It's A Knock Out

When I was growing up in the 1970s, every Saturday afternoon I would sit with my dad and watch the wrestling on the TV.

Names like Pat Roach, Mick McManus, Kendo Nagasaki, and of course Giant Haystacks and Big Daddy. Besides the staged fights, which everyone knew about, I remember seeing old ladies hitting some of the 'bad' guys with their handbags and umbrellas.

I  went to the Victory Club, a local working men's club tonight to take some photos of some wresting matches that were taking place. I was taking them for a magazine called The Beestonian that I write and take photographs for.

After watching one match, I realised that things hadn't really changed much over the past forty years, and that the matches were still rigged. But tonight there didn't seem that many old ladies in the audience, it was mainly children for some reason. They seemed to enjoy the five scraps that took place over the course of the evening.

Bear Grills

I went down to a local recreation ground today to take photos and do some interviewing of a local American Flag Fottball team called the Beeston Bears, for a local magazine that I am involved in called the Beestonian.

For a winter's day it was very sunny, so it made taking the photos more interesting and the light gave the pictures some life, as you can see.

The visit made me remember when I was at school, as we went there for our PE lessons.

The Beestonian is available on line, and here is the LINK, so you will be able to read my article when the next issue is published.

Monday Night At The Movies

Something new started in Beeston last night. A film club situated in a small vegetarian restaurant called Cafe Roya.

It is the brainchild of a local go-getter and journalist called Matt, who produces a local magazine called The Beestonian. You may have seen him appear on a few of my blogs in the past, with his involvement in Oxjam. There he is below, saying a few welcome words to the small, lucky audience.

We saw four films in all; three shorts, including one starring a very young Noel Fielding (Sweet; 2000). The main feature was one by local film maker Shane Meadows called Le Donk and Scor-zay-zee, which he made in 2009.

The basic story concerns a roadie who also looks after an up and coming rapper, the Scor-zay-zee on the title and how they manage to do an opening slot at an Arctic Monkeys gig in Manchester. It was an amusing film, done fly on the wall style, so you sometimes get to see Shane with his camera.

In many ways it was better than being sat in a multi-plex. More intimate and personal. And the popcorn was a lot cheaper too.

The aim was to make some money for Oxfam, so after the show, people duly popped their coins and notes into the collecting tim.

We've not eaten there yet, but looking on the small, but exciting menu, I don't think it will be too long before we do. I hope there will be another show very shortly, as Matt is intending it to be a regular event. In fact he's started asking for suggestions through his Facebook page.