Gosh!

my blog has officially exceeded one post, wow

these last couple of weeks have been culturally damp for me, compared to usual. no films, no exhibitions, and rubbish theatre: i saw the university theatre's production of 'the tempest' last night, and have remembered why i try to avoid amateur Shakespeare at all costs. man that sounds elitist; the reason, it may help me to say, is because i have seen so many shakespeare productions that if they don't do something a little original, i switch off.
i realise i have based my blog around theatre so far. this is mainly because i go through phases of complete indulgence and see at least a play a week, and since i have got back to uni, i have kept this up from pretty much week 1 (or week 11, as newcastle uni so confusingly likes to call it). from seeing such an abundance, i have, as i mentioned in my previous post, some clear ideas of what i enjoy when it comes to theatre. i believe the companies which sum up my tastes most appropiately are:
knee-high - a contemporary theatre company who create their own plays, often building from and adapting a traditional greek or shakespearean piece, using live music and physical theatre.
DV8 - physical theatre and contemporary dance company, and recently, the ETT (english touring theatre). i would have included RSC (royal shakespeare) on the list, but they have been prone to let me down.
(picture- DV8: to be straight with you, at the northern stage, 2007)


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the joys of re-invigoration

by this i mean that curiously old but brilliantly modern, wonderfully useful device that is a radio set. a hugely important part of my existence.

by being head of music of our student radio (NSR), i have had to go out of my way to expose myself to the local music scene, and i have to admit, it is a challenge. when i was growing up in the lovely yorkshire moors, any local band were heavily idolised and there was no way one could not know every members' mum and dad. we all followed them round every venue they played at, which, in turn, unknowingly turned us all into music gurus of the local music scene. there was barely a band within 30 miles of us that i hadn't seen or at least heard of. so it was perhaps a little unsettling coming to newcastle and, in effect, starting this whole process again without even having a scene to follow. i am in the middle of this challenge currently, getting completely lost in the realms and crevasses of the ever-expanding myspace.


the band to focus my attention the most is maybe myrtle tyrtle, who i saw twice last year and consequently acquired a copy of their debut album for radio play. their gypsy folk style and handlebar moustaches seem blaringly incongruous next to the modern indie of radio 1. they somehow manage to turn any gig venue into a kind of manic russian dancing arena, be that at the green festival or legends nightclub. a favourite live track is their cover of 'stand by me'- a song they miraculously turn into another folk classic.

we have also had squares in for a recording session the other week, who were great live. there is only two members but they do so well with one guitar and harmonious geordie voices.
anyway, i will update this on my increasing knowledge of local bands when more come my way.

in the meantime, i need some time with the czech republic.
E