Flaming Lips explode

The Apollo exploded with balloons , streamers , dry ice , lazers , and a dizzying powerful sound as The Flaming Lips http://www.flaminglips.com/main.php roared onto the stage, with Wayne in a huge plastic ball..very Peter Gabriel and extreamely PROG. The night carried on in fine acid- tinged style , creating a real community feel A wonderful night..if you want specticale , melody , heavy rock and a real sense of "belonging " check out The Lips at a rocking theatre near you..you will not regret it...

Sufjan stimulates

I was really expecting a wonderful show from Sufjan Stevens http://www.sufjan.com/ and when the 10 piece band came on in masks and wings ...making the packed , hushed , reverent crowd go crazy... I knew it was going to be a special night. http://www.soundsfamilyre.com/soundsfamilyre/ss/ Indeed it was..the band veared between gentle folk and hard free jazz , they enthralled and excited me and the crowd ,who remained absolutely quiet,until the end when they roared their appreciation. A superb ,reflective and varied night of soulfull, moving music. It even turned on the Manchester Evening News http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/entertainment/music/livereviews/s/227/227295_sufjan_stevens__academy_2.html He will be back..but never in a venue so intimate

Sister's are doing for themselves..and the world

I was so delighted when my mate got tickets for the special charity concert the Scissor Sisters http://www.scissorsisters.com/intro/ agreed to do for Global Cool http://www.global-cool.com/en/newsvideo/ at my favourite venue The Apollo.. We had so enjoyed them at The Apollo more than 2 years before and did not fancy the huge , cold MEN Arena , when tickets sold out in 10 mins... Well my anticiaption and excitement was justified as they were superb , confident and just great. The atmosphere was brilliant , the crowd well behaved and really ready to party... We celebrated in the pub before and after..Another wonderful Scissor party...

The BBC: A Triumph

Many people complain about the BBC licence fee, http://www.bbc.co.uk/info/licencefee/ of £131...and I personally think it should come from tax , however I think it represents great value for money , especially recently as there have been a spate of BBC wonders They include the extremely funny and poinant "The Royle Family " http://www.beebfun.com/rf.htm http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/r/roylefamilythe_66602940.shtml I cant remember the last time I have laughed and cried so much at the cathoyd ray. "Suez: A very British crises " http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/6045808.stm eroditly explains how the Suez debacle pinpontes the time Britian lost its imperialst power and standing and brings up an uncanny resembalance to the current Iraq nightmare...both Tony's tried to fool the public , lie and cheat...Of course Suez didn't cost £4Billion ..or waste 655,000 lives..and it brought down the PM.... Finally "Fear of Fanny " http://www.beebfun.com/rf.htm unravels the bitchiness and horror of TV cook Fanny Craddock , what a nasty piece of work. However the acting and script made one sympathise with a monster .. With such excellent TV entertainment as "Have I got news for you " , " Simon Schama's Power Of Art " , "Later with Jools Holland " , "Catherine Tate " and The Culture Show " proove that square eyes have never had it so good...

Eight miles high

A great night was had by all 6 of us who were fortunate enough to see Roger McGuinn http://www.ibiblio.org/jimmy/mcguinn/index.html on Friday at the Royal Northern College of Music, walking on playing Mr Tambourine Man on 12 string was a great enterance..and it just got bettter..!! Playing dazzeling guitar , including a tailor- made 7 string , singing in fine , plaintive voice ,telling funny , wonderful annecdotes and realing off classic after classic he really made me remember how much I loved the Byrds and how he has influenced countless musicians since the 60's... A night to savor and not forget. The crowd went mad ..and it put me into uch a party mood..so I didnt get home till the dawn broke... Of course Manchester reality hit me when some angel stole my bag , mobile, Ipod , and irreplaceable diary...

i am kloot

I wasn't expecting much from "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom "as I knew it had flopped on Broadway
http://gonyc.about.com/cs/broadway/gr/marainey.htm
even with Whoopi Goldberg...
So with it staring Antonio Fargas
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0267279/
..aka.."Huggy Bear "... in Manchester http://www.royalexchange.co.uk/new/play.asp?playid=193
I knew it wasn't going to be play of the year,
However I did not expect such a turgid non-event as this...
Although the acting was good..nothing happened ; no discernable plot , comment...except for platitudes and steriotypes.. or indeed action ..
Now ,I admit I feel asleep TWICE ..and left in the interval, so Im not the best reviewer, but my more patient friends , who saw it through , agreed with me.
We had a better time after, in an empty , cold pub.with a large DJ trying to get us to sing Abba...

A Prestige fim

Im looking forward to seeing The Prestige The new film by Christopher Nolan http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0634240/ after Batman Begins , Insomnia and ,especiallly Momento , I want to see any of this young Englishman 's movies .With a cast including Hugh Jackman http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0413168/ and Christian Bale http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0000288/ who was excellent in The Machinest and Batman last year....Im also excited by The Dark Knight...Batman 2008 style.. Even Dame Vera Bowie gets a look in I definately want to see this film of magic and betrayal...

Aberfan anniversary

Its nearly 40 years since the dreadful Aberfan nightmare http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/5406352.stm http://www.nuff.ox.ac.uk/politics/aberfan/home2.htm http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/21/newsid_2705000/2705335.stm It was the first time that a national disaster ever affected me...I remember my Mum being very upset , we had Welsh relatives and she always said she thought how it could have been me at that school.144 people died , 116 of them children .A shocking number that has never been repeated in UK history.It left an entire village without children ..and robbed me of my childhood innosence...

The Lord Mayors Medal

A great afternoon was had by all today in the wonderful surroundings of the Orangry in my local park. Heaton Park http://www.manchester.gov.uk/leisure/parks/heaton/ one of the largest Municipal Parks in Europe http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/sightseeing-national/heaton-park/ http://www.hyde40.plus.com/mtms/ was host to the Lord Mayors Games medal presentation , with the Resource Centre Users proudly recieving the medals for winning the 6 different Games. A lovely day that delighted and cheered -up many people