I am Ashley Elsdon

someone who's doing some things

Author: ashleyelsdon

Storyteller - Poet - Explorer

GBBF 2015

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A lovely day at the GBBF 2015
A lovely day at the GBBF 2015

After a break since 2012 I went back to the GBBF. It’s still in Olympia, but as the weather was somewhat overcast it didn’t get too hot in there during the day. But it was a good festival. I’m so glad I went this year. There were some cracking ales there and some very nice food too.

A couple of ales that stood out for me were:

Women of Steel Ale from GBBF 2015
Women of Steel Ale from GBBF 2015

This was quite a light ale, very fruity and citrus flavoured. I really enjoyed it, although I know it isn’t to everyone’s tastes.

Also …

Campfire Mild at GBBF 2015
Campfire Mild at GBBF 2015

I liked this mild for a number of reasons. Firstly, it was a nice mild, and I don’t tend to drink mild much these days. It had a lovely burnt flavour that wasn’t too overpowering at all. Secondly, I liked the name, which reminded me of The Boards of Canada, The Campfire Headphase, and thirdly, I really liked the design. So I think I may need to locate some of these in the not too distant future.

This year was also unique as I actually managed to get my glass home with me! The last few times I’d been to the GBBF I’d not bothered as normally I’d either mislay it on the way home, or it would get broken. This year it lasted all the way home!

So there is something new coming from Mr Sylvian

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Playing the Schoolhouse by David Sylvian
Playing the Schoolhouse by David Sylvian

Well this is great news from Confrontrecordings …

“Scheduled for a mid-September release on Confront Recordings; Playing The Schoolhouse, a new CD EP length composition by David Sylvian recorded in March of this year in Norway. Based on an improvisation by Jan Bang and Sylvian it also features contributions from Otomo Yoshihide and Toshimaru Nakamura. More news to follow soon. www.confrontrecordings.com“

I was really pleased to hear this. His last work with Jan Bang was amazing, although it required some very close and concentrated listening. However, it was immensely worthwhile. I’m hopeful that this will be the same.

When will David Sylvian do something new?

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It has been a long time now, since he produced anything new. I wonder if anything new is going to come along from him, or if his work really is going to vanish away. That would be a real shame of course. I’d like to see a new album. Maybe not as difficult as Manafon, but something a little closer to what he did with Nine Horses, or indeed Rain Tree Crow.

To be honest I’d be happy with anything really. I’d just like to think that he hadn’t run out of ideas, or wasn’t going to produce anything new again. That would be the real shame in my opinion.

Seeing Melle Mel at the Jazz Cafe

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Melle Mel at the Jazz Cafe
Melle Mel at the Jazz Cafe

I love going to the Jazz Cafe, it’s a great venue and very convenient too, except when there’s a tube strike and I have to walk there from Borough Market, which took a lot longer than normal simply due to the crowds in London. Anyway, that’s my rant over with for now anyway.

Melle Mel and the Furious Five at the Jazz Cafe
Melle Mel and the Furious Five at the Jazz Cafe

I went to this gig with a couple of mates who were, to be fair, more interested in it than I was. However, I do tend to go along because it’s always good to see friends, and you never know if you’ll see something amazing or not. Luckily for me, this was the later.

It was a great gig. Lots of tracks I remember in the set, and a huge amount of energy in the performance. The audience loved it and it was a great evening. So I’m really glad I went.

Melle Mel at the Jazz Cafe August 2015
Melle Mel at the Jazz Cafe August 2015

New things coming from Big Finish

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There’s some great new stories coming from Big Finish in the not too distant future, and I’m really looking forward to them coming out. I think it’s interesting the directions that Big Finish have decided to take with some of their new ideas. It’s an interesting way to blend together the original (or as I think of it, best) Doctor Who, with some of the better elements (or more like the elements that I think are actually worth watching at all) of the new Doctor Who.

Big Finish are going to produce, or rather have produced two new box sets. The first is the story of River Song. I thought she was a good character in the new Doctor Who, and in some ways overshadowed the Doctor himself. It’ll be good to hear a whole box set of stories around her character.

The second box set is about Winston Churchill and is voiced by Ian McNeice. I thought that he was great as Winston in Doctor Who, so again it’ll be good to hear these stories.

There’s a bit of a wait for both of these, they’re not available until January next year.