Xposed Club - Cheltenham - Friday 8th March 2013

Xposed Club takes place once or twice a month during term time at the University of Gloucestershire. It is a wonderful music night encompassng a wide variety of musical artists and is presented by Stuart Wilding and Mark Unsworth.

Find more info here:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Xposed-Club/156974424383741

The atmospheric venue for tonight's Xposed Club is The Chapel of St Mary and St Paul at Francis Close Hall. Francis Close was the reknowned Rector of Cheltenham from 1826 to 1856 and was strongly opposed to alcohol and theatrical amusements ...so who knows what he would have made of tonight's shenanigans.

The first act were The Roof Slate Ensemble. Unfortunately I didn't get a good picture of them. Led by Mike Adcock, the pieces are played on roof slates which came from Wales via an old cottage in Stroud.

You can see a recent video of what they do here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-sc91lg2nE

And you can get more information on Mike's Lithophones website:

http://www.lithophones.com/

Tonight the ensemble were joined on a couple of pieces by wonderful Norwegian singer, Marit and the excellent pianist Pete Robson.

Next up was 90 Degrees South.

90 Degrees South played wonderful twangy guitar tunes which were inspired by 1950's rock n roll instrumentals. What a treat... you don't get to hear this sort of thing live these days and done brilliantly.

Noise Research played atmospheric electronics. The film accompanying is the 1929 experimental silent documentary "Man with a Movie Camera" by Russian Director Dziga Vertov. The subject matter, filming, juxtapositions and editing are inspired and moving. You can watch the whole thing on YouTube for free.

Reflections

Another pastime Francis Close may not have approved of.

90 Degrees South makes a hasty retreat...with a cheeky passenger indeed.

The night is over and we all head off...home? Nah, the night is still young. Thanks Stuart Wilding and Mark Unsworth for another great Xposed Club.



Afternoon Skies. Cheltenham 17th February 2013

Canal walk, Stroud. 15th Feb 2013

I had a wander along the disused canal near Stroud on what felt like the first sunny day in a long time.

This is where the Thames and Severn Canal joins the Stroudwater Navigation.

A short way out from Stroud, passing this gate I could hear the whirr and steady, repetetive motion of machinery and could smell burning coal.

Old woollen mill buildings appear.

Two doors and lifting equipment.

Old yellow door.

These buildings are a part of Lodgemore Mill. Lodgemore Mill is one of the few remaining working woollen mills in the cotswolds and these days produces fine woollen cloth for use on billiard tables and tennis balls.

The River Frome runs through the mills and there is also a lake where I spotted this sign. I think I know what it once said....

...I think.

There are other strange things in the water too.

I head back to the canal where someone has amused themselves with the weight limit sign of a little bridge.

Further along the canal it gets a little muddy. There is a brand new swing bridge which somehow I didn't take a picture of. Further on there are the remains of an old lock.

This section of the canal is gradually being restored. The idea is that the restoration of the Stroudwater Navigation and the thames and Severn Canal will link the rivers Severn and Thames for the first time in 70 years. 

http://www.cotswoldcanalsproject.org/general.asp?pid=2&pgid=1895

There has been a lot of recent construction.

And you can see the old and the new.

Muddy footed I head away from the canal and back into the old town.





Longstone at G's Bar, Cheltenham, 26th January 2013

What's not going on??? Well usually not a lot because if you look around you there's a lot going on really... when you come to think of it.

And sometimes there actually is something going on and last week it was Longstone's turn at the something.

This was a gig to launch Longstone's new LP Pavillion. Find out more here. http://www.wavetable.co.uk/?p=217

I'm not really into writing reviews so...what can I say? it was a blummin' good gig.
It took place at G's bar, Cheltenham. Here are a few pics.

On my way.

Wonky bike rack. There seems to be a bit of a bike theme so far. The night gets more wonky...

The bike thing continues at the gig. Here is Longstone's enormous rock n roll lighting rig!

Longstone. (Mike Cross, Mike Ward, Kev Fox, Chris Cundy and Stuart Wilding)

Chris Cundy tunes into his radio. It's not the shipping forecast this time, though.

Wires.



This small electronic box played by Chris Cundy has light sensitive teddy bear eyes and was made by Kev Fox.



Chris Cundy, Stuart Wilding.

The Green Light home.

Cheltenham snow. 18th January 2013

A character hiding in the snow in Montpellier Park.

Edward Wilson in his element.



Bandstand girl. Montpellier Gardens.



Someone's been having a funtime in the snow.

Snow covered horses. Neptune Fountain, Cheltenham.

Roof Tiles.