My cultural life in 2008

I was just sitting thinking to myself that I hadn't done a lot of arty stuff in 2008 when I compared my outings to other peoples gig listings etc. No Baby Lemonade tour immediately cut out about 10 gigs - but when I got my head together and consulted my diary etc it seems that I didn't actually do too badly at all.


2nd January Control Broadway Cinema, Nottingham Film
27th January Robin Hitchcock Rescue Rooms, Nottingham Gig
30th January 39 Steps Theatre Royal, Nottingham Play
9th February The Selkie The Sage, Gateshead Play with Music
28th February Menomena Rescue Rooms, Nottingham Gig
21st April Eric Burdon & War Royal Albert Hall, London Gig
14th June Julie Felix The Sage, Gateshead Gig
26th June Lou Reed Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham Gig
12th July Kylie Minogue MEN Arena, Manchester Gig
2nd – 4th Aug Big Chill Festival Eastnor Castle, Herefordshire Festival
13th August Agnostic Mountain Gospel Choir Bodega, Nottingham Gig
18th – 23rd Aug Edinburgh Festival, Edinburgh Festival
23rd Sept The Quarter After Chameleon Arts Cafe, Nottingham Gig
19th Oct Glen Campbell Royal Festival Hall, London Gig
22nd Oct Mercy & Grand The Sage, Gateshead Musical event
27th Oct Feeder Rock City, Nottingham Gig
28th Oct Al Green / Gabrielle NIA, Birmingham Gig
3rd Nov Martha Wainwright Rock City, Nottingham Gig
22d Nov Leonard Cohen NEC, Birmingham Gig

Big Chill: various acts including: Rachel Unthank & the Winterset; Portico Quartet; Jilted John; Beth Orton; Lykke Li;Martha Wainwright; Norman Jay; Camille; The Imagined Village; African Head Charge; Orchestra Baobab;Leonard Cohen

Edinburgh Festival lots of shows including: Dan Antopolski (very funny comedian); Capoeira Knights:Warriors of Brazil (brilliant Brazilian dance); Hemingway’s Havana – starring Papa Oviedo from “The Buena Vista Social Club” (excellent Cuban musicians); Holdin’ Fast (Czech Physical theatre – “A dreamy ballad of sexual dependency, inspired by Milan Kundera and challenging the human body's physical and emotional borders.”) and various comedy shows / plays that I can’t even remember.

Highlights:

"The Selkie" - a play written by Valerie Laws, an old school friend of mine - really evocative stuff which made me think about all sorts of things to do with my life.

Julie Felix - her 70th birthday concert - she is an amazing guitar player and a great singer - she ran through a 60s songbook of some real old favourites by herself and other people.

Kylie - a brilliant big arena show, I loved it.

The Agnostic Mountain Gospel Choir - thanks very much Mike of Troubled Diva fame for introducing me to these folks.

The great dance / world music / physical theatre stuff we saw in Edinburgh - we widened the net from our usual comedy and theatre and were repaid a thousand fold.

The Quarter After - a great Californian psychedelic band playing in a tiny venue in Nottingham.

Al Green - that man can certainly sing.

And my man of the year:-

Leonard Cohen - I'm not a religious person but I feel truly blessed to have seen him perform twice this year. Perhaps I'm more spiritual than I own up to being. The gig at the NEC was so magnificent that I haven't wanted to talk about it since, or to go and see another artist perform until the memory has faded.

Roll on 2009!

P.S. And thank you to Keith, Lizzy B, Chris, Barbara, Liz S, Emma, Pam, Mike and K for accompanying me - I've done a couple on my own but its not so much fun!