I am Ashley Elsdon

someone who's doing some things

Month: July 2016

Resonance FM live to air at the East Tower of BBC Television centre

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On Wednesday I was lucky enough to get a ticket to a completely unique event at the building site that was BBC Television Centre. Resonance FM were running an evening of live broadcast from the east tower, which is due to be demolished in a month or so.

I found it to intriguing to not grab a ticket and go along. But I didn’t exactly know what to expect. At best I’d say that I’m an occasional listener to Resonance. I enjoy it when I do listen, but I couldn’t give you a clear idea of what their schedules look like. So it was a real adventure from every perspective.

Getting there was quite easy although the entrance wasn’t entirely obvious even though Resonance had given excellent directions. Once in we had to walk through the site and up in a very slow lift to the 9th floor.

The broadcast began at 6:30 with “The World in London”, which was extremely enjoyable and I learnt a lot about the Notting Hill Carnival. It featured live music by veteran Calypsonian Alexander D Great and steel pan virtuoso Debra Romain. Following that was a live performances by Howlround: a new musique concrète commission of Robin The Fog, using sounds recorded exclusively in TV Centre. Then Encounter with John Escolme, exploring the modernist design of TV Centre with contributions from architect Arthur Hayes and tv producer Emma Cashmore. Then the Resonance Radio Orchestra with Dudley Sutton, presenting a site-specific radiophonic extravaganza featuring the cult TV actor, and that was completely amazing.

I hadn’t really appreciated just how much of an emotional resonance the site would have for me before I got there, but the experience was actually very profound, very moving for a lot of reasons that I haven’t entirely thought through as yet, but I will.

Anyway, I wanted to share the pictures and a few thoughts too. It was a special evening.

The Associates, Fever

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The Associates
The Associates
The Associates
The Associates

Whilst I’m not an absolutely huge fan of the Associates I do like them and I enjoy a lot of their work. I think it was a massive shame about Billy, but there you go. So for me it was nice to stumble over this in a second hand shop and pick it up for nothing. It’s a great single, and I’d never heard it before.

Another lovely old piece of vinyl, Scritti Politti – Absolute

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Scritti Politti - Absolute
Scritti Politti – Absolute
Scritti Politti - Absolute
Scritti Politti – Absolute

I do occasionally go to my local second hand record shop. Always a visit that I enjoy of course. In one of the last visits I picked up this. I’ve been a fan of Scritti for many years and actually saw Green Gartside a few years ago at the Roundhouse with BEF. He was very good indeed.

This is a lovely song and a great example of 80’s pop too. Nice to have it.

So I listened to the new 10th Doctor Stories, here’s what I think

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New 10th Doctor Stories
New 10th Doctor Stories

It took me a while to get round to listening to this set of stories, but I managed to finish it yesterday. I have to say that I was really looking forward to getting into this, but was slightly surprised that it was only 3 stories and not 4. That said, I was pleased that this came out at all as I do think that the Donna companion has been one of, if not the best companion of the new Doctor Who.

Anyway, the stories themselves were good. Pretty much in keeping with the TV episodes with the same characters. I did enjoy them overall. I can’t say that they were the best ever, but they were good. The other stuff in the ‘box set’ was only ok. I’m not sure why Big Finish put in the music from each story as a separate track. It’s ok, sort of nice to hear, but not what I’m really buying it for.

As for the ‘extras’, I’m not a massive fan of these in any audiobook. I do listen to them as occasionally you’ll get a real gem or pearl of wisdom from them, but on the whole I listen once and never again. This set had 2 lots of ‘extras’. The first was time I’ve seen that. The first extras was fine. The usual, interviews, chat, etc. However, the second set seemed to be very little to do with this ‘box set’ and far more general, and I wasn’t sure quite why it was there at all.

Aside from those gripes I did enjoy the stories, and that was the main thing after all, so I’m glad I’ve heard it, and I hope that they do another one.

Some (not so new) Big Finish stories

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The Rocket Men

The lovely people at Big Finish had a bit of a sale over the weekend so I picked up a few bargains. Some of these are stories that I wouldn’t normally get into, specifically the Hartnell stories. But I’m going to give them a go and see what they’re like, which will be interesting in itself.

If you have never eaten one of these then you’ve never lived

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The last time I went to Beyond the Border I discovered these. That was back in 2014. I’ve waited two years to have the pleasure again, and it was worth the wait.

I’d hoped that these would be available again at Beyond the Border, and they were, possibly one of the best foods I’ve ever had. The amazing Onion Bhajee Scotch Egg. Believe me when I say that there is truly nothing better at all.

I ate quite a few of these last weekend and I love them so much that I ended up bringing home a box load of them. They’re awesome.

Now when can I get them again?