'The World Turned Upside Down'

2011-11-20T13:46:00.002Z

Amanda's recorded the protest song, 'The World Turned Upside Down', in support of the Occupy movement in America. The video is a montage of photographs from the various Occupy sites.

She's also posted a long blog about her thoughts and experiences of visiting and performing at Occupy sites over the last few weeks. Read it here.

She says,
" i feel excited and sad for my generation, for the world, for my country. excited because i am so happy to see people mobilizing. trying.
waking up and going out and doing.
sad because it’s also underlined how jaded and difficult we are."

'Jerusalem' at the Apollo Theatre

2011-11-20T11:38:00.005Z

A couple of weeks ago we went to see 'Jerusalem' at the Apollo Theatre in London's glamorous West End but found ourselves in small town Wiltshire instead. I missed this play on its first run at the Royal Court and at the Apollo, and missed it on Broadway, so it was a must see when it re-opened for a short run. And I'm so pleased I saw it.

It's the tale of Johnny Byron who lives in a caravan in the woods at the edge of town, with new housing developments coming ever closer. He's drunk and high throughout the play, the local source of whiz and other stimulants, gets banned from all the local pubs and is the centre of attention for the local yoof (and not so yoof) for his drugs.

For all that, his is a traditional role, the mischief-maker, the pied piper and the teller of tales and what tales he spouts! He tells his hangers on about the Byron Boys, his ancestors who are all buried in and around the woods with their eyes open and about meeting the giant who built Stone Henge (when asked how tall the giant was he replied that he couldn't tell because he was sitting down) and who gave him an earring as big as a drum to beat if he was ever in trouble. At the end of the rambling and delicious story of the giant I decided I believed him. Johnny Byron has, indeed, met a giant and is one himself (albeit of limited growth).

Mark Rylance gave a magnificent performance as our bumbling and drunken hero (I have great sympathy for his understudy if he ever needs to go on) who draws us into his little world in Little England where anything beyond the borders of Wiltshire is foreign. One of the young hangers on is heading off to Australia the next day and the big part of the journey is getting the bus to Chippenham, not the flight to Oz. Mark's main side-kick is Mackenzie Crook who plays Ginger, one of Johnny's former hangers on who hasn't managed to break away as he grows up. They make a fine and believable pair of rogues and Johnny casts him off at the end.

Johnny's way of life is coming to an end with his eviction from the land his caravan sits on and a raid by the police for his drugs activities. He's beaten up by locals who used to hang with him but grew away as the police start to arrive at the woods. A beaten and bleeding Johnny grabs the giant's drum and starts beating it, howling for his Byron Boys to rise up and for the giant to appear to help him in his hour of need. It's a harrowing scene and the play closes with the sound of giant footsteps approaching... I believe.

This is a marvellous play and production with some lovely, poetic lines (particularly form the Professor) and a gloriously messy set with chickens under the caravan and trees covering the stage. If you get the chance, go and see it while you can.

Let It Grow/Beard Love - 'Hair'

2011-11-07T23:19:00.005Z

The version of 'Aquarius' by The 5th Dimension popped up on my iTune shuffle this evening and that created a yearning to hear the real version by the cast of 'Hair' so I played it. And I am now listening to the whole cast recording. As is right and proper.

I saw 'Hair' on my birthday on Broadway in 2009 on the eve of snowmaggedon. I wanted to see it because Alex Harvey played in the Hairband in London in the late 60s. I was stunned by it, great fun, great messages and great love. I was at a be-in and got a love flower all without leaving my seat. My one regret is not getting up on stage to join in the love-in at the end of the show. When it transferred to London with most of the Broadway cast I made a point of seeing it and dancing on stage as often as I could. At one performance when I'd joined the cast on stage Woof said that he liked my beard which was a truly great compliment.

I saw Gavin Creel (who played Claude) at the Jazz Cafe last year doing a show of his own songs. Caissie Levy is currently playing the lead in 'Ghost' in the West End and is well worth a visit. Some of the original cast are still touring the show in America. I can't help but think it'll be a sad day when the show finally closes. We all need some optimism in our lives, some hope and joy. And some hair!

Amanda Palmer - 'Science Fiction/Double Feature'

2011-11-04T19:13:00.003Z

The most lovely Amanda Palmer appeared on Craig Ferguson's 'Late Late Show' on Hallowe'en to sing 'Science Fiction/Double Feature' from The Rocky Horror Show'. She was supported by Moby (yes, Moby), Stephen Merrit and Mr Neil Gainam (aka Mr Amanda Palmer). A new supergroup?

Enjoy!

Viv Albertine on Pledgemusic

2011-11-03T21:15:00.003Z

Viv Albertine. Do you know who she is? For shame if you don't, for she was a Slit and will always be a founder member of The Slits in the late 70s. Viv shone bright and then vanished for years, only to reappear a couple of years ago and start a Pledgemusic campaign to raise funding for her to record and release some new music, a solo album. I, obviously, pledged.

Viv has the Pledgemusic ethos at her core. She sends us updates every few weeks about what she's doing, what she's writing and who she's working with. Today she sent a lengthy email about recording with Jack Bruce - yes, *that* Jack Bruce. It read like an excited fan having met a hero and having that hero exceed every expectation. That's what I like about Viv - she's real. She emails about a tee shirt she got from Johnny Thunder and about a particularly good gig the night before. That's important. She involves us pledgers in her life and being a fan means we get a little bit of her even though it's at a distance.

Viv released a four-track EP last year called 'Flesh'. My favourite song from the EP is 'Never Come' that has the classic line, 'And I loved Marc Bolan because of all his curls'. I defy you to make a more generation-defining statement than that. We all loved Marc's corkskrew hair.

I am really looking forward to Viv's album. I'm also looking forward to seeing her play live some day. I keep missing her London shows but I will see her. And I will clap loudly. I might not pogo like in the olden days, but I'm sure she'll understand.

Make a pledge for Viv here - what do you have to lose?

'Sweeney Todd' At Chichester

2011-11-03T20:11:00.003Z

On Saturday we left dear old London behind to journey back in time to the London of the 1930's to see many, many murders and much madness. Or rather, we went to Chichester to see a fine production of Sondheim's 'Sweeney Todd' as part of the arts festival. This production stars Imelda Staunton and Michael Ball in the leading roles of Mrs Lovett and Mr Todd, a good partnership.

The last time I saw 'Sweeney Todd' on stage was a few years ago in the dire production when the actors filled and emptied endless buckets of blood. Why? Who knows. It certainly didn't work for me. Of course, since then we've had the film with Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham-Carter so 'Sweeney' is a bit more mainstream and you all probably know the tale by now. The tale of Sweeney returning to London to wreak revenge on the judge who split up his family and sent him to overseas to a penal colony. Of course, revenge is a strange dish and strange things can happen on the way.

Any production needs to get the right actors to play Sweeney and Mrs Lovett, one is dark and brooding and the other brings some light and shade and no little much-needed humour. I've never seen Michael Ball before but can appreciate his voice and abilities now that I've seen him as Sweeney Todd. Imelda Staunton is the perfect foil, never ending talking, perfect comic timing and just the right hint of repressed sexuality wanting Mr Todd. Imelda is the pink-on-pink teacher in the 'Harry Potter' films so you've probably seen her before, and I saw her on stage a few years ago as the repressed middle age woman in 'Entertaining Mr Sloane' (including seeing her virtually naked in a see-through nighty).

The set has been moved forward from Victorian London to the London of the 1930s, mainly signalled by the length of the frocks and the cute little van used for the shaving competition. Sweeney's barbershop was a detached piece of the set that came forward across the stage with sufficient space underneath for the dead bodies to accumulate.

This is quite a harrowing show. There's a bit of everything in there, from old loves to new love, evil and revenge, hope and despair, and some of the scenes of throat slashing and blood spurting got a few odd laughs from the audience but I suspect that was more about relieving the tension than any comedic effect. I thought it was an excellent production and was happy to join in the standing ovation at the end - they've earned it!

As a postscript, I've never been to Chichester before but it seems to be a nice little town near the Sussex coast with a nice cathedral, about 1.5 hours from London. It's built with roads very descriptively and geographically named North Street, East Street, etc, just like a compass. The audience was rather odd but then again it was a matinee and matinees the world over seem to comprise older people in their best theatre-going garb. I don't know if the show was sold out but it was certainly very full, and that's encouraging.

Queen Boudica

2011-11-01T21:22:00.003Z

The other morning I took a leisurely route to work by getting the bus. My bus goes over Westminster Bridge and, because I sat on a different side of the bus than I usually sat on, then I had a different view of the Thames and the statues on either side of the river. I passed the statue of the mighty Queen Boudica (or Bodiecea) with her arms raised high in anger and pride and might and her horses charged into war. And my heart swelled.

Boudica, a mere provincial queen, took on the might of the Roman Empire and came so close to winning. A woman to inspire Victoria and Empire. Should we be ashamed of the pure nationalism of the statue on the north bank of the river? I say no. Two thousand years ago Boudica was my queen.

Boudica was queen of the Iceni and, when her husband died, the kingdom was annexed under Roman rule, she was flogged and her daughters raped. Is it any surprise that a queen would seek revenge and a return of pride? Stupid Romans. Boudica raised an army and destroyed the then capital of Roman Britain, Colchester, before heading to London and then north to fight the usurping Romans. She ultimately failed but she was a bright light in ancient Britain.

We know very little about Queen Boudica but I choose to believe the legends. If you get down to the river then look out for her. You'll hear her charriot racing towards Parliament as a modern day rebel.

Blog-o-Metrics

2011-11-01T20:28:00.001Z

I've been having a look behind the scenes of this blog of mine and wondering whether I should change the address to make it more of a plastic bag. It's thrown up some interesting facts:

the busiest month so far was April 2011 with 3635 visits and 5417 page views;
as of today, I'm averaging 95 visits per day with a visit length of 1:39 minutes;
most people find my blog through a google search;
the most viewed post is the one about my para-umbilical hernia from January 2010.

What does this mean? I'm not sure really. It's quite nice that people seem to read my inane ramblings and stay around to read a post or two rather than leaving straight away.

This blog has been going since 2005 and I think it's time for a makeover, a bit of a re-fresh and maybe make it even more plastic. Watch this space...

Amanda Palmer ' 'Ukelele Anthem'

2011-10-31T20:52:00.001Z

Welcome to the new song from Amanda Palmer, 'Ukelele Anthem', that was previewed at her show at The British Library a couple of months ago. It's now available for download at a price of 'name your price' from Bandcamp so go on, people, download it now and pay a generous price. Play your ukelele!

To read Amanda's blog about this song, visit bit.ly/blog102711

lyrics: sid vicious played a four-string fender bass guitar and couldn’t sing
and everybody hated him except the ones who loved him
a ukulele has four strings, but sid did did not play ukulele
he did smack and probably killed his girlfriend nancy spungen

if only sid had had a ukulele, maybe he could have been happy
maybe he would not have suffered such a sad end
he maybe would have not done all that heroin instead
he maybe would’ve sat around just singing nice songs to his girlfriend

so play your favorite cover song, especially if the words are wrong
‘cos even if your grades are bad, it doesn’t mean you’re failing
do your homework with a fork
and eat your fruit loops in the dark
and bring your etch-a-sketch to work
and play your ukulele

ukulele small and forceful
brave and peaceful
you can play the ukulele too it is painfully simple
play your ukulele badly, play your ukulele loudly
ukulele banish evil
ukulele save the people
ukulele gleaming golden on the top of every steeple

lizzie borden took an axe, and gave her father thirty whacks
then gave her mother thirty-one, and left a tragic puzzle
if only they had given her an instrument, those puritans
had lost the plot completely
see what happens when you muzzle
a person’s creativity
and do not let them sing and scream
and nowadays it’s worse ‘cause kids have automatic handguns
it takes about an hour to learn how to play the ukulele
about same to teach someone to build a standard pipe bomb
YOU DO THE MATH

so play your favorite cover song, especially if the words are wrong
‘cos even if your grades are bad, it doesn’t mean you’re failing
do your homework with a fork
and eat your fruit loops in the dark
and bring your flask of jack to work
and play your ukulele

ukulele, thing of wonder
ukulele, wand of thunder
you can play the ukulele, too
in london and down under
play joan jett, and play jacques brel
and eminem and neutral milk hotel
the children crush the hatred
play your ukulele naked
and if anybody tries to steal your ukulele, let them take it

imagine there’s no music, imagine there are no songs
imagine that john lennon wasn’t shot in front of his apartment
imagine if john lennon had composed “imagine” on the ukulele
maybe folks would have more clearly got the message

you may think my approach is simple-minded and naïve
like if you want to save the world then why not quit and feed the hungry
but people for millennia have needed music to survive
and that’s why i’ve promised john that i will not feel guilty

so play your favorite beatles’ song
and make the subway fall in love
they’re only $19.95, that’s not a lot of money
play until the sun comes up
and play until your fingers suffer
play LCD soundsystem songs on your ukulele
quit the bitching on your blog
and stop pretending art is hard
just limit yourself to three chords
and do not practice daily
you’ll minimize some stranger’s sadness
with a piece of wood and plastic
holy fuck it’s so fantastic, playing ukulele
eat your homework with a fork
and do your fruit loops in the dark
bring your etch-a-sketch to work
your flask of jack
your vibrator
your fear of heights
your nikon lens
your mom and dad
your disco stick
your soundtrack from “karate kid”
your ginsu knives
your rosary
your new rebecca black CD
your favorite room
your bowie knife
your stuffed giraffe
your new glass eye
your sousaphone
your breakfast tea
your nick drake tapes
your giving tree
your ice cream truck
your missing wife
your will to live
your urge to cry
remember we’re all going to die
so PLAY YOUR UKULELE

credits: released 31 October 2011
Written and performed by Amanda Palmer
Artwork by Shepard Fairey

Chris Tummings & Victor Romero Evans' 'Big People Show'

2011-10-31T20:15:00.000Z

Last Friday I visited The Hideaway in Streatham for the first time to see 'The Big People Show' from Chris Tummings and Victor Romero Evans and I'm so pleased I did. It was great fun and the perfect way to close down the week and welcome in the weekend. To make it even more special, Chris came up to our table to shake hands and say 'hello' which was a very generous touch.

'The Big People Show' is, basically, for old people who remember and still enjoy the old songs so I was perfectly at home! Chris and Victor were supported by the excellent Skaaville All Stars playing some heavy heavy skaa that got the feet tapping and head nodding instantly. They came on around 9:15pm and stayed till about midnight with a 20 minute or so interval (shame it wasn't a ganga break). That's not bad by anyone's standards. Chris and Victor traded lead vocal on songs all night and both have excellent voices. They also work well together, as they have since first meeting and becoming friends in 1979, and their on-stage banter could only be that of long-term mates who find it impossible not to say outrageous things about each other.

I last saw them both in 'The Harder They Come', a show I blogged about many times and even went out to Oxford to see it when it was on tour - an excellent show that deserved to stay in the West End much longer than it did. Victor played the pastor who lusted after his ward and Chris played the corrupt police chief who called us all "huggly". Both scary in different ways and a far cry from the blokes on stage wreathed in smiles and jokes and singing some classic songs. Chris raised my spirits immediately by talking about John Holt's '1000 Volts of Holt' and saying it was played at every family gathering. I bought that record years ago and am listening to it as I type.

Chris fulfilled a lifetime ambition by playing guitar with a band on stage and Victor sang his hit, 'At The Club' and then at midnight it was all over. I had a big smile on throughout, enjoying them being daft up there on stage and then singing some great songs with great voices and great music. They should make a record. It was a lovely way to end the week and I'd be more than happy to see them again - smile and be happy!

Buffy and Flamenco

2011-10-27T20:24:00.001+01:00

Imagine my surprise when I check Twitter this evening on the train home and see a tweet with a link to an article in the National Post about Buffy Sainte-Marie and her band exercising and showing off gym clothes (click here). In another article in the National Post Buffy talks about exercise (click here). I don't know why it struck me as noteworthy, but it did.

Buffy puts me to shame. An extract from the exercise article:

Q: What’s your secret for staying in such great shape?
A: I do lat pull-downs and leg presses and use the Gravitron and do upper-body weights, but that’s not my secret.
Q: OK, we’ll bite. What is?
A: I dance flamenco. It helps me build my core.
Q: What do you think about running?
A: I hate running! I find it so boring. I get on a treadmill, and it’s like, Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! All these ideas take over my head.

Can you claim to do as much? I certainly can't. I think I'm more in the territory of Elvis, as Buffy says,

A: Like Elvis. Poor thing. Besides lifting a sandwich, I don’t think he lifted anything.

Well, good on her and keep it up!

PS: I must start exercising...
PPS: I don't think Leroy knows what he's doing with that twist...

'The Playboy Of The Western World' at The Old Vic

2011-10-24T23:32:00.002+01:00

Last week we went to see 'The Playboy of the Western World' at The Old Vic - I've been waiting for 30 years to see this play and it was well worth the wait. I did my dissertation at university 30 years ago on the works of JM Synge and the Celtic twilight (including Yeats and Lady Gregory) but I've never seen the play. And, y'know what? I'm quite pleased I waited until this production to see Synge's masterpiece, for masterpiece it is.

I love the words, the lyrical quality of the phrasing and placing of the words, the poetry of everyday language in Synge's careful hands. I'd downloaded the play onto my Kindle so I was reading the play both before and after seeing it and the language is great, both poetry and everyday speech at the same time that you don't notice when it's spoken in front of you. The poetry I've been used to when reading it is very different when it's part of fluent speech on the stage. And I was lucky enough to have three Irish people in the three lead roles of Christie (the Playboy, Robert Sheehan), Pegeen (the love interest, Ruth Negga) and the Widow Quinn (Niamh Cusack).

It's a very disfunctional play at one level, a play that glorifies a young lad that kills his father to the extent that the owner of a little pub on the coast of County Mayo is happy to leave him as protector of his daughter while he goes out to drink at a wake.And that's the premise throughout, that Christie has killed his father and is to be celebrated by the young women of the village and the old codgers wanting some refreshing gossip. Of course, it's not as simple as that, and when Christie's supposedly dead dad turns up there are problems and Christie has to kill him again, this time in front of a baying crowd. And that makes it different, now that they've witnessed a murder they need to make sure he's hanged... except there are more twists to the tale.

Niamh and Ruth are both consummate stage actresses that I've seen before (Ruth was Ophelia in 'Hamlet' last year) so it was Robert who was the unknown quantity. He's the star of 'Misfits' on E4, one of my surprise likes of last year and, when I heard he was playing this role I thought, 'yes, Christie.' He has the right level of bullshit and arrogance, the can-do blarny, but lacks the acting credentials. This is his first stage role and it's a pretty challenging one at that. He needs to learn from his co-stars and then come back and do something really out of character to get us all gasping in surprise. I think you can do it, so surprise us.

Put simply, I loved it. The story-telling is excellent (well, it would be, wouldn't it) and the acting was engaging. I loved the set, with the cottage pub that turned 360 degrees on the stage. The playboy of the western world isn't who you think he is but he's someone to remember. Go and see this production if you can, it's well worth it.

The Superions - 'Batbaby'

2011-10-21T19:42:00.000+01:00

I have seen the future of the music video and it is daft. But also epic.

The Superions have returned with 'Batbaby' just in time for Hallowe'en and they've produced a ten minute video to go with it. Part 'B' movie and part music video, it's ever so slightly fab and great fun. Go on, take a look and then download the single. But, if you see a bat in a nappy, beware ....

Mixed Britannia

2011-10-20T22:58:00.004+01:00

I've been watching 'Mixed Britannia', a documentary series by George Alagiah about mixed race life in Britain. Previous episodes have been historical, looking at the start of mixed race marriages in the sea-ports of the 1900s which has been fascinating, but this week's episode brought things right up to date, to things that I can recognise because I grew up in the 60s and 70s. From the Limehouse docks in London to Tiger Bay in Cardiff and to Liverpool, most of this country has taken part in the story of a mixed race Britain. George ends the final programme by saying that he is proud that Britain is one of the most mixed race countries of the world and so am I.

George is best known as a newsreader for BBC News but, based on this series, he's wasted doing that. He has a great ability to talk into the camera and make you think he's talking to you. In this series he draws on his own family and his own mixed race marriage to make his points more personal. And it works. He tackles a difficult subject and humanises it. He should do more of this.

This final episode took me back to my school days and reminded me of a school friend I haven't thought of in years. I grew up in a small mining village in north Durham and went to the local grammar school. And so did T, a black girl that lived half a mile away. She wasn't just the only black girl in the village, she was the only black anyone within a 15 mile radius, brought up by adoptive white parents. I hadn't thought of T for years - we were friends at school but lost touch 30 years ago - but some of the stories I heard in the programme this evening made me think of her and wonder. I'd love to meet up again.

I was on the bus going down Brixton Hill the other day and thought to myself that I loved the colour I saw. Not skin colour, but cultural colour with women in veils and saris, men in muslim hats and Nehru jackets, white lads with blond dreadlocks, a bloke in a turban and denims and a little old lady in the most floral of floral frocks you can imagine. I loved it. That's the ultimate diversity, it's people being who they are and who they want to be and I'm quite pleased that in my world people can be who they want to be.

Who called the British a 'mongrel race'? I don't know, but it's true. Since we're on the edge of Europe, and there's a history of peoples moving west, so this little island has seen a host of peoples coming here. The Celts, the Romans, the Angles and Saxons, the Vikings, the Normans, Jews escaping the pograms, Jamaicans and Indians in the 50s to help the country grow after the war. None of us are 'pure blood' as the far right would want us to think, we're all bit of a mix. I am Northumbrian and Irish and probably some Scots in there as well and I grew up in the land of the Prince Bishops. I claim my Native American blood through Buffy Sainte-Marie and my Caribbean blood through Jimmy Cliff. I am a citizen of the world and claim you all as brothers and sisters. You don't really have any say in it.

I'm with the mighty Poly Styrene when she sang, "When it comes to my bretheren, I and I, Jah simply choose to remain colour blind". Poly was mixed race herself, part Somali and part British white. And she was perfect.

'Crazy For You' at The Novello Theatre

2011-10-19T00:58:00.001+01:00

After a less than pleasant week at work it was a delight to realise that we had tickets to see 'Crazy For You' at the Novello Theatre on Friday night. 'Crazy For You' is billed as "the smash hit Gershwin musical" and it's the ultimate feel good song n dance spectacular - I loved it!

It's adapted from 'Girl Crazy' with more songs added and story that wouldn't stand up terribly well if you held it up yourself, but since when has a well-crafted plot been essential to a joyful musical extravaganza? It's the tale of Bobby, the rich kid who wants to be a dancer on Broadway who is sent to a dead-end hick town in Nevada to close a theatre-cum-post office who falls in love with the daughter of the owner and decides to put on a show to raise money to pay off the bank. All sorts of mayhem and confusion ensues in a careful and knowing way which was great fun. I particularly liked the line when challenged about putting on a show in a decrepit old theatre when Bobby said that Mickey Rooney does it all the time...

Our heroes are Sean Palmer as Bobby and Clare Foster as Polly Baker, the girl he falls for. Both have a lovely stage presence, throwing themselves into their roles with abandon and having great chemistry as the star-crossed lovers with lovely voices and killer dance moves. They're ably supported by David Burt as Bela Zangler, the Broadway producer. David has great comic timing and a good voice but, y'know what? I'll always think of him as Petal from 'Taboo' with his too-short miniskirt and flambouyant knickers with a sock stuck down the front (I assume there was padding down there). It was great to see him again, particularly in the slapstick drunken scene in the second half.

I was conscious of having a smile on my face for most of this play, seeing the massed ranks of synchronised tap-dancers and singers making me astonished at how they must've practiced to deliver such a slick performance. Well done people. And the cannon at the end shooting sparkly strips into the audience was the icing on the cake.

I'll definietley want to see this production again while I can. It's full of happiness and joy and you can never have too much joy in your life. Gimme more!

Buffy Sainte-Marie - 'Universal Soldier'

2011-10-15T19:20:00.000+01:00

This is a video of Buffy singing 'Universal Soldier' on the BBC4 programme 'Songwriters Circle' that was recorded at Porchester Hall back in June and first broadcast on 14 October 2011. This song got the biggest ovation of the evening - thanks to whoever downloaded it and posted it on YouTube.

Buffy sang 'Until It's Time For You To Go', a harrowing 'Cod'ine', 'Little Wheel Spin And Spin', 'I'm Gonna Be A Country Girl Again', 'Up Where We Belong' and 'Universal Soldier'. She also sang along with Roger Cook on 'You've Got Your Troubles' and with Donovan on 'Colours'. That means that the BBC has high definition video of Buffy singing 'Piney Wood Hills' and 'Still This Love Goes On' that, hopefully, we'll see at some point. How do I know this? Because I was there for the recording.

'The Killing Of Sister George' at The Arts Theatre

2011-10-13T21:50:00.000+01:00

The other night we went to see 'The Killing Of Sister George' at the sweatbox that is the Arts Theatre, a theatre I didn't even know existed until recently despite having walked past it many times. I'm aware of the film with Beryl Reid in the title role but I wanted to see what Meera Syal would make of the part. I was deeply impressed with Meera as Shirley Valentine at the Choccy Factory last year.

The set was a bit of a talking point while waiting for the play to start, with a big wireless speaker (that is wireless as in radio, not as in Internet) covering the stage, with the furniture of George's flat at the front. The decor made me thing 1950s rather than 1960s and I'm not sure whether that was a mistake or deliberate.

Sister George is a character in a radio series who is about to be killed off to try to boost ratings. We pick up the story when George (played by Meera) finds out the news until after the programme is broadcast about the characters' funeral and she's offered the role of a cow in a children's series. There are only four characters in the play, all female, George, her girlfriend Alice (Childy), her downstairs neighbour (played by Helen Lederer) and the proper Mrs Croft from the BBC. It's not so much a play about lesbians as about the desperation of people being forced out of their comfort zone.

The play seemed terribly dated in places and full of stereotypes, with George sitting with legs wide open as the butch one and Alice in girly-girly mode, playing with dolls or putting on a teenagers voice and actions. I couldn't quite imagine them living together for six years or so without killing each other. George perpetually poured herself glasses of gin and Alice made pots of tea while their world collapsed around them.

I can't quite put my finger on it but I didn't really enjoy the production. It was lovely to see Meera again, but I suspect I'll enjoy seeing her more as Beatrice in 'Measure for Measure' (I'm looking forward to a powerful Beatrice).

Kate Bush - 'Wild Man'

2011-10-12T21:10:00.000+01:00

Kate Bush's first single from the new album was released yesterday and no-one told me! I've just downloaded it, the 4 minute radio edit and 7 minute album version, and i have to say I prefer this to the lead (only?) single from the last album, 'King Of The Mountain'. It's moody, challenging, atmpospheric and questioning, Like every good Kate song. And, unusally for me, I think I prefer the 7 minute version. Go on, download it from your downloady site of preference.

Punk And Beyond by Gaye Advert

2011-10-11T22:05:00.000+01:00

'Punk and Beyond' is an exhibition curated by Gaye Advert of paintings by punk rockers from the '70s at the Signal Gallery in London between 25 Nov - 17 December 2011. Gaye curated a similar exhibition last year that I missed, but this time I must attend since there will be a small series of tribute portraits of Poly Styrene.

Gaye is, of course, the magnificent bass player with The Adverts in the '70s, the first punk woman of note with her big panda eyes and leather jacket. Before Debbie Harry we all loved Gaye Advert. She's now an artist and curator of the punk heritage which is a very worthy and important role.

I shall be there.

John Martin's 'Apocalyse'

2011-10-11T21:28:00.003+01:00

Yesterday we went to see the first dedicated exhibition in over 30 years of the paintings and prints of John Martin - 'Apocalypse' at Tate Britain.

John Martin is from Northumberland so is a local boy done good and the Laing Gallery in Newcastle has a good collection of his works. I went to the Laing a few times in my teens and only remember a few Pre-Raphaelites and a few John Martins - I can't remember the names of the Pre-Raphaelite painters but I remembered his name. I visited the Laing again a couple of years ago and headed straight for the two Martin's on display at the time - he may not be the best painter ever to pick up a brush but he makes an impression.

The first painting you come to is 'The Bard' (on loan from The Laing) and this epitomises Martin's works for me - grand scale, impossibly dramatic and romantic, and peopled with the teeming millions of people, tiny against an immense background. On the right on top of a mountain is the last Welsh bard and on the other side of the gorge is the army of Edward I hunting him down. The scene is dramatic and is the perfect still from a blockbuster film to draw you in. In reality, of course, it's made up. The mountains in Wales aren't like that at all and the army wasn't anything like that, winding round and up and down the mountain passes. But why spoil a good scene?

The word 'blockbuster' kept cropping up in the exhibition and it accurately reflects a modern take on the paintings - they are blockbusters. The leaflet you're given on the way in suggests how Martin has influenced films, record covers, fiction and music and, if you squint slightly, there's a clear route from Martin to a Yes album cover. The domes of his new Jerusalem could easily be at home with our modern visions of living on the Moon or on Mars.

One thing 'The Bard' lacks is the colour red, a colour Martin obvious fell in love with for some of his most dramatic paintings. The red of Vesuvius exploding and raining down hell on Pompeii or the red of 'The Destruction of Sodom and Gomoraah'. 'Sodom' depicts a fire burning out of control, wreaking havoc and destruction in all directions and you can almost feel the heat radiating out at you. Then there's the darker red and black of 'Pandemonium' when Satan's city rises intact from the lava with an endless army ready for the final battles. I told you he was dramatic.

One of the highlights of the exhibition is a sound and light extravaganza for his 'Last Judgement' triptych, three giant canvases the size of one of the walls of your house (yes, *your* walls) that went on tour in the 1850s around Britain and America. It's a great idea to try to replicate the experience with the three giant paintings side by side, illuminated and darkened to a soundtrack of someone explaining the subject matter with real showmanship. The show last about 15 minutes and is held every half hour and is a great way to see the paintings.

It's a grand exhibition in all senses of the word. A good selection of his works, enough of them to be substantial and a good experience but not including every last sketch he ever made and watering down the experience. We were there for about one and a half hours which felt about right to be wowed and over-awed but not too long and not pummelled to the our knees by the sheer weight of the drama.

If you get the chance then go and see it - I'd recommend this exhibition any day! John Martin may not be the best painter of people but is unsurpassed in drama!

Buffy Sainte-Marie on BBC Four

2011-10-07T21:35:00.003+01:00

You need to know that Buffy Sainte-Marie will be on BBC FOUR next Friday (14 October) at 9.30pm in 'Songwriter's Circle', along with Donovan and Roger Cooke. I was lucky enough to be at the recording of the show at Porchester Hall earlier this year and it was great fun. You might even see me in the audience.

Here's my write-up of the show. It'll be interesting to see which songs they include in the show - I'm assuming it'll be four or five songs each.

Buffy is also featured in the programme immediately afterwards called 'Singer-Songwriters at the BBC'.

If you're going to be out next Friday night then I recommend you set your machine of choice to record mode from 9.30pm onwards, you won't regret it!

Buffy Sainte-Marie - 'Still this Love Goes On'

2011-10-06T22:14:00.002+01:00

Buffy Sainte-Marie has perfected her own version of the 3 minute pop song, often dripping with imagery on top of a simple and memorable melody. One of my favourites is 'Still This Love Goes On' from 'Running For The Drum'. It packs in the seasons in Canada with animal tracks in the snow and summer running up and down the mountainsides. She sings about powwow singing, the drum and the Jingle Dancers, painted ponies and sweet grass burning.

I love this song and it's not just one of my favourites from 'Running For The Drum', it's one of my favourite all-time Buffy songs. It's simple and complex at the same time, and here's a lovely video of Buffy singing it live earlier this summer. Enjoy!

The Indigo Girls - 'Beauty Queen Sister'

2011-10-05T23:14:00.000+01:00

Yes, the Girls have done it again. What's that, you ask? Release a record without really telling anyone about it. I'm sure they think they've covered their fan base but it's passed me by. 'Beauty Queen Sister' is available to download from iTunes now (plus one bonus track) and will be available from Amazon next Monday. I've downloaded it.

I first came across The Indigo Girls with their first record and the single, 'Closer To Fine'. I have fond memories of walking across Clapham Common listening to the song being played on breakfast radio in 1989. It's worthy and wordy but it works. Then I bought the album. And most albums since then. I've only seen the Girls once, four years ago, at Shepherd's Bush. I'd love to see them again, particularly promoting this latest album.

Their last album was the Christmas record, 'Happy Holly Days' and before that, 'Poseidon'. This latest record makes me think more of the previous album, 'Despite Our Differences', and this develops the sound and songs on that album. The overwhelming feeling of the songs is of calm. This is a carefully measured record with very thoughtful, gentle songs.

I'll choose a few early favourites in 'Share The Moon', 'John', 'War Rugs', 'Feed And Water The Horses' 'Damo' and 'Able To Sing'. No doubt that list will change as I listen to the record again. Amy and Emily swapping lead vocals and song-writing duties as ever makes for an interesting mix.

The production is sparse with the focus on the song, the words and the music, with no stray effects audible. I like it.It's not a record I'd listen to on the tube going to work, but I'd definitely listen to it at night when I get home and need to relax. This record will do it, relax the body but stimulate the mind. Go on, give it a go.

SLADE - 'Them Kinda Monkeys Can't Swing'

2011-10-04T23:46:00.002+01:00

I have no idea where this video comes from but it's pretty fab. At the end of the song Sir Noddy mentions they're in San Francisco so it's from one of their American tours but the number of different camera angles suggests this concert was filmed, so where is the film?

Dave still has his 'SLADE in Flame' haircut so I assume this is from late 1974 or '75. We don't see much of Jim or Don in this clip, the sound isn't great and the visuals could do with an edit but y'know what? If the concert was released on DVD I'd buy it anyway, and so would thousands of others. It makes you wonder what else is in the vaults.

This clip was posted on Facebook today by Slade in England so enjoy!

'Othello' at The Crucible

2011-09-27T23:05:00.000+01:00

On Saturday we made the trip north to Sheffield to see 'Othello' at The Crucible theatre starring a great double act of Clarke Peters and Dominic West. Both are from 'The Wire', of course, a series I didn't watch but which got rave reviews. I've not seen Dominic West on stage before, but I've seen Clarke in 'Porgy and Bess' and in the great musical he wrote in the '80s, 'Five Guys Named Moe'. It was well worth the 300 miles round trip.

The staging was sparse, with characters carrying out the props at the start of each scene and setting them on the almost stage in the round. The careful lighting was great, but this production relies on the actors to give it momentum and mood. And it worked. I've never seen 'Othello' performed and this set a high benchmark under the careful direction of Daniel Evans. The writing is, of course, astonishing, my new favourite Shakespeare play.

If ever there was a double-headed play this is it - a wonderful interplay between Othello and Iago, with Clarke Peters as Othello and Dominic West as Iago. Clarke plays it in his best West African accent and Dominic uses his native Yorkshire accent as the lowly Iago rising through the ranks. I've seen Clarke Peters on stage before and expect a grand performance, particularly the arms-wide expansive moments, but I was impressed by Dominic's wily Iago, the bluster and honesty of the character while being thoroughly dishonest. If you know Dominic then I'd advise against playing poker with him - you'll lose based on the performance I saw. They make a great double act and work well together.

Of the rest of the cast I must mention Alexandra Gilbreath as Emilia, servant to Desdemonia. Chris reminded me that we'd seen her in 'Assassins' at the tiny Union Theatre last summer and here she was again. The early scenes paint her as a minor, almost comic character, but her confrontation of Othello at the end was magnificent, the emotion pouring from her as she accused her lord of murder and wept for her mistress, finally confronting her husband. I was most impressed. She made me think that that is what actors are supposed to do... and how few achieve it. Well done Alexandra, that's a performance worthy of the West End and I hope to see you reprise the role some day.

Imperial War Museum

2011-09-27T21:52:00.001+01:00

This morning I went to the Imperial War Museum in London for the very first time. I've been past the building thousands of times but never ventured inside until today. I listened to Buffy Sainte-Marie on my way there to fortify my mind, bearing in mind her comment that the USA has five institutions dedicated to training people how to wage war but no institutions to teach peace.

The large hall at the entrance is filled with aeroplanes hanging from the ceiling and tanks, rockets and associated cannon on the floor. Further inside, and upstairs and downstairs are the galleries and exhibits along with some interactive exhibits, like the Blitz and Trenches experiences. There were themed rooms to wander through with all sorts of exhibits, from photographs from the time of the wars, uniforms, posters, advice on how to eat during rationing, gas-masks, medals and charities operating at the time. All sorts.

The war machines were astonishing and surprising by turns. I had no idea that Spitfires were so small - I wouldn't fit in one. Some of the machines were incredibly complex and ram home the fact that the technology that helped invent them eventually comes to us civilians a decade or so later in the form of kitchen or other domestic gadgets. There are also reconstructions of an air-raid shelter and a 1940s house to wander through - I remember my grandparents still had similar-looking furniture in the 1960s.

I had no idea what to expect and was a bit anxious that it might seek to glorify or justify war. Instead it made me think about war and our stupidity for letting it happen. This was particularly strong in the galleries about war since the Second World War, the many armed conflicts we've been through since then and are still suffering. It begs the question why?

If you like the big war machines and want to ogle them then there's plenty to choose from. If you want to consider the implications of war then there's plenty on the small scale to make you think and wonder how people survived. The scale stretches from war-mongers to children in the back streets of any city anywhere. The tales of children who died in the Blitz are truly sad, lives cut short through long-distance and impersonal war.

The museum clearly does a roaring trade with school trips and tourists and it has a good shop. It's free to go in, which is just as well. Would I go back? I think so, when I have more time to wander around, preferably without crowds.

'Ganesha Goes To Lunch'

2011-09-26T21:57:00.002+01:00

I've been reading a great little book on my way to work over the past couple of weeks called 'Ganesha Goes To Lunch - Classics From Mystic India' by Kamla K Kapur. I bought it a couple of years ago when I saw the 'Garden and Cosmos' exhibition at The British Museum and finally decided it was the right time to read it and I'm so pleased I did.

At the risk of offending any Hindus reading this blog, it's a re-telling of traditional stories, myths and legends from India and, probably, religious parables and tales. And, like parables from all faiths, they generally have a religious or moral tone and ending. Of course, these deal with the vast Hindu pantheon of gods and deities, so probably aren't what you'd expect. Hindu deities range from revelling in the austere to burning in the passion of sex and whatever else you fancy. It's all part of life, after all.

There are 24 tales, all illustrated with lovely drawings, divided by the triumvirate godhead of Vishnu, Brahma and Shiva, followed by tales of Krishna, and stories from The Ramayama and from The Mahabharata, so it covers all the main areas of Hindu belief. I first read a version of The Ramayana when I was at junior school and it captured my imagination. It was a delight to see, inside the Grand Palace and Temple in Bangkok a couple of decades later, wall frescoes telling the whole tale, with Rama and Sita and wily Hanuman and I delighted that I could 'read' quite a lot of it as it sparked memories.

Some of my favourite stories are:

'Ganesha Goes To Lunch' in which Lord Ganesha accepts a luncheon invite in place of his mother, Parvati, and literally eats his host out of house and home;
'The Bird Who Fought War' in which a little bird seeks to persuade Lord Krishna to stop the great war of The Mahabharata and Krishna's first arrow severs a bell on an elephant's neck to safely cover the bird's nest;
'The Toad Who Didn't Croak' who is accidentally killed by Rama (an incarnation of Vishnu) which ends with the words from the toad, 'There's only one thing sweeter than dying by Rama's hand... To die in Rama's hands.'

It's a lovely book, very thoughtful and thought-provoking. I'm pleased to have bought it and to have (finally) read it.

'South Pacific' at The Barbican v2

2011-09-23T20:03:00.004+01:00

Last night I bathed in the joy that is 'South Pacific' at The Barbican for the second time, this time celebrating the 82nd birthday of a little old lady who likes whisky and ginger (who, oddly enough, sat in seat 29, the year of her birth).

I love this musical, it speaks to me in music and words and it makes my eyes go moist every now and then. There's something magical about those chord sequences and those words that make me respond whether I want to or not. I saw this production at the Lincoln Center in New York in 2010 and then again at The Barbican a month ago and decided I needed to see it again while I could. So we did.

I was very impressed with it, particularly with Samantha Womack who has clearly grown into the part. Her voice has strengthened and her accent was impeccable - who'd have thought she was in 'EastEnders'? The cast is largely the same, with the same energy and joy spilling off the stage into the audience. I smiled, I laughed and I cried to those wonderful songs and touching story.

It's on for another week at The Barbican and then goes on tour. If you get the chance, do go and see it. You won't be disappointed.

From The Vaults ...

2011-09-23T19:14:00.004+01:00

A most wonderful photo was tweeted this morning by @venturax and, for someone my age, I just have to wonder how on earth this hasn't surfaced before?

Here we have Chrissie Hynde, Debbie Harry, Viv Albertine, Siouxsie Sioux, Poly Styrene and Pauline Black, an elite if ever there was one! And I've seen them all apart from Viv and I have high hopes of putting that right in the near future.

I saw Chrissie in the audience at a Sandra Bernhart show (she walked past me on the stairs and sat a few rows behind me), seen Debbie on stage with Blondie (naturally), seen Siouxsie on stage and met her at a signing, saw the lovely Poly Styrene at the X-Ray Spex Roundhouse gig in 2008 and saw Pauline when she introduced Reggae Brittania at the Barbican a few years ago (but not seen her sing).

Might I say *wow*?

SLADE - 'SLADEST'

2011-09-20T21:13:00.003+01:00

My copy of SLADE's 'Sladest' (remix 2011) arrived today and it is a lovely record. Originally released in 1973 when SLADE bestrode the world of pop and rock like gods, it's part greatest hits and part look-what-you-missed, with earlier songs from 'Play It Loud'. It's a great album and this reissued version includes a never-before heard song, a studio version of 'Hear Me Calling'.

'Sladest' comes in a tri-fold cardboard cover which, when you first open it, has close-up photos of Sir Noddy and Jim, then open Sir Nod's cover to reveal close-ups of Dave and Don, a nice touch. There's a booklet with a long write-up by Chris Ingham with loads of photos. As ever, with the Salvo re-issues, the packaging is excellent and so is the sound quality on the re-mastered songs. The original album ended with 'Mama Weer All Crazee Now' but this version includes a previously unreleased studio version of 'Hear Me Calling' plus 'My Friend Stan', 'My Town' and 'Kill 'Em At The Hot Club Tonight', all from 1973 to keep it all in character.

I love the studio version of 'Hear Me Calling'. As all SLADE fans know, it's the opening track on 'SLADE Alive!' and a song we're all familiar with. This version includes a background of hand-claps recorded in an echo chamber (probably a toilet or stairwell, I suspect) when the lads were trying to re-create their live sound. It's excellent! The whole album sounds excellent, lovely re-mastering.

If you want a taster of SLADE from the glory years then this is the album for you, with all the hits and a few early songs to let you see how the band developed into the Lords of Noize. I am currently worshipping at the altar of Noize...

Poly Styrene Interviewed by John Robb in 2009

2011-09-20T00:16:00.004+01:00

John Robb has just posted a 50 minute video interview with Poly Styrene in 2009 on Louder Than War. The video is in two parts and Poly ranges from her childhood to the gig at The Roundhouse in 2008.

It's lovely to hear Poly chatting away about being a hippy before being a punk, being friends with John Lydon at the break-up of the Sex Pistols, the Krishna movement, wearing Biba clothes and talking about her beliefs. The interview is punctuated with laughter and Poly's thoughtful humour. It made me smile and reminisce.

Put aside some time to watch it. Click here.

And here's a great photo of Poly back in the day from Spex Cliche on Facebook...

John Martin: Apocalypse Is Coming

2011-09-18T08:57:00.003+01:00

There's going to be a rare exhibition of John Martin paintings at the Tate Britain with the homely title of 'Apocalypse'. There's even a short video trailer for the exhibition that isn't what you might think it is - take a look. A title and a video like that can only raise expectations, so I hope you live up to it Mr Tate.

I first came across John Martin back in the 70s in the Laing Gallery in Newcastle which has two nice pieces permanently on show - 'The Bard' and 'The Destruction of Sodom & Gomorrah' - both on an epic scale and both madly romantic and over the top. This exhibition is in partnership with the Laing so I'm expecting them to be part of the show. That means they'll also be in the glossy brochure that accompanies the exhibition so I'll finally be able to get a good quality reproduction of the paintings.

I'm quite looking forward to seeing this exhibition which is just along the road from where I work. I shall take an afternoon off over the autumn and indulge.

Pink Floyd? No Thanks

2011-09-16T23:04:00.004+01:00

Y'know, sometimes you've just got to say 'enough is enough'. This much I can take and no more. Well, I actually switched over to watch Newsnight (yes, *Newsnight*!) tonight to avoid being corrupted or just plain annoyed. I went through the punk wars to fight against this.

What am I talking about? O yes, Pink Floyd night on BBC4. All I ask is 'why?'.

I watched the documentary - I'm a music fan and want to understand all sorts of music. I had to switch over when the 'video' programme started, though, when the third song threatened to go on forever. I'm a fan of the three minute pop song, not a ten minute dirge (I delete them from my iPod if any sneak on). Now, good on the Floyd lads for their early ambitions of trying to do something new with music - I can appreciate that - but self-indulgent nonsense isn't fun at all. At least not for me.

And we had Bob Geldoff talking about their greatness to justify their inclusion in Live 8 - Bob, be honest, you just thought they'd sell tickets or whatever. Your job is to raise money, why is it is a problem to say that?

Anyway, all I can say is thanks for the memory Pink Floyd, I don't own any of your records and don't intend to, but at least you're part of the grand melange that is pop music. I'm sure there are lots of people out there that love you, but I'll stick to pop stars, thank you.

Kim Wilde - 'Snapshots'

2011-09-15T20:02:00.005+01:00

Ladies and gentlemen, I now have Kim Wilde's new record, 'Snapshots'. It's an import from Germany (which seems to be the only place it's been released) but, after seeing the video for 'It's Alright' I decided I had to have it and ordered it through Amazon.

It arrived today with a red sticker on the front announcing, "Das Erste Cover Album Ihrer Karriere!" which even I can translate. So, yes, it's a covers album with 14 songs and the snapshots theme is continued into the booklet with a few pages covered in small photos of Kim over the years, with fans and with stars (like Michael Jackson). There are short paragraphs about each song from Kim but they're in German so I can't read it. The introductory text from Kim is in English (which I can read) telling us how the record came about and how she enjoyed it, ending with the lovely phrase, "... [I] wear my Pop Star badge with pride!". I *like* that.

Anyway, what about the songs? They all have Kim's 'powerpop' sound and some sound remarkably like the originals with the same arrangement, just updated, while others sound quite different. One thing I like about this album is that I haven't heard of some of the songs before, so, although it's a covers album, I'm still hearing some songs for the first time. 'To France' for example, is a song from 1973 by Mike Oldfield and Maggie Reilly, that stirs not a single memory so, to me, this is the original version. Kim seems to have picked a collection of songs from the last 50 years that she likes and has made an impression on her and that's a sound enough reason.

Favourite songs after a first listen are, 'It's Alright', 'Sleeping Satellite', 'They Don't Know About Us' (the Kirsty MacColl classic), 'Beautiful Ones' and the evergreen 'Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone)' (that I'm sure Kim bounced round her bedroom to in 1978 - I did). There's the brave take on 'Anyone Who Had A Heart', the first pop song she remembered from when she was four years old and the lovely version of Bowie's 'Kooks' sung with her husband (as is right and proper). The only song that doesn't work for me (on one listen) is 'About You Now' but, then again, I love the Sugababes version so I'm biased.

Kim is still big in Germany but it would be great to release this album in the UK - along with the last couple of albums please - and re-launch her career here. She still tours on the 80s revival scene but I want to see a Kim Wilde gig in London in which she plays the new songs from 'Come Out And Play' and 'Never Say Never' as well as the classics and the new covers. What an incredible set that would be. C'mon Kim, you were brave stepping onto that first Top Of The Pops stage all those years ago, you can do it again with your name blazoned across the stage and a Pop Star badge on display. You were after Debbie Harry and before Madonna - a great place to stand in history.

Here's 'It's Alright':

SLADE - 'Gudbuy T'Jane'

2011-09-13T23:07:00.006+01:00

Here's a great video of SLADE doing 'Gudbuy T'Jane' on some (German?) TV show. I've never seen it before so that's justification enough for posting it let alone that it's had over one million views so far. All I can say is 'wow'!

This was their last single of 1972 before they went mega in 1973 and had three singles go straight to No 1 in the years when doing that meant some serious sales. Nowadays everybody does that with the right advertising campaign but SLADE sold hundreds of thousands of records on their name alone. I bought them.

And Slade are playing Koko in London on 18 December - be there or be square daddy-o.

Slade at Koko 18 December

2011-09-12T22:42:00.003+01:00

Breaking news: the mighty Slade will play at Koko in Camden on 18 December. I *must* be there despite Koko being one of my least favourite venues.

A mere week before Christmas and we will have Slade. Not the classic line-up of course, no Sir Noddy or Jim, but I must support Dave and Don and sing myself hoarse. And I will. Tickets go on sale on Friday this week and tickets will be mine!

It's 40 years since their first No 1 hit single - who knows what might happen?

Laura Marling - 'A Creature I Don't Know'

2011-09-12T20:26:00.002+01:00

Today sees the release of Laura Marling's third album and she is still only 21 years old. I first heard of Laura on Jools Holland's 'Later' in, I think, late 2007 that made me watch out for her first album in 2008. I saw her sing live with The Mystery Jets in 2008 but haven't seen her play live since - I've always been in the wrong place to see her.

Words and melody are central to Laura's songs and sound, with lyrical flights of fancy taking off when you least expect it and that's a central characteristic of this new record. It's an album that will, I have no doubt, grow with successive plays. After an initial listen, I'd vote for 'The Beast', 'Sophia' and 'All My Rage' as favourite songs. No doubt that'll change after a day or two as I love different songs.

Do yourself a favour and give it a listen.

New Kate Bush Album - '50 Words For Snow'

2011-09-12T19:30:00.004+01:00

I've just seen that Kate Bush will release an album of new material on 21 November called, '50 Words For Snow'. Clearly, Kate has been reading my blog and knows of my love of the white stuff. Full details are here.

'Richard III' at The Old Vic

2011-09-11T12:45:00.006+01:00

I forgot to mention that we'd been to see 'Richard III' at The Old Vic a week or so ago - it was the first in a series of nights out and the last to be blogged. I'm not sure why. I've never seen the play before and never read it, I'm not even clear in my own mind about the backdrop of history it plays against, so I must take it at face value.

It's the last in the series of 'Bridge' productions at The Old Vic with a joint British and American cast, ignoring the difference in accents with actors speaking as they would in any other play. I can cope with Shakespeare in various American accents, what I can't cope with is plain bad acting. More of that later.

Kevin Spacey plays Richard, starting out in modern clothes and seemingly regressing wardrobe-wise. The guards are in suits and it starts out with a vaguely JFK 'Camelot' feel to it. That swiftly evaporates as dire deeds are done and a prince is drowned in a vat of cider in his boxers. Richard is clearly one sexy bugger since he kills a lady's husband and father and still manages to seduce her. I was like, 'eh?'. I suppose power overcomes all. He then cuts a swathe through the court and royal family and brings England to the brink of disaster before being stopped by a bad actor... ooops, did I say that out loud? Anyway...

I liked the sparse sets and the use of technology in a reality TV world. I thought Kevin Spacey was excellent as the malevolent king but he seemed to move from originality into stereotype baddy towards the end - is this the writing or the direction or the acting? I dunno. I liked Gemma Jones as mad Queen Margaret who wandered round the set every now and then putting large Xs on doors and being melodramatic. I also liked Haydn Gwynne as deposed Queen Elizabeth in a no-win situation. I must (yes, I really must) pour scorn on the actors who played Lord Stanley and the Earl of Richmond (both American) who, and let me find the right words here ... o yes, who couldn't act for toffee! C'mon guys. you're fighting for your lives, at least have some tone and inflection to your voices! Wooden or what, I can't even be bothered to look up their names to publicly shame them.

Anyway, other than the aforementioned gentlemen, I must recommend this production. I enjoyed it and I'm pleased to finally see one of Shakespeare's history plays with actors worthy of the parts. Well done!

Celeste Dos Santos & The Tabloid Queens

2011-09-08T20:00:00.003+01:00

My latest favourite new band is Celeste Dos Santos & The Tabloid Queens. They've published five demo tracks produced by Youth on reverbnation that sound pretty damn fab to me.

I think my favourite songs are 'Cheers! Sweet Melancholy' with it's opening line of 'I'm going to drown my sorrows in a big fat glass of beer!' and 'The International' with it's fast punky guitar and drums. It would be great to hear these tracks properly recorded and released.

The band was previously called Debutante Disco but they've added some new members and changed the name and are about to be unleashed on London on 22 September in their first gig at Alley Cat on Denmark Street. I won't be there, sadly, but I'm looking forward to the reviews and YouTube clips. If you get the chance go along and support Celeste.

The band is even more special to me personally since Celeste is the daughter of the mighty Poly Styrene and a clear example of great talent running in the family. Like mother like daughter.

Four Seasons

2011-09-07T19:45:00.003+01:00

Today, even I have to admit that summer is over, what little we saw of it. Yesterday was full of rain, include a monsoon sequence, and today is just plain chilly. Luckily, I delight in having four seasons to savour.

I love a hot summer and a freezing winter, and I love the changing of the seasons, moving from hot to cold and cold to hot. Or at least that's the plan. I really hope we have a good summer next year for the Olympics. London looks beautiful in the sunshine, with old buildings and hanging baskets of flowers and its lovely denizens.

I occasionally think of living somewhere else in the world, like Sri Lanka. Much as I enjoy visiting there and it's green lushness, I'm not sure I could live there. I'd probably love it for a year or so and then I'd start missing the seasons and the cold, bundling up in coats and mufflers, wearing gloves to go to the shops and all that. Lovely to visit but not to live - I rejoice in change.

Where I live is surrounded by trees and greenery and for the last couple of weeks I've noticed the trees become laden with apples and fruit and berries. All over the place. And conkers are starting to fall. The old wives tales say that this predicts a long and bad winter since nature is providing food early for the birds and animals to eat and hibernate. I hope that's true. There's nothing worse than a long, dreary and damp winter - I want extremes.

I should be used to the changing seasons by now but it always surprises me how the world changes. Just a couple of weeks ago it wasn't getting dark until around 9:00pm, now it's dark at 8:00pm. It happens every year but it's always a surprise.

I worked from home today and wore shorts. I think that's the last time. I will now welcome Autumn with open arms and wear long trousers. And socks (mis-matched, of course).

By the way, I nicked the photo from Cherie's Place.

Amanda & Neil Kickstarter

2011-09-06T20:22:00.003+01:00

Amanda Palmer and Neil Gaiman are doing a short tour of the West Coast of the USA in November and, because we don't all live there, they're recording it for our pleasure and using Kickstarter to raise the funding. In the 12 hours since they opened the Kickstarter they've raised $44,000 and they were hoping for a total of $20,000 by early October. Saying 'not bad' is an understatement.

Amanda Palmer at The British Library

2011-09-05T22:27:00.006+01:00

This evening we were lucky enough to be part of a small gathering at The British Library to see a special show by Miss Amanda Palmer. There were only 200 tickets or so, so it was quite special to see her in a small venue and, what's more, in a venue with seats - the first time I've been to an Amanda gig with seats.

She came on in a canary yellow suit, a knee-length dress and matching jacket, handbag and the essential pearls round her neck, bought from a charity shop in Scotland, giving a regal wave. She looked most odd in old/older womens' clothes and commented that they made her feel strange and thought our reaction to her was changed as well. Still, it didn't stop her starting the show with her Australian ukulele by singing a Niggaz With Attitude song that influenced her own song, 'Do You Swear To Tell The Truth'. After a few songs she needed to change clothes and Neil Gaiman helped her unzip the dress to reveal one more to her style underneath.

Most of her songs were with the ukulele even though a piano was on stage with her (which she didn't think was a very good one). We also had two songs which she played with a mandolin (she said she didn't know how to play it). We were given a nice range of her ukulele songs, including 'Map Of Tasmania' (during which she delighted that we were shouting out 'Fuck it' in the chorus in the British Library), the beautiful 'In My Mind', 'Fake Plastic Trees', 'Inbetween Days' (cover of the Cure song) and ''Black Boys On Mopeds' (Sinead O'Connor cover). The penultimate song was a new song that was meant to be a ukulele anthem but had too many words and too many chords but was excellent! During the song, Neil kneeled on the stage with the words on paper for Amanda to read - it's so new she hasn't learned it properly yet.

We were given three songs with Neil Gaiman, 'The Problem With Saints' from the 8in8 project, 'I Google You' (the song he wrote with Amanda three years ago) and the final song of the set, Wreckless Eric's 'Whole Wide World' - I was one of the relatively few people in the audience who could sing along and, I suspect, the only one who's seen Eric sing it live.

Amanda was most excellent, chatting away quite happily, answering questions and being lovely. She was on for about 1:30 hours and then came out afterwards to sign things. As the officious little librarian bloke (who obviously has always dreamed of being a bouncer) kept telling us - don't talk to her, don't take pics with her, everyone move forward, you've got to be out by 9pm, etc. Neil gamely wandered down the queue happy to sign any books that anyone had while I asked Amanda to sign my 'Amanda Palmer Down Under' and 'UkuleHead' CDs and she did. It was a short but sweet meeting, no hugs but at least I had a few words with her and congratulated Neil on a great show as we were leaving.

So. That's two excellent doses of Amanda Fucking Palmer over the weekend and I'm happy. I do, of course, want a new album from Miss Palmer, like, now please. And we need a live DVD please. Oh, and more shows as well (obviously). Thank you for a very special evening.

Jimmy Cliff at The IndigO2

2011-09-04T19:04:00.005+01:00

Last night we went to see the legend that is Jimmy Cliff. OK, some of you might think you've never heard of him but if you've ever heard a reggae song by someone other than Bob Marley, then it's probably by Jimmy. I've been a long-time fan of Jimmy Cliff, going back to the early 70s, but I've never seen him before. When I heard he was playing at the IndigO2 I made sure I got the best seats I could, and, for the first time, managed to nab seats in the Kings Row section of the venue with it's own private bar and lounge. Well swanky before the skanking began.

Jimmy started writing and making music in the mid-60s Jamaican ska scene before rising to international prominence by writing most of the music for and starring in the film, 'The Harder They Come'. Regular readers will remember my glowing reviews of the stage play a few years ago when I saw it more times than was good for my wallet, even heading out to Oxford to see it on tour. The soundtrack album is widely credited as taking reggae to the world - before there was Bob Marley, there was Jimmy Cliff.

Jimmy's music is sunshine and happiness, anger and righteousness, careful lyrics married to a reggae sound to draw you in and dance, letting his words into your head. He's a sadly overlooked songwriter - probably because his genre is reggae - who has finally been inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame. He has a soothing and gentle voice and a nice way of phrasing lyrics, whether his own or other peoples'.

On stage he gave us 1:45 hours of great reggae from his big band, beautifully paced and getting us all on our feet every now and then. He's been in the biz for 40 years so knows how to work a crowd and I'm pleased that he told us we'd made him i-rie! He took us on a journey from his early ska singles through reggae to the more dancy/disco of the '80s and beyond. And the man never stood still, dancing from one side of the stage to the other, skanking, arms and legs all over the place, a bundle of energy on the stage in his gold headband and golden trainers.

We had 'Miss Jamaica' and 'King of Kings'. We had 'The Harder They Come', 'Wonderful World, Beautiful People', 'Many Rivers To Cross', 'The Harder They Come', 'Sitting In Limbo' and 'You Can Get It If You Really Want It'. We had 'Wild World' and 'Sitting In Limbo'. We had 'I Can See Clearly Now' and 'Reggae Night'. Jimmy always has another song to throw at you from different stages of his career. He gave us his anti-war anthem 'Vietnam' but nowadays it's called 'Afghanistan'. He gave us 'Treat The Youths Right' in response to the riots and looting in London and elsewhere in August. He gave us a bongo section when the band all played bongos and percussion for 'Bongo Man'.

If you get the chance to see Jimmy Cliff don't think twice, buy tickets. He gives good show and killer music. Thank you Mr Cliff, come back to London soon!

AFP @ Heaven

2011-09-03T00:18:00.008+01:00

Tonight we had the pleasure of seeing Amanda Palmer and The Grand Theft Orchestra (plus special guests) at the box that is Heaven. The special guests were Neil Gaiman, Tim Minchin, Tom Robinson (yes, Mr TRB himself) with support bands Bitter Ruin and The Jane Austen Experience, a great violin player whose name I missed (sorry) and SuperKate doing belly dancing and aerobics. Plus a horn section that she hasn't rehearsed with. Yes, that sounds like an Amanda Fucking Palmer gig to me.

It's well over a year since I last saw Amanda play live - the Evelyn Evelyn show at Bush Hall in April 2010 was the last time - so I've been looking forward to this gig for a while. Heaven is an odd venue for a gig but at least it has a high stage so, unless you're very unlucky, you will see the star of the show. Of course, it's also a club so that meant the gig started early so it could be finished and emptied before the place re-opened as a club for the Friday night club crowd. Even so, we had 2:20 hours from Miss Palmer and what a great time it was.

Amanda has a game going with fans to crowd-source her clothes for live shows and tonight's theme was "sparkly" so she (and the band) wore sparkly clothes donated by kind fans. It wasn't the best ensemble I've seen her wearing but that adds to the surprise.

She played a good, crowd-pleasing selection from The Dresden Dolls and her solo works, from 'Who Killed Amanda Palmer', 'UkeleleHead' and 'Amanda Palmer Goes Down Under' as well as some covers including a great version of Simple Minds' 'Don't You (Forget About Me)'. She included 'The Problem With Saints' from her 8ini8 project with Neil Gaiman on vocals.

It was great to hear Amanda with a band behind her again. It makes her sound so much bigger and, although the drummer wasn't Brian, he still sounded good, filling in the gaps in her piano playing and keeping the rhythm going with the extra addition of guitars. Amanda announced that she was also using a synth on her new songs, so her sound is evolving. And evolving in a great way. She played four new songs that aren't finished yet and they all sounded great, upbeat and dancey, particularly 'Lost Wallet' and 'Massachusetts Avenue'.

It was also nice to see Amanda step out from behind her keyboards to stand centre-stage and command the place with her presence. She sang a few songs up-front with others playing keyboards, such as the dramatic 'Delilah' with the bloke from Bitter Ruin playing the keyboards and the girl singing opposite Amanda, both of them pulling dramatic poses. There's nothing wrong with singing out front Amanda, you should do it more often.

I think this is possibly the best gig I've seen Amanda play (the jury's still out). She had nothing to sell other than her own awesomeness (as she joked) so she had a freer hand in deciding the set list than normal and strolled through her back catalogue to pick songs that kept us all focused on her. 'Astronaut', 'Guitar Hero' and 'Runs in the Family' from WKAP, 'Idioteque' from 'UkeleleHead', 'Missed Me', 'Delilah' and 'Girl Anachronism' from The Dresden Dolls, 'Map of Tasmania' and the great 'In My Mind' from 'Down Under'. A lovely surprise was segueing from 'Oasis' into 'Twist and Shout' and back again. Oh, lots of songs! I had a silly smile on my face for most of the gig.

The appearance of Neil Gaiman (aka Mr Amanda Palmer) is becoming standard but it was nice to hear him sing. Tim Minchin came on in the encore to sing one of his songs and then vanish. Tom Robinson came on to play with Amanda and her band, firstly singing 'Glad To Be Gay' and then a new song about bankers. The applause was hesitant when he first came on - clearly, most of the audience was a bit young to know who he was - but they soon got with the chorus in 'Glad To Be Gay', which was great fun (new verses, same chorus).

The final song of the encore was 'Leeds United' during which the crowd went mad - it's one of my favourite songs as well and I wished I could join in the pogoing around me but that would've been foolish. I was delighted when Amanda played 'Map of Tasmania' and 'In My Mind' since there was no hint of the Australian record in the set so far, and it was lovely to hear 'Astronaut' with drums . The only thing that kept it from being perfect was no 'Ampersand'.

If you get the chance to see Amanda Palmer then do so - you won't regret it!

Suzi Quatro - 'A Girl Like Me'

2011-08-31T22:15:00.002+01:00

Suzi Quatro's new album, 'In The Spotlight', seems to have been released with no lead video or anything but here's Suzi playing the first track live a few months ago, 'A Girl Like Me'. It's hard and it's raw and it's pure Suzi Q!

'The Skin I Live In' by Almodovar

2011-08-30T21:12:00.005+01:00

At the weekend we went to see the new Pedro Almodovar film, 'The Skin I Live In' at The Ritzy at Brixton. It has its own website here if you want to take a peek before seeing it. The film was featured on the 'Today' programme on Radio 4 last week so I know I shouldn't give away the plot twist and I won't.

I was a late-comer to Almodovar but have learned to love his films - even if I have to read them (ie subtitles). He creates some interesting films with strange twists and turns, some lush photography and surrounds himself with some great actors, usually women. In this film however, the star is Antonio Banderas who hasn't worked with Almodovar for 20 years or so but has left Hollywood for Spain for this film. And that was the first surprise.

As a Hollywood star Antonio obviously looks after himself but in this film he looked his age (ie the same as me!), still fit and toned but no pretence at looking anything other than a middle aged man. Oddly enough, I thought that was quite brave of him. But you've got to be brave in an Almodovar.

The other two stars are Elena Anaya ( the face behind the mask in the film posters) and Marisa Parades. I have to say that it was Marisa who drew my attention - she may be older than Elena by several decades but she really is quite striking and knows how to throw a look.

I enjoyed the film, with it's lush colours and panning from panoramic to close-up, heightening the melodramatic moments. The pace is slower than I expected with several 'mad scientist' moments, but it all contributes to the tension. I won't spoil it for you by giving away the plot twist but, since I knew there was one, and was looking out for it, then I got it straight away. It's still quite clever - and frightening - though.

Suzi Quatro - 'In The Spotlight'

2011-08-29T19:40:00.007+01:00

Suzi Quatro has a new album out, 'In The Spotlight' and she's got her rock jacket on again, harder and edgier than she's been for a long time. I loved her last album, 'Back To The Drive', particularly the title track, a homage to 'Devil Gate Drive', that started off with her chuckling, 'I'm back!' before letting rip with guitars. The new record isn't as immediate as 'Back To The Drive' but if you like rock Suzi (and I do), she's all here for you.

Of the eleven songs on the record, ten are of a piece, spare production, with an almost 'live' feel to them and hard drums and guitars. It has classic Suzi vocals, dripping with attitude that take no prisoners. The bonus track is 'Singing With Angels', Suzi's hymn to Elvis that was released as a download single in 2010.

The immediate highlights for me are the opening track, 'A Girl Like Me', with driving guitars and Suzi telling us we want her. 'Strict Machine' (yes the Goldfrapp song) with a cheeky little riff from 'Can The Can' subtly telling us the origins of the song. 'Breaking Dishes' reminds me of Little Jacky or maybe Santogold - no, it doesn't sound like either of them but has hints. 'Rosie Rose' starts off with the refrain, 'Do you love me...' in its hard rocking thrash of drums and guitars and Suzi's bass notes thrumming and vocals drawling away. 'Rosie' might be my favourite. She then moves into a gentle reggae rhythm with brass in the background for 'Hurt With You' and back into adrenaline fueled rock with 'Hot Kiss'.

Suzi toured as support to SLADE in 1972 and had her first hit single in 1973 ('Can The Can'). She was in 'Happy Days' on telly and on stage in 'Annie Get Your Gun'. There's a portrait of her in the National Portrait Gallery collection. She will always be Suzi Quatro, the little lady in leathers with the big bass guitar who influenced loads of people and showed that women can rock just as well as men. She still tours the world and I saw her play at Wimbledon a few years back and met her afterwards. I met her again when I attended a talk when she launched her autobiography, 'Unzipped'.

This is a great album with Suzi at her rocking best. I hope it gets the press and radio coverage it deserves and shows the world that Suzi Q still has it long after others have slowed down. As Sir Noddy Holder would say, keep on rockin', Suzi!

'South Pacific' at The Barbican

2011-08-24T20:45:00.009+01:00

Last week I was privileged to see the Lincoln Center production of 'South Pacific' at The Barbican Centre in ye olde London Towne. I saw - and loved - this production at the Lincoln Center when I saw it at the end of Snowmaggedon week in New York in February 2010.

I booked the tickets months ago when they first went on sale so didn't realise that last night was the opening night, red carpet and all. There were probably lots of famous people there last night but I only saw Barbara Windsor and Rolfe Harris (both true and long-lasting stars) and Miranda Hart. There was lots of luvvy-luvvy kissing on two cheeks going on at half time and at the end that suggests a lot of people knew each other in one way or another. Journalists or corporates. I was there with the fans of one of the greatest pieces of musical theatre of the last century.

Before seeing it at the Lincoln Center I hadn't seen this show either live or in film so it was a revelation seeing how all the well known songs fit together to tell the narrative of the story. If you're not aware, the story is quite simple. Ensign Nelly is posted as a nurse on a south Pacific island in World War II and falls for an ex-pat Frenchman with a shady past. When she finds out that he was married to a Polynesian wife and has two children she rejects him so he helps spy on Japanese ship movements on an isolated island. He survives to arrive back home to find Nelly looking after his children. End of show. Of course, there's a lot more going on in the show than the basic story and it tackles some difficult themes.

Some of the reviews of the show pick up the racism theme and criticise it for not being stronger but this is a show from 1949 and I think 'You've Got To Be Carefully Taught' is a powerful indictment of institutional racism. It comes down hard on nurture rather than nature. It's quite hard seeing the delightful Nelly suddenly turn cold because her love had previously married an islander.

Ensign Nelly is played by Samantha Womack who, we were told at the start, had broken a toe in rehearsals earlier in the evening. She has a delightful stage presence and a nice, if not particularly strong, voice. Her lover, Emile de Becque is played by Paulo Szot, the voice of Emile on the CD and original Emile at Lincoln Center. Seabee Luther Billis, the spiv and unlikely hero, is played nicely by a chubby Alex Ferns (who was killed in Eastenders) who throws himself around the stage and gives good accent. All the cast were excellent, signing and dancing their hearts out.

Loretta Ables (also from the from the original production) has a great part as Bloody Mary and throws herself into it with abandon in the first half as the islander determined to make as much money as she can while the navy is there. She's darker and more subdued in the second half when all she wants is for Lt Cable to marry her daughter, she'll even work to keep both of them. The object of her attention, Lt Cable, was played by Daniel Koek, who has a great voice and is worth watching out for. He's released 'Younger Than Springtime' as a single (take a listen here).

The production isn't quite as lavish as at the Lincoln Center, in part because the Barbican stage isn't as big and it's designed to go on tour so needs to be flexible enough to fit lots of different theatres, but it's still immensely enjoyable. As soon as the lights go down and overture starts, you know you're in for a treat. How did I manage to live so long without hearing this musical? It really is quite special and if you get the chance then do go and see it. I'm going again in September before it leave the Barbican.

Two Plays With Accents

2011-08-22T19:33:00.005+01:00

In the last couple of weeks I've seen two plays in which voice and accent was key, 'Pygmalion' and 'Anna Christie'.

First off was 'Pygmalion' at The Garrick Theatre with Rupert Everett as the bonkers phonetics 'professor', 'Enery 'Iggins. I've never seen or read the play but I'm familiar with the story (and not just from 'My Fair Lady') and what an excellent tale it is. Shaw's Edwardian tale of class, education and gender politics is an enormously fun romp through every stereotype imaginable and ends with a delicious ambiguity - do they or don't they?

The fast pace of the production keeps it moving forward with no fat or filler and the cast play it to a T. I must admit, I think of Rupert Everett as a film star rather than as an actor but seeing him on stage changed my opinion - he was excellent and this role could've been written for him. Alistair McGowan has now taken over the part but I'm pleased I saw Mr Everett. The other actor who impressed me was Roberta Taylor as Mrs Pearce, the housekeeper and voice of reason. I vaguely remember Roberta from 'Eastenders' years ago and she was a steadying presence on the stage with Prof Higgins ranting on and being self-centred. Kara Tointon was a very pretty Eliza Doolittle - her East End accent seemed to wander all over the place (and was almost unintelligible in places) but she was great speaking posh with the odd bit of slang thrown in for good measure.

However, I must retain most praise for Diana Rigg as the good professor's mother. Diana will always be Mrs Emma Peel from 'The Avengers' to me and I just *know* she was wearing a black leather cat-suit and high heels under her period costume. She was great as the mother who's had to endure her son embarrassing her for far too long and now treats him almost as a joke and Diana and Rupert made it look so real and engaging... then again, he's of an age to remember Mrs Peel so maybe he was scared of being kicked into submission?

Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed the production and am delighted to have seen Rupert and Diana on the same stage. Take my advice and go and see it.

The second play with accents was 'Anna Christie' by Eugene O'Neill at The Donmar Warehouse. The cast is English but we get Swedish, American and Irish accents thrown together. Now, I've never heard of this play or seen the film so had no idea what to expect (I like to be surprised). It's a powerful, but a shouty, play. I'm not keen on shouty plays.

Its central character is Anna, a young woman from the American plains who travels to New York to see the father she's never really known since he was away at sea when she was young and her mother moved from Sweden to cousins in Minesotta when she was five, at which point her mother died. She slaves on the farm and is raped by one of her cousins before running away to live (and work) in a brothel. After a spell in prison she travels east to find her father who now runs a coal barge between New York and Boston and it's here that the play starts. Anna joins her father on his next voyage and they rescue a shipwrecked crew during a storm and she falls for an brash Irish stoker with plenty of good words for himself. Clearly, there's a lot more going on in the play but that clues you in.

And that's what leaves me puzzled about the plotting of this play. Anna has had a harrowing life so far, raped by cousins and living in a brothel for two years with, I assume, abuse right, left and centre, yet she falls for an aggressive and violent man. How does that happen? At point she shouts at her father and suitor to stop trying to tell her what to do because she'll do what she decides, not what some man tells her what to do. She's clearly been there before but this time she seems to willingly go for the potentially abusive man who threatens her and screams in her face. Is this meant to be a 'love conquers all' thing? I somehow doubt it, particularly the ambiguous ending. It has some powerful messages for its original American audience, with tales of immigration and hardship, of violence and poverty building the nation.

The shouty Irish navvy is played by Jude Law (who's clearly been hitting the gym to bulk up for the part). He's got a great Irish brogue going on but, at least in his first scene, it was a bit too thick for me to follow. I loved it when he strayed into a West Indies accent every now and then - he must know he's doing it, he must hear it himself, and it made me grin. Ruth Wilson's accent was pure Brooklyn and David Hayman has a great (if terribly stereotypical) Swedish accent as Anna's father, cursing that Old Devil Sea. I also liked Jenny Galloway as the old sailors' woman friend who's ejected when his daughter appears, a nicely played role.

"Blockbuster!" by Dave Thompson

2011-08-20T01:41:00.005+01:00

I've just finished reading 'Blockbuster!' by Dave Thompson, the biography of Sweet. I've been reading it on and off over the past few weeks and it's been a revelation and a disappointment by turns.

Sweet were an early 70s band that had songs written for them by the Chinnichap partnership, some great songs and I think my first Sweet singles were either 'Co-Co- or 'Wigwam Bam' (I can't remember). But it's really their triumvirate of singles in 1973 that cement them in my favourite bands list with 'Hellraiser', 'Blockbuster' and the magnificent 'Ballroom Blitz'.

The book is a straight chronological narrative - this happened then this happened. It's full of long quotes from each of the four members of Sweet and it's great to read their views of the latest single or album, but that's also one of the disappointing aspects of the book - they all hated their early music or at least said they did and they don't come across as particularly likable. I, and many tens of thousands, loved their early singles. I sort of recall from the music press of the day that they wanted to be a 'serious' band, that they were more than a singles band, but it's quite disappointing to read them dismissing their early work. I think it's godlike and Brian Connolly had one of the great rock voices of the 70s.

Some of the hyperbole in the book just doesn't work. Portraying SLADE as Sweet rivals in 1973 just doesn't wash - SLADE ruled 1973 with three records going straight to No 1, something Sweet never managed.

Nothing seemed to work for Sweet, even when they had hits in America with songs they wrote themselves they seemed to conspire to ensure that things went wrong. A catalogue of disasters followed Sweet around and the descent of Brian into drink and drugs signalled the end. They just can't win. I wish I'd seen them play live back in the day but I didn't.

Brian Connolly, Steve Priest, Mick Tucker and Andy Scott - I salute you. Andy is still active - he co-wrote and produced Suzi Quatro's last (excellent) album and Steve lives in America. Unfortunately, both Brian and Mick have left us but the band still plays regularly on my iPod and their work lives on. "Blockbuster!" is a good reference book for Sweet fans, with lots of lists of tours and discographies and loads of photos.

"And the man at the back said everyone attack and it turned into a ballroom blitz!"

Mel & Sue's 'The Great British Bake Off'

2011-08-16T21:05:00.005+01:00

I have just watched 'The Great British Bake Off' on BBC2 and decided I *love* baking.

Now, I'm not a foodie and have never baked in my life - food, to me, is fuel. Shovel it in as quickly as possible and then ignore it. This programme has changed my mind, all the things you can do with a cake mixture and some icing... And it's great to see Sue Perkins back with Mel Giedroyc - I actually started watching it because I'd seen that Sue was presenting without realising that Mel was involved as well. It also seems like it's been on before and this is a second (or third?) series.

This evening's show was a cake bake-off, with three tests: firstly a cup cake, then a Battenburg and then a layered cake. I would've eaten all of them except for the courgette cake (so disgusting). My favourite would've probably been the Guinness cupcake. I'm easily pleased.

What I can't quite understand is how a programme about baking has drawn me in. I don't recall my Mam doing much baking but my Dad was proud of his Yorkshire puddings. I do remember my Grandma baking and taking me down to Delafield's farm on a Wednesday afternoon (baking afternoon) to sample Mrs Delafield's baking (the farm has been a housing estate for over 30 years now). I preferred my Grandma's brown bread, cut into slices and slathered with real butter to make cheese and onion sandwiches while still warm .... yum! My Grandma could bake!

Buffy Sainte-Marie - 'He's A Keeper Of The Fire'

2011-08-15T22:36:00.005+01:00

Have you seen this month's edition of 'Mojo'? The one guest edited by Noel Gallagher? The one with a Buffy Sainte-Marie song on the free CD given away with the magazine? The CD compiled by Noel Gallagher? Unfortunately, I haven't. It seems to be out of stock in every newsagents I go into.

I've definitely been blind-sided by this one. I like to think I'm, if not ahead of the crowd, at least up with the crowd when it comes to Buffy stuff, but this has totally passed me by. The free CD includes Buffy's 'He's A Keeper Of The Fire' from 'Illuminations', her experimental album from 1969 that started playing with electronic effects and studio twiddling to see what new sounds she could produce. 'Keeper' has been one of my favourite Buffy songs along with 'Better To Find Out For Yourself' (also from 'Illuminations') since I first heard in on Buffy's double 'Best Of' album in 1976. It's full of aggressive, wailing guitars, screeching and yowling with Buffy's voice soaring to the top over it.

I'm still going to try to track down the magazine. I want to see what Noel says about the song and whether he explains why he's included it on the compilation CD. I'm nosey like that. It's potentially opening up new audiences for Buffy and they need to know she's still recording and performing, and is still as challenging and active as she ever was. They need to know that she played in London just a couple of months ago and will, hopefully, return in the not-too-distant future.

I've never seen Buffy play this song live and I'd love to. That's why finding this performance on YouTube has made me happy. This is Buffy back in the day giving it a great performance - 40 years after this was filmed and she's still got the moves.

Amanda Palmer & The Grand Theft Orchestra

2011-08-13T12:30:00.010+01:00

It seems that Miss Palmer has settled on a name for her new band, The Grand Theft Orchestra. And that means it's time to promote her tour of the UK and Europe. Not really a tour, more a set of dates but I don't care because I've already nabbed tickets to see her at Heaven and at the British Library in September. Both London gigs sold out very quickly which is why, presumably, there are no tour posters for the London shows. But here are two versions of the posters/promo for the Brighton gig.

Of course, it wouldn't be a proper blog entry about Amanda without a photo or a video, so here's new photo of Herself. I'm looking forward to my hugs...

Ray Davies at the British Film Institute Part II

2011-08-12T19:07:00.003+01:00

Back in June I blogged about a talk I went to in which Ray Davies picked some of the films that influenced him and, behold, it's now appeared on the British Film Institute's website. It doesn't include the film clips but it's still interesting to hear Ray talk about his past and his influences. Take a look at it here.

Lifestyle Looting

2011-08-08T20:43:00.004+01:00

I woke up this morning to find out that the Tottenham riot had somehow jumped on a train south and arrived on Streatham High Road in the small hours of Sunday night. Looting is not a political act, it is thievery.

I found out about it from Twitter. The news was full of rioting in Brixton but no mention of Streatham. Twitter told me what happened in several versions of the 'facts'. So I decided to see for myself and walked up to the High Road to see what the damage was. Two mobile phone shops had been broken into (3 and T-Mobile), JD Sports (with a random car outside left on the path) and, further up Streatham Hill, the computer repair shop. Luckily, that was it. A corner shop owner had been beaten up protecting his shop and was in hospital. This isn't rioting, it's looting, it's lifestyle looting as someone commented on Twitter.

Brixton was worse, with the entire high street cordoned off with police tape - traffic could go through but no-one on the pavements and the tube station was closed. Random windows were either smashed, cracked or boarded up, like Marks & Spencer, Body Shop, McDonalds and Gamesmaster.

Going home this evening was a strange experience, walking down the High Road with police vans with sirens blazing, screaming down the High Road towards Croydon (which is on the news at the moment with a block in flames). There was an eerie moment when I came out of the chemists on Streatham Hill to complete silence - no traffic at all either way on the High Road. Just for 20 seconds or so and then the usual stream of cars and buses started again, but for a heartbeat or two, something was wrong. Exacerbated by some shops closing early, just in case.

One of the odd things is that local communities are destroying themselves. In a recession, this isn't helping people find work or businesses thriving. I was quite heartened this morning seeing tweets supporting the computer repair shop, a local business suffering. Diane Abbot has been on TV saying the same thing about riots in Hackney. This will affect local economies and local communities for a long time to come.

The news has now switched to looting in Clapham Junction with Debenhams (formerly Arding & Hobbs) being looted. Where is the political act in that?

This is all incredibly sad, especially given the successes in the athletics over the weekend in preparation for the Olympics. Whatever the underlying reason for the riot in Tottenham, I can't believe that that's the reason for disturbances in Enfield, Hackney, Streatham and Croydon. This is all copy-cat stuff. This is about looting and disturbance for the sake of it.

And where is the Mayor of London and the Prime Minister?

Make Me 13 Again

2011-08-05T21:28:00.004+01:00

It's always nice to see members of SLADE in the news again and there was a fun short interview with Sir Noddy Holder in the Mail Online today with the glorious title, 'Noddy Holder: People are genuinely disappointed if I'm not wearing platform shoes and a top hat with mirrors'.

Personally, I'd be gutted if he didn't have the hat... I've seen him in that hat, y'know.

Anyway, it's one of those short answer-lots-of-questions-quickly type of articles and it's quite fun. I like his answer to favourite film being 'Cabaret' - I remember him being on a Radio 1 programme back in 1973 called, I think, 'Brian Matthews My Top 12' on a Sunday when he chose Liza's 'Mein Herr' as one of his favourite songs. That's the first I'd ever heard of the film. He also chose 'Clean-up Woman' by Betty Wright and 'Speed King' by Deep Purple - how's that for memory?

The one disappointing answer is to the question:

The unqualified regret you wish you could amend...

That I can’t get the four members of Slade to be mates again. I got us together three years ago but it was a disaster and all the old grievances came out, like money and things that were said years ago. We’re in our 60s now and it’s sad we can’t laugh about our amazing 25 years together.

That is so disappointing. It's quite sad that they were together for 25 years and all that shared history is lost. I was listening to Jim Lea's live album today and at one point inbetween songs he says that in all those years he only spent two Christmas's at home because they were perpetually on the road.

This year should've been the year of the reunion. It's 40 years since their first hit and their first No. 1 and now is the time to celebrate, but it's not going to happen. 'SLADEST' is due to be reissued in September, re-mastered and with bonus tracks (including a previously unreleased studio version of 'Hear Me Calling') so that will have to keep us happy.

C'mon guys - Noddy, Jim, Dave and Don - try again, one more time. We need another live album and a live DVD and all the merch that goes with reunions. Get in your time machine and make me 13 again.

'Roadshow' at the Choccy Factory

2011-07-29T20:27:00.006+01:00

We went to see 'Roadshow', the new Stephen Sondheim musical, at the Menier Chocolate Factory the other night. I've never heard it before and (obviously) haven't seen it, so I had no idea what to expect.

It's based on the true tale of the two Mizner brothers striking it rich in Alaska in the early part of the 20th Century and who then go their own way. Each has adventures and both have good and bad luck before meeting up again later when one of them is a famous architect to build and sell a city in Florida. Which obviously doesn't happen. And then they die (sorry to give away the ending, except it's not the end).

Anything new from Sondheim is worth a listen and any new production of Sondheim at the Choccy Factory is worth a gawp - both 'Sunday In The Park With George' and 'A Little Night Music' started off at the Factory before transferring into the West End and then to Broadway, so there's good history there. Whether this will do the same or not, I don't know, but it's certainly a warm and engaging production and cast.

David Bedella and Michael Jibson make engaging brothers, good voices, acting and stage presence. I also liked Gillian Bevan as the mother and Jon Robyns as the lover of Addison Mizner. The rest of the cast play multiple parts and act as the chorus. It's an enjoyable romp through the lives of two brothers in the get-rich-quick era of the gold rush and expansion, but it has it's tender moments, such as the gay love song of 'The Best Thing That Has Ever Happened' and the love-hate relationship of the brothers.

My favourite bits of the show (showing how shallow I can be) is when the brothers or, in some cases the cast, throw money into the air to see it flutter down and gradually cover the stage and the first few rows of the audience (that included me). It's a lovely motif and, of course, it wasn't real money, but I nicked a few stage dollars anyway. I'm thinking of seeing it again...

Kim Wilde - 'It's Alright'

2011-07-28T22:28:00.002+01:00

Here's the video for the first single from Kim Wilde from her new album, 'Snapshots'. Hopefully, it'll be out in the UK later this year.

Amanda Hugs (And Tweets)

2011-07-27T21:09:00.004+01:00

I hope you don't mind me saying (or bragging) but Amanda Palmer replied to one of my tweets last night. I was, of course, thrilled.

I tweeted (in response to one of Amanda's tweets about tour merch): "Not bothered about tee shirts - will you be giving away hugs at gigs?"

And Miss Palmer replied: "oh FUCK yes. free for all people, unlimited supply"

I am, of course, very pleased with the 'unlimited supply' comment since I will be claiming two hugs when I see Amanda in September.

I've had quite a few Amanda hugs in the past (since first meeting her in 2005) and have decided on these as my top three hugs:

1. Bush Hall in 2007: I met Amanda after her first solo gig at Bush Hall in 2007 and got a lovely hug as well as a signed photo. I'd only recently got out of hospital (and allowed a beard to grace my chin) so it was quite special (see below).

2. Electric Ballroom in 2009: I was (amazingly) first in the queue to meet Amanda at her Electric Ballroom gig so I not only got a hug, I also got genuine Amanda-straight-off-stage-sweat all over me before walking out into a snowy Camden night.

3. Vaudeville Theatre 2009: My favourite hug is the most unexpected of all since I just happened to meet Amanda after we were both in the audience for an Alan Cumming show at the Vaudeville Theatre in 2009. It was lovely meeting Amanda when I least expected it. And getting a special hug of course.

I'm seeing Amanda at both of her London gigs in September - at Heaven and at the British Library - so I have high hopes of adding more hugs to my collection. I will report additional hugs but here's a photo of me and my hugee from 2007 - be jealous, be very jealous.

National Portrait Gallery - BP Portraits

2011-07-22T19:31:00.007+01:00

I went to the National Portrait Gallery yesterday to see the 'Glamour of the Gods' exhibition of portraits of Hollywood stars. It was nice as far as it went, but it didn't inspire me. Some of the portraits were film stills (probably taken as promotional photos) and others were rather mundane portraits of stars that we've all seen better photos of. There were even two portraits of Joan Collins, neither of which were particularly inspiring (there are two better ones in the main collection). It's a relatively small exhibition and accompanied by a big book that's for sale. More interesting to me was the BP Portrait exhibition.

We visited this exhibition due to queues at the Hollywood exhibition and I quite enjoyed it. It's a mixed bag of styles and humanity and I suppose that's what makes it interesting. The first one that caught my eye was a portrait of Glenda Jackson, no holds barred on how she's aged. Glenda was never the prettiest of actresses but that wasn't the point - she was an actress and could act beautiful without being beautiful. And that makes her beautiful. She's been a Member of Parliament for years now and it's brave of her to sit for this warts and all portrait. Another one that caught my eye was the colourful portrait of Boy George in his usual B-Rude garb and with platform shoes. It's at an interesting angle but it's the use of colour that really drew my attention, almost metallic in feel.

I was also taken with the portrait of the woman prisoner in prison orange and handcuffed before being led away. I've no idea what the background to this painting is but the woman stares straight out at the viewer, no shame at all. As does the self-portrait of Fiona Scott in which she stares out of the painting at the viewer. I've no idea what she's asking for in this portrait - why is she holding a mug? It's not particularly dramatic but it caught my attention.

You can take a look at 50 of the portraits on the NPG website here. Go and see it if you can - it's free.

Poly Styrene - 'Ghoulish'

2011-07-22T18:31:00.004+01:00

I was thinking about Poly Styrene yesterday when I went to the National Portrait Gallery to see the 'Glamour of the Gods' exhibition. There's a portrait of Poly by Pennie Smith in the collection but it's rarely on display for some reason. I saw it as part of the 'Devotional' exhibition in 2007 and, before that, I'd arranged a viewing with the NPG archives (you can do that y'know). I do find it rather irritating that portraits of the likes of Blur and Susan Boyle are on the walls but not Poly.

I looked her up on the NPG catalogue and it notes her year of death (so it's been updated) but the text suggests her work ended with 'Gods & Godesses' and there's no mention of 'Generation Indigo'. I might have to write to them about that. Since I saw the photo in 2006 it's leaked onto the Internet but I took rebellion in my hands and took a photo of the catalogue screen anyway, and here it is.

So it was with a sense of righteousness that I heard about the video for a new single from 'Generation Indigo' which has a remix of the song by Hercules & Love Affair as a 'b' side. Poly spoke about this song as being inspired my Michael Jackson so the video picks up on that theme and we see various Michael's doing their stuff at a rehearsal room. It's lovely to see the Michael's mouthing Poly's lyrics. It's a very clever video, a bit fun and a bit poignant, and if the spotlight message at the end doesn't make you shed a tear then you're either (a) not a punk or (b) not human. The single is out on 8 August - wouldn't it be great if it charted?

De-cluttering and Re-cluttering

2011-07-20T22:10:00.006+01:00

Clutter. What's it good for? Absolutely nothing ... except to attract dust. I've been increasingly becoming frustrated with the amount of stuff I've accumulated over the years, more so since clearing out my Dad's house and importing more clutter. Too many books and CDs, too many knick-knacks picked up on trips, art gallery catalogues and theatre programmes. So much stuff.

So, enough is enough, I will re-cycle what I can and the rest will go in the bin. I've been making trips to my local British Heart Foundation book and record shop, donating piles of books and CDs, shelves are being emptied of things and either packed away, donated to Oxfam or, in some cases, end up in the bin. I've made a start, but there's a long way to go. At my age, it's nice to have things around me that remind me of my personal history but you can have too much.

I brought a load of stuff from my Dad's house - my parents were hoarders and I follow in their footsteps. I've been through a pile of papers and old photos this evening and about half of it is now in the waste bin. But some things must be saved, the best of the family photos, photos of me when I was unbelievably skinny (yes, even I was thin back in the day), my graduation photo (that I've never liked), my students union card and, of course, my SLADE programmes.

Back in the olden days most bands had tour programmes as a matter of course. I am proud to still have the tour programmes for SLADE from 1973 and 1974 and these will be kept. Of course. Some things are important. On the inside back pages is an advert for the Sensational Alex Harvey Band's 'Framed' album - SAHB was the support act in 1973 and the first band I ever saw. In 1974 the support act was Becket and I can't even remember who they were.

As well as the tour programmes and a lyrics and photo book for SLADE, I also found lots of sheet music. It's not like I can read music or play an instrument, but it's a fan's job to support their heroes and buy stuff. So I did (and still do). It's lovely to see the sheet music covers again. I won't use them for anything, of course, so they'll all go into a folder and back into a cupboard until the next time I have a clear out and find them again - and it'll be a surprise again.

So, some things are going out and some things are staying. SLADE materials are staying. Some of the lacquer boxes I got in Thailand in the '80s will be going, the big tribal wooden busts I got from Senegal or The Gambia in the '90s will be going, a lot of theatre programmes will be going, more CDs and DVDs will be going... but not everything. No, some things are too important to let go.

'The Cherry Orchard' at The National Theatre

2011-07-20T17:40:00.006+01:00

Earlier in the week we went to see the new production of 'The Cherry Orchard' at The National Theatre with Zoe Wanamaker. As well as being a new production, it's also a new translation of the Chekhov play, updating the language.

I've not seen the play before but I was soon familiar with some of the themes that are common in Russian literature, about how the land belongs to the peasants, the rich will be swept away come the revolution, etc. Chekhov was closer than most to his predictions coming true since this play was first performed in 1904 and the revolution came not long after. It's the tale of the landed gentry in their twilight, debts mounting and no sources of income without some radical thinking which they're not capable of, they must hang onto the past at all costs, even if it means losing their home and land. And they do. And worst of all, they lose it to an upstart peasant who wants to be one of them but can't be accepted on an equal footing. Of course, there's a lot more going on in the play, but that gives you the gist.

Zoe Wanamaker plays the grand lady who's been living a dissolute life in Paris for the last ten years and squandered her fortune, nothing left except her family home in the cherry orchard in a rural part of Russia. The play opens with her arrival with her daughter who went to seek her out and bring her home. We meet the peasant-made-good who worships her, her brother who lives in a world of his own, her other daughter who has kept the house going despite financial hardships and a range of friends and hangers on. There are old happinesses and tragedies to face, not least of which is that the mortgage on the house and orchard is due to be paid and no-one (except the former-peasant) has any money. Yes, you can see where this is going.

I liked this production, it floated along nicely, well-paced and with something to say that's worth listening to and thinking about afterwards. The overly-long student speech at the end of the first half about how the revolution will sweep everything away before it could have been cut by about 10 minutes (or more) since it doesn't really add anything for a 21st Century audience and just droned on. And on.

The lead was taken by Zoe Wanamaker with Conleth Hill as the upstart peasant who worships her. Unfortunately, both in appearance and in some of his vocal mannerisms, Conleth just reminded me of his namesake, Benny Hill and I sort of expected a trio of busty blonds to appear at any moment to chase him round the stage. I also liked Claudie Blakely as the daughter who stays at home to manage somehow and who is secretly in love with the peasant. She has a poignant scene with him at the end in which neither can express their love and end up going their separate ways. That was quite a heart-breaking scene.

If you get the chance, go and see it.

Amanda Palmer - 'No Surprises' and 'Polly'

2011-07-20T09:40:00.005+01:00

To celebrate the first anniversary of Amanda Palmer's UkeleleHead project (otherwise known as the record, 'Amanda Palmer Performs The Popular Hits of Radiohead On Her Magical Ukelele') Amanda has released the animated video for 'No Surprises'.

The video is based on the original Radiohead video and she filmed the sequence last year in New York as the basis for the animators. It's been available for a while now but it's never been the right time to release it, so what better time than its birthday? Read Amanda's blog about the background to the video here.

UkeleleHead is available to download from Bandcamp for a minimum donation of $1 or, if you're seeing Amanda on her autumn tour, you'll be able to buy the CD from the merch stand.

A new song by Amanda has also just been released as part a SPIN tribute to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Nirvana's 'Nevermind', her version of 'Polly'. It's free to download from SPIN's Facebook page and here it is...

The Pirates! Band of Misfits - Official Trailer

2011-07-19T21:16:00.004+01:00

I'm a sucker for pirates so I'm ever so slightly thrilled at the thought of a new, historically accurate, film to drool over. It looks like it's not out until next year, but I can wait. I approve of having The Ramones in the soundtrack. Ooo arrr!

'The Beggar's Opera' at Regents Park Open Air Theatre

2011-07-17T22:30:00.007+01:00

Last week we went to see 'The Beggar's Opera' at the Open Air Theatre in Regents Park, and thankfully it didn't rain. I've never seen this play before so it was good to see it in its original early 1700s setting.

It's a tale of debauchery and corruption set around Newgate prison, where cash and self-gratification is everything. Women are not to be trusted and are treated as playthings, and men are thieves, especially those in positions of power where bribery really does mean the difference between life and death. Parents call their daughters sluts and hussies and men count the notches on their bedposts. Highwaymen mix with prostitutes and all know the lawyers and jailers. Such is life in London in the 1720s. And this production brought it all to life.

It also came to life in the forms of Jasper Britton, Phil Daniels and Beverley Rudd. Jasper and Phil are the fathers of the two young women who both have the hots for the highwayman Macheath and they both treat their daughters abominably, threatening them and calling them sluts. I'm not sure whether this was meant to be a reflection of the times or meant to make them look even worse than they do, but I suspect a parenting class would be helpful. Beverley was in excellent voice, humour and physicality and made me remember her in 'Into The Woods' last summer in the same theatre in which she played Little Red Riding Hood. She makes a good poisoner in this play, as well as bouncing round the prison cell fighting with her rival, the limp drip Polly (played by Flora Spencer-Longhurst).

I liked the set with two gallows prominently displayed (and they're used at the end to my shock) but the park setting didn't really help to generate the urban landscape of Newgate. It was a nice, open stage, but something a bit grittier might have been better. The costumes were spot on and the few props made it look authentic.

It is venal and it's cruel. It's dark and it's funny. It's archetypal 18th Century London. I'm pleased I didn't live then, but it's fun to see.

Joan Jett and The Blackhearts - 'I Love Rock 'n' Roll'

2011-07-16T22:35:00.004+01:00

Here's Joan Jett's classic song from 1982, 'I Love Rock 'n' Roll'. Joan was, of course, one of The Runaways in the '70s before going solo and bursting onto the television with this song, a cover of an old Glam Rock song by The Arrows. And she made it a great song.

Joan was on the 'Secrets of The Pop Song' tonight on BBC2, when the theme was 'anthems', and she looked good! Joan is older than me but looks good. Say 'Joan Jett' to me and I think of 'Cherry Bomb' by The Runaways' and then I think of 'I Love Rock 'n' Roll'. She has class. Rock on Joan!

Kim Wilde's new album - 'Snapshots'

2011-07-16T10:54:00.002+01:00

Kim Wilde has a new album out in Germany at the end of August, 'Snapshots'. Her last two albums were only available in the UK on import and it looks like this will be the same, which is a great shame but I suppose that's the economics on the music biz these days. It would be great to release it here properly and tour to promote it - who knows what might happen? Apparently the album packaging is full of photos, probably from across her 30 year career so far if the cover is anything to go by.

'Devotion By Design' at The National Gallery

2011-07-15T21:25:00.007+01:00

I went to see the 'Devotion by Design' exhibition at The National Gallery this afternoon. It's free to get into the exhibition in the space underneath the Sainsbury Wing and it's well worth visiting if you like 15th Century art.

The exhibition fills about 6 rooms or so with a video about the exhibition on loop in the small cinema next door. The exhibition is dimly lit to try to re-create the atmosphere and lighting of the paintings when they were originally on display - in other words, dim churches lit solely by random streams of sunlight and candles. It's a hymn of praise to the altarpiece, both full sized altarpieces and fragments from altarpieces, including a couple that we could walk behind to see how the panels are physically held together.

It's not a major exhibition with illuminating pieces but, for me, it introduced me to two small works by Fra Angelico that I've never seen other than in books or online. The two pieces are in the National Gallery collection (one on loan from Her Majesty) but are not on display in the main galleries. The first is 'Blessing Redeemer', a small piece that is probably the top of an altarpiece made of lots of panels, a Christ figure holding a book open at the Alpha/Omega page. It's probably something like 8" or 9" high with a bright starburst behind Christ which you can't really see in this photo. I can't decide if his robe is deep, dark purple or brown - in this photo it looks brown but I'm not sure. The frame draws to a point at the top above Christ's head and you can see the outline of that in this photo.

The second piece was a small depiction of Saint Romulus, about %2 square and remarkably similar in design to the painting of 'Saint Alexander' that I saw in the Met in New York earlier this year. Although he's clean shaven, the slight colouring of his chin makes me think he needs a shave - is this the Good Brother trying for realism? Whichever, it's a lovely little painting and it's nice to see it at last. I wonder why Fra Angelico paints the Bible with a red cover - he does that in several paintings.

I said farewell to the exhibition and walked up three flights of stairs to visit the lovely San Domenico Fiesole altarpiece in the main collection. It's always worth seeing this glory in the flesh and I see new details each time I see it. It's all down to Fra Angelico's glorious vision.