Spillane, Mozart, Art and Bollywood

Went to see John Spillane Saturday night - here's a clip of him singing the song we chose as our first dance song when we were getting marriaged there last year.



He's an amazing live entertainer, just warm and genuine, funny and to me very homey - since he's full of his Corkness and constantly - and I mean CONSTANTLY talks colourfully about Cork in his songs. He's great.

Sunday we tripped our way into town to see the Bacon Studio in the Hugh Lane Gallery - since I'd never been to see it, but they were just closing the doors since there was a Mozart recital about to begin in the main hall... Having just finished reading "The Piano Shop on the Left Bank" a book by a man obsessed with proper pianos and classical piano music, as well as having never actually sat down to listen to a live classical music recital up to now, myself and Mr VC decided to give it a go.

Fionnuala Moynihan was the performer, she gave us a lovely introduction - describing what Mozart's influences and intentions were in the three Sonatas (No 6, 7 & 8) that she was planning to play. It was a strange contrast in atmosphere, when she paused between movements - no one clapped by mistake (not even me) - (when John Spillane had paused towards the end of one of his songs and some people started clapping - he shouted "Gotcha" with glee and went on playing saying "I can't stop playing this one ladies and gentlemen, if ye could play it ye wouldn't be able to stop it either")

Also at the Mozart there was the compulsory eejit letting their mobile phone ring and ruining it for everyone, the person getting carried away bopping to a beat no one else could hear, and the one who couldn't stifle their coughs at the worst possible times (me)...

I did feel a little at sea for most of the performance, like as if I was watching a cartoon in a foreign language and just couldn't quite grasp what was going on - the only one that really came to life for me was Sonata 8 K310 (Sounds like a Nokia battery doesn't it?) - which was written by Mozart about his mother soon after she died, you could hear the emotion through that alright. It was a restful, meditative kinda way to spend an hour, it was free, and it provided me with the time and emotional energy to write the work of genius that was yesterday's poem.

We then saw Mr Bacon's studio - my biggest problem with it would be the lack of a comfy seat, but I've seen messier. He used alot of ordinary looking tins of paint too, which was fairly impressive - I liked the interview they were playing too - he seemed, in it, like a likeable mysterious artist type scamp. Can't find the exact one again for you here, but you can have a look at this instead.

In other news - I will be coming to a big screen near you soon - yes the Bollywood film which I partook in last year "Moore Street Masala" is going to be on in real live cinemas soon. I'm fairly near the back in the crowd scene - mainly because the star of the show was feeling insecure that I was actually a better dancer than her, but sure look, you can't blame her, she's spent all those years in professional training and then I just walk in off the street with the raw talent that just wipes the floor with her - full story here from last year. Anyway - it's to be shown before ZONAD in the aul cinema - so do let me know if you see me - I'm in the goldy dress.