Musical Heroes

Sunday and the fifty-first Covid blog. 🎶

This week is the beginning of normality.

Tomorrow sees theatres opening their doors and emotions will be high. I have my first play booked for Tuesday, a verse play in a local theatre and just the thought of listening and watching live poetry in person is hard to describe.

Each time I think of it, my eyes feel like they will start to leak.

I watched an online live stream performance at The Barbican yesterday with one of my heroes Paul Weller, formally of The Jam (The Modfather). My very first boyfriend introduced me to a different side of Weller’s music along with his guitar and a green Parker.

We already shared a love of The Beatles and so an easy bond of his music grew and stayed with me.

I have a deep affection for The Barbican, for me it is an ugly concrete heart of wonder. I am sure there are those who will disagree, the building of which began in 1965 and seen as architectural genius.

When I worked in the city I belonged to a drama group called SEDOS which has far more recognition and kudos now and currently hailed as ‘The City of London’s Premier Amateur Theatre Group’ based in The Barbican. When I was a part of this group we would occasionally rehearse in the small rooms in The Barbican Centre, although we performed in ‘The Golden Lane Theatre’ nearby.

My memories of that time, being young, enjoying life and spending time in the bar with fellow thespians (always on a Friday) after our rehearsals, has amalgamated my love for this building.

Inside is the strange, almost ethereal entrance to the theatre seats. I always feel like I’m entering Narnia through a very slim wardrobe door, if you have ever visited the main theatre, you will understand. If you haven’t, then perhaps you should.

So, watching this magnificent theatre empty, when the camera eventually panned to the bereft audience made me incredibly sad.

Watching was a complete oxymoron, with a feeling of both sadness and happiness. Joy in watching this great, and sadness which began when he sang the lyrics to a song dedicated to ‘Bowie’ another of my heroes. One which contained his famous quote “Do you know there’s no journey? We’re arriving and departing all the time.”

I still find it incredulous that his physical presence is no longer in the world. When I heard of his death on the radio, I was driving and I had to pull over to compose myself, I am not sure I have shed quite as many tears for any other musical artist.

My unrequited (those who know me, will know how much I love this man and his music) sang with Weller “You’re The Best Thing.” Both men were beautifully accompanied by the amazing BBC Symphony Orchestra and I utterly dissolved.

Not hearing any applause also made my heart sink. I of course made my own, but this sound as both an audience member and performer is everything. To hear and to show appreciation is in the very bones of music and theatre.

I truly hope we are coming to the end of live streaming in barren venues, current results do seem favourable.

My metaphorical dance card is slowly but surely filling up, dinner with friends for the next three weeks, theatre tickets booked and stays for the summer. Even the weather is promised from the 24th of May in Blighty, if the experts are right.

We now need to start stretching those wings, there is a slight blip on the horizon but I think we may just be able to chase it away.

With caution, it begins…🦋

Stay Safe,

Joy xxx