classical actors and open air classics

• Posted by Catherine Jones at 1:42 PM | add or read comments (0)

After the Tall Ships extravaganza, it was a relief to draw breath - albeit briefly - last week.
Although having my roof repaired wasn't really the respite I'd been thinking of.
By Friday and Lipa graduation I was ready to go again.
Macca seems to be almost living in the city this year, with his appearance at the Philharmonic Hall the third "public" visit in three months.
An talking of Phil, I tootled up to Southport on Saturday evening to see Petrenko conduct the orchestra at an open air concert.
More of that in a minute.

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eight miles high

• Posted by Catherine Jones at 7:58 AM | add or read comments (0)

"Do you want to sit on the grassy knoll - it's great, I sat there for the dress rehearsal and it's like you get your own private show," Royal Court press officer Iain Christie asked me on Monday.
Why not? I thought - after checking with him there was strictly no ritual humiliation, I mean audience participation, involved.
Well, apparently Iain had his fingers crossed when he told me that as I learned last night.
Although it was gentle, mild and hippy-like participation - being "talked to" as the cast went past - so it wasn't too embarrassing.
Oh yes, apart from having to get up and dance at the end that is!!

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tall ships

• Posted by Catherine Jones at 5:37 PM | add or read comments (0)

I've just completed my third day at the Tall Ships event and I'm absolutely exhausted!
Maybe it's the early starts, maybe it's that howling wind or maybe it's the vast swell of crowds. Who knows.
It's been fantastic though and the sheer level of people attending the weekend is amazing.
I had a chat with one crew member from Warwickshire earlier, who has never visited Liverpool before, and he said since the moment he stepped off the train at Lime Street he'd been struck what a friendly city it was.
He was mightily impressed and plans to return to see it properly.

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celebrity masterchef

• Posted by Catherine Jones at 8:25 AM | add or read comments (0)

It's been such a busy few days, preparing for and covering the Tall Ships event that I've been a bit tardy about updating this blog.
But I've been meaning to write a few lines about Celebrity Masterchef.
How great has it been to see not one but THREE :Liverpudlians in the semi-final!
I know we lost Louis last night, in part I suspect to a blob of heinous horseradish mousse (mind you, aren't some of those food critics po-faced *******?!).
But the sight of a trio of Scousers cooking up a storm, and a massive bowl of Scouse, over this week has been a treat.
Capital of culture. Capital of celebrity cook. Go Mark and Liz!

tall ships

• Posted by Catherine Jones at 11:30 AM | add or read comments (0)

I've just returned from a briefing about this weekend's Tall Ships event.
As we sat there in the Pan Am on the Albert Dock, we watched as a mast floated serenely into view as if on cue.
Around 60 tall ships are converging on the Mersey as a I write with most of them coming in at midday high tide tomorrow and Friday.
I must admit I'm beginning to get quite excited now - it should look spectacular this weekend and at the moment (but we know how quickly things can change!!) the Beeb weather forecast is for sunshine on both Saturday and Sunday.
There will be full coverage in the Echo over the next few days including a lot of pictures so even if you can't get to the event you'll be able to enjoy it.

the beat goes on....

• Posted by Catherine Jones at 2:29 PM | add or read comments (1)

It's cost £300,000 to create, including £100,000 from the Culture Company.
But after two visits to The Beat Goes On exhibition in 12 hours, I have to say as far as I am concerned it is well worth every penny.
And the fabulous thing about the new show, which goes live at World Museum Liverpool tomorrow, is like most other attractions in the city it is absolutely free.
I'm not sure you'll escape without buying something fabulous in the museum shop though!!

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poster boy petrenko

• Posted by Catherine Jones at 5:36 PM | add or read comments (0)

He's been on billboards, he's been on bags - now the Phil has turned its charming Russian conductor into a poster.
It won't help poor Vasily Petrenko dodge the growing fanclub!
The Phil's latest wheeze is to produce its 2008/9 season listings in a handy fold-out form - with a poster of a smiling conductor on the other side.......
Whatever will they think of next.

beatles day

• Posted by Catherine Jones at 8:26 AM | add or read comments (1)

Today, if you hadn't noticed, is Beatles Day.
That means much mop-top tomfoolery and singing of Fab Four songs.
And we reveal the city's favourite Beatles song as voted for by you lot out there. I must admit I was very pleased with the result as it was the song I'd voted for myself!
You'll have to wait until the paper comes out to find out which one it is, but suffice to say it - excuse the lame pun - struck a chord with many, many people both inside and outside the city.

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crowded house and "customer safety"

• Posted by Catherine Jones at 8:16 AM | add or read comments (0)

I don't normally feel sorry for "the man" when people are sticking it to him.
But I must admit I did feel just a slight pang for the "customer safety" staff at the Echo Arena last night.
They came under fire from Crowded House frontman Neil Finn for trying to stop people rushing down the aisles to the front to dance and sing.

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mung beans and meeting the 'wild' boys

• Posted by Catherine Jones at 7:59 AM | add or read comments (0)

Did any of you ever have a teenage obsession - one you are willing to admit to that is?
As regular readers of this blog know, mine was Duran Duran.
For a handful of mad years from the age 12 or 13 I loved those pouting and preening Brummies (although to be fair only three of them were from Birmingham) with an all consuming passion that my mother must have despaired of.
On Saturday I saw them live again for the first time in 25 years - and finally got to meet the band.
The former was fantastic. The latter was just weird.

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meatloaf shirt drama

• Posted by Catherine Jones at 10:05 AM | add or read comments (0)

What is it with music stars and their laundry?
First there was Mick Hucknall saying he wasn't going to go on stage until someone had found him an iron and ironing board.
And now Meatloaf has had a run in with a dry cleaners.
Now I don't know which one it was, but word from the Pops is that he sent 11 of his nice embroidered shirts off to be cleaned in the city - and they came back shrunk.
Poor Meat.
Maybe he should have got Mick to give him a hand.

people in liverpool

• Posted by Catherine Jones at 8:14 AM | add or read comments (0)

The Liverpool Academy of Arts has not one but two new exhibitions which have opened this week.
Madalaina Murthwaite's "year in art" features in one room of the Seel Street gallery, showcasing her painted and charcoaled portraits.
And in the back room is the exhibition which accompanies a new photographic book by former model turned model Liverpool citizen Stephanie de Leng.

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news from the pops

• Posted by Catherine Jones at 12:48 PM | add or read comments (0)

I went to my second Summer Pops gig of 2008 last night, reviewing Mick Hucknall's tribute to Bobby Bland (see today's Echo).
It was a completely different atmosphere to Westlife - no surprise there.
In fact, much as I like the Echo Arena, Hucknall would have benefited from being in a more intimate setting, say, the Big Top?
But he looked dapper there on stage in a suit and a well-pressed shirt.
I hear that apparently he said he wasn't going on stage until someone had brought him an ironing board and iron.
Will Meatloaf have the same 'rider' tonight? I can't see it myself....

topiary ringo

• Posted by Catherine Jones at 10:22 AM | add or read comments (0)

Remember the fate that befell Ringo at South Parkway train station?
Alas poor Ringo, he sat there at his drums for a while after losing his head to a dastardly pruner.
Apparently people took the opportunity to have their pictures taken with their heads popping over the top of Ringo's severed topiary body.

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