So, the US election band-waggon has finally rolled to a halt - for the time being - and Barak Obama has once again emerged victorious with a mandate to govern the most powerful nation on Earth for another four-year term. And I, for one, am delighted with the result. My natural preference is for a more compassionate, less capitalist-driven political agenda (admittedly difficult to pull off in the USA), and Obama fits with my leanings much better than Romney. If I was an American, I would naturally be drawn towards the Democratic Party.
Although not directly affected by the outcome of the poll, I acknowledge that the incumbent of the White House has a certain influence outside of the 50 states, and who they are matters to me: as a Brit, as a European, and as a citizen of the world. Their decisions, their influence, will in some way impact my life.
The euphoria of four years ago, when Obama was swept into the Presidency on a wave of Hope and optimism, was somewhat lacking this time, though. As I watched the news programs this morning a number of things struck me. One was the gracious way in which Mitt Romney conceded defeat, with no public show of bitterness, and with a pledge to pray for the President for the task that is now ahead of him. Another was the way in which Obama accepted victory, which was, to me, much more understated and down-played than it was in 2008. I particularly admired his offer to sit down with Romney to look at how the country could be taken forward from this point, and his focus on the American people rather than himself as the American President.
With Mitt Romney and I hope many other people of faith across the USA and across the world, I will continue to pray for President Obama, as I hope I would have done for Romney, had he won.
Wednesday, 7 November 2012
Monday, 22 October 2012
ReGenesis @ Holmfirth 20/10/12
One of my major musical formative experiences, back in the 1970s, was my introduction to the music of Genesis: they were the first Progressive band that I really connected with. Sadly I never managed to see them perform live, and by then anyway they had lost Peter Gabriel as vocalist and were just about to part company with Steve Hackett too. But their early material, from what many regard as the 'classic' era of Genesis, always had a certain magic and allure about it.
So I was delighted to have the opportunity last Saturday to see one of the leading Genesis tribute bands - ReGenesis - perform at the Picturedome in Holmfirth. And what a show they put on for a packed house!
The tour is billed as a 40th Anniversary of Foxtrot tour, but the set was replete with material from all the Gabriel-era albums bar the first, and contained songs rarely if ever performed live by Genesis themselves.
The set opened with 'The Return of the Giant Hogweed', and immediately we were treated to a faithful rendition of the original material, but with all the flair of a live performance, and without the pretence of trying to impersonate the band - truly a tribute, rather than a mimicking. Then the opening bars of 'Firth of Fifth', which, unlike any live takes by Genesis I've heard, began with the iconic piano solo rather than the striking chord immediately before the vocals. Andy Gray, as he did throughout the set, gave a faultless rendition of Steve Hackett's guitar solo here.
The set continued with 'Harold the Barrel', which seemed just a little fast for me, but it was great to hear this oft-neglected track included; then 'Stagnation' and 'The Musical Box', which gave singer Tony Patterson his first opportunity to don one of his Gabriel-esqe masks as the Old Man at the end of the song.
To huge acclaim the band then gave us 'The Knife', a barnstorming rocker of a song, again maybe performed a little quickly, but producing a great response from the gathered throng. Then, the main course (so to speak): Foxtrot, Genesis's acclaimed 1972 album, performed in its entirety. From the opening haunting chords of 'Watcher of the Skies' to the climax of 'Supper's Ready', again this was a moving and almost faultless performance, with Patterson again employing the theatrics that Peter Gabriel made his own back in the day. It was wonderful to hear little-known songs like 'Time Table' and 'Can-Utility and the Coastliners' played live, and Andy Gray gave a splendid rendition of 'Horizons' too.
For an encore, we were treated to 'The Lamb lies down on Broadway' and 'Fly on the Windshield', before ending with 'I Know What I Like'.
The end of a perfect evening of timeless Progressive Rock that is still delighting audiences 40 years on. The musicianship from all of the band was impeccable, and I would recommend anyone to see this group of talented musicians.
So I was delighted to have the opportunity last Saturday to see one of the leading Genesis tribute bands - ReGenesis - perform at the Picturedome in Holmfirth. And what a show they put on for a packed house!
The tour is billed as a 40th Anniversary of Foxtrot tour, but the set was replete with material from all the Gabriel-era albums bar the first, and contained songs rarely if ever performed live by Genesis themselves.
The set opened with 'The Return of the Giant Hogweed', and immediately we were treated to a faithful rendition of the original material, but with all the flair of a live performance, and without the pretence of trying to impersonate the band - truly a tribute, rather than a mimicking. Then the opening bars of 'Firth of Fifth', which, unlike any live takes by Genesis I've heard, began with the iconic piano solo rather than the striking chord immediately before the vocals. Andy Gray, as he did throughout the set, gave a faultless rendition of Steve Hackett's guitar solo here.
The set continued with 'Harold the Barrel', which seemed just a little fast for me, but it was great to hear this oft-neglected track included; then 'Stagnation' and 'The Musical Box', which gave singer Tony Patterson his first opportunity to don one of his Gabriel-esqe masks as the Old Man at the end of the song.
To huge acclaim the band then gave us 'The Knife', a barnstorming rocker of a song, again maybe performed a little quickly, but producing a great response from the gathered throng. Then, the main course (so to speak): Foxtrot, Genesis's acclaimed 1972 album, performed in its entirety. From the opening haunting chords of 'Watcher of the Skies' to the climax of 'Supper's Ready', again this was a moving and almost faultless performance, with Patterson again employing the theatrics that Peter Gabriel made his own back in the day. It was wonderful to hear little-known songs like 'Time Table' and 'Can-Utility and the Coastliners' played live, and Andy Gray gave a splendid rendition of 'Horizons' too.
For an encore, we were treated to 'The Lamb lies down on Broadway' and 'Fly on the Windshield', before ending with 'I Know What I Like'.
The end of a perfect evening of timeless Progressive Rock that is still delighting audiences 40 years on. The musicianship from all of the band was impeccable, and I would recommend anyone to see this group of talented musicians.
Thursday, 20 September 2012
Clegg's Apology
I'm not ashamed to say it: for the greater part of my voting life I have supported the Liberal Democrats or their political predecessors the Liberals & the Social Democratic Party (SDP) - in fact in my 20s I was a member of the SDP.
At the last General election in 2010 I, like many others across the country, was excited about the prospect of the Lib Dems being involved in the nations political life in a way that they hadn't for the best part of a century. Nick Clegg was coming across as a leader-in-waiting, and one particular policy - opposing any rise in University tuition fees - was hitting a nerve nationally, and certainly in Clegg's adopted city of Sheffield where I live and work. Many of us remember the scenes of frustrated students unable to vote on election night because the polling stations simply couldn't cope with the numbers who turned out.
Following the election, Clegg and his party executive took the decision to form a coalition with the Tories - the largest single party in the poll, but with no clear majority - and a government was formed. Sadly, very early on in that administration, the pledge on university tuition fees was scrapped as financially unworkable, and much to my distress and anger, Clegg then stated that he hadn't really meant what he'd publicly promised.
From that point, I felt that I could no longer support the party in any election for the foreseeable future. And so far I have maintained that feeling.
Over the last 24 hours (as I write) Clegg has sought to set the record straight, to un-muddy the waters and - wait for it - to apologise (a rare word with politicians). But he's not apologised for breaking his word - for lying to voters and potential voters: no, he's simply apologised for making the pledge in the first place.
He believes that the decision to sign the pledge and then to break his word has become a weight round his and the party's ankles: too true, but he's showing no remorse at all for lying, simply for making the decision that won him so many votes in the first place. This move, ahead of the Party Conference next week, where Clegg will probably face anger from some local activists, is certainly not going to convince me to go back on my pledge, not to support the party I have most clearly empathised with for the majority of my adult life, certainly while Clegg is still leader and is still legitimising Cameron's divisive, elitist regime - a Government this country did not vote for and does not want.
At the last General election in 2010 I, like many others across the country, was excited about the prospect of the Lib Dems being involved in the nations political life in a way that they hadn't for the best part of a century. Nick Clegg was coming across as a leader-in-waiting, and one particular policy - opposing any rise in University tuition fees - was hitting a nerve nationally, and certainly in Clegg's adopted city of Sheffield where I live and work. Many of us remember the scenes of frustrated students unable to vote on election night because the polling stations simply couldn't cope with the numbers who turned out.
Following the election, Clegg and his party executive took the decision to form a coalition with the Tories - the largest single party in the poll, but with no clear majority - and a government was formed. Sadly, very early on in that administration, the pledge on university tuition fees was scrapped as financially unworkable, and much to my distress and anger, Clegg then stated that he hadn't really meant what he'd publicly promised.
From that point, I felt that I could no longer support the party in any election for the foreseeable future. And so far I have maintained that feeling.
Over the last 24 hours (as I write) Clegg has sought to set the record straight, to un-muddy the waters and - wait for it - to apologise (a rare word with politicians). But he's not apologised for breaking his word - for lying to voters and potential voters: no, he's simply apologised for making the pledge in the first place.
He believes that the decision to sign the pledge and then to break his word has become a weight round his and the party's ankles: too true, but he's showing no remorse at all for lying, simply for making the decision that won him so many votes in the first place. This move, ahead of the Party Conference next week, where Clegg will probably face anger from some local activists, is certainly not going to convince me to go back on my pledge, not to support the party I have most clearly empathised with for the majority of my adult life, certainly while Clegg is still leader and is still legitimising Cameron's divisive, elitist regime - a Government this country did not vote for and does not want.
Thursday, 6 September 2012
English Electric (Part 1)
Every now and then something comes along that makes me sit up and take notice. In recent years one such has been the band Big Big Train.
I first encountered them early in 2010, when many people were raving about their album 'The Underfall Yard', and on listening I could understand why there was so much interest in their music. Since then I have immersed myself in most of their back catalogue, which surprisingly stretches back to the mid-1990s, and have discovered the same standard of musical excellence throughout.
Later in 2010 saw the release of what was strangely called an EP (40 minutes of music used to be called a single album!) 'Far Skies Deep Time', and then came the promise of new material some time this year. That promise is now fulfilled, with more to come in 2013, with appearance of 'English Electric (Part1)'.
This is, again, a beautiful collection of songs, steeped in the Progressive rock tradition, but also suffused throughout with a celebration of England. Images of railway sidings, hedgerows, views of 'Winchester from the Hill', echoes of Betjeman in 'Summoned by Bells', and the eulogising of 'a charming old lovable rogue' of an art forger in the wondrously joyous 'Judas Unrepentant'.
Full of exquisite vocal harmonies, folky touches to the music, as well as hints of 'Selling England by the Pound'-era Genesis, this is music that your ears will love you for listening to. This band deserve to be more widely known and appreciated, and I hope this collection of songs will go some way to achieving this.
The album is available through Amazon, or you can listen and /or download from the band's Bandcamp site.
I first encountered them early in 2010, when many people were raving about their album 'The Underfall Yard', and on listening I could understand why there was so much interest in their music. Since then I have immersed myself in most of their back catalogue, which surprisingly stretches back to the mid-1990s, and have discovered the same standard of musical excellence throughout.
Later in 2010 saw the release of what was strangely called an EP (40 minutes of music used to be called a single album!) 'Far Skies Deep Time', and then came the promise of new material some time this year. That promise is now fulfilled, with more to come in 2013, with appearance of 'English Electric (Part1)'.
This is, again, a beautiful collection of songs, steeped in the Progressive rock tradition, but also suffused throughout with a celebration of England. Images of railway sidings, hedgerows, views of 'Winchester from the Hill', echoes of Betjeman in 'Summoned by Bells', and the eulogising of 'a charming old lovable rogue' of an art forger in the wondrously joyous 'Judas Unrepentant'.
Full of exquisite vocal harmonies, folky touches to the music, as well as hints of 'Selling England by the Pound'-era Genesis, this is music that your ears will love you for listening to. This band deserve to be more widely known and appreciated, and I hope this collection of songs will go some way to achieving this.
The album is available through Amazon, or you can listen and /or download from the band's Bandcamp site.
Macbeth at The Crucible
Shakespeare's tragic history of Macbeth is a play that many are familiar with, if only from struggling through it at school: the timeless tale of ambition, destiny, guilt, murder and madness; of the equally swift ascent and descent of Scotland's king, Macbeth. The autumn season at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre opens with a production of this play, following on from acclaimed performances of Hamlet, starring John Simm and Othello with Clarke Peters & Dominic West.
I attended the Public Dress Rehearsal last evening, and was part of a packed house. For the first time that I can remember the theatre was completely in the round, with seats where the back-stage area usually is, and the performance area central. The set was sparse but effective: a circle of stones around the outside, with an area that could be raised later to fashion a table for the banquet scene. The lighting was well designed and effective.
The performances, I have to say, were mixed. Andrew Jarvis came across well as Duncan, the Old Man and Siward; the two local youngsters, Joseph Pass (Fleance) and particularly Ethan Carley as Macduff's son also performed well; and Christopher Logan, who took seven parts in the play, effused as the drunken porter and camped it up as Hecate. John Dougall as Macduff, I'm afraid, seemed to shout rather than project, and much of his dialogue was lost as a result. Other cast members, on the whole, put in creditable performances.
Of the principals, both Claudie Blakley as Lady Macbeth and Geoffrey Streatfeild as the troubled king sadly came across just a little flat, delivering their lines but at times just that. I and others left the theatre a little disappointed, feeling relieved that we had only paid £1 for the night. I have come to expect better from Daniel Evans' direction: I hope that, as the run goes on, other will not be as disappointed as I sadly was.
I attended the Public Dress Rehearsal last evening, and was part of a packed house. For the first time that I can remember the theatre was completely in the round, with seats where the back-stage area usually is, and the performance area central. The set was sparse but effective: a circle of stones around the outside, with an area that could be raised later to fashion a table for the banquet scene. The lighting was well designed and effective.
The performances, I have to say, were mixed. Andrew Jarvis came across well as Duncan, the Old Man and Siward; the two local youngsters, Joseph Pass (Fleance) and particularly Ethan Carley as Macduff's son also performed well; and Christopher Logan, who took seven parts in the play, effused as the drunken porter and camped it up as Hecate. John Dougall as Macduff, I'm afraid, seemed to shout rather than project, and much of his dialogue was lost as a result. Other cast members, on the whole, put in creditable performances.
Of the principals, both Claudie Blakley as Lady Macbeth and Geoffrey Streatfeild as the troubled king sadly came across just a little flat, delivering their lines but at times just that. I and others left the theatre a little disappointed, feeling relieved that we had only paid £1 for the night. I have come to expect better from Daniel Evans' direction: I hope that, as the run goes on, other will not be as disappointed as I sadly was.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)