Conflicted.
I’m in a quandary. I am conflicted. Let me explain.
Around 18 months or so ago, I was invited to a very exclusive work-in-progress presentation of a brand new show at Newcastle’s Live Theatre. Whilst I considered myself very lucky to be asked along - alarm bells were not so much ringing, as quaking themselves to death.
When it comes to entertainment, there are three* things that set my teeth on edge. Musicals, Geordierama and the music of Sting.
This invitation was to a musical, about the shipyards of Wallsend.Written by Sting. If you’d doused me in TCP and forced me to eat cucumber my total hell would be complete. Thing is, the show was brilliant. Everything that disgusts and repulses me turned round to make me smile. What with it being a work in progress, I figured that would be the end of it, I was wrong.
On Friday I was happy in the haze of a drunken hour, after a lovely night listening to Parallel Lines with the Record Player. Idly flicking through the channels and there was old Stingo again, now with the songs from the musical, fleshed out and made solid.
Sting can do what ever he likes, he’s made his money. Jazz-wank? He’s done it. Greensleeves with a chamber orchestra? Yup. Fannying about getting up peoples noses spouting airy-fairy nonsense? Double yup. So now he’s come home.
What made me sit up and listen was the assembled cast of musicians. He’s done his homework, he’s put his money where he thinks his soul might be. The Unthanks, Kathryn Tickell, and The Wilson Family all feature. He didn’t need to do that. I could have hired some fancy dan musicians in New York and just sailed on. He’s even got Jimmy Nail on board, when damn it he could’ve had Michael Buble.
So here’s the rub. I admire Sting for chasing this dream. It may be rose tinted geordierama, he may well be a tourist, with his love of his Wallsend past. I admire the fact that he’s giving a platform to musicians who were made in the northeast, musicians who wouldn’t be skirting the mainstream otherwise. Begrudgingly, I liked the songs.
So, yes, I’m conflicted - I wouldn’t go so far as buying the bloody thing - but my antistingstance may well have loosened slightly.
Next week I will be writing about my admiration for Bono and his new album of Adele and Amy Winehouse songs.
*not really, there’s loads, but we’ll be here all day if once I get started.
I’m in a quandary. I am conflicted. Let me explain.
Around 18 months or so ago, I was invited to a very exclusive work-in-progress presentation of a brand new show at Newcastle’s Live Theatre. Whilst I considered myself very lucky to be asked along - alarm bells were not so much ringing, as quaking themselves to death.
When it comes to entertainment, there are three* things that set my teeth on edge. Musicals, Geordierama and the music of Sting.
This invitation was to a musical, about the shipyards of Wallsend.Written by Sting. If you’d doused me in TCP and forced me to eat cucumber my total hell would be complete. Thing is, the show was brilliant. Everything that disgusts and repulses me turned round to make me smile. What with it being a work in progress, I figured that would be the end of it, I was wrong.
On Friday I was happy in the haze of a drunken hour, after a lovely night listening to Parallel Lines with the Record Player. Idly flicking through the channels and there was old Stingo again, now with the songs from the musical, fleshed out and made solid.
Sting can do what ever he likes, he’s made his money. Jazz-wank? He’s done it. Greensleeves with a chamber orchestra? Yup. Fannying about getting up peoples noses spouting airy-fairy nonsense? Double yup. So now he’s come home.
What made me sit up and listen was the assembled cast of musicians. He’s done his homework, he’s put his money where he thinks his soul might be. The Unthanks, Kathryn Tickell, and The Wilson Family all feature. He didn’t need to do that. I could have hired some fancy dan musicians in New York and just sailed on. He’s even got Jimmy Nail on board, when damn it he could’ve had Michael Buble.
So here’s the rub. I admire Sting for chasing this dream. It may be rose tinted geordierama, he may well be a tourist, with his love of his Wallsend past. I admire the fact that he’s giving a platform to musicians who were made in the northeast, musicians who wouldn’t be skirting the mainstream otherwise. Begrudgingly, I liked the songs.
So, yes, I’m conflicted - I wouldn’t go so far as buying the bloody thing - but my antistingstance may well have loosened slightly.
Next week I will be writing about my admiration for Bono and his new album of Adele and Amy Winehouse songs.
*not really, there’s loads, but we’ll be here all day if once I get started.
