Sunday at the Cirque Soleil

If there's one venue I'd be happy to sit in without being entertained it is the Royal Albert Hall. I think it's wonderful - so large yet also so cosy. All that circular red feels like a womb. It would be a very crowded womb, but top class with all the gold trimmings.

On Sunday we had tickets for the evening performance of "Totem" by the Cirque Soleil. Anything by them is a big treat, but this theme of evolution was particularly interesting. The show, this time, got off to an unfortunate start as one of the acrobats in the opening sequence hurt themselves. I'd spotted a bad landing and thought "Whoops, that wasn't supposed to happen." A few minutes later paramedics rushed very gracefully to the curled up person who was eventually carried out in a stretcher chair, to applause from the sympathetic audience. I hope the acrobat is OK. The show continued and I really enjoyed the Native American sequence, just love that beat and enjoy listening to CD's of those deep rhythmic chants.

Musicwise, I have Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers to look forward to at the R.A.H. That will be another treat. You've got to have them, haven't you, the occasional big treats.

Live Rocking

Last Friday I was out enjoying myself and thought, in my enthusiasm, I must blog about this. If anyone is reading me, they can see by past dates that I’m not so hot at keeping blogging promises to myself! New Year’s Resolution was to blog more regularly – like must exercise more and ignore those chocolates left over from Christmas.

Back to January 6^th 2012, the place: Concorde Club, Eastleigh, the time: just gone 11pm. The event: Elkie Brooks singing to an enthralled audience. She sang a few songs I’d not heard before, which is good, as well her standard hits and some album tracks which I’ve always loved, e.g. Gasoline Alley, the opening song of the show. The band was excellent, particularly the sax player. There were numbers when they and Elkie really rocked, with a capital R. Amazing when you remember that the lady has her 67^th Birthday next month. I couldn’t help thinking about a friend the same age as me who has one of those tea towels pinned on a door – “You Know You’re Getting Old When ….”. You know the sort of thing, a list of ten negative (supposed to be rib-tickling, ho ho ho!) aspects of ageing. There’s a picture of a rocking chair. I’d rather look and listen to toe-tapping rocking and rolling, sing along with the young at heart.

So tonight I’ll raise a glass to that, and give a listen to the signed “Powerless” Elkie CD I acquired last Friday. I wonder what track 4 “Dancing On The Tables” sounds like?