Juba do Leao - Oldham Gig

JUBA DO LEAO GIG!!!
Hurrah!! We have a gig!! I dance with a Band run by the great Holly Prest who play North Eastern Brazilian rhythms with Holly's own take on the beats. There are drums, other Brazilian percussion instruments, guitars, violins, beautiful, haunting, sexy voices, and inventive, magical, wow-y dancers. And the band are performing on Saturday in Oldham town centre. If you're anywhere, be there!
It doesn't matter if the sun shines or not, this will make you warm and smile.. I can't wait.

Book reading and talk

Thank you to all who came to the 'Meeting Coty' talk/reading and the poetry readings last night Upstairs at The Lloyd's as part of the Chorlton Arts Festival. It was a great room, welcoming people and an enjoyable evening. The wine afterwards helped too.
If anyone feels the urge, has the time, would like to email me their comments on the evening, or in fact anything(?), that would be helpful and I'll comment back too...

Hopefully see some of you at other events this week. There is Elaine Bousfield's Launch of her fantasy fiction book, "The Jewel Keepers", 8pm, upstairs at The Lloyd's on Wilbraham Road. And afterwards, music downstairs.
Thursday, I'm going to Lip Service's latest production - a look at the world of celebrity. Knowing their take on things, it should be hilarious.

And this Saturday, if you're in Oldham town centre, Juba do Leao are performing. Fantastic!!! Can't wait. I love dancing with the band. Such a buzz.

Music, arts and festivals and competitions

Chorlton Arts Festival 2009 has begun!
I hope tomorrow is sunny and warm so that the Festival Launch events can be enjoyed to the full. Food eaten outside, people sitting around on the grass to watch the dancing and music. Standing around chatting and drinking, browsing around the stalls in the Arts and Crafts fair. Seeing people you haven't for a while and then strolling home, content with your little packages containing goodies and gifts and pretty things to take out and turn over in your hands and be pleased that you bought them.
So. Please be sunny and warm.

It did rain in the night and it felt good to be warm in bed. But that is today. Tomorrow will be different.

Hopefully see some of you there. I'm writing today. Second chapter of Leaving Coty having sorted the first chapter out yesterday. I've lost count of the number of edits. And pack up the props and stuff for my stall tomorrow at the launch. I won't have time in the morning.
Tonight, I'm going to watch a competition, The Rosamund Prize at the Royal College of Music in Manchester. It's a prize for composers. My daughter Genevieve is performing the piece by one of the students. It is a magical piece, the music haunting and suits Genevieve's voice perfectly. She dances too!
Good luck to all the participants.

Rollerball - the original film

Last night I watched the original version of the film, Rollerball, starring James Caan. The use of classical music in violent films was quite prevelant at the time, I seem to remember. The Clockwork Orange, though Beethoven is detailed in the book, Apocolypse Now, 2001.
Very effective. I'd forgotten how good the film is. It introduces the game of Rollerball so well. The parties felt very "Roman orgy -ish" without much going on. Chilling in the summarising of books by the computer. A more clever film than I recall. And Jonathan E. Ahhh.

And today. Today, Chorlton Arts Festival begins and I'm editing and editing the first chapter of Leaving Coty. The more I seem to write, the more I edit other parts. This chapter could turn into a life time's work.
Bought some liquourice allsorts as well yesterday to have on my stall for the festival launch. They are the sweets du jour for Meeting Coty. Not keen, myself. I love the soft australian liquourice. I could eat a whole packet at once. Now that is syrupy like a long Jerez de la Frontera afternoon. Think I might have to pop to Holland and Barrett. Instead, I'm drinking tea. Yorkshire tea, so it is good and strong.
Work. Back to that chapter. I will crack it today. If I'm not back another day, take it I've been engulfed. Unto the breach...