Did I say tomorrow?

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I never did get round to writing more about Poor Things as I said would, oh, three plus weeks ago?! Life, huh. Since then Emma Stone has won Best Leading Actress at the BAFTAs, and quite rightly, her performance as Bella Baxter is possibly the best work she’ll ever do, I totally bought into the premise of Bella. Like I’ve said previously, Poor Things is an adult fairytale, it’s not some harrowing real-life scenario, apparently some folk were real hung up on parts, hmmm, I don’t think they got it!

Bella Baxter sees life with all the glee, curiosity, simplicity of a child; there’s also the petulance and innocent self-centeredness of a child yet to discover the wider world. She’s uninhibited and unaffected by societal norms, and so doesn’t react to situations as those around her would expect; the two villains in the tale are completely undone by Bella’s simplistic pragmatic ways. Yes, there’s lots of sex, or “furious jumping” as she calls it, but as Kenny Everett would say, it’s all done in the best possible taste!

Poor Things also won BAFTAs for Make-up & Hair, Costume Design, Production Design and Special Visual Effects, which doesn’t surprise me in the least; PT is stunning in all visual aspects. Two more things, Mark Ruffalo is tremendous as Duncan Wedderburn, cad and bounder, played to the max; and I found that occasionally Bella’s turn of phrase reminded me of Amy Farrah Fowler when she first turned up in The Big Bang Theory, anyone else get that?

If Cineworld puts on all the Best Film Oscar Nominations this year I would go back and see it again, hell yeah. Would I go see Oppenheimer again? No, I did enjoy it but once was enough. Oh, I saw American Fiction last weekend, picked from just a quick glance at the blurb; good call, I thoroughly enjoyed it! Turns out it’s up for a few Oscars and won Best Adapted Screenplay at the BAFTAs.

Tonight it’s time for something completely different – in honour of it’s 48½ anniversary Monty Python and the Holy Grail is showing on the big screen. Of course I’m going! And from the ridiculous to the sublime, tomorrow evening sees Babyface and the Beltin’ Boys back at Stramash, yay!

Promise my next post will be sooner than this was! Toodle pip!

An unlikely double bill

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January hasn’t been a month for doing much, certainly not outside anyway, lucky for me there’s been things to see in the cinema. Mind, I let a few go by, awkward times or appalling weather to battle through; just two shone through as seriously worth seeing – and how, I went and saw both a second time! Just as Barbie and Oppenheimer made an unlikely double act so too do these two, Wonka and Poor Things!

Just sticking this here, just because

Okay so Wonka is PG and Poor Things is 18 but they’re both fantastical fairy tales, just one has more adult themes (probably not for a prudish relative nevermind the children!). Both have glorious cinematography, stunningly sumptuous sets; and the hair, make-up and costumes were pretty damn fine too! The music in each is so perfect to the stories, Poor Things has been nominated for the Best Original Score Oscar, along with about ten other nominations.

The music in Wonka is so so wonderful 💛 Yes, it gets a golden heart from me. Really, I cannot believe that A World Of Your Own hasn’t been nominated for Best Song Oscar, it’s so utterly charming and joyous, with a touch of bittersweet. All the songs are deliciously sharp-witted but when you have Neil Hannon of The Divine Comedy writing them, well, it’s to be expected (he’s also responsible for that Eurosong entry My Lovely Horse on Father Ted).

I have little, well, no love for Tim Burton’s film in 2005, it was all so wrong; but hearing this film was being made by Paul King (who made the Paddington films) as a prequel to the original 1971, oh yay, definitely promising news. Oh, my heartses, when the film opened with those familiar notes! A very charming bow to the original, and an orange and green Oompa-Loompa singing his Oompa-Loompa ditties too!

The whole cast are brilliant, the big musical numbers, just jaw-droppingly wow. Timothée Chalamet is perfect as a young Willie Wonka who’s sweet, quirky and a tad naive; an irrepressible optimist who’s come to town to open his dream chocolate shop….. Mean, unscrupulous baddies at every turn, but Willie’s winning smile makes friends and sells chocolates. As the story unfolds he becomes smarter and wiser but never loses his childlike sense of joy, it was like the mix of these created who he became; I fancied his eyes sparkled a little brighter (and wilder!?) and his tone had a more confident edgy smile in it by the end of the film. I reckon Gene Wilder would have approved!

Okay, I seemed to have prattled on somewhat about Wonka, oops. I’ll leave saying more about Poor Things until tomorrow. I’ll leave you with few pics from the Innocent Railway Tunnel today, the graffiti gallery has all been refreshed, so…..

Toodle pip!

So, any highlights in 2023?

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January 2024, Edinburgh is a tad cold; not that it’s stopped my walks in Holyrood Park, if anything it’s spurred me on! Early mornings up on Nethers Hill in minus degrees temperatures, biting winds. Not quite early enough to see the sunrise but hopefully I’ll make it one of these mornings, that is, if the weather stays clear, hmmm. Early mornings aren’t really my forte any more, Wednesday morning was a real challenge as I wasn’t abed until nearly three. Yes, it was a Scat Rats Late at Binkies Tuesday (generally fortnightly), I needed my fix and the interweb is only showing one more Rats outing for January (another Whistlebinkies but, well, have they actually mentioned it to the lads?!)

I just couldn’t resist a little dig there – some calendars are more reliable than others. Having said that, looking back over 2023, I saw The Scat Rats nineteen times in Whistlebinkies so I can’t really complain (twelve times in Stramash). I’ve been contemplating my highlights of 2023, funny how it starts with, errrrm, what did I get up to? to, ooo that, and, aw that was great! Let’s face it, seeing Marah & Rough on stage is always a highlight for me – a shot of their sound, bliss. I still say a live recording would be awesome!!

The fine weather in April 2023 saw a particular highlight of my year performing in the sunshine on Waverley Bridge – Ol’Times an awesome rock band from Galway. With a sound very reminiscent of 70s rock and a wiry, charismatic frontman, these guys were an absolute blast! They played to a packed out Whistlebinkies twice, I even went through to Glasgow to see them too! August saw them back again briefly, back on Waverley Bridge, back in Binkies, and in Stramash too. Hmmm, so when the summer comes, will the boys be back in town again?!

Another highlight in April was the three days of glorious weather for my road trip up to Melvaig on the West Coast. The scenery was stunning and with great tunes on the stereo, so good! It was just a shame the weather took a turn while I was at Melvaig, the drive back down was as quick as I could make it.

Checking back, I saw 36 films in 2023, erm, two of the titles I have absolutely no recall of, yup, that memorable. Top two film highlights are definitely Renfield and Barbie. Is it just that I only saw Spirited last month or it might possibly class as a highlight? It was highly entertaining – ask me about it in June.

So what about Fringe 23 highlights four months down the line? Grubby Little Mitts splashing about in little paddling pools comes immediately to mind!! Finally entering The Dark Room presided over by the magnificent and shouty John Robertson. Two brilliant impeccable performances by the Voloz Collective in one day. Seeing Aidan Goatley do 10 Films With My Dad again (one of my all-time favourite Fringe shows). More memories are popping up as I think back, but I’ll stop with those that came to mind first or I’ll end up recounting half my Fringe!

Of course, the biggest highlight my year was getting my mitts on my favourite band’s debut album, that’s Heart-Shaped Jacuzzi by Logan’s Close, in case you weren’t aware. Oh, and all the various videos, top spot to Babestation, stylish and retro, hilarious with slapstick violence, big moustaches, green screen guy, there’s a lot to love in there! LC ended 2023 with a sell-out show at the Liquid Room, an epic way to end the year!

No more highlights spring to mind, adieu to 2023, good night to you, and may your god smile upon you in 2024 💛

Goodbye ’23, Hello ’24

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When I woke up on the 1st it was raining, oh I was so tempted to go back to sleep but no, and sure enough by the time I was ready to head out the rain had stopped. The proof of the pudding is in the picture….

Yes, that is a traffic cone on top of the trig point!

Yay, my New Year tradition completed again, no thanks to the high winds – I was lucky not to get blown over to Fife! My concerted effort to be up there relatively early (about 10am) paid off, the hordes had not yet ascended, probably still their beds. After the annual pic, I found a slightly sheltered spot in the rocks for my brunch (chicken sandwich and christmas cake washed down with whisky), just taking time to admire the view and exchange new year greetings with passers-by.

I mentioned in my last post that The Scat Rats were playing Whistlebinkies at 3 in the morning on the 2nd (or technically the 3rd), I didn’t make it. The soul was willing but my flesh and bones decided otherwise, a shame. And I bet you’re wondering how the LC gig went on the 29th – totally and utterly bloody awesome!! Mind, I wouldn’t have expected it to be anything less.

It’s been many years since I was last in The Liquid Room, nothings changed; nice that the stage has enough height to allow plenty of the audience a decent view of the band. There is a balcony round the sides and back, tempting (I’ve never been up there) but I’d got myself a good spot close to the front, so was fine.

The lights dimmed to four scattered spotlights, SeanKeys started playing the opening bars of Dans Le Jardin over and over as the rest of the band came on stage and readied themselves (to rapturous applause, natch); Carl next joined in with a lush guitar sound, followed by Scotty’s velvet vocals (and a natty new top he got for Christmas). And they were off!

The set for the evening was Heart-Shaped Jacuzzi in reverse order, so next up was the magnificent Mock Marble Linoleum, yes! Back for the evening was original bassist Ollie Turbitt (he’s definitely acquired some italiano cool), slotting in fine, obviously enjoying himself, sharing plenty of laughs with SeanKeys.

In the absence of Stu, Gavin picked up some of the harmony vocals (there will be four part harmonies in the future, I hear). Great that he was actually visible, and he is a drummer worth watching.

After the chirpy cheeriness of Merry-Go-Round the rest of the band left the stage to Scott and Carl for Calculations + Guesses. It struck me that by the end Scott’s body language seemed to be trying to belie the emotion of the song, distancing himself from it, perhaps? Next, our two troubadours took us way back to an early tune they wrote, very Beatlesque!

The rest of the band returned with two Logan’s Close classics, Lost In You swirling straight through into Give It To Me, what a night!

From there we plunged back into the new album and Curious Terrain, the other grand baroque opus (the studio version is powerful, live it loses none of the nuance and gains from a full-on performance from the band). From there on to the big guns, Babestation then Heart-Shaped Jacuzzi, gotta say this way round really works well live.

It was around this point I get fuzzy, I think it was after the title track that we were treated to a new song (called So Cold, possibly?), I remember a bottle of Buckfast appearing, Scotty saying something like “I’m changing it”, the band going into I Want You which seemed to throw Ollie and Sean a tad. Well, that all happened, though not necessarily in that order!

I do remember the evening ending with Hot Blondes In Your Area Tonight and the whole place going hyper. Oh lordy, what a grand evening! And what a way for LC to end the year! Can’t wait to see what happens next in 2024 ❤️

Oh, if you’re new to this blog, do yourself a favour and check out Logan’s Close on Spotify or wherever you listen to music, hear what I’m making such a fuss over (and see why on my Instagram reels).

Wishing you all an excellent 2024! Toodle pip!

Legs don’t fail me tomorrow

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Well, the sun has set on the last day of 2023, and what a lovely sunny day it was here in Edinburgh. This morning was glorious for my climb up onto Arthur’s Seat, yes, I went all the way up. Just scoping out my final ascent path for the morning, I’m going a different way than I’ve done the last few years, this one will take a little longer but it won’t be such a scrabble up.

A gorgeous morning, bet it won’t be so nice tomorrow!

It was relatively quiet up at the top this morning at ten o’clock. Yes, early for me but tomorrow I’m gonna be even earlier, well that’s the plan, and now that I’ve told you, I’m much less likely to back out of it. Oh, I’m not having a late night, of course I’ll see the bells in but I won’t be awake much longer probably. I may go see Wonka later this evening but no carousing for this moose.

For some Christmas is a time of ghosts, for me it’s New Year’s Eve, so many glorious memories; carousing and dancing into the small hours, oh, all the dancing. Some drift away, some motor away, some get lost, some are lost. I know every one of them would have been blown away by Marah and Rough, Potts, Smit, Babyface.

Enough maudling!! Almost time to eat, methinks. Well, cook, two chicken thighs in a curry and a third to be cooked for a sandwich tomorrow, sustenance for the expedition! That, a slice of christmas cake and a hip flask of whisky. Ah, that’s a point, where is the hip flask? It does like to hide. Hang on. Haha, it was where it should be, for once.

Have a great Hogmanay and a Happy New Year wherever you are, whatever you’re up to, with whoever you’re with! And if you’re on Instagram check out all the brilliant clips of the lads playing in the Liquid Room the other night.

Toodle pip 💛

Nearly time to get Close again

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Aaand he’s back in the city! Another Yorkshire Christmas done, the luggage back is always lighter but my tum somewhat heavier, hmmm. A few walks up to Arthur’s Seat should sort that out. I was up near the top this morning, it’s frightening how quickly one’s stamina drops from inertia. Got to be back on form for New Year’s Day, you know.

A few folk were up there today

I arrived back yesterday early evening, in time to catch The Scat Rats at Stramash, okay, so a couple of numbers in, as is my usual. Oh, they were so good, gearing up for tonight in the Liquid Room no doubt, both on top form (and no alcohol even for Mr Rough, serious stuff). Loved that they did Paint It Black again, like, WOW!! And You Send Me too, such velvety crooning and exquisite guitar, oh my heartses.

The crooning didn’t end there, oh no, next up were Babyface and the Beltin Boys, yay! This is the third time I’ve seen them in Stramash, hopefully they’ll be over some more next year; they’re rather good. Julen Santamaria has a very distinctive voice, kinda old-fashioned, an almost plaintive tone that’s belied by a throwaway delivery (erm, I know what I mean, not sure you will). The guitar sound is moody and quite atmospheric. If you like a little old-time Americana this is a band to catch.

All in all, a fine evening back in the Old Town. A sweet prelude for tonight. Ah yes, in just half an hour the door into the Liquid Room will be opened, a half hour later the support Night Caller will get the room nicely simmering, ready for a full-on boil when Logan’s Close take to the stage at eight thirty. It’s gonna be so good!! Oh, and I’m having a cheeky wee aperitif of a few numbers from Nicole and the Back-up Crew in Stramash on my way there.

Must go and eat something, just one last thing, the Whistlebinkies listing of The Scat Rats at 3am next Tuesday (2nd Jan) is correct! I checked with them last night. So if you’re in Edinburgh with nothing to do on the 3rd, come and have one last blow-out for the New Year!

Have yourself a Merry Christmas

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Why have a little one? Make it as big and brassy as you like! It’s gone midnight so I must away to my bed before Santa gets here. Here being down in Yorkshireland again, a family affair; I’m on veg duty in the morning!

Wishing you all a Happy Christmas wherever you may be 💛

Christmas Carolling

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Ghosts, there’s a lot of them about at this time of year. I was just at the cinema tonight to see Spirited, it was a singalong version, not that any of the dozen or so folk there bothered to sing along (I’d never seen it before, that’s my excuse). I was barely aware of it but seeing pictures on social media of Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds, oh yes! Another retelling of A Christmas Carol with a modern setting and lots of liberties.

I thoroughly enjoyed it, Reynolds and Ferrell are both such fun playing to their usual types (but they do it so well). Overlong some say, but I was fine with it, the plot bounces along at full speed. The concept of the ghost organisation doing so much in the background put me in mind of The Cabin In The Woods. The humour is fast, sharp, clever, with some deep stuff in there. I’d definitely watch it again but I’m still not enticed to bother with subscription telly.

Sunday night I went along to Assembly Roxy to see Boris and Sergey’s Christmas Cabaret, another loose spin on Dickens’ classic. Oh, it was great to the pair again and fall into their disturbing surreal world. The old church hall was a perfect setting from them, with cabaret style seating around small tables.

Flabbergast Theatre are an brilliant company, their physicality is otherworldly, the long steady gazes and quick glances right at you can be disconcerting. Are they staying in character, or is this who they are? A ragtag bohemian troupe from another age; they’ll entertain, bemuse and slightly scare you. Oh, and they sing, what a rendition of We Three Kings at the start! Beautifully arranged harmonies, spellbindingly performed; but what on earth were the instruments? I’ve never seen them before, a sound to perfectly match the mood of Flabbergast.

Boris and Sergey are a great double act, Sergey is the cleverer, meaner one who tends to boss poor Boris around. It’s easy to become absorbed in their world, but then like a weird dream that doesn’t quite make sense, at times they acknowledge the puppeteers. Watching the two fight is always brilliant, they do fight a lot, and die on occasion, but they would go to hell and back for each other.

This is a cabaret show, so plenty of interaction with the audience (and a humbug if you’re lucky), a game of What’s In The Box and some breath-taking aerial rope acrobatics. A Christmas Carol weaves in and around the cabaret element. I thoroughly enjoyed the evening, I’ll give 4 stars; it deserves a bigger audience than was there when I saw it. There’s three more performances 19th to 21st, treat yourself, it’s Christmas!

Ghosts from Fringes Past

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Just a quickie (oo, matron)! It’s late but I feel like sharing….

The Blueswater at The Jazz Bar on Friday night were awesome, as expected. I rolled up shortly after showtime (come on, how often are these times accurate?) and was warned it was pretty busy inside – I was even given the opportunity to pop down and check out whether I wanted to commit to going in (there was a £10 entry charge), nice offer but I’d just go for it. Hell, the weather was really bad, I wasn’t going to have a wasted soaking.

It was very busy, but at least towards the back the floor is higher, allowing a better view. I could be wrong but I think there’s a grand piano on the stage, it takes up a lot of space – I was only able to see the heads and shoulders of the band (no dandruff) but I assume it’s still there, otherwise the close huddle of five of the band would just be weird. It kinda looked like they’d all ganged up against the drummer and were refusing to go anywhere near him. Okay, so that was my brain having fun, like, one scenario, Simon was letting loose some lethal gases! (Yes, that’s Simon Gibb, buccaneer and back-up crew) Haha, going along with that line, when Nicole Smit joined them for a couple of numbers, the huddle made her stand closest to him!

Plenty of classic blues was the order of the night and Felipe Schrieberg has the voice and presence to deliver them. Such a great night! Oh, and special mention for their rendition of The Wizard, wow, so, so good. And now, from a wizard to a doctor…

Oh my giddy aunt, how good was Dr Who on Saturday evening? Bloody awesomely good, that’s how good. RTD really threw everything into this episode including an old companion, a very old adversary and a Lethbridge-Stewart! Neil Patrick Harris was perfect to play the Toymaker, the man is such a great performer (apparently he was the first to play Hedwig on Boadway, god, I would love to have seen that!) With RTD back at the helm it was a great story, great script, so many digs at the state of humankind, wonderful – “the lies, the righteousness – that’s human, that’s you …… and hating each other? You’ve never needed any help with that.” He’s right, you know.

Hurrah, we met the latest incarnation of the good Doctor, and what’s this? David Tennant‘s Doctor is still among us, could he make further appearances along the line?! Who cheered with me when Donna stood up to the creepy dolls and bashed the mother doll against the wall? I’m shuddering again just thinking of her babbies; old dolls and puppets are always up to no good when they turn up on anything! The companion show Doctor Who: Unleashed had an interesting section on the filming of the puppet scenes, but I was amused that our guide seemed so unaware about how big puppetry is these days – okay so not huge, but there’s always puppetry of some ilk at every Edinburgh Fringe.

And on that note, yay! Boris and Sergey are back in Edinburgh Boris and Sergey’s Christmas Cabaret on at the Assembly Roxy until 21st December. Two hours of darkly delicious humour, macabre mayhem, oh yeah, I’m going. It’s been a while since I saw them at the Fringe, ah, not since 2016! The first time was in 2012, then 2013, those shows were both at the Pleasance Courtyard; in 2016 they had a new home, the perfect stage for them, the Omnitorium a wonderful, strange, unsettling little world on its own, set slightly away from George Square Garden. They have been back since then, but you know, so many shows to choose from!

Anyhoo, it’s very late now, I must off to bed. Sweet dreams!