Level 42 played at the Sage tonight, supported by Kenny Thomas – so I was in “Gillian Heaven!” 😉
Kenny was fantastic and I got to meet him signing CDs later. Level 42 were on about 1.5 hours and their songs ranged through the eighties, nineties and noughties from Kansas City Milkman (1985) up to the new album Retroglide – it was AMAZING!
The whole gig was incredible – I’ll have some sweet dreams with this under my pillow tonight!
🙂
…not the real one!
Classification: 12A
Runtime: 103 min
UK release date: 15/9/2006
Directed by: Stephen Frears
Staring: Helen Mirren, James Cromwell, Michael Sheen
Set in 1997, i.e. the time surrounding Diana’s death, this drama unfolds by showing us ‘day-to-day’ life within the walls of Buckingham Palace. Tony Blair has just won the election to be PM and wants to make Britain modern. …Then – the crash – all hell breaks lose while the family are on holiday at Balmoral.
The use of actual footage and news reports from the period are effective and promote quite an emotional response. For those who remember it well (i.e. most of the planet), it seems like yesterday and we are reminded of how the British (and, indeed, the world) went temporarily insane – the books of condolence; floral tributes; people sleeping on the streets to get near the barrier for when the coffin passed by; and the media going nuts and vilifying the Royal Family. Tony Blair is portrayed as the hero (as he was at the time) in persuading the Royal Family to compromise by returning to London… and to respect Diana by flying the flag at half-mast.
Helen Mirren’s characterisation is so accurate, I was completely mesmerised by her performance, there were times when I forgot I was watching a portrayal. The dignity, strength, elegance and humour of the Queen… but you also get to see a little deeper. I smell an Oscar nomination!
Likewise, Michael Sheen, brilliant as ever – again, makes Tony Blair ‘watchable’. I confess… I am a big fan and the fact that he can go from playing a Lycanthrope… to Tony Blair… via Kenneth Williams… is merely testimony to his ability as a performer.
“Have you seen the guest list for the funeral?
Elton John is coming. It will be a chorus line of soap stars and homosexuals”.(James Cromwell as Prince Philip)
Lighter moments are sprinkled throughout the film (Tony Blair in a Newcastle shirt is quite a scary sight!) but it’s one of those films that doesn’t insult your intelligence. I may have blubbed through a lot of it (the archive footage was heartbreaking! :() but, it certainly made me think about issues surrounding that period in history…yes, I know it was a movie…but there were elements that made me think “hmmm…I wonder if that could be true?”.
Worth seeing – not necessarily at the cinema – but definitely worth seeing.
What a fantastic night, I REALLY enjoyed it. Kudos and thanks to Elizabeth and Clive for my place on the guest list, it was great to watch the gig from backstage when normally (being so short) I don’t see anything! 🙂
Evan’s tickets were sold out in 15 mins so a place on the guestlist was literally gold dust! I didn’t see the support band but The Cluny was packed-out and it was good to see the ‘Newcastle University Massive’ (well… me, Mr Tomlinson and Miss Woodward! 🙂 )
One long set with the Lemonheads, then Evan did a few solo (including Outdoor Type one of my favourites!) and then the band came back on – there was also an encore and it wrapped up about 11.15pm. Devon, the drummer was absolutely fantastic (respect) and a really nice guy, the bass player (who’s name I didn’t catch!) was awesome and was also celebrating his birthday – top night for a birthday! Evan was his usual modest self backstage, even after people were screaming for him to come back on, the first night of their UK tour went off with a blast – just amazing!
Right, that’s my quick waffle – I’ve got to get some bleach on my hand to remove the Cluny stamp then off to bed as I’m getting up in a minute, to catch a train.
Night!
It’s difficult to believe it’s 12 years since Clerks burst onto our screens with it’s low budget of $27,575 financed by 10 credit cards belonging to Kevin Smith. Clerks II continues the story of Dante “I’m not even supposed to be here, today!” Hicks and Randall Graves working at the ‘Quick Stop’ convenience store. 10 years on, and after Randall leaves the coffee pot on, again, a fire forces the pair to work at a Mooby’s fast-food restaurant. Jay and Silent Bob still skulk around outside the building but now (thanks to Dogma), they have found God – this makes no difference to their behaviour – or language… they just carry a bible.
Continuing the story arcs throughout his films: Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma, and Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back; Smith incorporates the usual features such as Star Wars (very entertaining scene comparing it to The Lord of the Rings trilogy); smoking and selling weed; Mooby the Golden Calf; the Buddy Christ; as well as a ‘milk maid’ who makes a worthy appearance in the final scene. Small (but welcome) cameos from Ben Affleck and Jason Lee make the movies consistent and it’s good to see Jason Mewes (as Jay) well and working again.
Don’t anticipate a masterpiece, but Clerks II is a well worthy sequel – especially for Kevin Smith fans. Smith makes the movies he wants to make – sure, he suffers criticism (I hear Jonathan Ross wasn’t too kind about this one!), but he takes it, moves on and comes back with a bang.
If you’re a Smith fan – go and see the movie; if you love Jay & Silent Bob – go and see the movie; if you need a laugh – go and see the movie, it’s well worth it – I loved it! 🙂
..are back!
Yes, Ladies and Gents, it’s Freshers Week once again. As I type they are out on the lash in town – bumped into most of them in the Crows Nest this evening. Some all already looking like adoptive Geordies (white shoes and blotchy legs) as they were dressed for a beach-party and it’s a bit nippy outside. They are painfully young (as in they make me feel old!) and while in the Nest I saw, at least, 40% of them checked for ID at the door.
Speaking of ID, I’m on Smartcard duty all day tomorrow – I think we should have a competition to see who can get the worst hangover picture?
I have a feeling it’ll be quiet, first thing, until they make it out of bed! 🙂
Awww…little Richard’s in hospital after crashing at 280m per hour. BBC Report 🙁
George Lucas donates £93M to his former university!
🙂
Come to me in my dreams, and then
By day I shall be well again!
For so the night will more than pay
The hopeless longing of the day.
Come, as thou cam’st a thousand times,
A messenger from radiant climes,
And smile on the new world, and be
As kind to others as to me!
Or, as thou never cam’st in sooth,
Come now, and let me dream it truth;
And part my hair, and kiss my brow,
And say: My love! why sufferest thou?
Come to me in my dreams, and then
By day I shall be well again!
For so the night will more than pay
The hopeless longing of the day.
(I wish I’d written it – but it was Matthew Arnold)
Yes, an earlier ‘late night rambling’ than usual, but if I get this down, I may sleep better tonight (in an ideal world). Listening to John Mayer and chillin’ out with a small pack of Snack-a-Jacks toffee popcorn (yum!) and red wine. Mmm.. it’s amazing how some albums can make you feel better – not that I’m feeling bad, at all – quite the contrary, in fact – but there’s just something about a good song with intelligent lyrics and a good hook that lightens your spirits and makes you feel good. It can lift your heart and make you smile 🙂
Anyway, been taking it easy this week after recovering from my last assignment…well, almost – unless you count the 2 days I was working in Plymouth. I haven’t been there since I was 9 years old; my uncle used to own a newsagents there, so all I can remember about Plymouth was filling my face with sweets! It’s a shame I couldn’t have stayed longer – had a fabulous view from the Holiday Inn’s penthouse restaurant as I ate breakfast – absolutely beautiful.
One of the things I like about traveling in this job is the people you meet on planes, trains and buses… when my train to London, last week, was delayed at York (due to a fatality on the line!) a very interesting American sat next to me. He worked for the Justice Department in Washington D.C and was in York as the guest speaker at a huge international conference they were having. It’s amazing how much information a stranger will give you about themselves… maybe it’s because they know you’ll never see them again? Even on my trip to Plymouth this week, the amount of people I met in the airport both at Newcastle and in Bristol (still can’t get over the fact they’re checking your shoes now – James Bond’s been hiding things in his shoes for years – how come the airports are just checking now?) who happily chat away to you is phenomenal. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice, friendly, courteous, polite etc. but it’s nice in a strange kind of way – however, it does make your trip shorter – especially as my flight was delayed on the way back. Grrr!
I went to a bank reunion last night. One of the girls left the bank 2 weeks ago (after 20 years) to go into academia and she’s already in culture shock! 😉 It was a good night; drinks in The Blue Lounge which I’ve never been in before (unless it counts that I went in when the premises used to be ‘Booze Busters’?) and then on to the Gate of India, there was about 15 of us so it was fun but it was a bit weird at the same time. I spent a lot of time (11 years) working with these people, some I haven’t seen in the 8 years since I left… and they seem exactly the same… which is good.. it’s just that… I’m not the same… so I was expecting to find more changes… but there wasn’t any… which was unexpected.
—
Ooo… ’83 – John Mayer’ – great song :
Well these days
I wish I was 6 again
Oh make me a red cape
I wanna be Superman
Oh if only my life was more like 1983
All these things would be
more like they were at the start of me
If my life was more like 1983
I’d plot a course to the source of the
purest little part of me…
—
Aye, those were the days – although I confess I went more for the Wonder Woman/ Supergirl look, myself 😉
Right, time to shut up and go and watch TV. Nothing on (IMHO) so think I’ll watch the wonderful Hunting Venus.
Goodnight all!
