Snow in London. Blizzards hit Notting Hill.

The air 'cracks' in Notting Hill today as reports come in of  'Cocaine Blizzards' hitting West London. Drifts of Colombias' finest 'snow' are making parts of Portobello Road impassable. Police are advising the public not to take refuge in lavatories.  A spokesperson said: Once upon a time it was yellow snow that caused the problems!

'This is the final straw'. He said. Waving a rolled up Ten Pound note.

Tom Baxter, Murray Lachlan Young and Vashti Baxter.

Ok. Murray is a friend and I've worked with him too but it is my blog! I don't know Tom or Vashti so this is a 60% unbiased review...

Vashti Baxter; legs, black tutu, black wig, electric guitar!.. Perfect. Backed by a drummer Vashti delivered a set of good songs that had no need of artifice (no faux American accent needed here) with intelligent lyrics and looking pretty comfortable doing so... Followed by:

Murray Lachlan Moung; legs, black garb, unruly hair, MCing himself out of the crowd, he's already one of us! Oh no he isn't. there is only one Murray; funny, very clever, a great performer and a blessing to poetry. And he can sing too!  great stuff.

Tom Baxter hit the stage alone but was soon joined by his band, and later by sister Vashti (talented family) and pleased everyone with his singular take on the 'bloke with a beard and guitar' which in other hands can be tiresome and hackneyed. At times there were hints of the late, great John Martyn; the benchmark for all blokes with beards and guitars for all time. Tom and crew filled the Tabernacle two nights running; testament to the quality of the acts. 

Notting Hill (Not The Film!) by Ella Poyner

A 3 minute documentary on Notting Hill focussing on Notting Hill Carnival and Multiculturalism.

Filmed in October 2010 by Ella Poyner, Gareth Maggs and Davey Peacocks who are students at London College of Communication on the Media Practice Course. 

Featuring Gaz Mayall - legendary DJ and club night host, Ray Roughler-Jones - local personality, author + presenter of Rougler TV and Tom Raphael-Eaves - writer and manager of El Camion Restaurant on Portobello Road. 

Music - London Calling by The Clash
Bam Bam by Sista Nancy
Message to You, Rudy by The Specials.

Filmed in and around Notting Hill including - 
El Camion Restaurant
The Uxbridge Arms
The Fat Badger
Portobello Road

Molly Parkin 0 - Chris Evans 1. The Radio 2 Christmas Quiz.

I was invited to see (hear, I don't know) Molly Parkin at Ronnie Scotts this evening. While I was umming and ahing; mostly umming to be frank, Chris called from the Tabernacle and invited me down to sit in on the BBC Radio 2 christmas quiz recording hosted by Chris Evans.

You know, THAT Chris Evans. The bloke designed by God to wind up  middle aged, middle class Britain and be a warning to us all.

Heads up folks.  In the intervening years since I last really clocked the guy he has turned into the consummate broadcaster and a master of stagecraft (radio stage ok). He is very very good.

It was a funny, light-hearted, well managed evening. Obviously the audience was partisan (they asked for tickets) and happy to oblige with preordained applause and cheers. I on the other hand being a steely hearted fucker would not clap on cue but clapped a few times because I wanted to.

The contestants collectively; Tony Blackburn,Patrick Kielty, Janice Long, Kate Thornton (cor),Trevor Nelson, Simon Mayo were, of course, a BBC 'jamboree bag'  (remember those, ones first experience of a 'curates egg' but invariably having something to smile about (even a curates egg had a yolk; boom boom)), but it worked... the troopers trooped without too much gloop and Chris kept the train on the tracks.

Tony Blackburn obliged by cracking a freedom pass joke that was in itself entitled to a freedom pass.

I talked to Chris Evans briefly afterwards, a little bit of polite Hampstead remember the days stuff, but I was interested to note that he was the one 'celeb' to stay behind and actually have some time for his audience... I'm impressed.

The thing finished early enough for me to grab a pint at the Cow followed by a little bit of mid-week Cabaret courtesey of 'Maison Du Chien' at Bumkin in Westbourne Park Road.

That is just a Wednesday in Notting Hill.

The Radio 2 quiz is being broadcast on Christmas day; the old bloke trying not to laugh in the background.

That's me!

Yasmin Lebon statue (or is it a Mannequin?) shock.

I will not be going to the 'unveiling' but this is what it looks like.

Quite fitting really that it resembles a department store Mannequin.

Cross pollenisation of a poetic nature and stalking poets.

Dear Poet credit the muse.

Dear poet
I saw your flyer for a show I couldn't get to
but
You look like everything
I think my stalker will be
when I first invite him into my home.

You see my stalker
far from being the man waiting for me
will be the man I am waiting for

The man my father warned me about
and then gives me to.

More

Tom Baxter, Murray Lachlan Young and Vashti Baxter at the Tabernacle.

Tom Baxter, Murray Lachlan Young and Vashti Baxter are at the Tabernacle tonight. Last night's sell out show was excellent although it is a shame that some in the audience, late arrivals especially, feel that it is acceptable to talk loudly during Murrays' set to the point where it felt as if Murray was a lobby between two music rooms. I get the feeling that the same boors would talk through the whole evening if they could be heard over the amplification.

There are tickets still available for tonights show.  Get there for the start. It is well worth it.

Read the review HERE

Life in Stone at Mara Sculpture, W2.

Yes, bits of Notting Hill are in W2...  Check this out

Gabby Young & Other Animals.

                                                 Photograhs: Christopher Scholey.


Gabby Young threw a party at the Tabernacle on Saturday night. Mind you I sense that she throws a party every time she performs.

A young, 'buzzy', dressed up crowd; lots of legs and shoes and a few long dresses thrown in, were there to party too. Small stalls on the balcony selling what was described as 'Gabberdashery' added to the the atmosphere.

Gabby is a gem; comfortable on stage, dressed in what appeared to be a pale blue cloud, supported by a tight and happy 8 piece band, horn section included, she joyfully presented her eccentric mix. Which to me came across as bonkers Balkan gypsy jazz cabaret with a little bit of everything thrown in from Mexico to the Souk! Halfway through the proceedings extra brass was brought on, including bassoon and for her encore she wheeled on a string quartet... Classy.  

This was a party for all ages. At one point a 5 year old in the audience was wished a happy birthday by all. On top of that it was clever, refreshing and professional cabaret of a high order.

All in all a lovely night.

This was Gabby's last performance of the year. Definitely catch her in 2011.

Dack Dydes Birthday Bash.

taintradio

A few of us have been toying with the idea of internet radio lately. Then this was sent to me by Bruce Mack in the US.

Check it out.

taintradio.org is an international alliance of independent producers dedicated to presenting music and music-related programming on the Internet 24/7. Each program host is autonomous and presents only the music he/she wishes to present. Our audience is anyone who enjoys an eclectic and adventurous mix of music. taintradio is listener-supported but we don’t do on-air fundraising. Our listen button works for anyone with a high-speed broadband connection; our website has a tip jar to which we sincerely hope you will choose to contribute.

Currently our programs originate from North Carolina, Georgia, Maine, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Seattle, London, Paris and St. Croix, V.I. Additional programs are in development from various locations throughout the world.

Click here for the website

Boiling water.

It begins:



'I walked away from it and headed north. Towards evening on the second day the snow came, two hours later I was seeking shelter. Without snowshoes my progress was laboured and awkward.  I came across a cave in a narrow ravine; a drift of smoke and footprints in the snow from someone coming from the north; small footprints, a woman or a child.


The cave was lit only by the fire but enough for me to see the woman, dressed in grey, sheen of her hair like a well oiled gun, a woman from an unknown tribe, sitting, heating water. 

The makings of some ritual tea ceremony were laid out on a rock.


Startled but unafraid she silently watched as I found myself a place to rest opposite her, the fire between us. In perfect English she said: 'We will wait for the water to boil. I will make tea'.A shoulder gesture indicated the paraphernalia on the rock beside her. 'Then you must leave'.


We sat in silence but for the fire as something foreign to us both crept into the cave and settled within us. 


As the water in the pot trembled close to boil she she added a ladlefull of ice cold snow-melt. We sat on in silence.


As the water in the pot trembled close to boil I took up the ladle and added snow-melt to the pot. we sat on in silence.


Into the early hours we sat watching that pot never boil. Finally, having covered me in a blanket, she lay nearby. We slept.


I awoke to find her making coffee. We talked; each to the other brought magic.


On the second morning we departed, heading South. In the cave on a fire rested the pot of water. 


Singing as it boiled.

Bevis Griffin's Rawhead TechX _ Thunderdome

This found me via a Canadian friend. I like it.