Music Lesson

For the past few years Nottingham University has hosted a one day event called Mayfest. It's where various schools of education open their doors to let people know what they do. Geography, science, history etc. It's mainly aimed at children to give them some enthusiasm towards education and going to uni sometime in the future, but adults are welcome as well.

This year was no different. I wandered around the Trent and Portland buildings looking at the different things on offer, such as teaching people about Mobius strips, recycling and becoming a vet.  One of the lecturers told me about his work in obtaining some Victorian moulds of the geology of the Lake District, which he intends to put on display in Kendal, after making a few images from them.

A couple of things I came across and which had nothing to do with the event were seeing a plaque on the wall in the entrance of the Portland Building which stated that Paul MacCartney' new band Wings played their first gig there in 1972. It was the first concert in a number of dates at different universities. The ticket price was 40p, which is worth about £4 in today's money. Which is probably very cheap to see an ex Beatle.

Talking of which here's a poster of the supergroups' popular work Yellow Submarine. I was walking up some stairs and came across a small booth. It might have held a telephone before everyone had mobiles. The walls and ceiling were covered in posters of gigs, albums from different rock artists.

A Song, Some Rain And The Beatles

Gail and I have had quite a hectic Saturday afternoon. Firstly we went to see a production of Stephen Sondheim's musical Sweeney Todd at the Lakeside Arts Centre, as I was fortunate enough to win two tickets through a competition on Twitter.

It was very good, and the quality of the singing was excellent, even though I don't believe any of the cast were professionals, as there was an open audition advertised on Facebook some months ago, that anyone could go to. A shame that I can't sing, otherwise I might have been tempted to have a go.

I think that everyone knows the story about the barber who kills some of his customers, and their bodies end up in the meat pies that his girlfriend sells. I'm not sure if the musical version is as well known as say Cats, or Blood Brothers, even though it was created in 1979. Maybe because there aren't any famous songs in it, like 'Memories' or Don't Cry For Me Argentina.

After that, we went up to the Arboretum, to catch the tail end of the Gay Pride festival.  It had been going on all day, so we had missed the march, music and attractions. But we thought it would still be going, and people would still be enjoying themselves.

We hadn't been there long before it started to rain. As it was taking place in a park, there were plenty of trees about, so everyone scuttled for cover. This young lady fortunately had an umbrella with her, so she was still able to continue with her phone call.

Whilst we were undercover, we started chatting to some others, and of course we just had to take some photos of them. There were still plenty of people walking after the rain had stopped, so we continued looking for things and people to take.

This special bunting caught my eye, and yes I agree that there shouldn't be any discrimination when people are in love and want to get married, and I think the law is beginning to catch up with the 21st century.

This painting on the back of an ice cream van amused me. Obviously a spoof of the Beatles' Abbey Road album cover. I'm not sure whether the artist has chosen the right characters for the musicians though. I can't see John as Winnie the Pooh. He's definitely Donald Duck. Archaic and rebellious. George would have been better as the teddy bear. Quiet and philosophical.  and I think Ringo would be more suitable as Pluto, as he likes messing around. And so that leaves Paul as Mickey, which ties in with him being the most popular Beatle, just as Mickey is the most favoured Disney character.