moves

Yesterday I'd popped to a free organ-concert at St Cuthbert's at lunchtime; similar things had been reasonable in earlier years even if nowhere near the standard of whichever year it was when sister and mother were up as well as father and we'd all gone to listen to Thomas Trotter play on a few of the city's fancier organs including St Cuthbert's again and McEwan Hall, the highlight of which was probably l'Amour et un Oiseau Rebelle for the artful distinction maintained between the distinct parts even though it was still one bloke playing one instrument, albeit with four limbs. As this visit was at the instigation of the organ-liking father I'd expected him to turn up to at least one of the free performances. Yesterday they'd said that there would be another longer lunchtime performance today of which father was subsequently advised, though when he turned up at the alleged performance time there turned out to be no performance taking place, though a church lying is nothing new. He went to the botanics instead to drink coffee and eat cakes.

I'd been for a reasonable-length wander around the place, popping into the Portrait Gallery for a quick look at their graffiti exhibit, possibly only there in order to give people something to come in to look at to give their door staff something to do whilst the major portions of the gallery get a makeover though there has seldom been anything worth spending any great deal of time looking at which wasn't in the paid exhibition space. Despite it being too damp and rainy to be able to make use of the replacement sunglasses I bought yesterday after leaving my previous pair in the Cameo after Mesrine last Sunday (they didn't turn up in lost property) it was a nice day for wandering about, the rain reducing the traffic anywhere except the very center.

I had time for a quick run when I got back (though not enough to make me feel I'm not expanding slightly during this heavy-eating slow-walking sitting-around-lots week) before we popped to The Magnets as recommended by David77, though he saw them on a half-price preview. They're OK at what they do, but they could try and do something better. Tripod get better harmonies with three people so this lot don't need six, only five of which sing after the beatboxer is discounted. A lot of the time they sort of missed the main melodic point of the song... it could have been a balance issue but very often the wrong part of a song was emphasized. The beatboxer was OK but a little embarrassing when he did his drum solo routine. There should also be a couple of warnings on the ticket, partly for the excruciatingly overloud and painful volume (I was wearing earplugs but still lost some treble for a few hours afterwards) but partly because audience participation in the form of clapping and standing up and dancing in the final song is seemingly expected. Sitting in the front row possibly worsened the situation but if someone doesn't want to stand up and dance then they should have the right to do so when they've paid for a ticket without having to suffer entreating glances and head-signals from the lead peformer. Not entirely sure that I would recommend them... have a look for some Tripod on YouTube and if you think you'd be happy paying to see people do normal rather than funny songs at about 50% of Tripod's vocal quality then go, otherwise avoid.

I'd attempted to book a table at Mother India earler for the relatively short time between gigs in the evening but they were refusing booking-attempts but assuring people that there'd be hardly any wait for a table even at peak time in the evening. There was only one tablesworth in front of us at 18:30 and we were seated by about 18:50 though it didn't stop father panicking even though we only had a minute's walk to th next gig as he thought it started at 19:30 rather than 20:00. The food (though not quite as fresh as Ann Purna and Kalpna was still fresh, especially (apparently) the fish) was good, the sauces distinct enough to indicate that they're made distinctly rather than being a standard base into which different flavours are mixed and it was quick enough to have finished eating by 19:30. Two dishes apiece (they do tapas-style mini-portions of stuff) was just about enough to be able to finish it all before fullness and spiciness impeded further eating as often happens with large platesful of hot food. There was also at least an entire bulb of garlic in my chilli + garlic chicken, always fun in warm weather.

There was just time to pick up a coffee on the short walk to the Festival theatre for some dancing-stuff from the Gelabert Azzopardi dance company. There were only two fairly short piece with an interval between and the first (set to some home-made experimental music) looked a bit rushed (though the ticket price was fairly low in reflection thereof) but the second half was very good, though not up with Nederlads Dans Theater standards against which everything is now judged; there seemed to be a few bits where the performers had evidently been asked to improvise something a bit weird for a few minutes with the result that some looked distinctly uncomfortable shaking themselves about frenetically. Most of it was good stuff semi-synchronised to some operatic Handel, only too loud for a couple of brief moments. Definitely enough to make me start looking for more danceythings in the programmes of forthcoming events. Hopefully if anything crops up I'll remember to pay for it with a card other than that used to book something which I thought was for this October but which turned out at the time of purchase to be for October 2010 so that when picking up the tickets the future-tickets will be left safely unprinted and in the EFT booking system where they're much less likely to be mislaid.