The Fall

This felt like something I had to do to complete my collection. If you think of yourself as an Indie music fan you really ought to have seen the Fall. So now I have done.

I hadn't before because I was just never that keen on the Fall. It all sounds very much the same to me. And that's a lot of "same", given they have now produced 31 albums. Puts the Beatles to shame in terms of productivity. Just the quality one might argue about.

When I say the Fall, really I mean Mark E Smith. He has surrounded himself with countless musicians over the years. He is the brand.

My two companions for this gig were both Fall veterans. This had many advantages, not least the information that he doesn't come on until 10pm. And he didn't. Which gave us time for a few drinks and a meal at the Satay Bar - my regular haunt for a Brixton gig. It has a happy hour, you can generally get a table and the oriental food is decent and inexpensive. Normally I use this for gigs at Brixton Academy, but the Fall aren't in that league. This one was at the much smaller, but very satisfactory, Brixton Electric.

So what was the gig like? I have to say that Mark E Smith was far worse than I expected, but his band far better. He is really carried by the band. The very attractive girl on keyboards was especially good. Mr Smith on the other hand was a wasted, shambling wreck of a man. His voice was always "unique", but frankly I only picked out two words in the entire evening. So no way of knowing whether he remembered the words. He wandered around the stage as if totally drunk (which he may well have been), twiddling aimlessly with knobs on the sound system. The band looked on apologetically. He looked like someone who properly belonged in a old people's home, but couldn't be trusted not to set fire to it.

But the music was surprisingly good. Not to everyone's taste I am sure. Indeed not convinced it's mine. But the Fall are now in my collection.

 

 

 

 

Bill Bailey

This was another "work in progress" comedy gig. Bill Bailey trying out new material in the relatively small Leicester Square Theatre. An intimate gig.  I really enjoyed it, as clearly did all the audience, although in parts it was a little rambling, and Bill needed to read off lyric sheets to get the words right on some of his songs.

Bill Bailey heads up well on the likeability front. he is also rare among comics in not doing any adult material. No swearing, no sex. But he had the audience laughing throughout what was pretty long set - especially for the princely sum of £15. And I can say that if he wouldn't appeal to all ages he certainly appealed to a wide range, given my little group consisted of a couple in their 50s and young Leo who had only just turned 19. Overall, would have to put that down as another very successful evening.

Open House Weekend 2014

 



I always enjoy Open House Weekend - a chance to poke around unusual buildings. However, I have done this for so many years now that I am running out of new places to see. This year I decided to start off by visiting a Victorian House not unlike my own in Bowes Park. A bit of a lengthy walk, but I thought it would be nice to see what had been done in gutting such a house and adding a modern interior. Unfortunately my walk ended in disappointment - a handwritten sign on the gate saying it had to be closed due to a family incident. Grr!

 

Anyway, I took the tube to Holborn to see some things in this area. Into Red Lion Square - a bit of a patchy square this, due to a bit of WWII bombing I believe. I liked Summit House - an art deco office block.

 

 

 

 



My first visit was to Conway Hall - home of the  Conway Hall Ethical Society. More worthy than interesting if truth be told.

 More interesting from an architectural viewpoint is nearby Bedford Row, the best preserved Georgian terrace in London.

 Now for a building I wouldn't have seen without Open House Weekend - 33 Great James Street. Two Georgian properties acting as the HQ of GMS Estates. Nice, simply restored interiors atop modern office space in the basement.

There are lots of churches open. I picked the very grand St George's Bloomsbury, not a Wren church but next best thing when it comes top brand names - A Nicholas Hawksmoor. Central feature is a beautiful brass chandelier on permanent loan from the V & A.

A the rear is a magnificent memorial to Charles Grant, chairman of the East India Company

The altar-piece is formed from a massive piece of carved West Indian mahogany - very impressive.

 

 Outside, and just wandering around London you see these great juxtapositions of old and new.

 

 However, by far the most impressive building I visited on the Saturday was the stupendous Freemasons Hall. This was built between the Wars as the HQ of the United Grand Lodge of England. Do try and see this place. Should really be on your bucket list. The imposing exterior still doesn't prepare you for the glories inside. Quite breath-taking.





The Shrine, designed by Walter Gilbert

 

 

 The Grand Temple. It can take 1700 people in its auditorium.

 The museum is worth a look too.

 From the Freemasons Hall I headed into the City

 

A cloudy day as you can see from the Shard. It just disappears into the clouds.

 My last visit of the day was to the Lloyds Shipping Register in Fenchurch Street. This is an interesting combination of shiny Richard Rogers  modern glass office block enclosing the old register built by Thomas Collcutt in 1901. We had an informative talk to start with giving an insight into modern design and how such buildings are cooled now. This was very eco-friendly in design.

 

 But I am afraid the turn of the century Collcutt stuff impressed me more, especially the bronze detailing.

On the Sunday I met up with a colleague for a booked tour of the Mansion House. This also should go on your bucket list. The Lord Mayor's home - she actually does live here - is just a stunning building. Great Dutch art collection on the walls, magnificent interiors. I think even my colleague, seriously hung-over and short of sleep did not regret coming down for this. I think she was as blown away as me.

 

 Put off by the queues elsewhere we visited just the Customs House, before heading off to a pub in Bermondsey for Sunday lunch. A very pleasant weekend.