Wednesday, 28 October 2009

Hockley Hustle pics!

Hello All,

The Hockley Hustle was a real cracker on Sunday... not that I saw much besides the inside of the Jam Cafe! The Hello Thor boys did an amazing job with their line-up and the place was packed out all day as a result. I'll pop a few pics up below and will give Anders the rest to put on facebook/the HT website etc (including the Hello Thor speech bubble pics - there are some classics).

Also saw the Subism live art/illustration going on at Nash. Some really nice stuff was produced and it's a great setting for a gallery...

Everyone was great, but the highlight for me was definitely Fists. It feels a bit like I'm cheating by picking them, seeing as how they are my friends, but they were just incredible. It helped that the place was packed out after Red Shoe Diaries' set (we were having to move tables & chairs to squeeze more people in), the atmosphere was great. Friendly, happy, fun. Fists played a brilliant set, one of the best I've seen in a while, where every tune punched its weight and each one brought something new. You can read some of my tweets live from the event here.

Pics here:


(Sorry no pic of the wonderful Twenty Year Hurricane - camera problems early on!)

Ali - Bonsai Projects


Joey & Tez - a.k.a. Burly Nagasaki - trying to bring it back by playing the saw after their very questionable pre-song banter with the crowd. I heard Tez isn't allowed to talk in future.

The delightfully well-pressed Rory McCarthy

What's wrong Ash? - Red Shoe Diaries seconds before their first tune to a full house

Fists finishing things off in style

Thanks to everyone who came along and all the bands and everyone who made it SUCH a fun day. I had a brilliant time, hope you did too and hope we all raised a bundle for charity! Well done Hockley Hustle!

Love Bex
x

Friday, 23 October 2009

HOCKLEY HUSTLE!


Yay!

It's the Hockley Hustle this Sunday!

There are loads of venues in and around Hockley hosting gigs to raise money for charity. Now, of course I'm biased, but I do reckon the Hello Thor venue looks like one of the best. Come down to the Jam Cafe on Sunday to see:

4:45pm Twenty Year Hurricane
5:30pm Vom Vorton
6:15pm Burly Nagasaki
7:00pm Bonsai Projects
8:00pm Mexican Kids At Home
9:00pm Red Shoe Diaries
10:00pm Fists


What a brilliant line-up. I'd especially recommend looking out for Burly Nagasaki in only their 2nd ever live performance. They are brilliant, and you might get to sing along too.

You can still get advance £5 tickets, or just turn up on the day and pay £7.50 on the door. The money will go to Oxfam and local NSPCC causes. It would be rude not to.

Bex
x

Tuesday, 20 October 2009

nottdance

It's nottdance time again!

nottdance is my favourite arts festival of the whole year. If you think you're not into dance, just ignore that small voice and book to see some stuff anyway. Some of the best cultural moments of my whole life have been part of the nottdance festival and I would urge everyone to see at least one thing.

nottdance09 from Dance4 on Vimeo.


Bex x

p.s. we saw the New Art Club last Thursday... amazing, check them out!

Friday, 9 October 2009

Le Donk and Scor-zay-zee

Hello!

Went to see a preview screening of "Le Donk & Scor-zay-zee" at the Broadway last week. There was a Q&A afterwards with Shane Meadows, the producer , Paddy Considine and Scor-zay-zee. It was ace. I've read a couple of snotty reviews since (take a bow, The Times) which say "why make a film in 5 days for £48k when you could make it in 7 for £55k and it would be better?". I think it's a great idea and what they are essentially doing is trying to democratise the film-making process a bit.

It helps that the film is really good too. Paddy Considine is amazing as Le Donk and Scor-zay-zee is a natural comedic actor.

It's a mock documentary about a guy who's a roadie, landlord, plumber, manages some musicians and probably more stuff too. Shane Meadows said it's a character Paddy has been doing for years, based on loads of guys they met in the "music industry" (loosely speaking) when they were in a band when they were younger. Le Donk is a bit of a loser, and he sort of knows it and sort of doesn't. He manages Scor-zay-zee (a real-life rapper, not just a character for the film) and tries to get him a support slot when he goes to be a roadie at a big Arctic Monkeys gig.

Contrary to The Times I think the low cost, low time approach has made this feel really real, fresh and fun. Plus when you heard the guys talking at the Q&A you realised that they were so nice, so down-to-earth (Shane meadows told a story about buying a pirate copy of This Is England in a cafe on Alfreton Rd and being genuinely impressed by the quality of it) and so passionate about what they do that it wasn't just an academic excercise for them, it was a way to get back to the basics of film-making for the love of it.

Anyway, here's a little bit of Le Donk for you:



Go and see it at the Broadway, it's on from today.

Bex
x

Friday, 2 October 2009

Goose Fair

A few pics from last year's Goose Fair:





Just realised that Goose Fair is back in town.

Me and Anders went with our nephew Luke and Anders' Mum last year.

(By the way, don't you think there's something creepy about the dodgems?)

I do like going to the fair, but you really can't get a better metaphor for capitalism being empty than candyfloss and garish temporary amusements. Maybe that's why there's always a slight sadness to it?

That is very definitely an adult's point of view however, as while we were wandering around choosing our next ride Luke declared "it's right you know, there ARE no limits to FUN!!". So sweet.

B
x