Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Cry Me A River
The Great Manchester Blog Off 2007 had already started when we arrived.
We ordered pizza and found a table near the back, where we struggled to hear the readings above the sound of a young couple at the next table. They were enjoying what some newspapers call “Full Sex.”
Actually they were doing no such thing: they were just talking in hushed voices. But in the rarefied atmosphere of an otherwise silent bar, full to bursting with the region's finest blogging talent, The North West's Most Introverted, the young couple might as well have been engaged in seriously vigorous humping for all the difference it made.
There were eighty or so in the room, and if I'd known there was going to be that many I'd have put a clean shirt on.
Day Of Moustaches man gave a reading (which I missed most of due to the Shagathon), followed by Airport Diaries man, and then the gongs were dished out:
Best Personal Blog: Single Mother on the Verge
Best New Blog: Rent Girl
Best Arts and Culture Blog: Mancubist
Best Political Blog: Politaholic
Best Writing on a Blog (the one I was up for): Day of Moustaches
Then there was an interval to allow disappointed nominees to flounce off in pointed fashions, and then I gave a reading, which I think went OK. I read the post where Stella says “Boobs and teeth” a lot: it got a few laughs, which obviously wasn't nearly enough for my liking, but I was grateful for them all the same.
Published Author Elizabeth Baines read the final episode of her citizen novelist piece What Would You Do? and there was a reading and interview with Published Author Caroline Smailes, whose Amazon reviews for In Search Of Adam are positively interstellar.
Girlfriend chatted about music a lot with The Indie Credential Two (all of Blur circa. The Great Escape were wankers except Graham; Michael Stipe is a bit stinky), and I chatted mostly with Crinkly and his friend, although I did speak with Chris Mancubist (I'm very envious of his job) and the Airport Diarist (I now know what he did at the airport. Blimey!) and Kate, of course, who ran the whole shebang.
Banging tunes were provided by Yer Mam and Black Country Grammar, and then by what I presume was the Matt and Phreds House Band, who were good but WAY TOO LOUD, and who played Cry Me A River far too jauntily for my tastes. But then again, you know what I'm like.
We ordered pizza and found a table near the back, where we struggled to hear the readings above the sound of a young couple at the next table. They were enjoying what some newspapers call “Full Sex.”
Actually they were doing no such thing: they were just talking in hushed voices. But in the rarefied atmosphere of an otherwise silent bar, full to bursting with the region's finest blogging talent, The North West's Most Introverted, the young couple might as well have been engaged in seriously vigorous humping for all the difference it made.
There were eighty or so in the room, and if I'd known there was going to be that many I'd have put a clean shirt on.
Day Of Moustaches man gave a reading (which I missed most of due to the Shagathon), followed by Airport Diaries man, and then the gongs were dished out:
Best Personal Blog: Single Mother on the Verge
Best New Blog: Rent Girl
Best Arts and Culture Blog: Mancubist
Best Political Blog: Politaholic
Best Writing on a Blog (the one I was up for): Day of Moustaches
Then there was an interval to allow disappointed nominees to flounce off in pointed fashions, and then I gave a reading, which I think went OK. I read the post where Stella says “Boobs and teeth” a lot: it got a few laughs, which obviously wasn't nearly enough for my liking, but I was grateful for them all the same.
Published Author Elizabeth Baines read the final episode of her citizen novelist piece What Would You Do? and there was a reading and interview with Published Author Caroline Smailes, whose Amazon reviews for In Search Of Adam are positively interstellar.
Girlfriend chatted about music a lot with The Indie Credential Two (all of Blur circa. The Great Escape were wankers except Graham; Michael Stipe is a bit stinky), and I chatted mostly with Crinkly and his friend, although I did speak with Chris Mancubist (I'm very envious of his job) and the Airport Diarist (I now know what he did at the airport. Blimey!) and Kate, of course, who ran the whole shebang.
Banging tunes were provided by Yer Mam and Black Country Grammar, and then by what I presume was the Matt and Phreds House Band, who were good but WAY TOO LOUD, and who played Cry Me A River far too jauntily for my tastes. But then again, you know what I'm like.
Friday, October 05, 2007
Underneath The Stars
Even in Salford with a cold, Kate Rusby has the voice of an angel.
We saw her tonight at The Lowry and I like just about everything about her – the sound of her voice and her choice of material and musicians; the way she stands slightly awkwardly, unsure what to do with her hands when not holding a guitar; the way she habitually carries a shoulder bag on stage with her, then carries it off with her for the interval, then brings it back on after the interval, carries it off at the end of the performance, brings it back on again for the encore, yet never once uses it for anything. I like the way she calls out hello to her nephews during the show, and the way she connects with her audience. I like her frequent use of the word 'lovely'.
I could go on. Even the way she tunes the 1st and 6th string of her guitar down to a D is just exquisite. Try it.
I suspect I may be smitten.
If music is a comfort blanket – as if there could be any doubt – then Kate Rusby's is a freshly aired king size duvet. Snuggle up to this.
We saw her tonight at The Lowry and I like just about everything about her – the sound of her voice and her choice of material and musicians; the way she stands slightly awkwardly, unsure what to do with her hands when not holding a guitar; the way she habitually carries a shoulder bag on stage with her, then carries it off with her for the interval, then brings it back on after the interval, carries it off at the end of the performance, brings it back on again for the encore, yet never once uses it for anything. I like the way she calls out hello to her nephews during the show, and the way she connects with her audience. I like her frequent use of the word 'lovely'.
I could go on. Even the way she tunes the 1st and 6th string of her guitar down to a D is just exquisite. Try it.
I suspect I may be smitten.
If music is a comfort blanket – as if there could be any doubt – then Kate Rusby's is a freshly aired king size duvet. Snuggle up to this.
It kind of goes without saying, but this is my blog. I own it. Slightly daft MP3 disclaimer: All MP3's are posted here for a limited time only. Music is not posted here with the intention to profit or violate copyright. In the unlikely event that you are the creator or copyright owner of a song published on this site and you want it to be removed, let me know.