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plungermusic · 8 months

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Let’s just say that Plunger were abducted by aliens …

… or have been on retreat with the Moonies, or were suffering from a hilarious bout of adult mumps, because any of those would be less embarrassing than the real reason* it’s taken us five months to get around to reviewing Out On The Line. Our loss, as the second album from The Blue Highways is a cracking listen, keeping up the high standards set by their excellent 2020 debut Long Way To The Ground.

Thankfully, despite the years of upheaval since then, the London band is still steeped in the epic Springsteenesque New Jersey soundscapes that captured Plunger’s ear on that first outing. In a spooky instance of synchronicity with the most recent record we reviewed, there’s a distinct 80s flavour to Out On The Line: if Long Way To The Ground evoked early Bruce, the new release displays the polish and urgency of the mid 80s, so it’s more Born In The Harringay than Greetings From Finsbury Park, N4.

Nobody Lives Here Anymore epitomises the air of post-industrial rustbelt faded grandeur and blue collar defiance, with churning raw guitar a one-two punch drum beat and an air-punching stadium chorus. That vibe continues in the stately progression of the piano-led Rio Grande, with plenty of Jim Steinman-like melodrama, and the insistent Bruce-meets-Huey-Lewis chug of Running Out Of Time. There are more Steinman-y piano flourishes on the Bandish lope of Don’t Leave Me Alone along with the lead guitar doing what probably ought to be a sax solo!

Chiming piano stabs and the very Brucey line “There she stood under the carnival lights…” opens What’s A Man To Do, before breaking into bobbysox-beat-backed American Graffiti / Last Picture Show small town bittersweet nostalgia, while rapid mariachi strumming, a relentless latinate snare beat, and swirling organ (à la Tex-Mex accordion) give Streetlights the taut tension of a Tooting telenovela (or spaghetti Western… Avenue).

While great harmony vocals feature almost throughout, they take the foreground in the fine chorus of Don’t Waste Your Prayers On Me (with its otherwise highly Brucesque mumble-cum-drawl verse with references to Lazarus etc.) and even more in the sublime interactions on Tonight. Rendered slightly less a cappella than we heard it at Maverick 2022 but still with hair-raising harmonies and counterpoint full of Walker Brothers-level oomph and emotion.

Peak 80s comes in the pairing of Land Of The Free (now, how ‘Bruce’ is that title?) and Man With No Name (and that one too, now we think of it): in the former, tight near-machine drumming, one-note du-du-du-du-du-du-du-du pulsing bass (which crops up quite a lot on the album) and jangling guitar are topped with a light melodic synth hook before the Brucey bonus of a slow-build multi-voice-led crescendo coda; while a fuzzy stadium guitar melody and wind-tunnel reverb vox (and some filling-rattling bass synth) feature in the latter.

The joker in the pack turns out to be the title track itself: folky Americana driven by rattling train-rhythm brushes grows (via wordless harmony-choir bvs) to a fruit-flavoured-cider-advert festival anthem that sits a little oddly with what goes before (despite getting a bit more raucously ‘rawk’ in the closing bars).

Heightening the overall period flavour are the slick multi layer ‘big production’ with plenty of reverb and split channel tricks (the twin guitars on What’s A Man To Do, the right channel edge-of-hearing maelstrom on Streetlights or twangsome accents on Don’t Leave Me Alone): and the instrumentation, like the aforementioned repetitive pulse bass; syn-drum mimicking percussion; guitar tones ranging from the Knopflerish to Simple Minded; and Old Skool 80s keys - whether cheesy Walk Of Life organ or Born In The USA-intro electric piano.

But don’t worry, there’s absolutely nothing museum piece about Out On The Line - after all, accomplished playing and stunning singing coupled with consummate songwriting will never go out of fashion. Not even after five months…

*No, we're not telling you.

Out On The Line is available (and has been since March!) to buy as CD, Vinyl LP or digital download here: https://thebluehighways.bandcamp.com/album/out-on-the-line

#the blue highways #out on the line #brucey bonus #americana #rock #alt rock #better late than never

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jbuenrostro00 · 3 years

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Week 11 Blog 11/04

1. Why does the media often portray black victims of police brutality as bad people who are criminals?

I believe that this portrayal of black people in the media being seen as ‘thugs’ and ‘criminals’ is in result to the underlying racism that is still heavily felt in our country today. Black men such as Eric Garner and Michael Brown were described with negative terms such as ‘giant’ or ‘huge’ and the media attacked them for their criminal history. In contrast, white criminals are portrayed in media usually with a pitiful image. Examples such as Dylan Roof, Nick Cruze, and Brock Turner, have media portrayals like being ‘mentally ill,’ ‘an outcast,’ or even ‘just on the wrong path.’ The double standards and blatant racism in many media outlets has been seen and called out by many of the public but has yet to be punished. Hopefully in the future there will be better representation and explanation in media and the racism will no longer be present.

2. Can science be used as a way to keep one race inferior to another?

Yes, science can be used as a way to establish superiority over another race and keep a race inferior to another. In the 18th and 19th centuries, “scientific constructions of inferior, superior, and biological notions of criminals were based on older (racist) notions of differences between white and black races,” (Latoya). Science being used to justify the superiority of whites over blacks allowed for the whites to surveil their actions at all times and lead to the creation of a law enforcement that patrol this so called “problematic” population.

3. Is the internet crucial for spreading awareness of events that are taking place?

Yes, the internet is proving to be a crucial tool to use to spread awareness of events that go on in the world. The internet allows large numbers of activist groups to spread and promote awareness on issues to thousands and even millions of people for virtually no cost (Vegh). Some examples of activism online is those against police brutality. Many videos pop up and show real life interactions between protestors/regular people and police which show the police brutalize many of those who are peacefully protesting/complying. A lot of progress that has been made can be greatly thanked to the internet. The internet is a crucial weapon because it can reach tons of people in such a small period of time and provides real life events that occur around our communities.

4. How can organization/mobilization be useful?

Organization/mobilization is one of the three described ways of online activism. Organization/mobilization can be used to call for offline action, call for an action that usually happens offline (but is more efficient to be done online), and call for an action that can only be done online. Organization/mobilization can be useful for catching the attention of a congress person or other government official from ones community. “Call for contacting one’s congressional representative though email,” (Vegh). With organization/mobilization, it allows people to have more of an impact on their communities. People can also use organization/mobilization online to get groups of people together and rally/protest for a cause in their community/state/nation.

Fuchs, C. (2014). Social media and communication power. In Social media: A critical introduction (pp. 69-94). London: SAGE Publications Ltd doi: 10.4135/9781446270066.n4

Lee, L. (2017). Black Twitter: A Response to Bias in Mainstream Media. Social Sciences, 6(1), 26. doi:10.3390/socsci6010026

Vegh, S. (2003). Classifying Forms of Online Activism The Case of Cyberprotests against the World Bank.

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nathenortizblog · 3 years

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Week 11 Blog Post: Due 11/4/2020

1. How groups on Twitter such as Black Twitter an opportunity to advocate for change?

According to the reading “Black Twitter: A response to Bias in Mainstream Media” the author defines how Black Twitter formed. The author states how Black Twitter is “a subculture within the Twitter platform, and materializes through the creation of hashtags” (pg. 2). Social networks are a great way for people to connect with other whether it is through Instagram sharing photos, or Twitter sharing memes and opinions. Additionally, Twitter is also a way where folks get there news because of how easy it is to get real time information from people across the world. Twitter also has different subgroups such as undocumented Twitter and gay Twitter, each of these having their own cultures. These subcultures such as Black Twitter have the opportunity to spread awareness on certain issues within different parts of the country through sharing Tweets and retweeting onto their timeline. An example is bringing to light candidates running for public office such as Stacy Abrams running to be the Governor of Georgia in 2018. This spreads the word about her campaign and exposes folks to the opportunity to become involved in her campaign even if they do not live in that state. A recent example is the current Senate race for Raphael Warnock in Georgia, who I did not know about until I saw it retweeted on my timeline. I was able to learn about his campaign and he is now going into a run off election for the Senate seat. If I did not hear about his campaign I would not know about how I can help get him elected even though I live in California.

2. How can online activism evolve to reach different populations of people?

In the reading “Classifying Forms of Online Activism: The case of Cyberprotests against the Word bank” the author defines online activism as “a politically motivated movement relying on the Internet” (pg.1). Many people have become more aware of performative activism where people share an awareness post but do not do anything more than that such as signing a petition. Living in California every time I share resources I have noticed I am sharing these resources to a like minded audience on Instagram. I feel sharing these resources is not as beneficial because I am not impacting an audience who may be unaware about certain issues. I think online activism can evolve to reach different populations of people by connecting with different people on different social media platforms from different states. On Twitter I follow people from different states across the country. I have even communicated with these people who are called mutuals and we connect about the different things going on in our communities. Together we have been able to share different resources with each other that can impact other folks. I have learned so much about local elections within states like Arizona and Georgia and how I can still help even though I live in California. Online activism can evolve by connecting with different folks on the Internet and getting to know them and about the issues they are passionate about within their community. Every state is at a different pace when it comes to making progress on certain issues such as California already having a plan about how to distribute a COVID-19 vaccine.

3. If social media has proven to be impactful in movements why is it still under minded?

In the reading “Communication Power in the Arab Spring and the Occupy Movement” the author states “the Internet were activists most important means of obtaining information about the Occupy Movement”(pg.85). Social Media such as Twitter has become more popular because of how so many people can not only get real time news updates but also because of the opportunity to learn about movements across the world. Social Media has made it easy to share resources to non profit organizations, places to donate, and to share stories of communities being impacted. However, I believe the power of social media is still under minded because of how social media originally was to be connected with family and friends and share selfies, our nice dinner, or our trip to Disneyland. I believe people feel social media is only a place to find a new dance that is trending when it is also a place to find a trending topic such as election results. Also, considering social media is used a lot by younger folks people like to assume the younger generation does not care about pressing issues such as climate change and are only focused on doing Tiktok dances. Tiktok just like Twitter has many different subgroups such as fandom Tiktok and DIY Tiktok. Social media has evolved from its original purpose and people should look into the balance social media has from being fun but also an outlet for social movements.

4. How can ads be redesigned to hit a target audience instead of being ignored?

In the reading “Classifying Forms of Online Activism: The case of Cyberprotests against the Word bank the author states defines how the internet is used for mobilization (pg.4). Campaign ads are used during election season and air on TV and now have made their way to social media. Also, automated text messages are used to encourage people to vote a certain way whether it be yes or no on a state proposition. However, at many times people mute these ads or unsubscribe from these automated text messages. The target audience has the power to silence these ads that are meant for them. I believe ads can be redesigned to be shorter in order to accompany the short form of interest people have especially on social media. Most people stop watching a Instagram story if it is longer than two posts because they lose interest so quickly. This also applies to videos that are longer than a minute. Ads should be redefined to be condensed to a shorter time frame in order to not lose their target audience. Also, in terms of automated text messages I think campaigns should work on updating the amount of times they contact their target audience in order to avoid irritating the person and pushing them to not vote at all.

Fuchs, C. (2014). Social media and communication power. In Social media: A critical introduction (pp. 69-94). London: SAGE Publications Ltd doi: 10.4135/9781446270066.n4

Lee, L. (2017). Black Twitter: A Response to Bias in Mainstream Media. Social Sciences, 6(1), 26. doi:10.3390/socsci6010026

Vegh, S. (2003). Classifying Forms of Online Activism The Case of Cyberprotests against the World Bank.

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katerynree · 3 years

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Blog Post 11/4

1. What role does the Black Lives Matter movement have in the political world?

Black Lives Matter, or better yet, any group that is supporting the African Americans going against systematic racism has blown up significantly this year. Recent cases of unfair abuse of the justice system have been brought to light and it is only fair that we the people go against this. Amongst the 99% of peaceful protests that have been happening, there were some riots that have also taken place. Based on what I have seen in the political aspect, the more right leaning side likes to focus mainly on these riots and pin all of them on the movement while the left focus more on the peaceful protests. I have seen many Republicans call the “organization” a terrorist group but that is just not true. They always bring up the riots and the rights the police have to defend themselves or to do anything towards people who resist arrest. The movement is a big topic for political debates and are widely discussed.

2. How did social media help the movement as a whole?

Social media is a wide network for people to use to connect and research. I feel that it has greatly contributed to the movement as it has spread the message that the group wants to portray. People were even able to set up events where peaceful protests could take place and these events were shared in hopes of bringing in more people to support the cause. Social media allows people to see news of police brutality or these abusers being put into jail. It allows them to take in all this information and to research it themselves, while also giving them the chance to speak out as well.

3. How is hactivism misunderstood?

Hactivism is a way for people online to call for action against a problem. It is basically just online activism for people who cannot go in person to protest. However, there are people who sees hactivism as cyberterrorism and as a way to attack others. This does not define the cause. Mainstream news criticize this type of activism and does not take into account how this form of activism is just to challenge corruption on a cyber level.

4. How can we be better activists?

Whether it is online or in person, any form of support I feel is greatly appreciated. As long as we are aware of what is happening in the world and we take a chance to spread this awareness, it helps a great lot. Come to protests if you can, go online and share your support, challenge those that think this cause does nothing, anything you can do for your cause is valid.

Fuchs, C. (2014). Social media and communication power. In Social media: A critical introduction (pp. 69-94). London: SAGE Publications Ltd doi: 10.4135/9781446270066.n4

Lee, L. (2017). Black Twitter: A Response to Bias in Mainstream Media. Social Sciences, 6(1), 26. doi:10.3390/socsci6010026

Vegh, S. (2003). Classifying Forms of Online Activism The Case of Cyberprotests against the World Bank.

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kaylxa · 3 years

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Week 11 Blog Post Due 11/4

How has the Black Lives Matter movement positively effected advocacy and awareness throughout social media platforms?

Without a doubt 2020 has been a year like no other. Living through a pandemic, fighting for basic human rights, and experiencing an election that will affect so many people’s lives drastically. With that being said, social media has played a key role in creating awareness of current events and none the less exposing the systematic racism that occurs. Alluding to, the BLM movement they have created a platform of advocacy and awareness shaping unions an educating those of what is happening in their own backyard. Uploading videos and content of police brutality against colored people specifically black males angered people, this led to numerous protests across the country urging officials for change and justice to be served. Although, in many cases justice has not been served the BLM has created a community for people to lean on and support one another. The BLM movement will fight every day until change happens and the innocent victims and their families receive the proper apology and justice of the unmoral acts committed against them.

Have you participated in creating awareness through social media platforms using hashtags, reposting posts, or creating your own forms of advocacy?

I am glad to say that over the past couple months I have been very active on my social media and have used my voice and privileged to advocate for my family, friends, and strangers who do not have a voice. I am a daughter of an immigrant mother who came to the United States from Peru when she was sixteen years old. As a mixed child who has a lighter complexion I am not ignorant to the fact that I have privilege in this country because of the color of my skin. That is why it is my duty and in my heart to fight for my family, friends, and strangers that do not have that privilege. During these past few months I have been reposting posts in regard to current events to inform people of what is happening and ways we can help to stop the horrible discrimination that is taking place. I also donated to many organizations that support BLM, women’s rights, and immigration. Recently, I have been posting a lot about the election and how it is crucial to vote because people’s lives are at stake. My advocacy on social media is strongly correlated to the support of BLM, women’s rights, LGBTQ rights, Immigration, Health Care, and basic human rights that no one should be stripped away from.

What is online activism?

Online activism is defined as a politically motivated movement relying on the Internet. In other words, the Internet is the platform used in order for users to express their views on certain topics such as health care, women’s rights, BLM, and etc. In regard to, “politically motivated” I would like to highlight that unfortunately we live in a country that incorporates politics and religion in many topics influencing the way people argue against and argue for. With online activism many users create a virtual environment that expresses the need for basic human rights and the need to acknowledge white supremacy and find ways to diminish it and one day completely get rid of it.

What are the three categories that offensive online actions fall into?

Alluding to, the question above the three categories that offensive online actions fall into are the following: cyberattack, cybercampaign, and cyberwar. Although, the Internet provides online activism there are risks at play. Those risks can be very detrimental and caused by cyberattacks which are isolated and cyber wars that have a mutual engagement. in many cases we see hackers across all platforms involving technology. These hackers can steal all your personal information to posting random things on your social media accounts. When using the Internet it is important to be aware of these risks and do your best to avoid them. It is also important to be safe because there are bad people out there that use the Internet as a way to be predators. This ties in with previous posts about “internet trolling,” it is important to be aware of the negative sides of the Internet but also not to take away from creating advocacy and awareness.

Fuchs, C. (2014). Social media and communication power. In Social media: A critical introduction (pp. 69-94). London: SAGE Publications Ltd doi: 10.4135/9781446270066.n4

Lee, L. (2017). Black Twitter: A Response to Bias in Mainstream Media. Social Sciences, 6(1), 26. doi:10.3390/socsci6010026

Vegh, S. (2003). Classifying Forms of Online Activism The Case of Cyberprotests against the World Bank.

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gheadinwords · 2 years

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stuff I like

cursing. damn I love cursing. my mom hates that I like it. She's the type who says "woman shouldn't curse" and then curses the whole family all day, she's funny. for me cursing is a bit like writing, a way to express a feeling, I specially love cursing in my language, there's nothing like a CARALHO or PORRA to express excitement or rage. in Japanese is just no fun basically. in spanish is almost as fun as in portugese. in english is...fine. it's fun, specially when I learn new cursing words, but it's not even close to cursing in my language.

anime. if I actually talk about everything I think about anime I'll be here for two days. let's just say I like it. not as much as I did as a child or a teen. but I still like it a lot.

reading. ugh I love love love reading. I've always had. I remember being inside a car when I was 5 and reading shop signs, it was amazing. then I started reading books and met many new people and places and gods and animals and aliens and plants. reading is the thing that I love the most in this life. so I like books, subtitles, mangas, webtoons, lyrics, my kindle, fanfics, and all that stuff.

music. I guess I love music normally. I do think I would lose 50% of my will to live if I couldn't listen to music even again tho. but sometimes there's no music that makes me forget my thoughts or feel better, so I go back to reading or sleep.

sleep. I hate it. but I need it. I'm usually really good at it. I do have insomnia tho. me record is 14 hours of sleep non stop. super cool right?

Language. as in idioms. sign language is an idiom too, right?. I learned I liked other idioms when I was 9. my sibling studied english since he was 9 so I started at the same age, 6 years after him. I was good. the best for a few years. then some kids who lived in London came to my class and I discovered I actually knew nothing and lost a bit of interest. Still liked going to class tho. the bicycle I used was stolen, my dad decided to stop paying for english classes as punishment, I was 12. I was already into anime and stuff, and some mangas are only available in english, actually most of them. So I just learned the rest of the english language by myself so I could read japanese comics. When I got into high school my mom asked if I wanted to take japanese classes, they were free, so my dad didn't say anything. of course I wanted to take japanese classes. and I did, for a year and a half. I loved it. the free course ended, my parents let me take a few more payed months so I could take a proficiency test. then I was on my own again. I can talk almost as well as english, my writing is stuck at N4 tho lol. I still wanna learn a few more idioms, sign language in all the idioms that I know, and maybe I'll be satisfied.

#about me #language #cursing #sleep #adhd #depression #music #reading #writing #anime #thoughts #thinking #random shit #my shit #long read #idioms #childhood #memories #I want some tea

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desertislandcloud · 6 years

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“This track drives at the heart of the decision makers in positions of power, who take lethal decisions with little care of the consequences. Arms deals, corruption, dictators and Orwellian never-ending wars of propaganda stoked the fires for ‘Ammunition’.”

Produced by Jake Gordon (Skepta, J Hus, Everything Everything), ‘Ammunition’ is AKIVA’s full-blooded roar of defiance, set to a king-sized independent-rock backdrop. It opens with a slick, hypnotic bass-and-drums groove that flowers into a widescreen assault of big guitar lines, horn-like melodic stabs and, unforgettably, that angry yet anthemic vocal. From frontman Dave MacKenzie’s opening “Pay Attention, Pay Attention” salvo through to memorably prophetic lines such as “Before you know it we’ll be arming both sides”, it soon becomes crystal clear that AKIVA have written an important song, full of passion and satirical observation to underscore the fast-shifting, global crisis of our time. And it’s a fantastic rock’n’roll record to boot.

Following the success of the official promo to previous track ‘M.O.D.’, AKIVA returned to brilliant Berlin-based animator Wayne McCauslin to create a sophisticated, absorbing video accompaniment to ‘Ammunition’. McCauslin actually worked on his creation while in Vietnam, where war museums and local tales helped to conjure the imagery that works so effectively with the track. And if you’re fortunate enough to see AKIVA live this summer, you’ll see how the band incorporate the video into their intense performances.

About AKIVA “Never in our lifetimes have we seen the levels of social bitterness and division we’re seeing now. Economics has failed the masses, world leaders are at each other’s throats and globalism is cracking. Everywhere you look there is tension. We’ve always believed music should stand for something and carry a message. There’s a lot to shout about in the world today, and we’ve got a lot to say.” AKIVA

Alongside the anticipated touchstones of pop music excellence – the Stones, Krautrock, Madchester, psychedelia, the rhythmic lyricism of Alex Turner and Courtney Barnett – AKIVA are happy to acknowledge cultural references less readily associated with rock’n’roll, namely UK current affairs programmes Newsnight and Question Time, and the trusty BBC Radio 4. For here is a band who believe that music is a medium for a message, never more so than in these troubled times. “Our songs tend to have a heavy theme of conflict and aggression running through them lyrically,” says frontman Dave MacKenzie. “Grab a beat, a bassline, add a view of the world and you’re on the right track.”

Three-quarters of AKIVA – Malcolm Carter (guitar, vox), Rob Mercel (bass) and Dave Mercel (drums) – have known each other since their schooldays at a Bedfordshire comprehensive, variously soaking up the delights of warehouse raves, classic guitar riffery, and grunge. Singer, guitarist and synth programmer Dave MacKenzie then arrived from England’s northwest, bringing with him a passion for breakbeat, the Madchester scene and anything with a bit of groove and swagger. Honing their art in a dingy south London rehearsal room, AKIVA found themselves sharing the studio space with Kasabian, whose processed beats and retro licks weren’t a million miles away from where AKIVA themselves were heading. Throw in shuffling broken drum beats, rolling basslines, twinkling analogue synths and punchy, percussive lyrics and you have the AKIVA sound, fully formed.

Those lyrics, of course, have a political intent. George Orwell is a band hero, and his writings informed much of AKIVA’s first album, ‘Can’t Buy Revolutions’, as well as previous single ‘M.O.D.’, which garnered a series of enthused reviews. Themes of war, conflict, and turmoil remain prevalent in the quartet’s output and, sadly, there’s no end of the material to draw on in 2018. “We’re generally fascinated and a bit terrified at the current state of the world,” says Dave, “and how it resembles the periods running up to the two world wars in terms of huge inequality, segregation, and racial tension, and politicians using people’s fears and financial insecurities to whip up a culture of division, mistrust, and discrimination.” AKIVA have an internationalist message to spread, one that reacts against fear and division. And you know what they say about rebellion informing the best art…

See AKIVA live Friday 20 July: Pennfest, Amersham, Bucks (On stage 14.50) Saturday 8th September: The Finsbury, London N4

Links https://soundcloud.com/akivamusic https://twitter.com/akivamusic https://www.facebook.com/akivamusic https://akivamusic.bandcamp.com

#SoundCloud #music #Akiva #Alternative #Alternative Rock #Indie Rock #Indie Pop

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gramilano · 6 years

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Giselle with Alexander Campbell as Albrecht and Francesca Hayward as Giselle. © ROH, Helen Maybanks 2018

Francesca Hayward and Alexander Campbell are quickly becoming The Royal Ballet’s ‘couple to see’. After recent successes dancing Clara and the Nutcracker, as well as the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Prince, over the Christmas season, they have just debuted in Giselle. An important moment in the career of any dancer.

The Guardian said that Hayward was “nothing less than exquisite” and remarked on the “illusion of spontaneity” she brings to the choreography, while The Telegraph was blown away by Campbell’s “immersion in character” and the “punch of his dancing”. Another test passed triumphantly. Facebook was awash with appreciative comments the next day: critics are useful; a fan-base is indispensable.

The Nutcracker with Alexander Campbell as The Nutcracker, Francesca Hayward as Clara © ROH, Tristram Kenton, 2013

Hayward and Campbell first danced together when she was a last-minute substitute as Clara in December 2013.

It was seeing The Nutcracker that set Hayward off on her ballet journey, though she saw it on video. Her grandparents, wanting to keep her occupied, bought her a copy “on a whim”.

I still feel emotional every time I dance Clara and the Sugar Plum as they are definitely a realisation of my dream. Two of my favourite and most emotional moments are Clara and Hans Peter’s pas de deux in Act One and the Grand Pas de Deux of the Sugar Plum Prince and the Sugar Plum Fairy in Act Two. They are probably the two parts I danced the most from the whole ballet when I was little, dancing them at home by myself, and the music always gives me goosebumps no matter how many times I hear it.

Last season, soon after the end of the The Nutcracker run came The Sleeping Beauty and during that period Hayward and Campbell performed together as Clara and the Nutcracker/Hans-Peter (in Peter Wright’s version of the ballet, Drosselmeyer’s nephew, Hans-Peter, has been transformed into a Nutcracker Doll), the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Prince, Bluebird and Princess Florine, and they debuted together as Aurora and Prince Florimund.

It was probably about three or four months in total rehearsing and performing together — says Campbell — and I feel like it was hugely beneficial to us, as it gave us a lot of time to get to know one another. It felt as though we were able to take things from each of the performances and build on that as we worked towards the next one. It was one of the most enjoyable times in my career.

Hayward adds,

It’s been great to have a consistent partner to learn the art of pas de deux a little better and I think we have a lot of respect for each other. We’ve shared some important debuts and daunting first night shows together!

Made it through today’s matinee! Thanks to my fantastic prince @acampbell_1 for getting me through this afternoon’s Sugar Plum marathon & to our incredible coach Lesley Collier 💕 H a p p y N e w Y e a r 💕 #sugarplumfairy #nutcracker #ballet #royalballet #exhausted #butlovedit

A post shared by francesca hayward (@frankiegoestohayward) on Dec 30, 2017 at 3:24pm PST

So, what makes the partnership work?

Francesca is a very intelligent performer and her approach to performances and to developing a character isn’t too dissimilar to mine. I think we both like things to make sense in our head when we are out there on stage. When it comes together and works well it is a really satisfying feeling.

Hayward senses that she is “very calm and safe” dancing with Campbell:

Most importantly we hear and feel the music with the same musicality. This is great as it means we can be more flexible and adaptable with our steps together. If the music’s faster or slower, I can take a little longer or make a step a little quicker without panicking him as I know he is with me and won’t be surprised! I have complete trust in him to always have my back… quite literally!

An excellent coach can make the difference between a series of steps and a dance, between approximated moves and those executed with all nuances the choreographer intended. None is better than The Royal Ballet’s Lesley Collier, who was a Principal Dancer with the company from 1972 until her retirement in 1995 and has been a répétiteur at Covent Garden for almost two decades. She also happens to be the Sugar Plum Fairy in the video that inspired Hayward to start dancing.

Lesley Collier has coached us for nearly all our roles together. I think she’s a wonderful coach as she has always learned the steps through the music and the story, and the thoughts and feelings that go with marrying the two. I personally find it really hard to be inspired when I am taught something by being given rigid counts.

The Sleeping Beauty with Francesca Hayward as Princess Aurora and Alexander Campbell as Prince Florimund © ROH, Bill Cooper, 2017

The Royal Ballet’s practice to invite its retired stars to coach carries on through the generations; former Royal Ballet Principal Jonathan Cope became a répétiteur immediately after he stopped dancing in 2005.

Alexander and I were also coached for The Sleeping Beauty by Jonathan Cope which was immensely helpful for the technical aspects like lifts and grips. It was also an amazing chance to dance with him — he would often lift me and partner me to show us how to do it!

Campbell says that he feels “inspired” by having Collier in the studio with them:

It took me quite a while not to be star struck by her – this was the ballerina who created Rhapsody with Baryshnikov after all! But, that aside, she is incredibly caring and knowledgeable, and it’s been a real pleasure getting to work with her. I have a real appreciation for Lesley’s commitment and eye for detail and I know that Francesca looks up to Lesley a great deal.

Yet not everyone looks up to Collier — one Royal Ballet Principal famously does things her own way, throwing out many of the choreographer’s intentions in doing so. But Hayward’s eager to learn and learn well:

It’s great to have Lesley pass down comments and notes from Ashton and Macmillan. Lesley was the first Sugar Plum Fairy and Lise from La fille mal gardée that I watched on a video as a child, so it’s incredible to be in the studio being taught these ballets by her.

Not every little girl who watches a ballet video starts taking ballet classes, and very few young dancers get into a company, but for Hayward there was to be a promotion every year with The Royal Ballet from 2013 until she became a Principal Dancer in 2016.

When Kevin O’Hare [Director of The Royal Ballet] promoted me I hadn’t done any big tutu roles yet — The Sugar Plum Fairy and Aurora were yet to come — so I think he saw the potential for that, but really I think he saw that I was capable of dancing the bigger roles because I could convincingly tell a story which is essential to nearly any ballet.

I think he also knows that I’m generally pretty calm and I take everything in my stride both on stage and off.

Giselle with Alexander Campbell as Albrecht and Francesca Hayward as Giselle. © ROH, Helen Maybanks 2018

Campbell’s story started in Sydney, Australia, when he was so excited by what he saw at his grandmother’s dancing school, that he began studying there when he was just five. Inspired by Baryshnikov, he chose ballet over cricket as a teenager:

One of the qualities I most admire about Mikhail Baryshnikov is the sense that he performs everything with real commitment and sincerity. It is something that I try to bring to my own performances and I believe it is a quality that really stands out. I certainly appreciate it in others when I see it.

He crossed the globe to study for a short while at the Royal Ballet Upper School before joining the Birmingham Royal Ballet. In 2011 he moved to The Royal Ballet as was promoted to Principal Dancer in 2016, the same year as Hayward.

I would say that my versatility has probably helped me get to where I am. I think that the biggest joy and challenge for the Principals of The Royal Ballet is having to perform the vast amount of repertoire we have here, often with conflicting styles and demands, at the highest possible level.

Becoming a Principal and being entrusted with roles such as Prince Florimund in The Sleeping Beauty and Albrecht in Giselle has widened his horizons even more.

Both these roles have allowed me to work really hard on my classical technique and it’s forced me to examine the way I do certain things. My aim is always to work hard on the technical elements in class and rehearsals so that by the time we get to performances the steps are just an extension of the character I am playing as opposed to a series of steps and enchaînnements. It’s a lot easier in theory than in practice but that is the aim!

Last night after our official debut in Giselle. So glad @katchkadeem was on hand to snap this picture! Thank you! Thank you also for all the wonderful support we have received, especially on Instagram. Knowing so many people were rooting for us was a special feeling. I also have to thank my beautiful partner @frankiegoestohayward – I feel very fortunate to have been onstage with you for your first Giselle and thank you for being such a pleasure to perform with ⭐ – – – – #royaloperahouse #royalballet #giselle @royaloperahouse

A post shared by Alexander Campbell (@acampbell_1) on Feb 10, 2018 at 3:17am PST

After Giselle, Hayward and Campbell will both be dancing in The Winter’s Tale, though not together, but then will team up again for Manon in April.

Campbell says,

I’ve enjoyed everything we’ve worked on together so far and I hope that we will have the opportunity to develop this relationship further as I feel it could be something quite special.

One ballet to add on to the list of possible future collaborations would be Romeo and Juliet.

I saw Francesca perform Juliet for the first time and I thought that it was a really beautiful interpretation of the role — I’d love to play against it because I think she gives her partners, and all the cast members around her, so much to work with. Here’s hoping!

I mentioned sincerity on stage as something that I admire in performers and I think that Francesca displays absolute sincerity whenever she performs. It makes it very easy for me to play off and it is genuinely exciting to be onstage with her.

Hayward quips,

Who knows what the future’s got in store, but I hope we have a lot more Nutcrackers ahead of us!

END

The Nutcracker with Francesca Hayward and Alexander Campbell. © ROH, Helen Maybanks 2016

Interview with The Royal Ballet’s hot couple: Francesca Hayward and Alexander Campbell Francesca Hayward and Alexander Campbell are quickly becoming The Royal Ballet's ‘couple to see’. After recent successes dancing Clara and the Nutcracker, as well as the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Prince, over the Christmas season, they have just debuted in…

#Alexander Campbell #Birmingham Royal Ballet #Francesca Hayward #La fille mal gardée #Mikhail Baryshnikov #Nutcracker #Peter Wright #Romeo and Juliet #The Royal Ballet #The Sleeping Beauty

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bluemagic-girl · 4 years

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🔥Super-connected Finsbury Park flats start from £115k for a share🔥

A rural oasis in the 19th century, Finsbury Park offered an escape for Londoners sick of the noise and grime of the capital.

Fast forward to today and while its streets don’t enjoy much respite from 24-hour city living, its open space, vibrant nightlife and brilliant commuter links make N4 a tempting option for a first-time buyer.

The average price of an apartment in this postcode stands at just over £500,000.

However, first-time buyers willing to compromise and buy a share of a home instead of the whole thing could get their first foothold on the property ladder from £115,000 for a good two-bedroom flat.

These homes at City North by Newlon Living, have a great location on the edge of beautiful, 110-acre Finsbury Park itself.

As part of the development a new entrance to Finsbury Park station has been built west of the railway tracks, giving direct access to the platforms.

The station is in Zone 2 on the Piccadilly and Victoria lines and also has train services to King’s Cross and the City.

City living: the apartments are moments from the Zone 2 station and on the edge of lovely 110-acre Finsbury Park itself

Prices range from £115,000 to £131,250 for a 25 per cent share of a two-bedroom apartment.

As well as mortgage repayments, buyers will have to budget for monthly rental payments of £790 and a service charge of £225 per month.

Unusually, the development also includes a new cinema, while there is plenty more to do locally, whatever your interests.

What to do in Finsbury Park

The biggest annual event in Finsbury Park is the three-day Wireless Festival, but you can also play tennis and football, or take an outdoor yoga class.

Theatre, with a programme ranging from musicals to original drama, and an excellent little café and bar.

There are some good local pubs, led by The Faltering Fullback, a 10-minute stroll from City North and something of a local institution with its courtyard garden.

On the downside, Finsbury Park remains grubby compared with nearby destinations such as flashy Islington, and the traffic is appalling when Arsenal play at home at the Emirates Stadium just up the road.

And while there are lots of 24-hour shops in Seven Sisters Road, it’s not what you’d call a curated shopping experience.

You need to hunt off the main drag for Finsbury Park’s gems, such as the weekly farmers’ market in Perth Road, and Season Kitchen, a modern British restaurant which serves expertly cooked and ethically sourced meat and fish and grows its own vegetables.

£525,000: this two-bedroom flat for sale in Victoria Road is just under half a mile from Finsbury Park station

What else to buy

By London standards Finsbury Park is an affordable option given its Zone 2 location.

Average property prices stand at just under £600,000 according to Rightmove, up almost £100,000 in the past five years — which also made it an excellent investment option for those who got in ahead of the game.

This is a classic Victorian suburb with red-brick houses on fairly leafy streets where period family houses cost well over £1 million.

But for a first-time buyer there are two-bedroom period conversion flats priced about £600,000.

Alwyne Estates has a two-bedroom flat in an unusual corner building in St Thomas’s Road for £625,000.

For buyers with less to spend, prices fall significantly as you head north towards the less-fashionable but quieter streets of Stroud Green, where Davies & Davies estate agents has a two-bedroom flat in Victoria Road priced at £525,000.

You can expect to pay in the region of £400,000 for a one-bedroom flat.

from WordPress https://moosegazette.net/%f0%9f%94%a5super-connected-finsbury-park-flats-start-from-115k-for-a-share%f0%9f%94%a5/26807/

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bluebirdharry · 10 months

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Keep Driving | London, UK 17/06

#harry styles #hs #lot: london n4 #m #stylesedits

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eleganblack · 7 years

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taaag~

Tagged by: this cinnamon roll @oikawaisagenius it’s been a while ♡

Rules: list 10 good things that happened in 2016 (could be about you, the world, your friend etc. As long as it’s positive things) and then tag 10 friends

Got to know some people both irl and on tumblr and started going out a lot with the former and planning events, etc.

Speaking of which, I celebrated my first Halloween!!!!!!! :D :D :D

My brother came out and, as dire as the consequences were, the act itself was a positive thing nonetheless.

My own space! Even though certain things (like keeping the bills in mind, etc.) are anxiety-producing af, having a place all to myself, even for a short while, feels wonderful beyond words.

For once in three years of studying I can say I am proud of some of the art I produced for uni.

I read and watched so many amazing new manga and anime and series (and played a few spectacular games) that each of them could take a place on this list and an even bigger list would be necessary.

Passed my N4 exam with an A!

Got a scaffold piercing! Even though I’m soon planning to take it off and just get another helix piercing instead, I’m still proud that I did something to my appearance without having to consult anyone else first.

A small trip to London to see a friend. I always get a lonesome feeling on the train back, yet being able to be there once more is more than enough. And that friend made the day there all the better.

Finally got a fully functional phone lol xD as well as my Izaya and kitty Kuro plushies <3 <3 <3 especially with the mighty trash lord plushie, studying has become better thanks to his ever-present company! xD

Tagging: Anyone who might want to do this? Considering how shitty 2016 was universally, I felt that this was good for trying to spot some of the positive things that might have happened, no matter how trivial they may seem.

#tagged #tagged! :D #oikawaisagenius #naaaaaz <3

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antoniamckimuk · 5 years

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4 Things to do while waiting for the plumbing engineer

4 Things To Do While Waiting For The Plumbing Engineer

We all have called the plumbing engineer. When you call an emergency plumber, it is certain that things are not normal at your house. Either there is a major leakage issue with your faucets, taps, shower heads or your pipes. While waiting for the emergency plumber, all we do is panic which in no way helps the situation.

Instead of panicking, here are some of the things, you can do to stop the leakage and reduce the damage:

Turn The Water Supply Off

While you are waiting for help, a lot of water is being wasted. Instead of just sitting around and letting the water flow, you should be quick, and the first thing you should do is turn off the main water supply.

Keeping A Check On Electricity

It is best to switch off the electricity mains as well if you do not know the source of water leakage. For instance, let’s say water leakage is near the wall power socket or from the ceiling. We should take precaution and switch off the mains until the engineer arrives. Do not touch the water or the electric switch; you may get electrocuted. Electric may even be a cause of death. It is better to be safe than be sorry later.

Clearing Out Of Excess Water

While waiting for the plumber, you could clear the puddles of water that might have collected near the area of the leakage. The excess water will damage your wall, your floor, carpet or your furniture.

Worst nightmare will be if damages your neighbour’s property especially if you are living in the flat. Also, the puddle will make the affected area slippery, and there will be chances of the accident. Your plumber might even refuse to work since they should think about the health and safety first before carrying out the job.

Let The 24 Hour Plumber Focus On The Job

Once the plumbing engineer has arrived, let him focus on his job. If you have pets like a dog or cat or if you young children, make sure they do not disturb them. You can brief them about the current situation since there can be more info you may need to tell them when you were waiting for them.

Once the job is completed, you can ask them about what has been carried out. They will give you a report which will have full details. Fundamental questions could be why has occurred, what has been done to fix, list of equipment which was replaced or needing replacement.

Also, the detailed report will be required if you have to go through the insurance claim. You can also ask for the email address of the plumbing company. You may need to send or receive more info from the plumbing company via email for the insurance claim.

It is also wise to take the photo or make the video of before and after job, which can be attached to the claim. Last, not least, if you need the emergency plumber, we are here to help. Call us today for free quotation or book a Local Plumbing Engineer.

Pro Emergency Plumber Near Me has been around Surrey and London from a while have served hundreds of customers every month with their heating and plumbing problems. We have teamed up with some of the very good and reliable local plumbers you give you the best service for the affordable price.

Our plumbers have known for their good customer support, which lacks from most of the so-called plumber.

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Emergency Numbers:

Gas Leak: Call The National Grid 0800 111 999

Thames Water: Call Leakline 0800 714 614

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The post 4 Things to do while waiting for the plumbing engineer appeared first on Pro Emergency Plumber Near Me.

from Pro Emergency Plumber Near Me https://proemergencyplumbernearme.co.uk/plumbing-engineer/ source https://proemergencyplumbernearme1.tumblr.com/post/184256922682

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brianjelmore88 · 5 years

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4 Things to do while waiting for the plumbing engineer

4 Things To Do While Waiting For The Plumbing Engineer

Instead of panicking, here are some of the things, you can do to stop the leakage and reduce the damage:

Turn The Water Supply Off

Keeping A Check On Electricity

Clearing Out Of Excess Water

Let The 24 Hour Plumber Focus On The Job

Our plumbers have known for their good customer support, which lacks from most of the so-called plumber.

Hire 24 hour Plumbing Services YouTube Channel

Hire 24 hour Plumbing Services

Click to Call 020 8088 3060

Emergency Plumbing Service Area

Emergency Numbers:

Gas Leak: Call The National Grid 0800 111 999

Thames Water: Call Leakline 0800 714 614

Postcodes We Serve

The post 4 Things to do while waiting for the plumbing engineer appeared first on Pro Emergency Plumber Near Me.

from https://proemergencyplumbernearme.co.uk/plumbing-engineer/

from Pro Emergency Plumber Near Me - Blog http://proemergencyplumbernearme1.weebly.com/blog/4-things-to-do-while-waiting-for-the-plumbing-engineer

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josephhogeuk · 5 years

Text

4 Things to do while waiting for the plumbing engineer

4 Things To Do While Waiting For The Plumbing Engineer

Instead of panicking, here are some of the things, you can do to stop the leakage and reduce the damage:

Turn The Water Supply Off

Keeping A Check On Electricity

Clearing Out Of Excess Water

Let The 24 Hour Plumber Focus On The Job

Our plumbers have known for their good customer support, which lacks from most of the so-called plumber.

youtube

Hire 24 hour Plumbing Services YouTube Channel

Hire 24 hour Plumbing Services

Click to Call 020 8088 3060

Emergency Plumbing Service Area

Emergency Numbers:

Gas Leak: Call The National Grid 0800 111 999

Thames Water: Call Leakline 0800 714 614

Postcodes We Serve

The post 4 Things to do while waiting for the plumbing engineer appeared first on Pro Emergency Plumber Near Me.

from Pro Emergency Plumber Near Me https://proemergencyplumbernearme.co.uk/plumbing-engineer/ source https://proemergencyplumbernearme1.tumblr.com/post/184256922682

0 notes