Tracy Chapman – London. The People

It’s been a long time coming, but last night we went to see Tracy Chapman in concert.

And bloody hell, she was good – but the audience were a nightmare. In fact, a very similar crowd to that experienced by Skytower.

I don’t understand why people pay £35 per ticket to go and see a sensational concert, only to talk to their mates all the way through it. Or to text people all the way through – and believe me, in the dark, the screen illumination can be sodding bright, and fucking distracting. I also don’t understand the point of keeping on going out to get more drinks etc. You’ve paid thirty-fucking-five pounds to see this gig, yet you spend half of it walking to and from the bar, and/or fucking off the people around you by constantly moving. You stupid self-obsessed bastard.

As for people with cameras, I don’t quite understand why they’re incapable of turning the flash off. Quite honestly, the flash at that range isn’t going to do anything, although it’s quite likely to screw up your photos. The camera thinks it’ll be getting a lot more light (due to the flash), then doesn’t – because the flash is swallowed up by the distance – so you just get screwed up and dull shots. And then try, and try again – but always with the flash on. Twat.

Oh, and why is it that people insist on singing along with all the songs? You’ve paid to see the original artist sing them, not attempt to drown them out with your own toneless/tuneless attempts that – more than occasionally – also have the wrong words too.

Still, despite all of these tossers, the gig itself was stonking.


Wallace and Gromit – Again

Yesterday I drove over to the Parent’s place, and took them to see Wallace & Gromit – Curse of the Were-Rabbit. I’d already seen it once, and loved it, so had no problem seeing it again.

As it is, I’d sent them a message when we’d seen it, telling them that they really should go. However, I know my parents, and while they’re normally horrifically busy, it’s still somehow a struggle to get them to go and see stuff at the cinema or whatever. Strange, but true. So I gave them a couple of week’s grace, then ended up just getting it organised for a free afternoon, driving over to their place, and dragging them to the cinema.

Ye Gods, Aylesbury is still an ungodly cackhole. It’s never been on my list of favourite places – although it’s frequently been seen on the list of “places to avoid at all costs, and reject any jobs that happen to be in the vicinity”. Yeah, sure, it’s been redeveloped over the last few years, but that just moves it from “irredeemable shithole” to “redeveloped, but still a shithole”.

Actually, though, the time around Halloween is probably the best time to visit the place. This way the vacant stares, shambling walk, and slight drool from the mouths of the inhabitants just seems topical, and you can (almost) write it off as bad make-up. If George A Romero ever wanted to remake “Town of the Dead”, Aylesbury would be the venue of choice.

As for the film, it’s just as good on a second viewing, and the parents loved it.

Then we made our escape.

However, on the way out it did strike me that it was somewhat ironic. Most adults there were taking their children to see the film. However, I was the child taking my parents to see it. And thus goes the process of *ahem* “growing up”.


Chocolate

Well, having tried out the chocolates I got from Puccini Bomboni in Amsterdam, I have to say that despite the recommendations, I (and Herself) still think that the chocolate from Hotel Chocolat is far superior.

So there.


Dan Brown 2006 ?

Recently, one of my work colleagues recommended a book called “The Traveller” to me, and in light of the recommendation, I bought a copy.

It’s only in hardback at the moment, but according to Amazon it’ll be out in paperback in earlyish 2006.

Jesus Christ it’s rubbish. OK, it’s brainless and easy to read, but my God, it’s bad. Not quite as bad as Dan “Effing” Brown and his sodding “Da Vinci Code” but still pretty damn bad. I’ve a suspicion though that it’s got the potential to be next year’s Da Vinci Code – easy to read, no brain necessary, and utter, utter rubbish.

To me the saddest thing, though, is that it’s actually made me think less of the person who recommended it to me. I’d thought he’d got some sense of style, but in light of this book……


Wallace and Gromit – Were-Rabbit

All I can say about this film is : Go and see it. It’s absolutely brilliant.

I haven’t laughed so much at a film in far too long. The entire thing is fantastic – and so utterly, utterly British. I was thinking about it afterwards, and I just can’t see Hollywood ever doing a film so blatantly quirky and – frankly – insane. And that, believe me, is a good thing.

It’s also interesting to compare it to the animated short before it, “The Madagascar Penguins in A Christmas Caper”. Equally brilliant, but also utterly different – and quintessentially American in a lot of ways.

The two together make for a lot of interesting comparisons and display their differences superbly. And both are well worth the money.

Simply put, just get your arse in gear and go see the film. It’s worth it.


Wolves! Where! Werewolves?

Tonight we’re off to see Wallce And Grommit : Curse of the Were-Rabbit. More thoughts afterwards, I’m sure – but it’s one we’ve been looking forward to for a while now.

God, that’s really sad, isn’t it?


La Brand – redux

So yes, Jo Brand. Fortunately (due to Herself having a brain error, and forgetting to turn off the oven) there was a support comedian on as well, which meant we still got to see all of Jo Brand’s performance despite eventually turning up half an hour late, just before the interval.

And while she was quite funny, and I enjoyed the night, I still found myself a bit dissatisfied, to be honest. She was only on for an hour, and out of that hour I reckon I’d heard probably half of it before. Not just over the last couple of months, either, but some was quite a lot older. Now, I don’t think a comedian should do a completely new show every night, or whatever, that’s fine – but when they’re on for an hour, and supposedly it’s a “new” tour, I do feel it’s a bit of a let-down to hear a load of stuff that’s been around for a while.

Was it good to see her ? Yes. Was it worth £15 each for the tickets? Um, no, probably not, to be honest.