Sir Bobby Robson - Farewell

I saw the headlines on the way home - Sir Bobby Robson has died. That's sad. He's part of footballing history and was manager of both Newcastle and England, an active supporter of football and always ready to give a positive quote. When I was up in Newcastle recently I stayed in the Bobby Robson wing of the hotel.

Farewell Sir Bobby!

The Power of Buffy

I hesitate to say this, but Buffy Sainte-Marie is a powerful hero. Once you meet Buffy then other things fall into place.

What do I mean? No sooner do I get home from seeing Buffy at the Queen Elizabeth Hall than Chris texts me to say that Noddy Holder is on ITV on an 'archives' show where they show old films and Nod was on talking about old SLADE videos, some of which were new to me.

Then, this morning, the courier from Ticketmaster arrived with my ticket for Amanda Palmer's second show at the Union Chapel. I've *never* received an Amanda ticket first time - normally I have to book time off work to have then delivered (I've no idea why you have to sign for tickets when Madonna's are merrily sent through normal post). Not only do I get Amanda tickets, but I went to the post office at lunchtime to pick up a parcel that turned out to be Amanda's 'Who Killed Amanda Palmer' hardbacked photo book with Niel Gaiman.

Clearly I am blessed - Buffy, Noddy and Amanda in less than 24 hours...

Buffy Sainte-Marie at The Queen Elizabeth Hall

Last night Buffy Sainte-Marie played her first gig in London in 17 years to celebrate the release of her first album of new material in 17 years, 'Running For The Drum'. It was obviously going to be a special night for everyone there.

My last meeting of the day finished late and I scurried downstairs to get changed and head off to the gig shortly after 5.30pm, walking around Parliament Square and over Westminster Bridge to the Southbank. In honour of the occasion I wore my Most Beautiful Shirt In The World that's covered in rosebuds in celebration of the chorus of Buffy's 'Generation' - 'I just want to dance with the Rosebud Sioux this summer'.

With excitement mounting we took our seats for Nell Bryden who was opening the show. You know that feeling when you first take your seat and you realise the view you'll have? We were right in the middle of the second row (courtesy of Dawn Right Nasty) with the front row reserved for people in wheelchairs and their friends, so we had a perfect view of the stage, especially since the stage is low. I quite liked Nell, a good voice and some interesting songs but it was only her on guitar and a drummer (with a sadly small kit) so I suspect she sounds a lot better with her full band around her. She's playing in Camden tomorrow - if I lived there I'd probably pop along to see her but I think I might browse her music online instead. She has a great voice, versatile and powerful and probably worth watching.

After the interval we took our seats again and waited for Buffy to tread a London stage for the first time in an age. And suddenly there she was, striding out onto the stage with her band and singers (who I think were the Ulali lasses again, like in New York last year) and they went straight into 'Cho Cho Fire', one of my favourites from the new album. It's a great opening song with the line 'Ooo you better wake up, man it's like you're dead and gone...' before heading into a powerful rock pow wow stomp and we're off and running for the drum. This was followed by 'Piney Wood Hills' a total change in mood and pace and the audience loved it. In fact, we loved everything, clapping and cheering before and after songs - in part it might simply be that we so pleased to finally have Buffy on stage in front of us.

The audience response was quite interesting, with the largest cheers for the classics but clearly enjoying the new songs as well. There was also a feeling of deep respect and joy - I don't know how else to describe it. The deep silence as Buffy sang some songs that I first really noticed when Buffy went over to the Steinway grand piano to play 'Soldier Blue', just her and the piano for the opening of the song and you could feel the delight running round the room and could have heard a pin drop, followed by rapturous applause at the end. That's the first time I've heard Buffy play 'Soldier Blue' and she opened by saying her next song was from a film that was big all over the world but that closed in America in the first few days. She'd earlier played 'He's An Indian Cowboy' at the Steinway, the 'Up Where We Belong' version that finishes with pow wow - I couldn't help but sing along to that one.

I wasn't taking notes but Buffy was onstage for about 1:40 hours and sang (not in this order):

Cho Cho Fire
Piney Wood Hills
Cripple Creek
The Big Ones Get Away
No No Keshagesh
Fallen Angels
Until It's Time For You To Go
Universal Soldier
Little Wheel Spin And Spin
He's An Indian Cowboy At The Rodeo
Relocation Blues
Darling Don't Cry
Still This Love Goes On
Up Where We Belong
Soldier Blue
Working For The Government
The Priests Of The Golden Bull
Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee
Starwalker
Goodnight (encore)

There's something there for everyone from Buffy's 45 years (so far) career. It was a nicely paced set, with wild pow wow followed by something slower, always melodic and always thought-provoking.

And Buffy has a great stage presence, merrily chatting away to us all after the first few songs, responding to some of the shouts from the audience - we erupted in laughter at her response to a bloke in the audience shouting 'I'll hold it for you' (as her bassist was adjusting the guitar-strap) to which she replied 'So long as I don't have to reciprocate!'. Always a few words about the songs or the circumstances in which they were written - there comes a point when the clever people learn how to make music from weapons; that Joan Baez was singing 400 year old Welsh folk songs and so was Buffy, except she'd written hers two week earlier; how Bobby Darrin sent her 18 yellow roses after recording 'Until It's Time For You To Go' and then reeling off a list of people who'd recorded the song... She's been around, has Buffy, and is part of the history of music, but she's still very much now, still challenging and experimenting, still growing and teaching. And that's good for all of us.

Favourite songs were all the new ones (it's a great album) and in particular 'Still This Love Goes On' which Buffy prefaced by saying it's a song she wrote for herself, and, of course, 'No No Keshagesh' (which I tried to join in the pow wow but failed). 'Soldier Blue' was very special, 'Until It's Time For You To Go' with no sentimentality or slush, just a straight reading of a love you know won't last, 'Darling Don't Cry' and a deeply touching 'Relocation Blues' (by Floyd Westerman) with just Buffy's voice and her fingers tapping out a beat on the microphone. I also loved 'Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee' with its wild, skanking guitar riffs and the marvellous 'Starwalker'. I suppose I loved them all, really!


As she left the stage to a standing ovation Buffy cheekily quipped, 'See you in 20 years!' before vanishing. But then she came back for the encore of 'Goodnight', a lovely song in her hands and a perfect closer. Another standing ovation but no Buffy, and on came the house-lights. Phew!

I only took a few photos - I was conscious that, since I was right at the front then the flash would probably disturb others in the audience and be obvious to Buffy, and I avoided taking photos in the 'serious' or love songs. The few I have are here so enjoy them.

After the gig we queued up to meet Buffy - I was both dismayed and pleased to see how many people were before me in the queue, the queue doubling back on itself since far more people wanted to meet Buffy than expected. Why was I pleased? Because it proves that London loves Buffy - the QE Hall was sold out, that's 900-odd people despite virtually no publicity and there must have been a couple of hundred in the queue to meet her, in front and behind me.

Eventually we reach the front of the queue and step forward, copy of 'Running For Drum' ready for signing and, as she signed it, Buffy said, 'Have we met before?'. I say yes, at the Highline Ballroom in New York last year, and ask her to sign the photo of Buffy and me (which she does with the golden ink pen I bought at lunchtime) . She said, 'O yes, I thought so, what's your name?'. I say Owen. And she said. 'Yeah, I read your blog'.

Eh? What? Buffy reads *my* blog? She reads *this*?? Pride and embarrassment vie for my attention but I'm too busy standing beside Buffy with her hand in mine and Chris on her other side saying 'Cree' as her manager takes our photo (and no, I'm not publishing *that* photo). She also said she thinks she's coming back to London in January but not sure when or where, but I say I'll be there, wherever.

What a way to end the night - not only do I see Buffy in London (previously I've travelled to Belleville in Ontario and New York to see Buffy), but I meet her and she tells me she reads my blog. Gulp. Buffy may well read this review. I thought long and hard about this review before I started writing it and decided I wouldn't let that influence what I write - I know I sometimes go all fan-boy about Buffy but, let's face it, that's part of me and part of previous blogs about Buffy, so why change now?

I had a great night out, amid all the tensions about getting there on time and what would I say if I met her afterwards, but Buffy is a charming woman on-stage and off. She could charm the birds out of the trees. She certainly charmed all of us last night if the standing ovations were anything to go by. Come back soon Buffy!

On Thin Ice

For the past few weeks I've been watching 'On Thin Ice' on the BBC (various channels) about a team of amateurs trying to win a race to the South Pole in January 2009. The team comprised of James Cracknell and Ben Fogell with an unknown Dr Ed - all three of them posh lads, with James a two times Olympic gold medal winner and Ben a telly presenter with Ed being, well, a doctor. Too many posh accents and ginger/blond beards for comfort. A few years ago James and Ben rowed across the Atlantic so they're used to hardship.

Despite all that I've found the series fascinating, the training and traumas they face in getting ready for the race and then the race itself. James as the Olympic gold medal winner pushing the other two but then his body giving out first, with blisters and frostbite, pneumonia and a ginger beard. Then Ben getting frostbite on his nose and Ed having problems with his feet...

We see them pushing themselves to exhasution, to the limit and beyond. I'm not sure if this was bravery or stupidity, with them racing against experienced snow and ice athletes but, against all chances they actually came in second to the Norwegians (just like in the original race to the Pole 100 years ago). That's pretty impressive. Tonight's was the final episode but it didn't tell us whether James lost his finger or Ben the tip of his nose to frostbite but I assume they didn't.

It was adventure at the hard end and, in a sense, it's nice to know that such challenges still exist in a world growing smaller every day. Well done chaps!

Four Days To Buffy

In four days time (to the minute) I'll be seeing Buffy Sainte-Marie play her first London gig in forever. Today is the start of the countdown, with me having a Buffy day listening to Buffy on my iPod travelling to and from work. When I got home and checked my emails I found an email from Michael on the Buffy Yahoo group alerting everyone that some new sound files had been uploaded, eight songs broadcast by the BBC of a London concert back in 1992 to launch 'Coincidence & Likely Stories'. Obviously I downloaded them in a trice and now have a 'Buffy - Live In London' album.

What's more, Buffy was interviewed on BBC Radio 4 this evening on the Front Row show. Hear Buffy talk about signing away her rights to 'Universal Soldier' for $1, Elvis wanting a share of the rights to 'Until It's Time For You To Go', how she wrote the music to 'Up Where We Belong' and got an Oscar, being blacklisted in the USA and magic markers in her FBI file... She sounds on top form!

The interview is available on the BBC iPlayer for, I think, seven days, so click to listen to Buffy while you can. Scroll in to about 1:10 for the start of the interview.

Rachel Unthank & The Winterset at The Linbury Studio

Tonight I had the distinct pleasure of seeing Rachel Unthank & The Winterset at the Linbury Studio at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, as part of the 'Voices Across The World' series of concerts. It's an odd space but I had a perfect view of Rachel and the lasses on stage so I was happy.

I came across Rachel last year and got 'The Bairns' which I listened to a couple of times, thinking it was a nice album. I listened to it again before Christmas and discovered it's greatness, particularly the sentiment-laden 'Fareweel Regality'. The band is currently Rachel and Becky Unthank, Stef Conner (piano) and Niopha Keegan- (fiddle, accordion) and all sing and play various instruments. It's a pleasure to see them count The Dresden Dolls as an infulence on their MySpace site (where you can also hear some songs). I'd love to hear them re-interpret an Amanda Palmer song.

They opened with Robert Wyatt's 'Sea Song', setting the tone for the rest of the evening with simple arrangements and gorgeous harmonies, the Unthank sisters singing in accent and dialect, reflecting their Northumbrian roots. As well as tracks from their two albums ('Cruel Sister' and 'The Bairns') they sang some non-album songs and one song from the new album, due in September. It was a nicely paced set, with melancholy songs leading into some more energetic songs and even the semi-comic leanings of 'On A Monday Morning' with Rachel regretting the excesses of the weekend. We were also treated to some clog-dancing by the multi-talented Unthank sisters.


Favourite songs were 'Blackbird' with it's chirpy piano riffs conjouring up the image of a blackbird hopping round, singing it's cheeky song and 'Felton Lonnin' with it's tale of woe and Becky providing percussion by tapping her feet. I was delighted when the lasses came back on for an encore and sang 'Fareweel Regality' about leaving old Hexhamshire, change and growth, and that always touches me - I've been to Hexham many times over the years and can't see that I'll ever return, so it's farewell from me...

I'm particularly pleased to have seen them tonight since it's one of their last ever gigs. They've got a few more gigs in the next weeks but the band will then dissolve and re-form as The Unthanks with Rachel, Becky and Niopha with a bigger band around them, with percussion, brass and more strings. The new album is out in September and then there's a big tour of the UK over the autumn. They presented Stef with a huge boquet since she's returning to university to finish off her PhD and it was touching to see her wiping away tears.

The Unthank lasses had a nice line in talking to the audience and I can quite imagine them sitting in a little Northumbrian pub, chatting away over a pint and being the life and soul of the lounge, Becky telling us about the terrapins her boyfriend bought her for her last birthday.

I'm looking forward to the new album and I think I'll be seeing them in October at Shepherd's Bush. I thoroughly enjoyed the gig tonight and more would be good.

'Calendar Girls' at The Noel Coward Theatre

We went to see 'Calendar Girls' tonight, the play of the film of the calendar. One of the attractions for me was seeing Brigit Forsyth for the first time on stage - for me, Brigit will forever be Thelma from 'The Likely Lads' in the '70s, the social climbing wife and that's sort of her role in the play, as the leader of the local Women's Institute desperate to mingle with the gentry. Brigit 'putting on a posh voice' has served her well for decades and long may it do so! It must've been great seeing her play that part in Newcastle when the production toured.

Anyway, on my way to the theatre I stopped off in Trafalgar Square to see what was happening on the Fourth Plinth to be greeted by a woman with big placards saying things like 'Anthony Nolan says: Celebrate' and a group of people in the square doing as told. It was a promotion for the Anthony Nolan Trust and the people in the Square were either recipients or donors of bone marrow, since the Trust focuses on leukemia. That's a fun way of promoting a charity. I didn't realise it at the time but the reason for the 'girls' doing the calendar in the first place was that the husband of one of the WI members died of leukemia.

The play opens at a Women's Institute meeting in a made-up small town in the Yorkshire Dales with a group of good friends chatting and bored with the standard WI fare of speakers and cake-baking competitions. When the husband of the group dies of leukemia they decide to raise funding to buy a new sofa for the hospital waiting room, and they'll do this by being photographed naked for a calendar with standard WI fare strategically placed to avoid embarrassment.

The play tells the tale of how the calendar happened and what happened next, personal stories played out in public. It took us straight to the heart of Sentiment Central but, you know what? I didn't mind at all. It worked for me, the joy and sadness, the personal journeys and risks of the participants, the struggle against authority in the shape of Brigit (who, sadly, didn't get her kit off) and discovering the true nature of friendship. I laughed and cried along with them and loved every minute of it.

The cast were excellent. Sian Phillips was great as the retired school teacher and got some of the best laughs but I will always think of her as Livia from 'I Clavdivs'. Elaine C Smith and Gaynor Faye were a fab double act, rude and demure by turns and, of course, Brigit Forsyth had some great lines - I particularly liked her badminton scene with her exaggerated racket stroke that won every match (sort of). She's got great comic timing and knows when to pull her punch.

The main stars were, of course, Lynda Bellingham and Patricia Hodge who have developed a good on-stage presence as friends of 27 years standing. They are very believable and feed off each other nicely, Lynda being more blunt and out-spoken, with Patricia being a bit more thoughtful. Lynda is the first to take her top off (although you don't see anything naughty) and the first act closes with them all doing their photo-shoot.

The cast changes next week so it'll be interesting to hear how the new line-up works. A re-fresh helps most things, but I'm pleased I've seen this cast. Well done, girls!

Marianne Faithfull at The Royal Festival Hall

Marianne Faithfull stopped off at the Royal Festival Hall tonight on her tour to promote her latest album, 'Easy Come Easy Go'. The ticket said 7.30pm start and, for once, the show actually did start at the time on the ticket (well, 7.35pm).

The general assumption is that doors open, there'll be a support act and then the main act at 8.30pm or 9.00pm. Not Marianne, she walked on stage at 7.35pm so I'm pleased I'd asked about timing earlier on at the ticket office - the number of empty seats around us showed that many people hadn't checked and the seats filled up during the first half hour of the gig. We were in the seventh row, right in the middle and had a perfect view of Marianne, I actually felt a bit exposed with vacant seats in front of me since I was right in her line of vision... then people arrived and modesty was restored.

The opening song was 'Times Square', always a powerful statement and a joy to hear. The sound balance didn't seem quite right, with Marianne's vocals a bit drowned during the first few songs but that was soon corrected. She also gained in confidence and started chatting to the audience more after a few songs, even refreshing her lipstick at one point, using us as her mirror.

She mixed songs from her very long career with tracks from her new album. Two of the new songs worked particularly well, I thought, in the august company of many of her classics, and these were 'Down From Dover' and 'Hold On Hold On', both fit right in with the rest of the set. Her seven-piece band were excellent, especially the lead guitarist who was able to go wild in a few of the songs.

Favourite songs were, as you'd expect, her classics, particulary the trio from 'Broken English' (30 years old this year) - 'Broken English', 'Ballad Of Lucy Jordan' and 'Why D'ya Do It' (that closed the gig). I got the album on musi-cassette back in the day and the songs still stand up today - Marianne, clearly enjoying the massive sound of 'Broken English' commented that the song was always relevant since there is, sadly, always another war to sing about. I've always liked 'Lucy Jordan' (including Dr Hook's original) and 'Why D'ya Do It' is outstanding. I find it odd that adults - and let's face it, a Marianne audience is definitely on the mature side of the spectrum - still feel the need to snigger when she swears in that song.

She did a great version of 'Sister Morphine', painful at the best of times and a delightful 'As Tears Go By'. I wonder how many people in the audience weren't born when she first sang that song? I'd add as favourites, 'Dover' and 'Hold On' from the new album, both of which worked excellently along side the other songs. She finished with 'Don't Forget Me' with just her and the piano as the second encore, before finally leaving the stage. Two encores but three standing ovations for Marianne - it looked to me like she shed a tear along with her smiles at the first standing ovation (yes, we were that close).

I've been lucky enough to see Marianne a few times in the last seven years - I first saw her seven years ago at the now-defunct Astoria - in different venues that called for different shows. I've not been disappointed yet. If you get the chance, go and see her on the current tour. Marianne is part of music history but isn't a nostalgia trip - she's still producing great music today.

Oh, and no photos of the gig I'm afraid - Marianne asked for no photos and (for once) I obeyed.

'A Doll's House' at The Donmar Warehouse

Last night we went to see 'A Doll's House' at the Donmar Warehouse for what I later realised was it's last performance. It's a new version of Ibsen's classic by Zinnie Harris that updates it to Edwardian London and a political scenario. It featured Gillian Anderson in the lead role as Nora and Christopher Ecclestone as the politician on the way down as Nora's husband's star is ascending. Having two telly stars (X-Files and Dr Who) in the cast sort of dictates who's in the audience to a degree and last night there seemed to be an awful lot of young girls in the audience.

The play circles around how the face we present in public isn't necessarily what we're really like and the consequent fear of public exposure, particularly of past indiscretions, and the impact on personal and family lives. Nora's politician husband had a nervous breakdown and, to save him and his career, she took out a loan without him knowing to take him away to Italy for his recovery. Eight years later and the final payment of the loan is due within days when the man she loaned the money from, another politician, has been revealed as committing fraud, removed from the Cabinet and Nora's husband has been given his old job and government house to live in. The stage is set for intrigue, blackmail, soul searching and disaster, all this and its Christmas Eve too.

Gillian Anderson was excellent in the lead role of Nora and is on stage for the majority of the play. She had a nice mix of girlishness and coquettishness, a demure Edwardian lady who is aware of her sexual power over her husband and other men. She was cool, calm and dramatic by turn. Her journey of a loving, caring, if rather inconsequential, wife willing to take risks on behalf of her husband to becoming a more clear-sighted and more mature woman is believable in context although it's not an uplifting ending. No-one 'wins' in the end other than the minor characters who decide to go with their hearts and fade into the background and out of public life.

Christopher Eccleston was a bit disappointing - he acted the same role he always seems to play, a bit manic, a bit angry, a bit desperate - I vaguely recall him playing it like that in 'Our Friends In The North' as well as in 'Dr Who'. That might've been what his role in the play called for, but it felt a bit like acting by numbers. The other main character, Nora's husband played by Toby Stephens was a bit irritating, the way he shuffled his feet and couldn't stand still, almost sounding like he was tap-dancing. His flares of aggressive anger (obviously meant to remind us of his nervous breakdown eight years earlier) weren't particularly convincing either. As soon as he started talking and gesturing in the first act I couldn't help but think 'Blair'.

I enjoyed the play and the production. The set was very simple, a drawing room full of empty shelving, packing cases and trunks since the family had only just moved into the house. And, because it was Christmas Eve, an enormous Christmas tree. Unfortunately, the tree wasn't well dressed at all - my services are available to help with the tree for the next production of this play for a reasonable fee.

At the end, the front of the Donmar was mobbed and we had to go out of a side exit. I assume everyone was waiting for a final chance for autographs and photos with the stars. I wonder if it's been like every night of the play's run?

Farrah Fawcett

Everyone over a certain age knows Farrah Fawcett. Back in the '70s she had the best hair ever, any girl who claimed to be female had a 'Farrah flick', and she had the biggest and best smile ever. She invented the American smile. She was also an original Charlie's Angel. Some things matter, and Farrah matters.

She died the same day/night that Michael Jackson died so all the media and publicity jumped on his bandwagon. To a degree, I'm pleased that happened - Farrah died with her dignity intact and didn't suffer the meedja circus of Michael.

The documentary of Farrah's last two years was shown tonight - I think it was shown just a few weeks before she died in America. It chronicles her fight against cancer over the last couple of years, her trips to hospital, her private moments, the lot, all filmed by her friend to be a public record. One of the key moments was showing a young Farrah in her 20s doing a commercial for cancer charities and then showing Farrah last year going through her cancer treatment.

A shocking moment was, late in the film, when we saw an almost bald Farrah, having lost most of her hair from the drugs. For someone who's been identified for over 30 years by their magnificent hair it was quite touching to see Farrah show herself without a hat or wig. Shortly before that scene we'd been shown Farrah and her personal hairdresser and friend combing her hair and clumps coming out, then singing and dancing to Michelle Shocked's 'When I Grow Up'. It was also nice to see her fellow 'Angels' who were still friends and still part of her extended family.

The documentary closed with Farrah's son, who'd been released from prison for 3 hours to see her, lying on the bed beside her talking to his mother. Ryan O'Neil did part of the narrating, assuring her son that she recognised him and knew who he was, being a good father.

It was all very touching. Farrah Fawcett was one of the golden people and, in a way, I'm pleased that her death was 'hidden' by Michael Jackson dying - at least she has her dignity. I hated the scenes in the film of the papperazzi taking photos of her going into and leaving hosipital - that was awful. How can people do that? Cancer saps enough of your strength and will without having to fight publicity hungry scum.

Everyone fell in love with Farrah in the '70s and through her subsequent work. I'll always remember the blond hair, big smile and beautiful woman. That can only be enhanced by her bravery during her cancer treatment, being filmed in the most unflattering ways but ways that help us understand the personal disaster of cancer. Let's hope her film improves cancer research and treatment. She was a beautiful and brave woman.