Pop!

Today we went to the Pop Art Design exhibition at the Barbican. It's got lots of Andy Warhol and Richard Hamilton, and explores how Pop Art fed into design and commercialism - very interesting! We're going back this evening for " an explosive narrative dance work integrating hip-hop, Manga and martial arts" - not our usual "thing" but it's good to try things outside your comfort zone! And if we need a bit of help to get into the mood, our exhibition tickets entitle us to buy one cocktail, get one free, at the Pop Bar ;-))

P.S Yesterday evening we went to the first of the LSO's Berlioz season in the Barbican Hall with Valery Gergiev conducting (much more our "thing"). Just as the concert was about to start, a smart-looking gentleman in black tie stepped onto the stage and said he would take 30 seconds of our time. He went on to say that, although Gergiev is a brilliant conductor, he has been a long time supporter of "that dictator Putin", and started to chronicle Putin's "crimes". After a few stunned seconds, one third of the audience clapped, while two thirds of the audience booed. Six "heavies" appeared out of nowhere and tried to talk him off the stage, but he wouldn't budge. Eventually one of the trumpeters took the law into his own hands and pushed him off the stage, when he was escorted away. Gergiev went on to conduct to rapturous applause a stunning "Symphonie Fantastique", which ends with "The March to the Scaffold" and the "Dream of the Witches Sabbath" - highly appropriate for All Hallow's Eve!