Sunday, 21 June 2009
A musical interlude
This is the literary version of the musical interlude between acts where the last minute sound checks occur, there's time to get one more drink in and prime viewing spots are jostled for. As it happened there was surprisingly very little jostling recquired for us to get second row spots. This however was definately due to the polite and sparse fan base as oppose to it being a reflection in any way on the quality of the act to come. Prepare then for the quality of the act to come. Tommorow. For now, I have a date with the motorway back to Preston and besides, I still have 29 mins left of the day of rest. Amen.
Saturday, 20 June 2009
Love burns brighter than sunshine: Part 1
On Tuesday my hopes were aquatic. Last night they were realised. I would like to pay tribute to the night by writing something of a mini review. Perhaps you will be persuaded to sample Aqualung someday for yourself. In hopes you will, please take me with.
We arrived at Manchester Academy 2 around 8.30pm. It's a great little venue; something of a basement gig affair with it's low lighting and mildly moody atmosphere. It lends itself well to audience participation too, with a people capacity akin to a bus load or three. Audience participation it turned out, was a strong theme of the night.
The support act were a little country and western style duo; he on his guitar and her on vocals. Surprised was I to return from the little ladies room to see Mr Hales himself providing piano accompaniment. Until that point, pleasant though they were, I could have taken or left them (hence the cheeky loo stop) but with that beautiful man playing the piano with such effortless finesse he really brought their act alive. One song later however, he exited stage right. It was then that the pair did a very strange thing. They said they were going to come out and sing amongst us - a crowd of perhaps only 100 or so. I don't think I quite grasped what this meant. As they wandered off the stage and into the crowd, the woman, a petite brunette with a strange kind of beauty, was singing the lyrics as she looked purposefuly into the eyes of individuals in the crowd; like she was singing the song just to them, if only for a line or two. There were stifled giggles and confused glances between friends. How very odd they seemd, or perhaps how very british we all were. A conversation between their set and Aqualung's with some english folk who had toured with the pair, proved the latter to be true. In Brooklyn, New York, where the pair were from, apparantly it's something of the norm to be so 'out there' with your music or it's received more warmly at the very least. For me though, it made an otherwise forgettable support act, instantly rememberable - they did a very clever thing. Just don't ask me what they were called.
Okay, given that it is 11.40pm and I'm about to exit babysitting duties, it would be an appropriate point in proceedings to recline from blogging, but I will surely pick up where I left off tommorow. Prepare yee.
We arrived at Manchester Academy 2 around 8.30pm. It's a great little venue; something of a basement gig affair with it's low lighting and mildly moody atmosphere. It lends itself well to audience participation too, with a people capacity akin to a bus load or three. Audience participation it turned out, was a strong theme of the night.
The support act were a little country and western style duo; he on his guitar and her on vocals. Surprised was I to return from the little ladies room to see Mr Hales himself providing piano accompaniment. Until that point, pleasant though they were, I could have taken or left them (hence the cheeky loo stop) but with that beautiful man playing the piano with such effortless finesse he really brought their act alive. One song later however, he exited stage right. It was then that the pair did a very strange thing. They said they were going to come out and sing amongst us - a crowd of perhaps only 100 or so. I don't think I quite grasped what this meant. As they wandered off the stage and into the crowd, the woman, a petite brunette with a strange kind of beauty, was singing the lyrics as she looked purposefuly into the eyes of individuals in the crowd; like she was singing the song just to them, if only for a line or two. There were stifled giggles and confused glances between friends. How very odd they seemd, or perhaps how very british we all were. A conversation between their set and Aqualung's with some english folk who had toured with the pair, proved the latter to be true. In Brooklyn, New York, where the pair were from, apparantly it's something of the norm to be so 'out there' with your music or it's received more warmly at the very least. For me though, it made an otherwise forgettable support act, instantly rememberable - they did a very clever thing. Just don't ask me what they were called.
Okay, given that it is 11.40pm and I'm about to exit babysitting duties, it would be an appropriate point in proceedings to recline from blogging, but I will surely pick up where I left off tommorow. Prepare yee.
Friday, 19 June 2009
Gigs that soften blows do rock
Having an epic but having it peacefully. It might have been nice if I hadn't found I'd been robbed today but maybe my forgiveness gene needs sharpening. So I shall forgive, drink tea and make for the blow softening Aqualung gig this eve. Peace.
Thursday, 18 June 2009
Small spaces Big places
This evenings blog is lovingly typed from the miniture space my folks call an office. It may be likened to the room under the stairs which Harry Potter was banished to in his pre-Hogwart days. That's because it is the room under the stairs at their house. Genius use of space though it is, I'm not sure how the space cadet in me will fair. No expeditions to the moon tonight then. In fact, I have no idea where I'm going with this one but wherever it is, you're coming too.
Okay, so perhaps I just lied to anyone who stopped reading at the above line but the rest of you, climb on! For this eveningI should like to discuss a small nugget from the old time travel concept which got me thinking whilst watching Mr Spok and Captain Kirk last night. Now, I'm not going to lie to you; after the Ben and Jerry's icecream had me at hello, it was hard to recover the rest of the plot and I won't pretend I followed it all. However, I did pick up that James Kirk, having met his friend Spock in the future time (who was then an old man) was told by old Spock that he becomes Captain Kirk and leads the troops into space victory. James, obviously chuffed with this, still has to go back to real time and do the stuff, fight some stuff and get through some stuff before this can happen, but I think the fact he knew he already had the victory gave him confidence and strength and made him more of a risk taker. See where I'm going with this?
I think sometimes we (well, me at least) forget we already have the victory. That the plans we will walk into are good ones that will prosper us and not harm us if our trust is rightly placed. That as we're faithful in the small stuff, the bigger stuff will come; small acorns 'n' all that. And if we would just trust that although, unlike God, we cannot see the end from the beginning, He can and He's already told us the end of the story. And while I'd usually be hacked with anyone who does that or someone who gives you the result before you've watched the game, on this occasion I'm glad for the ending. In this case I can use it to fuel my going through and if that will make me a stronger, confident risk taker for the Almighty then look out Spocklings is all I can say!
And they all lived long and prospered.
Okay, so perhaps I just lied to anyone who stopped reading at the above line but the rest of you, climb on! For this eveningI should like to discuss a small nugget from the old time travel concept which got me thinking whilst watching Mr Spok and Captain Kirk last night. Now, I'm not going to lie to you; after the Ben and Jerry's icecream had me at hello, it was hard to recover the rest of the plot and I won't pretend I followed it all. However, I did pick up that James Kirk, having met his friend Spock in the future time (who was then an old man) was told by old Spock that he becomes Captain Kirk and leads the troops into space victory. James, obviously chuffed with this, still has to go back to real time and do the stuff, fight some stuff and get through some stuff before this can happen, but I think the fact he knew he already had the victory gave him confidence and strength and made him more of a risk taker. See where I'm going with this?
I think sometimes we (well, me at least) forget we already have the victory. That the plans we will walk into are good ones that will prosper us and not harm us if our trust is rightly placed. That as we're faithful in the small stuff, the bigger stuff will come; small acorns 'n' all that. And if we would just trust that although, unlike God, we cannot see the end from the beginning, He can and He's already told us the end of the story. And while I'd usually be hacked with anyone who does that or someone who gives you the result before you've watched the game, on this occasion I'm glad for the ending. In this case I can use it to fuel my going through and if that will make me a stronger, confident risk taker for the Almighty then look out Spocklings is all I can say!
And they all lived long and prospered.
Wednesday, 17 June 2009
Gerard vs Zachary
Ah, look at ths. It would seem I have a whole 5 mins before the sun doth officially go down on the 17th June. And what a day it has been. However, I will focus briefly upon this evenings debate prior to viewing the new Star Trek movie.....Zachary Quinto, the new and some would argue more chiseled man about town or Gerrard Butler, the house favourite since P.S I love you. We finally settled the debate that has been close to driving a stake between myself and Shaz by bringing Paddy to be the litmus paper. The result? The G man.
11.59 - get in
11.59 - get in
Tuesday, 16 June 2009
Aquatic hopes
A midday blog to break with my late night rambling tradition...can you handle it? Can I handle it? Guess that will become apparant.
Little to say today have I, though perhaps I will provide a little prelude to my hopes over Friday night. A special night it will no doubt be, for 'tiz not everyday a girl gets to see one of her favourite artists play live. The mighty and very beautiful Aqualung is the one I speak so highly of. Take a listen to 'Outside' from his 'Memory Man' album and tell me I'm wrong in doing so. Actually don't, 'coz I wouldn't want any of you to have to lie to me. The sound is a very special blend of all that I like about the musical art form. The final seasoning ingrediant will be to see him live amidst my fellow fanbase. The power of live cannot be underestimated, nor the power of Mr Matt Hales. Hope to transmit some in Saturday's blog. Adieu.
Little to say today have I, though perhaps I will provide a little prelude to my hopes over Friday night. A special night it will no doubt be, for 'tiz not everyday a girl gets to see one of her favourite artists play live. The mighty and very beautiful Aqualung is the one I speak so highly of. Take a listen to 'Outside' from his 'Memory Man' album and tell me I'm wrong in doing so. Actually don't, 'coz I wouldn't want any of you to have to lie to me. The sound is a very special blend of all that I like about the musical art form. The final seasoning ingrediant will be to see him live amidst my fellow fanbase. The power of live cannot be underestimated, nor the power of Mr Matt Hales. Hope to transmit some in Saturday's blog. Adieu.
Monday, 15 June 2009
I love you just because you lead me down to the ocean
I have often wondered at our absolute desire as human beings to have those around us love that which we do as much as we do. I can certainly say for myself that when I have a moment with something, someone or someplace, I just want others to experience it. And not just to validate that I was, of course, correct in being so excited by or moved by that thing but just because I want them to experience the same kind of joy I have with whatever it is. I guess I realised though, that that's rarely possible because even if someone does love a thing as much as you, it's more than likely they will love it for a very different reason. Equally, they may not love it at all and though this may be purely down to personal taste, it may be that they simply cannot love it as much as you 'coz you resonate with whatever it is on a level which just gets your gut in a way it won't theirs. To give an example, I watched the film 'The Notebook' with a friend whose like a younger sister to me. We were wrapped in a beach towel watching it under the Austarlian stars at the outdoor cinema of a water park. Yes, the story of the film is very hearfelt and moving but I have such fond memories of that evening down under, this added dimension totally adds to my love of the film. Now, I can't give someone that feeling but neither can they give me their experience of how or why something so speaks to them.
A few months ago my good friend Tom, a lover of many art forms in their utter intricacies, attempted to educate me in the ways of the film 'Buffalo 66'. I mean he raved about this film and though I doubt he could ever create a top five list where films are concerned, I imagine if he could, this film would be in it. Now, I'm not sure I recall him telling me I had to watch this film on my own to receive its full impact but if he did, perhaps he didn't stress the point enough. Long story short, the film was viewed by a bunch of us and Tom was invited to join the collective as we did so, being as this was his thang. I can't really recall where it all went wrong that night, it just did. Perhaps it was my initial dislike of the film's protagonist or it could have been the various low level conversations that occured intermitently throughout the plot. I just know that Tom left that night feeling something of a deflated man, like he'd failed in his mission to convert me to the film's beauty. I was also reminded/chastised that I should have watched it solo. The thing is, it wasn't that I didn't like the film or the protagonist either in the end as it turned out, it's just that my ability to relate to and empathise with his character could in no way compete with Tom's ability to do the same, with or without the posse in tow.
It was with a wry smile and a little trepidation then that I received a cd from Tom on Saturday night. The writing upon it simply said 'To be listened to in the dark alone. Richard Hawley "The Ocean"'. The 'Buffalo 66 incident' as it could best be called has become something of a running joke now and the wrath of Tom is no longer to be feared. Besides, the boy mostly has impecable taste and there's every chance a girl could miss out if she paid no attention to his attempts to educate. These things considered, I felt I should like to honour the scrawled instructions laid before me and give the song every chance to penetrate my very soul. In the lamp light and lateness of last night then, I'm pleased to report the song did just that. By way of surprise and just because, I instantly fell for the Hawley charm or perhaps more so the subject matter. Whatever it was, whether the reasons be similar or not to Tom's, I'm so very glad he chose to share.
Given all of the above, I think then I will continue to share my passions with others on account of even the remotest possibilty they may share in some lovely joy as a result. They may not get get my passions or get them in the same way I do, but I figure good things are still worth sharing and passing on just in case. Perhaps I shall start now and commend to you also the above ocean song of wonder and then sit back and await the Hawley revolution. This power in the hands of you faithful seven could well go far. Use it wisely.
A few months ago my good friend Tom, a lover of many art forms in their utter intricacies, attempted to educate me in the ways of the film 'Buffalo 66'. I mean he raved about this film and though I doubt he could ever create a top five list where films are concerned, I imagine if he could, this film would be in it. Now, I'm not sure I recall him telling me I had to watch this film on my own to receive its full impact but if he did, perhaps he didn't stress the point enough. Long story short, the film was viewed by a bunch of us and Tom was invited to join the collective as we did so, being as this was his thang. I can't really recall where it all went wrong that night, it just did. Perhaps it was my initial dislike of the film's protagonist or it could have been the various low level conversations that occured intermitently throughout the plot. I just know that Tom left that night feeling something of a deflated man, like he'd failed in his mission to convert me to the film's beauty. I was also reminded/chastised that I should have watched it solo. The thing is, it wasn't that I didn't like the film or the protagonist either in the end as it turned out, it's just that my ability to relate to and empathise with his character could in no way compete with Tom's ability to do the same, with or without the posse in tow.
It was with a wry smile and a little trepidation then that I received a cd from Tom on Saturday night. The writing upon it simply said 'To be listened to in the dark alone. Richard Hawley "The Ocean"'. The 'Buffalo 66 incident' as it could best be called has become something of a running joke now and the wrath of Tom is no longer to be feared. Besides, the boy mostly has impecable taste and there's every chance a girl could miss out if she paid no attention to his attempts to educate. These things considered, I felt I should like to honour the scrawled instructions laid before me and give the song every chance to penetrate my very soul. In the lamp light and lateness of last night then, I'm pleased to report the song did just that. By way of surprise and just because, I instantly fell for the Hawley charm or perhaps more so the subject matter. Whatever it was, whether the reasons be similar or not to Tom's, I'm so very glad he chose to share.
Given all of the above, I think then I will continue to share my passions with others on account of even the remotest possibilty they may share in some lovely joy as a result. They may not get get my passions or get them in the same way I do, but I figure good things are still worth sharing and passing on just in case. Perhaps I shall start now and commend to you also the above ocean song of wonder and then sit back and await the Hawley revolution. This power in the hands of you faithful seven could well go far. Use it wisely.
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