Saturday 9 May 2009

Baby Said

I've seen about three good things in the last few weeks. One of them was a man called Major Dickie Head on the news talking in a very serious tone of voice about the Iraq war. It's people like Major Dickie Head's parents who want us to be immature and ridiculous forever. That can be the only reason you'd ever name your child "Richard Head" and encourage him to take a career in the armed forces.

The other two things are less hilarious, but just as wonderful in their own ways.
I saw a play called A History of Falling Things which was a very unusual love story about two people who both have a fear of satellites falling from the sky (keraunothnetophobia for anyone who's in to that sort of thing), and meet in a chatroom. Predictably it is principally about two people, but it's not as self-centered as you might think: the emphasis is on life outside of their houses (they're both too scared to go outside) and the way things were for them before they develop this phobia, and what could happen if they get over it, and not on their current lives. I never felt sorry for the characters, they both seemed too strong and stubborn and difficult for that, so although it's sad, there's no pity, and it's not patronising. I won't tell you what happens at the end, because I want so badly for everyone to go and see it. I think it might have just finished its run at Theatre Clwyd but if you see it advertised anywhere, go.

The second was La Roux playing in Wrexham which was wonderful. It was a pretty last-minute decision to go, we just turned up, paid our £12 and that was it. Samsung even gave us free drinks because they were the sponsor and we were within the first 100 people in. But in terms of the bands it could have gone either way, because there was always the chance that La Roux herself wouldn't be able to sing. Two out of three of the support acts were brilliant, The Chapman Family opened, and they were great, albeit completely mental. You can download their song "Kids" off iTunes now, and it's definitely worth 79p. Magistrates were on after, who sound like what would happen in the unlikely event that Black Kids, Maroon 5 and Cold War Kids decide to "jam." Obviously they're brilliant, and if they don't get really, really famous I'll be surprised, alarmed and very very angry. Their new single "Heartbreak" is out soon and is great, but until then if you type "magistrates make this work mp3 download" in to Google you can get one of their songs for free.



The third support band were so dire I'm not going to talk about them. They were called Heartbreak, and they ruined an otherwise perfectly good line up. Plug your ears if anyone ever tries to make you listen to their music.

La Roux was good, she's got a great voice and some very shiny clothes but not much in the way of stage prescence, and when you're performing with 2 other people on stage with you (remember, no drum kit to fill space) it looks pretty empty, but maybe that's something that will come in time.

So, to sum up, go and see A History of Falling Things, and keep an eye out for Magistrates and The Chapman Family.