Dylan Moran - The Stand Newcastle 17/08/2014

As part of The Stand Newcastle's 'Newcastle Alternative' to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Dylan Moran was performing a work in progress show. Dylan Moran hasn't been doing many gigs recently, but there was no trying to cover it up, he turned his 'rustiness' into hilarity, with little stories and talking to the audience. It was great to see a comedian so genuine about his work, he openly said he was nervous and unprepared but he had the entire crowd on his side and it didn't matter the material didn't flow as one, well rehearsed piece, because the moments wouldn't have been the same.

You never really got the gist of what this show he's building is going to be about, he covered a few topics, technology, the inner monologue, getting older. It was just a show about topics that were relatable to everyone, but all of it was really funny. He never took himself seriously, and the gig was better for it. He fit a lot of material into an hour and a half, so picking out highlights is hard, and also may spoil it for if some of the material makes it onto a tour, although his erotic novel bit was incredibly funny!

The Gaslight Anthem - Get Hurt

New Jersey's The Gaslight Anthem return with their fifth studio album 'Get Hurt'. The album begins with Stay Vicious, which brings a heavier sound for The Gaslight Anthem. This distorted sound is certainly a different direction to The Gaslight Anthem's previous but fans were told that that's what to expect from Get Hurt. 1,000 Years is next and moves to a more familiar style, with Fallon's vocals clearer and the guitars lighter and more melodic.

The album drifts between this style of track, with distorted guitars and gruff vocals, to softer songs. The album is certainly much darker and heavier and overall a slower tempo than previous by The Gaslight Anthem, but at the same time it seems to lack as much heart when compared to albums such as Handwritten or The '59 Sound. The change in sound may be to give them a more mature edge, or that is simply where the band are now, but it carries less songs to really sing along to and more with deeper meanings in the lyrics, that just seem to get lost in the production. All that said, it is not a bad album by any means, it's easy to get into and enjoyable to listen to, but won't go down as one of The Gaslight Anthem's best.

La Roux - Trouble in Paradise

Five years after the release of the self-titled debut, La Roux is back. After the departure of producer Ben Langmaid, singer Elly Jackson has gone ahead on her own to create an album that smacks of classic 1980s synth-pop.

The album is easy to get into, La Roux's sound has matured over the five years away and Trouble in Paradise is better for it. The opener Uptight Downtown is sure to get the party started, with the opening sounding like something straight out of a club in 1985. Kiss and Not Tell is an ideal summer track, easy to listen to and definitely funky!

The latter half of the album contains Silent Parter, the 7-minute long track that could easily have been an anthem for any 1980s synth-pop outfit. The overall tracklist is strong, and well put together, mixing the fast paced songs with the slower ones to create an album that flows together well and makes for fantastic summer listening.

Trouble in Paradise shows that La Roux is definitely back!

Skylight

Yesterday I went to see the National Theatre Live production of Skylight by David Hare, being broadcast at the Everyman cinema in Leeds.

18 years since it's last production, Skylight is back at Wyndham's Theatre in London's West End. Carey Mulligan and Bill Nighy star as Kyra and Tom respectively. The story tells the tale of Kyra, a school teacher living in a dingy apartment in London who is visited by Edward (Matthew Beard), son of her former lover, Tom. Edward, now 18, tells Kyra of the death of his mother a year ago and the state his father is in. Shortly after Edward leaves, Tom arrives at Kyra's apartment. Many years have passed since the two former flames saw each other, and there is a lot to cover. The play is staged in a single set, driven purely but the passion between the two characters, the passion of rage and the passion of romance.

This play is Carey Mulligan's West End debut and she is fantastic. Watching in a cinema, you realise how different theatre acting is to film acting, but all actors did it effortlessly. Bill Nighy is, of course, no stranger to the stage, reprising his role as Tom in Skylight which he first performed in its original run.

If you get the chance to go and see a National Theatre Live production at a cinema then I highly recommend it, it is a truly enjoyable experience.

Chef

Jon Favreau's latest is a feel good film about food and family. Favreau directed and wrote the film, and also stars as the lead, Carl Casper. The film opens as Carl and his fellow chefs, Martin (John Leguizamo) and Tony (Bobby Cannavale) are preparing for a visit from the city's most famous food critic, Ramsey Michel (Oliver Platt). We soon learn that things at home aren't great for Casper, he is divorced from wife Inez (Sofía Vergara), and is struggling to have a good relationship with his son Percy (Emjay Anthony). 

Although the film focuses on Casper's ability as a chef, with beautiful close up shots of some very delicious looking food, it's main focus is family. Whether it's close, or extended, Casper learns that in order to find true happiness, he must let go of all the things he once thought to be the key to his happiness. The cinematography is warm and welcoming.  While the film isn't perfect, nor will it be the blockbuster of the summer, this film just makes you feel good. It makes you happy and pretty hungry too. The cast did a great job and there are cameos from another Favreau film, Iron Man, with Scarlett Johansson and Robert Downey Jr.

I enjoyed Chef, it isn't my favourite film of the year, but it made me happy, and I think that's what it's all about.

New Music: Years & Years - Take Shelter

I heard this about two days ago and I haven't stopped listening to it. I haven't heard much by Years & Years before, but I have to say this is very catchy, moody hit for summer has got me excited for their music in future!

What I'm Watching

1. Orange is the New Black

Netflix's original series is just brilliant. The second series was even sharper than the first. A must watch, even if you just get a Netflix free trial for it!

2. Game of Thrones

Maybe this one should be, 'what I watched', as the season ended last week. Still, I think it was the best season yet!

3. Mad Men

Over halfway through the last season, it's been brilliant so far. I still don't want to know how it's all going to end though!

4. True Blood

It is the last season of True Blood as well. I've been watching it from the start and even though it completely lost it's way with regards to plot, I'm hoping for the final season it'll get back to the True Blood I fell in love with!