whizzbang.biz Blog

There was a Best of British Comedy Audio CD in the Observer newspaper, Sadly I missed it because I was otherwise engaged, and I would have really liked to have got it. So I’m off hunting for it on Ebay.It sounds really good & features all these classic sketches:

Monty Python - Parrot Sketch,
Mark Thomas - The War On Terror,
Arnold Brown - The Secret of Comedy,
Jo Brand - Hastings,
Pete & Dud - Tarzan,
Bill Hicks - What Is Pornography?,
Lenny Henry - Delbert Wilkins,
Rory Bremner - John Major, The Queen,
Jasper Carrott - Australian Insurance Forms,
Monty Python - The Four Yorkshiremen,
Peter Cook and Cast (featuring Rowan Atkinson) - The End of the World

There was a free CD featuring “All Saints” entitled “All Saints All Hits” in the Mail on Sunday. I was too busy & besides it’s not my sort of music, so I didn’t bother with it, for anyone interested though, there may be a few copies on EBay and The tracklisting on the album is as follows:

1. PURE SHORES
2. NEVER EVER
3. LADY MARMALADE (98 REMIX) coochie coochie yaya dada…etc
4. I KNOW WHERE IT’S AT
5. BLACK COFFEE
6. BOOTIE CALL (SINGLE VERSION)
7. ALL HOOKED UP (SINGLE VERSION)
8. WAR OF NERVES (98 REMIX)
9. PURE SHORES (2 DA BEACH U DON’T STOP REMIX)
10. I FEEL YOU
11. DREAMS

This weekend (August 30/31) aswell as next (September 6/7) it is the annual “Day out with Thomas the Tank Engine” event at the Severn Valley Railway , So I went down and had a look.

At Kidderminster, Zeppo the Magic Clown was entertaining, and the engines and carriages of the Coalyard Miniature Railway were also in operation alongside the ‘big’ engines of the Thomas event, and there was also a Punch & Judy show too.

Daisy the diesel railcar was at Bewdley as was Grumpy George, the always-frowning steam roller. Arley station was the location of an inflatable magical mystery obstacle course and mobile play centre. Gordon was as usual in the Engine House at Highley

At Bridgnorth there was The World’s Biggest Thomas Bouncy Castle, and a Magic Show. Whilst there I also saw Henry, Diesel & Oliver aswell.

As part of Bridgnorth Music Fest, there was a free accoustic concert being performed in the bandstand in the park at Bridgnorth on Saturday entitled “Play in the Park”, so I went along to have a listen. It featured many talented artists, singing a variety of different songs, all of which were enjoyable.

First up was Aaron Alvey, singing some great folky accoustic numbers, next up were The Shifty Duo (Below), I have already seen Shifty Sarah performing down by the Quayside, so it was nice to see her performing as one of a duo. They performed a few of their excellent self-penned numbers and also did a few covers too.

Next up Linda Tilley took to the stage and performed a few folky cover-versions of various great songs. After that Rupert Dooley (below) sang some Accoustic covers of various Beatles songs plus many other great songs, which I enjoyed.

The next person to take to the stage was Juke Joint John who did some really great Rhythm & Blues numbers plus some Boogie-woogie & Ragtime, this was one of my favourite performances of the whole week. After that Malc Evans (Below) took to the stage & performed some of his excellent self penned accoustic folky numbers, this was another of my favourite performers of the week - I’d like to get his CD if possible.

The final act of the afternoon was a performance featuring the combined talents of both Rupert Dooley & Linda Tilley, which I also enjoyed, all in all it was a great afternoons entertainment.

The Vespas are playing at The Castle in Highley on Saturday 30th August, I’d like to go and see them again because I really enjoyed their performance down by the Quayside on Monday, it should be a great opportunity to here such fantastic numbers as “For My Friend I think the World of” & “Static Destiny” once again.

More information here
http://www.myspace.com/keepitdusty

Two English businessmen in London were sitting down for a break in their soon-to-be new store.

As yet, the store wasn’t ready, with only a few shelves set up.

One said to the other, “I bet any minute now some idiot tourist is going to walk by, put his face to the window, and ask what we’re selling.”

No sooner were the words out of his mouth when,sure enough, a curious Irishman walked to the window, had a peek, and in a thick Irish accent asked, “What might ye be sellin’ here?”

One of the men replied sarcastically,

“We’re selling ass-holes.”

Without skipping a heartbeat, the Irishman said,
“You’re doing quite well ..

“Only two left.”

This novel is a compelling & suspenseful tale of the paranormal, tied in with a true story about Eugenics, and is being offered with the Times Newspaper for £2.99 this week, it sounds really cool so I may get it.

The novel starts when a developer tries to develop an ancient Abenaki Indian burial ground into a strip mall, Strange things start happening, and the local community of Comtosook, Vermont, start talking of supernatural forces at work.

So Ross Wakeman, a ghost hunter who’s never seen a ghost is called in. He’s searching for is something to end the pain of losing his fiance Aimee in a car accident. He tried suicide-any number of times. Now Ross lives only for a way to connect with Aimee from beyond.

While Searching the site for signs of the paranormal, Ross meets the mysterious Lia, who sparks him to life for the first time in years. But the discoveries that await Ross are beyond anything he could dream of in this world-or the next…

Having really enjoyed their fantastic performance at The Quayside on Monday, I went to see Whalebone again on Tuesday, this time at The Cinnamon Coffee house, as part of the fourth Tuesday in the month music nights.

http://www.myspace.com/whalebone7

They were joined by the award winning Australian Singer Songwriter Michelle Chandler, who played some really great laid back folky accoustic numbers, which I really enjoyed.

I had a really enjoyable night & If possible I’d like to see Michelle Chandler perform again at some point and would also like to get some of her CDs aswell.

http://www.myspace.com/michellechandleronline

I am a big fan of old Dr Who stories & I have recently watched this classic Dr Who story, from the Peter Hinchcliffe era of the mid 70’s, which continued Dr Who’s reputation as something you watch from behind the sofa, lol. It is based on all sorts of old Universal Horror Movies & it is certainly very spooky & full of atmosphere.

In this story The Doctor & Sarah Jane arrive on the ravaged planet of Karn and discover a once brilliant scientist named Solon (Philip Madoc) in a castle trying to resurrect an evil Time-Lord named Morbius, who once led the High Council of Time-Lords, but was executed on Karn when he turned out to be a ruthless dictator who rebelled against them .

Solon is keeping Morbius’ brain alive in a tank of hydrocolloid preserving liquid, and has also began work on a new body, since the last one was completely destroyed when he was executed . All he needs is a head and he decides that The Doctors’ will do nicely.

Meanwhile The Sacred Sisterhood of Karn, are guarding the Sacred Flame from which the Elixir of Life is obtained. They have a long standing dislike of Morbius because he revealed the secrets of The Elixir of Life, and have not trusted The Time Lords since, and once they find out that the Doctor is a Time-Lord they plan to execute him too, unless he can persuade them that Solon is the real baddie…

On Bank Holiday Monday as part of Bridgnorth Music Fest there was a concert down at the Quayside , again it was all in aid of Hope House Hospice, and featured an absolutely fantastic line-up of acts.

First up were Shikidim, who got the afternoon off to a flying start with some very lively bellydancing routines, I remember seeing them last year aswell, and I enjoyed seeing them this time as much as last time. Next up were The Hair Thieves (pictured below) who did some really excellent numbers, I really enjoyed watching them too, I’d also like to get a CD if they’ve done one.

Next up was Shifty Sarah, singing some great self-penned folk tunes, plus a few cover-versions. Again she was also excellent & I enjoyed listening to her perform. The next performance was by Andrew Murphy, who did some great Accoustic numbers, plus a really great Accoustic medley of Faithless tunes, again I enjoyed this too.

The Vespas (above) performed some fantastic lively guitar numbers next, which I enjoyed so much that I have decided I would like to get their CD aswell, I’ll also have to keep an eye out for the next performance too. Next performance was by Anna Rice who did some great self-penned folky, accoustic tunes, plus a few cover-versions aswell.

The next performance was by Jonmathan Day & I also enjoyed this aswell. The penultimate performance was a lively folky set by Barrel of Baddies which I also really enjoyed, I’d like to try and get a CD of these songs too. The final performance was a brilliant set by Whalebone (above) who finished the evening off in fine style with their fantastically lively folky & funky brand of music they performed old favourites like TAP & Red-Haired Boy plus a few new ones too, which were really great.

It didn’t end there either, because as soon as Whalebone had finished their set, The Love Jones started performing at a venue across the road, so I went to listen to them again.