Abba-dabba-doo

We've not been to the Concert Hall in a while, but for a treat, I booked a couple of tickets to see the opening night of Mamma Mia, which is showing for the next couple of weeks.

It was of course a full house, to see what is now one of the worlds best loved musicals. The storyline is quite a simple one, a twenty year old girl who lives on a Greek island with her mother is about to get married. But one problem, she doesn't know who her dad is. There are three possible contenders, who have all been former lovers of her mum. So she invites them all to her wedding, in the hope that she can find out which man is her real father. This story is weaved around a number of Abba's most famous songs, culminating in of course the title track; Mamma Mia.

The stage setting was simple, but very effective. It was of course very colourful. Like you were watching it live in Technicolor. I could feel that the audience were dying to get up and dance and sing along to the tunes, just like they did a few weeks ago, when we went to see the Abba tribute band at Mansfield. But the audience were very well behaved, and just clapped along to some of the more lively Ulvaeus and Andersson tunes. I have always been an Abba fan, so knew a lot of the lyrics, which I quietly sang to Gail at opportune moments.

I thought there was something missing though. I couldn't really work out what it was, until Gail said that she really enjoyed it, but would have liked to have been closer to the stage. Then it clicked. it was a lack of connection with the artists. Being so far away, I couldn't really make out the actors' faces. The sound level was great, the singing and dancing top notch. I just couldn't see the cast moving their mouths at all. Nobody's fault of course, except mine maybe, being shortsighted. Perhaps I need to take a pair of binoculars next time.

All Together Now

This is a friend of mine called Russell. We met several years ago when we were both involved in amateur dramatics. Although he is a lot better at it than I am. He's even been in a film; Santa Claus - The Movie, where he played one of the toymakers. His dad was in it too.

Besides having a normal day job, Russell earns a bit extra organising karaoke nights. He came to Beeston tonight to one of our pubs, so Gail and I popped along to see him in action.

The pub was very busy, with only being a week until Christmas. Russell was going through his gigantic CD collection when we entered.  As well as acting, Russell has quite a good singing voice, and I snapped him here whilst he was in full flow.

Russell also does a Sunday afternoon (4-6pm) radio show on Acacia Radio called The Golden Years. He plays all sorts of music, old and new. Eurovision songs and even old editions of Captain Kremen.

The radio is Internet based, so here's a link, should you wish to tune in sometime: http://acaciaradioaw.weebly.com

Factor Five

Tonight I paid my first ever visit to the Rescue Rooms, a music club in the city centre that is adjoined to Rock City.

I was there tonight to see the final of Notts Factor, a music competition that was last arranged two years ago.

There were seven singers & bands performing to win £500, a photoshoot and the change to play at a couple of big gigs next year.

Some of them weren't that good in my opinion, but some showed a lot of potential, and I'll certainly be looking out for any gigs that they do.

The winners were a band called 94 Gunships, who reminded me a bit like the Kinks. Clearly guitar based, but not in the AC/DC, Iron Maiden mould. They were certainly popular with the audience, and clearly the judges, of whom three of them I personally know.

Last year's winners One Girl, One Boy were meant to be doing a set whilst the judges added up their scores, but sadly they couldn't make it, so instead a friend that the compare knew was enticed on stage and sung a song in a Capella style. And very good she was too, but sadly I didn't catch her name.

Oxjam

Phew, have I had a busy day photographing bands and singers for Beeston's Oxjam music festival. Some sixty bands over twelve hours at ten locations.

Obviously with that many artists, and some appearing at the same time, but at different locations, it was going to be almost impossible to see them all. But I managed to do about twenty.

The three photos that I've put on were all taken in the evening at the former Barton's bus depot, which has now become an arts and crafts venue.

Rebecca King is a young soul singer from London, but lives in Nottingham. This was the first time that I heard her sing. And very good she was too.

I first came into contact with One Boy One Girl's music last October when they won the local music contest called Notts Factor. Since winning it, they have produced an EP, toured extensively and put out some videos which can be seen on YouTube.

I've mentioned Emma Bladon-Jones a few times on here now, since she went in for the Notts Factor competition too. This was her tenth gig of the day, as she had set herself a goal of playing at each of the venues during the length of Oxjam. This feat, which she sucessfully accomplished was being followed by a cameraman from the BBC, who had followed Emma around throughout the day, for an item on Midlands Today.