Monday 30/05
Cults - Cults
Not a band afraid to draw on, or indeed acknowledge an indebtedness to the past, Cults self-titled debut is one infused with much boy/girl sha-la-la-ing. But this is no criticism. It also happens to be an album bursting at the seams with small quirks ranging from samples to the use of glitchy electronic texture. Stand out tracks are the supremely summery Go Outside and Spectre-esque Bumper.
http://www.npr.org/2011/05/25/136463353/first-listen-cults-cults#playlist
Wednesday 01/06
Benjamin Francis Leftwich @ The Kazimier
Hailing from York, troubadour Benjamin Francis Leftwich brings his brand of fine acoustic indie-pop to The Kazimier this Wednesday. Name checking Elliott Smith and Nick Drake as influences, BFL could either be a great find or a great disappointment.
http://www.myspace.com/benjaminfrancisleftwich
Fri 03/06
Senna
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 likely to be an easy watch (the trailer for this film had the hairs on my arms standing up and my eyes getting mysteriously dewy), this film, one hopes and suspects will do the man and the racer's memory justice.
http://www.sennamovie.co.uk/
The Double Negative
thedoublenegative.co.uk is coming...
Sunday, 29 May 2011
Sunday, 22 May 2011
Culture Diary, Week Commencing 23/05/2011
Mon 23/05
All Watched Over By Machines Of Loving Grace - BBC2, 9pm
A contentious figure, Adam Curtis is a maker of 'event' television, and All Watched Over... promises to be exactly that. The subject matter this time around (Curtis has in the past dealt with issues including how politicians capitalise on societal fears, and modern idea[l]s of freedom) is the computer and how rather than liberate us, they have "distorted and simplified our view of the world around us".
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/adamcurtis/
Wed 25/05
Film & Philosophy @ FACT Liverpool
Liverpool's FACT Centre once again proves it's more than just an alternative option to the Odeon with the beginning of what promises to be an excellent series of films and lectures centred on identity and how cinema explores and represents struggles with humanity's central tenet. The series kicks off with Roman Polanski's English language breakthrough, Repulsion, starring Catherine Deneuve.
http://www.fact.co.uk/whats-on/repulsion?listing_id=1763
Fri 27/05
Dead Belgian @ The Fly in The Loaf, Hardman Street. Doors 9pm, £5
Theview had the pleasure a few months back of seeing Dead Belgian in a support slot at the wonderful Nordic Church. The standout performance of any band on the line up that night was their stirring cover of Brel's Port of Amsterdam. For this reason, I urge you to check them out in the fitting surrounds of The Fly in The Loaf on Hardman Street this Friday as they perform a full set of the belgian legend's iconic songs.
http://www.myspace.com/deadbelgianpjb
All Watched Over By Machines Of Loving Grace - BBC2, 9pm
A contentious figure, Adam Curtis is a maker of 'event' television, and All Watched Over... promises to be exactly that. The subject matter this time around (Curtis has in the past dealt with issues including how politicians capitalise on societal fears, and modern idea[l]s of freedom) is the computer and how rather than liberate us, they have "distorted and simplified our view of the world around us".
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/adamcurtis/
Wed 25/05
Film & Philosophy @ FACT Liverpool
Liverpool's FACT Centre once again proves it's more than just an alternative option to the Odeon with the beginning of what promises to be an excellent series of films and lectures centred on identity and how cinema explores and represents struggles with humanity's central tenet. The series kicks off with Roman Polanski's English language breakthrough, Repulsion, starring Catherine Deneuve.
http://www.fact.co.uk/whats-on/repulsion?listing_id=1763
Fri 27/05
Dead Belgian @ The Fly in The Loaf, Hardman Street. Doors 9pm, £5
Theview had the pleasure a few months back of seeing Dead Belgian in a support slot at the wonderful Nordic Church. The standout performance of any band on the line up that night was their stirring cover of Brel's Port of Amsterdam. For this reason, I urge you to check them out in the fitting surrounds of The Fly in The Loaf on Hardman Street this Friday as they perform a full set of the belgian legend's iconic songs.
http://www.myspace.com/deadbelgianpjb
Sunday, 15 May 2011
Culture Diary, week commencing 16/05/2011
Hello! Mrs View here. Mr View is up to all sorts at ATP Festival this weekend so I'm stepping in. Here are the top things happening this week that I'm particularly psyched about...
Thurs 19/05
PARTS UNKNOWN
12 artists from The Royal Standard Gallery, Liverpool, exhibit at Embassy Gallery, Edinburgh
The next exhibition from Liverpool's best contemporary arts space and studios (yes, I am biased, but it IS good) sees 12 of its artists making art in situ, playing with whatever materials and ideas they can find in Scotland's Capital. Kinda like the Wombles if they invaded an art gallery. And were talented artists. (You're fired. Mr View.)
http://www.embassygallery.org/upcoming/
Out Now
The Walking Dead DVD & Blu-Ray Release
Andrew Lincoln from This Life? Check. Drama about relationships? Check. American accent? Erm ok. Zombies? Hang on a minute... Oh yes, silly me, its The Walking Dead, and thank god it's here to perk up our Sunday evenings. Antiques Roadshow it ain't - there's more swearing, death and spilled giblets than Fiona Bruce could shake an axe at. Scary, funny and utterly compelling.
http://www.channel5.com/shows/the-walking-dead
Thurs 19/05
Mark Leckey
Serpentine Gallery, London
Yes, I know, TWO art exhibitions in the same blog this week. But Mark Leckey is worth it, we promise. 'Cinema In The Round', his lecture about the nature of images and cinematic objects, is the only presentation I've seen to successfully reference Homer Simpson's shoes, oranges and Felix the Cat all in one go. Hailing from Birkenhead (a self-confessed 'scally') and now a global star after winning the 2008 Turner Prize, Leckey's work is sharp, witty and I wish he'd been my lecturer at art school.
http://www.serpentinegallery.org/2011/03/mark_leckey_19_may_26_june_201_1.html
Thurs 19-Sat 21/05
Kurt Vile and The Violators
Plus many more at Liverpool Soundcity
In it's third year, Soundcity has grown into a pretty cool, quality festival that might be this city's musical CPR. For instance, the presence of Kurt Vile. Signed to awesome label Matador, mates with Josh T. Pearson, and owner of a quite frankly lovely head of hair, he also produces the most glorious music. All teenage summers and awkward first kisses. The Philadelphian brings all this to Soundcity this weekend, along with what promises to be the best and brightest of future music. The View is looking forward to seeing tons of new music as well as favourites Yuck, Willy Mason, and Colorama. There's also an intriguing line up of guest speakers in the first two days at the Liverpool Hilton which is certainly not your usual festival fayre. Worth a £40 weekend wristband we'd say.
http://www.liverpoolsoundcity.co.uk/index.html
Thurs 19/05
PARTS UNKNOWN
12 artists from The Royal Standard Gallery, Liverpool, exhibit at Embassy Gallery, Edinburgh
The next exhibition from Liverpool's best contemporary arts space and studios (yes, I am biased, but it IS good) sees 12 of its artists making art in situ, playing with whatever materials and ideas they can find in Scotland's Capital. Kinda like the Wombles if they invaded an art gallery. And were talented artists. (You're fired. Mr View.)
http://www.embassygallery.org/upcoming/
Out Now
The Walking Dead DVD & Blu-Ray Release
Andrew Lincoln from This Life? Check. Drama about relationships? Check. American accent? Erm ok. Zombies? Hang on a minute... Oh yes, silly me, its The Walking Dead, and thank god it's here to perk up our Sunday evenings. Antiques Roadshow it ain't - there's more swearing, death and spilled giblets than Fiona Bruce could shake an axe at. Scary, funny and utterly compelling.
http://www.channel5.com/shows/the-walking-dead
Thurs 19/05
Mark Leckey
Serpentine Gallery, London
Yes, I know, TWO art exhibitions in the same blog this week. But Mark Leckey is worth it, we promise. 'Cinema In The Round', his lecture about the nature of images and cinematic objects, is the only presentation I've seen to successfully reference Homer Simpson's shoes, oranges and Felix the Cat all in one go. Hailing from Birkenhead (a self-confessed 'scally') and now a global star after winning the 2008 Turner Prize, Leckey's work is sharp, witty and I wish he'd been my lecturer at art school.
http://www.serpentinegallery.org/2011/03/mark_leckey_19_may_26_june_201_1.html
Thurs 19-Sat 21/05
Kurt Vile and The Violators
Plus many more at Liverpool Soundcity
In it's third year, Soundcity has grown into a pretty cool, quality festival that might be this city's musical CPR. For instance, the presence of Kurt Vile. Signed to awesome label Matador, mates with Josh T. Pearson, and owner of a quite frankly lovely head of hair, he also produces the most glorious music. All teenage summers and awkward first kisses. The Philadelphian brings all this to Soundcity this weekend, along with what promises to be the best and brightest of future music. The View is looking forward to seeing tons of new music as well as favourites Yuck, Willy Mason, and Colorama. There's also an intriguing line up of guest speakers in the first two days at the Liverpool Hilton which is certainly not your usual festival fayre. Worth a £40 weekend wristband we'd say.
http://www.liverpoolsoundcity.co.uk/index.html
Saturday, 7 May 2011
Culture Diary, Week Commencing 09/05/2011
Mon 09/05
Austra - Lose It
Hailing from Canada, Austra are a three piece made up of virtuoso vocalist Katie Stelmanis, bassist Dorian Wolf and beats supremo Maya Postepski. Lose It is the second track taken from their debut album (on Domino Records - as good a recommendation as I can give), Feel It Break.
Wed 11/05
Olof Arnalds @ Static
Though you may not be familiar with the name, Arnalds isn't exactly a new kid on the block; active on the indie scene in her native Iceland for a number of years and a touring member of Mum since 2003, she released her second solo effort Innundir skinni (produced by Kjartan Sveinsson of Sigur Ros) in 2010. Compared variously to the likes of Judee Sill and Kate Bush, hers is nonetheless a singular voice in what can often be a sea of mediocrity.
http://www.ticketline.co.uk/artist/olof-arnalds
Fri 13/05
Attack the Block
One of life's simplest pleasures for theview is lazily waking up and getting ready for the day to Adam & Joe on BBC Radio 6, and I could not have been happier when they returned to the Saturday morning slot recently. The reason for their time away was various solo projects. One such project from Joe (Cornish), is Attack The Block, a comedy about what happens when an alien invasion force is faced with the very real horror of encountering a teen gang on a South London estate.
http://www.attacktheblock.com/
Light Night - Venues across Liverpool
Featuring over 50 special events and openings across Liverpool City centre, Light Night provides an opportunity to get the weekend off to an exciting and cultured start. Highlights include: tours of the tower at the Anglican Cathedral, Tate's free collection being open late into the night with live music, and The Town Hall open night. On top of this, it's fair to expect gem-like offerings and late opening from the city's best indies, such as The Royal Standard on Vauxhall Road.
http://www.lightnight.co.uk/liverpool.php
Austra - Lose It
Hailing from Canada, Austra are a three piece made up of virtuoso vocalist Katie Stelmanis, bassist Dorian Wolf and beats supremo Maya Postepski. Lose It is the second track taken from their debut album (on Domino Records - as good a recommendation as I can give), Feel It Break.
Wed 11/05
Olof Arnalds @ Static
Though you may not be familiar with the name, Arnalds isn't exactly a new kid on the block; active on the indie scene in her native Iceland for a number of years and a touring member of Mum since 2003, she released her second solo effort Innundir skinni (produced by Kjartan Sveinsson of Sigur Ros) in 2010. Compared variously to the likes of Judee Sill and Kate Bush, hers is nonetheless a singular voice in what can often be a sea of mediocrity.
http://www.ticketline.co.uk/artist/olof-arnalds
Fri 13/05
Attack the Block
One of life's simplest pleasures for theview is lazily waking up and getting ready for the day to Adam & Joe on BBC Radio 6, and I could not have been happier when they returned to the Saturday morning slot recently. The reason for their time away was various solo projects. One such project from Joe (Cornish), is Attack The Block, a comedy about what happens when an alien invasion force is faced with the very real horror of encountering a teen gang on a South London estate.
http://www.attacktheblock.com/
Light Night - Venues across Liverpool
Featuring over 50 special events and openings across Liverpool City centre, Light Night provides an opportunity to get the weekend off to an exciting and cultured start. Highlights include: tours of the tower at the Anglican Cathedral, Tate's free collection being open late into the night with live music, and The Town Hall open night. On top of this, it's fair to expect gem-like offerings and late opening from the city's best indies, such as The Royal Standard on Vauxhall Road.
http://www.lightnight.co.uk/liverpool.php
Saturday, 30 April 2011
Culture Diary, Week Commencing 02/05/2011
Mon 02/05
Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part Two
Mike D, MCA and AD-Rock return with their confusingly titled eighth studio album (no Hot Sauce Committee Part One exists). Now in their fourth decade, the boys output never strays too far from the familiar - HSCP2 sees the Beasties revisit their old skool roots. It's familiar in the way a favourite meal or pair of slippers is. Not breaking too many boundaries these days then, but still relevant and more importantly, still good.
http://beastieboys.com/
Thur 05/05
Psychoville BBC2 @ 10pm
It's not that theview doesn't like TV (some of it is on a par with the best cinema) but it's the one thing I've always left off the blog. It wasn't really a conscious decision, more of a given almost. But today all that changed, I learned Psychoville was returning to our screens and with it all those maladjusted (and brilliant) characters of the first series - terrifying childrens 'entertainer' Mr Jelly is probably my personal fave. Be excited, but mostly be afraid!!!
Fri 06/05
Macbeth @ The Everyman
Son of the Everyman, David Morrissey returns to the theatre where it all started for him, playing the title role of the murderous and paranoid King of the realm, opposite Julia ford as Lady Macbeth.
http://www.everymanplayhouse.com/show/MACBETH/521.aspx
Hanna
Directed by Joe Wright (of Atonement fame), Hanna tells the tale of a 16 year old girl, raised by her father to be the perfect assassin (for reasons which become clear). A strong ensemble cast features Saoirse Ronan as Hanna, Eric Bana as her father and Cate Blanchett as the corrupt CIA agent Hanna must eliminate, this movie promises thrills and spills aplenty.
http://www.hannathemovie.com/
Beastie Boys - Hot Sauce Committee Part Two
Mike D, MCA and AD-Rock return with their confusingly titled eighth studio album (no Hot Sauce Committee Part One exists). Now in their fourth decade, the boys output never strays too far from the familiar - HSCP2 sees the Beasties revisit their old skool roots. It's familiar in the way a favourite meal or pair of slippers is. Not breaking too many boundaries these days then, but still relevant and more importantly, still good.
http://beastieboys.com/
Thur 05/05
Psychoville BBC2 @ 10pm
It's not that theview doesn't like TV (some of it is on a par with the best cinema) but it's the one thing I've always left off the blog. It wasn't really a conscious decision, more of a given almost. But today all that changed, I learned Psychoville was returning to our screens and with it all those maladjusted (and brilliant) characters of the first series - terrifying childrens 'entertainer' Mr Jelly is probably my personal fave. Be excited, but mostly be afraid!!!
Fri 06/05
Macbeth @ The Everyman
Son of the Everyman, David Morrissey returns to the theatre where it all started for him, playing the title role of the murderous and paranoid King of the realm, opposite Julia ford as Lady Macbeth.
http://www.everymanplayhouse.com/show/MACBETH/521.aspx
Hanna
Directed by Joe Wright (of Atonement fame), Hanna tells the tale of a 16 year old girl, raised by her father to be the perfect assassin (for reasons which become clear). A strong ensemble cast features Saoirse Ronan as Hanna, Eric Bana as her father and Cate Blanchett as the corrupt CIA agent Hanna must eliminate, this movie promises thrills and spills aplenty.
http://www.hannathemovie.com/
Saturday, 23 April 2011
Culture Diary, Week Commencing 25/04/2011
Wed 27/04
Thor
Marvel's Norse God Thor gets the big screen treatment. This latest comic book to movie adaptation is helmed by Kenneth Brannagh and stars relative unknown Chris Hemsworth as the God turfed out of Asgard to live amongst humble human kind. Natalie Portman provides the eye candy for those of us unmoved by Chris.
http://thor.marvel.com/
Moves 11 @ Bluecoat
Featuring challenging and dynamic work from more than 20 countries around the globe, the 7th International Festival of Movement on Screen opens at the Bluecoat this Wednesday. Running until 1st May, the works deal with challenging traditional conventions of screen art.
http://www.movementonscreen.org.uk/page.asp?id=2878
Johnny Foreigner @ The Shipping Forecast
Signed to Alcopop! Records, this three-piece hailing from Birmingham specialise in a kind of raucous, knockabout indie-pop not a million miles away from the style and energy of Los Campesinos! Wednesday sees the band arrive in Liverpool as part of a national headlining tour promoting the new EP.
http://johnnyforeignerband.com/
Fri 29/04
Dylan Moran : Yeah, Yeah @ The Royal Court
Famous curmudgeon and much loved star of Black Books, Moran brings his brand of cheerful and charming miserabilism to The Royal Court this Friday.
https://royalcourtliverpool.ticketsolve.com/shows/126510972/events
Thor
Marvel's Norse God Thor gets the big screen treatment. This latest comic book to movie adaptation is helmed by Kenneth Brannagh and stars relative unknown Chris Hemsworth as the God turfed out of Asgard to live amongst humble human kind. Natalie Portman provides the eye candy for those of us unmoved by Chris.
http://thor.marvel.com/
Moves 11 @ Bluecoat
Featuring challenging and dynamic work from more than 20 countries around the globe, the 7th International Festival of Movement on Screen opens at the Bluecoat this Wednesday. Running until 1st May, the works deal with challenging traditional conventions of screen art.
http://www.movementonscreen.org.uk/page.asp?id=2878
Johnny Foreigner @ The Shipping Forecast
Signed to Alcopop! Records, this three-piece hailing from Birmingham specialise in a kind of raucous, knockabout indie-pop not a million miles away from the style and energy of Los Campesinos! Wednesday sees the band arrive in Liverpool as part of a national headlining tour promoting the new EP.
http://johnnyforeignerband.com/
Fri 29/04
Dylan Moran : Yeah, Yeah @ The Royal Court
Famous curmudgeon and much loved star of Black Books, Moran brings his brand of cheerful and charming miserabilism to The Royal Court this Friday.
https://royalcourtliverpool.ticketsolve.com/shows/126510972/events
Sunday, 17 April 2011
Culture Diary, Week Commencing 18/04/2011
Mon 18/04
Tron/Tron Legacy DVD and Bluray release
The movie Daft Punk were born to soundtrack, Tron Legacy is out on DVD Monday, available on its own, or bundled with the original 1982 release. Each stars Jeff Bridges, and while Legacy isn't exactly breaking the same technological boundaries of the original and its contemporaries, it is at least interesting as a representation of where we've ended up as a result.
Yuck - Get Away
A band in thrall to a previous generation of American alt rock, tomorrow sees the release of the newie off their self titled debut album. Derivative they most certainly are, but at least they have (very,very) good taste.
Thurs 21/04
GZA @ The Kazimier
Sometime member of seminal hip-hop outfit The Wu-Tang Clan and all round legend in his own right, GZA brings his characteristic brand of rap to the Kazimier, performing a mixture of Wu-Tang classics and material from his latest Liquid Swords record.
http://www.thekazimier.co.uk/listings.htm
Fri 22/04
The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec
Best loved and revered for earlier films such as La Femme Nikita and Leon, French writer/director Luc Besson is never better than when pouring his creative energies into a powerful yet human (even in the case of 1997's The Fifth Element) central heroine. One hopes the same can be said of his latest offering, bringing to the big screen the adventures of an intrepid journalist come adventurer, in his adaptation of Jacque Tardi's cartoon strips and books.
Tron/Tron Legacy DVD and Bluray release
The movie Daft Punk were born to soundtrack, Tron Legacy is out on DVD Monday, available on its own, or bundled with the original 1982 release. Each stars Jeff Bridges, and while Legacy isn't exactly breaking the same technological boundaries of the original and its contemporaries, it is at least interesting as a representation of where we've ended up as a result.
Yuck - Get Away
A band in thrall to a previous generation of American alt rock, tomorrow sees the release of the newie off their self titled debut album. Derivative they most certainly are, but at least they have (very,very) good taste.
Thurs 21/04
GZA @ The Kazimier
Sometime member of seminal hip-hop outfit The Wu-Tang Clan and all round legend in his own right, GZA brings his characteristic brand of rap to the Kazimier, performing a mixture of Wu-Tang classics and material from his latest Liquid Swords record.
http://www.thekazimier.co.uk/listings.htm
Fri 22/04
The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec
Best loved and revered for earlier films such as La Femme Nikita and Leon, French writer/director Luc Besson is never better than when pouring his creative energies into a powerful yet human (even in the case of 1997's The Fifth Element) central heroine. One hopes the same can be said of his latest offering, bringing to the big screen the adventures of an intrepid journalist come adventurer, in his adaptation of Jacque Tardi's cartoon strips and books.
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