The lack of crowds at Koko gave the impression that the popularity of burlesque has passed. That's fine by me! I could actually see the stage, Immodesty Blaize looked in the best form I had ever seen her and the crowd that were there loved it.
Marc Almond seems to be growing down, rather than up. He looked really young, apart from a few dodgy gold teeth. I still find it really odd though that he can sing now. I was a bit soft cell fan in my youth.
Julian Clary was a good host. I think he may be getting on a bit though for the corset he put on later on. It was a bit of a sight. Sorry Julian, not that I am expecting him to read this, but I really do think he is fab.
One of my favourite acts were the 3 blokes, who were dressed up to look as if they had all walked out of the Zoolander film, doing mad, slightly suggestive dancing, a la flash dance. I was still laughing the next day.
Friday, 15 May 2009
Saturday, 9 May 2009
Tiger Lillies songs of horror
I went out to see the brilliant Tiger Lillies yesterday. Their macabre songs had the audience in constant fits of chuckling and I especially enjoyed re-hearing the songs from Shockheaded Peter.
Shockheaded Peter is the opera that introduced me to their wonderousness. Based on an evil German fairytale of what happens to little boys and girls when they are naughty.
My favourites were:
Harriet and the matches
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7P2xTxCS_Q
Snip Snip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OinwHOZ2Erw
Fidgety Phil and Flying Robert.
The Tiger Lillies act is pure cabaret, and the stage make up and twitches add to the drama of the evening. They played 2 shows last night and i was very tempted to pop back in again. We also star spotted David Dimbleby at the theatre.
Shockheaded Peter is the opera that introduced me to their wonderousness. Based on an evil German fairytale of what happens to little boys and girls when they are naughty.
My favourites were:
Harriet and the matches
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7P2xTxCS_Q
Snip Snip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OinwHOZ2Erw
Fidgety Phil and Flying Robert.
The Tiger Lillies act is pure cabaret, and the stage make up and twitches add to the drama of the evening. They played 2 shows last night and i was very tempted to pop back in again. We also star spotted David Dimbleby at the theatre.
Monday, 4 May 2009
May Day Morris
I headed to Whitstable today to see the May Day Morris dancing. Not very cool I know, but I love a pagan festival.
Its little known that I once went to a Morris dancing class. The problem being that this particular one was too girly. Skirts were compulsory. If I am going to do Morris dancing, I want trousers, sticks and swords, not skirts, hoops and tissues.
My favourite were the Manic Morris from Crayford. A cross between a pirate and a biker, not that's my idea of a Morris dance. I also liked the Morris from Rippon who seemed to have whole shrubberies on their heads.
Its good to see somewhere keeping the May Day traditions alive.
Its little known that I once went to a Morris dancing class. The problem being that this particular one was too girly. Skirts were compulsory. If I am going to do Morris dancing, I want trousers, sticks and swords, not skirts, hoops and tissues.
My favourite were the Manic Morris from Crayford. A cross between a pirate and a biker, not that's my idea of a Morris dance. I also liked the Morris from Rippon who seemed to have whole shrubberies on their heads.
Its good to see somewhere keeping the May Day traditions alive.
Wednesday, 29 April 2009
Swedish weirdness
On Monday I went to see the odd, but strangely wonderful 'Let the right one in'.
The first unusual thing was that it was Swedish. Somehow, that doesn't seem to go with vampires, but it works. Its a boy meets vampire story of friendship and the responsibility that comes with it. I won't spoil the fun but the boy in it is as cute as a button and has the most wonderful facial expressions.
There were a couple of scenes in it which didn't seem to make a whole lot of sense. Whether this is from scene cuts, or I was meant to read more into it I don't know. Anyway, I have ordered the book now so hopefully I will be enlightened soon.
The first unusual thing was that it was Swedish. Somehow, that doesn't seem to go with vampires, but it works. Its a boy meets vampire story of friendship and the responsibility that comes with it. I won't spoil the fun but the boy in it is as cute as a button and has the most wonderful facial expressions.
There were a couple of scenes in it which didn't seem to make a whole lot of sense. Whether this is from scene cuts, or I was meant to read more into it I don't know. Anyway, I have ordered the book now so hopefully I will be enlightened soon.
Saturday, 18 April 2009
Canada in Brixton
I went to Brixton on Thursday to see the ever wonderful Rae Spoon. Its been a while since I last saw him - in fact last time I saw him he serenaded me in a toilet for charity - but that's another story! I was surprised to find he had gone electric. I still enjoyed his quick wit and interesting lyrics, but I felt that sometimes he was drowned out by his guitar.
http://www.myspace.com/raespoon
Of the new songs, I particularly enjoyed Come on Forest Fire and Burn the Disco Down and We Become our own Wolves. A Rae Spoon set is never dull.
I don't have as much praise for the support bands Headfall and the Balky Mule. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for arty, experimental noise but Headfall made me want to fall on mine. The Balky Mule were slightly more cheerful, although the lead singer looked like Sad Sac from the Raggy Dolls. It was a bit of a poor mans All Tomorrow's Parties act.
Talking of All Tomorrow's Parties, tickets are on sale now. Curated by My Bloody Valentine. Can't wait.
http://www.myspace.com/raespoon
Of the new songs, I particularly enjoyed Come on Forest Fire and Burn the Disco Down and We Become our own Wolves. A Rae Spoon set is never dull.
I don't have as much praise for the support bands Headfall and the Balky Mule. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for arty, experimental noise but Headfall made me want to fall on mine. The Balky Mule were slightly more cheerful, although the lead singer looked like Sad Sac from the Raggy Dolls. It was a bit of a poor mans All Tomorrow's Parties act.
Talking of All Tomorrow's Parties, tickets are on sale now. Curated by My Bloody Valentine. Can't wait.
Tuesday, 24 March 2009
Blogs don't fool me...
...said the wonderfully animated lecturer who took my Saturday course on 'The Wisdom of the Fool'. I am not sure how he would feel about me blogging about him but I will say that it was an interesting and illuminating day.
I have left with the feeling that I am not, in actual fact brain dead, I have a reading list as long as my arm, and a desire to find out some more about the courses Ken Rees teaches.
The day spent some time looking at the traditional fool in the courts of kings, the village idiot, the fool in tarot, the modern day fool (those of a comedic nature), the fool in myth and the holy fool.
I have never been on a course which included spontaneous singing and had we been more organised (which was against the spirit of the day) I'm sure we could have fit some juggling in there also. All in all a very strange, and very good day.
I finished off my foolish day with the 13th to 15th century paintings in the National Gallery. I was hoping for more myth and less religion to round off my experience, but then there's no fool like a hopeful fool.
I have left with the feeling that I am not, in actual fact brain dead, I have a reading list as long as my arm, and a desire to find out some more about the courses Ken Rees teaches.
The day spent some time looking at the traditional fool in the courts of kings, the village idiot, the fool in tarot, the modern day fool (those of a comedic nature), the fool in myth and the holy fool.
I have never been on a course which included spontaneous singing and had we been more organised (which was against the spirit of the day) I'm sure we could have fit some juggling in there also. All in all a very strange, and very good day.
I finished off my foolish day with the 13th to 15th century paintings in the National Gallery. I was hoping for more myth and less religion to round off my experience, but then there's no fool like a hopeful fool.
Monday, 16 March 2009
All aboard...
...for a very surreal evening at the Transport Museum. A group of us went to the Friday late to see the poster exhibition before it finishes.
When we arrived we were dismayed to find that the late nights hadn't been going so well so they had decided to do a themed night instead. This meant 50s dancing and singing, a poet, and a lovely woman dressed as a bus conductor. All this was very well and good but they had shut the poster exhibition because they were allowing alcohol in there.
We weren't very impressed but decided to give it a go anyway. A very nice man also gave us all free tickets to come back another time.
Anyway, we played on the buses, sat in the carriages and listened to the fairly disturbing Summer Holiday on a loop.
Then...the same nice man said that due to popular demand they were going to open the poster exhibition - hurrah! Mission accomplished. I really enjoyed it but I would have liked it to be a bit better. But you can't have everything.
When we arrived we were dismayed to find that the late nights hadn't been going so well so they had decided to do a themed night instead. This meant 50s dancing and singing, a poet, and a lovely woman dressed as a bus conductor. All this was very well and good but they had shut the poster exhibition because they were allowing alcohol in there.
We weren't very impressed but decided to give it a go anyway. A very nice man also gave us all free tickets to come back another time.
Anyway, we played on the buses, sat in the carriages and listened to the fairly disturbing Summer Holiday on a loop.
Then...the same nice man said that due to popular demand they were going to open the poster exhibition - hurrah! Mission accomplished. I really enjoyed it but I would have liked it to be a bit better. But you can't have everything.
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