Long Division - Wakefield

'A Maze for Yorkshire' - at the Orangery

Though it sounds like a maths test, 'Long Division' is in fact a music festival held in Wakefield city centre.
I spent yesterday walking from venue to venue, listening to bands I'd never heard of, let alone heard their music! But it was fascinating, and great fun, and the music I heard was wonderful.
The venues included The Hop, Wakefield Theatre Royal, The Orangery, Warehouse 23, a nightclub, and Velvet, a small bar.
The other venue was Drury Lane Library; the old Carnegie library, which has been closed since we had our spanking new library opened last autumn. The Arthouse, of which I'm a member, is taking over the building, and has got funding to turn it into artists studios.
So this was a one-off opportunity to include the building as part of the activities.

 Inside Drury Lane Library

 Some of the lovely fixtures & fittings

 Outside; the back wall. Complete with, I think, a kestrel?

The bands I particularly enjoyed were Dead Flowers; Maia; Post War Glamour Girls; The Wave Pictures; Jeffery Lewis & Peter Stampfel.
There were others I'd have liked to go see, but either they clashed with those above, or the venues were rammed solid!
Today there's some films on, up at Drury Lane Library; 'Sound It Out', about the last surviving independent record shop on Teeside; and 'Searching for Sugarman', a documentary about musician Sixto Rodriguez.
No photos for this; I used my phone, but the quality was rubbish; and it's always hard to get a good photo at a live gig. I'm not really a 'people' photographer; they tend not to stay still for long enough! 

Jarvis @ wakefield

Today the new library and museum opened in Wakefield. To celebrate that, Jarvis Cocker, the musician and songwriter from Pulp, and Sheffield, was invited to do the honours. Here Jarvis is, after drawing the strings of the velvet curtain, announcing the 'official opening'!

He talked about how he had been banned by his local library for not returning books within the due date. And how he thought there had been a mistake, and he thought he was being invited to knock a library down, as libraries are threatened with closure all around the country.
Jarvis kindly stayed to chat and sign autographs for us fans who'd turned up to see him. He was very accessible, and chatted with everyone. I managed to get my CD of Pulp's 'we love life' signed, and I said how much I enjoyed his R6 programme, 'Sunday Service'. He told me he was thinking about how he had to get it organised for tomorrow.
What a charming man he is!

We in Wakefield have lost 2 libraries in the city centre, which have been replaced by this one smaller one...and a number of branch libraries have gone, so it's not quite all good news to say this new library has opened. However; it does look splendid; though I shall miss the intimacy of the Drury Lane library (a Carnegie Library, gifted to the city), and the 1960's architectural brutalism of Balne Lane central library. I've spent many a happy hour there, perusing the shelves, and harassing staff with requests for books on obscure artists. My education has come through using libraries; as a child I used my tiny local library from early on, and when I got into art college, I made use of the request service for writing essays and my dissertation. Afterwards, studying for my teaching certificate, and years later, my M.A. I regularly called into the libraries in Wakefield to look at, and order books. And of course I've borrowed books, novels, CD's, maps, read newspapers there, and used the local studies section. I still use the libraries extensively.
I'm pleased to see the opening of a spanking new library. Though I'm sorry to see the old ones go.
My childhood library, another Carnegie Library, has long gone, to be replaced by an anonymous glass and metal shed, kindly paid for by Tesco's, who bought the land around it, and built a massive supermarket behind it. I've also noticed how new libraries always seem to be smaller than the older ones....hmmmmm.

Kirsty MacColl 1959 - 2000

'One day I'll be waiting there, No empty bench in Soho Square'

Kirsty would've been 53 on 10th October, next Wednesday. And I for one will be raising a glass to celebrate her life.
I was lucky to see her twice; once in St George's Hall, Bradford, where there was no trace of her famous stage-fright. And a second time at Leeds. Where after the gig, we hung around like stage door Johnnies, and managed to get taken into the dressing room, and actually meet and chat to Kirsty.
Well, I say 'chat'....in fact we stood there gobsmacked, while she kindly tried to talk to us about how we thought the gig had gone, and what had the sound quality been like....She was warm, engaging, very down-to-earth, and 'normal'. Not at all 'starry' or up herself. She was lovely. And everyone who knew her, or worked with her, tell the same story.

Today, friends and family and fans, have visited Soho Square, to celebrate Kirsty's life and music. There is a bench (photo above) with a plaque engraved with the lyrics from her song 'Soho Square', from the album 'Titanic Days'. 

Her albums/CD's have all been remastered, and re-released. So if you've not heard the beauty and wit that is a Kirsty MacColl song, or heard her sing, apart from the 'Fairytale of New York' xmas song with The Pogues, then go out and purchase any, or all of them! You have a treat in store!

I don't normally try to persuade people to buy music, as it's such a personal thing. But Kirsty was wonderful, and I feel cheated that I won't get to hear any more of her songs. She created girl-group choirs out of her voice, overtracked and layered up. A one-woman 'Beach Boys' sound. We miss you Kirsty. Happy Birthday. 

richard hawley & simon armitage

a fuzzy Simon Armitage, signing books, to ghosts in the machine!

A busy week, last week.
On Tuesday I went to Leeds to see Richard Hawley; on Friday I saw and heard Simon Armitage, in Wakefield.

Richard Hawley was awesome. He played a lot of songs from his new CD, 'Standing at the Sky's Edge', which I've been listening to avidly, for weeks now. It really mixes his trademark 'crooning', with something more psychedelic, and guitar-based. There are lots of drones in the music, which I dearly love, and nature references within the song's lyrics. 
Also a lot of....quiet....then LOUD....sections; where Hawley's voice is soft, and the main focus of the song. Then there is a shift to loud, rocking guitar-based sounds. His lyrics too, are subtle, and don't always go where one immediately expects. He eschews cliche...which is always delightful. 
The stage set, too, deserves a mention. He had trees, standing behind the band, appropriate in view of the subject matter of the new songs, and the way he referenced the natural world. 
I presume the trees were in pots of some kind; and they had magically maintained their green-ness, and leaves. During the show, they were light-drenched in hallucinogenic colours, like stained glass windows in Gothic cathedrals. 
I was struck by the connection, as the Gothic cathedrals have columns, with carved greenery and leaves, marching down aisles, creating a forest of stone. The ceilings are intertwining branches of stone, supporting the roof, and impressing the viewer even more strongly of the outer world of nature, brought inside the religious buildings.

My feeling of being inside a cathedral, was emphasised even more, by the fact that Hawley had a music stand beside him...in case he forgot his lyrics? It looked like a church lectern! The world according to Rev Richard Hawley! Mmmmm!

Simon Armitage was appearing in Wakefield as part of Wakefield's first Literary Festival. He did his reading at Westgate Chapel, which accommodates  a bigger audience than the Orangery. Simon was reading from his book which documents his walk (from North to South; against prevailing weather and wisdom!) along the Pennine Way. He was humorous; serious; interesting; profound; just what you want and expect of a poet!
He was asked if he'd listened to music on his mammoth walk, as he's well known as a massive music fan. He replied that he deliberately didn't take his iPod, as he wanted to immerse himself in the experience of the walk, and get away from those things we use everyday that can distract us from the world around us.
He did say that he'd been in a pub, on one section of the walk, and put some music on the jukebox, and it sounded almost physical. That he felt as if he could have reached out and touched it. That it was hallucinatory.
Such is the power of music. It can create synaesthesia within us. 
Simon Armitage's gig, then, connects to Richard Hawley's. The connection of their experiences of music; and the power of both music, and the natural world. When I experience these connections, I am lifted, and my soul is fed.       
  

patti smith; 'live at leeds'

Last Sunday, I went to Leeds to see Patti Smith. It's the 4th time I've seen her now; my first time was at the Rainbow at Finsbury Park in London, at Easter, 1978....when she had released her 3rd album, 'Easter'. I even remember what I wore!

The second time was after she'd released 'Gone Again', her 'comeback' album, when I saw her at Manchester. That was memorable, as we sat about 4 rows from the front, and had a splendid view. Also memorable, as I did the whole 'fan' thing, and hung around the venue before the performance. I'd taken a massive pile of her books, albums, and cd's, which she kindly autographed! She made a comment about my copy of her book of poems 'Babel', saying 'This is an old one'. It was the first book of hers I bought, when it came out. There was a little group of us fans, and she was patient, and spoke to everyone, and signed whatever was asked of her.
Tom Verlaine played with the band on that tour.

The third time, she was appearing on stage at Reykjavic, in Iceland. Jon and I had gone there, for a holiday, and I discovered from the hotel receptionist that she was in concert. The receptionist phoned up and booked tickets for us, and we walked through the city, to the venue, and enjoyed a stripped-down performance, with Patti, her long-time collaborator Lenny Kaye, on guitar, and her daughter Jesse, on keyboards. They were joined by an enthusiastic and dissonant cornet/trumpet-player! It made a special holiday, even more special!

And here she was, as she described it 'almost live at Leeds'...referencing the classic 'Who' album. Of course she did a cover of their 'My Generation' on the b-side of her single, 'Gloria', so it was a reference to her own past, too!
It was a wondrous gig. She's always great, and connects to the audience with her stories and jokes. 
Lenny did a mid-way medley of a selection of songs from the 'Nuggets' collection he compiled.....they make a great covers band!

Beacons Festival

Last weekend I went to Beacons Festival.

Listened to music; drank beer; ate food; enjoyed the sun....when it shone! And tried to avoid the rain!

On the Saturday, it was glorious weather. The sky was blue; the clouds were little fluffy ones!

The sunset over the fields, and the hawthorn tree, was spectacular.

For 3 days, I sat in a field, camped up in Blanche, and chilled. Bliss!  

 And after Beacons? I drove off to explore North Yorkshire, and look for Star Carr!

Felt; Bags & Boots! by Jill Halsall

Some examples of Jill's feltmaking!

I have no idea if she will be exhibiting these in November. Knowing Jill she'll have made a whole new set of felt-works by then!
Jill & I have an exhibition of felt at Westgate Studios 'Project Space' in November, for the Artwalk. We're calling it 'Woolgathering'....a reference to the material, and also a small nod to Patti Smith, who has a book called the same. 
I'm a big Patti Smith fan. And when Jon and I went to Iceland a few years ago, we were lucky enough to be there the same time as she was doing a gig.  It's the third time I've seen her; she's touring again this year. Has a new album out entitled 'Banga'.
As might have become noticable on this blog.....as well as art, I'm passionate about music!

'Spem In Alium'

Yesterday I went to see Thomas Tallis' 'Spem In Alium', sung by Leeds University Liturgical Choir.
It was wonderful. 
I love acapella music; the sound of voices unaccompanied by instruments is beautiful. The singers stood down each side of the Hall, and along the front, and we were inside the music. A very magical experience. It was one of those 'hairs-standing-on-the-back-of your-neck' experiences!
I thought this sky fitted the post; the sun setting viewed from the Hepworth, Wakefield. 

Pi

Whilst browsing the t'internet, as you do; I came upon this
http://www.collegehumor.com/video/6446891/what-pi-sound-like

It's really quite lovely; even though at times it does sound as though they will break into 'doh, a deer' from 'The Sound Of Music'!


They've put musical notation onto the number sequence of Pi. 
I came to this from listening to Kate Bush's song 'Pi' from her album (cd?) 'Aerial', where she sings the numbers.........take your pick!

Ari Up

Not an 'art' blog this time, but a music blog.

Heard the news on Radio 4's Woman's Hour this week that Ari Up formerly of the Slits, had died of a long illness. Word is it's cancer, but one never really knows.
It's not really how she died though, it's how she lived.

I was one of those few (?) people who bought 'CUT', the first Slits album....in vinyl in those days. Had to travel to Leeds to get it from Jumbo records. And Jumbo records, like me, still exists!
I couldn't get it in Wakefield, as we only had 3 independant record shops. They've all gone now; we now have one HMV which increasingly sells DVD's and games rather than cd's and music.

The Slits did a tour, and I went to see them at Bradford. Still have the ticket somewhere! I used to save all my tickets and things in those days. Before the days when I was up to my eyes in 'stuff'.
I was at art college in Wakefield, doing my Foundation course; 1979/1980.
Went straight to Bradford from Wakefield. It was a sparsely attended gig, it has to be said. Not a sell-out. But I loved them; the space in the sound, the loping reggae rythyms. I danced around to the beat. A couple of my friends were there, and afterwards we talked about what we'd thought of the Slits. I was enthusiastic; thought they were great! My two friends hated it! Hated the ramshackle-ness of them! Wanted more 'musician-ness' from them.
But how cool was it to see those 3 women on stage doing just what they wanted; playing with stereotypes of what women 'should' be. I was inspired. I didn't go and start a band; couldn't play an instrument (well it never stopped the punks, did it?) and I never knew many people who were interested in starting a band. Funny that; we all loved the punk ethos of D-I-Y, but never did the music ourselves.

But I did go and D-I-Y the art; I went off to University to do my art degree.
'Cos art colleges were where much of the music of the 1960's, and the Situationist-inspired London punk scene emerged from.
By the time I went to art college, it had changed slightly. Not very revolutionary or Situationist up here in the provinces.
But I continue with my D-I-Y ethics; in my art, my creativity. Re-using and re-cycling; planting parsnip spirals; planting Morning Glory plants to make into give-away books.
And at this time in the world, where we have a government hell-bent on finishing off the job that Mrs Thatcher started, and cut-backs in public services, the D-I-Y ethic is going to become more and more important.

Ari Up and the Slits inspired me to be a woman as I wanted to be. I may not be a screeching musical banshee; not even a screeching artist. But I make the noise I want to make, the sound of brush on canvas; the sound of pen and pencil on paper. The sound, to mis-quote Seamus Heaney, of a 'hunter-gatherer of meaning'.

I'll dig out my old Slits badge from that Bradford gig, and wear it in honour of Ari, and all the inspiration they streamed out to us women who saw, and listened, and went out....inspired.