Multi-Coloured Tunbridge Wells

Was playing about with the colouring on three old pictures from Tunbridge Wells today, and this is what I came up with (above and below).

Went to Tunbridge Wells in the early 2000s where I found the Georgian-type architecture incredibly beautiful, and my wife, Agnieszka, loved the mineral water.

Warsaw: A Small Snowman Inviting People To Dinner

Just another small ethnographic shot from Warsaw here, as the small snowman in the bottom right corner of the sandwich board seems to be inviting passers-by to dinner.

Warsaw: An Interesting Alleyway

Came across this interesting, decorated alleyway, not that far from Ratusz Arsenał, the other day.

Around Warsaw, you can see quite a few of these nicely decorated alleyways which really brighten the place up.

Yeah, I just think that these alleyway murals are an imaginative way of brightening up a concrete environment.

UK Live at Warsaw Klub Progresja 24th February 2015

As expected, this was a masterclass in musicianship, and, at times, I felt myself fusing with the music, especially during my favourite UK tune 'Rendezvous 6.02' and the King Crimson classic 'Starless'.

Got up to the Klub Progresja at 8pm and there was still a queue waiting outside to get in, so I went in the shopping centre next door to have a kebab and, lo and behold, 20 minutes later I was inside the Klub Progresja with the gig having already started (I'd also arrived late when seeing UK at the Palladium in 2009).
 

Decided to not bother finding my seat and stayed at the back of the concert hall, so the few shots I got turned out like 'surreal oil paintings', although I quite like the shots of John Wetton above and Eddie Jobson below:

Was soon told by a bespectacled official that taking pictures wasn't allowed, so, of course, I complied with his wishes.

And then outside in the hallway, I discovered that the taking of pictures was forbidden for this gig:

Just think that through the banishment of taking photos, a gig loses something of its dynamic and natural sense of adventure.  

'Burning Seas': Duke Garwood

Glad to see that somebody has put 'Burning Seas' by Duke Garwood live from Warsaw Klub Progresja (supporting Mark Lanegan) from last week on Youtube.

Still buzzing from seeing Duke Garwood last week, so now I'm starting to explore (get to know) his music.

Warsaw: The Wisła Cinema

Was at the Wisła Cinema yesterday to watch 'The American Sniper'.  Get to see films at cinemas all round Warsaw, as the city has a buzzing cinema life.  Really like the designs on the walls at the Wisła Cinema (above and below).

Canterbury Fayre 2003: A Few Pictures

Here's a few anthropological-type shots from the Canterbury Fayre in 2013, starting with a picture of the old pub at Hernhill (above).

Below, there's a shot of Bob Weir's Rat Dog, who, if I remember correctly, did about a 3-hour set on late Sunday afternoon/early evening of the Festival:

And of course, our 'old friends' the Hare Krsna were hopping about on the Mount Ephraim Gardens site:

An English music festival wouldn't be the same without the Hare Krsna, I guess?

Even got inside the Dance Tent at one point even though it wasn't my kind of music:

And, below, there's a shot of my two old mates: Ross Barnes from Canterbury (originally Cornwall) and Phil Taylor from Whitefield, Bury, Lancashire:

 And, finally, we have a shot of some festival-goers just sitting back, relaxing, and taking the music in.

'Alpha Centauri'/'Letting Go': UFO

'Alpha Centauri' (above) and  'Letting Go' (below) have special significance for me, as, if my memory serves me right, they were the first two tunes I saw live by a main band when I saw UFO on the 'No Place To Run' tour at Manchester Apollo in January 1980:

The video above (great that somebody has put this on Youtube) is from a couple or so years down the line with Neil Carter having replaced Paul Raymond in the band at that time.

Have always kind of naturally viewed 'Alpha Centauri'/'Letting Go' as one combined track, and still view it as having been a great way for UFO to have come on stage 35 years ago.

'My Number': Girl

Back down memory lane here with Girl (Phil Lewis on vocals and Phil Collen guitar) doing 'My Number', my favourite tune by the band.

Girl were literally the first band I saw live, supporting UFO on the 'No Place To Run' tour in January 1980 at Manchester Apollo.

Duke Garwood and Mark Lanegan Band Live at Warsaw Klub Progresja 18th February 2015

A day or two before going to the Mark Lanegan gig last night, I'd quickly checked Duke Garwood out on Youtube, and then made sure that I'd got up to the Klub Progresja in time to see him.

And I'm really glad that I did catch him.  Without knowing any of his tunes, which I'll now familiarise myself with, of course, I really enjoyed his set.  Don't usually like 2-band member minimalism to be honest, but last night, Duke Garwood was great.

And what about the Mark Lanegan Band?  Well, the music was great.  I find tunes like 'Revival'; 'Harvest Home'; and 'The Gravedigger's Song' (the tune of the night for me) sublime.

However, the dimly lit/almost dark stage was a touch surreal with no light ever seeming to remotely approach Mark Lanegan.  The shot below was the 'best' I could get of the man himself, but I guess that it may have a bit of a mystical edge to it:

Not quite sure what to make of the dimly lit/almost dark stage effect, it just kind of had me 'philosophising' about whether live music is mainly an auditory or visual experience.  I was left concluding that it should probably be a mixture of both.
 

Still, the dimly lit/almost dark stage effect was interesting, as, even after 35 years or so of going to gigs, I'd never seen anything quite like it. 

Canterbury EFL Teaching Days

The picture above is from my old Canterbury EFL teaching days when I also worked as a kind of 'tour guide' for the international students on Thursday evenings.  Used to enjoy leading the Thursday 'Hidden Secrets' tour much more than teaching EFL, to be honest, as there was a certain excitement to seeing things not easily accessible.  The picture above was taken inside one of the Christ Church University gardens, where Catholic priests were said to have hidden during the Reformation.

The picture above is of my old Canterbury (Scottish) friend, Ron (on the right), and his cousin Frank  who sometimes visited from Hungary.

Song of the Day: 'Revival' by Mark Lanegan

My song of the day is always the tune that's dominating my mental jukebox at the time. 

Currently, it's bitterly cold with an especially chilly wind in Warsaw, so, to cheer me up, over the last few days, 'Revival' by Mark Lanegan has been playing in my head.  Just find that this tune has a wonderfully warm and peaceful atmosphere.

SSPX Corpus Christi Procession in Warsaw (from over 10 Years Ago)

Found these old photos of a Society of St. Pius X Corpus Christi procession from Warsaw, Poland from over 10 years ago.

That day, Bishop de Galarreta had said High Mass before the procession, and then done Benediction after it (below):
 

Another shot of the Corpus Christi procession (below):

Another shot of Bishop de Galarreta doing Benediction in the wooded glade down at the Warsaw SSPX grounds (below):

Really admire the SSPX for offering genuine (pre-Vatican II-type) Catholic religiosity in an age when the post-Vatican II Church lead by Pope Francis seems to be completely losing its marbles.

Broadstairs Folk Festival (over 10 Years Ago)

The picture above is of a good Cajun band playing live in a crowded Broadstairs pub at the Folk Festival there from over 10 years ago now. 

Used to enjoy jumping on the bus in Canterbury and popping over to Broadstairs on the Kent  coastline to take in the afternoon/early evening session of the Folk Festival.

These old pictures bring back some good memories of my time in Kent in the late 1990s/early 2000s.

Calexico at Manchester Academy 2 in 2003

Was going through some old photos that I've not seen in donkey's years, when I came across this old shot of Joey Burns from the Calexico gig at Manchester Academy 2 (the medium-sized one) on the 'Feast of Wire' tour in 2003.

Went to this gig with my wife; Wobbler who I haven't seen for years since he moved to Bacup; and Alan Moore who's now back in his native Blackpool.

Only seen Calexico once and I remember that all four of us thought the gig was fantastic.  Really liked Calexico in the late 1990s/early 2000s, having first heard them on a John Peel evening session around this time.

Guess that my favourite Calexico tunes would have to be 'The Ride (Part 2)'; 'Crystal Frontier' and 'Black Heart'.

Warsaw: Spring Already?

A few days ago, there was still snow and ice on the ground, as the picture above from Koło Woods shows.

But today the sun was out and, of all things, the red/brown squirrels were out and about darting all over the place:

This one here was enjoying climbing a tree:

Cobh: Looking over at Spike Island

What a grey and miserable shot this is:  from Cobh looking over at Spike Island.  My good friend, Dave Dealy, informed me that this is where the criminals were housed before being sent off to Australia.

Knights Templar Manor House in Strood (Rochester), Kent

Got these pictures of the Knights Templar Manor House in Strood, Kent, from the Internet.

Got to see this place when I was visiting Rochester one day over 10 years ago when I was living in Canterbury at the time.  Still vaguely remember crossing a long bridge not that far from Rochester Cathedral over the River Medway, and, not long after this (to the left if my memory serves me correctly), going down a bit of a dirty road/track, surrounded by an ugly industrial estate, to get to the place, which, as you can see from the pictures above, looks amazing on the outside.

Unfortunately, the Manor House wasn't open the day I visited it, but from the picture below, it looks completely bare inside:

All in all, I guess that a visit to the Manor House would only take up about 20-30 minutes at the place itself, but I still think it's definitely worth it for the sense of awe you get there.

Two Great Knights Templar Songs

Was Youtube surfing last night and came across several songs associated with the Knights Templar, my favourite probably being 'Crucem Sanctam Subiit' (above).

Having said this, 'Da Pacem Domine' (below) also sent shivers down my spine:

Was also interesting anthropology discovering these beautiful Knights Templar tunes, because in lots of comments below the tunes, for obvious good reason, many people were lamenting the fact that the Knights Templar (as a Crusader force) do not exist today.  Yeah, above all the vile, cynical politically-'correct' veneer of modern-day Western society, some people are still aware of the sense of awe; mysticism; and enchantment (the sublime) that can still be accessed from real Western culture. (our noble history and heritage).

Cobh: Looking Down from the Cathedral

Here I am back in the famous coastal town of Cobh in County Cork.  This time I've got a panoramic shot of the small city/town centre and waterfront, taken from the Gothic cathedral that rises above the place.

Underrated Bands: Georgia Satellites

Like many people I guess, I became aware of Georgia Satellites through 'Battleship Chains' (above) from the band's self-titled album in 1986.

First got to see Georgia Satellites at Reading Festival in 1987 when, if I remember correctly, they were due to be third or fourth from the top of the bill but ended up being second from the top on the Saturday night going on before Status Quo.  Here, it became clear that the band created a rousing atmosphere live, and somewhere back in my hometown of Bury I have a live radio recording of the Reading Festival performance.

If I had to say which was my favourite Georgia Satellites' tune, it would have to be 'Nights of Mystery':

After Reading 87, I got to see Georgia Satellites three more times in the late 1980s:  once at the International I and twice at the International II in Manchester.  Still recall me and some mates chatting with Dan Baird after the International I gig, and bassist Rick Price coming up and giving us all a can of Carlsberg Special Brew.

Had rather unwisely not given Dan Baird's Homemade Sin a proper spin until Youtube surfing last night, from which 'Younger Face' seems to be emerging as my favourite tune:

Cobh: Rob Roy Pub

Due mainly to the Titanic having stopped off on its ill-fated journey there, the Cork coastal town of Cobh is steeped in history, and the Rob Roy pub (above) seems to encapsulate a lot of this sense of history.

Not really interested in the Rob Roy being the Irish U2 fan club meeting place, to be honest (quite liked the first few U2 albums, but nothing really beyond):

But as we got more historical information, such as that about James Connolly (below) having taken refuge in the Rob Roy, the pub started to take on greater significance:

Moreover, according to the notice below, many of the 'American Wakes' of the 19th and early 20th centuries must've taken place at the Rob Roy, as relatives said goodbye to their family members crossing the Atlantic to live new lives:

And, of course, there's a small memorial to the Titanic on the side of the Rob Roy:

Was a bit of a pity that we visited Cobh too early in the day to go inside the Rob Roy, as it would've been nice to have had a couple of pints to soak in the atmosphere there.

Bantry Nativity Scene

Just a quick shot of the Bantry Nativity Scene here.  Of you look closely, you'll see my reflection in the picture.