A Review of the audio book ‘Churched’ by Matthew Paul Turner

I first became aware of the writer Matthew Paul Turner (MPT from now on) when someone I follow on Twitter re-Tweeted one of his tweets. I was curious to read more about him, not because I agreed with what he said, quite the opposite in fact. I don’t remember exactly what the comments said but I seem to remember it was making fun of either Reformed Theology or possibly John Piper. Anyway it was enough to peek my curiosity so I started to follow him on twitter and read some of his Blog 'Jesus Needs New PR' (The blog title may give you a hint of his agenda).

It wasn't long before I stopped reading his blog and some time later I stopped following him on Twitter. The reasons will become clearer.

Any way a few months ago Christian Audio gave away his book ‘Churched’ as their free monthly download. So, since it was free, I downloaded it to see if I could try and understand where MPT was coming from. The book has the following description:

He spent his childhood trapped within the confines of countless bizarre, strict rules. And lived to tell about it.

In this first-hand account, author Matthew Paul Turner shares amusing–sometimes cringe-worthy–and poignant stories about growing up in a fundamentalist household, where even well-intentioned contemporary Christian music was proclaimed to be “of the devil.”

churched is a collection of stories that detail an American boy’s experiences growing up in a culture where men weren’t allowed let their hair grow to touch their ears (“an abomination!”), women wouldn’t have been caught dead in a pair of pants (unless swimming), and the pastor couldn’t preach a sermon without a healthy dose of hellfire and brimstone. Matthew grapples with the absurdity of a Sunday School Barbie burning, the passionate annual boxing match between the pastor and Satan, and the holiness of being baptized a fifth time–while growing into a young man who, amidst the chaotic mess of religion, falls in love with Jesus. (Cited from amazon.co.uk)

The Audio Book version that I listened to was read by MPT himself which I guess added to the experience as His reading of his own book clearly added extra weight and humour to the words.

Several things struck me after I had finished listening to the book:

Firstly I have no experience first hand of that kind of Fundamentalism. The only thing that comes close was an evening when my first church invited some man to talk about secular music to the youth group. I was about 18 at the time. He was a nutter quite frankly and saw the devil in everything. I quickly learnt to filter out that kind of nonsense.

I have heard about that kind of US fundamentalism and have read the odd article from people with that kind of viewpoint. Not growing up in a Christian home I cannot imagine what it would be like to be a child in a grace filled Christian home let alone one so rigidly moralistic and graceless.

There are some areas of UK Christianity that are very moralistic in nature but I have not personally come across that level of Fundamentalism, described by MPT, in my 22 years as a Christian believer. There were some friends at university that came from a fairly moralistic, Baptist upbringing and struggled to cope living outside of that bubble. With some predictable results of going off the rails a little.

Secondly, although I do not in any way doubt the sincerity in which the book was written, I struggle to accept that much of what was written has not been embellished by MPT’s adult self. I struggle to remember conversations that happened last week let alone detailed conversations I had as a child. Since this book is a series of narratives of various stages of MPT’s growing up it is full of these conversations.

We all filter and interpret our memories through the life lenses we are currently wearing. That is not to accuse MPT of lying or making stuff up. However he has clearly been deeply affected by growing up in such a strict environment and many of the subtle points he is making come through narratives that are time wise his childhood but message wise most certainly his adult self.

Thirdly it can only be by the Grace of God that he is even a believer today. Some of the incidents described are literally ‘you could not make this stuff up’ stories. Enough to crush and stifle the life and soul out of any person.

However, back to the reason I could no longer stomach reading his blog or following him on Twitter. It is fully understandable to be angry and frustrated with the Fundamentalism in which he grew up. Who wouldn’t be? But much of his twitter stream and blogging is filled with poking fun at and maligning anyone who could be broadly categorised as Reformed or Calvinist. Particular targets are the likes of John Piper and Mark Driscoll (which is odd as the fundamentalism that MPT experienced, Driscoll pokes fun at all the time). That is not of course to say that they are above criticism as no one of course is. However Piper, Driscoll and the pastors, teachers and groups they are associated with are as far from MPT’s fundamental experience as you can get. Their whole message is ‘Grace’ which of course is anathema to moralistic fundamentalism.

What saddened and yes annoyed me most was the comments that others made on his blog. Now Calvinists have a reputation for being harsh, but I have never read more angry, insulting and blatantly Un-Christian views than I read from people on his blog comments against anyone in the Reformed camp.

I use twitter and read blogs for one main reason, to learn more about and grow in my Christian faith from gifted and wise teachers and writers. If I find the blogs of the people I follow on twitter no longer serve that purpose or in fact have a negative affect on that purpose I no longer give them my attention or time. Different views on theological issues are welcome, but when those views are nothing more than childish digs why waste time with them.

MPT if a gifted writer and communicator. Sadly however his childhood experience has so blinded him that he seems to now lump anyone who he does not agree with and is on the more conservative side into one category, Fundamental.

No MPT, Jesus does not need new PR, that is a very arrogant. The Church is Jesus’ body on earth despite itself. What everyone needs is to know, understand accept and experience is the unconditional Grace which he freely offers to all. That is the message of true Reformed theology which you seem to so dislike!

Jesus Culture–’Come Away With Me’ Review

Now before I start I want to say I am a big fan of the Jesus Culture worship music. The last three Albums ‘We Cry Out’, ‘Your Love Never Fails’ and Consumed are on the whole very good indeed and just the type of worship music style that I love. The albums have a great ‘Big’ sound to them and hit you with a powerful wall of music and they pushed musically all the right buttons for me.

That being said we come to the new album ‘Come Away With Me’. I have so far listened to it a couple of times. Production wise it is great and up there with the rest of the albums. The big sound, wonderful vocals from Chris Quilala and Kym Walker-Smith as you would expect. However my main impression of the album is, sorry to say, all style and no substance.

My reason for saying that is because of the lyrical content of the songs. The music itself is the usual highs standard I have come to expect from them. However the lyrics to the songs are what can only be described as biblical truth light and a little on the lovey dovey, wishey washy side. Now there is definitely a place for that in a worship meeting. To sing our heart felt response to Jesus is right and proper. However since it is true that most people pick up a majority of their theology from the worship songs they sing in church then they will be left sorely lacking by these songs.

I like songs that declare solid biblical truth and are taken from parts of scripture. There is very little of this on the album. Previous albums have been much better and especially when they have done their own interpretations of other well know worship songs.

I don’t doubt for a second the devotion and heart felt way in which these guys worship God. I would dearly love to have powerful spirit led worship times like they do. However this album is frankly disappointing for the above stated reasons. Sorry guys!

Casting Crowns Live, Stoke, November 2010

I was greatly blessed to have seen Casting Crowns for a second time last night at the Queens Theatre in Burslem, Stoke, UK.

Although being on my own this time I enjoyed this gig better than two years ago when I saw them in the same location (Review here). This time it was just CC playing without major support so it was pretty much over two hours of the band which was great.

What I like about CC is that they are not just musicians that are Christians. They are first and foremost youth pastors, youth workers and the music comes from that experience of dealing with people. This gives the lyrics a raw, earthy reality while at the same time being 100% rooted in scripture. Few bands music can reduce me to tears but CC’s music can do it to me with uncomfortable regularity because what Mark Hall sings is so heart felt and speaks to God from where we are at.

The song that particularly gets me every time is ‘Praise you in this Storm’. It has particular meaning recently given what happened in my life earlier in the year. Last night Mark had not even sung the first line and tears were streaming down my face. I sobbed through most of it glad for the relative darkness of the theatre.
Here is that song with an explanation of why it was written. I have posted this many times and I doubt it will be the last time either:

Another thing I really liked about CC and Mark Hall is his clear communication of the Gospel at each gig. Cleverly woven in between the songs. I had to smile as his explanation of how we come to know Christ was thoroughly Reformed. God calls us to Him and it is nothing in us that makes it happen, it is all by Grace, nice! I wonder if this riled any non reformed Christians in the audience?

The audience were very impressive last night with the heartfelt singing and worship of God. Most importantly God was Glorified in that place.

It is a shame they seem to only manage to tour Europe every two years as more people should see them live and appreciate the ministry God has given them. Also would be nice if they did a gig a little nearer the south .

Please go and see them if you ever get the chance and be blessed.

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One negative thing to note and nothing in any way connected to Casting Crowns was this. NXT ministries who organised the evening, as well as two years ago, have an event coming up in 2011 where Brian McLaren is speaking. From what I understand he preaches a very wooly Gospel at best and unscriptural at worst. Best avoided!

iPhone iOS4 on iPhone 3G Brief Review

This is just a quick review of my experience with the new iPhone operating system, iOS4, released on Monday. I have installed it on my iPhone 3G 16GB.

The update took a long, long, long time. Mainly because of the backup taking hours for some reason. My iPhone was nearly full so that may explain something but, wow it was a long time. The actual update and restore took less time thank goodness though I left it running at 1am on Monday night.

First Impression was ‘uh why is this taking ages to respond to anything I do?’. Yes the new OS running on an iPhone 3G has reduced overall performance significantly. No wonder they stripped out some of the new functions when running on a 3G like multi tasking and wallpapers. All stuff that takes memory which the 3G has so little of remaining once the normal tasks are running. I have had to make sure Safari is always closed properly and not just exited. (Hold standby button down until the Power Off prompt appears, then hold home until the app closes).

Also battery life sucks under the new OS. The drainage time has increased noticeably on a device not great in the first place.

Features I like:

• Unified Mail Box: This shows all your mail accounts in one unified location, hence the name. It is useful to see all in one go and not have to constantly switch back and forth. also useful when deleting mail.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Application Folders: The ability to organise your apps in folders by simply dragging one on top of another is really great. It means you can reduce the number of screens you have to flick through to find apps. As long as you remember which folder the apps is in. Folder naming is important to get right.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• iBooks: This is a new, free download from the App store. It enables you to download and read books. This is a nice addition though reading on an iPhone screen can be straining on the eyes. This may be much better on the iPhone 4 with its fancy new screen or on an iPad.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Calendar Control: A small but neat new feature is the ability to just turn off displaying calendars you don’t want to see. This may sound counter intuitive. Surely you want to see your calendars. However I use Google Calendar synced from the internet as well as seeing my Wife's Google Calendar that she syncs from her Blackberry. This new feature means I can just turn off the standard local calendar and not have to switch again.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Open Attachments in Other Apps: Now this is a useful feature and has been long on the desired list. When you receive an email with an attachment like a word doc of PDF the email app will open it in the standard iPhone reader. However you now have a new option of ‘Open In’. If you have other compatible Apps that can read those docs you get the option to open it in them. I use ‘Documents to Go’ and the option to open and then save to my synced store is a welcome feature. Finally we can transfer between apps.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Other new features that I haven’t yet worked out the usefulness of yet are the Notes syncing to each email account. I sync my notes to my local Outlook account when I do a sync with iTunes. Syncing to a Notes feature of Google mail is vaguely cool but fairly useless.
  
  The spell check feature that underlines misspelled words is sort of useful.

Overall I like the new update but the lag on doing anything is starting to get annoying. There is only one thing for it. I will have to get an iPhone 4!

Twilight – New Moon Review

Ok, I have been resisting reviewing New Moon until I have had a chance to think about it a little. First I have read all the books and overall liked them. New Moon is the slowest of the books because of what it deals with. Mainly Bella’s ‘loss’ after Edward rather abruptly dumps her and then the growing friendship between Bella and Jacob. However what keeps the book interesting is the development of the Werewolf arc. Jacobs fear at what is happening to his friends and then to what is happening to him and eventually how that works itself out once Bella knows the ‘secret’. You also have some sympathy with what Bella is going through as the book is told from her perspective. Even with her ‘using’ Jacob in the way she does there is ‘some’ sympathy towards her character even when she is at her most selfish.

However the biggest flaw to the way the story is translated to film is that she comes across as totally selfish in the way she uses Jacob as a distraction to her pain and her recklessness in endangering herself just to feel something again. Because the film has no time to explain the emotion, the dialogue is too forced when it tries and Kristen Stewart pouts her way through every scene the whole thing gets lost in the process. The film version of Bella has no real redeeming features that make it believable that Jacob or Edward would actually stick around. Also the Werewolf arc is too minimal and all happens too fast to make any coherent sense if you haven’t read the book.

The final act of the film is a little better. Though the jump to Italy again happens too fast losing all the explanations about the Volturi that Alice gives Bella on the way. I think they are explained in about once sentence in the film. The most interesting part of the story given in a throw away line. It is when Michael Sheen, playing Aro, appears on screen that you get an idea about how weak the rest of the cast are acting wise. The same can be said for Billy Burke who plays Bella’s father actually, he does a great job in both films as the awkward Dad. Anyway back to Aro. Michael Sheen is such a good actor and makes the character of Aro very close to the book. The cordial and slimy friendliness hiding the dangerous, controlling, ruthless and power hungry desires underneath. Hmm I wonder where he got so good at that. Oh yes he has played Tony Blair on screen!!!!! In fact I think they are the same character, interesting.

This film was always going to be difficult to make. The subject matter is hard to translate. The first film, though not in any way perfect, was reasonable at setting up the story. Bella’s attraction to the dangerous out of her league bad boy. His attraction to Bella with her intriguing ability to block his special ability and put her on more equal footing with him. Their denial of their sexual desires and self control. I came out of New Moon having enjoyed it, but on reflection mainly because I filled in all the blanks having read the book. I got it, not because of the film but because of the book. This is Bella’s most selfish and unlikeable stage of her journey. Sadly the film makes it her only characteristic. Robert Pattinson is ok as Edward. He does dark and brooding well but there is more to the character than that. Taylor Lautner did well as Jacob given what he had to work with.

Overall could do much better! It will be interesting to see how the next two translate to film, especially Breaking Dawn. I hope Kristen Stewart and the script shows how Bella grows up somewhat and makes her less drippy. It will be good to see how the rest of the actors playing the Cullen clan step up to plate as they have much more to do in the next two films. No idea how they will make Breaking Dawn less than a 15 given some of its content.

I hope the next films bring out the self denial, respect and no sex before marriage points from the books. That although Bella is verging on the obsessive in her ‘love’ for Edward the story is really about a love that nothing can break. Two people so devoted to each other that they will do whatever it takes to stay together. The character of Bella gets a lot of stick from people, especially some women. The film makes it reasonable criticism. However I am not sure the books represent her as such a winy doormat.

I think it is interesting how on the one hand so many women love the books, yet on the other Stephenie Meyer is criticised for writing what is seen as a weak female character. At the risk of being lynched could it be that underneath women do actually want to be protected, provided and cared for. Want someone so devoted to them who is actually willing to die for them and sacrifice their feelings and desires for the good of her. Who want the proverbial Knight in Shining Armour to sweep them off their feet. For all the criticism of Bella I think Edwards character in the book, though not perfect is a good example for men, apart from the drinking blood bit. Self sacrificial, a gentleman, protective, devoted, honourable, reliable etc… I think that is what Stephenie Meyer has tapped into and why the books are so popular. Not that women should be doormats, but that it is a Man’s God given role to lead, provide for and protect the family as a self-sacrificial servant, like Jesus does the Church.

Any way as much as I enjoyed watching the film it was disappointing as well. Cheesy in places with some awkward acting and badly crafted dialogue. Special effects were on the whole very good except one or two very CGI looking shots of the werewolves. I hope they learn lessons and listen to the fans and do better next time.

The Shack is only Fiction – Lighten up!

The Shack is ‘only Fiction’ I have been told by several people when questioning its representation of Christianity and God. ‘Don’t take it seriously’, you can’t compare it to scripture. Why does it bother me that it grossly misrepresents God and truth? Mainly because a lot of people seem to take it very seriously given its ‘copies sold’ stats. I know it’s fiction. I have a copy given to me, I will read it eventually. But many Christians and certainly non-Christians don’t seem to be very discerning, when it comes to Christian truth, in my experience and take things too much at face value. The writer of the Shack could have made the book just as emotionally provocative without mullering biblical truth.

Anyway a good article that ask some good questions when it is pointed out it is just fiction. Click HERE!

OR its full link: http://www.carm.org/more-stuff/features/shack-only-fiction

Men in the Media + Torchwood mini-review

Just a short post to give a quick few thoughts on Torchwood. Yes I know it was a week ago but it takes me time to write.

I watched the first series of Torchwood and then avoided the second. Mainly because I was sick of the unnecessary homosexual and sexual content of the show. It drifted so far from a scifi show into the realms of a Channel 5 trash show that it became unwatchable. We get it Russell T Davies, you are a Gay man. We get it John Barrowman, you are also a Gay man. Now take the huge chip of your shoulder and get on with writing decent stories. Sorry Rant over!

So with that background I watched this 5 part mini-series with a certain trepidation. I liked what I saw in the trailers so gave it a go. I have to say I found it on the whole very entertaining. It certainly pulled no punches and didn’t wimp out when difficult plot threads had to work themselves out adequately.

The end solution to the Alien threat was uncomfortable because it involved a child dying. Interesting resolution that, with one person being sacrificed for the sake of many so that they could be saved from an eternity of hell as a drug supply to the Aliens, the 456. Remind you of anything ;-)

The government discussions over who should be taken by the Aliens was well written. One can imagine exactly that kind of solution being put forward by any government. Save the fittest and sacrifice the weakest. How very Darwinian!

However what I found stood out for me was the character of Jack Harkness. On the one hand he is very heroic, given that he can’t die this is not very surprising and may even not be heroic. On the other he came across as a very weak Man. He runs away from emotionally difficult situations, hiding behind a mysterious facade or actually running away physically as he did at the end. Instead of facing the consequences of the decisions he makes.

This got me thinking about how masculinity is portrayed in the media. I came to the conclusion of badly I think. Looking at Michael Jackson again. Here was a man, idolised by millions, yet was a seriously disturbed, abused and lost human being. A small boy stuck in an adults body.

So many of the men we see in public life are either chauvinistic or effeminate and weak. Now I am not talking physically here. A man can be a good man and still be what would be described as physically weedy.

I am not going in to what makes a good, godly man now but just wanted to make the observation. Men are no longer men and have been tamed by the feminists and PC brigade. Let’s discover what a real man is before our whole society goes further down into the sewer of broken homes, no respect for authority, abuse etc…

Hallelujah - Which Version?

I was lying in bed yesterday when I heard from downstairs a song I recognised but a version a didn't. Yes it was the X-Factor winners version of Leonard Cohen's song Hallelujah. Personally I am a great fan of the definitive version, in my view, by Jeff Buckley. Buckley's voice here is perfect for such a song with the raw emotion he manages to muster.

Now this is song everyone knows, or at least has heard somewhere along the way. However if you listen to the lyrics you find that what the song is about is not what the melody itself would bring out. It is a very catchy chorus that seems quite positive. Hallelujah means 'Praise the Lord' after all. However it is a deeply subversive song about emotional and sexual torment and even violence among other things. Very cleverly written by Cohen.

This leads me on to the X-Factor version. Well all I can say is:

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhh!

Another clone comes out of the manufactured pop factory of Simon Cowell and his cohorts. Yes she can sing, that is obvious. But to do that to the song! I know she didn't write that version so she is not totally to blame. But please! To design a competition so that it guarantees the Christmas #1 is frankly criminal and then to do it with this song deserves a criminal record. Which it is, do you get it ;-) Ho Ho!

Anyway for a good article about the songs History click HERE!

For Buckley's version on youtube Click HERE!

Jeremy Camp - Speaking Louder than Before

Here is the video to the title track from the New album. Great song and brilliant new album.

 

Casting Crowns Gig - Queens Theatre, Stoke

I had the privilege of seeing Casting Crowns live on the 1st November at the Queens Theatre in Stoke on Trent. The fact I live in Sussex near the south coast may give you an idea of how much I wanted to see them. I rarely drive 3.5 hours for 200 miles to see a band play.

I have really only discovered them as listening experience this year. I had been previously only aware of them without knowing their music. I now rate them as one of my favourite bands. I find Mark Halls lyrics to be so honest and they cut right to the heart of whatever he is writing about, be it struggles with the Christian life or kicking Christians up the backside to be more true to the word of God and less wordly.

Anyway I just wanted to say they are fantastic live. Very open and direct about their faith and plainly love worshipping God during their gigs. A blessing indeed! If you ever get the chance to hear them live don't miss it.

I also liked YFriday who supported them. More a straight worship band but great lively rocking stuff.

Star Wars - The Force Unleashed

I am waiting semi-patiently for Star Wars - The Force Unleashed to be released in the UK. I have a Wii so as much as the graphics won't compare to the PS3 version the actual gameplay should be great fun. wielding the Light saber and throwing enemies around should be fun.

Not very Christian I know but.... the story is one of falling into darkness followed by redemption in the end!

Only another week or so to go, then my wife won't get near her Wii! Okay that last statement may be a little inaccurate.

(I did see a friend playing Grand Theft Auto on PS3 and I was really sickened by that game. I didn't carry on watching it as the relentless bad language and violence got too much and I just found it offensive!)

Dawkins on Religion - (Genius of Charles Darwin part 3)

Well thank goodness that is over. This programme did more to show us who Richard Dawkins is than anything to do with the so called 'Genius of Charles Darwin'.

For a review of this third and final programme click here.

Very sad indeed to see an 'intelligent' man make himself look so foolish.

Dawkins, Worship of Dawkins!

Well Part two aired on Monday of Dawkins worship of evolutionism, atheism and everything anti 'religious'. Click here for a further review of said program.

Dear oh dear oh dear!!!

Dawkins, Darwin Worship and the usual nonsense!

Well Richard Dawkins is at it once again and ably supported by Channel 4. So you either watched this because you love RD, or you are like me a Creationist wanting to have a cry and a laugh as the same old easily refuted arguments are trotted out ad nauseum or you are an interested not sure!

Well for the first and the last category I suggest reading the following article which is a review of said Darwin Worship! Don't believe the propaganda, use you brain and ask the logical questions!

Prince Caspian Film review

Note this is a review of the film not the book. I am treating them as different!

This was one of those films of 2008 to look forward to for me. I love the C.S Lewis books and greatly enjoyed the film of 'Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe'. Prince Caspian is, as has been widely reported, a darker more grown up film. It is most definitely for kids but it takes the themes of the first film and grows them.

It is a year on from when the Pevensie children last visited Narnia but 1300 years or so in Narnian Time. The children are in war torn London at School. Peter seemingly having forgotten the lessons learned in Narnia resorts to fighting when another boy bumps him. Edmund however, the selfish brat previously, seems to have matured. Susan has tried to forget Narnia as a means of coping with living back in our world. Lucy however has never forgotten and still has absolute faith in returning to Narnia and seeing Aslan again.

Much has changed in Narnia with the human Telmarines ruling the land and the Narnian creatures apparently near extinction having been hunted down by the humans. Aslan's name has fallen into myth as have the children of Adam, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy. Summoned by Prince Caspian blowing on the horn given to Susan in TLWW the Pevensie children find themselves back in the land they so longed to return to but shocked by it state.

I won't give any more of it away suffice to say the special effects are outstanding. Better than the previous film I feel. The 'message' is more subtle in this film. It is more about remembering and becoming who you were meant to be. With Peter clashing egos' with Caspian to start with until he relearns those lessons.

As for Aslan himself, he only makes a much more brief appearance in this story than previously. With, of course, Lucy being the one who sees him first and suffering the disbelief of the others but keeping her faith in him. For me the most touching and meaningful moment in the film is when Lucy first meets Aslan again for real. She runs to greet him and he rolls over on his side and she hugs him. Bear in mind this is a honking great Lion, the tenderness of the moment really spoke to me. Here is, as I said a great huge Lion, tenderly greeting a child. The imagery reminded me that we have a God who is so mind bogglingly majestic, powerful, mighty, to be rightly revered and feared, yet He is so intimately, lovingly and tenderly involved in our daily lives if we let Him.

I have to congratulate Georgie Henley for giving another incredible performance as Lucy. She is that part and makes the film. The Chronicles of Narnia are largely based around her character and these films needed someone to make that character believable and likable. She just nails the innocent wonder and absolute faith that Lucy has. Such a mature performance for a 13 year old. Skandar Keynes, as Edmund is also very good showing Edmund to have grown and matured from TLWW. The others actors are also very good but these two stand out.

I thought the film was great wholesome family entertainment. One for the DVD collection!

Dispatches 'In God's Name' - Liberal intolerance and poor Journalism.

Channel 4 in the UK showed a program last night called 'In God's Name' and was placed in their Dispatches series of programs. Click HERE for a very good article and analysis of the program. Also views on the Embryology Bill.

Tina Dico Live at Komedia Brighton - Review

As per previous post I saw Tina Dico live at the Komedia in Brighton last night. This was in what is known as Komedia Downstairs and is a fairly small intimate venue.

The support act who mercifully only played about 25 minutes was called Ain and hails from Dublin. All I can say if that is your day job then you are in trouble. Sorry to be so negative but it was truly awful and hats off to the very English polite crowd who clapped in the right places and didn't make any loud or rude comments. The man knows one melody, in the loosest sense I use that term and played several songs with different lyrics to that same melody. Awful!

Anyway to the reason why I went. Miss Tina Dico performed for around one hour fifteen minutes. Short yes but so very good. It was just her and her two guitars along with her beautifully crafted intelligent vocals. I knew she had a great voice from the albums and from seeing some recorded live work but in the flesh so to speak, simply knock out. Emotive, pure and powerful live bringing all the nuances of the songs to life.

Musically it really impressed me that way she can play some quite complex guitar rhythms and plucking whilst singing the melody lines she writes. Not only a great vocalist but great musician as well.

She deserves greater recognition in the UK than she has as she is so much more talented than the likes of Amy Whinehouse, Amy MacDonald or Katy Melua to name but a few. Go out and by her albums and help raise her profile in the UK.

Tina Dico @ Brighton plus Count to Ten Review

I am going to see Tina Dico tonight at the Brighton Komedia. This will be an acoustic gig as far as I know which will be interesting. I have not heard her live before except on video. If you have never heard of her then I suggest looking on her Home Page to discover a really great talent. She is from Denmark and has what I think is a quite unique style. Yes there are many female singer songwriters out there but her choice of melodies I think makes her stand out from the crowd.

Her new album Count to Ten is really very good. The previous album 'In the Red' is a firm favourite on my iPod and this is as good if not better. Stand out tracks are You know Better and On the Run to name but a few. This is an 8/10 album easily. Emotive and relaxing with well crafted lyrics and interesting melodies.

My favourite song from In the Red is Warm Sand and here it is live, enjoy:

Jeff Wayne's - The War of the Worlds Live

On Thursday night, heavy cough, cold and all, I went to see Jeff Wayne's 'The War of the Worlds' at the Brighton Centre. I have been a fan of this piece of music since I was given a copy by my uncle shortly after it was released back in the seventies. It made a great impression on this young boy I can tell you. The ticket was a present to my Uncle who accompanied me and drove since I was feeling rough.

The show was very impressive with a screen across the whole back of the stage. A 10ft high projection of a digitally animated head of Richard Burton. Justin Hayward and Chris Thompson singing who were on the original. A large string section and numerous musicians, again some of the originals, bringing a big sound and the man himself, Jeff Wayne conducting the whole affair. Two hours of great entertainment with a mixture of live acting/singing, CGI animation and original artwork telling the story with the music.

As much as the music is very much of the seventies it still has somehow not dated either. The audience was both young and old. I guess parents bringing their children, Men bringing their partners, a whole mixture and totally sold out over three nights in Brighton. I recommend seeing it if they do it again next year.

Anyway here is a taster from YouTube:

Stardust Film Review

Stardust is a film based on a book by Neil Gaiman. I cannot comment on how closely the film sticks to the book as I have not read it. So this is an unbiased, seeing the film cold review!

A brief synopsis of the film is (taken from the BBC Website Review):

In the village of Wall, next door to fairyland, shop-boy Tristan woos the village beauty by promising to fetch her a star they see fall. On his quest to retrieve said star, which turns out to be a lovely, if angry young woman - the two encounter murderous princes, wicked witches, and lightning-poacher sky-pirates. Plus, of course, the essential fairytale ingredients of true destiny and hearts' desire

I have to say I really enjoyed the film. It is beautifully filmed, well written and acted with pretty flawless special effects. The lead of the film, Charlie Cox, is very good and ably supported by a host of Mostly British acting talent. The two American supporting actors deserve praise. Michelle Pfeiffer is brilliant as the witch Lamia, lapping up the evil sorceress role. Robert De Niro is, as one would expect, excellent as the Tough Pirate captain with a large Camp secret. The king of hard men dancing about in a dress is an eye opener. Claire Danes plays the fallen star Yvaine. She is slightly irritating for a large amount of the film, but I think she is meant to be. She is a star learning about Love for herself and she warms towards the end as she falls for Tristan. Lastly, of the main supporting actors, Ricky Gervais doing what Ricky Gervais does!

The main story is of a young man, of noble birth who, at the start doesn't know his lineage and is directionless and without purpose and looking in the wrong place for love. Throughout the story he finds his courage, a reason and something to fight for. He is taken in and mentored by the Pirate Captain, if only very briefly. Eventually he realises who his true love is and finally his destiny and lineage as He inherits the Kingdom.

A good description of the human condition. We are sons of Adam yet if we turn to God are inheritors of the kingdom of Heaven as co-heirs with Christ. We are made in the image of God, albeit a broken image. What greater nobility is there than that. Our journey is to go from looking for satisfaction in this world to finding it in the only true source of life and love, Jesus Christ. To laying our lives down for a noble cause worth fighting for and finally yo inherit that which is promised to us by God.

Sounds like a fairytale but it is the greatest truth you can ever discover!