End of the year and the number twenty!

As I don't have tickets for anything else this year, this will be the last posting of the year.  I was fortunate enough to see Tracy Chapman in concert. Twenty years on and still going strong. As it was a solo set there was more chat with the audience then we are used to. TC asked people to fill in request/question cards before the start of the concert. I could not think of  a specific song I wanted so I set her an essay title I had set my classes: Assess the nature & extent of secularisation in society today. any thoughts?. It was selected as her first question, she gave a very good answer about the evangelical christian right in America and followed it with the song Save Us All (I thought she might). Mid way through the concert she asked the audience how they were getting on with the essay..lol. Back to the songs, along with the standards she played Subcity & Bang Bang,  songs I have never heard live.

Obviously songs from the new album Our Brighter Future featured prominently. TC could sing a shopping list and still sound awesome. I am so glad that she continues to tour and can still sell out large venues.  I must also confess to seeing Jason Donovan this week..another blast from my teenage years, not doing as well as TC but it would appear lots of women in their 30's were willing to turn out me included. I still know the words. JD was there in my music/poster collection alongside Suzanne Vega, Tracy Chapman & Tanita Tikaram..my token Man!.

I also went and saw the play August: Osage County, outstanding performance from the whole cast, talk about a dysfunctional family and its okay to swear on stage..lots!!. Surprised to see Gary Cole (midnight caller) in the play. August is another wonderful Steppenwolf Theatre production. Looking forward to seeing Catie Curtis perfom in the UK next year, it has been 7 years.  STOP PRESS: Tanita's website update is promising some live performances next year..yippee 14yrs later!!!

Reading: Finished the Thunderbolt kid, just starting The Golden Age.

Films. None

Mood.  Stressed

Music: Still Tegan & Sara: Misc. songs in the car, Tracy Chapman: Our Brighter Future, Ani Difranco: Red Letter Day and some Tanita Tikaram songs from the selection on my Ipod.

Blog fatigue

I appear to have beens distracted by life, since the last blog posting!!. So what I been listening to?.

I have seen Kaki King playing at the ICA and Ani Difranco at the Forum, neither disappointed. Kaki's playing skills continue to amaze me, she gave into the crowd and played lovestoned lol.

Ani is now less angry, post motherhood, the Lyrics to Atom are pure poetry. I must admit i have yet to purchase red letter year (its in my amazon cart), although I have brought Babeville recently.  Off to see Tracy Chapman next month an excellent way to end the musical year. 

Reading The thunderbolt kid by Bill Bryson (very slowly), 

Worried: About the US elections

Her Naked Skin

August came and went, not much to report on the music front. I did however see the play 'Her Naked Skin', apparently the first play written by a women to be staged at the NT...how can that be!!!. A very interesting play about the suffragette movement, the governments response (Cat and Mouse). Also saw a few celebs queueing up for their tickets (Hugh Dancy, Clare Danes, Lesley Sharp). August was a weather wipe out no Sun to speak off apart from a hot week I spent in Bucharest. This being the end of my summer (last week) ended by me making crab apple jelly, I have even made some labels!!! The pictured jar found a good home with house opposite me.

Films: Saw Mamma Mia and Wall - e...mmhh!!!

Books: Read Anglo-Indian literature: Heat & Dust and Sister of my Heart.

Music: Still the Con, Driving North Chris Pureka, waiting for the new albums from Catie Curtis and Ani Difranco.

Suzanne Vega

Saw Suzanne Vega this month, she played the Piagelle Club (15/07/08) in London, not a brilliant venue, very cosy (stifling). As I had already seen her a fair few times supporting the release of the newish album Beauty & Crime....I knew what to expect. The classics are just as good (Marlene, Luka, Gypsy Left of Center, Tom's Diner) and new ones are being added to the list (Ludlow Street, Caramel). Disappointed that she didn't play Edith Wharton's Figurines or many tracks from Days of Open Hand.....Heroes go Down made up for it. Also caught the play 'The year of Magical thinking', Vanessa Redgrave in the lead role...Redgrave was obviously amazing, captured the fragility of Didion well, given her 'frame'. Hope the sociologists out there recognise the title, the magical response..Skinheads (See Brake & Phil Cohen's work)

The audience were mainly white & middle class, they always bemoan the lack of diversity amongst theatre goers..well with tickets at £45 per head what do you expect.

I didn't see Kaki again or Vega at the itunes festival even though I had free tickets for the latter!!!.

Mood: Tired & Hot

Reading: The terror dream....nearly finished!!

Listening: Nanci Griffth, Vega, Tori Amos and some early  T&S

Tegan & Sara again!!!!

T&S returned to the UK and a much larger venue, 23/06/08 Shepherds Bush Empire. I decided to stand and get to the front. They were on top form and played a fair few songs from their back catalogue, they did not disappoint. The banter was A+ especially Sara the 'gifted story teller' & Tegan's approach to stalking...cough....dating. Sara had a shiny red guitar. More take two's, Kaki King is back in town, would like to see her too...will see.

Mood: Tired

Reading: Wolf at the Table

Kaki King

I am one of those people who picked up a musical instrument in their teens and then left it to languish in the corner of the room. I never got beyond learning EADGBE!!!. I have always regretted never learning how to play a musical instrument. Last night I saw Kaki King in action and OMG!!! I have seen a few other guitarists in action but she is in a league of her own...even when playing jet lagged. It was a very intimate venue and a very musically qualified audience (me being the exception). l miss the glasses, i was going to nominate her for spectacle wearer of the year!



Kaki (Katherine) also looks a lot like a female version of the 80's child actor Oliver Barret. It's time to dust of that guitar again!!!

Last Film: Persepolis, excellent film defintely worth seeing.

Book: The Terror Dream by Susan Faludi.

Listening to: Late Night Grande Hotel (Nanci Griffith), Everybody's Angel (Tanita Tikaram)Dreaming of Revenge (Kaki King) and The Con (Tegan & Sara)

The World of Apu

I finally got my hands on the World of Apu, box set, I waited till it came down to a reasonable price!!!. I have watched part one: 'Pather Panchali' , it never fails to make me cry. Satyajit Ray's ability to capture the everyday lives of village folk is just outstanding. I remember seeing Pather Panchali for the first time 20 years ago and relating to Durga, her sense of injustice, exclusion and her rebelious streak.

I have been listening to some older music: Tanita Tikaram (the bard of Basingstoke), yes she is still around and a few die hard fans myself included wait years for a new album, the last one 'Sentimental' was released in 2005. What we would all like to see, are a few live performances. She has updated her website, it's worth checking out http://www.tanita-tikaram.com/.

Books: Just finished reading The World Unseen & The Road

Film: The diving bell & the butterfly

Best TV: Poppy Shakespeare

Tegan and Sara

My first post!!!

I have been having a rather busy time at work at the moment, however managed to get out and visit the the city that is London to catch my current favourite duo..okay the only duo i listen to: TEGAN & SARA. They were playing the koko in Camden (5/03/08), the queue outside went around the building. I arrived late by die-hard fan standards, the queue was primarily made up of teenage girls who all appeared to have their own version of the flophawk haircut..aahhh. God i felt old!!!.

Once in i toyed with the idea of of being down with the kids in the stalls/standing section, thought better of it and moved up to the second tier, better view and no sweaty bodies bumping into me, i also had something to lean on......i found my people!!. It would appear all the oldies had decided to do the same..lol.

Onto the music...i had heard of the support act Northern State, described as the female 'beastie boys' (well i had heard of them). Northern State did not disappoint, fun music.

Tegan & Sara were awesome, they obviously played tracks from their new album, The Con, there best to date. Their onstage banter is so entertaining, the womb story was hysterical as was Sara's response to the drunk heckler/screamer. They have received some rave reviews in the UK press, especially from The Guardian (my paper of choice) this could be the year they make it big, although a small part of me hopes it doesn't happen, as i don't want to share them....yes that is rather selfish of me.

I will go out of my way and try to see these girls again, in the meantime i will occupy myself with the wonderful DVD that came with The Con album.

Currently listening to Tegan & Sara, The Con standout tracks : I was married, The con, Back in your head, Nineteen & Floorplan...i might as well list all 14 tracks

Reading: 'The world Unseen', must finish it before i see the film.

Mood: Stable

Worried about: The fact i like music produced by people who have mullets, The academic year!!!