Be Excellent To Each Other

This man sings about British towns and cities he's never visited. Has he not visited and sung about yours?

https://open.spotify.com/album/6OdUF5DQqDywJ2cfKGN826?si=KZalIetkSjG58RJehN1cmw

I'm checking this out now. I started with the Aldershot* song, because it was one of the first places on the list that stood out to me.

*Aldershit, more like; amirite?

Radio 3's day-long Carols across the County yesterday provided a great musical accompaniment as I started work on my Christmas prep.

Obviously the standout was Petroc live from St Michael's Mount.

If you need a seasonal boost, worth dipping into.

How about... now?! (Sorry, unrelated YouTuber running joke)

Also, you might love or hate the community battle stuff that Bishu does, I'm about 60-40 on the YouTube channel edits.

What a combo* of Tune and Video…



*geddit?

TURNSTILE ARE BACK!

We took Darwin to his first concert yesterday.

He loves (like really, really loves) Jeff Wayne’s War Of The Worlds, so we went to see the War Of The World’s Spirit Of Man tour at the NEC last night.

It was incredibly good. The orchestra and band were amazing, and the musicians were staged exactly as they always have been in my imagination, up to which sides of the stage I always imagined them.

Some of the vocal performances were just mind blowing. The artilleryman getting the biggest cheer of the night (apart from Jeff Wayne himself). Jeff Wayne is looking his years but it was great to see him up there conducting, looking weirdly like Alan Titchmarsh.

And the staging was great.

10/10. Amazing first concert for Bean, I reckon. We’d never have gone if it weren’t for him just adoring the album, but easily the best concert I have ever seen, so well done on him for his excellent taste.

Ah that's magic. Very tempted to take mine. Nothing better than a great first gig.

I'm onto my non first gig, to see the manics. The crowd will be as old as I look

I thought that was the band behind you for a second

Enjoy your gig! I’d recommend the War Of The Worlds tour if you get chance to see it. Apart from the nepotism casting of Jeff Wayne’s daughter who sings about four lines, all out of tune, it’s an absolutely solid performance and experience. Pretty sure it will stay with me for the rest of my life.

Great album, War of the Worlds. Some big names on the LP, did any of the originals pop up, Mimi?

I’d love to watch that, looks great!

Can’t help thinking of Orbital’s first album as they used a sample from ‘The Spirit of Man’ on ‘Oolaa’.

No, not as far as the vocal cast is concerned anyway. They’re all about 80 now, and (blasphemous as it almost feels to think it) some of the roles felt stronger performed live yesterday than the original album performances. Not all, but there were a few standout cast members that were really special.

There’s a role on the album that I wasn’t looking forwards to as the album performance irks me a bit, but it was massively improved by the person who performed last night.

Ah, but the strings. Always the magic for me. I sat watching the strings and had to keep reminding myself to look back at the giant laser shooting tripod firing flames right across the audience.

I’ve been to see the WotW stage show twice, and had a blast both times. First was the last year they ran the show with the original music and Richard Burton hologram, and then I took Jem to see the Liam Neeson one too.

Just excellent in all forms, although I do prefer the music in the original generally speaking.

This total madness.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYNAqv9A6BM

A lot to take onboard there.