Building a Guitar
Reading Time: 5 minutesI have wanted a 12 string electric for a while – a lot of what I do with guitars is drones and textures, so having messed about a bit with a 12 string acoustic for a while I though this might be a fun new …
...a plethora of creative nonsense...
Other Things
Occasional posts on other matters, or those of interest to people less interested in specific creative endeavours
Hockney and Saltaire
Reading Time: 3 minutesRecently we have had a bit of a resurgence in playing the recorder in these parts, having received a Treble for Christmas. For a bit of a day out we decided to take a trip over to Saltaire – not far up the road (or …
Light Night and the Moon
Reading Time: 2 minutes…the main attraction (for me at least) this year was Luke Jerram’s “Museum of the Moon” – a 7 metre diameter accurately mapped spherical installation of The Moon, suspended over Leeds Dock…
We started out for a quick drink, then wandered down to the Docks joining a fairly steady stream.
Jellyfest X Weaverfest at Chunk
Reading Time: 2 minutesShock Horror. I have actually gone out. I’ve been hibernating quite a bit recently, partly age, partly money, partly winter which has taken a bit of a hit on the material I am pulling together for Images From The Underground. Invited by my friend Derek …
Carnival Time Again
Reading Time: 4 minutesLeeds West Indian Carnival is the oldest and one of the biggest West Indian carnival events in Britain today. Started in 1967 by Arthur France, and a group of Caribbean strengths in Leeds, it is now in it’s 50th year, and what an event it is! …
Beeston Festival
Reading Time: 2 minutesBeeston Festival in Crossflatts Park – I do like that all these events have their own distinct character. Beeston is big, but suprisingly roomy – it does not feel crowded and busy and there really is something for everyone. The main band stage is relatively understated, with feelgood music of a generally rocky nature. The main area of stalls and food is immense, with easily over 100 different stalls, mostly of a very community nature – tombolas, tat, plants, books and so on.
Kirkstall Festival
Reading Time: 2 minutesAnother of the big summer events in Leeds takes place in the grounds of Kirkstall Abbey – Kirkstall Festival has been running in Leeds for 37 years now, and attracts over 25,000 people. It has grown steadily, and has a good formula, with a large …
Festival on the Ridge
Reading Time: 2 minutesLeeds has so many little pockets of community action and events, for those in the know… One of these is the annual Woodhouse Ridge Festival, taking place early July each year. This is a wonderful example of grassroots community in action. Woodhouse Ridge is an area of …
Monster Magnet
Reading Time: 3 minutesSometimes great things come in small packages. I’ve seen Monster Magnet a couple of times before in bigger venues, but they have recently played the Brudenell Social Club. How on earth they made the finances of a small club tour like this work, I neither …
Light Space Leeds Opening Party
Reading Time: 4 minutesSo, I went to a little bit of a shindig last night. Felicity Hoy, with whom I did a bit of collaboration on some flyers a couple (or maybe more) years ago and who is doing great things in Sheffield has been involved with a couple …
Settle and Ribblehead
Reading Time: 4 minutesOne of the main inspirations for my photography is mans interaction with the environment – landscapes, but landscapes showing the fight between permanence and ephemerality of man’s impact on the earth. I love the way in which structures both scar the landscape, yet also decay, …
Flying Scotsman and Walking the Worth Valley
Reading Time: 3 minutesSo after taking the train loving children to see Flying Scotsman earlier in the week we have been back to the Worth Valley to have a walk along the trand and (for me) to try and get some decent Scotsman photos. The route took us …