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evita-shelby · 25 days ago

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Anniversary

Tommy x Eva

cw: sex, anal sex, anal play(ye olde anal plugs), erotic massage, vaginal fingering, anal fingering, penetrative anal sex and one mention of infertility issues

yeah this is pretty much just married couple smut

prequel to relax

no minors 🔞

There was something going on with his wife.

She looks flushed half the time, hides little sounds only he can string out of her lips and refuses to let him resolve this strange affliction no matter how she vibrates with lust under his fingertips.

Thomas Shelby takes advantage of a closed betting shop and an empty house this hot summer’s day to uncover this mystery. And what better way than suggesting he rub her back after taking care of Karl this morning.

“Let me take care of you, love.” The gangster rubbed her bare arms and nuzzled the column of her neck knowing she’s not strong enough to resist him after several days of whatever has her like this. “You haven’t been yourself lately.”

“Since when do know how to give a backrub.” Her voice is breathy, biting her lip thinking he’s not aware of this perpetual state of arousal she’s been in.

“You’re not the only one hiding many talents, Mrs. Shelby.” He nips at her earlobe ---her hands had been too shaky to put on earrings this morning--- and moves his hands up her shoulders and down the front of her blouse to sell his argument better than any words can.

The witch’s desperate for his touch even if she claims otherwise, so desperate she are arches her back as he undoes the fasteners one by one revealing she’s been too sensitive to wear a brassier again. “Just a backrub, Tom.”

As if she hasn’t been cooking for so long she’d cum the moment the clothes come off.

“We’ll see about that, Evie.” He doesn’t stop groping her tits wishing to have her right then and there, but somehow they make it to their bedroom with her blouse lost somewhere in the hallway and Tommy almost forgetting he was meant to massage her back.

“Just let me keep these on.” She asks and he agrees when she stops him from removing the last stich of clothing on her: her soaked knickers.

She keeps the massage oil on the top drawer she’s also not allowed him to open this past week, his darling wife is too stimulated and enjoying this to notice he didn’t seek out the bottle beforehand.

He is pleasantly surprised to find the answer to this mystery left there next to a different sort of massage oil she’d purchased this week. The gangster picks up the small box containing dilators he didn’t expect Eva to be familiar with and finds the one having a similar girth as his cock missing from it.

Their anniversary was in two days, they’d be going to Brighton and renting out a nice little bungalow by the beach to fuck in the sand without the inconvenience of the hotel staff. Figures she’d want her gift to be very very personal.

Tommy has more than once spoken of his desire to fuck her shapely behind, teased her there with his fingers when she didn’t veto the suggestion and come hard as he played with her asshole as they fucked some weeks ago.

She could always let him fuck her ass again for their anniversary, he thinks to himself as he poured the fancy oil on her back and rubbed it on her freckled skin. The witch is nonethewiser as she allows herself to let go and reward him with sighs and pleasured groans.

Tommy is not one to miss the opportunity to surprise her and pretends he is sticking to her instructions until she’s too relaxed to stop him. It doesn’t take long when she gives him a half hearted protest when he slips her ruined underwear off her hips and finds the missing dilator firmly put in the one hole of hers he hasn’t fucked.

The gangster remembers how good she’d felt the first time they fucked, her cunt had fit like a glove and they’d forgotten her grandmother sleeping across the hall when he claimed her as his.

She was his, even if her mouth had tasted other cocks, everything else was only his.

“You naughty girl. Is this what has you lying to your husband this week?” he playfully smacks her ass cheek making her hiss in pleasure.

“Supposed to be a surprise.” The witch didn’t bite back the groan as he smacked her again. The dark beauty loved it when he was rough with her, loved being rough with him.

Had ideas he’d never tried and that she had wanted to try since she hosted an orgy she failed to participate in. Her boldness stretched into the bedroom and Tommy was too satisfied by her to say no.

“Mission accomplished then, love.” He massaged his surprise as lovingly as she once massaged his cock before turning his attention to the glistening cunt that’s been begging for him since the first dilator was inserted inside her.

Eva takes his fingers as readily as always, he’s yet to find a time she’s not aroused for him. Always fired up and ready to go because she’s just as insatiable as him even after a year of marriage.

She doesn’t last long before the first of many orgasms this afternoon has her crying out his name and begging for more like the most eager of whores.

“But I still gotta punish you for lying to your husband, witch.” He’s found no better whore than his witch of a wife, he thinks as he eases off the dilator and decides he’s going to open his anniversary gift days early.

The witch is very receptive to his fingers there, the training she’s given herself for the occasion making it easier for the gangster to penetrate the last virgin hole in his woman as he continues to finger fuck her sensitive pussy.

“Don’t stop!” the witch whines as the second one builds up and comes harder than the first.

“Who said anything about stopping?” he asks the fucked out witch who raises her ass to him with her release coating her thighs and the sheets under her at his words.

Tommy only releases his hard and aching cock from its confines to sheath himself slowly in his anniversary gift. One hand steadies the witch who has lost all restraint taking him all in as he pulls her face to his to swallow her wanton moans.

Eva won’t even remember her name after he’s done with her. She can barely speak his name as he moves inside her and his free hand returns to the genie’s lamp to enjoy this gift he will demand on their anniversary each and every year.

He’s murming filthy things in her ear being careful not to crush her under him until he moves them to their side not once breaking the pace he fucks her ass with. Neither are capable of human speech when he comes inside her and continues thrusting inside her as they ride out their pleasure.

Still even as they lounge there tangled in each other and filthy with their cum and sweat, all he can think of is how much he plans to enjoy this again and again at Brighton.

“Keep wearing the dilator ,love, I want my gift ready and intact for our anniversary.” The gangster orders and his witch agrees with no hesitation.

“And you better take those herbs I gave you, I want a baby for my birthday this year.” She grins between kisses as she reminds him what he promised her for their next anniversary.

#eva smith shelby #evacore #tommy shelby x oc #peaky blinders fanfiction #thomas shelby fanfic #tommy shelby smut

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woso-dreamzzz · 1 year ago

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Movie Night

Courtney Nevin x Reader

Summary: You see your girlfriend

It's not often that you made the drive.

It was nearly three hours from Brighton to Leicester on a good day, nearly four on a bad one so it wasn't something you got into the habit of doing.

A route from hell divided you and your girlfriend. You weren't in one of those relationships that could meet somewhere in the middle. It was all or nothing.

When your contracts ended you had both already decided that you would need to go to the same club. The distance was stressful to both you and Courtney which was probably why you were making the trip.

You had training tomorrow but you had already dropped hints to Vicky that you were feeling sick so calling in would be easy tomorrow. You knew that Courtney had done the same with Aileen.

It wasn't the most responsible or professional thing to do but you couldn't care less when you ran from your car straight into your girlfriend's arms.

You take in a deep breath and relaxed into her familiar warmth and security.

"I missed you," Courtney said softly," So much."

"Missed you too," You said. Your words were muffled and you refused to remove yourself from her safe embrace.

You don't really know how long you spent on her doorstep, in the cold England night, just rocking back and forth, soaking each other in.

"I've got the movies queued up," Courtney whispered in your ear," And snacks. Do you want to head in?"

"You're perfect," You said as she lead you into the house.

Your girlfriend pushed you onto the sofa and bundled up the blankets. She milled around you for a moment before sitting down and pulling your legs into her lap.

They were a little numb from driving nearly three hours without any breaks and you actually moaned when Courtney began to massage you. She knew just where to put the right amounts of pressure and where to let up until you were completely boneless next to her, unable to really do anything but shovel more food into your mouth and stare at the screen in front of you.

You don't know how many movies you watched, you just knew that it was five in the afternoon when you left your house and now it was coming up to three in the morning.

You didn't want to move though, content in your little cocoon of blankets with Courtney's warm body next to you.

You yawned.

"Do you want to head up to bed?" Courtney asked as she readied the next movie (the shared Netflix account was a god send when deciding which movies seemed interesting enough to watch).

"Don't want to move," You grunted before completely contradicting yourself by readjusting your position so your head was in her lap.

Blindly, you reached for Courtney's hand and pulled it onto your head.

She was quick on the uptake and gently scratched at your scalp. The pressure was just right, exactly like the kind of perfect pressure she used on your legs.

"I think we're sleeping down here, huh?" She laughed softly.

"You can keep watching your movies," You said, eyes dropping closed and words slurring with sleep," I'm...I'm just going to take a little nap."

She chuckled and it rocked your body a little. It was a good rocking though and just pushed you deeper into your exhausted haze.

"You can sleep as long as you'd like," Courtney said fondly as her expert fingers continued to massage your head," It's not like we're going to training tomorrow."

#woso x reader #courtney nevin x reader #courtney nevin #woso community #woso fanfics #woso imagine #woso

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dreamings-free · 1 year ago

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‘A dirty nightclub in an arena’ – behind Louis Tomlinson’s Faith In The Future World Tour

Louis Tomlinson and his tight-knit touring crew traverse the world in close to 80 shows, fulfilling a ‘dirty nightclub in an arena’ brief with a dynamic live campaign.

Production Profiles 5 January 2024

Following the success of his record-breaking Live From London livestream, which reportedly raised over £1m for touring and live events personnel and charitable organisations, Louis Tomlinson and his tight-knit crew have toured the world twice over. This time, visiting sold-out arenas in Europe and the UK with a cleverly networked live production with abstract video and lighting and a ‘no frills’ approach to sound, which guaranteed that every ticket holder experienced the same show, regardless of where they stood, sat, or screamed (more on that later). With close to 80 shows under their belt, TPi visited London’s O2 arena ahead of the production’s penultimate date of 2023.

Words: Jacob Waite Photos: Justin De Souza and Oli Crump

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“A team effort is required to get this show off the ground,” explained Technical Manager, Sam ‘Kenny’ Kenyon, who has been a fixture of Louis Tomlinson’s live output since joining as Lighting Crew Chief in 2019. “This has been a complete redesign, and the production has expanded and gotten more complex, which requires different solutions to make it happen.”

Kenny and the team oversaw the deployment of an A and B rig. “We’ve been fortunate for the European stint that the venues we’ve toured have, mostly, been arenas. The main difference between the A and B rig is the addition of IMAG and further lighting header trusses. Aside from that, the A rig fits everywhere. If anything, we’ve run into weight issues, which we can overcome swiftly by removing overhead trusses.”

For the first few shows, Riggers, Ian Bracewell, and Alex Walker incorporated load cells on trusses to get an accurate rate and account of the weight of the load of each truss. In the UK, The Brighton Centre had a particularly low-rate roof with weight limitations. Production Manager, Craig Sherwood and Tour Manager, Tom Allen’s vendors of choice included: Altour (travel), Beat the Street, BPM SFX, CSE Crosscom, Colour Sound Experiment (lighting, rigging, and video), Hangman UK, Boxcat Studio and Two Suns Creative (video content), LED Creative, Ox Event House (custom light housings), Sarah’s Kitchen, Seven 7 Management (artist management), Solotech (audio), Stardes Trucking, and TANCK (production design and video content).

There was no video director, as the show’s visuals were programmed and interspersed with live footage and triggered by a lighting console at FOH, thanks in part to an intricate network setup. “There’s a lot going on in racks that people never see, but it has been stable thanks to the quality of kit supplied by our vendors, who have invested heavily, and the team taking the time to programme the show,” Kenny noted.

Key to the success of the operation was the incorporation of Central Control software, which takes a signal from a lighting console, be it ACN or Art-Net, and translates it to talk to various products – in this case, video. “There is a giant brain that nobody knows exists other than those that have programmed it,” he added.

Additional crew members joined the tour in Europe to aid the video deployment and lead to far more efficient load-in an -outs. “We are close to 80 shows in and on days where we have access to multiple trucks, it comes out very quickly, which for a show of this scale is impressive and credit goes to the team,” enthused Kenny. “The biggest hurdle is when you’ve only got a two-truck dock.”

Prior to the tour, the team had five days of production rehearsals spent in Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun. “When we came to Europe a week later, we had a week of re-prepping with a day of rehearsals at Hamburg’s Barclays Arena, the day before a show,” he described. “It’s been a fun and long run,” added Stage Manager, Torin Arnold. “We’ve visited a good range of venues and countries – especially the Eastern European legs, visiting places you wouldn’t ordinarily tour and experiencing how they operate. This show is designed so it can be accomplished in any part of the world.” Carpenter, Harry Reeves was also on hand to support the build.

The routing, however, was sometimes challenging with some late arrivals and difficult border crossings. “There were a few times in Eastern Europe where we were doing a ferry back-to-back to arrive at 11am, sitting at a difficult border crossing. We usually start with a 7am mark out, so knocking hours off your load-in is tough but everyone pulled together to overcome it,” Arnold explained, noting that touring without staging, and instead, using venue stages (particularly rolling stages), was a blessing during those late arrivals. “As with any tour, as dates progress you build a rhythm while maintaining the safety of the build,” he noted.

Arnold also highlighted the benefit of Lead Truck Driver, Neil Thornton and Truck Drivers, Matt Marlow, Ben Woods, Sarah Goldsmith, Bob Miles, Alam Minshall, Franco DeRosa, and Ollie Thornton who “speed up the process” and maintained a level of consistency.

The transitions between support acts before Louis hit the stage was equally seamless, with ample downstage space for the singer-songwriter to traverse during his performance. “Having a clean frontline means we have space to get the bands on and off,” he added. “Our vendors have also provided everything from an audio package standpoint for support acts, which also speeds up the load-in and -out.”

Highlighting a ‘bucket list’ show at Hollywood Bowl, working closely with US union officials as a “fun” and “interesting” experience, Arnold reflected on the entire tour with crewmembers he now considers close friends. “This is a close team and I’ve made some great memories and stories. It’s been a fun year!”

A DIRTY NIGHTCLUB IN AN ARENA Production Designer, Programmer and Director, Tom Taylor, and Francis Clegg of TANCK have worked with Louis Tomlinson ever since he made the leap to solo artist. “The production design has evolved into an angular, grungy, asymmetrical setup, borne out of the ‘dirty nightclub in an arena setting’ creative brief I was given,” Taylor said, citing the creative influence of Matt Vines and Seven 7 Management. “Louis is a phenomenal performer, and the crowd is captivated the entire time. We started knocking ideas around, speaking to Louis about his inspirations and influences, which we then developed into a creative deck, which I sketched in Blender, and imported into WYSIWYG for visuals, to create stills and pre-visualise.”

Taylor spent 10 days programming the visuals at Colour Sound Experiment, a firm he shares a “longstanding” relationship with. “They are always a call away regardless of the day or time. Their team is easy to get along with and I like their whole ‘production sphere’ – sometimes it’s nice to split lighting and video, but for a show like this, aligning those departments with one line of communication is ideal,” he said, underlining the support of Colour Sound Experiment Account Handler, Haydn Cruickshank.

With production rehearsals under their belt and recordings from Louis Tomlinson World Tour (2020–22), where TANCK piloted Central Control software, the creatives understood how the singer and his band moved on stage, developing a rhythm and consistency of when to implement visual cues and which camera angle fit best. This allowed the team to pre-programme the visual content to timecode.

Video content was made by a combination of TANCK, Two Suns Creative, and Boxcat Studio, with the latter creating 3D models and rendered content, all of which was broadcast across a unique set of video surfaces. “Having the abstract video columns on stage makes it much more interesting than your standard slab of LED at the back of the stage,” Taylor noted.

On stage boxes created by Ox Event House housed GLP JDC Line 1000 strobes with reflective panelling and fabric that were printed to look like heavy concrete slabs, ladened with custom LED Creative solutions. These boxes then moved up and down using Wahlberg Motion Design winches to provide a “low-level, clubby feel” to the set.

“The winches can only carry 50kg and the lights alone are 35kg, so we had to be careful not to overload them, but the result was cool. We also have one single lightbulb on a winch which comes up and down above Louis to create a classic lighting moment,” Taylor said, further highlighting Ayrton Huracán’s prismatic colour wheel as a ‘fan favourite’.

The lighting design saw a wall of GLP impression X4 Bar 20s at the rear of the stage in 12 columns. Further lighting trusses over the stage carried the Wahlberg winches for several automated looks. The DMX winches were utilised for three or four songs, either statically or moving up and down, while JDC Line 1000s provided colour and strobe effects, to achieve varied looks, with a relatively minimal overhead lighting package.

Taylor elaborated: “There are some shutters for one specific track which go directly in-front of some of the GLP X4 Bars to get the aura of the lights, instead of the lenses, which I really like the look of. Lighting and video complement each other during this show – there’s also a section with flickering fluorescent tubes on the video content with the X4 Bar 20s behind the LED screens flickering in a similar way.

Taylor was delighted with the performance of the crew. “Overall, it has been a great run, executed flawlessly,” he commented, citing the support of Lighting Crew Chief, James Box; Dimmer Technician, Rick Carr, and Lighting Technicians, Amy Barnett, and Kieran Hancox.

The wider lighting rig comprised Ayrton Eurus, CHAUVET Professional Strike Array 4, Claypaky Mini-B eLumen8 Endura 1Q120, and Robe BMFL fixtures with robo cameras, all fixed on various HOF MLT3, Litec QH40 and Thomas James Thomas Engineering Superstruss. The lighting riser featured Ayrton Huracan LT and GLP JDC1 fixtures.

Robe Spiider fixtures were situated on the up and downstage video trusses, with the floor package boasting the deployment of further Ayrton Eurus, LEDJ Spectra Flood Q15 and Chroma-Q Color Force 72 units, the latter chosen for key light. Atmospherics came in the shape of Smoke Factory Tour Hazer 2, Martin Professional JEM ZR45 and MDG Atmosphere ATMe hazers with TMB ProFans. “We had some challenging shows, implementing an arena-scale design into sheds in the US, but it’s been good to return to Europe and witness the fans enjoying the show,” added Lighting Crew Chief, James Box, who pinpointed the use of the multicoloured glass gobo in Hurricanes as among his favourite looks.

“There is a lot of effort put in by TANCK to ensure we get the utmost from every fixture on the rig, which is great to see, when the team has gone to the effort of assembling the show each morning. Seeing the looks they achieve from the rig and the extra details, with each advanced cue within the show, is a pleasure.

Almost every pixel on the JDC Line 1000 and X4 impression Bars are being used.”

Video Crew Chief, Dave Mallandain, formerly of Colour Sound Experiment, supervised the video build and the team of Video Technicians, Ed Driver, Frank Wlliams and Tim Curwen.

“Working with Colour Sound Experiment again, in a freelance capacity, certainly has its benefits,” he stated. “You get to know the workflows and personalities of the company. There is an element of trust there and our relationship is stronger because of that.” The 2.5m by 2.5m video screen, made up of Leyard CLM6 LED panels with Colorlight Z6 processing on the back end, was built in an abstract configuration – hung from varying size steel structures fixed on to lighting truss, spanning the entire stage, as opposed to a traditional backwall. “This setup requires us to build it quicker, so the backline can start building their world, but it’s very lightweight and easy to use, so once the local crew are up to speed, it flies up in no time,” he reported.

During the show, there was a lot of camera angles fed into a Blackmagic ATEM switcher, with content then fed into Resolume media servers which was processed and treated with video effects and filters to manipulate the content, monitored by the video team, and pre-programmed by Taylor via an MA Lighting grandMA3 console, operating in MA2 mode.

“The fan camera, which was one of Tom’s ideas, has evolved to the point where Frank and I are on stage during Out Of My System, pointing these cameras fabricated in an old VHS-style shell at Louis’ face in reference to the fisheye-lens inspired music video.”

A mixture of Marshall Electronics and Panasonic PTZ cameras ensured the wider on-stage action was captured. “While the visual content is the same, the shots differ based on the energy of the crowd from night to night,” he explained. “We have an overhead shot for the drums, and another behind Louis, which shoots over his shoulder to the crowd. We also have a PTZ camera on the ground in front of Louis which can rotate to capture crowd scans along with a little ‘bullet camera’ for each musician. It’s been a fantastic tour; everyone on this team has been phenomenal.”

The special effects and pyrotechnics package supplied by BPM SFX included Galaxis PFC 10-way receivers running Galaxis, with a main and a backup controller, which ran through an MA Lighting grandMA2 console, to trigger MagicFX Stadium Shot IIs and a single shot of red streamers. The latter, a “signature of Louis Tomlinson live shows”, according to BPM SFX Technician, Jack Webber – who toured with a new custom control rack, with much of the hardware integrated in one rack.

BPM SFX Account Handler, Matt Heap and SFX Technicians, Blake Harward and Phillip Mathew also provided Webber with support. “The one major change on this tour was putting the Stadium Shot IIs at the downstage edge, and adding lasers for the O2 arena show,” said Webber, who has been involved in past touring campaigns with the camp. “This is the first touring camp to take me to the US, so I feel incredibly privileged.”

Safety was paramount for the BPM SFX team, who implemented the safeguard of warning notices on-stage to ensure the band knew exactly when an effect was triggered. In closing, Webber referenced the ‘rainbow-inspired’ track, She Is Beauty We Are World Class, which demonstrated the strength of the special effects package. “There are about 22 rapid fire chase Comets all going off at the same time with a big lift, which differs in comparison to the other looks with eight units.”

MIXING IN A SEA OF SCREAMS FOH Engineer, John Delf mixed on an Avid S6L 32D console with onboard plug-ins. “I use the onboard plug-ins as much as possible because I want to keep it as simple as possible and know I’ve got a show out of the box without any added extras, which is particularly useful during fly-in gigs, where I have to use a house console or have limited time to set up,” he noted. Delf also toured with some choice pieces of outboard gear including a Rupert Neve Designs 5045 primary source enhancer for vocals, an Empirical Labs Fatso two-channel compressor for drums, and further Distressors for the bass guitar group and vocals.

“The bulk of my mixing is riding the DCA control groups and the vocals, balancing between them, and when there is a lead guitar solo, I’ll jump to that. Most of the mix should stay where it is, and I shouldn’t have to think about it, but every day you make major tweaks and refinements based on how the musicians are performing. Most of the gig is turning the band up and down without affecting the vocals because I have DCAs for drums, bass, guitars, keyboards, main vocal, backing vocals, and an ‘all’ DCA that includes everything but vocals,” he said, explaining his mixing wizardry modestly. “I also run snapshots in which I am changing the sub send amount for different songs, as well as reverb and delay times. If the band changes the set last minute, I have the desk synced to the timecode and that will trigger the snapshots.”

At the beginning of the set, the noise of the crowd can be between 112 to 116dB. “We have a little bit of headroom. When they are loud, I can push the mix, and when they are quieter, I can pull it back for the more introspective moments of the show,” he explained.

“My favourite section to mix is the transition from a cover of Arctic Monkeys’ 505 into Back to You. When that kicks in, I push the “All” DCA up to +10. We’ve built the set up to that point, where I’m able to throw it to the top before the end of the set. The three songs in the encore are also fun songs to mix,” he enthused, accenting the support of Solotech Account Handler, David Shepherd.

“I’ve worked with Dave for years, while he was at BCS Audio (now part of Solotech). He’s been my go-to account handler for a very long time, and Solotech has inherited this gig from them, so there was a natural transition.”

System Engineer and Head of Audio, Oli Crump walked TPi through the PA system: “We’ve been using L-Acoustics, which is our preference, since the start of last year’s tour. The main hang has been K1 with K2 downfill for both tours, however, we are touring with a much larger system this year with K2 on the sides instead of KARA-II. We’re flying subwoofers and carrying delays with us, which is also our preference in big arenas, like the O2 – it provides an even level of coverage across the audience,” the TPi Breakthrough Talent Award alumni said, explaining the thought process behind a larger sound system.

“The PA system is naturally bigger this year because we’re touring larger venues. The crowd is very loud, and we need to be able to compete with that at points of the show. The window of dynamic range we have without it being too loud is compressed because the background level from the crowd is so high, so we need to be able to get our level as consistent as possible from front to back. This setup really helps overcome that.”

Out of ear shot from Crump, Delf extolled the virtues of his partner at FOH: “Oli and I work well together. Every day, regardless of the venue, I know the system is going to sound consistent. We deal with different venue acoustics each day but as soon as I run up my virtual soundcheck, I’ve got the mix back to where I want it because the PA is at the same level every day. I used to walk the room a lot during sound check, but it always sounded consistent, so I’ve stopped doing that because I trust him explicitly.”

The PA generally sat in a standard location for an arena PA, 10.5m off centre and no wider than that, using the same basic system design as Louis Tomlinson’s past touring campaign, which Crump worked on with Kenny to ensure it didn’t impede the production design. “The number of boxes we deploy varies from show to show, based on the venue. The worst-case scenario [visually] is that the PA needs to be a little lower than usual and gets in the way of the IMAG screens slightly,” Crump detailed.

He designed the system using Soundvision, then imported his file into Network Manager, with a DirectOut Technologies PRODIGY.MP chosen for system processing. “I have visited many of the European arenas before so I’ve got fairly accurate plots, however, sometimes you will stumble across an error someone has made in building the models,” he continued. “Madrid’s WiZink Center had different CAD drawings for each layer of the venue and one of the layers was accidentally scaled wrong, so the bottom floors were fine but as you went up everything was out. You get curveballs like that occasionally but that’s why it’s important to verify drawings.”

An audience also changes the acoustics of a room, generally for the better, but sometimes not, so Crump was on hand at FOH to make tweaks when required. “As rooms get larger, they generally get more difficult, reverb time will go up purely as a factor of the room size, regardless of how you treat it. The O2 is quite tall seating-wise, so you end up having to angle the PA up into the roof a lot,” Crump noted.

Over by the stage, Monitor Engineer, Barrie Pitt mixed the five-piece band and frontman using a DiGiCo Quantum 338 console. “Louis and the band are good at verbalising what they want. They’ve been playing a long time, so it’s my job to translate those desires into the mix,” he explained. “DiGiCo has been my ‘go-to’ brand of console for the past 15 years. The 338 is an incredibly powerful console, which can do as much as any other on the market and more in a much less convoluted way. I know it like the back of my hand and how to get the best out of it and do the most complicated things at the push of a button. The Capture features are ridiculously powerful.”

Pitt oversaw 85 channels, 64 directly from stage, with additional channels for shouts, sends, returns, communications, and routing, among others. His outboard rack included a classic Lexicon PCM 91 digital reverberator for vocals. “The way I set up the communications and shout systems are the same across the board. For the layout, a lot of people have instruments on one side and vocal and effects on the other, however, I tend to adjust my banks of faders visually, how you would see it on stage, left to right, as a nod to my analogue mixing days. My second layer is usually tracks and any track content with reverbs next to the vocals, so they’re changed in unison. Sometimes, I’ll do a custom layer of [drum or spill group, two lead guitar channels and vocal] the things I use most, particularly if it’s a busy show input-wise.”

Pitt referred to the basis of his mix as ‘static’ with minor changes. “Louis changes a fair bit between songs I’m running upwards of 60 scenes with a lot of songs having multiple scenes for verse and chorus or specific sections,” he explained. The Monitor Engineer is a big believer in unifying the in-ear monitors, so what he hears is the same as those on stage. “We use Shure PSM1000s, JH Audio Roxanne in-ear monitors for Louis and JH16s for everyone else, except for the drummer, who is using Ultimate Ears IEMs. Louis and the band are solid, and they keep their ears in from start to finish. Louis wants the rock star mix; he likes to feel the weight of the mix. It’s not an overpowering mix but it’s a full mix with his vocal on top with Neve 5045 primary source enhancers on all vocals. Everyone else has a standard band mix at moderate level with their instrument and vocals high. The drummer has the most straightforward mix with his drums and shouts layered on top.”

A further pair of subwoofers stage left, and right were situated under the stage risers, providing the weight of side fills without the top end. “It’s a big rock show with drums and guitars, so the less noise I can have flying about the stage, the better,” he said.

The microphone package included a Shure Axient Digital AD4D two-channel digital wireless receiver, a AD2 vocal microphone with a KSM9 capsule for vocals. Sennheiser MKH 60 and AKG C414 XLS microphones captured the ambient noise of the room. “We track everything, including the two sets of ambient microphones for recording and virtual soundcheck, in case the band decides to do anything with the live content,” he noted.

Having collaborated with Solotech and previously BCS Audio multiple times, Pitt was pleased to see the company on the tour sheet. “They are a solid choice and I know Dave Shepherd well. They fix any problems swiftly, and all their gear is well packaged and maintained,” he said. “The band and crew are lovely. It’s rare to come across a camp so friendly on a show of this size.” Pitt thanked Solotech Monitor and Stage Technician, Matt Coton. “He is fantastic. He takes all the second guessing out of my day and is so meticulous and thorough that I know everything will be as it should be from the get-go. When there are issues, he knows exactly what to do to remedy it. He’s been a joy to work and hang out with.”

Audio Technicians, Matt Coton, Tim Miller, Kim Watson, Elliott Clarke, James Coghlan, Matt Benton; Bassist and Keyboard Technician, Chris Freeman; Guitar Technician, Dan Ely and Playback Technician, Scotty Anderson made up the sound team.

CURATING A HOME AWAY FROM HOME Sarah Nicholas of Sarah’s Kitchen and Caterers, Rebecca Henderson, Helena Robertson, Chris Carter, Matty Pople and Tamsin Manvell provided band and crew catering, ensuring morale stayed high and stomachs were full on the road. Making a name for themselves as One Direction’s caterers, the outfit now cater for each of the band members’ individual tours and private functions, amassing a dedicated online following. “I started catering for Louis and the rest of One Direction during their first theatre gig in Watford and I feel very privileged to have that connection. At dinner time, we perform a plate service, which I think is important – our reputation is not only built on really good food but the entire hospitality package, creating a nourishing environment away from home,” Nicholas said.

Sarah’s Kitchen provided a range of vegan, gluten-free and vegetarian options. “We also provide disposable products and water coolers, and our runner regularly collects fresh, local produce from markets based on where we are in the world,” she explained.

The wider European crew featured Security, Kristian ‘Ches’, Ross Foster, Ben Major, and Gav Kerr; Merchandisers, Jon Ellis and Maddy Stephens; Bus Drivers, Aivaras Arminas, Frederico Antunes, Scott Pickering, Chris Grover; Entourage Bus Driver, Paul Roberts; Merchandise Truck Driver, Warren Dowey; BTS UK Account Handler, Garry Lewis; Stardes Account Handlers, Tyrone Reynolds, and Alam Minshall; CSE Crosscom Account Handler, Hannah Evans and Altour Travel Account Handler, Alexandra Gati.

Having wrapped up the best-selling livestream of 2020 – a lofty achievement given the proliferation of remote productions amid the grounding of live events with in-person crowds – Tomlinson shows no signs of slowing down post-pandemic, making the leap from sold-out theatres to arenas across the globe with his trusty crew in tow. “Live From London was great because the crew and I really needed it,” Delf said. “It gave us some much-needed work amid the lockdown, and all the proceeds went directly to the crew, which was an incredibly honourable thing to do. To come back out on the other side of lockdown was great. It was a dark time back then for everyone, but to be back out on tour surrounded by friends, who feel more like family, it’s special.”

-> read here on Issuu

#louis #fitf tour #fitfwt #lt crew #tpi magazine #05.01.24 #article #touring #thank youu omglarryrabbit ;)#love getting to peek behind the scenes this is great

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hometoursandotherstuff · 2 years ago

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Ginormous 1902 Victorian in Portland, Maine has 6bd, 3 full, 2 half baths, and is priced at $1.695M. It's in pristine condition and was remodeled in keeping with the period of the house.

This wood in the foyer is so perfect, it looks like they replaced it- the etched glass in the door looks new, too. But, they did it right, they replaced it to match the original.

It must've cost a fortune to redo this wood. Look at the bottom of the wood around the room. You can see that there's a dark border- it shows that the wood's been stripped and refinished. The bottom is where all the goop from the stripper settles and you wipe it off as best as you can.

They wallpapered, and that cost them big bucks. Look the wallpaper medallion and how it all matches the fixture.

Isn't this a magnificent room? You don't really see open great rooms like this, w/mezzanines, in Victorians. The Queen Annes and Italianates don't have them, but they're smaller homes than this one.

Look at the balcony. The whole family could appear there to give their holiday greetings to the world.

Check it out, an inglenook. At least I think it qualifies as one, a little over-sized, perhaps.

Now, this is a very successful powder room remodel.

I don't know why they went with a modern rustic cabinet style

This may be the dining room. They really went light on the wood in here. Love the flooring, though.

They've got a big office set up in here, but when they remove it all, there will be elegant wallpaper for the 2nd sitting room.

Elegant area at the 2nd level stairs. A little too "fussy" for me, though.

Look at the windows, crown molding and millwork.

Wow, look at the storage, and it's hidden.

This is beautiful, but there's a choice of main bds. b/c all the rooms are big.

Original brick fireplace. I like how they framed it.

Beautiful little cross hall.

See how large this other bd is? It could also be the main one.

Dramatic view of the mezzanine.

Wow, this is some nice looking spare bathroom.

Modern finished attic.

And, the back stairs have a bit of an elegant Eastern flair.

#victorian house #victorian architecture #old house dreams #houses #house tours #home tour

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justjensenanddean · 2 years ago

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Jensen Ackles and Danneel Ackles | Brighton UK (Crossroads 6), March 12, 2023

(sicparvis87)

Jensen just yelled „are you not entertained?“ and then said „you don’t even know what that’s from, do you?“ to Danneel. „I failed as a husband.“ Danneel „remembers *Russel Crowe*“ (but not the line). (x)

Danneel complained because Jensen had them change the chairs to higher and less comfortable. Now Jensen is trying to direct us for a hbd video and complained we‘re as hard to direct as Jared. (x)

Danneel doesn’t yell at Jensen when he does something wrong in the house, just wordlessly shows him. Jensen demonstrated that. (I.E. dishes in sink and not the dishwasher) (x)

“i put my pots in the sink and danneel says why don’t you put them in the dishwasher and i say they find their way and she says HOW DO YOU THINK THEY FIND THEIR WAY JENSEN?!” (x)

Fan congratulates them on The Winchesters! Cheers in the room (x)

Winchesters set. How to set the tone. Jensen started by giving a talk on day 1 to Drake and Meg. Same talk Kripke gave J2 while filming Wendigo. Show begins and ends with their relationship on and off camera. (x)

Jensen sat down and had a talk with meg and drake similar to what kripke gave him and jared during the filming of wendigo about how the show starts and ends with their relationship on and off camera (x)

Jensen is telling the story about how Kripke sat him and Jared down at the beginning of the show and told them that they had a responsibility as the leads. “We had the most fun on this set doing what we love to do”. (x)

Jensen says Drake was really eager for directions as to how to be the best that he could be. Meg is a natural-born leader and just went “oh, I get it”. (x)

JENSEN JUS DID THE HIGHEST PITCH VOICE FOR MEG GIGGLES ‘I GOT IT!’ BABYYYY PLS (x)

“yes we took the kids in baby no i have not driven baby i haven’t even asked” - danneel (x)

They took the kids out in Baby but Danneel has never driven it. Danneel talks a little more and corrects her pronouns to „she“ when talking about the car. (x)

Danneel hasn’t driven Baby yet, but not because Jensen won’t allow it, just because she hasn’t thought about driving it! Also said it smells “like a boat” (x)

danneel said baby doesn’t start the same as she does on the show and jensen GLARES and everyone goes WHAT and she says oh no she sounds the same she’s just slower (x)

jensen ended up complaining that the show used a different cars sound than the impalas bc people used to come over expecting his baby to sound like ‘BRUMMMMMMMMM’ and instead it was more ‘PTH bfbfbfbf’ and he said it was embarrassing (x)

They used to use a fake sound for how Baby would start, and Jensen actually begged them to change it to something more similar to how it actually sounds. (x)

Danneel’s mom was calling Jensen’s phone and he actually considered answering it until Danneel gave him THE “no” (x)

Danneel hasn’t driven baby yet and says it smells like a boat Danneel says it doesn’t start like it does on the show. Jensen has just confirmed that it is in fact a boat engine lol . (x)

baby 1 is jensens, baby 3 is jareds, baby 2? stunt car. insanely damaged little gal with all these stunt items on it (x) jensen refuses to remove any scratch or dint from baby or let anyone grease or oil the hinges of the doors !!!! (x)

They had to remove the radio in Baby while they were on SPN because (quoting Jensen) “Jared and I are CHILDREN” (x)

jensens talking about the truck he drives in big sky and how it’s a complete pile of shit and that he couldn’t get the door open and had to use a screw driver in some of the takes to open it (x)

jensen keeps apologising for long answers bc there’s so many people waiting (x)

Some RadioCo cheers for the third album!! (x)

the fan said jensen is a musician and danneel nodded encouragingly (x)

Jensen still stands by the statements that he is “not a musician” and he “has three album to prove it”, and he’s “not an actor, and has fifteen seasons to prove”. Danneel just thinks he’s both. (x)

Relationship with music. Reference to Jensen‘s former answer of „I am not a musician“. How about now? He stands by his comment. Not a musician. He has three albums to prove it. Much like he‘s not an actor. He has 15 seasons to prove it. (x)

Jensen would rather be pretty good at everything than really good at just one thing. (x)

jensens talking about how as a teen he never was super amazing at one thing but he was good at everything in the sense of he was never a star athlete but he could play all the sports and it’s something he’s grateful to be able to dip into different talents and arts (x)

“give everything a try.” advice they give to their kids (x)

They’re trying to teach their kids that they can try anything they want, as long as they possibly can. (x)

Danneel wants Jensen to do another play! (x)

“she was like, jensen you’re gonna do it you’re gonna get it and i was like how do you know? and she said because i know you” (x)

Danneel talked Jensen off the ledge when he was rehearsing for his play years ago. “I was gonna walk, and she just said ‘Jensen, you’re gonna get it’ and Jensen asked ‘how do you know that?’, Danneel said ‘because I know YOU’.” (x)

(chaotic_dean)

jensens talking about his song writing process and how he builds it up through cords and vowels and then words from that and then tell a story through that. so music, melody then lyrics to that (x)

Danneel is so supportive of Jensen - it is really shining through (x)

Jensen about Adam staying in the cage for 10 years: HEY I DIDNT WRITE IT! (x) Jensen praising Jake Abel as an actor, but also as a very genuinely good person. (x)

“As Dean, I would’ve taken Adam under my wing and done my best to connect with him, despite about our father.” (x)

jensen said that dean would've taken adam under his wing and looked after him and that he would've loved to have had adam brought back sooner so they could've flushed out that dynamic more (x)

They have to be very careful about going through the proper channel to get spin-offs developed. (x)

They’re actually talking about giving contacts to people wanting to pitch things. It’s a lot to go through from a legal standpoint but it’s doable. (x)

jensen said they have to be careful legally on how to take fan submissions for shows and how even getting the winchesters took a lot for them. they said the gersh agency is who they’re rep by and that that’s the best way to start” (x)

Jensen and Danneel have to be super careful when listening to pitches legally. Even when they started pitching The Winchesters, they were told to go through the proper channels. They have a special person to do pitches now.(x) Danneel says Supernatural is one of the best fandoms“ and Jensen corrects her that it‘s “THE best fandom”. (x)

jensen says he would do his audition as if it was the last performance of his life. he said if u sit waiting on the callback it’s the worst thing you can do (x) “it’s like if you’re a painter, the more you do, the better you get. build that confidence, build a thick skin, but not too thick that it blocks the world. just the negativity, bring in positivism always!” (x)

What would they tell their younger selves when they started acting? Jensen got the advice that acting is a game in numbers. The more you do it, the better you get. The more you try, the more chances. Every audition was his final performance. Don’t wait for callbacks (x) Same goes for writers and artists. The more you try, the better you get. Build a thick skin, embrace positivity. (x)

“Get a thick skin from negativity, embrace positivity ” (x)

jensen said there’s always a story he wishes he tells at conventions and forgets till after the con now he’s on the spot he can’t remember (x)

Funny story in their back pocket but nobody asked it yet? Jensen has those, but currently forgot them all. He had one yesterday but Danneel forgot it too. „We have three kids.“ (x)

french mistake when we got pitched that episode i remember saying as long as i don’t have to play anyone other than dean winchester you can put me anywhere or call me anything you want, i’m still playing dean because i know where he is and he’s in me (x)

“jared played a lot of variations of sam but i was just dean for most of the series until michael dean or demon dean because i was like NOPE don’t take dean away from me and i’m still like this” (x)

HBO SPN question! Danneel: “Dean would have been able to swear a lot more!” Jensen thinks it would have been actually pretty similar to the Boys. “Watch the Boys, and then put that into SPN, and you’ll have HBO SPN” (x) At the heart of it, it would’ve been the same show.”(x)

Jensen recalling his scene in Lazarus rising - “it was HOT in that box!” It was like being in a sauna underground. And he had to do it twice. (x)

Lazarus Rising. It was summer and it was about 50°C in that box under the earth and Jensen was in it, could barely hear the crew. But thankfully he could hear Kim‘s significant voice through the dirt and neoprene. (x) The hole was cut in the neoprene but dirt on top of it. Jensen didn’t have to do a lot of acting because he was so happy to get out of that hole. Then Kim said „let‘s go again“ and Jensen yelled „fuck you, Kim“. (x) Danneel says that story just gave her so much anxiety and she could never do that. In the scene before, Jensen was in a coffin and they put crumbled oreos instead of dirt. Jensen turned his head and had Oreos in his ears for a week. (x)

“there’s not a lot of directors i’d do that for but i’d pay every dollar to do that for him again” (x)

When talking about Samuel Winchester, Robbie wanted „someone like Tom Welling“ and at some point Robbie asked if Jensen couldn’t just call him. So he did and Tom agreed before Jensen was even done with his pitch. (x)

They actually started refering to Tom as a ‘placeholder’, same build, same age, etc. and then Robbie asked Jensen if Jensen and Tom were keeping in touch, and Jensen was like “yeah! … *realizing* OH”. He then actually called him to ask if he was interested. (x)

He‘s happy that he and Danneel are now in a place where they can call and ask close friends they trust to come in for jobs. Jensen hopes he‘s also one of those people that others trust and call to be on something. (x)

jensen said it before and stands by wishing we got longer time in purgatory says how benny is one of his favourite characters and there’s a reason in atomic monsters he brought benny back and it wasn’t written in the script he just wanted to give a homage to that storyline (x)

When Danneel was first up as Anael, Jensen flew home to be Mr Mom while she worked in Vancouver. A storyline Jensen wanted more of is Purgatory. Benny is one of his fave characters. He called Ty for Atomic Monsters, wasn’t scripted. (x) Second to that is Michael. Danneel: „Because you liked the outfit.“ He did.(x)

How much input do they have into the Winchesters and who’s idea was it to bring Dean back? They both chose Robbie has the writer because they love his writing. Similar story to getting Tom Welling on the show, “I would love to get Robbie! … Oh, I should call Robbie!” (x)

Whose idea was it to bring Dean back? When pitching The Winchesters, he wanted Robbie because he‘s one of his fave writers on SPN. The others all already have successful shows on TV. (x) And then the Ackles told Robbie to „go nuts“. Robbie is a big Dean fan and „wanted to write Dean again“. He wrote the voice over, send it to Jensen. Jensen read it out loud and unconsciously changed words.Robbie took notes. Called it „going through the Dean machine.“ (x) Jensen fake complains again about having to do the 6 page exposition in The Winchesters finale. But it was cathartic to him and fun for him & Robbie. (x)

Robbie was the one who write the Dean voice over and then Jensen would record and add stuff and then go “oh shit did I fucked that up?” And Robbie went “no, you just made it ‘more Dean’!” (x)

Jensen referring to himself and Robbie as the “Deanarrator” (x)

jensen basically said that by episode one and two they both jus sat back and watched and got to see the show unfold thanks to robbie (though jensen loved to be needed to be like HERES WHAT DEAN WOULD DO when asked) (x)

“oh they’re gonna rewrite canon it’s gonna be a DISASTER! then i come in and i’m like lol it’s an alternate universe… SUCK IT!” (x) “which i have to say that opens up a LOT of opportunities guys… a lot! in senses of multiverses… a lot of shows do it, why not us” (x)

Jensen has been trying to get Danneel to come to cons for a while but she always said „no, that’s your thing“ and he replied „it could be your thing too“. (x)

“thank you for being here see y’all real soon! and THANKYOU for making danneels experience amazing she wasn’t sure she thought it was my thing i said it could be her thing too. y’all are AMAZING!” (x)

‘Thank you for making Danneel’s experience amazing - I keep telling her this could be our thing!’ (x)

Jensen just thanked us all for making Danneel’s first experience on stage at a convention fantastic and memorable one and that they will definitely be coming back to the UK (x)

(sbegum77)

#Jensen Ackles #Danneel Ackles #BrightonCon2023 #CR6 #CrossRoads6 #Jensen: Panel Highlights #*

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jadedandconfusedao3 · 6 months ago

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Every Moment Red Letter

Draco had never hated himself more. He had heard of the muggle tales of genies and ifrits, but he thought that was all that they were. Stories. In essence, he knew what would happen if he made a wish. It was just, he thought it was some sort of formal process. Not a hasty word said out of anger.

At least that’s what he tried to tell himself multiple times over the last week, when he expected to find traces of Astoria and broke himself into pieces when she was nowhere to be found. His bedroom was cold and sterile. All the touches and changes she made to his wing of the house were gone. There were no pictures, no knick-knacks, not even a hair-pin lying forgotten in the couch.

He thought that it was just his parents at first. Some kind of detailed obliviate spell that removed all physical mementos, but when he left the house that evening to go drinking with Theo and Blaise, he’d had a harsh realisation. They didn’t remember her either.

He had been feeling good up to that point. Sure, he hadn’t meant to make the wish, but this was what he wanted. He didn’t want to be married anymore. The relationship he had with Astoria was a losing battle. Deep in his bones he knew they weren’t meant for each other, and the visions of all possible futures he saw in the room of paths not taken only further convinced him of this.

But when he realised that the missing memory of her was not limited to his family, dread settled deep in his stomach. He looked for Astoria everywhere. Her parent’s house. Pansy’s. He even tried the beach house her parents owned in Brighton that she said she would have inherited if they hadn’t married.

When he finally stumbled home, he cornered Varek in his study. The smug arsehole was leaning against his desk, casually picking at his cuticles.

“What the fuck did you do?” Draco seethed, his chest rising and falling slowly as he tried to hold back his rage.

Varek glanced up, as if noticing him for the first time. His eyebrows raised in a confused expression. “I did exactly what you asked me to.”

Draco stepped forward and swiped all the objects off his desk, making several slam against the wall, as others smashed to the floor. “Then where is Astoria? I wished I had never been married. At no point did I ask for you to – to –”

“Delete her from existence?” Varek supplied helpfully.

Terror settled in Draco’s stomach. Existence? He had deleted her from existence? He hadn’t hidden her on the other side of the globe. He hadn’t given her a new name and a new life and put her somewhere else. She was gone.

“What?” he whispered in horror.

Varek stood as he rolled his eyes. “You can’t blame me. It wasn’t exactly an easy wish to grant. You are so devoted to your constipated parents that there is no version of you that exists–where events are not too drastically changed–and you don’t marry Astoria. So, in order to make it so that you never had, I had to transition into a version of reality where she never existed in the first place. It was either that or have her die or be murdered at some earlier point in the timeline, and I thought that was a little harsh.”

The man, no creature, was looking at him like he was less than a bug. Something that he could wipe off the bottom of his shoe. Ever since Draco had met the strange and mysterious being, he’d had an intense feeling of dislike for him. A feeling that got worse with every hour he spent in his presence.

Draco stalked forward until he was right in Varek’s face. “And you thought making it so that she had never existed in the first place was a kindness?”

His voice was becoming high and untethered. He knew he needed to get a handle on his anger before he did something he regretted. This creature was powerful. Ridiculously powerful. He had the ability to reorganise time and space with the click of his fingers. It was inconceivable. It shouldn’t have been possible. Magic didn’t work that way.

Varek sighed. “None of her deaths were particularly pleasant. Most involved some kind of painful blood curse that took several agonising years and don’t even get me started about the ones that happened during the war.” He stood a little straighter. “This really was the best option. So, what I should be hearing is thank you.”

Draco saw red. His fist was moving before he had even realised it, aiming straight in the middle of Varek’s smug expression. He fell forward as his hand flew through nothing but air. Scrambling to pull his feet underneath him, he twisted around to find Varek back by the desk looking at him blankly. Draco hadn’t even seen him move.

Varek cleared his throat. “I’m sure that after some time you’ll realise that I really didn’t have a choice. I’ll leave until you calm down.”

With that, he disappeared. In frustration, Draco punched the wall. He wanted to kill him. Astoria was his best friend. They had been through so much together. Both of their parents had placed horrific expectations on them. Both had the weight of countless generations riding on their shoulders. They had pulled each other through it all.

All of that was gone.

He felt physically ill. Lurching toward the bar, he was certain that the only solace he would find would be at the bottom of a bottle. After staring at the whisky and the glass for a significantly long time, he unscrewed the top and took a deep gulp, feeling it burn all the way down. Stumbling out of the office, he made his way to the patio connected to his side of the house.

It seemed so empty now. Mere days after Astoria moved into the manor, she decided this was her favourite place within it. From underneath the branches of the old oak tree you could see the pond at the bottom of the hill, as well as a large portion of the grounds. She used to like to watch the peacocks cavort (attack each other) from where she sat on her deck chair with a coffee or a cocktail.

Now there was nothing there but the tree. He sat down in the dirt with his back against the trunk and looked out over the only thing he had left of her.

Her favourite view.

Read the rest on Ao3.

#dramione #dhr #draco malfoy #hermione granger #tomione #tom riddle #hp fanfic #hp fanfiction

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beardedmrbean · 1 year ago

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A baby whose body was found in a shed spent much of her life being carried in a Lidl "bag for life" while her parents lived "off-grid", a court has heard.

Constance Marten, 36, and Mark Gordon, 49, are on trial for the manslaughter of newborn Victoria, whose body was discovered in March 2023 after a weeks-long search for the family.

Prosecutors said the baby would still be alive if it were not for the "reckless" behaviour of the defendants.

The pair deny the charges.

Outlining the case against the defendants, prosecutor Tom Little KC told jurors the couple previously had four other children, all of whom had been taken into care after extensive involvement from social services.

He said the couple "essentially went off-grid" and lived outside to avoid social services removing their new baby, concealing the pregnancy from family and the health service.

The Old Bailey heard that only the defendants knew the precise date the baby was born, but the prosecution said she appeared to have been born after 28 December 2022.

On 5 January, a car the family had allegedly been travelling in was discovered on fire on a road in Greater Manchester. When it was searched a placenta wrapped in a towel was found inside.

The couple had left before police arrived and a high-risk missing persons inquiry was launched.

Two days later, Mr Little KC told jurors they dumped a buggy in London and "the child was transferred and carried in a Lidl 'bag for life' where it would appear it spent much of its life before it died".

Jurors were told the couple lived in a tent alongside their baby in "freezing and obviously dangerous conditions" - conditions which prosecutors allege ultimately led to her death.

Mr Little KC told jurors Ms Marten and Mr Gordon spent hundreds of pounds on taxi journeys while classed as missing people rather than putting it towards a "roof over their heads and warmth and safety".

He said that by the middle of February 2023 they had been "living rough for over a month", sometimes in "freezing cold, windy and wet" weather, and at one stage the couple were scavenging for food from from bins.

The jury was told Ms Marten - who was not in court to hear the prosecution's opening - did not have a "deprived upbringing" and had "potential access to the money and whatever help she needed".

There was a sighting of Victoria as late as 19 February but the baby was not with Ms Marten and Mr Gordon when they were arrested on 27 February. When officers detained the couple, Ms Marten had what appeared to be stuffing from furniture inside her clothing, and Mr Gordon was still wearing a Christmas jumper.

On 1 March, prosecutors say baby Victoria's body was found in a shed in Brighton in the same Lidl bag she had been seen being carried in, covered in rubbish.

Pathologists have been unable to establish a cause of death.

In a police interview after the body was found, Ms Marten gave conflicting dates for Victoria's death, but said she had fallen asleep sitting up holding the baby in her jacket and awoke to find her dead.

She told officers she kept the body because she wanted an autopsy to be performed, adding: "I've been carrying her around not knowing what to do."

Ms Marten also told police she and Mr Gordon had planned to buy a flat but were recognised when they travelled to London to find one.

She continued: "In order to save [the baby] from the services, then we would have to probably remove ourselves from society till we could find a house"

Mr Gordon told police their situation went "really down really quickly" after their car caught fire with possessions inside.

Ms Marten said in an interview they considered turning themselves in and insisted the baby had adequate clothing to survive outdoors, which the prosecution disputes.

Mr Little KC said the couple had put their relationship and "view of life" above the baby's safety, adding Victoria "would still be alive... if it was not for the reckless, utterly selfish, callous, cruel, arrogant and ultimately grossly negligent conduct of these two defendants".

Ms Marten and Mr Gordon are charged with manslaughter by gross negligence of their baby between 4 January 2023 and 27 February 2023.

The couple are also accused of four other offences : cruelty to their baby; concealment of the baby's birth; causing or allowing her death; and perverting the course of justice by concealing the body.

The trial continues.

#nunyas news #cw: child abuse #cw child death #marked mature

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beirarowling · 4 months ago

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You're disgusting for saying it doesn't happen just because 'you don't see it'.

People keep searching for ways to argue that JK Rowling has always been a horrible person deep down as a way of explaining her recent behaviour.

But here's the thing: that's probably not true at all.

Pretending it is discounts the harsher, scarier truth: that even decent, well-meaning people can be radicalised by dangerous, hateful, predatory groups, and given enough time they can become truly hideous versions of their former selves.

It can happen to me. It can happen to you. It can happen to any of us, given the right mix of circumstances. And over the past few years, we've seen it happen to one of the most famous children's authors of our age.

Nobody is immune.

#trans activism

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kleenexsolutionsau · 8 days ago

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Melbourne Move-Outs: One-Size-Doesn't-Fit-All Vacate Cleaning – A Property-Specific Guide

Melbourne's diverse property landscape, ranging from trendy Fitzroy flats to sprawling Brighton beach houses, demands a tailored approach to vacate cleaning. What works for a compact inner-city apartment simply won't suffice for a multi-story family home by the bay. The nuances of each property type – its size, layout, materials, and the unique challenges it presents – necessitate a customized cleaning plan to ensure a successful bond return (for tenants) or a pristine property for incoming occupants (for landlords). This blog delves into the intricacies of vacate cleaning across Melbourne's diverse neighborhoods, highlighting the importance of property-specific strategies to achieve optimal results. Understanding these variations is crucial for anyone facing the end of a lease. Whether you're a tenant aiming for a full bond refund or a landlord preparing for new occupants, a tailored approach is key.

Fitzroy Flats: Conquering Compact Spaces

Fitzroy's trendy flats often present unique challenges due to their compact size and historical architecture. Dust accumulation in tight corners, grime build-up in vintage bathrooms, and limited ventilation are common concerns. A successful vacate clean requires meticulous attention to detail. Focus on thoroughly cleaning all surfaces, paying particular attention to kitchens and bathrooms. Ensure that all appliances are spotless, and that any lingering odors are eliminated. With Melbourne's rental market being what it is, ensuring that tenants are happy with how their property looks is paramount. Many residents often find themselves looking for Vacate Cleaning Service Melbourne, to guarantee their bond refund. Choosing the right service and one that can perform a targeted clean to specific needs is a must.

Brighton Beach Houses: Addressing Coastal Challenges

Brighton's stunning beach houses face a different set of hurdles. Salt spray, sand accumulation, and the wear-and-tear associated with coastal living require a specialized cleaning approach. Windows are particularly vulnerable to salt residue, demanding professional cleaning to restore their clarity. Decks and outdoor areas require thorough pressure washing to remove accumulated sand and grime. Interior cleaning must address potential mould growth and the lingering effects of humidity. To combat these issues, engaging a reputable Window Cleaning Services Melbourne company is advisable. These experts possess the necessary equipment and cleaning solutions to effectively remove stubborn salt deposits and restore your view.

Suburban Family Homes: Tackling Volume and Wear

Suburban family homes, common in areas like Glen Waverley or Doncaster, often present the challenge of sheer volume. Larger living spaces, multiple bedrooms and bathrooms, and expansive outdoor areas require a strategic and efficient cleaning plan. Focus on prioritizing high-traffic areas, thoroughly cleaning carpets and upholstery, and addressing any signs of wear and tear. Ensure that all appliances are spotless, and that the kitchen and bathrooms are thoroughly sanitized. For landlords preparing a property for new tenants, the look and feel of the space upon arrival can dramatically impact the tenant's overall impression of the property. Regular Office Cleaning Melbourne is also often useful for landlords, to keep their rental properties maintained throughout the year.

Apartment Complexes: Navigating Building Regulations and Common Areas

Vacating an apartment in a large complex, common in Southbank or Docklands, involves navigating building regulations and adhering to specific cleaning requirements for common areas. Be sure to review the building's by-laws and cleaning checklist before commencing your vacate clean. Pay particular attention to balcony areas, which often require specific cleaning protocols. Ensure that you leave the apartment in a condition that meets the building's standards to avoid any penalties or deductions from your bond.

The Importance of Tailored Cleaning Checklists

To ensure a successful vacate clean, regardless of property type, it's essential to develop a tailored cleaning checklist that addresses the specific needs of the property. This checklist should include:

Kitchen: Cleaning all appliances, surfaces, and floors; removing grease and grime; and sanitizing all food preparation areas.

Bathrooms: Cleaning and sanitizing all fixtures, surfaces, and floors; removing mould and mildew; and polishing mirrors and glass.

Bedrooms: Vacuuming or mopping floors; dusting all surfaces; and cleaning windows and mirrors.

Living Areas: Vacuuming or mopping floors; dusting all surfaces; cleaning windows and mirrors; and removing cobwebs.

Outdoor Areas: Sweeping or pressure washing decks and patios; removing debris; and cleaning windows.

DIY vs. Professional Vacate Cleaning

While DIY vacate cleaning is an option, it often proves to be time-consuming, stressful, and potentially less effective than professional services. Professional vacate cleaners possess the expertise, equipment, and cleaning solutions to achieve a thorough and efficient clean, ensuring a successful bond return or a pristine property for new occupants. The cost of professional vacate cleaning is often offset by the time saved, the reduced stress, and the increased likelihood of a full bond refund.

Melbourne's diverse property landscape demands a tailored approach to vacate cleaning. From Fitzroy flats to Brighton beach houses, each property type presents unique challenges that require a customized cleaning plan. Whether you're a tenant or a landlord, understanding these variations is crucial for achieving optimal results. At Kleenex Solutions, we offer customized vacate cleaning services throughout Melbourne, tailored to the specific needs of your property. Contact us today to discuss your cleaning requirements and receive a free quote. Let us help you ensure a smooth and stress-free move-out experience!

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hairrestorationcapital · 2 months ago

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Best Hair Transplant in Brighton - A Comprehensive Guide

Hair transplant procedures have become a popular solution for individuals facing hair loss. Brighton, known for its vibrant culture and professional medical services, offers several clinics specializing in hair restoration treatments. This guide explores the best hair transplant options in Brighton, the procedures available, and what makes these clinics stand out.

Why Choose Brighton for Hair Transplants?

Best hair transplant in Brighton is home to some of the UK's leading hair transplant clinics. The city combines advanced medical expertise with a welcoming environment, making it an excellent choice for individuals seeking professional hair restoration. Here's why Brighton is a top destination:

Experienced Specialists: Many clinics in Brighton are staffed with highly trained and certified surgeons specializing in hair restoration.

Cutting-Edge Technology: Clinics utilize the latest techniques, including Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) and Direct Hair Implantation (DHI).

Patient-Centric Care: Brighton clinics are renowned for personalized treatment plans and thorough consultations.

Accessible Location: Located on the south coast, Brighton is easy to reach and offers a pleasant atmosphere for recovery.

Top Hair Transplant Clinics in Brighton

The Brighton Hair Restoration Centre

Specialization: FUE and FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation) procedures.

Key Features:

Free initial consultation.

Experienced surgeons with a high success rate.

Comprehensive aftercare services.

Why Choose Them? Their commitment to natural-looking results and personalized plans sets them apart.

Sussex Hair Clinic

Specialization: Non-surgical and surgical hair restoration, including PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) therapy.

Key Features:

Advanced diagnostic tools.

Affordable financing options.

Friendly, experienced staff.

Why Choose Them? They offer holistic solutions for hair restoration, combining advanced technology with patient comfort.

Brighton Hair Transplant Specialists

Specialization: DHI and FUE methods.

Key Features:

State-of-the-art facilities.

Expertise in treating both men and women.

Custom-tailored transplant designs.

Why Choose Them? Their emphasis on minimal downtime and precision makes them a favorite among patients.

Popular Hair Transplant Techniques

Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE)

Minimally invasive technique.

Individual hair follicles are extracted and transplanted.

Short recovery time and minimal scarring.

Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT)

Strip of scalp removed to harvest follicles.

Suitable for covering larger areas of baldness.

Provides a high density of transplanted hair.

Direct Hair Implantation (DHI)

Advanced version of FUE.

Hair follicles are implanted directly without creating recipient sites.

Results in a more natural appearance.

What to Expect During the Procedure

Consultation:

Assessment of hair loss and scalp condition.

Discussion of goals and expectations.

Development of a customized treatment plan.

Procedure:

Local anesthesia is applied for comfort.

Hair follicles are extracted and implanted.

Procedure duration ranges from 4–8 hours, depending on the method and area.

Aftercare:

Avoid strenuous activities for a few days.

Follow a prescribed hair care regimen.

Regular follow-ups to monitor progress.

Many clinics offer financing options to make the procedures more accessible.

Conclusion

Brighton boasts some of the best hair transplant clinics in the UK, offering state-of-the-art procedures tailored to individual needs. With expert surgeons, advanced technology, and exceptional patient care, Brighton is an ideal destination for anyone looking to restore their hair and confidence. Whether you opt for FUE, FUT, or DHI, you can trust Brighton’s specialists to deliver outstanding results.

Capital Hair Restoration - Hair Transplant Address: 3rd Floor, Queensberry House, 106 Queens Rd, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN1 3XF Phone: 020 8088 2393

#HairTransplantBrighton

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sacredtabby · 3 months ago

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St. Wulfram's Church

Portfolio Entry 4

In the small town of Grantham which sits at about 45,000 people in all, there is St. Wulfram’s Church. St. Wulfram’s Church is an Anglican parish church that can hold up to 700 people in seating. St Wulfram’s was built in the early 1300s. The church was built with the riches from wool merchants in the community, and in the 1860s, the church was restored but the original furniture that had been in the building had been sold and removed for reasons unknown. The church holds many events other than just mass, including: a beer festival and a Christmas tree festival which includes a synthetic ice rink inside for people to skate on. The building follows the Medieval style of architecture because of the spire, the arched columns, and stained glass windows, and although the church doesn’t have flying buttresses, it has a similar technique called pinnacles. The stained glass in the church is Victorian. There was a big restoration of the church, which was accomplished by George Gilbert Scott, who was known for being an English Gothic Revival architect who was buried in Westminster Abbey. Following the major fire outbreak on the church, George Gilbert Scott helped restore the church by removing box pews and galleries, the roofs were replaced, and choir stalls were constructed. The spire on the church is very tall, reaching about 274 feet; the church with the spire is the sixth tallest in the country of England and the third tallest of any parish church.

Although the town is known for being the birthplace of both Margaret Thatcher and Isaac Newton, the church has no significant burials. There is a churchyard for burials there, but there isn’t much information on anything to do with burials at the church. Anglican is a largely popular denomination in the Church of England, housing about 85 million members. Two main beliefs of an Anglican church include the belief that one God exists within three entities: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as well as the fact that Jesus Christ is God and human.

The church itself is small but beautiful. Coming from America where most churches are weird, modernized, block buildings, it is always fascinating seeing beautiful churches in England. I’ve mostly experienced cathedrals, which are always going to be grand buildings with tons of intricate parts to the architecture but St. Wulfram’s church isn't a cathedral but continues to be very breathtaking. By exploring the church, it is easy to find out that there is more to it than what it seems. Following up a narrow spiral staircase, there is a library which happens to be the first public library in England. The library holds a giant version of the Bible, along with over 80 volumes attached to the shelves by chains to keep the library historical and untouched by thieves.

The area around the church is pretty urban, although not as urban as previous places I have explored and written about. The area seems kind of secluded and quiet, as opposed to Westminster Abbey. The reserved sacrament is kept in the crypt, which is located downstairs near the middle of the church. The crypt also holds a shrine for St Wulfram. St. Wulfram was a French priest and had one other church in England in his name called St. Wulfran’s church (for some reason the church is spelled with an “n” rather than an “m”) based in Ovingdean in Brighton and Hove. Other than the two churches dedicated to him in England, he has two in France as well; Collegiate Church of Saint-Vulfran in Abbeville and Church in Butot are the two French churches in his name, where he converted Frisians to Christianity.

The church has an organ that fills the entire building with sound because of the secondary ventilation system that makes the sound travel from not only by the instrument itself, but also out further into the church. In a photo seen above, you can see the organ which has the words “Landair rum in chords ef Organo” which in English translates to “Landair rum in the chords of the organ”. Most Anglican churches have pipe organs in them, including St. Wulfram’s Church. Organs are used in churches to be able to aid the public in singing their songs and hymns to express their love and emotions to God and to seek and give support to their peers in worship music.

Overall, the church is small and doesn’t have as many huge architectural breakthroughs like La Sagrada Familia, but it is beautiful in a small, quaint, and sacred way. The church doesn’t have to be a cathedral to be sacred, but it has to celebrate religion in a respectful way and has a way of making people believe that it is a holy and worthy place of their worship. The interior and exterior both contribute to the overall sacred feeling of the building by not only using the key features of a medieval structure, but also the atmosphere itself aids in the safety that people feel to worship a higher power.

#medieval #grantham #england #united kingdom #anglican #church #lincolnshire

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windowcleaningmelb · 4 months ago

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Why Window Cleaning in Toorak is Essential for a Beautiful, Welcoming Home?

Every home needs windows because they let in the right amount of light and air, and clean windows enhance the aesthetics of the property. To make the house seem nice, window cleaning in Toorak is necessary, and experts have the right tools for the job. Professionals utilise boom lifts and water poles to make the windows appear immaculately clean. Professionals provide assured quality assurance since they recognise that consumers may have reservations regarding the calibre of the work.

By eliminating dirt, debris, and pollutants, pressure cleaning in Brighton is a useful technique for revitalising a variety of outdoor surfaces. It not only makes patios, decks, and driveways look better, but it also prolongs their lifespan by acting as a preventative maintenance measure. The accumulation of mould and mildew, which may be detrimental to one's health, can be avoided with routine pressure washing. A pressure cleaning service is an affordable approach to preserve the curb appeal and value of a house.

For companies to remain presentable and professional, commercial window washing is essential. Clean windows create a powerful first impression on clients and consumers, regardless of the size of the building—a modest retail store or a multi-story office complex. Expert services minimise delays to everyday operations while guaranteeing adherence to all safety regulations. Commercial window washing helps businesses stand out by keeping their spaces clean and well-maintained, and their highly trained crew guarantees results.

Because all the waste is gone after construction or restoration, after-building cleaning services make it easier for people to move into a facility. Following the completion of the building project, these services include the removal of dust, debris, and other items that were left behind. To guarantee that the area is pristine and usable, professional teams provide in-depth and meticulous cleaning. For both residential and commercial establishments, after-build cleaning services are essential to establishing a hygienic, secure, and welcoming space. Water can leak into the home and cause damage if the gutters are not inspected for an extended period of time.

Similar to this, gutters must be cleaned on a regular basis to ensure that rainfall flows properly and to prevent damage to the house's walls and foundation. Make your home or place of business seem stunningly lovely by getting in touch with the top firms that provide window and other cleaning services.

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#window cleaning toorak #pressure cleaning brighton

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scots-gallivanter · 4 months ago

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FIFTEEN

You can have your Greek islands, son. Girvan had one of the cleanest beaches you’d get. And sometimes you could count two dozen fishing boats hooked up to the pier, and boxes stacked sky high. On top of that you’d Paddy’s Milestone out on the water. What more could you want? Rare chips they were, into the bargain?

Andy Campbell, my grandfather (c. 1980)

THE SKY IS a tall, bright, nippy blue now, cracking to white at the edges. There is a soft marine roar, and I smell seaweed. Girvan’s gulls wheel about in their yellings today. Glaswegians used to sail ‘doon the watter’ for their summer sojourn in places such as Girvan, where they got to spend the weekend wearing Kiss Me Quick hats and feasting on candy floss. They fired guns with twisted barrels, rode on the dodgems, posed for Kodak cameras on the waltzers, and tried their luck at the slots. There were donkey rides on the sand, helter skelter, crazy golf, wall-to-wall one-armed bandits à la Brighton, a paddling pool and boat trips; and an attractive indoor swimming pool was built in 1972.

When Robert Heron travelled through Ayrshire, he saw low huts more like ‘caves dug in the earth than houses built upon it’, and there was no room at the inn for him.

‘Some whisky was brought us which tasted strongly of turpentine; and some pease bannock too tough to be eaten,’ he wrote in his Observations made on a journey through the Western Counties of Scotland (1793).

The coming of the railways in the 1850s made the Ayrshire coast more accessible to the central belt and encouraged the development of Girvan as a seaside resort with sandy beaches, cliffs and craggy outcrops. And it became prosperous enough. It isn’t Dodge City yet, but it is no longer flourishing: in 2021 its high street was voted the worst of 1,000 high streets and town centres in the UK. The survey was undertaken by a retail real estate consultancy, which publishes a ranking every two years and bases its conclusions on shop vacancy rates, and the number of discount stores and ‘low value’ units like bookmakers. They call it their ‘vitality ranking’.

And yet Girvan, at least the site of it, was once the location of Knockushion (the Hill of Justice), the courts of the ancient jurisdiction of Carrick, where Robert the Bruce judged, ruled, and granted charters. (Ironically, the motte hill that once marked the region’s importance is long lost to town development. However, in the 1960s the pillar that marked the site was removed to the public gardens of Knockushion House in Knockushion Street and restored.)

From Girvan harbour today we have a ringside view of Paddy’s Milestone. Ailsa Craig, its Sunday name, is a volcanic pluton that looks both comical and creepy. It sits on the meniscus of the Atlantic, halfway between Belfast and Glasgow as the seagull flies: a giant Christmas pudding or a sinking oil rig, or the head of some monster emerging from the deep. The ancients believed witches had dropped Ailsa Craig from the sky. Heron found it ‘covered on the summit with verdure; having a well of fresh water; stocked with goats and rabbits; and frequented by innumerable sea fowls’. Keats wrote a sonnet about this ‘craggy ocean pyramid’ with its ‘sea fowls’ screams’. His editor, Lord Houghton ventured: ‘That fine object appeared first to them [Keats and his companion, Brown] in the full sunlight like a transparent tortoise asleep upon the calm waters; then as they advanced, displaying its lofty shoulders, and as they still went on, losing its distinctness in the mountains of Arran and the hills of Cantire that rose behind it.’

Sadly, Burns, though an Ayrshire man, only mentioned Ailsa Craig in passing (his Duncan Grey tells us, Meg was ‘deaf as Ailsa Craig’). It is said, though, that, when he married Jean Armour, Burns ordered bird feathers from the island for a new bed. In Sweeney Astray – Seamus Heaney’s translation of an ancient Irish legend – Suibhe, a king of Dalriada, is cursed by St Ronan and is destined to fly around the world naked and insane. He spends upwards of a month on Ailsa Craig lamenting the absurdity of life:

‘I tread the slop/ And foam of beds, / Unlooked for,

Penitential/, And imagine treelines/ Somewhere beyond,

A banked-up, soothing, / Wooded haze.’

Ailsa is a sanctuary for many thousands of guillemots, fulmars, kittiwakes and razorbills. It has Europe’s largest gannet colony. Puffins used to be abundant, and they are making a comeback after the descendants of rats that had swum across from a Swedish cargo ship that foundered in 1971 were destroyed in the 1990s.

The island was owned by Crossraguel Abbey in the early 1400s, and misbehaving monks were banished from there to here to reflect on their deeds. There’s a ruined castle on Ailsa too that was built by the Hamilton clan as a bulwark against the Spanish armada. It became a haven for Roman Catholics escaping the rigours of the Reformation, and later a prison. Granite was mined on Ailsa Craig from the early 1800s until 1971 for kerb stones and curling stones. (One factory in Mauchline, Ayrshire, is licensed to extract from here; and Wales is the only other source of the microgranite that goes into the business end of curling stones.)

Ailsa is now uninhabited, a ghost of an island occasionally explored by tourists from the mainland, who come to look from somewhere that is used to being looked at. They come in small pleasure boats that ply from Girvan, Ballantrae and further afield. When you land, you’re in for an afternoon in an open-air museum that fluctuates from forlorn to fascinating.

A derelict winching station, windowless. The ruins of the engine room for past quarrying works. All seized up. A capstan left to disintegrate. Rusted skeletons of old rail track with their weathered sleepers. The bones of a bogie line heavily weeded; they hauled coal along it to the lighthouse (now solar-powered).

A branch line leads to a disused gasworks, eaten by rust. The tracksman’s house is crumbling. The foghorns are long voiceless. No visitor should underestimate the climb to the summit of the Craig. The drops are steep and deep, and I’ve just read that a young lady once fell over the cliff near Craig Na’an; but her petticoat caught the wind and acted as a parachute. All she sustained was broken bones.

The island has changed hands several times: the late Jack Bruce, who was bassist with Cream, bought Ailsa Craig in 1969, but sold it to James Gulliver, the retail baron, in 1976. The Marquis of Ailsa put it up for sale in 2014 but couldn’t get a buyer. The RSPB now has a lease on it until 2050, and Glasgow businessman Bobby Sandhu owns the lighthouse keepers’ cottages. The authorities turned down his plan to turn Ailsa Craig into a five-star hotel complex!

As I look at alluring Ailsa from Girvan seafront, I wonder what my grandfather would have made of it all. A lot has changed ‘doon the watter’. Like Saltcoats, Rothesay, and other once-popular resorts along the Clyde coast, Girvan’s fortunes declined in the 1960s and 1970s when cheap holidays to Spain and Greece became fashionable. The swimming pool closed suddenly in 2009 and was then, without consultation, demolished, although a multi-million-pound leisure centre with a pool went up eight years later.

There is hope for regeneration. As I write, Girvan is one of eight communities in Scotland that will receive a total of £863,050 from Historic Environment Scotland and the National Lottery Heritage Fund for regeneration. Girvan hosts a traditional folk festival on the first weekend of May each year, a festival of light with a lantern procession and shorefront performance in October, and a Lowland Gathering in June. I thought I’d read on the chippie notice board that a psycho event would be held as part of that gathering, but it had stated ‘psychic’.

In an article in The Herald in 2015 Kevin McKenna argued that the beachfront was slowly coming alive again with concerts, dances and themed children’s shows:

‘Perhaps then, someone could wake up the staff of sleepy VisitScotland, which receives millions of pounds of our cash to promote our holiday destinations. On its website this is what it says about Girvan: ‘Girvan’s attractions include the Stumpy Tower, originally built as a prison and today displays fascinating historical exhibits. The McKechnie Institute is also found in Girvan’s town centre, as is a variety of restaurants, cafes and shops to enjoy’ The writer of that scrap of joyless, cheerless prose obviously got the job after several years working on Tirana: The Wilderness Years.’

Come back, Fifth Dimension, all is forgiven. Staid Girvan landed that strange tourist attraction in the Flower Power days. In 1969 Keith Albarn, the father of Blur’s Damon Albarn, designed a futuristic, fibreglass fun house. There had been several possible names for the black, blue, yellow, red and salmon-pink construction, including Coloured Plastic Dream, Dream Circus, Metal Orchid, and even Girvana. Tourists were apparently bedazzled and enthralled by the nod to psychedelia, and by a hippie environment of uncanny sounds, weird textures, glowing lights and fabulous colours within a series of sensory chambers or ‘wombs’. In a vox pop in the summer of ’69, one young woman told the Carrick Herald that she had been ‘a little nervous about what I might encounter in this weird place. I looked up and, to my great amazement, saw what looked to be a dalek … I continued to walk through these narrow passages which were lit up colourfully and I had a feeling of wonder and fear mingled together … I didn’t really know whether I was glad or not to get out’.

Another offered: ‘It looks ludicrous. No wonder the older people turn to each other and say, more teenage rubbish’.

Yet another respondent thought: ‘It looked like something out of Doctor Who or Quatermass, an alien craft which had landed from a parallel universe … I put off going inside it, mainly because it looked like it would be an overwhelming experience, something that would blow your mind … my [older] brother Alex had been round it by himself and came out crying!’

The Fifth Dimension Fun Palace lasted five years: a storm damaged it beyond repair, and it was consigned to landfill. In an article for the Shetland Times in 2012 Tom Morton, a native of Ayrshire, reported: ‘It was like Dark Side of the Moon made out of Lego, with soft furnishings by Timothy Leary. Two bob to get in. At 14, I was absolutely fascinated by it.

Two birds of the seagull family dive round a postbox as I wait for a bus out of Dodge. Onto the box a loyal burgher is duct-taping two crocheted effigies of Charles and Camilla. I watch one of the gulls ratch through a KFC carton. I wonder what my grandfather would have made of it all. I leave Girvan to its coronating.

#girvan #ailsa craig #ayrshire #crossraguel abbey #knockushion #seamus heaney #jack bruce #fun palace #fifth dimension #keith albarn

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