So, five days after Aussie Floyd we head across the water for the Sage and my third viewing of The Musical Box in unfamiliar surroundings. Its always been the City Hall prior to this tour and this one also has the novelty of a Black show; an approach Genesis took on one of their early tours where spotlights were trained on the members of the group providing a black background, I believe.
Always had a problem with the vocalist, whose Gabriel style dialogue between numbers was fairly incomprehensible and rather flat, but tonight he played a stormer; none of the sticking directly to the script like an act, he was the front man with a bit of drive and attitude.
I've always been impressed with the playing ability of the band so I have to say the mixing desk must have got the lead guitar a bit on the harsh side early doors, but either it improved or I just got used to it. The drummer was ace, the keyboard player was ace although brownie points lost for the rather tinny sound to the opening of Firth of Fifth which desperately needs a piano. Our man on bass is always reliable if not hypnotic; not really that type of role.
As the show progressed so did the enjoyment factor, all the favourites were there Watcher of the Skies to open, Cinema Show, Musical Box and inevitably Supper's Ready. They returned for an encore of a well put together segment from The Lamb. Again see Setlist for details. See them again? I don't know, its becoming a ritual and I don't get to see my cousin nearly enough so at the risk of living in the past (sorry, Tull fans) guess I'm a Musical Box supporter......Thank you, I'll wear it always.
Like the proverbial bus, you wait for ages and then two come along in quick succession.
Friday 6th October finds me in the City Hall, Newcastle in a party of four awaiting the arrival of quite possibly the best tribute act out there, well at least in my experience. The night was slightly tainted by the eagle eyed security men casting doubt on your desire for photographic evidence of the night and by the relaxation of the drinking rules. Never seen so many songs disturbed by people popping down to the bar armful of beer on return and getting a degree more boorish each time.
Enough I say, what of the concert - all of Dark side, and in no particular order, Shine on, Wish you were here, One of these days, Comfortably Numb and Run like Hell. I believe I heard See Emily play but I would suggest you hit Setlist for the comprehensive details
Saw them about this time last year and was equally impressed with the level of musicianship, the lighting and graphics and the attendance was a good response. Good value for the money, hope they're not as hot at cricket this winter.
Geez, I'm back in the swing here.
Pointed in the direction of 'Logan Lucky' by a tennis pal, one of those rainy days came round again and I found myself searching for it's appearance somewhere in the North East of England....somewhere, anywhere.
Boldon, Boldon? played tennis there in the past but cinema? I gradually warmed to the idea of visiting an unknown venue and made my way there via Gateshead & a couple of buses.
Film started with just 6 of us watching a movie come to the end of its term but one which turned out to be a little gem.
Basically a heist movie, it's set in the deep south where, for various reasons, the takings of a NASCAR racetrack are required revenge for Channing Tatum's character. This would also reverse a supposed curse on the Logan family name. The undoubted surprise of the film is Daniel Craig who puts in a wonderful performance as a required member of the heist team currently in prison. Bleached blonde hair and a southern drawl, he steals the film with his gummy bears bomb and his carefree breeze through life.
Directed by a resurgent Steven Soderbergh I recommend this to the house even though it may be a while before I return to an inhospitable Boldon. (Ooooo there'll be letters!)
Finally, some 30 odd years later Blade Runner 2049 hits the screen. Described as awesome by another of my pals, I visited Newcastle's Cineworld and a packed cinema for a film that respectfully nodded to its original both musically and visually. The trend towards visual glitches I found very effective and it was clear that great imagination was at work here.
Set in distopian California of 2049 the intervening years had done little to improve the role of a Blade Runner or indeed the weather (Nice to see Peugeot still trading though)
Blade Runner Ryan Gosling's detective work for the LAPD was a little too drawn out for me but parallels have to be drawn with his character and Harrison Ford's Deckart, although who indeed is/was Ryan Gosling's character?- it wasn't what he thought it was. Did enjoy uncovering Ford's implacable love for Rachel with Jerod Leto's (Wallace) gaffe in respect of eye colour.
In many ways I could go on and on about this film as perhaps too long, a little sterile in places but I can't help feeling I will look forward to viewing again and grab some of the more misleading material that the day's other distractions had brought. A slow burner?
Autumn seems to be a time of belated activity on the concert front but it also seems to have sparked off some restored interest in visiting the Cinema. You know, rainy day, not much to do and it just happens to be the cheap day at your local flea pit.
Borg/McEnroe was a title I was looking froward to for some time, particularly as it seemed that the choice of Shia LeBeouf as Mac the Mouth was well founded. Not having visited the 'Tyneside' for a while, it seemed the natural choice for a quiet afternoons' reflection on a 70s sporting phenomenon.
The centre piece was the impending battle between Borg and McEnroe in the 1980 Wimbledon final and the film's journey was directed that way. Whilst LeBeouf seems to have got many plaudits for what was basically channelling his existing angst, the actor portraying Borg inevitably had less to say but was shown to have lots of hidden anxiety. It's what made Bjorn tick that attracted me about the film.
He comes across as a supersticious performer who liked to maintain a familiar Wimbledon routine relating to cars, practice and accomodation. He also seems to be something of a pressure cooker, bottling up all his feelings to the point where winning was everything. (Spoiler alert) When McEnroe was finally to remove Borg's Wimbledon crown the following year his mojo was on the way out and he'd more or less retired by the end of 1981. Perhaps McEnroe was always allowed to be John Patrick McEnroe but Borg was full of an inner turmoil that was to ultimately befriend the two competitors but end his career.
For me the film was just a shade too European, it could have been a celebration of two of tennis' finest players but like Mac it got a bit moody, if informative. Nice try.
