Messiah

This year’s visit was to the Royal Festival Hall. A new venue for us I think, but I think impressive.

Of course we, that is me, Shaz and IQ, wow critical. Shaz did not like the conductor as he seemed to tell the audience when to applaud. There was too much clapping during the performance-it became disruptive.

The choir was substantial- about 300-and so gave good volume. One of the males seemed under-powered. Overall it seemed a little flat.

Gunnersbury Museum

A cycle trip in the end included stopping off at the museum in Gunnersbury Park. In my mind was that there was section on Brentford FC. It was in the end a video of fans being interviewed about their involvement and attachment to the club- outside Griffin Park. Good value, as were the videos showing ceremonial swords being made in Acton by Wilkinson and about a champion woman cyclist in the 50s.

There are sporting section- includes Fred Perry-news to me, and programme of the Freight Rover final of 1985 which I went to with RR. Bees lost of course.

In the arts section-Dr Who’s Cybermen queuing for a 65 bus!

Plus a reminder of industry on the Great West Road- and architectural vandalism- the fine Firestones building knocked down the weekend before the preservation order came into place.

Musical weekend

Last weekend was in effect a long time in the planning.

Friday evening was spent in Lille to see Grand Corp Malade, the tickets having been bought one year before and the idea gestating long before that.

We took the Eurostar to Lille which for most of the passengers was the Disney Land express- as only two other people or so got off at Lille. The others on the train were families of different ages and compositions commonly dressed as Mickey or Minnie.

I was surprised by the number of police and soldiers before we went in and by the number of older people in the audience. I was expecting mostly young people- I was wrong.

The crowd loved him and it was a great evening.

On Saturday we moved onto Paris. We saw the ballet at the Opera House-Palais Garnier- Mayerling. This is a relatively modern ballet. It tells the story of the prince who is next in line in the Austro Hungarian empire prior to WW1. He is a nasty piece of work, unfaithful, drug addict and general abuser of people. He dies in a suicide pact. The dancing is more sexual than is typical.

Sunday was electo-jazz- never heard of it before at a cool venue- old railway station.

There were three musician of whom Théo Ceccaldi was the star and lead. A s,all venue, free entry paid for by beer etc and a whip around at the end. Great quality and skill. Great experience.

A bit of more trad jazz on Monday evening- not bad.

But an unexpected experience at the church if St. Eustache on Tuesday morning when we found, by chance, the organist practicing on the second largest organ i France. Wonderful noise!

Something like this but actually better