Stefan From The Atos Trio
The trip to Leicester on the train, was enlivened by this guy.
He is a member of the Atos Trio and was going to perform at a concert in Nottingham.
Sometimes, you see small women struggling with enormous double-bases on the Underground. Do they wish they’d chosen to play the violin or the piccolo?
Busking On The Beach
It was a nice sunny day yesterday and this guy couldn’t resist getting his guitar out on the beach.
Busking On The Beach
He was just outside the National Theatre on the South Bank, sitting in the River Thames.
The guy is Tim Sidall or Flame Proof Moth.
Walking Down To Lime Street
This picture brings back two memories.
Walking Down To Lime Street
In 1965, when I arrived in Liverpool for the first time to start my studies, I remember lugging my cardboard suitcase up this same hill to get a Crosville H13 bus or something like it, to my digs in Huyton. Students don’t arrive like that in universities today. They’re probably taken in style by car for a start. I think C too, had to find her own way to her place in Dale Hall.
Also shown in this picture is the old Trust House Forte, St. George’s Hotel, where we spent the weekend of April 6th, 1974. How can I be so sure of the date? It was the day that Abba won the European song contest with Waterloo. I can’t remember much else about that weekend. I don’t even know, whether the children came with us or how we travelled to the city. I can remember being served some of the worst scrambled eggs of my life and the look of disgust on what his staff had produced on the restaurant manager’s face, as he wrung the whey out of them with his hand.
I have discussed this story of the scrambled egg with my son and he said he was there. We did go to the Grand National in either 1978 or 1979, but then we went afterwards to the Lake District. It couldn’t have been 1974 as Red Rum won that year on the 30th March. So as the memory of Abba is I believe right, that puts us there a week later.
The streets of Liverpool are paved with memories. Sadly, all the pictures from the time have been lost.
Madonna Annoys The Russians And Quite A Few Others
I have never seen Madonna live or indeed any of her films, but her latest tour does seem to be getting its share of complaints. Read about it in the Independent. The Russians are even suing her.
She is also being sued by anti-gay activists in Russia for allegedly encouraging gay sex between minors at a show in St Petersburg. Lawyers are seeking millions in ‘moral damages’ after she called on Russians to respect gay rights and passed out pink bracelets to the audience.
But as a wag from Liverpool has commented on the article has said, “Hollyoaks does that!”, referring to encouraging minors to have sex.
Most of the complainants and Madonna herself should all grow up and be more responsible.
Eton’s Gangnam Style
Students at Eton College have created a viral hit based on Psy’s Gangnam Style. The Guardian says it’s a bit cringe-worthy in this piece, but surely it shows that the power of the Internet is there for us all to harness.
The Bethnal Green Big Band
I like big bands.
Although, from the few CDs that I have you wouldn’t know it. But then I’ve never been a great collector and listener to music. In fact, I do it even less now, as the place I would listen was in the car. And of course I don’t drive!
I will though, be going down to St. Peter’s Church in De Beauvoir Town on the 12th October at 7:30 to see the Bethnal Green Big Band.
The Bethnal Green Big Band is a group of twenty impressive young musicians who met at college and are now based in East London. They play the big sounds of the 1940’s and 50’s from Glenn Miller to the classic tunes of Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald.
A blast from the past, using their own arrangements, and accompanied by fine vocalists, the Big Band produces a sound that is joyful, powerful, rich and soulful, and is a showcase of local talent and commitment to good music.
It is as the invite says a forties and fifties night and people can dress appropriately. There will also be prizes for the best dressed man and woman. But you can count me out on that!
There’s more on the Bethnal Green Big Band on their Facebook page.
Hard Man Bruce Takes On Apple
According to the Sunday Times, Bruce Willis wants to leave all his downloaded music to his kids and the iTunes agreement doesn’t allow this.
Why would he want to do that?
Obviously, after he’s gone, he wants to have control of his kids’ musical taste.
How arrogant!
At least though for once, Apple have got it right.
Elvis’s Underpants Go On Sale
According to this article on the BBC, they should make about ten grand. And they haven’t even been washed!
As the stain is at the front, perhaps some fiendish scientist will recreate his sperm and sell it to silly women all over the world.
You do wonder how many women, who saw Elvis, are still of child-bearing age.
Free Pussy Riot
This was the slogan on a placard objecting to President Putin’s policies in London today.
I do know what Pussy Riot is, but taken in straight English, it could be read another way.
Return To The Hippodrome
Yesterday, I went to the newly-reopened Hippodrome Casino to see Kate Dimbleby perform in a musical entertainment written in collaboration with Amy Rosenthal, called Beware of Young Girls: The Dory Previn Story.
I must be one of the few people of my age, who have memories of the old Hippodrome Theatre, that previously stood on the site. I didn’t actually go, but in the early 1950s, I regularly had to go to the Royal Dental Hospital in Leicester Square. My mother, who had been to the theatre before the war, and I used to come up from North London on the Tube and get off at Leicester Square, where we exited the station at Hippodrome Corner. It was then a short walk to the actual square and the dental hospital. One day the builders were in and you could see right through the windows, which told how what was happening was the talk of the town. I can’t remember it actually opening as the nightclub called, The Talk of the Town, as we finished going to the dental hospital. It’s since had a bit of a chequered history, with good and bad times and now it has been turned into a casino.
I think they’ve made a good job of it on the construction and furnishing side. As to the gambling side, I don’t gamble in a casino. I would though, if someone was fool enough to set up Canfield. But after my stroke, I doubt I still have the prowess I used to have. I do bet on horses, but only when the odds are longer than they should be. I once had Terimon at 500/1 each way for the Derby. He came second.
But I do, see shows in a casino and once saw Siegfried and Roy in Las Vegas. I’ve been to Vegas several times and I’ve never gambled on anything there, which must be some sort of record.
So how was last night’s show?
I enjoyed the show and it brought back memories of Dory Previn’s show at the Donmar Warehouse in the last 1980s, where I saw her with C. The set was similar too and I wonder if Amy’s mother, Maureen Lipman, who is thanked on the program, saw that show at the Donmar too!
I don’t think there are any original videos of Dory Previn singing, although there is this video on YouTube. It was taken on a toy camera, when she opened an Arts Centre in Springfield a couple of years ago. The songs are Jesus Had A Baby Sister and Twenty Mile Zone. Her last recording incidentally was Planet Blue, which can be downloaded free from here.
I should also say that I liked the venue too Acoustics were good and from where I sat, I had a good view.
I didn’t actually eat, but the food seemed to be reasonably priced and as a coeliac, some of the snacks were gluten-free.
I’ll probably go again, when an artist I like is appearing. Top class style it definitely has, but the prices aren’t out of the range of a sensible fan.
The Anonymous Widower 