#featuring anthony and andrew. my favourite men

[sneakydraws]

EVERYONE STOP THE FUCKING PRESSES @lindonwald DREW ME AN ANDRETOLE COMMISSION AND ITS THE REALEST SHIT

[solarsonicsoda]

Rebbie's Wrestling Show Reviews - RevPro: Live in Southampton 28 (11/2/2024)

For the first time since I started this whole blog, I went to a live wrestling show! So I thought, why not give a brief review. This was one of RevPro’s weekly shows, and the go-home before High Stakes in Crystal Palace (which I am also attending!!!), so for those unfamiliar with these bigger indies, it's essentially their version of a tv taping. These shows and their big shows are all available on RevPro OnDemand. The company is known for a strong relationship with New Japan Pro Wrestling, being where they send trainees on excursion and in the past frequently seeing major NJPW stars hold the British Heavyweight Title.

Pre-Show

These shows are a breeze for me to reach down at The 1865 in Southampton, and always feature a pretty lairy crowd. It's a music venue, with the stage featuring some chairs with a few more on most sides of the ring. Wrestlers enter through a small walkway in the far corner of the building with a projected screen on the stage. It's an intimate and ever so slightly awkward venue, but I absolutely love it, and it's so easy to attend. Without further ado, let's get into the show, as the ever wonderful Francesca introduced the action.

Robbie X def. Joshua James by pinfall in 11:54

This was a really hot match to start things off. Robbie X is really popular with this RevPro crowd, and he earns it by always putting on a show. He’s facing Mustafa Ali in Crystal Palace, which is sure to be a highlight. On this night though, he was up against Joshua James, one of the Contenders. These are essentially the RevPro own guys. Something I love about RevPro crowds is how much they get behind the Contenders. They’re one of our own! Both men got a great reaction, and this was an awesome big vs small match. Josh James had a great power game on display, and Robbie is an awesome seller, so this went really well. It was never slow, just all action, and maybe my favourite match of the night in the end. Robbie is able to get the win when he hits the Handspring Cutter out of a James pounce, which was a counter of a previous handspring cutter attempt. That was pretty fun! The night is off to a great start!

3.5 STARS OUT OF 5

I feel it pertinent to mention it here as James sported the memorial armband and t-shirt, but this is the first show I’ve seen since Mad Kurt sadly passed away late last year. Mad Kurt was on the first few shows I saw in The 1865, and made an immediate impression. I’d known him from Twitter and had no idea what to expect from his wrestling, and I was charmed by his mixture of silly comedy and serious wrestling acumen. I was heartbroken by the news, and I’m so sorry to all those who knew him for their loss. There were multiple tributes to him throughout, and he is extremely missed. Mad Kurt Forever. If you want to support his family monetarily for the various costs in this trying time, you can do so via the GoFundMe here.

“Flash” Morgan Webster def. Will Kaven via pinfall in 10:12

The Modfather, one half of the British Tag Team Champions with Mark Andrews/Dani Luna, takes on Will Kaven of… PORTSMOUTH?! For those unaware, Portsmouth is the next city over from Southampton, so Kaven always gets a strong reaction from us Southampton fans… Portsmouth is actually more local to me originally than Southampton but shhh don't tell anyone!! This is another good match, a pair of guys who can mix high flying with a more grounded game, and we see all sides of that in this one. Webster is highly popular, and Kaven is highly unpopular, and it makes for a fun match. I think the crowd may have been a smidge tired here, but they still had plenty of energy! Webster gets the win with the Shadows Over Malice swanton bomb.

3 STARS OUT OF 5

Anthony Ogogo def. David Francisco by TKO in 14:52

Speaking of loving the Contenders, here’s David Francisco! We love David in RevPro, and the big man from Portugal was just as popular on this night. There was even a great chant I don't think I’d heard before of “Francisco” replacing “You are gold” in Spandau Ballet’s Gold. That’s inspired! His opponent was AEW’s Anthony Ogogo, the former Olympic bronze medallist boxer. For some reason, he still has The Factory’s logo on his jacket despite the group disbanding almost a year ago. This one was all about Ogogo, and he worked well as a heel, jibing back and forth with the crowd who had lots of banter for the “Pound Shop David Haye” as they chanted. He had a pretty good match with Francisco, who was predictably over like rover, and had a few nearfalls that could have been an upset. In the end though, despite showing resilient including a subtle rope break that fooled Ogogo, Francisco was knocked out, with the Union Jack being draped on him by the olympian. Fun if unremarkable match.

3 STARS OUT OF 5

Post-match, Ogogo got on the mic, bragging about his big American house, fighting with the crowd (including a passing fan and his middle finger), and most importantly, deriding Ricky Knight Jr. for being “cocky”. However, RKJ was actually here, and he met Ogogo in the ring! They had a war of words, with RKJ again challenging Ogogo for High Stakes. He promises to take all the vision in Ogogo’s damaged eye. Both men invoke the names of each other's families, and it’s when Ogogo says RKJ’s newborn daughter takes after him in being “butters, mate” as he put it that we get a big brawl. The backstage area clears out to seperate them, with great difficulty, but they are eventually split, with Ogogo seemingly going out the wrong door. I say this because during the next match, he quietly trots from there to the entrance way and heads to the back. 

Luke Jacobs def. Yuto Nakashima by pinfall in 12:17

Beef! This is a clash of two big men, and the crowd were excited. We have here the first wrestler on the card that I’ve never seen in any capacity, that being Yuto Nakashima! One half of Young Blood passed me a few times pre-show and he is a big guy! Off the bat, love his vibe! A lot of personality and aura from him, as he enters with a big chain and wild hair. Jacobs also heads to the ring and looks in great shape! These two started a little slow in my opinion, but they ramped up and this one got pretty good by the end! Big strikes, and the highlights were some gnarly headbutts as these two had a colossal tussle. This also saw one of my favourite spots they do at these RevPro shows, as they cleared the chairs in front of me for Yuto to throw Jacobs clattering through them. Jacobs is able to secure the win in the end though, hitting Yuto with a great lariat. I was even further sold on Yuto with his post match sell, as he stumbled wildly all the way to the back, falling into the crowd and ring multiple times. He was also prone to a dance any chance he got the whole show long, and I love him for that.

3.5 STARS OUT OF 5

Intermission

This brought an end to the first half of the show, bringing a short intermission. Ogogo made conversation near the bar and took a few photos with fans, and Sha Samuels & Morgan Webster joined the merch table, taking photos and selling their wares. I was able to meet them both, and bought a shirt and print from Webster, despite some hassle with my card! I forgot to get a photo though, so I’ll have to see them again at another show! Both were lovely and shortly after that, our second half began.

Oskar Leube vs. JJ Gale ended in a no contest in 9:57

We came back with the other half of Young Blood taking on the other half of the High Stakes match between Luke Jacobs and JJ Gale. This match was really fun! This was my first time seeing Leube, and I was extremely impressed with his work. The man walked past me a couple times during the show and he is TALL. He uses that size well in the ring but is really smooth with everything he does. JJ Gale was a great opponent for him too, using his quickness to build a pretty cool match. Sadly, this one ended pretty quickly with a no contest, as Mark Trew & Kieron Lacey attacked both men, even wielding chairs. Yuto returns to help his partner, but he’s overwhelmed by the tag team. In the end, it’s Luke Jacobs who clears the way, wanting Gale at his best for the big show the following week. They end up brawling anyway though, as Young Blood stand off with Trew & Lacey.

3 STARS OUT OF 5

Mark Trew & Kieron Lacey def. Harry Milligan & Michael Oku (w/ Amira) by pinfall in 13:42

Trew & Lacey are already in the ring as the following match gets announced, with their opponents meeting them for their match. There’s a big “Mad Kurt” chant to start this one, which was touching. This was a decently fun match, with the champion and his younger ally contesting with the nefarious Trew & Lacey. Trew losing his beanie also elicits a big reaction from this crowd. This one is moving along decently enough, until Trew & Lacey bring Amira into the path of Oku’s shooting star press over the top rope to the outside. Amira’s down, and a distraught Oku carries her to the back for attention… Bit of an odd move to choose for that spot if you ask me, but who am I to judge? But Trew & Lacey capitalised off this numbers advantage to get the win over Milligan. Post-match, Young Blood take their chance to strike as Trew & Lacey continue to beat up Milligan. This brings out Oku, who’s keeping an eye on Young Blood. Leube gets on the mic and demands a tag team match at High Stakes! Exciting stuff.

3 STARS OUT OF 5

Cameron Khai def. Richard Holliday by pinfall in 12:59

We were breathing rarefied air next, when Richard Holliday from Connecticut, America came to the ring. He grabbed the mic from Francesca and began to introduce himself. He says he’s familiar with our game as a UK crowd, and said if we want to get ourselves over, we have to make a chant for him. He isn’t pleased with the crowd’s chants of “Dick”, saying he thought we were more original than that, as he finds one fan willing to sing his praises in song form. Sadly, I can’t for the life of me recall what the song is called, so you’ll just have to imagine the tune. It’s here that Holliday’s foe comes out: Cameron Khai! Khai is a really talented young wrestler who I’ve seen a couple times now, and he has had some absolutely great matches. One to watch for the future as he develops further! This is a decent match, but I think it’s pretty heavily overrun by fan chants. They were certainly entertaining though! Chants of “Dick Vacation” anger Holliday, as well as “You’ve got one fan, and he’s shit!” chants. There’s a fun moment as Holliday does some corner strikes, each punctuated by a call of “You’re not shit” directed at his loyal fan. What a heel! Not all of the chants were great though, you can imagine some of the humour derived from Richard’s first name. The chants really did distract from the in-ring action though, which I can’t imagine was desired. The finish comes when Khai is able to roll up Holliday with a small package pin for the win. Holliday sulks in the ring post-match, refusing to leave, which is a thread we’ll come back to shortly. 

3 STARS OUT OF 5

Seeing Holliday for the first time, I was pretty impressed with his charisma. You can definitely see the comparisons to his former tag partner MJF in his promo skills. He was solid in the ring too, definitely doing his part for the match. Sadly, his promo riling up got out of hand. Excited to see what more he can do though!

Spike Trivet def. Sha Samuels by pinfall in 14:17

Richard Holliday is still in the ring as Francesca announces our main event, which comes with a small video package and everything! How fancy! It’s Sha Samuels intervention that ousts Holliday, with the East End Butcher clearing him from the ring with his entrance. Holliday lingers outside, seeming unhappy with this from Samuels. Trivet is out next, being understandably booed for being Spike Trivet. This grudge match, built from Trivet’s general attitude and attacking Samuels at Uprising, is a decent match! A fun spot is Samuels going to use his scarf, which the referee takes away, but Samuels using this chance to use his braces on Trivet. He gets as good as he gives! There’s some back and forth decent stuff, until Holliday returns to the ring side area. Samuels takes exception to this, as does the referee, which allows Trivet the chance to grab a weapon from the earlier discovered toolbox, and get the win over Samuels. 

3 STARS OUT OF 5

Post match, Holliday and Trivet argue over beating up Samuels, before they decide to both do it. This brings out Cameron Khai and Flash Morgan Webster to even the odds, with all 5 men brawling all over the place! Right in front of me, Webster and Trivet went flying into the merch section! I couldn’t follow it all! It was a pretty fun ending after a few matches with a little less pizazz. Samuels ends the show on the mic cursing out his enemies.

Post-Show

With our show over, I went over to the merch table once again, this time getting a signed print from JJ Gale, where I had to get his PayPal for payment as I had no cash, as well as meeting Young Blood. The pair of them were lovely, and I actually remembered to get a selfie with them! I also bought a signed print of Yuto, as they only took cash and I only had £5. They better come back to Southampton so I can get a signed print with Oskar!

Final Thoughts

Overall, this was a pretty fun show. I’ve certainly seen bigger barnburners on these Southampton live shows, but this was good fun ahead of High Stakes. There wasn’t too much build to the big show, but look, I had fun. What more do you want from me? I think this show gets a high 3 STARS OUT OF 5 from me!

[mrjeremydylan]

My Favorite Album #200 - The Favorite Aussie Music of Benmont Tench, Sam Palladio, Natalie Prass, Duglas T Stewart and Jeff Greenstein

To celebrate 200 episodes of the podcast, I’ve talked to some of my favourite non-Australia guests on the podcast over the past three and a half years, to find out what Australian artists and tunes they love. We also tackle the question: Are any Aussie rock legends actually from Australia?

This episode features:

- (1:20) Heartbreaker Benmont Tench on Daddy Cool - (3:44) BMX Bandit Duglas T Stewart on the Go-Betweens - (7:12) Soul singer/songwriter Natalie Prass on The Bee Gees - (10:34) Nashville star Sam Palladio on Men at Work and Crowded House - (16:58) Emmy-winning writer/director Jeff Greenstein on The Hoodoo Gurus and Kylie Minogue.

Back to regular programming next episode with Charles Esten!

Listen in the player above or download the episode by clicking here.

Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes here or in other podcasting apps by copying/pasting our RSS feed - http://myfavoritealbum.libsyn.com/rss My Favorite Album is a podcast unpacking the great works of pop music. Each episode features a different songwriter or musician discussing their favorite album of all time - their history with it, the making of the album, individual songs and the album’s influence on their own music. Jeremy Dylan is a filmmaker, journalist and photographer from Sydney, Australia who has worked in the music industry since 2007. He directed the the feature music documentary Jim Lauderdale: The King of Broken Hearts (out now!) and the feature film Benjamin Sniddlegrass and the Cauldron of Penguins, in addition to many commercials and music videos.

If you’ve got any feedback or suggestions, drop us a line at myfavoritealbumpodcast@gmail.com.

LINKS

- Jeremy Dylan’s website, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook page.

- Like the podcast on Facebook here.

- If you dig the show, please leave a rating or review of the show on iTunes here.

CHECK OUT OUR OTHER EPISODES

199. Showrunner Jeff Lieber on Gregory Alan Isakov ‘The Weatherman’ and how music fuels his writing process 198. Jack Colwell on Tori Amos ‘Boys for Pele’ (1996) 197. Benmont Tench on playing with Bob Dylan, Jenny Lewis and Ryan Adams and the worst advice he’s received 196. Ella Thompson (Dorsal Fins, GL) on Renee Geyer ‘Moving On’ 195. The Shires on Lady Antebellum ‘Own the Night’ (2011) 194. Duglas T Stewart (BMX Bandits) on Beach Boys ‘Love You’ (1977) 193. Dan Soder on Queens of the Stone Age ‘Like Clockwork’ (2013) 192. Kingswood on The Beatles ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ (1967) 191. Comedian Becky Lucas on Michael Jackson ‘Bad’ (1987) 190. PVT on Brian Eno ‘Another Green World’ (1975) 189. Middle Kids on My Brightest Diamond ‘Bring Me The Workhorse’ (2006) 188. The Bitter Script Reader on Tom Hanks ‘That Thing You Do’ (1996) 187. Carly Rae Jepsen ‘Emotion’ (2015) with CRJ Dream Team Roundtable 186. Sarah Belkner on Peter Gabriel ‘So’ (1986) 185. Mark Hart (Crowded House, Supertramp) on XTC ‘Drums and Wires’ (1979) 184. Emma Swift on Marianne Faithfull ‘Broken English’ (1974) 183. Owen Rabbit on Kate Bush ‘Hounds of Love’ (1985) 182. Robyn Hitchcock on Bob Dylan ‘Blonde on Blonde’ (1966) 181. Dave Mudie (Courtney Barnett) on Nirvana ‘Nevermind’ (1991) 180. Brian Koppelman on Bruce Springsteen ‘Nebraska’ (1982) 179. Nicholas Allbrook (POND) on OutKast ‘The Love Below’ (2003) 178. 2016 in Review: What the hell? ft Jeff Greenstein, Rob Draper & Cookin on 3 Burners, Melody Pool, Lisa Mitchell, Emma Swift, Brian Koppelman, Mark Hart (Crowded House), Davey Lane and Alex Lahey 177. Harper Simon on The Beatles ‘White Album’ (1968) 176. Andrew P Street on Models ‘Pleasure of Your Company’ (1983) 175. Matt Farley (Motern Media) on why The Beach Boys ‘Love You’ is better than ‘Pet Sounds’ 174. Lisa Mitchell on Regina Spektor ‘Begin to Hope’ (2006) and her favorite albums of 2016 173. Peter Bibby on Sleep ‘Dopesmoker’ (2003) 172. Slate’s Jack Hamilton on Stevie Wonder ‘Innervisions’ (1973) 171. Showrunner Blake Masters on Drive-By Truckers ‘The Dirty South’ (2004) 170. Taylor Goldsmith (Dawes) on on their new album ‘We’re All Gonna Die’, loving LA and the albums that inspire him 169. Sadler Vaden on The Rolling Stones ‘Goats Head Soup’ (1973) 168. Guy Clark biographer Tamara Saviano on ‘Dublin Blues’, Guy’s songwriting process and his musical legacy 167. What does Trump mean for music? 166. A Tribute to Sir George Martin, The Fifth Beatle with Davey Lane and Brett Wolfie 165. John Oates on Joni Mitchell ‘Blue’ (1971) 164. Jimmy Vivino on the birth of the Max Weinberg 7, his relationship with Conan O’Brien, country music and the future of rock’n’roll 163. DJ Alix Brown on Transformer (1972) by Lou Reed 162. Taylor Locke on Doolittle (1989) by the Pixies, the album that inspired 90s alt-rock 161. Harts on Around the World in a Day (1985) by Prince and jamming with Prince at Paisley Park 160. Mark McKinnon (The Circus) on Kristofferson and programming the President’s iPod 159. Alan Brough on A Walk Across the Rooftops (1984) by The Blue Nile 158. Peter Cooper on Pretty Close to the Truth (1994) and why we need Americana music 157. Will Colvin (Hedge Fund) on One of the Boys by Katy Perry (2008) 156. Julia Jacklin on Extraordinary Machine by Fiona Apple (2005) 155. Japanese Wallpaper on Currents by Tame Impala (2015) 154. Montaigne on her album Glorious Heights (2016) and its inspirations 153. Alex Lahey on Hot Fuss by the Killers (2004) 152. Jack Moffitt (The Preatures) on Physical Graffiti by Led Zeppelin (1975) 151. Mike Bloom on Axis Bold As Love by Jimi Hendrix (1968) 150. Hey Geronimo on Drowning in the Fountain of Youth by Dan Kelly (2006) 149. Mickey Raphael on Teatro by Willie Nelson (1998) 148. Jack Ladder on Suicide by Suicide 147. Rusty Anderson on Hot Rats by Frank Zappa 146. Kenny Aronoff on The Beatles 145. Bob Evans on A Grand Don’t Come for Free by The Streets 144. Chris Hewitt (Empire) on New Adventues in Hi-Fi by REM 143. Dr Warren Zanes on Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers 142. Dr Mark Kermode (Wittertainment) on Sleep No More by the Comsat Angels 141. Van Dyke Parks on Randy Newman by Randy Newman 140. Imogen Clark on Heartbreaker by Ryan Adams 139. Jesse Thorn on Fresh by Sly and the Family Stone 138. Stephen Tobolowsky on The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars by David Bowie 137. Ben Blacker on Blood and Chocolate on Elvis Costello & the Attractions 136. Jonny Fritz on West by Lucinda Williams 135. Adam Busch on A River Ain’t Too Much to Love by Smog 134. Kelsea Ballerini on Blue Neighbourhood by Troye Sivan 133. Natalie Prass on Presenting Dionne Warwick 132. Josh Pyke on Badmotorfinger by Soundgarden 131. Kip Moore on Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen 130. Koi Child on Voodoo by D’Angelo 129. The Cadillac Three on Wildflowers by Tom Petty 128. Julian McCullough on Appetite for Destruction by Guns n Roses 127. Danny Clinch on Greetings from Ashbury Park NJ by Bruce Springsteen 126. Sam Palladio (Nashville) on October Road by James Taylor 125. Steve Mandel on Blood and Chocolate by Elvis Costello 124. Brian Koppelman on The History of the Eagles 123. Benmont Tench on Beggars Banquet by the Rolling Stones 122. Jimmy Vivino (Basic Cable Band) on Super Session by Al Kooper, Mike Bloomfield and Stephen Stills 121. Holiday Sidewinder on Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid by Bob Dylan 120. Ben Blacker on Aladdin Sane by David Bowie 119. EZTV on The Toms by The Toms 118. Jess Ribeiro on Transformer by Lou Reed 117. Whitney Rose on Keith Whitley Greatest Hits 116. Best Albums of 2015 with Danny Yau ft. Jason Isbell, Dan Kelly, Shane Nicholson, Tim Rogers, Will Hoge and Julien Barbagallo (Tame Impala) 115. Phil Spector’s A Christmas Gift For You with Jaime Lewis 114. Xmas Music ft. Kristian Bush, Lee Brice, Corb Lund and Tim Byron 113. Sam Outlaw on Pieces of the Sky by Emmylou Harris 112. Jason Isbell on Sticky Fingers by the Rolling Stones 111. Ash Naylor (Even) on Houses of the Holy by Led Zeppelin 110. Burke Reid (Gerling) on Dirty by Sonic Youth 109. Lance Ferguson (The Bamboos) on Kind of Blue by Miles Davis 108. Lindsay ‘The Doctor’ McDougall (Frenzal Rhomb) on Curses! by Future of the Left 107. Julien Barbagallo (Tame Impala) on Chrominance Decoder by April March 106. Melody Pool on Blue by Joni Mitchell 105. Rusty Hopkinson (You Am I) on ‘Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era’ 104. Jeff Greenstein on A Quick One (Happy Jack) by The Who 103. Dave Cobb on Revolver by the Beatles 102. Justin Melkmann (World War IX) on Coney Island Baby by Lou Reed 101. Kacey Musgraves on John Prine by John Prine 100. Does the album have a future? 99. Corb Lund on Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs by Marty Robbins 98. Bad Dreems on Unknown Pleasures by Joy Division 97. Davey Lane (You Am I) on Abbey Road by the Beatles 96. Dan Kelly on There’s A Riot Goin’ On by Sly and the Family Stone 95. Ash Grunwald on Mule Variations by Tom Waits 94. Stella Angelico on The Shangrilas 93. Eves the Behavior on Blue by Joni Mitchell 92. Troy Cassar-Daley on Willie Nelson’s Greatest Hits 91. Lydia Loveless on Pleased to Meet Me by the Replacements 90. Gena Rose Bruce on The Boatman’s Call by Nick Cave 89. Kitty Daisy and Lewis on A Swingin’ Safari by Bert Kaempfert 88. Will Hoge on Modern Sounds in Country & Western Music by Ray Charles 87. Shane Nicholson on 52nd St by Billy Joel 86 - Tired Lion on Takk… by Sigur Ros 85 - Whispering Bob Harris on Forever Changes by Love 84 - Jake Stone (Bluejuice) on Ben Folds Five by Ben Folds Five 83 - Pete Thomas (Elvis Costello and the Imposters) on Are You Experienced? by the Jimi Hendrix Experience 82 - Dom Alessio on OK Computer by Radiohead 81 - Anthony Albanese MP on The Good Son by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds 80 - John Waters on Electric Ladyland by The Jimi Hendrix Experience 79 - Jim DeRogatis (Sound Opinions) on Clouds Taste Metallic by The Flaming Lips 78 - Montaigne on The Haunted Man by Bat for Lashes 77 - Guy Pratt (Pink Floyd) on Quadrophenia by The Who 76 - Homer Steinweiss (Dap Kings) on Inspiration Information by Shuggie Otis 75 - Best of 2015 (So Far) ft. Danny Yau, Montaigne, Harts, Joelistics, Rose Elinor Dougall and Burke Reid 74 - Matt Farley (Motern Media) on RAM by Paul McCartney BONUS - Neil Finn on The Beatles, Neil Young, David Bowie and Radiohead 73 - Grace Farriss (Burn Antares) on All Things Must Pass by George Harrison 72 - Katie Noonan on Blue by Joni Mitchell 71 - Harts on Band of Gypsys by Jimi Hendrix 70 - Tim Rogers (You Am I) on Bring the Family by John Hiatt 69 - Mark Seymour (Hunters and Collectors) on The Ghost of Tom Joad by Bruce Springsteen 68 - Jeremy Neale on Graceland by Paul Simon 67 - Joelistics on Graceland by Paul Simon 66 - Brian Nankervis (RocKwiz) on Astral Weeks by Van Morrison 65 - ILUKA on Pastel Blues by Nina Simone 64 - Rose Elinor Dougall on Tender Buttons by Broadcast 63 - Sarah McLeod (The Superjesus) on Siamese Dream by The Smashing Pumpkins 62 - Keyone Starr on The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill 61 - Chase Bryant on Defying Gravity by Keith Urban 60 - Brian Koppelman on Southeastern by Jason Isbell 59 - Michael Carpenter on The Beatles White Album Side 4 58 - Pete Kilroy (Hey Geronimo) on The Beatles White Album Side 3 57 - Mark Wells on The Beatles White Album Side 2 56 - Jeff Greenstein on Colossal Youth by Young Marble Giants 55 - Laura Bell Bundy on Shania Twain, Otis Redding and Bright Eyes 54 - Jake Clemons on Surfacing by Sarah McLachlan 53 - Kristian Bush (Sugarland) on The Joshua Tree by U2 52 - Kevin Bennett (The Flood) on Willis Alan Ramsey by Willis Alan Ramsey 51 - Lee Brice on Unorthodox Jukebox by Bruno Mars 50 - Davey Lane (You Am I) on the White Album (Side 1) by The Beatles 49 - Joe Camilleri on The Rolling Stones by The Rolling Stones 48 - Russell Morris on The Rolling Stones by The Rolling Stones 47 - Mike Rudd (Spectrum) on England’s Newest Hitmakers by The Rolling Stones 46 - Henry Wagons on Harvest by Neil Young 45 - Megan Washington on Poses by Rufus Wainwright 44 - Andrew Hansen (The Chaser) on Armchair Theatre by Jeff Lynne 43 - She Rex on BlakRoc by The Black Keys 42 - Catherine Britt on Living with Ghosts by Patty Griffin 41 - Robyn Hitchcock on Plastic Ono Band by John Lennon 40 - Gideon Bensen (The Preatures) on Transformer by Lou Reed 39 - Harry Hookey on Blood on the Tracks by Bob Dylan 38 - Rob Draper on Faith by George Michael 37 - Best of 2014 ft. Danny Yau, Andrew Hansen, Gideon Bensen (The Preatures) and Mike Carr 36 - Doug Pettibone on Wrecking Ball by Emmylou Harris 35 - Ross Ryan on Late for the Sky by Jackson Browne 34 - Michael Carpenter on Hard Promises by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers 33 - Davey Lane (You Am I) on Jesus of Cool by Nick Lowe 32 - Zane Carney on Smokin’ at the Half Note by Wes Montgomery 31 - Tony Buchen on Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles 30 - Simon Relf (The Tambourine Girls) on On the Beach by Neil Young 29 - Peter Cooper on In Search of a Song by Tom T Hall 28 - Thelma Plum on Stolen Apples by Paul Kelly 27 - James House on Rubber Soul by the Beatles 26 - Ella Hooper on Let England Shake by PJ Harvey 25 - Abbey Road Special 24 - Alyssa Bonagura on Room for Squares by John Mayer 23 - Luke Davison (The Preatures) on Green Onions by Booker T and the MGs 22 - Neil Finn on Hunky Dory by David Bowie and In Rainbows by Radiohead 21 - Neil Finn on Beatles for Sale by the Beatles and After the Goldrush by Neil Young 20 - Morgan Evans on Diorama by Silverchair 19 - Emma Swift on Car Wheels On A Gravel Road by Lucinda Williams 18 - Danny Yau on Hourly Daily by You Am I 17 - J Robert Youngtown and Jon Auer (The Posies) on Hi Fi Way by You Am I 16 - Lester the Fierce on Hounds of Love by Kate Bush 15 - Luke Davison on Green Onions by Booker T and the MGs 14 - Jeff Cripps on Wheels of Fire by Cream 13 - Mark Holden on Blue by Joni Mitchell (Part 2) 12 - Mark Holden on Blue by Joni Mitchell (Part 1) 11 - Gossling on O by Damien Rice 10 - Matt Fell on Temple of Low Men by Crowded House 9 - Pete Thomas on Are You Experienced? by Jimi Hendrix (Part 2) 8 - Pete Thomas on Are You Experienced? by Jimi Hendrix (Part 1) 7 - Sam Hawksley on A Few Small Repairs by Shawn Colvin 6 - Jim Lauderdale on Grievous Angel by Gram Parsons 5 - Mark Moffatt on Blues Breakers by John Mayall and Eric Clapton 4 - Darren Carr on Ten Easy Pieces by Jimmy Webb 3 - Mark Wells on Revolver by The Beatles 2 - Mike Carr on Arrival by ABBA 1 - Rob Draper on Highway 61 Revisited by Bob Dylan

[mccblogger-blog]

MCC April 2017 Trip to Mallorca by Thomas Few

MCC’s intrepid band of rascals departed for the fair isle of Mallorca (or Majorca if you’re English and want to spell it incorrectly) earlier than I thought humanly possible on a Friday morning at the beginning of April. The bus began its rounds at roughly 1am, meaning not one of us had an ounce of sleep that night. The party contained myself (Thomas Few), Chris and the world famous Jack Lee, David Nicholas, Blaine Phelps, Adrian Sullivan, Gareth Jehu, Nigel Jones, Mark Andrews, Anthony Swiss Jam-Boner Big Ring Cowdry and Phil Pryor. A more quality band of men has never been seen. 

We arrived at Bristol airport in good spirits considering the lack of sleep and proceeded to the newly refurbished restaurant in the departure lounge, named after the famous engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel. With a name like that he was always going to do well in life. The true men’s men of the group, myself, Adrian and Gareth opted for a pint of the finest Guinness, whereas most of the other lightweights stuck to non-alcoholic fare. An embarrassing way to start the tour I thought to myself. On my recommendation a few of the boys decided to order the Eggs Benedict. A fine choice indeed and no doubt they will thank for me the recommendation one day, as I feel even before we left the UK, I had improved their lives for the better. 

We arrived at our hotel in Puerto Pollensa at around 11am and after a quick and easy check-in, we headed to Palms Bar for lunch before our first ride. In my opinion it was madness to even contemplate riding after a full 24 hours plus with no sleep, but not wanting to appear weak, I went along with it. The bikes were delivered bang on time and we were greeted by what looked like half decent Eddie Merckx bikes. Over time we came to realise they weren’t great. Rumours are flying that the bikes cost a fraction of what we paid for them and Chris embezzled the rest to pay for Jack’s Rapha addiction, but I’m saying nothing.

We headed out to Formentor lighthouse for our first ride, which was a total of 38 miles and plenty of climbing. The views were nothing short of spectacular and after just this one ride I can see why people come back here to ride year on year. 

With our first ride out of the way it was time for our first meal at Pollensa Park’s all you can eat buffet. The ride incidentally was a walk in the park for what was to come! The buffet, which featured nearly everything you can think of, was ideal after a long hard day. In my opinion the food may have been too good and too plentiful, as while I may have cycled over 350 miles in Mallorca, I went home weighing 5lbs more than I did at the start of the week! While I did my fair share of eating, it was noted by all that Gareth Jehu knows his way around a plate of food. Underneath that lean physique hides the soul of a fat man. Following a monster feeding session, we headed to Palms for a few pints. Some drank more than others over the course of the week and while I may not set the world alight on my bike, I certainly feel my drinking skillset made up for this. 

I shared a room with the one and only Mark Andrews. I had heard many negative stories about Mark’s exploits as a roommate, mostly focussing on his powerful snoring. While I cannot dispel these allegations, as Mark does indeed snore like a mule, it was not as bad as I was led to believe and I did manage to get to sleep. Our room was kept nice and tidy and Mark showed me how to hang my bib shorts over the balcony to dry. Key attributes of a strong tourist. Would I share with Mark again? Yes I would. 

Our first ‘proper’ ride of the tour started with a big climb up somewhere called ‘Lluc’, which everyone pronounced as ‘Look’. I came to quickly learn this type of long, gradual climb, with switchback upon switchback is typical of Mallorca. After a descent of the ‘Big Pig’ we eventually made it to lunch at the port of Soller, which was yet another stunning setting with impressive views. Seemingly at the top of every climb and around every corner in Mallorca you’re greeted with incredible views and breath-taking scenery. I’ve said it before, but what a place! After lunch we headed back to Pollensa via some places I can’t remember the names of clocked off with an 88 mile ride to our names. Stirling work. The evening proceeded exactly the same as the previous evening. If you’re interested just read the above bit again. 

Day 3 saw us take on the legendary climb of Sa Calobra. Obviously, in Mallorca to get to a climb, you also have to do many other climbs first, the biggest of which was up the Selva gorge. Chris had previously told me this was his favourite climb on the island and I’m inclined to agree. Not too steep a gradient and plenty of shade. Perfect for someone as terrified of the sun as me. I attacked the climb with reckless abandon, finishing ahead of accomplished warriors such as Blaine, Phil and Mark. I was thinking, ‘is this the turning point? Is this my time to shine?’….turns out it wasn’t. After Selva the group split, with Adrian, Mark, Nigel and new recruit Tony heading back down ‘Look’ with the rest of us heading to Sa Calobra.

The road down into Sa Calobra has to be seen to be believed. Just over 6 miles of snaking hairpin bends. Lovely descent, not so lovely climb. One road in, one road out. Following the descent into Calobra we enjoyed lunch at a restaurant overlooking the beach, eating not too much, but not too little. These decisions are critical. Following my big performance up Selva I was excited about the prospect of taking on Sa Calobra. Alas, it did not go well. The first group of myself, Blaine, Dai and Phil set off first, with the racing snakes giving us a bit of a head start. The first two miles went well. Blaine and myself side by side, chatting away, but then it hit me and my world came crashing down around me. Blaine continued on up the road and carried on talking, oblivious to the fact I was now about 50 yards behind and going backwards. He flew up Sa Calobra like a man possessed, all his training paying off big time. The KM King has earned his crown. First Jack and Chris flew past, then Gareth and then Phil. I was in a dark place. 3 miles down, 3 miles to go and I can barely turn the pedals. I am broken. The bonk is real. Next to pass me is Dai. Luckily for me, Dai took pity on me and slowed to my crawling pace and talked me up the rest of the climb. I strongly believe if it wasn’t for Dai I’d still be somewhere on the road halfway up Calobra. What a guy. About an hour later I rolled into the café at the top of the climb a broken shell of a man. I can’t remember what was said to me or what was happening. I don’t know how I managed to get back to Pollensa, but somehow it happened. Another 80 miles in the bag and a lesson in the art of bonking. Later that night we headed in to town to meet Tony for a few beers. Tony is a mate of Blaine’s and is a cycling mad businessman from Basingstoke. He rode a Pinarello. Unfortunately for old Tony it didn’t make him any quicker up those climbs! 

Day 4 and some of us decided to take this as a bit of a rest day. The group headed out as usual at 9.30 ish and 25 miles later found ourselves in the beautiful town of Petra. After coffee and cake in the square, myself, Dai, Phil, Nigel and Tony decided to turn around and head back to base. Just 50 miles today thank you. Phil and myself did our best taking turns on the front to get us back in time for a delightful spot of lunch in Tolo’s on the seafront at Pollensa, the place with Bradley Wiggins’ TdF winning bike up on the wall. After lunch Adrian and myself decided to relax by the pool with a beer. One thing led to another and by the time the rest of the group got back I found myself six pints in and apparently slurring. I don’t believe a word of it though and enjoyed a few more at Palms later that night, while presenting an EC Cycles jersey to the owner. While I took all the glory and was centre stage on the Facebook post, in actuality it was Swiss’ jersey. Sorry mate! 

Day 5 and we had a big one lined up. The day started with a husband and wife from Cardiff Ajax complementing us on our fabulous new club kit. They were dazzled by the fiery coral (raging pink) and were green with envy at the concept of our ‘home and away’ kit variations. I’ll try to keep this bit far shorter than the ride itself, which was 105 miles or so. It was long. It was hilly. It was hard. We didn’t have lunch until about 4pm. We only just got back before dark. Orient, Deia and Valdemossa were impressive. Swiss swanned off to do Big Pig and Sa Calobra on his own with no food. All in the big ring. Easy. What a day. Myself, Gareth, Blaine, Adrian and Nigel decided to leave the hotel to find a restaurant for a steak. We settled on ‘Hotel Romantico’ which was an ideal location for a bottle of fine red wine. Clearly we were the sophisticated raconteurs of the group. 

Day 6. Mark awoke complaining that his backside was sore after yesterday’s ride. I took this with a pinch of salt as most people would. However when Mark showed me what he was talking about I took it all back. Red raw is an understatement. It’s safe to say I’ve never seen anything like it. My attempts at treatment failed, but luckily Dai was on hand with some magic cream to save the day. How Mark got on a bike that morning I will never know, but he only lasted so long before him, Nigel and Adrian headed back early to put their feet up.

The rest of us ploughed on to the monastery atop Sant Salvador. We flew through the lanes chain-gang style at what felt like 40mph and we made it to the base of the climb in no time. I was feeling good so attacked the climb with vigour. I will never learn. After lunch we headed back toward Muro for a coffee. The pace was yet again relentless and Dai was heard to shout from his position at the back of the group ‘Slow down, it’s hard work at the back’. The logic being that the wind goes over the top of the group and then drops at the back, hitting Dai full tilt. I am inclined to agree as I was struggling as well. After a coffee at Muro we headed back to Pollensa. I mentioned earlier that I never learn…the bonk was real and yet again I was broken. This time it was Swiss’ turn to nurse me back onto the group. Eventually we got back to Palms some 95 miles later. A few select Trojans decided to head back out to do some more miles to hit 100. I was not one of them. A few pints at Palms and that was our last night over and done with. 

Day 7. Some rode, some didn’t. I certainly didn’t. Our flight didn’t land in Bristol until 1am and I had a wedding to attend the following morning so I didn’t think I needed to add any more fatigue to the equation. Instead a day of shopping, coffee drinking, massages and sitting by the pool was in order. Why we didn’t do all that sooner I have no idea. We departed the hotel later that evening, leaving Gareth behind to spend a few days more in Mallorca with his wife. Incidentally, after 7 hard days on the bike without any damage, Gareth managed to sustain a back injury while relaxing by the pool for a few days with the missus...feel free to insert your own innuendo based pun at this point. 

All in all, the trip to Mallorca was a resounding success. No injuries, barring Mark’s backside and no arguments. Miraculous considering Anthony slept on the balcony as Phil’s snoring was so bad! We got in a very solid block of training, had a great time with plenty of laughs and looked like pros in our new kit. What more do you want? Personally, I can’t wait until next year. My plan was to follow Gareth’s lead and stay on for a few days with Alice, but then again I don’t want to come home with a bad back, so maybe it’ll be a boys only trip for me again next year! Thanks for a great week lads and a big thanks to Chris for organising. Bring on Mallorca 2018.

[weekendwarriorblog]

The Weekend Warrior’s Top 25 Movies of 2018!

What a year we’ve been having with all the politics and internet craziness and my own personal life, struggling to survive without a job and very little work, and YET, it was an absolutely fantastic year for movies. There is no arguing that fact when a good percentage of my annual top 25 came from movies I saw at Sundance way back in January. While there may be a few noticeable omissions that appear on many other top 10s, as well as a few movies I liked that were obvious awards fodder, I’m pretty happy with what turned out to be one of my more eclectic top 25 lists with a mix of smaller indies and big budget blockbusters. (In case you’re interested, I saw 248 movies in 2018, and that is only counting the new movies released during the year and not dozens more movies I saw at film festival and hundreds of older films.)

I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it…. Or rather, I hope you enjoy reading this because it took me a long time to write it.

25. Stan and Ollie  (Sony Pictures Classics) – One of the recurring trends I saw happening during what was a relatively sucky year was that many of my favorite things from childhood were brought to the big screen. In this case, it’s the story of Laurel and Hardy, as ably played by Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly, as it covers the last few years of their partnership as they’re struggling to fill theaters during a UK tour. The performances by the duo were splendid, as were the two actors playing their respective wives (a hilarious Nina Arianda and Shirley Henderson), the script by Jeff Pope really putting you into the comedy duo’s world and mindset. Kudos to Jon S. Baird for this fantastic biopic, which opens next week in New York and L.A.

24. Annihilation  (Paramount) – Alex Garland’s sophomore film, his follow-up to the excellent Ex-Machina, was a fantastic adaptation of Jeff Vandermeer’s sci-fi novel that should have been as accepted as Arrival, especially with the fantastic premise and performance by Natalie Portman, as well as Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tessa Thompson and Oscar Isaac. Sadly, I didn’t rewatch it on Netflix when I had the chance but this is definitely something I’d buy on blu-ray.

23. Mary Poppins Returns  (Walt Disney Pictures) – Continuing the theme from Stan and Ollie, Disney finally made a sequel to one of my favorite movies as a kid with the wonderful Emily Blunt stepping into the shoes of Julie Andrews, and I was shocked by how much I enjoyed it, especially since I wasn’t a fan of Rob Marshall’s Into the Woods… or Chicago, for that matter. For this one, Marshall perfectly captured the magic I felt first watching Mary Poppinsand listening to the album over and over as a kid, with really fun songs, including some co-written by Lin Manuel Miranda, I believe.

22. Aquaman  (Warner Bros.) – While Aquaman has never been my favorite DC superhero, I had high hopes for director James Wan’s first foray into superheroics, and I wasn’t disappointed. Granted, there was a lot to keep up with, since he fit a lot of story into one movie… I mean, who wouldn’t, considering the chances of there ever being an Aquaman sequel? But yeah, Jason Momoa really sold me on the character, and the way the movie remained faithful to the Aquaman lore and mythos made in the comics, and there was just so much to enjoy that I can’t wait to see it again.

21. Boy Erased (Focus Features) – Another second feature, this one from Joel Edgerton, who adapted, directed and co-starred in this adaptation of Garrard Conley’s memoir of growing up with a preacher father and religious mother who sent him to participate in a gay conversion program run by a zealous fanatic (played by Edgerton).  I thought Lucas Hedges was just fantastic in the lead in this as well as in his father Peter Hedges’ movie Ben is Back, so this year finally put me on the Lucas Hedges wagon despite him appearing in multiple Best Picture-nominated movies over the last couple years. (I also want to point out the Honorable Mention The Miseducation of Cameron Post, which was also quite good as it looked at the problems caused by these gay conversion programs.)

20. Crazy Rich Asians (New Line/Warner Bros.) – I fought tooth and nail against buying into the hype for this all-Asian cast adaptation of Kevin Kwan’s best-selling novel, but I’m a total sucker for romance, especially the romantic comedy genre, and this was a fine one for the ages. My worries about this being seen as Asian wealth porn was somewhat off-base – although there was some of that in there – and this ended up being the perfect movie for one of my fave directors, Jon M. Chu, to finally be taken seriously in Hollywood. Granted, I already loved Constance Wu from Fresh Off the Boat and Michelle Yeoh from a million movies, but I loved what newcomers Henry Goulding and Awkwafina brought to the mix, and I even liked Ken Jeong in this, so yeah, a pleasant surprisw, and one I probably will rewatch again soon.

19. Roma  (Netflix) – Likewise, I finally saw this movie at New York Film Festival after tons of hype out of Telluride, Toronto and Venice, but I immediately was able to relate to the love the kids in the film have for their maid, something similar to my own childhood living in Brazil in the early ‘70s. There’s no denying that director Alfonso Cuaron makes stunning films that leaves your jaw agape in every scene, and what an amazing coup for first-timer Yalitza Aparicio, an indigenous woman who might have had a hard time getting roles if not for Cuaron’s brilliance in casting her. This movie hit me even harder emotionally a second time, although I still wouldn’t place it higher on my year-end list since I thought some of it was noticeable directorial wanking i.e. Cuaron could do these big set pieces merely because he had the ability and money to do so.

18. On the Basis of Sex and RBG (Focus Features / Magnolia) – I’m cheating here a little bit just because this year saw two fantastic films about Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, first in the doc by Betsy West and Julie Cohen, which created a beautiful portrait of the amazing woman.  Later in the year, Felicity Jones portrayed Ginsburg in a pivotal point in her career where she goes before the Supreme Court to fight for gender equality. It’s an important case but also an important turning point in our country, and I love how Ginsburg’s relationship with her husband, played by the dashing Armie Hammer, was portrayed.

17. Monsters and Men (Neon) – A movie that was seemingly missed by anyone who didn’t see it at Sundance, and even by many who went to Sundance was Reinaldo Marcus Green’s drama about a shooting by a Brooklyn policeman and how it’s viewed by three different people from the neighborhood. Two of those people are Anthony Ramos’ Manny and John David Washington (from BlackKklansman) as a fairly young policeman dealing with the corruption and racism in the force. It also deals with a young baseball prodigy (Christopher Jordan Wallace) who wants to get involved with the protests against the killing even if it might hurt his chances at getting into a good college. If you have a chance to see this movie, you’re likely to be impressed by Green’s storytelling abilities and how it’s used.

16. Searching (Sony/Screen Gems) – Aneesh Chaganty’s directorial debut was an amazing thriller starring John Cho as a man whose daughter has disappeared and using only what can be viewed on a computer screen. Sure, it sounds like a gimmick, and it’s one that’s been used in films like Nacho Vigalondo’s Open Windows and the Unfriended series, but Cho’s performance is a career-best, and Chaganty finds a way to create a plausible thriller that keeps you invested in Cho finding his daughter. (And I loved the hint I discovered to the movie’s big twist on watching a second time.)

15. Widows (20thCentury Fox) – While I liked 12 Years a Slave just fine, Steve McQueen really blew me away with his foray into the heist genre, starring Viola Davis as the wife of a criminal (Liam Neeson), who dies in an attempt to steal millions from a local Chicago mob boss… and political candidate (Brian Tyree Henry – one of this year’s major MVPs). It seems like a fairly simple plot, but McQueen finds a way to integrate the local politics (incl. amazing performances by Colin Farrell and Robert DuVall), surround Davis with some amazing women (including Cynthia Erivo and Elizabeth Debicki) and create a heist film unlike any you would have seen before, as it was far more unconventional than other heist films, as one might expect.

14. Mary, Queen of Scots  (Focus Features) – Fantastic performances by Saoirse Ronan as the title character and Margot Robbie as her cousin and rival Queen Elizabeth made Josie Rourke’s feature directorial debut quite an amazing film. It wasn’t just another costume drama, and as much as it sadly is being overshadowed by The Favourite, the material told this fascinating story about two feuding queens in such an interesting and exciting way, including an impressive battle sequence, making this very different from other period pieces, including the many that have been directed by men.

13. Instant Family (Paramount) – Another one of this year’s surprises was seeing Sean Anders, the director behind Daddy’s Home and its sequel, take on a more serious comedy based on his own real life. Apparently, he and his wife adopted three kids, so in this very funny, sweet and warm comedy, it’s Rose Byrne and Mark Wahlberg as a couple who take in three Latino kids, including the amazing Isabela Moner, who I think is going to be amazing as Dora the Explorer. But there was so much to enjoy about this film from the easy laughs to some of the sweeter and more touching human emotions on display.

12. Hereditary  (A24) – Another film that premiered out of Sundance (that I missed there) was Ari Aster’s directorial debut, an absolutely horrifying film about a mother (Toni Collette) dealing with all sorts of strange supernatural occurrences after the death of her own mother. A24’s marketing for the film was such a brilliant bit of Red Herring creation that you might go in thinking that Collette’s daughter Charlie (played by Milly Shapiro) was gonna be the main antagonist/conflict… nope! Colette’s amazing performance was countered by a similar one from Alex Wolff, and if you weren’t totally creeped out by this movie’s ending, there’s probably something wrong with you. Aster proves himself to be a fascinating visual storyteller, so I can’t wait to see his next movie.

11. The Citizen (ArtMattan Productions) – Roland Vranik’s Hungarian film that premiered at the Berlin Film Festival all the way back in 2016 finally got a U.S. release thanks to New York’s Metrograph where it played for a number of weeks. After seeing the trailer a bunch of times, I ended up checking it out, and I was blown away by how timely and prescient the story of an African immigrant trying to become a Hungarian citizen related to what was going on in this country over the past year. It’s a wonderful indie film that sadly didn’t get the attention it deserved.

10. Eighth Grade (A24) – Yet another Sundance “discovery” was comedian Bo Burnham’s debut, which featured newcomer Elsie Fisher as 13-year-old Kayla, who is trying to deal with puberty, her last year in middle school and a pesky but lovable father, played by Josh Hamilton. This is just such an enjoyable even if you went to middle school so long ago that you barely remember it. Even so, Burnham found a way to tap into those feelings to create an extremely enjoyable comedy. I’m convinced Elsie Fisher is gonna be a superstar.

9. The Hate U Give (20thCentury Fox) – Probably one of the most underrated films of the year, which thankfully has gotten some critical love in the past few weeks.  I thought this adaptation of Angie Love’s Y.A. novel about a teenager named Starr, played by Amandla Stenberg, fighting with the two sides of her life with the advent of #BlackLivesMatter after watching her childhood friend killed by a white police officer. The cast that producer George Tillman Jr. built around Stenberg was quite impressive, including Regina Hall, Russell Hornsby, Anthony Mackie and Common, with many powerful emotional moments that did a good job explaining what young black people in urban areas must deal with daily. It’s a fine return to form from the director of Notorious and Soul Food.

8. Ant Man and the Wasp  (Marvel Studios) – I bet you didn’t expect to see THIS Marvel Studios rank so high while a couple others didn’t even place in my list (or even Honorable Mentions), huh? Maybe I’ve just gotten sick of the whole thing where every movie is basically set-up for the next movie, which has been the case for a while now. Sure, Ant-Man and the Wasp is a sequel to Ant-Man and there was a post-credits Avengers: Infinity War tie-in, but otherwise, this was the Ant-Man movie I had been hoping for after the rather disappointing first movie. Obviously, having Paul Rudd involved in the writing and not working from a previous plot (as was the case with the first movie) helped the characters from the first movie shine. (Also, loved the Ghost as an antagonist.)

7. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse  (Sony) – It was a fairly tight race for my favorite superhero movie of the year, but after seeing this animated take on Marvel’s webbed wonder a second time, it was obvious to me that this was indeed one of the best feature film iterations of Spider-Man outside the comics. Sure, I was a fan of what Brian Bendis had done in the Ultimate comics, maybe not some of the Spider-Verse stuff introduced by Dan Slott, but taking those two disparate things and turning it into a true story about Miles Morales (voiced by Shameik Moore, who should be cast as Miles in a live action MCU movie) and then having Jake Johnson voicing the older “mentor” Spider-Man just made for a fun movie that exemplified all of the previous films directed and produced by Lord and Miller including The LEGO Movie and 21 Jump Street. I’m looking forward to more big-screen animated superhero movies, and yeah, I liked Incredibles 2 just fine but I was never that attached to the Pixar movie.

6. Love, Simon  (20thCentury Fox) – After blowing up the DC Universe via his many CW TV shows, Greg Berlanti returned to the movies with this coming-out coming of age romantic comedy starring Nick Robinson as Simon Spier, a closeted gay teen who discovers that there might be another gay teen in the closet at his high school. This simple plot led to a wonderful high school coming-of-age rom-com that really brightened me up on a miserable day I was having (the first of many this year), and I loved how relatable Berlanti made the story.

5. Bad Times at the El Royale  (20thCentury Fox) – Possibly one of the most underrated films of the year, Drew Goddard’s second film as a director after the similarly excellent Cabin in the Woods, featured a cadre of individuals converging on a mostly-abandoned hotel on the border of California and Nevada. Jeff Bridges plays a priest, Jon Hamm plays a travelling salesman and Broadway star Cynthia Erivo (also in Widows) is a singer who all show up at the same time, as we quickly discover, very little about the El Royale is as it seems. I almost don’t want to reveal too much more, because it’s the way the story unfolds which had many comparing it to Tarantino (both positively and negatively). I felt that so many filmmakers have tried to ape Tarantino and not understood what makes his storytelling style work so well, but Goodard figured it out, and delivered a rich film full of many surprises. I can’t recommend the film more, since I know very few people had a chance to see it in theaters.

4. Mission: Impossible – Fallout   (Paramount) – Considering how much I was disappointed by Christopher McQuarrie’s Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, I expected its direct sequel to be more of the same, and boy, was I wrong. Tom Cruise and McQuarrie pulled out all the stops to create a viable conclusion to the four movies that had been produced along with JJ Abrams and Bad Robot, which included the extraordinary 4thmovie directed by Brad Bird. I was impressed the first time I saw this in IMAX… but then I saw it again… and again… and again. I just couldn’t get enough of the amazing action scenes and the intricate plot (even though I found a few holes in it). I’m so psyched to see what McQuarrie does next, and it successfully reminded everyone why Cruise is the star that he is.

3. Juliet, Naked  (Lionsgate / Roadside Attractions) – The fact that filmmaker Jesse Peretz was able to adapt one of my favorite Nick Hornby novels in a way that’s faithful but not to a fault made this one of my favorite movies of this year’s Sundance Film Festival. If you couldn’t tell from my love for Instant Family, I absolutely love Rose Byrne, and she killed it as Annie, a woman living in a seaside English town with her boyfriend Duncan (Chris O’Dowd) as an avid fan of musician Tucker Crowe. When Annie posts something negative about a newly-discovered Crowe rarity on Duncan’s blog, they break up, but she also ends up having a long-distance relationship with the actual Crowe, played by Ethan Hawke. There’s just something so spot-on about Hornby’s book and this adaptation was just as enjoyable, genuinely warm and very, very funny. I wish more people went to go see it.

2.  A Star is Born  (Warner Bros.) – Believe me, there may be no one more surprised by how far this movie has placed in my year-end list than myself. I’m not a huge Bradley Cooper fan, nor do I particularly like Lady Gaga or her music, but this is a great old Hollywood story that’s perfectly modernized with Cooper playing rock star Jackson Mane who sees Gaga’s Ally performing at a cabaret club and falls for her just as he tries to help her career. It’s a story that’s been told a number of times before, and sure, I can understand why some women might not like the implications that a man might help the woman have success in the movie industry, but Gaga killed it playing a character possibly not too removed from herself. I’ll be thrilled with any and all Oscars this movie earns, especially for Bradley Cooper, making a stunning directorial debut. (And I always love Sam Elliot in anything he does. He’s so deserving of an Oscar here, too.)

1A. Won’t You be My Neighbor  (Focus Features) – As always, I separate the docs from my overall year’s best list just because I tend to like the genre so much that my entire top 10 would be docs if I didn’t separate them into their own category. But yeah, Morgan Neville has done it again with another 10/10 doc following his Oscar-winning 20 Feet to Stardom. Barring some major push by one of the other docs that made the shortlist (and my top 12 below), there’s a very good chance that Neville’s doc about beloved PBS host Fred (Mister) Rogers will win him a second Oscar. Rogers is beloved by adults who grew up watching his show and getting a chance to look behind the scenes made many adults cry, mainly for joy but also for sadness that these trying times doesn’t have a Mister Rogers to help us through it.

1. Green Book (Universal) – Yes, I’m well aware of the controversy and backlash from many black film critics (most of them who write for ShadowAndAct.com, oddly enough) who hate this movie for one reason or another. By the time all that controversy had reared its ugly head, I had already seen the Peter Farrelly historic buddy comedy twice, and I loved it both times I saw it.  If you’re unaware, it stars Viggo Mortensen as Italian stereotype club bouncer Tony Lip, who is hired to drive and safeguard Mahershala Ali’s jazz pianist Dr. Don Shirley on a tour of the Deep South during the early ‘60s when racism still was running rampant.  The growing chemistry built by these two actors through the situations they find themselves in made me far more interested in Shirley and the Green Book of the title, so anyone complaining about the movie should realize that through entertaining humor, Farrelly has opened a conversation that I hope will continue through next year.

Honorable Mentions:

There were so many good movies this year that all of these fine films ended up just outside my top 25…

A Private War (Aviron) Operation Finale (MGM) First Reformed (A24) Lean on Pete (A24) The Rider (Sony Pictures Classics) Collette (Bleecker Street) Cold War (Amazon Studios) The Miseducation of Cameron Post (FilmRise) Leave No Trace (Bleecker Street) Suspiria (Amazon)

TWELVE GREAT DOCS

This was most definitely the year of the theatrical doc, even though, yeah, there’s still a few Netflix docs on here… okay, one. Otherwise, it was important to see most of these movies in a theater, which culminated in Peter Jackson’s 3D WWI doc They Shall Not Grow Old, which just missed my top 12. Sorry, this feature has gotten a little too long or otherwise, I’d write more about each of these, but most of them I wrote about in the weekly column.

1. Won’t You be My Neighbor (Focus Features) 2. Free Solo (National Geographic) 3. Hal (Oscilloscope) 4. Three Identical Strangers (Neon) 5. Minding the Gap (Hulu) 6. RBG (Magnolia) 7. Rock Rubber 45s (Saboteur Media) 8. Crime + Punishment (Hulu/IFC Films) 9. Shirkers (Netflix) 10. Fahrenheit 11/9 11. Far from the Tree (IFC Films) 12. Whale of a Tale (Giant Pictures)

STUDIO OF THE YEAR:

Every year I like rewarding a studio that goes above and beyond both in terms of releasing great, entertaining movies and also being generally decent to deal with. While Universal has the top movie and Warner Bros. is #2 and Fox has a lot of movies on the above list, I think I’ll have to give this year’s award to Paramount Pictures, not only for making the best Mission: Impossible yet, but also with two wonderful surprises in Instant Family and Overlord, which both were far better than their trailers. (They also released A Quiet Place, which didn’t make my list but was still a solid thriller.) But most importantly, they’re the most improved in terms of press/critical outreach, and I greatly appreciate that, especially in the tough year I had.

ALBUMS OF THE YEAR

I always like sharing some of the music I’m listening to each year and though my music budget has been cut rather drastically this year, my favorite album of the year was Metric’s “Art of Doubt,”followed by Buffalo Tom’s “Quiet and Peace”and The Fratellis’ “In Your Own Sweet Time.” I also dug Monster Magnet’s “Mindf*cker,” Ash’s “Islands” and James’ “Living in Extraordinary Times,” but none of this gets me more excited as the prospect for a new Cure album in 2019!

Oh, fine.. I’ll tack on my Terrible 10 for the year, but I don’t feel like revisiting any of these: 10. Kin  9. Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich  8. The Spy Who Dumped Me  7. Before I Wake  6. Truth or Dare? 5. London Fields  4. Head Full of Honey  3. Mandy  2. Aardvark  1. Assassination Nation 

That’s it for this year. Hopefully, I’ll have more to come soon.

[swipestream]

New Release Roundup, 27 October 2018: Fantasy and Adventure

Superheroes, ghostly tales, Dwarven Slayers, soldiers, and Tolkien’s Great Tales feature in this week’s roundup of the newest releases in fantasy and adventure.

Anthony Bourdain’s Hungry Ghosts – Anthony Bourdain and Joel Rose 

On a dark, haunted night, a Russian Oligarch dares a circle of international chefs to play the samurai game of 100 Candles–where each storyteller tells a terrifying tale of ghosts, demons and unspeakable beings–and prays to survive the challenge.

Inspired by the Japanese Edo period game of Hyakumonogatari Kaidankai, Hungry Ghosts reimagines the classic stories of yokai, yorei, and obake, all tainted with the common thread of food.

Including stellar artists Sebastian Cabrol, Vanesa Del Rey, Francesco Francavilla, Irene Koh, Leo Manco, Alberto Ponticelli, Paul Pope, and Mateus Santolouco as well as amazing color by Jose Villarrubia, a drop-dead cover by Paul Pope.

Barbarian Emperor – Jon Mollison

Plucked from obscurity and hurled into the burning, blood soaked sands of the coliseum, one man defies an Emperor. Rather than settle for mere vengeance and an honorable death, a gladiator rises to challenge both a Derelict Emperor and the dangerous, seething chaos from beyond its borders. Caught between the fiery passion of his master’s step-daughter and the powerful concubine of his greatest enemy, can one simple barbarian chart a course to save an Empire, save the girl, and save his own soul from the black pits of despair?

Full of the furious action and adventurous exploration of strange realms, “Barbarian Emperor” touches on deep themes of familial bonds, the brotherhood of battle, and the eternal balancing act that man and nation perform on the precipice between barbarous struggle and civilizational apathy. Take it for the thrill ride or ponder the still depths of the work, either way, you’ll love this story of one defiant man and his struggle to find himself, his destiny, and his one true love.

Brace For the Wolves (Challenger’s Call #2) – Nathan Thompson

Kill the traitor-prince.

The cry for his death has followed Wes Malcolm from Earth all the way to Avalon, and an entire new breed of Hordebeast has taken up the call. Howling wolf-men now hunt him as an escaped convict, a false teacher, and a traitor to a legacy he has rejected. Worse yet, he must fight not only for his own freedom, but for the prisoners he has rescued from the dungeon on this ruined world.

Now all he needs to do is evade the monsters long enough to get the former hostages to safety, before taking on and defeating the hunters. To do so, he’s going to have to delve into ghosts and secrets from another age, including some explosive secrets of his own heritage.

Broadswords and Blasters Issue #7

In this action-packed issue:

A new “Commander Saturn” adventure as he takes on the “Pirates of Ganymede.”

“Jigsaw,” a dysfunctional couple’s descent into domestic horror brought about by a simple puzzle.

The twisted surrealistic sci-fi dystopia “Choice Cuts.”

“Land and Money and Old Bones,” the story of Anthony, heir to his uncle’s estate, who finds out there’s a bit more blood than he expected.

Two brave ocean explorers who encounter “A Curious Case in the Deep.”

“Between,” a tale of a West that never was.

A cautionary Western about being careful about the promises you choose to keep, “The Best Laid Plans.”

“The Whisker-Wood,” a weird, twisted horror tale about a man’s descent into madness.

“Harvest Moon,” a cosmic horror jidaigeki that creates a unique story of betrayal, falsehoods, and blood.

The Dragon Hand (The Dragon King Trilogy #1) – Yakov Merkin

An ancient evil is returning to threaten the world—at least, that’s what one of voices in Serivak’s head is telling him.

As the only dragon in the kingdom and technically a prisoner of war, Serivak’s position as the King’s Hand via his friendship with the young king is precarious enough before the voice of one of his ancestors warned of the new threat.

With the help of two young foreigners, Serivak endeavors to avert disaster—but as evidence of a conspiracy grows, his political enemies close to home may be even more dangerous.

Gotrek & Felix: The First Omnibus – William King 

Gotrek and Felix: unsung heroes of the Empire, or nothing more than common thieves and murderers? The truth perhaps lies somewhere in between, and depends entirely on who you ask…

Relive the early adventures of the Slayer and his human companion. From the haunted forests of the Empire to the darkness beneath the Worlds Edge Mountains, Gotrek and Felix face demented cultists, sinister goblins and a monstrous troll. In the city of Nuln, they get involved in an invasion by the sewer-dwelling skaven. And in the frozen north, an expedition to the lost dwarf hold of Karag Dum brings Gotrek and Felix face-to-face with a dread Bloodthirster of Chaos…

Read it Because: the saga of Gotrek and Felix starts here, with three novels that introduce a host of fan-favourite characters and feature some of the heroic duo’s most memorable adventures.

The Great Tales of Middle-earth: Children of Húrin, Beren and Lúthien, and The Fall of Gondolin – J. R. R. Tolkien

Just in time for holiday gift-giving, The Great Tales of Middle-earth is a beautiful boxed set of the most recently published novels of Middle-earth: Children of Húrin, Beren and Lúthien, and The Fall of Gondolin, packaged together for the first time.

The Children of Húrin – Within the shadow of the fear of Angband, and the war waged by Morgoth against the Elves, the fates of Túrin and his sister Niënor will be tragically entwined. Their brief and passionate lives are dominated by the elemental hatred that Morgoth bears them as the children of Húrin, the man who dared to defy him to his face. Against them Morgoth sends his most formidable servant, Glaurung, a powerful spirit in the form of a huge wingless dragon of fire, in an attempt to fulfil the curse of Morgoth, and destroy the children of Húrin.

Beren and Lúthien – The epic tale of Beren and Lúthien became an essential element in the evolution of The Silmarillion, the myths and legends of J.R.R. Tolkien’s First Age of the World. Always key to the story is the fate that shadowed their love: Beren was a mortal man, Lúthien an immortal Elf. Her father, a great Elvish lord, imposed on Beren an impossible task before he might wed Lúthien: to rob the greatest of all evil beings, Melkor, of a Silmaril.

The Fall of Gondolin – In the Tale of The Fall of Gondolin are two of the greatest powers in the world. There is Morgoth of the uttermost evil, unseen in this story but ruling over a vast military power from his fortress of Angband. Deeply opposed to Morgoth is Ulmo, second in might only to Manwë, chief of the Valar: he is called the Lord of Waters, of all seas, lakes, and rivers under the sky. But he works in secret in Middle-earth to support the Noldor, the kindred of the Elves among whom were numbered Húrin and Túrin Turambar. Central to this enmity of the gods is the city of Gondolin, beautiful but undiscoverable.

Immortality and Chaos: The Complete Epic Pentalogy – Eric T Knight 

Ignoring the warnings of his oldest friend, Wulf Rome removes the ancient, mysterious axe he finds embedded in a wall in a cavern deep underground. The axe’s shocking power wins him the throne, but removing it cracks a prison built millennia ago.

A prison built by the gods to hold Melekath, the one all of them fear.

Now Melekath reaches into the world once again. Unfettered, his three nightmarish Guardians spread havoc across the land. Plagues and monsters appear in their wake.

In the midst of the chaos, an enigmatic stranger appears. He claims to be immortal. He claims that only he can save the world. There is something sinister about him, and the weapons he offers are dangerous and perhaps uncontrollable, but with the apocalypse looming, what other choice does Wulf Rome have?

Lynx (Will Slater Series #4) – Matt Rogers

Half a year ago in Macau, Will Slater waged war to rescue a nine-year-old girl from the clutches of a hellish industry. He left her with an old government colleague, who promised to find her a foster home and give her some semblance of a normal upbringing. Slater moved on…

Now, deep in cartel-infested Colombia, he hears dark whispers of something called the Lynx program — a clandestine division that raises young girls and forges them into sociopathic killers. A division founded by the very same man Slater left her with.

He drops everything and barrels toward answers. Because if you make Slater a promise, you’d better not break it. The kid was a shining ray of light in his otherwise barbaric reality, and he’ll sacrifice everything to make sure she’s safe…

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, Vol. 2 – Hideyuki Furuhashi and Betten Court

Koichi Haimawari couldn’t make the cut to become an official hero, so he uses his modest Quirk to do good deeds in his spare time. Then one day a fateful encounter with some local thugs leads him to team up with two other unlikely heroes. None of them really know what they’re doing, but they’ve got the courage—or foolishness—to try. But they soon discover fighting evil takes more than just being brave…

Koichi and his “friends”—Kazuho, a.k.a. Pop Step, and the mysterious Knuckleduster—have teamed up to protect their neighborhood (unofficially of course). But even petty criminals with Quirks can be dangerous, and taking them on shows Koichi that he’d better not underestimate them. Sizing up the opposition is important, especially when some of the villains are definitely out of Koichi’s league and more sinister threats lurk in the shadows…

The Phoenix Sanction (Sam Reilly #14) – Christopher Cartwright  

On board Phoenix Airlines Flight 318, Andrew Goddard awakens to discover the cockpit empty and all the passengers unconscious.

In the Colorado Monarch Mountains, an old gold miner discovers a fiendish stone mask sealed inside an obsidian chamber.

Sam Reilly has just three weeks to find out how the two unlikely events are connected, and the secret behind it might change everything we thought we knew about humanity.

“From Amelia Earhart to the shores of Malta, Sam and friends race from evil pursuers. It is a compelling story of the Eternity Masks and the Master Builders who are again involved in it the depth of the tale. Read, Enjoy and anticipate sleepless nights.” – Amazon Reader Review

The Sage, the Swordsman and the Scholars (Trials of the Middle Kingdom #1) – Pierre Dimaculangan

When enigmatic nonhuman visitors arrive from the sea, the very foundations of the Middle Kingdom are under attack. The evil agenda of these invaders sparks a massive war that will determine the fate of the Ming dynasty and the nations beyond. A young, legendary swordsman allies himself with a banished Shaolin monk, a defeated bandit chieftain, a carefree Mongol, and an unknown philosopher who knows the only hope for victory. Together, this band of misfits strives to be proven worthy of the impossible task before them. Determined to combat the invaders’ initial offensives, they must also repel countless internal enemies who have rallied to bring down the mighty Ming dynasty.

Shadow of the Exile (The Infernal Guardian Book 1) – Mitchell Hogan

Outcast and exiled, the demon Tarrik Nal-Valim has long been forgotten by the world of humans. At least, so he thinks.

But when he is summoned as a last resort by a desperate sorcerer, it seems as though his past has caught up with him. The sorcerer is Serenity “Ren” Branwen, the daughter of Tarrik’s former master—and friend. Though she seems cold, driven, and ruthless, Tarrik can tell that Ren has her back against a wall, and he is compelled by ferocious powers to obey her.

As their world sinks into a terrifying maelstrom of murder, intrigue, and insurrection, Tarrik is forced to serve Ren’s arcane designs—plans that, if they were to succeed, would resurrect unimaginable power and could destroy Tarrik’s entire race.

But as events unfurl, the lines between demon and master become blurred, and Tarrik realizes that Ren is not what she seems. To prevent utter devastation, Tarrik may have to surrender what he values most: a chance at redemption and an end to his exile.

The ‘Stan –  David Axe, Kevin Knodell, and Blue Delliquanti

The ‘Stan is a collection of short comics about America’s longest war. Individual stories highlight different perspectives—one through the eyes of a Taliban ambassador and others through the eyes of Afghan and U.S. Army soldiers—but every account highlights the human element of war. The tales in this book—based on reporting by David Axe and Kevin Knodell and drawn by artist Blue Delliquanti—are all true and took place in roughly the first decade of the U.S. military intervention in Afghanistan. While the stories are from the recent past, The ‘Stan is still very much about Afghanistan’s and America’s present—and likely their future.

“Based on on-the-ground reporting by Knodell and Axe, this realistic view of an ongoing conflict, rendered in a casual yet powerful voice, not only acts as a necessary record of experiences and sacrifice but as a humble thanks to all those who have lived­­–or are still living–through them.”–Publishers Weekly

StoryHack Action and Adventure #3 – edited by Bryce Beattie

Proof that short fiction can still be exciting. StoryHack is a magazine focusing on action and adventure fiction in a wide variety of genres. In this issue, you’ll read:

Claws of the Puma by Paul R. McNamee – In the rainforests of Brazil, poaching loggers and traditional rubber tree tappers are at war. Journalist Sarah Stoughton gets more than she bargained for when she is caught up in the violence, and comes face to face with the legendary man of the jungle, the Puma.

Shoot First by Jay Barnson – Flint and another agent are assigned to confiscate a dangerous cursed magical artifact from a street gang, only to find that the entire operation was a set-up by a local crime boss and an analyst from within the Order.

Inside the Demon’s Eye by JD Cowan – A young adventurer searches the Black Lands for a lifesaving treasure. He may not get the chance to find it, as he is being stalked by a malevolent force.

The Dealer’s Tale by Jon Mollison – A pregnant blackjack dealer walks a deadly line as she prepares to betray her mafia-owned boss to the feds.

…and more!

Tears From Iron (Memories of the Cataclysm #1) – Jonathan Oldenburg

The treachery of oathbreakers shattered the world. But amid the Cataclysm, a new empire has arisen at last. In binding humanity to their service, the ageless Syraestari restored civilization to a world wracked by chaos. Vistus is a human warrior-brother, sworn to guard his masters from the barbarians and rebels that seek to drag the Syraestari empire back into darkness. His prowess in battle is matched only by his loyalty to the empire. Ninanna is a Syraestari Sword-Whisperer, venerable even in the eyes of her own people. Though she is the personal guardian to the empress, another Oath, more ancient and powerful, binds her destiny. As rebellion and war threaten the Syraestari Empire, Vistus and Ninanna must discover the meaning of family, of faith, and of sacrifice or all they love will perish. For the Cataclysm is not yet a memory, and the prophecies of dead gods may still overturn all that has been wrought.

Uzumaki (3-in-1 Deluxe Edition) – Junji Ito 

Kurôzu-cho, a small fogbound town on the coast of Japan, is cursed. According to Shuichi Saito, the withdrawn boyfriend of teenager Kirie Goshima, their town is haunted not by a person or being but by a pattern: uzumaki, the spiral, the hypnotic secret shape of the world. It manifests itself in small ways: seashells, ferns, whirlpools in water, whirlwinds in air. And in large ways: the spiral marks on people’s bodies, the insane obsessions of Shuichi’s father, the voice from the cochlea in your inner ear. As the madness spreads, the inhabitants of Kurôzu-cho are pulled ever deeper, as if into a whirlpool from which there is no return…

The bizarre masterpiece horror manga is now available all in a single volume. Fall into a whirlpool of terror!

New Release Roundup, 27 October 2018: Fantasy and Adventure published first on https://medium.com/@ReloadedPCGames

[londontheatre]

Sedos Priscilla

Winter is definitely with us. It’s cold, windy and the shops are full of Christmas tat. This is the time of year that the world needs something spectacular to bring a bit of happiness and raise the spirits. And, right now, the brightest show in town is Priscilla Queen of the Desert which has just opened at the Bridewell Theatre.

Sydney, Australia and drag queen Mitzi Mitosis (Richard Upton) needs a break. Luckily, he has received a phone call from Marion (Natalie Harding-Moore), the manager of the Alice Springs Casino. Among other things, she wants Mitzi – real name Anthony “Tick” Belrose – to come and perform at the casino. Tick leaps at the idea and ropes in fellow drag queen Felicia Jollygoodfellow (Ian Thiele-Long) and Trans woman Bernadette (Alexander McKinven) to join him on the epic 1,723 miles (2,773 kilometres) journey. Bernadette and Felicia – real name Adam Whitely – really don’t get on with Adam’s scathing comments about Bernadette’s trans status and her believing Adam is a talentless show-off, but the three of them embark on their road trip in their bus – the Priscilla of the title. Along the way they meet some of the inhabitants of Australia’s more remote towns and Priscilla gets a complete make-over. They also pick up mechanic Bob (Mark Macey) whose wife Cynthia (Romana Mass) has the party trick to end all party tricks.

Eventually, the quartet arrives where a special young boy by the name of Benjamin (Evan Huntley-Robertson / Matthew Cise) and a large red rock will bring Mitzi, Felicia and Bernadette’s trip to an end and start the three of them on a new journey into the unknown.

Priscilla Queen of the Desert is one of my all-time favourite films and I saw the London production more than once and loved it every time. So I went to the theatre expecting an OK night but also prepared to be let down slightly. Oh boy, I could not have been more wrong. From the moment the lights went down and the Divas (Victoria Greenway, Carin Miller and Skyla Loureda) it was obvious that Sedos had put together a fantastic show that really brings the story – by Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott – to life and, while remaining faithful to its origins is a superb production in its own right. Don’t be fooled though, Priscilla Queen of the Desert isn’t just a sparkling story of three gays in a bus. There is actually a deeper story of friendship, love, understanding and companionship along with dream fulfilment at its heart that is often sweet and tender and acts as a perfect counterpoint to the more lively sections.

So, where to start with what is right with the show? Let’s go with costumes – Sequins and glitter ruled the day with the drag and Diva costumes sparkling under the lights. But it extended to more than the glamorous costumes, all of the others were perfect as well – particularly the various costumes of the nations used in the tourist scene, not to mention the rainbow cactus which, while I’m sure was really uncomfortable to perform in, looked great from my seat on the front row. I think for me, one of the highlights of the costumes was the funeral scene where, whilst everyone was in black, really epitomised the sort of thing a bunch of LGBT people would wear at a funeral – you’ll have to go and see the show to really appreciate what I mean here. By the way, if anyone is thinking about Christmas presents for me, then I would love either Adam’s boots or Tick’s green sequin lined pajamas. Let’s turn to the set and, at the heart of Priscilla Queen of the Desert is a single decker bus that has to transport everyone across Australia and at some point in the show turn pink. Without giving away too much, Designer Steven King gives the set everything it needs in faultless style. You will see a massive bus, you will see a casino, and you will see Ayers Rock. Before moving on, I would like to give a massive shout out to all the backstage crew who did a sterling job in transforming men to drag queens and back again in the blink of an eye as well as helping with the costume changes of the sixteen-strong cast.

Acting-wise, our three leading men were truly awesome. I’m going out on a limb here, but I reckon a lot of guys would, just once, like to dress up as a drag queen and perform to an adoring audience – no? Just me then – but it was obvious that Richard, Alexander and Ian were absolutely revelling in their roles as Tick, Bernadette and Felicia respectively. And I was right there with them every step of the journey. I laughed when they laughed and cried when they cried. Like Bernadette, I got infuriated with Adam but learned to love him as the show went on. There was a real chemistry between the three leads that flowed into the audience and made the preposterousness of the overall story seem something that was actually possible. All told, there were no weak links in the cast, with everyone from the ensemble to the leads looking great and moving nicely. Director Angus Jacobs and Choreographer Eloise Horton make the cast work hard and cover every inch of the stage in some really impressive dance numbers.

Overall, then I guess it’s pretty obvious I enjoyed Priscilla Queen of the Desert. Sedos have put together and delivered a first-rate show that is fun with a capital ‘F’ and entertaining with a capital ‘E’ from start to finish. The perfect start to the Christmas season, if you don’t leave the theatre at least humming one of the songs, then just pop off and change your name to Ebenezer. If I had to sum up Priscilla Queen of the Desert in one word it would be this FAB-U-LOUS!

Review by Terry Eastham

Sedos presents a new sell-out production of the award-winning musical Priscilla Queen of the Desert at the Bridewell Theatre, off Fleet Street, from 22 November-2 December 2017. The musical, which has book by Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott, is based on the 1994 Oscar winning Latent Image/Specific Films Motion Picture distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.

The critically-acclaimed stage musical version of Priscilla has played to packed houses all over the world during its 11-year journey since its premiere in Sydney in 2006. Sedos’ new production of Priscilla promises a vibrant and energetic production – with a cast of 25, many of whom are featuring in their first Sedos production.

A colourful and vibrant spectacular featuring all-time dance and pop hits from the 80’s and 90’s, the story follows the adventure of three friends brought together under unique circumstances. They travel in a wonderfully quirky bus from the glamour and sparkle of Sydney as they ‘Go West’ into the heart of the Australian desert continent. The production has direction by Angus Jacobs, musical direction by Ryan Macaulay and choreography by Eloise Horton.

CAST Tick | Richard Upton Adam | Ian Thiele-Long Bernadette | Alex McKinven Diva | Victoria Greenway Diva | Corin Miller Diva | Skyla Loureda Bob | Mark Macey Miss Understanding | John Bainton Marion | Natalie Harding-Moore Shirley | Rowena Turner Cynthia | Romana Moss Frank | Andy Macpherson Jimmy | Claire Linney Farrah | Alex Magliaro Pastor | Chris Warner Benji | Matthew Cise and Evan Huntley-Robertson

Ensemble: Sarah Berryman, Lauren Coffey, James Franey, Matt Madeley, Emma Morgan, Tashan Nicholas, Caroline Scott, Ben Thiele-Long, Rebecca Weymouth and Josh Yeardley.

PRODUCTION TEAM Director | Angus Jacobs Musical Director | Ryan Macaulay Choreographer| Eloise Horton Assistant Director | Laura Graham-Matheson Producer | Lizzie Drapper Set Designer | Steve King Lighting Designer | Olly Levett Sound Designer | Adrian Jeakins Stage Manager | Andrew Laidlaw Committee Liaison | Stephen Beeny

LISTINGS DETAILS Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical

Book by Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott, and based on the Latent Image/Specific Films Motion Picture distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.

Wednesday 22 November to Saturday 2 December 2017 Evenings at 7.30pm, Saturday matinees at 2.30pm Bridewell Theatre, Bride Lane, off Fleet Street, London EC4Y 8EQ

The whole run is sold out, but returns may be available from the theatre box office, which opens 30 minutes before the performance. More info: sedos.co.uk

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