Missing The Point

I have never really subscribed to Halloween. Fear is not a part of my emotional landscape that I have ever enjoyed. Sure, part of the <<find a verb that means ‘making something camp’>> process that seems to have taken place over the last decade kind of makes what was a celebration of fear in to something which makes fear cuddly/putting a mask on cuddly things has meant it is more about dressing up than scaring people..but still, I couldn’t give a fuck about it all. Don’t mistake this for a bitter ‘therefore I think it’s wrong and people shouldn’t celebrate it’ I have towards, say, St Patrick’s day: I for one applaud the popular attitude of a healthy percentage of young women who view Halloween/fancy dress as a sign to wear just underwear/skimpy clothes, three cheers etc.

All I will say about trick or treating is: I do not negotiate with terrorists.

BBC You Later

Started to get my money’s worth out of the BBC’s new entertainment brothel at Salford Quays today as we went to catch a BBC6 gig there. The staff were cordial enough but seemed not to realise who I was. It took a good amount of willpower not to give them a short burst of manners. Something along the lines of “Woooooah – do you see me looking worried about a (possibly) apocryphal antenna-topped van powered with the power to put me in prison because I don’t have a TV License? No – that’s because I HAVE a TV licence. Ergo I am your boss and you should pay me some more respect.”

I didn’t say that, though. I just stood meekly in a queue.

The gig was good. In the main. Brief rundown:

• Michael Kiwanuka seems a very talented young man, an amazing voice. Bit Bill Withers. Check him out on YouTube or summat like this or this.
• John Cooper Clarke is a poet. I don’t really like poetry. Know it brings a lot of people pleasure; There are certainly several poems that I think are magnificent. This was a good example of why I don’t like it though. People were laughing at things that weren’t funny because they were in a (basic) rhyme. Also there was a man stood behind me – who was at least 40 – who laughed every time JCC swore (I do love swearing but it’s not funny just because it’s there). I did think some of his non-rhyming jokes/observations  were a bit funny though.
• Bombay Bicyle Club were very good – if too brief in length. Shallow observation: any money their success is bringing isn’t going on clothes: they looked like 15-year-olds dressed by their mothers on (a non warm) holiday. Also the singer has that unfortunate hair that means he can never really have a decent haircut – but could play a nazi/composer/evil posh kid in a 1980s American film.
• The Charlatans remain one of my favourite bands, always great live and were here tonight. They did a run through of some of their (many) classics tonight. And I loved it, especially as I was stood right at the front, which meant my normally pathetic phone camera allowed me to get a couple of decent pics – including this:

Charlatans innit