Antisemitism in the Labour Party

Momentum have accused Labour of sweeping antisemitism under the carpet, by postponing an investigation into a report into antisemitism in the party.

They have looked at the report already and report member’s not being expelled for displaying anti Semitic beliefs, in some cases members were holocaust deniers.

Momentum believe that whatever your political stripe in the Labour Party you should always stand up to antisemitism.

I am saddened at reports of antisemitism in the Labour Party, as I have always believed it to be an inclusive and multicultural political party.

I hope under Keir Starmer’s leadership, the Labour Party purges these anti Semitic members and moves forward to be the inclusive and forward thinking party I believe it to be.

Gareth Emery on the new normal

Gareth Emery is an established trance DJ operating out of LA.

He recently released his second single Elise from the forthcoming album Lasers, due in July of this year.

Elise is a song named after and for his youngest daughter, who suffered suspected pneumonia when she was was just one year old.

The track is very upbeat, with sombre lyrics mirroring how torn Emery felt being separated from his ill daughter.

Gareth was conscious of the track being very upbeat, it was what "he felt the world needed at that point."

But he says the darkness of the lyrics makes it.

A new music experience

Gareth is also looking to bring a new musical experience to people using live streams.

Anticipating that it is going to be a long time before people get back to seeing live shows, Gareth wants to make a better experience for fans in the new normal.

Emery envisions a pay per view model for a premium live experience.

Gareth is going to build a stage and have lasers and smoke machines in his garden.

He says: "I don't think I could justify doing a ticket price if it's just me streaming in my bedroom, with unmade bed in the background as I've seen on a couple of other streams."

"We're definitely going to start out reasonably cheap, something about $10."

He's going to give fans who have bought a ticket for the tour a free ticket to the live streaming event, even though they've had a refund.

Influences

In terms of his influences he says back in the day it was acts like Paul van Dyk, Tiësto and Armin van Buuren.

But he also gleans ideas from Sasha and Loco Dice.

For this album he says interestingly he was far more influenced by bands, such as the Stone Roses, Oasis and Blur.

He said he was looking back and remembering "the energy" of that time.

Frida Kahlo art class

If you have kids to entertain at home this Frida Kahlo art history and painting class could be for you.

It takes place tomorrow from 16.00 - 17.30 BST.

The class is for children six to nine year’s old.

Kids will listen to an interesting story about Frida Kahlo, watch the demo how to paint like the artist by our trained artist and after that will get inspired to create their own masterpiece in the style of the artist.

It is a 1 hour 20 minutes workshop.

During the event, kids will be able to receive step-by-step guidance, practical tips, ask questions in the chat and receive feedback to their work at the end of the class!

Required for the class:

Computer, iPad, Smartphone and access to wifi

Paper, graphite pencil, eraser, gouache or acrylic paints (or coloured pencils or crayons) and small paint brushes downloaded Zoom app https://zoom.us/download

The event lecturer is a professional artist and trained art historian with three years experience of leading practical art history courses for adults and children.

Covid-19 UN charity gig

Quarantine and Chill continues tonight with the amazing Ruth Anne Cunningham.

She wrote for the likes of Niall Horan and JoJo And is Grammy nominated.

The link as before is: https://www.facebook.com/donate/2538054423116379/

Tune in at 7.30 tonight and give what you can to this brilliant charity.

I won’t be posting updates of all the live shows, but they will be continuing throughout lockdown, so keep tuning in.

Enjoy!

Covid-19 charity gig

Quarantine and Chill is a live acoustic music event for the UN’s Covid-19 fund. 

The wonderful singer-songwriter/actor Alex James Ellison will be performing alongside a host of other acts, including Leah Barniville.

The event can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/donate/2538054423116379/ https://tinyurl.com/y8m6co4h

Please tune in at 7.30pm tonight and donate to this amazing charity.

This charity event takes place with different artists most nights.

The Habit of Art

The Habit of Art is currently streaming online at The Original Theatre Company.

The Habit of Art centres on Fitz (Matthew Kelly), Henry (David Yelland), Tim (Benjamin Chandler) and Donald (John Wark), who are actors rehearsing a play called Caliban's Day. 

The director has been called away, so they have a run-through/workshop directed by the stage manager, Kay (Veronica Roberts), in the presence of the playwright, Neil (Robert Mountford).

This is all a bit meta, having a play within a play like this.

Caliban's Day is about a fictitious meeting in 1972 in W. H. Auden's rooms at Oxford, between Auden (Fitz) in his latter years and Benjamin Britten (Henry). 

Auden has hired a rent boy, Stuart (Tim) and when Humphrey Carpenter (Donald) - who will write biographies of both Auden and Britten after their deaths - arrives to interview him, Auden mistakes him for Stuart. 

I did not see the original performance of this work from 2009, so I have nothing to compare it with, coming to it fresh it is very enjoyable though not laugh out loud funny.

It has the focus on dialogue that Alan Bennett is so famous for, though there is some visual humour.

Yelland and Kelly capture the spirit of Britten and Auden beautifully and tackle some tough subjects.

Chandler is really funny as Tim.

The play is a great ensemble performance, every actor brings something to the stage, so it seems fair to mention the accent range of George (Jessica Dennis) and the neurotic turns of Neil make this play complete.

This play is an absolute steal, as it and The Croft are just £5 though you would rightly think to contribute more for such a great performance.

The talented Hollie McNish

I’m sure you’re all bored in lockdown, unless you’re very lucky.

So why not indulge in a bit of art?

Hollie McNish has been live streaming her amazing poetry online.

You can find her recorded work here.

And her live streams are available from 9-10 every Thursday at https://m.facebook.com/holliepoetry.

Nothing like a kick arse female poet to enliven your day.

Enjoy!

Happy Easter

I made it to Easter!

I had my first fizzy drink of Spring, it wasn’t as exciting as I thought it would be, I think I’ve lost the taste for fizzy drinks...

Easter in lockdown was still fun, I got Easter Eggs, I hope you did too.

I don’t like to moralise, because we get a lot of that anyway.

However, this lockdown has made me feel profoundly grateful.

There’s a global pandemic keeping everyone inside and the worst I have suffered is boredom.

I’m not in a war zone, there are no dangerous food shortages and there are shops open on my door step.

Please, like me, think of giving to Shelter and NHS charities to help those who are suffering more during lockdown.

Spread the love.

Happy Easter!

Successful Lent

You remember before all this Covid 19 madness started I said I was going to observe Lent.

Well I have kept to it.

No fizzy drinks have passed my lips since Shrove Tuesday and I’m nearly there.

Question is will I go back to my old ways quickly after Easter after I’ve done so well.

Probably, but it’s been a good fast, now I have to put up with social distancing for the foreseeable future.

I don’t know about you, but I’m ready.