Category: music

British Music Experience, Liverpool

On By Rick McIn music, travelLeave a comment

Of many exhibitions and museums I visited in the hometown of the Beatles, best for me was British Music Experience.

Born 1957, it was like walking through a timeline of my life:

Beatles ➙ Petula Clark ➙ Stones ➙ Kinks ➙ The Who ➙ Pink Floyd ➙ Led Zeppelin ➙ Queen ➙ The Police ➙ UB40 ➙ The Clash ➙ The Smiths ➙ Arctic Monkeys ➙ Coldplay ➙ Amy Winehouse ➙ Adele ➙ Ed Sheeran … to name a few artists who had great influence on me.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I got closer to a hologram than ever before. Local boy Boy George.

The history of popular music in the UK is told through a narrative divided up into galleries with common components. …

There is an interactive timeline in each of the galleries. …

Wikipedia

Click PLAY or get a glimpse on YouTube.

Work Song by Hozier

On By Rick McIn musicLeave a comment

Original and excellent song and video.

“Work Song” (2014) possesses gospel backing vocals and church-like hand-claps, with literary themes of love, sin, and religion returning to the record. …

Hozier shot the video the day after the Grammy Awards, and reportedly woke up with an “outrageous hangover” during the shoot.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Elvis (2022 film)

On By Rick McIn movies, musicLeave a comment

I never loved Elvis. Never listened to his music.

I did go to Graceland once — but only to make fun of the kitsch. 😀

Due to great reviews, I finally did see the new film ➙ Elvis.

Austin Butler did channel Elvis well.

At times it was edited more like a YouTube video than a Hollywood blockbuster. That was a brave choice. A modern twist on an American icon.

It is long at 2-hour-and-39-minutes. But they started with a four-hour cut including scenes of Presley with his first girlfriend, Dixie, and his meeting with President Richard Nixon in 1970.

I suspect the next future Elvis biopic will be darker. More realistic. And the role of Colonel Parker will be less prominent.

Thumbs up from this critic.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Pentatonix – Imagine

On By Rick McIn ethics, government, human rights, musicLeave a comment

Fantastic song. Fantastic message.

Imagine all the people living life in peace

You, you may say I’m a dreamer (Dreamer)
But I’m not the only one (Not the only one)
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will be as one

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

ODESZA – Light Of Day (feat. Ólafur Arnalds)

On By Rick McIn musicLeave a comment

Odesza are genius.

They are increasingly finding ways to marry electronica with real instruments and passionate vocals.

Collaborations.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Mexico – James Taylor

On By Rick McIn music, travel, travel MexicoLeave a comment

“Mexico” was the opening track of his 1975 album Gorilla. …

Graham Nash and David Crosby sing backup vocals.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

It’s been covered by many, many others. Jimmy Buffet OFTEN. 😀

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. Jimmy and JT.

I need a MONTH in London

On By Rick McIn music, travel1 Comment

Once again I broke up long international travel with a stopover in London.

I enjoyed my days in June 2022. And again end of August 2022.

BUT it would take a month of dedicated research to really understand all the areas of the city. And to visit all the attractions.

This time I stayed at Wombats near the Tower Bridge so ended up spending more time on that section of the Thames. Especially in the evening.

Most of what I do is FREE — wandering the streets and parks. Something interesting around every corner.

I drop into one of the free museums most days.

There’s a lot of green space.

London is much finer with good weather.
Southwark Cathedral

There are many excellent street performers.

My favourite this time was Mex.fs, an acoustic lap tap/percussive guitarist.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

London – Notting Hill Carnival 2022

On By Rick McIn food, music, travelLeave a comment

I happened to be in London during the Notting Hill Carnival, which had been cancelled the previous 2 years due to Covid.

Fun. Loud. Fragrant with the smells of cooking barbecue.

Dancing. Drinking.

I particularly like how ANYONE with any kind of body and any kind of costume is welcome to join in the parade. Very body positive.

Saturday is the family friendly parade. Plenty of activities for kids.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

No anger or violence that I could see. Of course there’s a large police presence — all very friendly.

… an annual Caribbean festival event that has taken place in London since 1965 … each August over two days (the August bank holiday Monday and the preceding Sunday).

It is led by members of the British Caribbean community, and attracts around two and a half million people annually, making it one of the world’s largest street festivals, and a significant event in British African Caribbean and British Indo-Caribbean culture. …

Everyone welcome. If I’d put on my make-up, costume and peacock headdress, I’d have fit right in. 😀

My only previous experience with Carnival was in Colonia, Uruguay in 2018.

related – Notting Hill carnival 2022 – in pictures