Chelsea 2007 - A selection of photos

Slade and Suzi Quatro

It is with a song in my heart (played loudly at volume 11, of course) that I can report that both Slade and Suzi Quatro are playing the Cannizaro Park Festival in Wimbledon in July and I've booked tickets to see both.

Suzi's album, 'Back To The Drive' last year was excellent and I'm looking forward to seeing her play some of those tracks alongside her classics. She's also making a new album with Mike Chapman so there might be a preview of some of the new songs. I narrowly missed seeing Suzi on her first UK tour when she was third on the bill supporting SLADE in 1972 (Thin Lizzy were the main support act, but Suzi got 20 minutes) so it's nice to see them on the same bill again, even though they're playing two weeks apart.

Slade are finally playing in London so I can see them (which they rarely seem to do). This isn't the classic line-up of course, it's Dave and Don's band that's on the road for most of the year, especially in Northern Europe. Even so, it'll be great to see them play live. Slade's website still says 'details to follow' for the Wimbledon gig so it's thanks to Suzi's website that I found out about the festival and the Slade gig. Wonder why it's not on Slade's site yet?

Readers will note that I'm spelling "slade" as Slade rather than my usual SLADE - SLADE refers to the original Lords of Noize whereas Slade is the current band (one must get the details right).

The only downside to the Slade gig is that Les McEwan's Bay City Rollers are on the same bill.... But I can overcome that. I could always just turn up late, stay in the bar, plug iPey into my ears, get a book out... o, lots of things!

I am a little bit excited!

Bank Holiday Blag

Now, I know you'll agree that I'm tremendously old so you'll take my word for it that today saw not only the coldest and wettest late May Bank Holiday ever in the whole history of humanity but the most miserablest bank holiday evah! It's a fact. I even switched the central heating on this afternoon and I resent doing that a mere few days before the start of June. But did I wear socks when I went round to the local shops? Of course I didn't! I'm a Geordie and we can take anything. I went out in bare feet and sandals. So there!

The Sodom and Gomorrah Show

Curse the PSBs but I've decided that 'The Sodom and Gomorrah Show' is the best new song I've heard this week. Hearing it for the first time last night and seeing it performed live means that that's how I'll always think of it, with Neil and the singers and dancers all weighed down with sparkly medals and glam on their fake uniforms. I've got no idea what it's suposed to be about (I'm sure I'll be enlightened shortly) but isn't that a great title for a song? And a killer chorus!

YouTube

I've been pointed to some great clips on YouTube - whoever thought it up deserves a medal (as well as the millions they earned when Google bought it). This weekend I was pointed to two videos, one joyous and one worrying. The Bearlesque troupe prove that chubby lads can, indeed, can-can, and what a pleasure it is to see them lining up for the high-kicks. Would it be churlish to suggest that a smidgen more practice might have improved the performance? Yes it would! I appreciate the artistry of the Bears and can't wait for the DVD...

The worrying video was seeing Peter Tatchell supporting his colleagues in Russia protesting about the treatment of gays and lesbians and banning what democratic public rights they might have, like assembley and marching to protest against injustice. It was quite shocking to see some lout just run up and punch Peter and you can hear the crunch of bones. The odd thing is that the clip then shows Peter being led away by two policemen, not the attacker. That's appalling. Later in the clip Richard Fairbrass is also punched out of the blue while he's just standing there talking. Two Euro MPs were also there and they demanded police protection. I won't post the link to the video since it should be deleted from YouTube but picked up by the main news media.

I won't claim to be a great supporter of Peter Tatchell - or a supporter at all - but the treatment dished out to him is unacceptable in any country that has any claims on civilisation. I suppose we forget where the battle lines are these days, in our comfortable little lives. With all the big issues in the world why does this seem to upset people so much? I just don't understand it.

I am shamed

I watched the film of David Bowie's last concert as Ziggy Stardust at the Hammersmith Odeon in 1973 on Saturday night on BBC4 (it was followed by the 'Cracked Actor' documentary). I've never actually seen it all the way through and it was great - other than Mick Ronson's excellent but boring extended guitar solos to give Mr Bowie time to change costumes.

I thought I'd put the CD on today - it's ages since I've heard 'Moonage Daydream' and I had a yearning. Could I find it? O no, course I couldn't! I don't have it! That is shameful. I've got all his early CDs except 'Ziggy' for some reason. I prefer 'Aladdin Sane' to 'Ziggy' but that doesn't mean I don't like 'Ziggy'. I must acquire it quickly.

Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee

I'm reading 'Bury My Heart...' by Dee Brown at the moment. It's a catalogue of disaster for Native Americans in the last half of the 19th Century. It's really quite disheartening that human beings can act so callously towards each other (which makes the treatment of Tatchell and Fairbrass even worse since it's happening now). It's based on witness accounts and documents in the Library of Congress and it's astonishing that people would actually commit the intention to genocide to paper in the cause of 'manifest destiny', which is another term for money.

I'm only half-way through the book at the moment so will save any further critique until I finish but Chris mentioned that it was going to be made into a documentary and was wondering whether Buffy Sainte-Marie's song of the same name would be featured in it at all. If it's not then some television executives ought to suffer.

Pet Shop Boys at Hammersmith Apollo

Tonight we went to see the Pet Shop Boys at Hammersmith Apollo (one of the first things Neil said was that he'd been there in 1972 to see David Bowie). Now, I'm not a big fan of PSB but when Chris suggested seeing them I thought, 'why not?', they've been around for 20-odd years and have earned their place in music history and it should be a fun night out. The Apollo had removed the seats so it was standing downstairs but, with the sloping floor, I actually had the best view of any band I've seen in the last year. God must be telling me something.

It was a bit of a funny show really, since Neil and Chris aren't exactly Mr and Mr Showman and there's only so much a lightshow (which was excellent) can do to liven it up. I got the impression the crowd wouldn't mind just the pair of them and lights but they added 3 backing singers and 2 dancers. The singers were fine but I couldn't take the dancers seriously, two lads trying to the urban/street poses mixed with pseudo-ballet moves - it just didn't work for me in the slightest and I couldn't help grinning whenever they came on because I knew there'd be fun ahead. Was it them or the choreography? Probably both.

It was also quite noticeable that the singers and dancers had more costume changes than the stars - Neil (I think) wore three different frock-coat get-ups (plus a uniform for the final song) and Chris wore two hoodies and caps... yes, well, moving on....

They played a great selection of old and new songs, some of their classics like 'Domino Dancing', 'Where The Streets Have No Name', 'Rent' (why did Neil sit down facing the wings to sing this?), 'It's A Sin' and 'Opportunities (Let's Make Lots of Money)'. 'West End Girl' was played but I'd have thought they would make more fuss of it but it was treated as just another song. I didn't recognise most of the new songs but they played 'I'm With Stupid' and 'Minimal' and closed with the great 'The Sodom And Gomorrah Show' where the singers and dancers all dressed in gaudy military uniforms sparkling with medals and then out came Neil, also in uniform and with just as much glitz in the medal department. I'd never heard the song before but loved it.

The encores were good, with a rousting version of 'Go West!' and then coming back for a second time to do a nice version of 'Being Boring'. I'd heard that on iPey on the way to the concert and it's a nice, thoughtful song.

All in all, I enjoyed it. Leaving aside the overly and unnecessarily energetic dancers, it was a good show and I'm pleased I've finally seen the Pet Shop Boys. It was a fun night out and they played some great music. And I actually had a good view of the band for a change!

Here are a few photos to give a flavour of the show (click to enlarge).

Chelsea Flower Show 2007

This afternoon I went to the Royal Horticultural Society Flower Show at Chelsea along with a good proportion of the residents of the home counties. Once through the entrance gate and the milling crowds on Eastern Avenue I headed straight for the Great Pavilion to gawp at flaaars! That's what it's all about, after all.

The Pavilion is full of flower displays of all sorts and I'm a bit like a magpie except I'm attracted by colour and shape. Gorgeous colours and banks of flowers everywhere, the Caribbean stands win the prize for the wierdest flowers and some of the most imaginative displays and the big chrysanthemum stand wins the prize for the blousiest blooms with the huges balls of chrysanths! It's great fun just wandering round, seeing a splash of colour out of the corner of my eye and heading towards it - not a very planned way of seeing the different stands but it works for me.

I wandered round the Pavilion for an hour or so and then decided I was flowered-out and needed a beverage and a potato meal - beer and chips in the food courtyard. Then it was time to wander round the outdoor exhibitions and stalls, looking at small gardens and statury, stalls selling colourful wellies, and garden machinery, wind-chimes and watercolours. I found the Iggy Pop garden and was less than impressed after all the fuss that was made of it. The Children's Society used the theme of 'lust for life' for a small garden with a fountain that made me think of pissing against a wall and probably quite appropriate for Iggy. Is that a joke by the designer? Cardiff's 'Dr Who garden' was also a bit of a disappointment, just a rotating Tardis in the middle of a slightly minimalist garden (not sure if was meant to be minimalist).

I thoroughly enjoyed wandering round the crowded show, on the go for about 4.5 hours so it was nice to finally sit down on the bus home. I loved bumping into a couple of Caribbean ladies every so often, usually at stands with the more exotic flowers and plants and hearing them say 'we've got that at home'. Later in the day the corporate entertainment chaps started to become more obvious (suits and jugs of Pimms and the most stereotypical loud accents). It was packed and at some of the gardens you had to stand four or five deep and wait for a chance to get close enough to see the gardens, but, I suppose, that's part of the atmosphere of Chelsea. I didn't see it all by any means but it was good. Roll on next year!

Anyways, I only took 189 photos and here is a taster (click to make them bigger). I'll eventually put a selection up on my Flickr site (click on the badge to the left to be taken there).

Seven Years

Seven years ago today I had my microdiscectomy when they slashed me open and ripped out my spine ... ok, that might be a slight exaggeration but you get the idea. I gave up smoking too.

I went into Atkinson Morley's Hospital, a small hospital in Wimbledon (probably an old country house from when Wimbledon was in the countryside) on Thursday 18 May and was discharged on Friday 19 May since a previous operation went on into the early afternoon and there was no time for me so I was sent home for the weekend. I was in the neurosurgery ward so all the ops were either brains or backs. I went back into hospital on Monday 22 May 2000 and I had the op at lunchtime on Tuesday 23 May 2000. Ouch when I woke up. I was discharged on the Friday afternoon with an enormous dressing on my back right at the height of my jeans waistband.

Atkinson Morley's Hospital doesn't exist any more, it's now a unit in St George's Hospital in Tooting. Mind you, I'd rather be there than at Chelsea and Westminster. I go back to see the surgeon at C&W on 5 June.

Equus

Tonight saw a trip to see 'Equus' at The Geilgud Theatre, yes, the play in which Daniel Radcliffe runs around on stage naked. He wasn't naked for very long so let's get that out of the way right up front. There are very few photos online of this production that don't include Daniel's chest so it's easy to spot the selling point.

I didn't really know what to expect from this play and early on I had a flush of angst that it might be full of nasty people like in the Hampton plays seen recently, but it was very different. Perfect casting for Richard Griffiths as the aimiable child pyschologist trying to help a 17 year old boy out of a nightmare of his own creation. Jenny Agutter played a magistrate who wants to help the boy rather than send him to prison for blinding six horses. And then there are the boy's strangely ill-matched parents and the sort of girlfriend. And six horses.

After the first 10-15 minutes I was snared as the story unfolded, not seeing where the play was going with all the little and seemingly natural twists and turns as the psychologist tries to find out and understand what has happened to the boy. I'm not sure I fully believed the parents - why woud an atheist with obvious problems with religion marry a nice catholic girl? Obviously they're partly a plot device to keep the play moving as we discover more, like in all the best detective stories, but they were also the worried, stressed and confused parents the play needs. I was particularly impressed by Gabrielle Reidy (who plays the mother) who acted her socks off and sent a harrowing vibe out into the theatre at certain points where I could almost feel her pain as her life is falling apart in front of us. An excellent performance.

I loved the horses, six actors/dancers with a metal horses skeleton head and platform hooves, moving stately around the stage, imitating how horses move. The only thing missing was a nice flowing mane - horses have manes, y'know. It was great watching them move gracefully across the stage, stamp and shake their heads.

It's a wierd play - very powerful but wierd. It's about so many things and (probably) none at the same time. We've alienated ourselves from passion and from feeling anything with our modern lives, consumerism v nature, organised religion v paganism, sexual mores and, quite frankly, a wierdo boy with wierd ideas. It's full of psychobabble but that didn't put me off at all - it drew me further in (which is probably a comment on me!). It shows us the terror in our souls, our unthinking impact on others and the consequences of our actions projected onto others. And none of that.

And it's a play I'd see again. I haven't said *that* recently!

The End Of An Era (-ish)

The end of an era is probably too strong but I've never been in the same job for so long before - seven years in my current job. I've done lots of different things over the years and the job has changed every year or so, but it's all been in the same broad area. That ended today and I technically start my new job tomorrow. To get an early start date I've agreed with both my current and future bosses that I'll work to both of them for the rest of May and I just need to manage my time effectively. I wanted to start my new job straight away so I can at least get my feet under the desk before having the slipped disc operation.

Monday's an odd day to have a last day, even as a technical last day. Most people in my Unit were out today, either on leave, working from home or in meetings, so it was a bit empty. But it's the only day my boss was available for the ritual humiliation that is the 'leaving speech'. Mine was quite flattering really, and focused on the things I dislike (quite vocally at times) about my current job but which are some of my biggest successes, like not being keen on researchers but creating one of the best evidence bases for any policy across the Department and not approving of international work but hosting the biggest international ministerial seminar on technology in schools anywhere in the world. Aw shucks, but it's true y'know.

I was very touched with the leaving card and gifts too. Some very nice messages in the card and the pressies are lovely. A mahoosively colourful (but tasteful) tie, cufflinks with colourful edges (doesn't show up in the photo) and a small bottle of champagne. All beautifully wrapped in stripey paper and presented in a stripey gift bag as in the photo. I love the tie and cufflinks, they're so me, and the champagne won't last long but I'm very touched that Jeannine and Susan spent so long choosing them and seeking out a stripey gift bag to round it all off. I don't deserve it. Here's a photo - it doesn't do the tie justice but it's definitely me. I'll wear it to my first meeting with ministers in my new job and my first public meeting with stakeholders - they'll need to get used to colour!

I'll still be working in my current job for the next couple of weeks really and have agreed to keep some work till it's conclusion in late June so it's not exactly goodbye forever. Before I finally leave we'll have to have the traditional 'leaving do' when more people are around. It's an odd feeling to leave after so long but not really to leave. I'm looking forward to my new job - a new challenge and I need that so badly - but I'm a bit sad to leave some really nice people behind.

Patti Smith at The Roundhouse

"You're not afraid of a fucking pop song, are you?" challenged Patti...

A trip up to the Roundhouse tonight to see Patti Smith with Chris. We were last there to see the glory that is The Dresden Dolls and this time we were upstairs in the seated area - I joked that we were probably in the back row and, voila, we were! At least I didn't have dreaded tall people in front of me.

Without any fuss or fanfare on walked Patti and the band picked up instruments and launched into 'Gloria', followed by 'Redondo Beach' and 'Are You Experienced?' - what a great way to start the evening. It was almost like a greatest hits show with 'Frederick', 'Pissing In A River', 'Because The Night', 'Free Money' and 'Privilege (Set Me Free) plus some excellent tracks from the new record, including 'White Rabbit', 'Within You And Without You' and 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'. She came back on stage to play 'Everybody Wants To Rule The World' followed by an extended version of 'Rock'n'Roll Nigger'. A fantastic set that lasted for 2 hours and I wanted it to go on and on.

Patti came on in trademark black jacket, baggy white shirt, skinny jeans and hair all over the place. Those opening words to 'Gloria', "Jesus died for somebody's sins but not mine..." are electric and it took me back to the Royal Festival Hall two years ago when I had the privilege of seeing her perform the 'Horses' album on stage (and I'm still waiting for the DVD). She's one of those people who've been around and producing good stuff for so long that they transcend normality, not really a star as such but so much more than that. Hearing 'Piss Factory' for the first time back in 1976 or 1977 is one of those moments that made me sit up and think there's more to life than I could know as a 16 year old in a little village outside Newcastle.

I'd like to have a pot of tea and a chat with Patti. No idea what I'd say but I imagine she'd be easy to talk to. She comes across as a very warm and witty person, a gentle and nurturing woman telling stories about anti-perspirant and the Rosetta Stone and a trip to the British Museum that ended in beans and nausea and a rant against pills that led into an excellent version of 'White Rabbit'. A beguiling performer.

It was a delight to see her singing 'Frederick', a song I never expected and one of my favourites, and 'Because The Night' - a song I'd actually forgotten about! She has a powerful back catalogue and loads to choose from.

After playing 'Everybody Wants To Rule The World' she snarled, "You're not afraid of a fucking pop song, are you?" at the audience and launched into an extended version of 'Rock'n'Roll Nigger'. Grabbing a guitar she joined the electric thrash. This was a highlight for me, and the moment when she shouts, "Lenny" and passes the next verse to him was superb - and it was, of course, Lenny Kaye up there with her. I've lost count of how many times I've heard that shouted "Lenny" and there it was before me! That probably sounds a bit mundane but it was a bit of a thrill.

I've had an excellent night out and Patti was marvellous. I took a few photos without flash so they're out of focus but here they are anyway.

Oh, and the answer is 'no, I'm not'.

Buffy and Amanda and Dolls

Shores Of California

Amanda Palmer is in France on holiday at the moment and typed up one of her trademarked enormously long blogs on the flight over. She told tales of the recent filming of the new Dresden Dolls video for the 'Shores Of California' filmed of course, on the beach in California. She included a link to some great photos of the video shoot by PixieVision so click on the Great One opposite to be swept away for a slideshow treat of Amanda and chums on the beach. And yes, Amanda does smile and look generally wonderful in many of the photos.

Visionaries and Clearwater

Courtesy of Michael on the Buffy wires, here's what looks like the cover of the new Buffy Sainte-Marie compilation in the 'Vanguard Visionaries' series due for release on 12 June. It's a nice pic but I'm not sure about the hat. Still need to see the tracklist to check whether there are any previously unreleased tracks on it. It's now on Amazon for pre-order at £9.99.

I've also learned why Buffy is playing in New York on 18 June. It's probably because she's playing the Clearwater Music and Environemntal Festival in Westchester County (yes, the place where the X Mansion is set!) the weekend of 16-17 June. The wires tell us that:

The Clearwater Festival is proud once again to present an exceptional roster of outstanding singer/songwriters, performers and bands featuring a diverse blend of contemporary, traditional and American Roots music, dance and storytelling. The Clearwater Festival offers a full weekend of entertainment, and environmental education workshops and exhibits. All FIVE performance stages are powered with 100% sustainable energy that includes solar, wind and bio-diesel. The musicians and artists performing at the Clearwater Festival generously contribute their appearances, with all proceeds from the Festival benefiting the non-profit environmental organization, the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater. Clearwater is one of the country's leading advocates for the environment, dedicated to restoring the Hudson River and its waterways and responsible for some of our most influential environmental legislation, including the Clean Water Act.

Still no news of the new album yet.

The Dresden Dolls Live At The Roundhouse

And this is what the cover of the Dolls' live DVD looks like. It's released on 2 July and I'll be straight up to HMV with my pocket money to grab a copy.

I was there when it was fillumed, y'know.