Sunday, September 22, 2013

Conflicted

Conflicted.

I’m in a quandary. I am conflicted. Let me explain.

Around 18 months or so ago, I was invited to a very exclusive work-in-progress presentation of a brand new show at Newcastle’s Live Theatre. Whilst I considered myself very lucky to be asked along - alarm bells were not so much ringing, as quaking themselves to death.

When it comes to entertainment, there are three* things that set my teeth on edge. Musicals, Geordierama and the music of Sting.
This invitation was to a musical, about the shipyards of Wallsend.Written by Sting. If you’d doused me in TCP and forced me to eat cucumber my total hell would be complete. Thing is, the show was brilliant. Everything that disgusts and repulses me turned round to make me smile. What with it being a work in progress, I figured that would be the end of it, I was wrong.

On Friday I was happy in the haze of a drunken hour, after a lovely night listening to Parallel Lines with the Record Player. Idly flicking through the channels and there was old Stingo again, now with the songs from the musical, fleshed out and made solid.
Sting can do what ever he likes, he’s made his money. Jazz-wank? He’s done it. Greensleeves with a chamber orchestra? Yup. Fannying about getting up peoples noses spouting airy-fairy nonsense? Double yup. So now he’s come home.

What made me sit up and listen was the assembled cast of musicians. He’s done his homework, he’s put his money where he thinks his soul might be. The Unthanks, Kathryn Tickell, and The Wilson Family all feature. He didn’t need to do that. I could have hired some fancy dan musicians in New York and just sailed on. He’s even got Jimmy Nail on board, when damn it he could’ve had Michael Buble.

So here’s the rub. I admire Sting for chasing this dream. It may be rose tinted geordierama, he may well be a tourist, with his love of his Wallsend past. I admire the fact that he’s giving a platform to musicians who were made in the northeast, musicians who wouldn’t be  skirting the mainstream otherwise. Begrudgingly, I liked the songs.
So, yes, I’m conflicted - I wouldn’t go so far as buying the bloody thing - but my antistingstance may well have loosened slightly.

Next week I will be writing about my admiration for Bono and his new album of Adele and Amy Winehouse songs.



*not really, there’s loads, but we’ll be here all day if once I get started.

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

What The World Is Waiting For.


        Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends.

I'm very happy to say that The Record Player is now entering it's third year, and, fingers crossed, continues it's gentle ascent to vinyl nirvana.
I'm both surprised and excited that folk enjoy nothing better than the easy pleasure of great music, and hopefully, a bit of a laugh as well.

It's been a lazy hazy summer, full of sunshine and pretzels and beer, The Record Player will continue that vibe, with some cracking albums, many chosen by you.

As usual, each show will feature a daft quiz, great slide shows and a warm bonhomie, and maybe a kiss and a cuddle. Along with the Tyneside Cinema and Durham Gala programmes, there's a couple of specials coming up, so I'll start with them first.

27/9 - Mr. Drayton's Seaside Knees Up. Crusoe's, Long Sands. 8.00. Tickets available soon.
4/10 - The Singles Club, Live Theatre. 10 45s, 10 people, 10 stories. Details soon.

Durham Gala - Second season at Co. Durhams Entertainment Hot Spot!
It's the Talk of the Town!!!!!




































Tickets available here: http://www.galadurham.co.uk/index.php

TYNESIDE CINEMA. The spiritual home of the RP. 

THU 13 SEPTEMBER     The Mississippi delta was shining like a national guitar... 
                                  PAUL SIMON - GRACELAND                               

FRI 20 SEPTEMBER      BLONDIE - PARALLEL LINES plus special blockbuster quiz

THU 26 SEPTEMBER      Let's go out and have some fun...
                                   NEW ORDER - LOW LIFE vs THE PET SHOP BOYS - ACTUALLY

THU 3 OCTOBER           Here we are now, imitate us…. 
                                   NIRVANA – NEVERMIND

THUR 10 OCTOBER        STYLUS BREAK

THU 17 OCTOBER          After all this, won’t you give us a smile? 
                                   THE CLASH - LONDON CALLING 

THU 24 OCTOBER          Sexy boy…. 
                                    AIR – MOON SAFARI

THU 31 OCTOBER          Paradise by the dashboard light... 
                                    MEATLOAF – BAT OUT OF HELL

THU 7 NOVEMBER         This ain’t no party, this ain’t no disco – 
                                   TALKING HEADS – FEAR OF MUSIC

THUR 14 NOVEMBER      I’m a Voodoo Chile... 
                                   JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE – ELECTRIC LADYLAND

THUR 21NOVEMBER       What do I get?  
                                    SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES – ONCE UPON A TIME vs  
                                    BUZZCOCKS – SINGLES GOING STEADY

THUR 28 NOVEMBER      Where are your friends tonight? 
                                    LCD SOUNDSYSTEM – SOUND OF SILVER

THUR 5 DECEMBER        There ain’t a cloud in sight – 
                                    OUT OF THE BLUE – ELO

THUR 12 DECEMBER      One step beyond –  
                                   MADNESS –COMPLETE MADNESS vs THE BEAT – I JUST 
                                   CAN’T STOP IT

THUR 19 DECEMBER     Winter Wonderland – 
                                   PHIL SPECTOR – A CHRISTMAS GIFT TO YOU 
                                   + The Record Player album of 2013 Slam Down!