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Published: February 1st 2009
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Well I’m well and truly settled in Manchester.
I arrived on 8 January, met my new housemates, brought a few necessities had a night’s sleep and then early the next morning I bussed it down to London to catch up with Vaughan and Lucy.
That night we caught up with their friend Catherine, Michelle Dean (ex Mallies) and Michelle’s boyfriend Jeff, to catch ‘Le Clique’ a circus/cabaret/burlesque show that has toured around the world.
Not my usual cup of tea but it was a great show - favourites being the bendy ‘Captain Frodo’ who contorted his body through a 12 inch then a 10 inch tennis racket; the ‘Freddy Mercury’ juggler and ‘the English Gents’ who did amazing acrobatic feats such as a one hand handstand on a guys head whilst he stood up!
I also managed to catch up with my friend Anthony who was in town doing a homemade video clip for his friend’s new album. I got to watch the pre-production work on the clip which was pretty cool for a novice like me.
Back in Manchester and it was time to start work back at Horwich Farrelly, the firm where I worked
before leaving Manchester in May last year. It was good, if a little strange, to see the gang again (and of course we were down at the pub on my first day!).
No chance to rest with a mid-week gig and then a weekend trip to see Paul in Birmingham and then crazily return to work on the Monday and that night make a return trip to Birmingham!
Whilst at the gallery Paul works at, the streets were taken over by a Pro-Palestine march - all very well behaved.
The purpose of the return trip was to see Grace Jones perform. I’ve never been a huge fan but thought I’d check her out anyhow and, WOW, was she spectacular. Amazing to think that she is almost 60 but still has an amazing body, is full of energy and still manages to shock!
Of special note were the weird and wonderful head pieces she swapped into for each song and the euphoric confetti moment for her classic song ‘Pull up to my Bumper’ which also saw Grace on the shoulders of a guy from the audience being paraded around the crowd.
Back at work the next
morning and then that night I saw my friend Sadie (from my Banff trip in Canada last year) perform a special set of songs with her band as part of her music exams for uni.
Over the weekend I went to an amazing gig featuring Samamidon, Doveman and David Thomas Broughton - three unique performers and some interesting antics. The gig was in a church - I’ve been to more gigs in churches since leaving Perth than I have been to church proper!!!
I also checked my favourite gallery, the Urbis, which had an exhibition on the Blank Panther movement (very topical with Obama’s inauguration) and one on hidden and underground sites of Manchester, sounds strange but the photography was excellent.
Keeping things cultural, I also revisited the Manchester Museum to check out the ‘Lindow Man’ a 2,000 year old preserved body found in nearby peat bogs, the identity of which is still unclear.
To end a busy week, I caught a gig by UK indie rockers Bloc Party (dancing in the mosh pit with the 16yos’ - still haven’t learnt that lessen) and then made a trip down to Coventry to see the same three
guys from the church gig the previous week.
February will allow little time to relax: a stack of gigs planned (of course) and weekend trips to Glasgow, Edinburgh, London and possible the Lakes District.
Hope you are all well, would love to hear how everyone is going.
Pete
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Marianne
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pictures!!
I just thought your pictures were so nice! Just wanted to take a look! :)