For those of you who visit this blog regularly, or even once in a blue moon, I thank you right from the bottom of my heart. I've enjoyed it, but as some of you will have seen on twitter or facebook, I have now consigned it to a period of indefinite hiatus.
Fear not those of you who are gluttons for the punishment of my cultural meanderings, as ever so soon, said meanderings will make their way to a new home of www.thedoublenegative.co.uk , and can already be found at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=892725636#!/pages/The-Double-Negative/125683880858059 . Feel free too, to follow on twitter: @TheDbleNgtve / @doublenegativeM
It will still be sat here, like an unwanted pet, housing as it does a smattering of my writing for Seven Streets, Creative Times and The Biennial - all worth checking out.
The Double Negative
thedoublenegative.co.uk is coming...
Friday 18 November 2011
Monday 31 October 2011
Culture Diary, Week Commencing 31/10/2011
Mon 31/10
ROMEO ECHO DELTA @ FACT / via Radio Merseyside, 10pm - 11pm
In 1938, then enfant terrible Orson Welles broadcast H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds in the style of a news bulletin, and drove a nation to panic, believing they were listening to a genuine piece of reportage. 50 or so years on, the Abandon Normal Devices festival follows in that fine tradition of hoax radio with their transmission on Radio Merseyside of Romeo Echo Delta. An experiment in peoples' suspension of disbelief, and our fascination with the red planet, it also aims to exploit the reliance of modern day rolling news on so-called 'citizen journalism'.
http://www.fact.co.uk/whats-on/romeo-echo-delta?listing_id=2377
British Sea Power @ The Masque, £12.50 Doors 7pm
Famed for their live performances, Brighton-based six-piece British Sea Power offer up their brand of soaring indie in the dingy confines of The Masque venue. Their fifth studio record, Valhalla Dancehall was released earlier this year to largely rave reviews, aiming to bridge the gap between the bands' quirky sensibilities and their oft-threatened cross-over potential.
http://www.masque-liverpool.com/event.cfm?eventid=693
Thurs 03/11
The Ladykillers @ Liverpool Playhouse
A stella cast has been assembled for a new adaptation of classic Ealing comedy The Ladykillers. Written by Graham Linehan (Father Ted, Black Books) and starring Peter Capaldi in the role of the scheming Professor Marcus (played by Alec Guiness, and latterly Tom Hanks, in the movie versions), The Ladykillers tells the tale of how the best laid plans can go awry. Whether this production can live up to its billing remains to be seen, but really, how can it go wrong?http://www.everymanplayhouse.com/show/The_Ladykillers/577.aspx
Fri 04/11
Alice in Wonderland @ Tate Liverpool
Tate Liverpool's new exhibition aims to examine how Lewis Carroll's timeless stories have influenced visual artists over the years. Featuring works by Dali and Magritte alongside contemporary artists such as Anna Gaskell and Annelies Strba, it promises to satisfy those looking for the surreal and 'real'.
http://www.tate.org.uk/liverpool/exhibitions/aliceinwonderland/default.shtm
ROMEO ECHO DELTA @ FACT / via Radio Merseyside, 10pm - 11pm
In 1938, then enfant terrible Orson Welles broadcast H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds in the style of a news bulletin, and drove a nation to panic, believing they were listening to a genuine piece of reportage. 50 or so years on, the Abandon Normal Devices festival follows in that fine tradition of hoax radio with their transmission on Radio Merseyside of Romeo Echo Delta. An experiment in peoples' suspension of disbelief, and our fascination with the red planet, it also aims to exploit the reliance of modern day rolling news on so-called 'citizen journalism'.
http://www.fact.co.uk/whats-on/romeo-echo-delta?listing_id=2377
British Sea Power @ The Masque, £12.50 Doors 7pm
Famed for their live performances, Brighton-based six-piece British Sea Power offer up their brand of soaring indie in the dingy confines of The Masque venue. Their fifth studio record, Valhalla Dancehall was released earlier this year to largely rave reviews, aiming to bridge the gap between the bands' quirky sensibilities and their oft-threatened cross-over potential.
http://www.masque-liverpool.com/event.cfm?eventid=693
Thurs 03/11
The Ladykillers @ Liverpool Playhouse
A stella cast has been assembled for a new adaptation of classic Ealing comedy The Ladykillers. Written by Graham Linehan (Father Ted, Black Books) and starring Peter Capaldi in the role of the scheming Professor Marcus (played by Alec Guiness, and latterly Tom Hanks, in the movie versions), The Ladykillers tells the tale of how the best laid plans can go awry. Whether this production can live up to its billing remains to be seen, but really, how can it go wrong?http://www.everymanplayhouse.com/show/The_Ladykillers/577.aspx
Fri 04/11
Alice in Wonderland @ Tate Liverpool
Tate Liverpool's new exhibition aims to examine how Lewis Carroll's timeless stories have influenced visual artists over the years. Featuring works by Dali and Magritte alongside contemporary artists such as Anna Gaskell and Annelies Strba, it promises to satisfy those looking for the surreal and 'real'.
http://www.tate.org.uk/liverpool/exhibitions/aliceinwonderland/default.shtm
Monday 24 October 2011
Culture Diary, Week Commencing 24/10/2011
Mon 24/10
Tom Waits - Bad as Me
62 later this year, that Tom Waits is now approaching the age you suspected he always was must be an odd one for his fans, and indeed, the man himself. That his 17th studio recording arguably stands up to anything he has released previously, shows he's still doing his version of bar-room blues justice. Always a fascinating character, in both look and output, nobody would've wanted or expected him to grow old gracefully.
http://www.badasme.com/
Tue 25/10
She Keeps Bees @ The Shipping Forecast, Doors 7:30, £6.50
Brooklyn duo Jessica Larrabee and Andy La Plant hit Liverpool this week, touring their superb third long player, Dig On. Variously likened to The Kills, Patti Smith and PJ Harvey, it is to their credit that they don't slavishly fall into line with the comparisons; their own brand of scuzz-blues should go down a treat in the intimate surrounds of The Shipping Forecast's hold.
http://shekeepsbees.com/album/dig-on
Thur 27/10
Glitch Karaoke and Ross Sutherland @ Elevator, 7:30pm
This makes the culture diary by virtue of sheer intrigue! Billed as an 'evening of lo-fi, cut up and new technologies', it purports to connect karaoke sessions between Liverpool and London, and features a film commission from Aisle 16's Ross Sutherland. Curiosity may have killed the proverbial cat, but on this occasion, it's got the better of us!
http://mercyonline.co.uk/who-we-are/what-we-are-up-to/article/ross-sutherland-and-gltich
Sat 29/10
Evil Dead Triple Bill @ FACT, 10:45 -
Hallowe'en is almost upon us, and by way of an early horrific treat, if that's the word, FACT are delivering a gore-fest of a night, showing the movies that put the nasty into video-nasty. What the daily mail and tory government failed to tell us at the time was, that along with blood and guts by the bucket-load, this is more than matched by lashings of goof-ball humour. We can take it, what about you?
http://www.fact.co.uk/whats-on/evil-dead-triple-bill?listing_id=2269
Tom Waits - Bad as Me
62 later this year, that Tom Waits is now approaching the age you suspected he always was must be an odd one for his fans, and indeed, the man himself. That his 17th studio recording arguably stands up to anything he has released previously, shows he's still doing his version of bar-room blues justice. Always a fascinating character, in both look and output, nobody would've wanted or expected him to grow old gracefully.
http://www.badasme.com/
Tue 25/10
She Keeps Bees @ The Shipping Forecast, Doors 7:30, £6.50
Brooklyn duo Jessica Larrabee and Andy La Plant hit Liverpool this week, touring their superb third long player, Dig On. Variously likened to The Kills, Patti Smith and PJ Harvey, it is to their credit that they don't slavishly fall into line with the comparisons; their own brand of scuzz-blues should go down a treat in the intimate surrounds of The Shipping Forecast's hold.
http://shekeepsbees.com/album/dig-on
Thur 27/10
Glitch Karaoke and Ross Sutherland @ Elevator, 7:30pm
This makes the culture diary by virtue of sheer intrigue! Billed as an 'evening of lo-fi, cut up and new technologies', it purports to connect karaoke sessions between Liverpool and London, and features a film commission from Aisle 16's Ross Sutherland. Curiosity may have killed the proverbial cat, but on this occasion, it's got the better of us!
http://mercyonline.co.uk/who-we-are/what-we-are-up-to/article/ross-sutherland-and-gltich
Sat 29/10
Evil Dead Triple Bill @ FACT, 10:45 -
Hallowe'en is almost upon us, and by way of an early horrific treat, if that's the word, FACT are delivering a gore-fest of a night, showing the movies that put the nasty into video-nasty. What the daily mail and tory government failed to tell us at the time was, that along with blood and guts by the bucket-load, this is more than matched by lashings of goof-ball humour. We can take it, what about you?
http://www.fact.co.uk/whats-on/evil-dead-triple-bill?listing_id=2269
Saturday 15 October 2011
Culture Diary, Week Commencing 17/10/2011
Mon 17/10
Cave of Forgotten Dreams - DVD/Blu-Ray
Werner Herzog's has and continues to be a rich and varied career and Monday sees the DVD/Blu-Ray release of his latest documentary, Cave Of Forgotten Dreams. Focussing on human kind's oldest known artistic creations, found in the Chauvet caves of Southern France, Herzog grants us a fascinating insight into our past. Expect to be entertained and astonished.
http://www.caveofforgottendreams.co.uk/
Tue 18/10
Adam Buxton Presents BUG: The Evolution of Music Video, 6:30/8:45 @ FACT
What a treat this promises to be! For those familiar with Adam Buxton's meanderings, most recently on his radio show on BBC6 Music, co-hosted with Joe Cornish, you'll likely have more than an inkling of what to expect, and will already be giddy with excitement. Presenting a selection of his favourite music videos drawn from the BUG shows at BFI over the last year, Buxton brings a heady mixture of smart analysis and childish (read hilarious) commentary. Pick of the week.
http://www.fact.co.uk/whats-on/adam-buxton-presents-bug-the-evolution-of-music-video?listing_id=2270
Thur 20/10
The Swallowing Dark @ Playhouse Studio
Following previous hits Intemperance and Unprotected, Lizzie Nunnery brings us a psychological thriller dealing with Canaan, a man, who along with his son, has fled the horrors of Mugabe's regime in Zimbabwe. But when they meet Martha, are their troubles only just beginning?
http://www.everymanplayhouse.com/show/The_Swallowing_Dark/583.aspx
Fri 21/10
Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat @ The Kazimier, £10, Doors 8PM
When beards collide! Former Arab Strap man Aidan Moffat and fellow Scot, Wells, come together to perform tracks from their album, released earlier this year, Everything's Getting Older. At turns tender and caustic (you'd expect nothing less from Moffat, in particular), the album has been eight years in the making - you can judge for yourself whether it's been worth the wait this Friday night.
http://www.thekazimier.co.uk/event.php?id=33
Cave of Forgotten Dreams - DVD/Blu-Ray
Werner Herzog's has and continues to be a rich and varied career and Monday sees the DVD/Blu-Ray release of his latest documentary, Cave Of Forgotten Dreams. Focussing on human kind's oldest known artistic creations, found in the Chauvet caves of Southern France, Herzog grants us a fascinating insight into our past. Expect to be entertained and astonished.
http://www.caveofforgottendreams.co.uk/
Tue 18/10
Adam Buxton Presents BUG: The Evolution of Music Video, 6:30/8:45 @ FACT
What a treat this promises to be! For those familiar with Adam Buxton's meanderings, most recently on his radio show on BBC6 Music, co-hosted with Joe Cornish, you'll likely have more than an inkling of what to expect, and will already be giddy with excitement. Presenting a selection of his favourite music videos drawn from the BUG shows at BFI over the last year, Buxton brings a heady mixture of smart analysis and childish (read hilarious) commentary. Pick of the week.
http://www.fact.co.uk/whats-on/adam-buxton-presents-bug-the-evolution-of-music-video?listing_id=2270
Thur 20/10
The Swallowing Dark @ Playhouse Studio
Following previous hits Intemperance and Unprotected, Lizzie Nunnery brings us a psychological thriller dealing with Canaan, a man, who along with his son, has fled the horrors of Mugabe's regime in Zimbabwe. But when they meet Martha, are their troubles only just beginning?
http://www.everymanplayhouse.com/show/The_Swallowing_Dark/583.aspx
Fri 21/10
Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat @ The Kazimier, £10, Doors 8PM
When beards collide! Former Arab Strap man Aidan Moffat and fellow Scot, Wells, come together to perform tracks from their album, released earlier this year, Everything's Getting Older. At turns tender and caustic (you'd expect nothing less from Moffat, in particular), the album has been eight years in the making - you can judge for yourself whether it's been worth the wait this Friday night.
http://www.thekazimier.co.uk/event.php?id=33
Monday 10 October 2011
Culture Diary, Week Commencing 10/10/2011
Mon 10/10
Senna - DVD/Blu-Ray
Ayrton Senna's death at the San Marino grand prix in 1994 was and remains one of the great tragedies of motor racing in the modern era. The tag-line to this timely documentary reads 'No Fear. No Limits. No Equal.' and rarely can anyone have lived up so fulsomely to the hype; more than a decade on and Senna is still widely recognised as the greatest there ever was. Not an easy watch (the trailer for this film had the hairs on my arms standing up and my eyes getting mysteriously dewy), this film does the man and the racer's memory justice.
http://www.sennamovie.co.uk/
Rene Magritte: The Pleasure Principle @ Tate Liverpool
One of the most popular artists of the 20th Century, Magritte's vision of surrealism has had a huge impact across all forms of popular culture. With The Pleasure Principle, Tate Liverpool plays host to the biggest exhibition of his work in the UK in the last 20 years.
http://www.tate.org.uk/liverpool/exhibitions/renemagritte/default.shtm
Wed 12/10
REMAKE REMODEL @ Magnet, 11pm - 3am
It's been a long time in the coming, but Hardman Street's Magnet Bar re-opened at the very end of September, bringing on waves of fuzzy nostalgia for those of a certain, ahem, vintage. With that in mind, will it be a case of it resting on its laurels? On the evidence of last week's first REMAKE REMODEL, the answer is a resounding NO! Trading on the attractive appeal of mid-week rock 'n' roll and a measly £4 on the door with various drinks offers, the place should prove a pull for punters old and new alike.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002799707832&ref=ts#!/profile.php?id=100002799707832
Fri 14/10
Amelie, 10th Anniversary Release
A decade on from its release, Amelie is still an affecting piece of whimsy, as we follow the travails of a shy young girl intent on improving the lives of those around her, often at the expense of her own happiness. Starring Audrey Tautou and directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, the film was out of kilter with a lot of cultural production of the time, eschewing as it did the millenial tension of the era: sheer on-screen celebration.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zj0CK_jgNns
Senna - DVD/Blu-Ray
Ayrton Senna's death at the San Marino grand prix in 1994 was and remains one of the great tragedies of motor racing in the modern era. The tag-line to this timely documentary reads 'No Fear. No Limits. No Equal.' and rarely can anyone have lived up so fulsomely to the hype; more than a decade on and Senna is still widely recognised as the greatest there ever was. Not an easy watch (the trailer for this film had the hairs on my arms standing up and my eyes getting mysteriously dewy), this film does the man and the racer's memory justice.
http://www.sennamovie.co.uk/
Rene Magritte: The Pleasure Principle @ Tate Liverpool
One of the most popular artists of the 20th Century, Magritte's vision of surrealism has had a huge impact across all forms of popular culture. With The Pleasure Principle, Tate Liverpool plays host to the biggest exhibition of his work in the UK in the last 20 years.
http://www.tate.org.uk/liverpool/exhibitions/renemagritte/default.shtm
Wed 12/10
REMAKE REMODEL @ Magnet, 11pm - 3am
It's been a long time in the coming, but Hardman Street's Magnet Bar re-opened at the very end of September, bringing on waves of fuzzy nostalgia for those of a certain, ahem, vintage. With that in mind, will it be a case of it resting on its laurels? On the evidence of last week's first REMAKE REMODEL, the answer is a resounding NO! Trading on the attractive appeal of mid-week rock 'n' roll and a measly £4 on the door with various drinks offers, the place should prove a pull for punters old and new alike.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002799707832&ref=ts#!/profile.php?id=100002799707832
Fri 14/10
Amelie, 10th Anniversary Release
A decade on from its release, Amelie is still an affecting piece of whimsy, as we follow the travails of a shy young girl intent on improving the lives of those around her, often at the expense of her own happiness. Starring Audrey Tautou and directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, the film was out of kilter with a lot of cultural production of the time, eschewing as it did the millenial tension of the era: sheer on-screen celebration.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zj0CK_jgNns
Sunday 2 October 2011
AND Festival
What with my commitments to Creative Times at the mo', the Culture Diary is having a bit of a break this week. Watch out for tweets from @doublenegativeM and @viewfromahill_M for all the weeks goings on.
In the meantime, why not have a look at my blog posts on the above and check out the festival while you still can!
Here's the latest: http://www.creativetimes.co.uk/news/commercial-breakdown--2 you can find the whole set in the 'other writing' section on here though.
In the meantime, why not have a look at my blog posts on the above and check out the festival while you still can!
Here's the latest: http://www.creativetimes.co.uk/news/commercial-breakdown--2 you can find the whole set in the 'other writing' section on here though.
Sunday 25 September 2011
Culture Diary, Week Commencing 26/09/2011
Mon 26/09
Nirvana - Nevermind 20th Anniversary Edition
In an era when Sonic Youth (Goo, 1990), Dinosaur Jr. (Green Mind, 1991) and Pavement (Slanted and Enchanted, 1992) where arguably making more interesting (read better) records, it would be churlish verging on the insane to ignore that Kurt Cobain and his band captured the zeitgeist; his tragic death just three years later confirming Nirvana's status as an epoch-defining force. Tomorrow sees the release of Nevermind 20 years on, and in various formats, boasting rarities and live footage of the band. Does it still stand up? You tell us.
Thurs 29/09
AND Festival, various venues across the region
The festival of new cinema and digital culture returns for a third year in venues across Liverpool, Manchester and Preston. Boasting a range of challenging offerings, we're willing to bet one of the highlights is certain to be Atalonia, an ambitious, experiential theatre tour (it says here). Working on ideas around a newly discovered world within the Earth, The Kazimier's Venya Krutikov described it to us as "a fantastical guided tour through uncharted territory" - sounds great!
http://andfestival.org.uk/event/kazimier-present-atalonia
Clerks, 20:50 @ FACT
It seems a week doesn't go by lately that something showing at FACT doesn't feature on this blog. It's always merited though, and this week is no different. Kevin Smith's debut (and slacker classic) Clerks is given an outing this Thursday, before the release of what he's calling his final movie, Red State (reportedly his best, probably since Clerks). Reputedly shot for $27,000, and introducing an unsuspecting world to Jay & Silent Bob, we strongly recommend you take another look at this hilarity on a shoe-string piece.
http://www.fact.co.uk/whats-on/clerks
Fri 30/09
Melancholia
Though director Lars von Trier was sensationally made 'persona non grata' at Cannes earlier this year for his misjudged stab at, shall we say, Hitler humour, his film still earned rave reviews at the festival, and won lead Kirsten Dunst the best actress gong. Set against a backdrop of impending apocalypse, Melancholia features a strong cast, including a return for Charlotte Gainsbourg (glutten for punishment?), playing sister to Dunst's bride, Justine. Whatever your thoughts of von Trier, you can't accuse him, or his output of being boring.
http://www.melancholiathemovie.com/#_trailer
Dirtblonde @ Static, £2. Doors 9pm
With an EP launch just around the corner, you can catch the band this Friday for a bargainous £2, with support provided by Esa Shields and Rachele Whatever. Compared to The Jesus And Mary Chain by Alan McGee they definitely have a propensity toward shoe-gaze, while live, they aren't unlike The Kills. Either way, if you want some rock 'n' roll thrills on the cheap this Friday - and who doesn't - you can't go too far wrong by heading to Static on Roscoe Lane.
http://dirtblonde.co.uk/
Nirvana - Nevermind 20th Anniversary Edition
In an era when Sonic Youth (Goo, 1990), Dinosaur Jr. (Green Mind, 1991) and Pavement (Slanted and Enchanted, 1992) where arguably making more interesting (read better) records, it would be churlish verging on the insane to ignore that Kurt Cobain and his band captured the zeitgeist; his tragic death just three years later confirming Nirvana's status as an epoch-defining force. Tomorrow sees the release of Nevermind 20 years on, and in various formats, boasting rarities and live footage of the band. Does it still stand up? You tell us.
Thurs 29/09
AND Festival, various venues across the region
The festival of new cinema and digital culture returns for a third year in venues across Liverpool, Manchester and Preston. Boasting a range of challenging offerings, we're willing to bet one of the highlights is certain to be Atalonia, an ambitious, experiential theatre tour (it says here). Working on ideas around a newly discovered world within the Earth, The Kazimier's Venya Krutikov described it to us as "a fantastical guided tour through uncharted territory" - sounds great!
http://andfestival.org.uk/event/kazimier-present-atalonia
Clerks, 20:50 @ FACT
It seems a week doesn't go by lately that something showing at FACT doesn't feature on this blog. It's always merited though, and this week is no different. Kevin Smith's debut (and slacker classic) Clerks is given an outing this Thursday, before the release of what he's calling his final movie, Red State (reportedly his best, probably since Clerks). Reputedly shot for $27,000, and introducing an unsuspecting world to Jay & Silent Bob, we strongly recommend you take another look at this hilarity on a shoe-string piece.
http://www.fact.co.uk/whats-on/clerks
Fri 30/09
Melancholia
Though director Lars von Trier was sensationally made 'persona non grata' at Cannes earlier this year for his misjudged stab at, shall we say, Hitler humour, his film still earned rave reviews at the festival, and won lead Kirsten Dunst the best actress gong. Set against a backdrop of impending apocalypse, Melancholia features a strong cast, including a return for Charlotte Gainsbourg (glutten for punishment?), playing sister to Dunst's bride, Justine. Whatever your thoughts of von Trier, you can't accuse him, or his output of being boring.
http://www.melancholiathemovie.com/#_trailer
Dirtblonde @ Static, £2. Doors 9pm
With an EP launch just around the corner, you can catch the band this Friday for a bargainous £2, with support provided by Esa Shields and Rachele Whatever. Compared to The Jesus And Mary Chain by Alan McGee they definitely have a propensity toward shoe-gaze, while live, they aren't unlike The Kills. Either way, if you want some rock 'n' roll thrills on the cheap this Friday - and who doesn't - you can't go too far wrong by heading to Static on Roscoe Lane.
http://dirtblonde.co.uk/
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