#Grimethorpe Colliery Band

[eurovision-revisited]

Birmingham 1998 - The interval act and other performances

For the interval, the BBC decided to go for something representative of modern Britain. At the time of the contest, the main spoken word radio station in the UK, BBC Radio 4 opened every day with a medley made up of UK folk tunes and pieces with associations with particular regions inside the UK.

This seems to be similar in thinking to the interval act. Several groups of musicians and dancers representing various cultures that make up the UK circa 1998 all performing an arrangement of Holst's 'Jupiter, Bringer of Jollity' Starting of with the inevitable group of Scottish pipers.

There's a Welsh male voice choir, the Grimethorpe colliery brass band, an Irish harp and whistle. Hang on. Ireland? Yes Northern Ireland, but Ireland? This isn't 1921. But I suppose there's a significant and large Irish community within the UK, and the Good Friday Agreement has been voted on and signed, so we'll let it pass...

..Bhangra dancers? Now it's feeling even more awkward. Yes, it's good to see not only Indian but representation at Eurovision and to acknowledge that Indian communities make up a significant and welcome part of a diverse UK population. Bhangra is especially big in Birmingham too, but aren't there some overtones of...

...Zulu dancing? OK, it's time to say it. Colonialism. It's not intended. It's supposed to be a celebration of multiculturalism and inclusion, but looking at it from 2023, the sight of various cultures singing and dancing to a piece of music to which the words of Sir Cecil Spring Rice, "I Vow to Thee My Country", have been set, it feels like a final nationwide spasm of Empire.

Vanessa Mae (from Singapore) and Lesley Garrett finish things off with the patriotic triumphant conclusion to the production.

It's a misfire - the arrangement is all over the place, trying to force different musical styles onto a 20th century classical piece in rapid-fire succession. The best thing about it is the magnificent blocking and control of camera angles that hide almost completely the movements of the large groups of musicians and dancers as they come and go from the stage.

They aimed for multiculturalism and inclusion and somehow missed. A rare bum note in what is overall a great production.

[kathywaller1]

All in the April Evening

On Good Friday several years ago, I posted “All in the April Evening,” words and music by Sir Hugh Roberton, based on a poem by Katharine Tynan. Good Friday is past, but music and poetry shouldn’t be limited, so I post it again. Roberton modified the poet’s words slightly; his version is the one I use. A link to the poem is here. Links to performances and biographies of the composers…

[probably-not-mig]

This is just where it's at

[loycspotting]

9. Ewan McGregor Movie Review: Brassed Off (1996)

We made it to our last movie of 1996 and boy, is it a good one!

Some fun facts before we begin!

Pete Gunn has a minor role in the movie as the character Simmo. You might remember that he worked alongside Ewan in the movie "Blue Juice"!

While the movie takes place in the village Grimley, the story is actually inspired by the mining village Grimethorpe whose pit was closed just three years before the movie released.

The Grimethorpe Colliery Band performed all the band numbers in the movie.

Ewan's character plays a tenor horn in the band. I think it's a fun fact because when Ewan was a teenager, he played the French horn!

Genre: Comedy/Romance

Rating: R

Director: Mark Herman

Starring: Pete Postlethwaite, Tara Fitzgerald, Ewan McGregor

Synopsis: "Brassed Off" is about the 1980s pit closures in the United Kingdom. It takes place in Grimley, a coal mining village, that is next on the chopping block to have it's colliery shut down. The village is also home to the Grimley Colliery Band which has existed for 100 years and the characters are all part of. But with the possibility of the pit closing comes the possibility of the end of the band for good. Band leader Danny (Pete Postlethwaite) challenges the men to fight one last time to win the National Brass Band Competition in London. When Gloria (Tara Fitzgerald), a former resident of Grimley, makes a surprise return to the village, she joins the band and sets out to bring hope to the weary miners.

Ewan Review: Ewan plays the character Andy Barrows, a coal miner and member of the local band. Andy is initially excited to be reunited with Gloria as the two had a former romance. However, when he learns why Gloria has been keeping her return a secret, he becomes unsure whether he can trust her or if they were ever meant to be. Ewan wears an earring in this role and speaks with a Yorkshire accent. His character is broody so expect a lot of scowls which is a change of pace from his many smiley characters. He has an implied sex scene and a makeout scene. His acting, along with the rest of the cast, gets an A+ from me!

Screentime Percentage: Ewan is on screen for a grand total of 26/107 minutes making his SP 24%.

To Ewan or not to Ewan: Is the movie worth watching for Ewan alone? No. He already doesn't have much to do in this movie and he's part of an ensemble cast so the story is spread out over several different characters. Honestly, I found myself more interested in other storylines than his. He's good when he's on screen and is nice to look at but this just isn't a Ewan content heavy role. Is the movie worth watching in general? Absolutely! This movie has an amazing story, the actors have great chemistry, the music is phenomenal, and you get to learn in an intimate way about an important time in history. I can tell you that before watching this movie I didn't know anything about the miner strikes or pit closures. Now, I'm reading up on the history!

Warning before watching: There is a suicide attempt scene.

Where to Watch: "Brassed Off" is available for rent on YouTube, Fandango at Home, and Amazon Prime Video. You can also watch it for free on soap2day.

Closing Thoughts: This movie so creatively weaves together a story of anger, depression, and hope. The characters are fleshed out and feel real. You hurt for their plight and root for their fight. The movie has a bittersweet ending. I applaud the director, Mark Herman, for sharing with the world the harm done to the miners of the U.K. and their perseverance through it all.

[lesser-known-composers]

The Severn Suite by Edward Elgar (1857-1934)

Grimethorpe Colliery Band

[chloeunitfive]

Barnsley

Barnsley's historic origins may be found in the Domesday Book, with castles and cultural institutions documenting the South Yorkshire town's position in history. Barnsley has evolved into a vibrant retail and social hub, surrounded by historical villages and historic parks, with a variety of independent stores, a museum housed in the classic town hall, and, of course, the famed markets. The location borders the Peak District National Park, which is great for individuals looking to get away from the rush and bustle of city life. The town's museums, theatres, ruins, and stately mansions provide tourists with the opportunity to learn more about the area while also enjoying some of its cultural offerings. Barnsley Town Hall, a stunning example of 1930s architecture, currently houses the Experience Barnsley Museum and Discovery Centre, where visitors can learn about the town's fascinating history. The Cooper Gallery, which exhibits a wide spectrum of modern and historical art, is a must-see for art enthusiasts.

Barnsley's local weekly newspaper, the Brnsley Chronicle, has been informing and entertaining people since 1858. It was famous for its 'Owd Sam' or 'Sam Barn' column, which was written in Barnsley dialect and was not only deliciously absurd but also nearly impossible to understand. Jump is a settlement in the metropolitan borough of Barnsley. According to local folklore, the name was derived from the fact that local coal miners had to 'jump' across the stream to get access. The Grimethorpe Colliery Band, founded in 1917, has become a British tradition, winning multiple National and British Open Championships. After providing the soundtrack, music, and extras for the on-screen band in the 1995 film Brassed Off! starring Ewan McGregor, they achieved international renown. Barnsley is twinned with two communities in Europe: Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany, and Horlivka, Ukraine (also known as Gorlovka in German).

Residents and visitors to Barnsley may be familiar with Schwäbisch Gmünd Way which was renamed in honour of the town’s German twin and Barnsley has been to space courtesy of their Ukrainian twin. Cosmonaut Alexander Volkov took the aforementioned Sam Barn out of earth’s atmosphere to be the then mascot for the Mir Space Station. The twins have a rich cycling heritage too, Schwäbisch Gmünd native Uwe Messerschmidt won a silver medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in the men’s cycling points race and the 2016 women’s cross-country eliminator champion was none other than Iryna Popova of Horlivka.

Reference:

[barnsleyhospiceupcycleproject]

GRIMETHORPE COLLIERY BAND

The Grimethorpe Colliery Band is a brass band, based in Grimethorpe, South Yorkshire, England. It was formed in 1917, as a leisure activity for the workers at the colliery, by members of the disbanded Cudworth Colliery Band. Along with the Black Dyke Mills Band, the band became the first to perform at the Proms

HARVARD REFERENCE 

QPAC. (2015). Grimethorpe Colliery Band. [Online]. YOUTUBE. Last Updated: 8 April 2015. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KigDxUQ_hgY [Accessed 6 January 2023].

[upcyclingfairytale]

The Miners' Strike 1984-1985 Margaret Thatcher

On the 5th of March in 1985, a crowd assembled in a South Yorkshire pit village to watch a sight none of them had seen in a year. The villagers, many of them full of joy and in tears clapped as the men of Grimethorpe Colliery marched back to work accompanied by the village's world-famous brass band. The families of miners had endured months of hardship. it was all for nothing. the miners then lost the strike called on March 6th, 1984. they would lose ton more in the years to come, but was it a good thing for the country that the miners lose their last battle? Thatcher had taken note of the way the miners had brought down her predecessor and was determined the same thing would not happen to her premiership. When Thatcher gained power in 1979, she had her ministers and civil servants draw up secret plans that would keep coal moving around the country were the miners to attempt another strike.

[alexswift13]

Never Grow Up - Shaun Dooley ft. Grimethorpe Colliery Band

[thedemonkingamaimon]

Song of the day

Again. Because this one has been stuck in my head

[kathywaller1]

All in the April Evening

All in the April Evening

Several years ago on Good Friday, I posted “All in the April Evening,” words and music by Sir Hugh Roberton, based on a poem by Katharine Tynan. Good Friday is past, but music has no limits, so here it is again. Roberton modified the words slightly; his version is the one I use. A link to the poem is here. Links to performances and biographies of the composers follow. Years ago my voice…

[bandstolookup]

* Julian Bream

* Buddy Bregman

* Beverly Bremers

* Elton Britt

* Milton Brown

* Vicki Brown

* The Browns

* Ed Bruce

* Buchanan Brothers

* Sam Butera

* Billy Butterfield

C

* Al Caiola

* Red Callender

* Cab Calloway

* Archie Campbell (comedian)

* Chela Campos

* Canadian Brass

* Eddie Cantor

* Frankie Carle

* Bill Carlisle

* Carmela y Rafael

* Darleen Carr

* Leroy Carr

* humperdinck

* purvis

* massenet

* Diahann Carroll

* Jenny Lou Carson

* Martha Carson

* Mindy Carson

* Anita Carter

* Wilf Carter (musician)

* The Cascades (band)

* Page Cavanaugh

* Carol Channing

* Jean Chapel

* Ray Charles (musician, born 1918)

* Savannah Churchill

* Doctor Clayton

* Jack Clement

* Van Cliburn

* Buzz Clifford

* Rosemary Clooney

* Christopher Cloud

* Hank Cochran

* Alma Cogan

* Ramón Collazo

* Arthur Collins (singer)

* Jerry Colonna (entertainer)

* Perry Como

* Dick Contino

* Sam Cooke

* Spade Cooley

* Ronnie Cord

* Don Cornell

* Dave "Baby" Cortez

* Wally Cox

* Floyd Cramer

* The Crew-Cuts

* Bing Crosby

* Lindsay Crosby

* Milton Cross

* Arthur Crudup

* Xavier Cugat

D

* Larry Dale

* Vernon Dalhart

* Vic Damone

* Dick Damron

* Julius Daniels

* The Davis Sisters (country band)

* Danny Davis (country musician)

* Gail Davis

* Walter Davis (blues)

* Wild Bill Davis

* Dennis Day

* Bobby Day

* Bernardo de Muro

* Frank De Vol

* red eyed legends

* red krayola

* Barry De Vorzon

* Jimmy Dean

* Damita Jo DeBlanc

* The DeCastro Sisters

* The Delta Rhythm Boys

* Matt Dennis

* William F. Denny

* Paul Desmond

* Bill Dixon

* Tommy Dorsey

* Jimmy Driftwood

* Bobby Driscoll

* Marilyn Duke

* George Duning

* Don Durant

E

* Billy Eckstine

* Duane Eddy

* Cliff Edwards

* Jonathan and Darlene Edwards

* Lisa Ekdahl

* Larry Elgart

* Jimmy Elledge

* Ray Ellis

* Ethel Ennis

* María Enriqueta

* Dale Evans

* Paul Evans (musician)

* The Everly Brothers

* Everything Everything

F

* Irving Fazola

* Barbara Feldon

* José Feliciano

* greg the hero

* Francisco Fellove

* Ana María Fernández

* Lydia Fernández (singer)

* José Ferrer

* Arthur Fiedler

* Herbie Fields

* Eddie Fisher (singer)

* Shug Fisher

* Ralph Flanagan

* The Fontane Sisters

* The Four Aristocrats

* The Four Lovers

* The Four Tunes

* Virgil Fox

* Sergio Franchi

G

* Juan Gabriel

* Rosario García Orellana

* Brother Dave Gardner

* Erroll Garner

* Gale Garnett

* John Gary

* Alice Ghostley

* Don Gibson

* Ginny Gibson

* Ray Gilbert

* Dizzy Gillespie

* Will Glahé

* Dick Glasser

* Darrell Glenn

* The Go-Go's (British band)

* George Gobel

* Marty Gold

* Jerry Goldsmith

* Al Goodman

* Benny Goodman

* Benny Gordon (singer)

* Curtis Gordon

* Morton Gould

* Gogi Grant

* Grapefruit (band)

* Milford Graves

* Lorne Greene

* Merv Griffin

* Grimethorpe Colliery Band

* Bonnie Guitar

* Guylaine Guy

H

* Adelaide Hall

* Juanita Hall

* René Hall

* Stuart Hamblen

* Judd Hamilton

* Roy Hamilton

* Walter Hampden

* Johana Harris

* Phil Harris

* John Hartford

* Johnny Hartman

* Erskine Hawkins

* Hawkshaw Hawkins

* George "Gabby" Hayes

* Tiger Haynes

* Neal Hefti

* Ray Heindorf

* Tal Henry

* Las Hermanas Montoya

* Milt Herth

* Eddie Heywood Jr.

* Ronnie Hilton

* Al Hirt

* Gaynel Hodge

* Lorin Hollander

* Sterling Holloway

* The Honey Dreamers

* rex harrison

* Bob Hope

* Broadway Performers

* Helmut Zacharias

* Jerry Hadley

* Lena Horne

* David Houston (singer)

* Hugo & Luigi

* Rex Humbard

* Betty Hutton

* Dick Hyman

rex harrison & julie andrews

* Los Indios Tabajaras

* Autry Inman

* The Isley Brothers

stanley holloway

julie andrews

leonard weir

* Jim Jackson (musician)

* Etta James

* George James (musician)

* Sonny James

* Hilton Jefferson

* sailing with the sun

* Herb Jeffries

* Florence Foster Jenkins

* Waylon Jennings

* Johnnie & Jack

* J. J. Johnson

* soft kill

* Ada Jones

* Curtis Jones (pianist)

* Grandpa Jones

* Jack Jones (American singer)

* Spike Jones

* The Jordanaires

* Judas Priest

heartbreak

the unseen

* Kitty Kallen

* munch

* Mickey Katz

* Beatrice Kay

* Sammy Kaye

* KC and the Sunshine Band

* Hal Kemp

* Anita Kerr

* The King Sisters

* tai verdes

* Clydie King

* kella sin

* revolting cocks

* r-generation

* alan jackson

* mighty vhybes

* Pee Wee King

* little acre

* Peggy King

* Pete King (saxophonist)

* Wayne King

* Ray Kinney

* Lisa Kirk

* Eartha Kitt

* Baker Knight

* John Kongos

* Josef Krips

* wah-wah

* tetrarch

* flock of pigs

* brent faiyaz

* Gene Krupa

L

* Julius La Rosa

* Labelle

* Avelina Landín

* Abbe Lane

* Don Lang (musician)

* Mario Lanza

* Ellis Larkins

* josef salvat

* Charles Laughton

* Rod Lauren

* Paul Lavalle

* Lee Andrews & the Hearts

* Michel Legrand

* Tommy Leonetti

* David Lindley (musician)

* Living Strings

* Hank Locklin

* Lonzo and Oscar

* Sophia Loren

* Myrna Lorrie

* John D. Loudermilk

* Dorothy Loudon

* Norman Luboff

* Dora Luz

M

* Gisele MacKenzie

* Henry Mancini

* Lorene Mann

* Zeke Manners

* Peggy March

* Marilú (singer)

* Benny Martin

* Freddy Martin

* Janis Martin

* Jimmy Martin

* Mary Martin

* Ray Martin (orchestra leader)

* Skip Martin

* Tony Martin (American singer)

* Trade Martin

* Harpo Marx

* Marie McDonald

* Ray McKinley

* Rod McKuen

* Don McNeill (radio presenter)

* Audrey Meadows

* Jayne Meadows

* Lauritz Melchior

* Robert Merrill

* Paul Mickelson

* Mickey & Sylvia

* Glenn Miller

* Glenn Miller Orchestra

* Roger Miller

* Lucky Millinder

* Anthony A. Mitchell

* Vic Mizzy

* MØ

* Domenico Modugno

* Anna Moffo

* Charlie Monroe

* Marilyn Monroe

* Vaughn Monroe

* Patsy Montana

* Lou Monte

* Hugo Montenegro

* Noro Morales

* Jaye P. Morgan

* Erika Morini

* Buddy Morrow

* Bennie Moten

* Patrice Munsel

* Jimmy Murphy (country musician)

* Rose Murphy

joe roberts

* Toña la Negra

* Willie Nelson

* Peter Nero

* Phineas Newborn Jr.

* Anthony Newley

* Joe Newman (trumpeter)

* Robert Nighthawk

* Ray Noble

* alyssa trahan

* watkins and the rapiers

* Bob Nolan

* Norma Jean (singer)

* Alex North

* The Nutty Squirrels

O

* Odetta

* Claus Ogerman

* Roy Orbison

* Organisation (band)

* Eugene Ormandy

* Orquesta Casino de la Playa

* Osborne Brothers

* Ottawan

* Vernon Oxford

P

* Jack Paar

* Fess Parker

* Les Paul

* Rita Pavone

* matthew pauling

* Minnie Pearl

* Mike Pedicin

* Jan Peerce

* Dave Pell

* Hank Penny

* Pérez Prado

* Anthony Perkins

* Ray Peterson

* Stu Phillips (country singer)

* Piano Red

* Jane Pickens

• Bobby Pickett

* The Pied Pipers

* Ezio Pinza

* Nilla Pizzi

* Bud Powell

* anonymous willpower

* André Previn

* Kenny Price

* Leontyne Price

* louis prince

* Charley Pride

* Louis Prima

* Jeanne Pruett

* Tito Puente

leontovich

* Rosita Quintana

R

* Sid Ramin

* Ariel Ramírez

* Frankie Randall (singer)

* Boots Randolph

* Barney Rapp

* Rebeca Silva Cosío

* The Redcoats

* Della Reese

* Jim Reeves

* Phil Regan (actor)

* Joe Reisman

* Henri René

* Reparata and the Delrons

* Charlie Rich

* Mona Richardson

* Elvira Ríos

* Don Robertson (songwriter)

* Alys Robi

* Carson Robison

* Jimmie Rodgers (country singer)

* Tito Rodríguez

* Zé Rodrix

* Roy Rogers

* Shorty Rogers

* Sonny Rollins

* Ronny & the Daytonas

* Mick Ronson

* David Rose (songwriter)

* Annie Ross

* Andy Russell (singer)

* Johnny Russell (singer)

S

* Jean Sablon

* Barry Sadler

* Tommy Sands (American singer)

* Sauter-Finegan Orchestra

* Hal Schaefer

* Daniel Joseph Schafer

* Jack Scott (singer)

* Linda Scott

* Tony Scott (musician)

* The Searchers (band)

* arthur "big boy" crudup

* Al Sears

* Neil Sedaka

* lowell fulson

* Mike Settle

* Artie Shaw

* Robert Shaw (conductor)

* George Beverly Shea

* The Shelton Brothers

* Allan Sherman

* Dinah Shore

* Flor Silvestre

* entertainment

* Nina Simone

* Six Fat Dutchmen

* Skip Bifferty

* Walter Slezak

* Small Faces

* Roy Smeck

* Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith

* Kate Smith

* Walt Solek

* Sonora Matancera

* Sons of the Pioneers

* Red Sovine

* Muggsy Spanier

* Speer Family

* Mary Speer

* Tim Spencer (singer)

* Kay Starr

* The Statesmen Quartet

* Tommy Steele

* Max Steiner

* Steve and Eydie

* April Stevens

* James Stewart

* Redd Stewart

* Arbee Stidham

* Rex Stewart

* the vasco

* Pat Suzuki

* Henry (Hank) Sylvern

T

* Tampa Red

* Jack Teagarden

* The Teen Queens

* modern love child

* Nino Tempo

* Gordon Terry

* don't look down

* dollar 380

* fluf

* tent

* chuck treece

* g. love & special sauce

* 7 minds

* Sonny Terry

* Conrad Thibault

* Danny Thomas

* Bob Thompson (musician)

* Claude Thornhill

* The Three Suns

* Floyd Tillman

* Terry Timmons

* Art and Dotty Todd

* The Tokens

* Isao Tomita

* Mitchell Torok

* Arturo Toscanini

* Giorgio Tozzi

* The Treniers

* Tommy Tucker (singer)

* Johnny Tyler

* T. Texas Tyler

V

* Miguelito Valdés

* Caterina Valente

* Rudy Vallée

* June Valli

* Sylvie Vartan

W

* Fats Waller

* Cedar Walton

* Fran Warren

* Ethel Waters

* Slim Whitman

* Cootie Williams

* Joe Williams (jazz singer)

* Tex Williams

* Meredith Willson

* Paul Winchell

* Hugo Winterhalter

* Jimmy Witherspoon

* Del Wood

* Ilene Woods

* George Wright (organist)

* Nan Wynn

Y

* Glenn Yarbrough

Z

* Si Zentner

• 10cc

* 4 Runner (Polydor Nashville)

* +44 (Polydor UK)

* wolf creek

* • ABBA

* Absent Minded (Polydor UK)

* Bryan Adams

* cathy rich

* AFI (Polydor UK)

* Abd al Malik

* Ace of Base

* A-ha

* A II Z (Polydor UK)

* Alizée

* Alphabeat

* Alphaville

* gary lewis and the playboys

* black dresses

* xiu xiu

* gonjasufi

* Alpines

* Alquin

* The All-American Rejects (Polydor UK)

* The Allman Brothers Band

* María Conchita Alonso

* All Time Low (Polydor UK)

* The Amboy Dukes

* Thomas Anders

* Jon Anderson

* Angels and Airwaves (Polydor UK)

* Die Antwoord (Polydor UK)

* Paul Anka

* Army of Lovers (Polydor UK)

* Art of Noise (China/Polydor)

* Appleton

* Asia

* Athlete (Polydor UK)

* Atlanta Rhythm Section

* Audience

* Audioslave

* The Automatic

* Roy Ayers

* Ayọ

* Intan Ayu (Polydor Bandung)

B Edit

* • Tony Banks (Charisma/Polydor) (US/Canada)

* Barclay James Harvest

* Gary Barlow

* Daniel Bedingfield (Polydor UK)

* The Bees

* Bee Gees (Polydor UK)

* The Big Three

* Björk (outside the UK and Iceland)

* Black Tide (Polydor UK)

* Blind Faith

* Blink-182 (Polydor UK)

* Blossom Toes

* Boyzone

* Brand New (Polydor UK)

* Brick and Lace

* Alicia Bridges

* Bright Eyes (Polydor UK)

* Sarah Brightman

* James Brown

* Ian Brown

* Miquel Brown

* Roy Buchanan

* Buckingham Nicks (outside Canada)

* Bucks Fizz

* Bully Buhlan

* the pietzsche nietzsches

* bob prong

* • Café Tacvba

* personal blend

* pietzsche nietzsche

* Cast

* Cat's Eyes

* Cat Mother & the All Night News Boys

* Celeste (Polydor UK)

* The Chakachas

* Chapel Club

* Chelsia Chan (Polydor Hong Kong)

* Cheryl Cole (Fascination/Polydor)

* Cher Lloyd (UMG Polydor)

* Chris Cornell (Polydor UK)

* Christine Fan (Polydor France)

* Clare Maguire

* Claire Waldoff

* Cover Drive

* Eric Clapton

* Petula Clark

* PEACH MISFITS

* Stanley Clarke

* Lloyd Cole and the Commotions

* Amie Comeaux (Polydor Nashville)

* Commodores

* Billy Connolly

* bloodkrow butcher

* Jodie Connor

* the isotopes

* Celia Cruz

* mykey

* Cookie Crew

* Crystal Castles

* The Courteeners

* The Cure

D Edit

* • D Mob

* Daley

* Dashboard Confessional (Polydor UK)

* Davis Daniel (Polydor Nashville)

* Bill Deal

* Esmee Denters (Polydor UK)

* Deep Purple (outside US)

* Delays

* Delphic

* Demi Lovato (Polydor UK/Fascination)

* Cathy Dennis

* Destinee & Paris (Polydor UK)

* Lynsey De Paul

* Jim Diamond

* Diddy (Polydor UK)

* Dino

* Dirty White Boy

* Alesha Dixon

* Dodgy

* Plácido Domingo

* Donel

* Double

* Dr. Vades

* Duffy (A&M/Polydor) (outside US)

* The Duke Spirit

* Hilary Duff (Polydor UK)

* Durrty Goodz (Polydor UK)

* E/Eels

* primitive radio gods

* Elbow (Polydor UK)

* 1994!

* Sophie Ellis-Bextor

* Electric Light Orchestra (Polydor UK)

* Ellie Goulding (Polydor UK)

* Emma Bunton (Polydor UK)

* Emma's Imagination (Polydor UK)

* Emerson Lake & Powell

* Eminem (Polydor UK)

* Engine Alley (Polydor UK)

* Envy & Other Sins (Polydor UK)

* Escape The Fate

* Paul Evans

[hymn2000]

Mini playlist meme: I'm gonna challenge you and make you do my blog name! FallnAngelCreations

Haha, ok! Although apologies in advance because I’ve chosen mainly rubbish music here XD

F - Fall Down At Your Feet, Take That

A - Awake My Soul, Mumford and Sons

L - Love Me, Elvis

L - Let Me Go, Gary Barlow

N - Nothing Without Love, Nate Ruess

A - Aeroplanes and Possibilities, Sam Gray

N - Nimrod, Grimethorpe Colliery Band

G - Gold, Spandau Ballet

E - Ex’s And Oh’s, Elle King

L - Love and Pride, King

C - Crocodile Shoes, Jimmy Nail

R - Running With The Wolves, Aurora

E - Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall, Coldplay

A - All I Want, Kodaline

T - Turning Tables, Adele

I - I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues, Elton John

O - Oh My Goodness, Olly Murs

N - Name of The Game, Abba

S - Stuck on The Puzzle, Alex Turner

Enjoy(!) XD

[chrysaliseuro2018]

Rabat

Picked our car up at Valletta airport. Pretty easy bus ride to get there from the centre of town took about 30 mins. Multiple stops along the way and by the time we got there the bus was full with a couple of with a couple of people standing. We were were on the road in the car (a small Opel) around 11.30. Our first "port" of call was Marsaxlokk, a large fishing village renowned locally for its Sunday morning market (this was Sunday) and for good seafood. It took no more than half an hour to get there (Malta is not very big) and we found a park just above town with 500 metres walk to the market in the centre of town. Pretty hot (31/32) and no shelter so we felt it. The market was a combo really. A long line of stalls with narrow passageways and hence v crowded with everything from cheapo Chinese manufactured clothes to fish, cheese, dips, spices, gadgets etc. The setting was quite picturesque with the sea curving around in a bay with lots of small fishing boats anchored there. The market stalls curved around just a few metres in from the bay. Behind the stalls was a road which also curved around the bay and seafood restaurants proliferated by the roadside. We strolled around through the market looking at the various offerings though no purchases were made. It was fairly bustly as visitor numbers exceeded comfortable space in the narrow passageways. After three quarters of an hour or so we found a restaurant for lunch. Fish for me (which was good) pasta for Liz (which was ordinary - looked like Heinz baked beans sauce on it). Still we were in the shade watching the throng so relaxing. Post lunch we headed to Golden Bay which we heard had a good beach and the wrap was right. Glorious beach - sandy and pretty setting. Liz like a good Aussie headed for a swim and I did the pommy thing and went to the cafe on the beach, minded the bags, had an ice cream and watched the World Cup. We were both very happy. After a while I did join Liz on the beach which was very laid back and relaxing even with plenty of people on it. We headed off about 5.30/6.00 with a view to staying in Mdina or Rabat (they are literally adjacent). Liz found a place on booking.com in Rabat and we headed there. No more than a 25 min drive. Maps and google maps got a little confused in the inner city of Rabat and we seemed to be going down a few blind alleys. Eventually. Found our way there but not before driving through what appeared to be a restricted area for residents only (which can lead to fines) Subsequently we thought we were OK as it was only restricted Mon-Fri - because a school was there and this was Sunday. Very cryptic signage which was in English or a form of it. Anyway, no parking around our B&B (Estrella) so after depositing the bags we headed off to find somewhere to park around this labyrinth of one way streets. My trusty navigator guided us to a park in the street which did the trick, about a 5 min walk from the B&B and most importantly - gratis. After the usual freshen up and catch up on emails etc we headed into town. Our luck was in and by a complete fluke we had arrived on Rabat Festa night. The band was assembled, the church all tizzed up to look a million $ as was the piazza where the church is situated. We had missed the main parade as there were flowers strewn along the streets but people were hanging around the piazza and we could hear the band tuning up in a nearby street which we headed for. They soon got themselves in order and started to march down that street playing at full belt. They weren't the Grimethorpe Colliery Band however there is nothing quite like the cordant/discordant sound of the local Latin band. It's all wind instruments and percussion and sounds, all up, pretty good. They were togged up in uniforms, not Zegna but smart enough and were all ages and both sexes though predominantly men or young men. We watched them go past us and then headed for the cathedral and took a good look inside. Very ornate, plenty of flowers and the real (not electric) long candles were out and lit. It was lovely. After a while the band headed towards the church and then awaited the final march which included, it seemed, all clergy from the church and some of the key religious artefacts. A big crowd (at least for Rabat - a couple of hundred perhaps) was waiting for this and many followed the procession of clergy and band as they marched off around town. It was a joyous scene really with a real feeling of a community coming together topped off by the enthusiastic if slightly deadpan musicians. We had found a table opposite the church at a small cafe so had pole position to watch the proceedings. We settled in once the crowd had cleared to enjoy a couple of craft beers and for Liz a caipiroska (it had been a thirsty day). Sunday night in Rabat and the pickings were slim on the food front as most restaurants were closed And the selection not really great anyway. We couldn't be bothered after a big day to head for Mdina where the choices might be greater and so we settled on a a fairly basic looking place in the centre of Rabat. Well it proved not a great choice with limited selection though I went the cordon Bleu with an English breakfast offering of sausages and baked beans (lovely). Liz could barely disguise her disgust at this and went for the ravioli which turned out to be uncooked. At least mine was. So not the greatest experience though I would give mine a fairly high score on both content and presentation. You can take the boy out of England as they say. Back to the guesthouse after this with a slightly hungry wife.