Monday 26 June 2017

Monday 23rd... Glasto and all that!



Glastonbury revellers gather by the stone circle to watch Friday evening's
sunset. Just one of many Glastonbury images posted up online this week,
although having gathered so many up I cant remember where I found it.
But a great picture, and the sun and sky makes me think of a Turner painting.
Just how many of us at home wished we were there at the greatest outdoor
Festival. 

Without a doubt The Foo Fighters stole Glastonbury with a
barnstorming set on Saturday night. Even while still performing,
their performance was trending heavily online, with several
not so nice tweets aimed at Sunday night's top closing act,
Ed Sheeran, saying... 'Now follow that.......... .'
I did catch Ed Sheeran's top of the bill closing act on Sunday
nights BBC2 broadcast, but once again it did absolutely
nothing for me. And yet Sheeran is now being hailed as the
biggest act in the U.K, a country that's now a little short on
current known names unless we're talking about artists from
the past.
The attention and adoration Sheeran gets has me completely
puzzled and baffled. Were the Festival organizers taking a
risk putting on just a man and an acoustic guitar as a closing
set for the biggest outdoor concert Festival?
His closing out on the Pyramid Stage seemed almost
anti climatic. You almost felt that he was the warm up artist
for a real closing out act. But no, that was it. Glastonbury was
over for 2017. And when tv presenters Mark Radcliffe and
Lauren Laverne came back on, they seemed almost apologetic
for the anti climax. And yet they were friggin buzzing
with excitement when Nile Rogers and Chic finished their
sensational set earlier on Sunday afternoon.

Maybe today's bands and artist's are not so interested in
image and how it can advance your career. Certainly when I was
growing up listening to Pop music, image played a vital
role in your success. Sheeran clearly has no interest in the
whole image thing unlike other artists like George Ezra
and new up and coming artist Declan McKenna
I do wonder how our Ed would have fared back in the 80's
or even the early 90's when the image was a big part of Pop,
what with the 90's being the decade of the boy bands.
 
The Foo Fighters were meant to perform at Glastonbury 2 years ago
but band leader David Grohl (above) fell off a stage in Sweden
and broke his leg. So this was a big moment for the band.
Although like many I was baffled to read The Guardian's
Kate Hutchinson's scathing review. Clearly not a fan.

ABOVE IMAGE BY KI PRICE
 
Above and below: tv stills from the BBC Broadcast on BBC2

Above and below: Huge new emerging musical talent 18 year old Declan McKenna
who performed at this year's Glastonbury. He really is a fascinating and
fresh character and so artistically mature. He seems to give off quite an
androgynous look about him. He could almost be cast for a remake
of that 1970's glam rock film 'Velvet Goldmine.'
And once again for his performance at Glastonbury he was donning the
heavy eye shadow and his glitter jacket. Well that's one way to get noticed.

Below: Declan by Nathan Li, photographer and Sound Operator.

Below: Declan performing this weekend at Glastonbury.

Beautiful!  Glasto by Alessandra Pirotelli.

Saturday 17 June 2017

Saturday 17th June.... Hyde Park



Below are a few pictures taken last Saturday while we were
at Marble Arch and the Hyde Park Boat Lake.
It was here that we had a walk about while waiting for
those brave naked cyclists to return to Hyde Park Corner.



Wednesday 7 June 2017

Wednesday 7th June



Let us remember ALL of the people who's lives
were so cruelly taken away from their families
and loved ones.


"This is actual proof that music is indeed a universal language.
No words were used and yet my heart was wrenched in emotion."
                                                           (Tuyuldanmbayul)

"This is just so beautiful. I'm out of words."
                                  (Jose De Abreu)

"Like a mathematical mind, the composer is using parts of the brain
that are not easy for most people to access. So to have that access
along with the beauty and poetic nuance that Ryuichi has here,
lets be transported to such wonderful places when listening."
                                                             (Booya Kasha)
 

A Hidden Treasure...The Hampstead Pergola



The Pergola and Hill Garden in the West of Hampstead Heath is one of London's
hidden treasures. People often walk into it's grounds believing that they've invaded
someone's private property. But it is very much open to the public. And it does have
that look of being a secret garden. It's often been described as having a sense of faded
grandeur.
So it's hardly surprising that it has become a popular place for artists, film-makers
and photographers.
And it was all brought about by a wealthy philanthropist who bought the surrounding
property in 1904, and then proceeded to build a Pergola, completing it in 1906.

Up until around the mid 1990's before the major overhaul and building refurbishments,
the Pergola had fallen on hard times and many of it's pillars had collapsed and
were scattered everywhere. It had basically become an abandoned ruin. 




And so on my visit to the Pergola on Thursday on a sunny early evening I passed
at least three different groups of  film makers and fashion photographers, all taking
advantage of the early Summer evening light. And it is a popular place for fashion
shoots with it's faded grandeur setting.  I'm forever opening up a magazine
and recognizing images of where the Pergola has been used as a backdrop.


THE HILL GARDEN AND PERGOLA  (Historic Britain).

Being such a nice evening it wasn't long before I came across one of those film
crews taking advantage of the beautiful backdrop of the Pergola.
Apparently they were doing some preparatory stills for a Dance video.
And while the team were setting up for a new shot I managed to have
a quick word with the model. 



Above: Another photo shoot taking place just outside The Hill Garden.
The model being shot by a Japanese camera team cant be seen as she's
lying low in the grass.


Above: The Pond in The Hill Garden.

Below: The Hill Garden leading to The Pergola.


On a visit to The Pergola last Autumn I picked a few Honesty
seed pods (above). They're often used in dried flower displays.
I've also seen them used as part of  Christmas decorations
when they are sprayed in gold paint. But I wanted to grab
a few so I could plant them and see what happens.
In fact I just planted the seeds this week, although according
to my plant book they wont flower in the first year. 
Above: A Moonlight wreath made of Honesty seed pods.
Image via & more info at Local Harvest website.

Above:  This is the spot I took a few Honesty seed pods from at The Pergola.
And as you can see I left plenty there last Autumn so as to allow
what was left to self seed. No doubt I'll have a little look in on
them during the Summer when I'll be able to see them in
flower... a nice purple blueish colour.

Above: The first Honesty seedling broke through just yesterday.
And I only planted them about 5 days ago
having stored them away over the Winter.

Summer Roses in Golders Hill Park, The West Heath.

Above: Golders Hill Park, all part of Hampstead Heath.