The times they are a-changing

I think that Knocked Up may be my new Point Break. It has taken over as my comfort movie, the thing I like to put on when I want to hide away from the outside world. I'm never not in the mood to watch it. It's hilarious, has Paul Rudd and Jason Segel in it; Seth Rogen is kind of adorable in it. And the extras on the DVD are really worth watching. It's not just your usual deleted scenes nonsense (although these are really funny). The whole mockumenatary on casting the male lead is genius.

Move over Point Break - you have some competition.

We're on the ball

I went to my first live football game in quite some time at the weekend. A pre-season friendly, Oxford Utd playing a Manchester United XI. There's nothing quite like watching football live. You don't get a replay or commentary (well apart from that of the surrounding fans) and depending on where you are sitting, it's pretty hard to judge distances and which direction the ball is going sometimes.

We were sat behind one of the goals, which is a bit of a novelty for me as when I normally go to the football, it is to see my beloved St Johnstone play and we're about level with the halfway line. It's a totally different atmosphere - lots more singing and banter. The Man Utd goalie, who really only could have been about 11 (perhaps that was what the XI in their team name referred to. The ages of the players), was a redhead. You can imagine the chants...

Anyway, it was good being at a live game again. We got goals (4 of them, although shame that 2 of them were scored by the opposition), and when Oxford scored their second, my feet did actually leave the ground as I jumped up in the air. They may not be my beloved Saintees, but it is good to get behind a team and care about them winning.

I miss live football.

Oh your hair is beautiful

Day Three At Latitude

All too soon it's Sunday, which is the busiest day for me, in terms of bands that I want to see. I even have some proper clashes. Choices will have to be made.

Anyway, first destination is the comedy tent for the first time to see Phil Jupitus and Friends Improv. It's the first outing for me to the comedy tent, as it's always been too packed for me to bother. But this was the first thing on in the tent, so I figured what the hell. It was funny And Marcus Brigstocke's Robert Mugabe impression had me chuckling all day long.

I also checked out some more Word Theatre, the theme of which today was Love and Hate. I had a position in the tent this time which meant I could actually see the actors. David Soul was one of them - cool, yeah, he was Hutch. But lo and behold if one of them wasn't Gary Dourdan from CSI!! No-one I was with actually watches CSI, so my excitement couldn't really be shared. But I enjoyed it.

First up were The Twilight Sad, who I knew absolutely nothing about, but it turns out they are an "indie rock" band from Kilsyth. They were OK - the singer sings in his own accent, which seems to be in vogue right now. I think they could do with finishing their songs quicker. Fade out doesn't really work live, in my opinion.

Next were These New Puritans, plying their "alternative rock, electronica, progressive rock, experimental rock, post-punk revival, new wave" trade. I first saw them supporting British Sea Power earlier on this year and I had been trying to see them on 3 occasions since then, all to no avail. So part of them was sceptical that I was actually going to see them. But see them I did. They were on the main stage, and I am not quite sure that their sound is quite big enough for that size of stage. However, that doesn't detract from their performance. They were edgy and youthful and exuberant. Great stuff.

Time for Nada Surf, the "American rock music group", who I was very keen on seeing. And they didn't disappoint. They rocked the place in an understated way, but rock it they did. They even got the crowd doing a little dance routine.

I had time to see about three songs by "indie rock, dance-punk" band Foals before I had to leave the main stage to get to the Uncut Arena, to make sure I didn't miss Glasvegas. I enjoyed what I saw.

So, Uncut Arena to see Glasvegas (described as a "Scottish band" on Wikipedia! What, is that it???) for the third time this year. I've already waxed lyrical about them, so I think we all know that I was looking forward to this one. And they were awesome!! As usual. Oozing cool and getting on with it. I cannot wait for this album to be released.

While getting something to eat, strains of "Ah oooh ah, ah oooh ah" began to drift over. It was the start of Cannonball by the "American alternative rock band" the Breeders. I wasn't going to be able to see them and Blondie, so I was opting for Blondie. Apparently their set was chaotic in a loveable way according to one of my friends. But I got to hear Cannonball, so I didn't miss out totally.

Last band in the Uncut Arena for me were going to be Blondie, with their "new wave, punk-rock, pop-punk". The tent was absolutely rammed. Hardly surprising, so really they should have been headlining or else on the main stage. They played a greatest hits set (no Denis or Dreaming or Union City Blue tho. but pretty much everything else you could ask for), and it was amazing. Deborah Harry looked hot and sounded even hotter. She can show the young pretenders a thing or two. But it isn't just about her - the band themselves are super tight and the whole place was having a ball. I boogied and shimmied away. Fantastico!

Interpol and their "indie/alternative rock" were the last headliners on the main stage. They were moody and melodic and it was the first time I had ever really properly listened to them. I liked what I heard. The singer has quite a voice on him. It was perhaps a bit of a flat end, but that might have just been down to the people who were around me.

So that was Latitude over (although we did make it over to the Swap tent, where you danced away and when the klaxon sounded, you were supposed to swap an item of clothing that you really loved. Yeah, OK. We did a bit of dancing, but as mentioned before, I don't do my best work in walking boots and a cagoule, with an aching back).

Highlight - Blondie
Lowlight - having clashes between Foals and Glasvegas and the Breeders and Blondie
Surprise Discovery of the Day - Gary Dourdan and realising that I'd heard him the day before too
Non-surprise Discovery of the day - the toilets in the arena were getting worse

I'd go back.

Someday we'll be drinking with the seldom seen kid

Day Two At Latitude

The Saturday was the day when I had the least amount of stuff that I already decided I wanted to do, so a lot of time was spent just wandering about, soaking up the atmosphere, trying to use the toilet as few times as possible (they may have been pretty good as far as festival toilets go, but I still had to psyche myself up before I could use them). Pimms was quaffed; fluorescent sheep were admired, all at a leisurely pace.

First of all we visited Word Theatre, which was pretty cool. In short, a bunch of actors reading short pieces about dreams. It's a really nice simple idea, which worked really well. And it was a good way to start the day's proceedings.

First band of the day was House of Love, "an English rock band" that I found reasonably engaging back in the late 1980s. I was curious to see what they were like, having never seen them live before. It was pretty good. They went down really well, and seemed genuinely pleased by their reception. I'm glad I checked them out.

Saturday was also a day for a little bit of literature. Iain Banks was appearing in the literary tent. I've read most of his books (well, apart from the Sci Fi ones) and I've heard him speak before and found him engaging. Here was no exception; he was garrulous and entertaining and happy to take questions from the floor. I can never think of anything intelligent or witty to ask. And he likes Pixies, so that is cool.

Next band up were Elbow, "an alternative rock band based in England". They were brilliant!! From the first trumpet blast, to the echoing "Throw those curtains wide", sheer class. Guy Garvey manages to make 20,000 people standing in a field seem like an intimate gig. And it takes a very cool man to completely fluff the opening note of a song, only to proceed to get the audience to do it for him

Lastly it was time for Sigur Rós, the Icelandic post-rock band with melodic, classical and minimalist elements. I was curious about them, as so many people whose music taste I rate rave about them. And I wanted to like them. But I don't think that I really get it. Granted they put on a spectacle and seemed like they were having the best time. Maybe I just don't get Icelandic music. I don't really like Bjork (a couple of Sugarcubes songs aside). I enjoyed it more as their set progressed, and I've now come to the conclusion that I liked the set more now than I did at the time. If that makes any sense. The word soundscape springs to mind. Maybe I just don't really get post-rock.


Highlight - Elbow
Lowlight - stupid people who insist on standing beside me and have loud inane conversations while bands are playing, who are all the more stupid when they say "Oh, I really love this song" and then proceed to talk all the way through it.
Surprise Discovery of the Day - I know more House of Love songs than I realise
Non-surprise Discovery of the day - Elbow are great live

So come and dance with me, Michael

Day One At Latitude*

OK, so I survived my first ever night camping and it was time to rock. Or something, first up was Mark Steel. I'd seen him before in the theatre at Headington Girls School of all places, so knew I'd enjoy it. He was doing his lecture on Marx (Karl, not Gary) and it was funny. I have to say, the man is a genius when it comes to accents - his Tony Benn was spot on and his George Galloway... well, suffice to say that lots of people come a cropper when doing a Scots accent, as they somehow try to make it sound too Scottish (and don't get me started on the strange jutting chin motion), but he was pretty damn good.

Before I start with the music, I am notoriously bad at describing what genre bands are. So, I've decided to use the description given by Wikipedia. This could be fun. First band up were Murder By Death - a band from Indiana who play a "range of music including instrumentals, punk rock and alt-country" - on the main Obelisk stage. Have to say they were pretty good and it was nice sitting on the grass in the sunshine listening to them.

They were closely followed by The Aliens, who have a "more upbeat and psychedelic pop sound in contrast to the trip-hop-based Beta Band", from whence they came. Also pretty good.

I caught most of British Sea Power, a band whose "style ranges from the sweeping, often epic, guitar pop sound to the visceral and angular". They worked really well on the big stage. I had seen them earlier this year, at the Zodiac (where strangely the girls I was with all enjoyed it, and the boys thought it was boring), and they didn't lose anything playing a much bigger venue (if what is ostensibly a field can be called a venue).

So far all the bands had been on the main stage. We went for a wander in the woods to try and fine the Sunrise Stage, and when we did, caught the last 2 songs of The Dø, "a French rock duo" who "incorporate a great range of instruments in their songs, as well as being a duet completing each other member, Merilahti bringing the melody, and Levy the symphonic or jazzy structure". At least, I think this was the band that I saw. They were good, anyway.

From there to the Uncut arena (basically a big tent), to see Howling Bells, an "indie rock" band. This served a double purpose. I was interested in seeing them and Julian Cope would be following. Howling Bells were really great, and went down really well. She has an amazing voice, and they rocked the canvas hard.

So, it was time for Julian Cope, the British rock musician, author, antiquary, musicologist and poet. First of all, I love Julian Cope. I've seen him countless times, in various guises, and think the man is awesome. With me on this occasion was a friend who knew virtually nothing about him and so had no idea what to expect. Before he came on, I said "be warned. You never know what you are going to get with Julian". How prophetic. He was about 25 minutes late in coming on, and in spite of this, it started OK. He played 2 new songs (at least, I had never heard them before) and then played Sleeping Gas, one of my favourite Teardrop Explodes song, which I was most excited about, given I was too young really to have ever seen them, and he tends not to dip into that part of his musical life anymore. His guitar seemed to break at the end of it, and he proceeded to smash it up (an act of which I thoroughly disapprove) and then proceeded into full wig out, while the band played on. We got a fragment of Reynard the Fox, and then what seemed to be him saying that they were going to play Pristeen; and then the plug got pulled. I don't know if it was because he had gone on late, or because the powers that be were nervous about his increasingly strange performance. But off he went. I was disappointed, especially when I saw the setlist that could have been. Chaotic, wandering... It was either the greatest spectacle of the weekend, or immensely frustrating because you know how great the man can truly be. I've read both opinions. I'll be interested to read what the man himself as to say about it in his next Address Drudion, if he does mention it.

Last band of the day were the headliners Franz Ferdinand, a "rock" band. They did not disappoint. The rain came on, but no matter. They rocked (as a "rock" band should), I danced (as only I could). We got new songs, we got old favourites, and a very cool backdrop of the band's faces in a kind of 1930s, boys-own style. Alex smoldered (I seem to be the only one of my friends to see him in this way). Gripe? No Darts of Pleasure. I knew it would be a long-shot to get Tell Her Tonight (although we did get Jacqueline, which I would have happily swapped), but I did expect Darts of Pleasure. Oh well. At least they aren't predictable.

I fell asleep in my tent with the strains of various tunes from the Guilty Pleasures disco in my ears.

Highlight - Franz
Lowlight - Julian (although only because, in the words of our headliners, You Could Have It So Much Better)
Surprise Discovery of the Day - The Dø
Non-surprise Discovery of the day - I really have no sense of direction

*OK, technically, it wasn't Day One. On the Thursday night, we had gone a-wandering and heard a bit of Ross Noble in the Literary Tent. Then someone else joined him, and they proceeded to do very funny John Peel impressions. So good, it would have been remiss not to mention them.

Going To The Country Gonna See A Lot of Peaches

So last weekend I went to Latitude. It was my first music festival for a few years, and would be the first time I had ever camped.

Overall general impressions?

1. All the girls look like Peaches Geldof and sound like Jo Whiley (why is this? Get some individuality, ladies).

2. Communal trough toilets are pretty rank, but could have been a whole lot worse.

3. It is not easy to eat fajitas sitting on grass without cutlery.

4. I don't do my best dancing work with an aching back, wearing walking boots and a cagoule.

5. Not showering for 4 days isn't that bad, actually.

6. Even middle class people jump queues.

7. Some people prefer the sound of their own extremely loud voices to the sound of Elbow.

8. I am not sure I get Sigur Ros.

Reunited and it feels so good

Over the past couple of days, I've been reunited with couple of old friends. Firstly, my long-lost diary. Well, when I say long-lost, we're talking about 5 months. Had no idea what happened to it, but I was pretty sure it wasn't in my flat. Then yesterday, I get a note through my door saying that someone had sent me a package with insufficient postage. I trundle down to the depot to pick it up, grumbling about having to pay the excess and wondering who and what the hell it could be. I get the envelope (return address of my bank, but this is no circular) and can feel a spiral binding through the paper. I think "No, it can't be", tear open the envelope and lo and behold, it is my diary. Found in the "banking hall". Now, I am not sure where it was been for the last 5 months, but no matter - I finally got it back! At last I might have a chance at remembering where I am meant to be, having steadfastly refused to buy a new diary (I somehow knew that we were going to find each other again). And it kind of restored my faith in humanity, so I called in at the bank today to say thanks.

The other? Frasier. I've been watching some Frasier episodes and I have forgotten just how funny this programme is. The pomposity and farce just brightens up my day (and the constant Seattle rain complements the weather here to perfection).

Sometimes it's the little things.

In penguins and pearls, we'll drink and we'll dance

It's a bit early to say whether this would make it on to my Best Songs Ever Written list, but it's definitely one of the best songs I have heard this year. It's got clever lyrics, it tells a story and Guy Garvey and Richard Hawley's voices complement each other to perfection. Take note you Moulin Rouge girls who sang on Lady Marmalade - it's not about trying to out sing the next person.

A girl can do what she wants to do and that's what I'm gonna do

I am loving Freaks and Geeks, in spite of having to watch it on a small YouTube screen (I'm about half-way through the series). It is utterly wonderful. Produced by Judd Apatow of Knocked Up and Forty Year Old Virgin fame, it stars many of the actors who subsequently appeared in his films and various affiliations (including the divine Mr Segel).

It's about life in a Michigan high school in the early 1980s and centres around the Freaks - a bunch of cool stoner/slackers - and the Geeks - nerdy yet endearing younger kids. To me, it's like a cross between Degrassi Junior High and the Outsiders (James Franco really reminds me of a young Matt Dillon). It's laugh out loud funny in places and heart-rendingly touching in others, especially with the main female character trying to find her place in the world. I can't wait to see next episode, yet at the same time I don't want them to end (there is only 1 series). Yes, you can watch again, but there is nothing quite like the first time.

Everyone should see this series.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ai1FHufz_HY

I'll sing in your ear again

Number Two of An Occasional Series

The Drugs Don't Work by the Verve. I don't really like the Verve that much. I don't think Bittersweet Symphony is all that. But this song just blows me away. I remember where I was when I first heard it - asleep on a sofa in south London.

Picture the scene. It's a Saturday night and I'd fallen asleep while waiting to watch the late night/ early morning repeat of Top of the Pops (oh, those were the days, eh?). I remember being in that delicious state of semi-conscious slumber and hearing this song drifting in and out of my head. I sat up, and demanded "what the hell is this", listened to the song in amazement, said "wow" when it was finished and then went back to sleep. I believe I may even have had to ask what the song was again the next day.

But suffice to say it was enough to wake me from my slumber and I've loved the song ever since. It's immensely poignant - yes, it can actually make me cry - but can make your heart soar at the same time with its beauty. And when I hear the song, it literally gives me goosebumps. I bought the album on the strength of it, but nothing on there comes close to the sheer brilliance of this.

As if to underline what a special song it is, it was the soundtrack to one of the defining moments (at least in my eyes) of a particularly enjoyable weekend in Newquay earlier this year when it was played in a pub and me and two friends sang along rather beautifully (OK, it was after a few beers).

That just makes it even better.

It's back to front and I'm all uptight.

Transgressive Hot Summer Tour -Zodiac 4th July 2008

One night, seven pounds, four bands. Or if might have been five. I saw four, but was expecting to see five, so I'm not really all that sure. We saw So So Modern, Absentee, Esser and Jeremy Warmsley, but were also expecting to see Ox.Eagle.Lion.Man (ironically the only ones I had actually heard of before), but they were either on uber early, or not at all. And maybe that is kind of indicative of the night. As my friend put it, it was like an inverse gig. The first 2 on - So So Modern and Absentee - were much better than the last two, so it all seemed a bit back to front.

Not much else to say about it really.

Just one psychological drama after another

It was my friend's birthday last weekend, and as he is over here for 2 months before returning to Crete to live, I wanted to give him a present that he wouldn't have to lug back out there. So, since we are both huge Agatha Christie fans and the play And Then There Were None was fortuitously playing at a theatre near us, I thought "A-theatring we will go".

This isn't really a review - well, OK, a little bit. After a slightly ropey start with a bit of overacting, it was well done and entertaining, with a deliciously 1930s set.

But, that's not really the point of this. As I was watching, it got me thinking "why are we all here". Not in an existential sense, but rather what possesses people to pay out money to sit and watch other people pretending to be yet other people; and in my case, I've read the book and seen the play, so it is not as if I was going to be wondering whodunit. It seems to me to be a singularly strange thing to do, yet it is something that I enjoy and when I do go I wish I did more often. Is it just simply that we want to be entertained? Maybe. I'm not really sure what the answer is.

Galileo Figaro Magnifico

I went to the opera on last Friday. Le Nozze di Figaro at the Royal Opera House to be exact. I'm pretty much an indie rock chick at heart, so this was quite a departure for me (it's not quite Queens of the Stone Age or Glasvegas, is it?).

So how was it? Well, I actually rather enjoyed it. I can't pretend to know whether or not the singing was any good. OK, I will qualify that. It all sounded the same to me, so whether one person was better than another, I really couldn't say. But it sounded good (thank goodness for surtitles tho - my Italian is non-existent, but even with them I had to check on Wikipedia when I got back to make sure I had worked out what was going on - I was pleased that indeed I had!). The set was sumptuous, even with the restricted view, so lord only knows what it must have been like in the £600 seats (ours were a lot cheaper!)

The people were a lot less dressed up than I might have expected, although it was amusing to see lots of them eating in the interval (and lots of them leaving what looked like unfinished champagne and canapes). We did sample the bar and although I didn't think it would be cheap, £11.50 for an orange juice, a small glass of wine and 2 glasses of tap water did seems a tad on the expensive side.

Would I go again? Probably, although I did choose Mozart for a reason. He was the punk of his day, after all. Falco said it, so it must be true.