I love autumn. With the exception of last year, I really do find that I am my most happiness in the months of autumn. I think it’s something to do with its almost sombre, middle-of-the-ground atmosphere. Weather-wise I don’t really like summer as the sun is blinding and too hot, and in the winter I get cold too easily. I love being able to wear long-sleeve tops or a snuggly jumper but still being able to go outside and wander around in the evenings. It reminds me of the year that I spent in Barcelona as a child with my parents and we’d sit outside all night and we’d be wrapped in warm clothes, but the air was still warm enough to run around in t-shirts. I had a little moment earlier when I saw this abundance of the most beautifully coloured leaves being cleared up. Each morning I’ve been walking through this huge mound of orange, brown and red leaves and each morning it puts a huge smile on my face. When I saw some men clearing them up today I ran through them and kicked them all up, and, despite looking like an idiot, I really did have a big smile on my face doing it.
I was just looking back through the archives here, as I sometimes do, and I’ve realised that I do seem to photograph these same things each year. I don’t ever find them boring. The colours at this time of year will always lure me in… Not to mention some of the most beautiful sunsets. It also seems to be the season when I visit the most graveyards. These photos bring back such nice memories.
October 2008
November 2007
October 2006
October 2005
September 2004
October 2003
Absolutely mind-blowing gig! As written for Spoonfed:
Let it be known that there’s a reason The Noisettes are named as they are. Forming in 2003 – Shingai (singer & bass), Dan (guitar) and Jamie (drums) – have been causing an almighty scene since their meeting at the Brit School. You may remember them from their infectious track ‘Don’t Upset The Rhythm (Go Baby Go)’, which was picked up for a Mazda 2 advert, and also crippled the charts this spring with heavy airplay, reaching the #2 chart spot.
Bringing an electro-hiphop vibe reminiscent of Santogold to proceedings is sassy South London hottie MPHO, an artist in her own right who is fast gaining recognition on this hybrid scene. Her tracks ‘Box N Locks’ and most recognisably ‘Fix Ya Face’ embody an unapologetic feisty attitude, combining singing with a Miss Dynamite-esque rapping. She even kindly offers an explanation of what a screw face gal is, for those needing to brush up on their saaf London slang. The crowd is pretty pumped, a mixture of bopping teenagers with a side portion of curious faced thirty-somethings.
As per usual the crowd are made to wait. Drummer, check. Guitarist, check. Backing singers, check. Shingai? Shingai, anyone? A moment of panic sweeps across the crowd, furrowed brows all around. Until a series of sharp gasps sweeps across the audience, heads raised and admittedly it takes me a while to work out what’s happening here. I spot a lady up on the balcony, thick ‘fro, the finest smooth legs, glitzy dress and a mic in hand. One leg over the side of the barrier, her pearly whites flash the crowd. Shingai has arrived.
Not one to do things by halves, Shingai is the very embodiment of versatility. Petite in frame with a highly recognisable ‘fro (complete with fruit tonight), Shingai’s energy is incomparable to other front women. After serenading the crowd from the balconies she bounds down the stairs, zooming across the stage with intense speed. Dressed in a killer black and red sparkly number, there’s no need for a crowd warm up – her energy is highly contagious. The title track to their album, ‘Wild Young Hearts’, complete with audience participation clapping, fires up the crowd nicely and Shingai looks like she’s hopping on hot coals – she seems to find it difficult to stay still.
The Noisettes are hard to pin down genre-wise. ‘Don’t Upset The Rhythm’ has an identifiably upbeat indie-rock feel. ‘Never Forget You’ finds Shingai’s voice suddenly age, producing a softer, bluesy feel as she crows ‘What ya drinking, rum or whiskey?’ Their style is genre busting and this is due not only to the group’s versatility, but also Shingai’s vocal range and energy. Whether she’s using the stage as her playground, the balcony to serenade, or even when she’s in the crowd, she commands attention, delivering a flawless high-energy performance, all the while backed by the band. And it wouldn’t be right to not mention the band – Dan plays guitar with his teeth, Jamie is lost in a fury on the drums, the backing dancers bump and grind and I’m sure I’ve spotted a few violinists and a celloist. Oh look, another costume change. Wonderful.
Tonight’s show is being filmed for a tribute to The Carpenters and their bands interpretation of the tragic track ‘Goodbye To Love’ is heartwarming and hopeful – difficult considering the song. Finishing with a T-Rex cover, it’s not long before the crowd are chanting in unison ‘you won’t fool children of the revolution’, before Shingai and her noisy troops shrink away, leaving a trail of silence as they go…
I‘ve been meaning to post this for a while. A few weeks ago I bought the most beautiful satchel from Cambridge Satchels. They’re a great company that offer all different types of satchels (and batchels). What I love most about them is their range of colours – obviously I loved the red, instantly. I got a 13″ red satchel. It’s my new favourite. You can’t see it in the photo, but I got it personally embossed on the front with “mr d”. Doubles the cuteness factor, I feel.
I couldn’t remember the last time I did something with purpose on a Saturday afternoon. Admittedly, it’s usually spent either nursing hangovers with bacon and orange juice, tidying up or doing those pesky errands that I can never get around to during the week. So when Gina invited me to Tease at The Pigalle, I lapped up the offer! The Pigalle is a rather lovely little venue just off Picadilly Circus. It’s plush interiors are very welcoming and it’s like slipping back in time once inside, what with all the waitresses wearing retro maid outfits. The event is run by Zoe (who runs Time For Tease) whose motto, she commented, was “have tea will travel”. How cute.
The lovely Zoe:
The layout of the afternoon is incredibly relaxing. Champagne, sandwiches, tea, scones and cakes, all the while interspersed with burlesque performances. It’s an incredibly laid-back atmosphere inside with a diverse clientèle ranging from couples enjoying a romantic afternoon to larger groups of friends. Despite having a little bit of a post-Friday headache, I didn’t feel so bad after a sip of bubbly and a cuppa tea. And I don’t even like tea, much. Twas a lovely way to start the afternoon, warming me up for the evenings adventures…
So I’m still trying to catch up from the weekend. It was another busy one. On Friday evening I had the immense pleasure of seeing Max Richter at Union Chapel. I have been wanting to see Max for quite a few years now, ever since I somehow came across his album The Blue Notebooks. It is one of the most beautiful pieces of neo-classical music I have ever heard. I fell in love with it within minutes and I still listen to it a couple of times a week. The album holds significant importance for me for personal reasons. The rest of his discography is equally as beautiful and I was intrigued to hear the new score that he had composed to go alongside some of Derek Jarman’s unseen Super8 footage archive. I went alone and sat in the front row. I have been going to quite a lot of gigs and most of them I enjoy, of course. However there are some artists that it becomes a dream to see and Richter was one of those, one that I can now cross off of the list. This is what I wrote of the gig on Spoonfed:
Whilst the name may seem foreign to many, you may well have heard Max Richter’s beautiful classical music accompanying many a TV commercial (namely the piano track ‘Vladimir’s Blues’). A thoroughly accomplished composer, musician and producer, his second and perhaps most notable album, ‘The Blue Notebooks’, is a stunning composition of neo-classical music. Blending traditional classical instruments with electronica, its sporadic and soft narration by actress Tilda Swinton lends itself to the dark and often complex musical landscapes that Richter creates.
In conjunction with the re-release of his first album, Memoryhouse, and in support of the Union Chapel’s in-house charity scheme Margins, Richter’s performance takes place on one of four nights devoted to raising both money and awareness. Margins is a charity that opens its arms to support people living on the fringe of society, helping the homeless, those with drug and alcohol problems as well as mental health problems and beyond.
As a precursor to the show we’re shown a short video introducing both the voluntary support workers at Margins as well as providing an insight into the lives of those who use the charity and how it has transformed their lives. Their frank and heart-warming testimonials form a perfect segue into Richter’s soft and emotionally intense music. The Union Chapel’s calming atmosphere resonates amongst the audience who are silent in anticipation, aside from a few whispers.
Opening with the title track to ‘The Blue Notebooks’, a soft piano introduction, we’re quickly introduced to the five string usicians that Richter has chosen to accompany him tonight as they seamlessly slip into ‘On The Nature Of Daylight’. This track epitomises Richter’s style – a soothing melancholic arrangement of strings with a heavy reverberating bassline in the background. The searing pitch of one of the violins conjures a haunting and heavyhearted ambience. It tugs at your soul, this flawless blend between modern and classical. A quick glance around the room and it’s clear that I’m not the only one with goosebumps.
Max Richter’s appearance throughout each performance is endearing. The slight nod of his head after a long note, eyes wide and grin smeared across his face is testimony enough to the passion he has for his music. During the closing tracks he gently discards each music sheet with a look of accomplishment on his face. It’s his track ‘Shadow Journal’ that, at 8 minutes long, creates the most atmosphere. Fusing electronica, his trademark eerie strings, and a bass so heavy that your heart bounds around inside your ribcage. For those in the front row, like me, it’s so intense that the hairs on my arms begin to stand on end.
Richter has recently composed a new score to accompany previously unseen footage from avant garde film-maker Derek Jarman’s Super8 archive. These strange visuals are perfectly matched by Max’s style – ethereal musical landscapes carefully layered over double exposed images of forests and constellations. The videos are old, jumpy and crackling, and Richter delivers the perfect musical counterpart, all the while interspersed with sporadic narration. It’s easy to drift in and out of thoughts, becoming lost in both the visual and auditory overload.
Now I may not be a classical music connoisseur, but I know enough to see that Richter is here for the long-haul. And that’s quite alright with me.
I had the most wonderful opportunity to see Kate Walsh last week with O at The Tabernacle. Such a gorgeous venue, can’t believe I’ve not been there before! And Kate Walsh.. well, it brought back many a memory. Here’s the review for Spoonfed:
Notting Hill ’s Tabernacle is a medium sized, quaint space with beautiful circular church-like qualities. The surrounding semi-circle balcony areas provide a clear, raised view, whilst the downstairs area is decked out with candle-lit tables – the first row just metres from the stage.
I’ve been a fan of Kate Walsh’s for quite a while. Her living in Brighton area where I spent six years creates a special affinity for me. Many of her songs, including the most popular – ‘Your Song’ – almost seem like the soundtrack to a few years of my life. It is intriguing to see playing live the person whose songs conjure so many personal memories. The crowd here are relaxed and calm and that could be something to do with the layout of the venue which provides clear views and enough space for everyone. There are no oddly placed barriers and the venue lacks over-zealous door staff – an indication of the serene atmosphere.
If you haven’t heard ‘Your Song’ at some point in your life, you’ve surely been hiding under a rock for a while. Walsh, like many other recent artists, began circulating her music on her MySpace page which earned a rapid response, building quite a fan base on her own. Her first album was recorded in a friend’s bedroom and aptly named ‘Tim’s House’. It shot straight to No. 1 album on the iTunes UK Store, knocking Take That off of the top spot.
Walsh is girlish and charming in her approach. Her voice is entirely like that on her records – warm and soft – which is refreshing among the many digitally perfected artists of today. There has always been a running theme of her songs, that of love, falling in love, and falling out of love. She handles these topics so delicately, also creating striking imagery of a childhood spent at seaside towns. The delivery of her songs is raw but simple – there is no stage character and no attitude. Each performance is delivered with an innocent sense of narrative, telling stories of love gained and love lost. A few of the songs she says are about ‘a lovely boy’, and after listening to the words, you understand why.
It comes as no surprise, since Walsh is a classically trained pianist, that we’re treated to an interlude featuring one of Claude Debussy’s cello sonatas. Walsh also announces that during each live tour she will be releasing an EP of covers, and tonight’s is a cover of Erasure’s ‘A Little Respect’. Stripped down with a beautiful piano backing by Walsh herself, she transforms the original upbeat track into something far more intimate. Even her track, ‘Tonight’, which she confesses is about one night stands conjures nothing but sweetness, unusual for a topic that is so often tainted with regret. The title track to her new album, ‘Light and Dark’, she mentions, is one of the saddest songs she’s ever wrote. But that’s in the past, she says, she’s much happier now. Her songs – sad or happy – have the amazing quality of leaving you dazed and introspective, as if staring up the stars on a warm Autumn night.
Walsh finishes with her classic, ‘Your Song’, which sends shivers down my spine. Its tangible observation of falling in love and pining for the beauty of another leaves the audience dumbstruck with love lethargy, pensive, and silent before the rapturous applause. With Kate running her own independent record label – Blueberry Pie – it seems that she could be around, on her own terms, for some time. With two beautifully crafted records under her belt, I simply can’t think of anything more welcoming.
