Monthly Archives: July 2014

David Jimenez-Hughes, A Point In Time. E.P. Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

The seemingly quiet ones are always the ones that seem to hide the biggest uproariously delicious sound within them. Like a star raging away in the Universe, from a safe distance what you witness is the serenity of cosmic forces going about its business, atoms colliding causing life to function and yet go to a fixed point and the heart-beat of the Solar System is heard in all its furious intensity. Listening to David Jimenez-Hughes’ A Point In Time is very much like witnessing that star burning up its life force and radiating its warmth but without the huge terrifying Galaxy ending boom at the end.

David Jimenez-Hughes, A Point In Time. E.P. Review. full post

(416 words, estimated 1:40 mins reading time)

Justice League: The Grid, Graphic Novel Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 9/10

Treachery, in the world of action comics or the graphic novel, not one plot device captures the imagination more and makes the reader feel aggrieved at the sense of injustice that has befallen the team or the solo hero. The disloyalty meted out is of such a despicable nature that it is akin to treason to the state. The betrayal of a handshake given in good faith is almost left hanging in the mind as you see in the other person’s eyes just exactly they are planning to do. When it is properly captured by the writer it is the most symbolic action to be placed down on paper and in the fourth volume of Justice League, under the banner of the New 52, The Grid, betrayal and treason come no higher that one of their own turns against them.

Justice League: The Grid, Graphic Novel Review. full post

(518 words, estimated 2:04 mins reading time)

Forthaven, Darkness. E.P. Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

You can see why some people suggest that the Arts has no place in society, that the individual has no place in society and that the only way forward is for everybody to like the same things and they do it with a sneer and a calculated business-like mind…they are of course deluded, the cruel twist of nature that has taken them from seeing somebody’s worth by the art they create and instead only seeing what can be gained in monetary value.

Forthaven, Darkness. E.P. Review. full post

(377 words, estimated 1:30 mins reading time)

Utopia. Series Two, Episode Two. Television Review. Channel 4.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 81/2/10

Cast: Geraldine James, Fiona O’ Shaughnessy, Neil Maskell, Adeel Akhtar, Paul Higgins, Alistair Petrie, Alexandra Roach, Nathen Stewart-Jarratt, Oliver Woollford, Kevin Eldon, Sylvestra Le Touzel, Michael Maloney, Ian McDiarmid, Paul Ready, Alan Cordiner, Pixie Davies, Leemore Morrett Jnr, Diane Morgan.

It is the 21st Century equivalent of throwing yourself out of the window of a tall office block after wiping millions off the value of shares in the United States, the way of suicide compared to the office boredom and placing the stapler over the tongue ready to make sure you feel something, anything, to let the pain remind you are still alive…as Ian asks his colleague, is it possible to actually die of boredom?

Utopia. Series Two, Episode Two. Television Review. Channel 4. full post

(442 words, estimated 1:46 mins reading time)

Stephen King, Mr Mercedes. Book Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 7/10

After so many years of writing in a particular style that even the appearance of a full stop suddenly placed before the reader’s eyes was enough to have them scurrying for the covers and checking nervously under the bed, to witness Stephen King, the ultimate in the name of Horror in the 20th Century, take on a straight forward suspense thriller is akin to see him offer a book aimed at children…Mr Mercedes is no My Pretty Pony though, then again it is also no Under The Dome either.

Stephen King, Mr Mercedes. Book Review. full post

(527 words, estimated 2:06 mins reading time)

Franny Conlin And Wild Flowers Productions Bring The Morgue Table To The Epstein Theatre.

Prepare to be taken on a ghostly journey as brand new Liverpool Theatre Company Wild Flowers Productions bring their new play to the Epstein for one night only on August 16th 2014. Their debut piece, Wild Flowers was critically acclaimed after a run last year at the Unity and Epstein theatres and now their new comedy, The Morgue Table is back, due to popular demand after a successful run at the Capstone and The Atkinson in June.

Written By Franny Conlin, this is a story about two inmates of Walton prison, Ike and Maddox, who are propositioned by their governor, Mr. Grime to venture into the haunted tunnels beneath the prison and destroy the old morgue table.

Franny Conlin And Wild Flowers Productions Bring The Morgue Table To The Epstein Theatre. full post

(416 words, estimated 1:40 mins reading time)

Brazilica 2014’s Carnival Queen Competition To Turn Up The Heat At The Alma De Cuba.

Brazilica 2014 is alive and kicking and this Friday 18th July, the ever popular Carnival Queen Competition will heat up the already sizzling summer festival. Brazilian dancers from far and wide will battle for samba supremacy at the 2014 Brazilica Carnival Queen Competition which this year takes place at Liverpool’s spectacular Alma de Cuba Bar on Seel Street from 9pm.

The competition – which the public are invited to attend, will warm the city up for the main Brazilica Carnival Day which takes over Liverpool City Centre the following day, Saturday 19th July for a magnificent colourful spectacle of Brazilian music, dance and culture.

Brazilica 2014’s Carnival Queen Competition To Turn Up The Heat At The Alma De Cuba. full post

(235 words, estimated 56 secs reading time)

Michael Frayn’s Noises Off To Entertain Audiences At The Royal Court Theatre.

Royal Court Liverpool has looked backstage for inspiration for it’s new production. Noises Off by Michael Frayn is a brilliantly funny farce that has had excellent reviews wherever it has been.

Noises Off has variously been described as “The funniest farce ever written” (New York Post), “A modern classic” (Guardian) and “Theatrical comic bliss” (Daily Telegraph). The show will be running at The Royal Court for just four weeks.

Michael Frayn’s Noises Off To Entertain Audiences At The Royal Court Theatre. full post

(368 words, estimated 1:28 mins reading time)

Liverpool Sound And Vision: Interview Special, An Interview With Robert Farquhar.

There is nothing quite like finding yourself in the company of a writer whose use of the English language is enough to cause palpitations of the pen, whose pre-interview conversations are as interesting as they are educational. This writer has over the course of the years since he has resided in Liverpool has created some of the most insanely wonderful comedies that audiences have had the honour of seeing and with whom have fallen in love with the Big Wow company over and over again.

Liverpool Sound And Vision: Interview Special, An Interview With Robert Farquhar. full post

(1669 words, 2 images, estimated 6:41 mins reading time)

Pavilions, Gig Review. o2 Academy, Liverpool. (2014)

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Even the most optimistic of music lovers are fully aware that to not see a band for around a year and expect them to play with the same consistency, the same richness that attracted you to them in the first place, could be seen as neglect, musical carelessness, a certain mistreatment. After all if human beings can change and grow then why not the artistic endeavours that we pursue. Those same artistic impressions can often lead to a downhill path, the choices made seemingly poor as band politics come into play and ego’s get bruised and battered.

Pavilions, Gig Review. o2 Academy, Liverpool. (2014) full post

(487 words, estimated 1:57 mins reading time)