#shes the only one in waterboy with the range

[benstillers]

adam sandler? 😭

its literally so bad dude. ive seen every movie he features in and i just have to work thru rob s's "comedies" and then the standup and ive seen it all.. ive watched interviews ive read articles i dont even really like the guy? like. hes done some very questionable comedy. but for some reason...

[bisexualbumblebee-writes]

Saturnalia- Marcus Gallo x OC

Marcus Gallo x Karisa Antila

Description: Karisa invites Marcus and Stylax to Flavia’s house for her Saturnalia party, and the night ends unexpectedly better than she and Marcus thought. 

Word Count: 2k

“Morning boys,” Karisa called as she entered Stylax and Marcus’ workroom. Aurelius (the waterboy), who had been talking to the boys about something rather embarrassing, whipped around with a deep blush on his face, nearly splashing the entire pitcher of water on her is Marcus hadn’t grabbed her arm from his spot at the table and yanked her to the side. 

“Gods, Aurelius,” she exhaled exasperatedly. “Watch where you swing your pitcher,” she demanded, smacking Stylax’s arm when he snorted at the double entendre of her words. 

“Sorry Miss Karisa,” Aurelius mumbled, looking down embarrassed. “I’ll uh, go fetch some more water.” He left without looking at any of them, and once he was out of hearing range Stylax and Marcus burst out laughing. 

“Man, that never gets old,” Marcus snickered. Karisa rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. 

“You guys are so mean to him,” she muttered with a shake of her head. 

“You’re only saying that because you pity him,” Stylax accused in response. 

“Am not,” the girl responded defensively. 

“Are too,” he retorted. Marcus didn’t let their bickering continue as he looked at the girl. 

“Anyways Karisa, to what do we owe the pleasure of having you down here for?” He inquired, leaning his head in his palm. Karisa seemed to remember why she had come down there and perked up. 

“Ah, right. Well, Flavia is very busy today, but she wanted me to invite you guys to a party she’s throwing at her place.” 

“Party?” Stylax repeated confusedly. 

“Invite us?” Marcus added in the same tone. 

“Well, she’s inviting all the staff, but she asked me to do it since she has several meetings today that she needed to prepare for,” Karisa explained. “It’s for Saturnalia and there are supposed to be some reputable guests attending that she wants all the staff to meet.” 

“I don’t know Karisa,” Marcus trailed off slowly, looking down at the table awkwardly. A small, knowing smile settled on the girl’s face and she leaned down a bit. 

 “Cynthia said she may be there,” she mentioned in a sing-song voice. That, of course, caught Marcus’ attention and he brightened a bit. 

“Really?” He asked. It almost made Karisa’s heart break, knowing how much Marcus fancied Cynthia. Nevertheless, she nodded cheerfully. 

“At least she said she would last time we spoke,” she added quickly. 

“Yeah, I’ll be there then,” Marcus finally agreed happily. Karisa giggled then nodded before looking at Stylax for his answer. 

“You think she’d let me bring Helena?” He inquired, to which Karisa shrugged. 

“I don’t see why not. Lotus will be there so I doubt Helena wouldn’t be too far behind.” 

“Then yeah,” the man shrugged. “What time does it start?”

“Around 8:00, but just come whenever you want.” The boys nodded, and Karisa wished them a quick bye before heading back to Flavia’s office. 

At nearly midnight the party was still going great. People were laughing, talking, eating and some were even dancing, everyone was having a great time. Karisa could tell by the look on Flavia’s face that they had at least a few well off customers in the future. The only person she could see that wasn’t having fun was Marcus. In fact, she hadn’t even seen him since he first arrived. Surely he hadn’t decided to leave already? After searching for nearly ten minutes, she finally found him on the edge of the back porch with a drink in his hand. She closed the back door behind her, muffling the music and chatter inside, before walking over to him. 

“Not to toot my own horn or anything but I decorated the house nicely. You’re missing a pretty fun party inside,” she informed him with a small smile as she took a seat on his right side. “What’re you doing out here by yourself?” The boy sighed and looked at his lap. 

“Cynthia didn’t come,” he muttered quietly, shocking Karisa. 

“Wait what?” She questioned with wide eyes. Marcus nodded, still not looking at her. 

“Yeah, Helena stopped by her flat before she and Stylax came here. Cynthia said that parties weren’t her thing and she didn’t want to go after all,” he explained. Karisa’s heart broke yet again, but this time for a different reason. 

“Oh Marcus, I’m so sorry,” she muttered genuinely. “I really thought she would have come, she’d been talking about it ever since I mentioned it.” 

“It’s fine Karisa,” he attempted to dismiss her apology. 

“No, it isn’t,” Karisa shook her head. “I made you come to this party for nothing, what kind of friend am I?”

“A good one either way,” Marcus responded simply. The girl sighed then shook her head. 

“Still.” After she finished talking, she watched him grab something from his left side. 

“I was gonna give her this,” he added, holding up a white Lily. “Guess it’s all for naught though.” His hand dropped to his lap, flower still in hand. The girl debated on what to do next, ultimately deciding to pick up the flower and place it in her hair. 

“How do I look?” She asked with a playful smile. Marcus looked at her and a smile tugged at his lips. 

“Amazing,” he responded. Karisa tried not to take his compliment to heart. 

“Then it’s not all for naught,” she said simply. “That way it doesn’t go to waste and you have someone to give it to. Though I can’t say I’m a good replacement for Cynthia.” At her name, Marcus’s shoulders dropped a bit, so Karisa continued. 

“Marcus if you don’t want to be here, no one’s forcing you. In fact I’ve already seen people begin to leave. You should probably get home.” Marcus nodded after a moment and sighed before standing. 

“Do you want me to walk you home?” He inquired. Karisa shot him a thankful smile but shook her head. 

“Flavia has me on cleanup duty when the party’s over. It’s not a long walk home for me anyways,” she responded. 

“Alright then, goodnight Karisa.” 

“Goodnight Marcus, tell Grumio I said hello.”

“Will do,” Marcus replied, watching for a moment as she turned back to the evening sky while her drink swirled in her hand. He left shortly after then walked the thirty or so minutes back to his flat. 

“Hey Grumio,” he greeted upon arriving, looking dejected. 

“What’s wrong?” The servant asked, immediately noticing his friend’s mood. 

“She didn’t go to the party,” Marcus sighed, plopping down beside Grumio. 

“Really?” He questioned, sounding genuinely surprised. “She told me she was gonna tell you about her feelings tonight.” Marcus’ eyes widened and his eyes snapped to his friend. 

“She was?” He asked, sounding as alarmed as he looked. Grumio shrugged nonchalantly and nodded. 

“You shoulda seen her the past week,” he added before putting on a horrible girly voice. “Marcus likes Cynthia, and if he’s happy I’m happy. Who am I to get between him and who he wants?” He mimicked before huffing and leaning back in his seat. “I only just convinced her to talk to you two days ago. Guess the pep talk was for nothing in the end then.” Marcus’ eyebrows knit together in confusion. Why would Cynthia refer to herself in third person? No offense to her, but he was pretty sure she wasn’t smart enough to even understand that point of view. Unless…unless they weren’t talking about her. 

“Grumio, who do you think we’re talking about?” He questioned slowly. 

“Karisa,” Grumio answered with a shrug. “Who else?” 

“Karisa likes me?” Marcus asked, looking absolutely blown away. 

“Course she does, keep up, would ya?” The man responded, none the wiser to Marcus’s discovery. 

“For how long?” 

“Almost since you moved here. Why?” Marcus didn’t answer, but instead leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. His mind was reeling as he looked back on their relationship. All the compassion, the friendly gestures, the looks she always gave him. It was because Karisa fancied him? It felt like something awakened in Marcus, and he was standing before his mind could catch up. 

 “I’ll be back,” he informed Grumio, already heading to the door. 

“It’s nearly 2:00 a.m.” his friend pointed out confusedly, but Marcus didn’t listen. His mind continued to run as his feet moved on their own accord, seeming as if they already knew where to go. Nearly half an hour later he was on Karisa’s doorstep knocking on her door. He saw a light emit from the living room window, signaling that a candle had been lit. That means she’s awake, Marcus thought. Just a second later the door opened and Karisa poked her head out, looking confused. Not that he could blame her of course, it was 2:00 a.m. and he was randomly on her doorstep. She still had the flower in her hair, which meant she hadn’t gone to bed yet, so he felt a bit better about this. 

“Marcus? What are you doing here?” She questioned tiredly. “Is something wrong?” Marcus only stood there at first, trying to figure out how to go about this. Ultimately, he threw caution to the wind and stepped closer to her. Before she could question him again his hands grabbed the back of her neck and pushed her towards him in a kiss. It was rather messy at first, since Karisa hadn’t expected such a move. Once she melted into the kiss thigh, it was like heaven on earth. Unfortunately, the girl had to pull away just a second later for air. 

“I’m an idiot,” Marcus mumbled low enough for only her to hear despite them being alone outside, eyes still closed.  

“What are you talking about?” Karisa inquired breathlessly as she stared at him. 

“For not realizing what was in front of me all along,” he explained, a bit louder this time. “Grumio told me what you said to him, I’m an idiot for going after someone when there was an amazing girl by my side the entire time.” Karisa blushed and she had an internal debate on whether to thank Grumio or kill him. 

"I didn’t mind the wait,” she responded softly. His eyes opened once more and he stared into her eyes, an adoring grin painting his lips. 

“Well now you don’t have to wait,” he spoke before kissing her once more. “Not anymore. Now that my eyes are finally open.” Karisa bit her lip and nodded hesitantly, which made Marcus worry. 

“What is it?” He questioned. 

“I don’t want to be a rebound for Cynthia,” she answered quietly, almost as if she didn’t want him to hear it. 

“Oh Karisa,” he breathed out softly. “I would never do that to you. I’m here because I love you and you love me too. That’s all that matters: us.” Karisa looked comforted by his words and a smile appeared on her face once more. 

“Okay,” she muttered. “Would uh, would you like to come in? It’s late and I know it’s a pretty far walk back to your house.” 

“I thought you’d never ask,” Marcus sighed in relief, Karisa giggling afterwards as she led him inside. “After pretty much running all the way here my feet are killing me.” Her eyes widened and she faced him after closing the door behind them. 

“You ran all the way here at this hour? Why didn’t you just come in the morning?” She asked bewildered. 

“I couldn’t wait, and I don’t think I can keep you waiting,” he explained coyly, which made the girl’s heart melt. 

“Well now that you’re here, how about we get some rest?” She inquired, already heading to her bedroom. Marcus followed her immediately and the two settled into bed in a spooning position. Karisa intertwined her hand with Marcus’ that laid over her waist. 

“Did you have a good Saturnalia?” She inquired after a few minutes of complete silence. Marcus opened his eyes and smiled at the back of her head lovingly. 

“With you? Always.”

[daybreak-academy-fanfic]

Daybreak Academy: Chapter 34

Good Grief, Girl!

Summary: In which Skuld and April sit through callbacks. Word Count: 1,503 First | Previous | Next ☆ ⚬ ☆ ⚬ ☆ ⚬ ☆ ⚬ ☆ ⚬ ☆ ⚬ ☆ ⚬ ☆ ⚬ ☆

Already two days in, and this play was a total disaster. Skuld had been the only volunteered director to show up- she immediately set out to work despite this. No use whining about a bunch of people who couldn't keep a commitment.

To make things worse, the callbacks were possibly the worst planned part of the play. Most of the time, the actors were chosen before the play was even written. This then lead to either a shortage of actors or actors that were less than qualified to act their roles. Not this year. Not with Skuld making sure that the writers of the play started work right after the formal.

The initial scripts had looked pretty good- Skuld was able to get the main characteristics of each role for use during the callbacks. She just hoped that it wouldn't change too much in the writers' second revision. In fact, she even told the script writers that they were not allowed to add any characters, or change their basic descriptions and personalities at all. It would nip that actor shortage problem right in the bud. If you couldn't make a reasonable play with a set list of characters, were you even a good writer?

Skuld shifted through the consistently growing dossier she had complied of notes and reminders for the play. Trying to figure out the script was only the first part. Today the callbacks were being held in the main section of the auditorium. This wasn't the best second step, but it would do.

As Skuld entered the auditorium, Mrs. Tremaine was already setting up a spot to sit at. The musical director noticed Skuld before the girl could notice the teacher.

“Is it just you?” Ms. Tremaine curiously asked. It wasn't unusual for only one director to show up for callbacks, so Skuld found the question as a rhetoric. Regardless, she wasn't going to be rude to a teacher, so the girl gave Ms. Tremaine a nod.

“There's a lot to do this year.” Skuld grumbled as she took a seat. This answer seemed to assure the musical director as she nodded back.

“Every year feels like that.” the older teacher agreed as she sat next to Skuld. In curiosity, Ms. Tremaine caught a glimpse of Skuld's dossier. A smirk crossed her face as she looked back at Skuld. “I assume you've got an impressive game plan?”

Skuld gave the teacher a nod as she pulled out a small envelope filled with note cards. “I have character notes.” she absently announced, handing the stack to Ms. Tremaine. The older teacher raised an eyebrow before taking the note cards. Her face soon twisted into an expression boarding both amusement and surprise.

“Good grief, girl,” she remarked- her voice sounding just as conflicted. “They're color coordinated!”

“And alphabetized.”

Ms. Tremaine then shot Skuld an unreadable look. Based off the character notes, all of them had been written in Skuld's handwriting. Another glance over the dossier also gave snippets of Skuld's own writing without any indication of another. Being the teacher she was, Ms. Tremaine was immediately suspicious. Sure, it wasn't unusual for Skuld to take a project by its horns- she wouldn't have been the first or last student to do so, but wasn't she getting help? Ms. Tremaine had looked up at the sign up sheets herself. There was no way that Skuld was the only director…

“Are we ready to start?” Skuld asked, snapping Ms. Tremaine out of her thoughts. Ah well, she was sure Skuld would say something if anything was wrong.

“You bet.” Ms. Tremaine agreed, bending down to pick up her megaphone. “First up is Hazel Hearn, trying out for a secondary female role.” Then, without warning, Ms. Tremaine belted into the megaphone, “Hazel, you're up first!”

Out from the wings came a girl with bright red hair and a mousy face. Skuld took out her note cards on secondary roles as she looked from them and to the girl. As Hazel began the rehearsed one minute speech, Skuld made notes on her performance- anything ranging from voice inflections to how much confidence they gave while up on stage.

The rest of the callbacks followed in a similar manner. Ms. Tremaine would announce the student, what role they intended to fill, and Skuld would watch them while reviewing her notes. It made her job a lot easier when the students actually knew what role they wanted. When they were finished, Skuld and Ms. Tremaine discussed the student's performance and whether they were suited for that particular role. Ms. Tremaine gave Skuld freedom on which students to keep. Some of them were going to incredibly bitter that Skuld had given them a background role instead of a lead.

A whole hour of this cycle wearily droned on. Skuld all but yawned as she questioned, “Is that all?”

“Nope. Just two more left.” Ms. Tremaine encouraged. “First up is someone I'm sure you're familiar with: Ephemer Ryce. Auditioning for (and I quote) 'any role you deem necessary'.”

Skuld gave a small snort. “Sounds like he wants to be cast as the waterboy.” she mumbled to herself.

Ms. Tremaine also afforded a laugh as she brought her megaphone back to her lips.

“Alright Ephemer,” she called out. “Get your chronically late bum out here and impress your best friend!”

“Now how is that fair?” the boy teasingly whined as he came out from the wings. “I'm only late once a month.”

“Watch yourself buddy.” Ms. Tremaine smirked. “You're treading on thin ice with that line.”

The boy gave the teacher a wide, innocent smile before turning his attention to his friend. His face immediately fell.

“Are you alright, Skuld? You look...”

“Nothing I can't handle.” she quickly dismissed. “Just start reciting the speech.”

But he hesitated for a moment before finally giving in. Ephemer took his time with the speech- his voice clear and his voice perfectly reflecting his emotion. When he finished, he looked back at Skuld expectantly- as if he was waiting for her to reveal that she needed help, and not because he wanted a good role.

“Thank you Ephemer.” Skuld coldly told him. “You can leave the stage now.”

Ephemer still hesitated, but eventually did what he was told. With him gone, Ms. Tremaine looked over at Skuld.

“So, what did you think?” she asked, having full faith in Skuld's choices now. “Think he should come back?”

Skuld tapped her pencil against her lower lip in thought. “He spoke clearly enough.” she mused out loud. “His emotional range was pretty decent as well. He also fits the basic physical description for the male lead- spare the hair, but that can easily be fixed.”

“So we'll pen him down for first choice on the male lead. Sound fair?”

“Yes, do that.” Skuld absently replied as she wrote down notes for the costume department. “Who's next?”

“Anora Ravishta.” Ms. Tremaine replied- hearing the name made Skuld look up at her. “Like Ephemer, Anora doesn't have a role in mind.”

Skuld's jaw slacked as Ms. Tremaine called Anora onto the stage. The older girl stared at the other when she recited the speech. A part of Skuld relaxed when it became easy to see that Anora lacked confidence on stage; it made much more sense now. Could there had been a small pang of jealousy? Maybe. But it was incredibly short lived and was easily replaced with sympathy.

When Anora finished, she didn't hesitate to give a formidable bow to Skuld and Ms. Tremaine before quickly dashing off stage.

“She's so cute.” Ms. Tremaine cooed not a moment after. “She'd make a great secondary character. What do you think?”

But Skuld shook her head. “Understudy.” she determined. “She doesn't have any confidence in herself. It affected her delivery, her posture, and her overall presence on stage. But if she would go on as an understudy, learn the way theater works, she could gain that confidence. Not that I'm rooting for anyone to get sick so she could step up- but since it is her first year at this school, it would be great to get the experience in.” In the back of her mind, Skuld added, 'Especially since Ephemer is helping her.'

Ms. Tremaine studied Skuld for a moment- she could understand the logic of it. It did seem a bit unfair that a newer student (especially one placed in the later years) would be considered for anything but a background character or understudy. But there was something about Skuld's response that also seemed off. It wasn't something she could quite place…

“Is that the rest, then?” Skuld questioned, once more bringing Ms. Tremaine from her suspicious thoughts.

“Yep.” the teacher affirmed. “Good luck with the rest of the play. Make sure you save some work for the rest of your team, alright?”

To her surprise, Skuld gave a bitter snort as she gathered her things together. In a grumble, she told the teacher, “That won't be a problem.”

[thefemalethatwrites]

Canary Arrow (Jason Todd x Reader) Part 1

Request: No

Prompt: You come back from the future with Impulse (Bart Allen)

Relationship: Jason Todd x Reader, Father! Green Arrow/Oliver Queen x Daughter! Reader, Mother! Black Canary/Dinah Lance x Daughter! Reader

Warning: Cursing, Death, Mentions of Death, Torture, Mentions of Torture

Word Count: 4212

A/N: I think I may have gone overboard with this one but my fingers wouldn’t stop typing, so I had to spilt it into two parts. Anyway enjoy, and please request.

~~~

(Y/N)’s POV

I fired an arrow into the back of the attacker’s skull,

“You killed him!” Bart exclaimed,

“You’re welcome” I say as I pulled the arrow out, “Admin, give me the status!” I ordered through the com as I smacked another attacker around the face with my bow,

“It’s at 98%” Admin replied,

“Titan!” I yelled gaining his attention, “You alright to handle this?” I asked mentioning the remaining attackers,

“Go” He said as he charged the group of attackers,

“Time to go” Bart said as he picked me up and ran us down to the basement,

“I’ve told you a thousand times not to carry me like that Allen!” I scolded as I pulled myself from his arms,

“It’s the fastest way for us to travel without you getting whiplash” He explained, I rolled my eyes

“A minute left Canary” Admin announced, Red Hood approached me

“Keep them all safe for me” I say,

“Like they’re my own family” She said before she tackled me with a hug, “Stay safe (Y/N)” She whispered,

“You’re the one in more danger, Lian” I sighed pulling away from her, she chuckled

“Say hi to younger me, that way I’ll know you got there safe” She demanded,

“Canary, Allen it’s ready” Admin said, I approached Admin who had tears in his eyes

“Give them hell amigo” I say,

“Don’t I always” He smirked, I ruffled his hair earning a groan,

“Time to go” Bart said as he picked me up and ran us through the machine, we arrived and was met by Kid-flash, Robin, Nightwing and Beast-boy, “We’re here!” Bart announced, I pulled myself from Bart’s hold and smack him over the head before he began running around the place

“Impulse, I like it” He said and gushed about how ‘crash’ everything was, as KF, Robin and BB were trying to catch him

“Nightwing, on your right in three, two, one” I say and he barged Bart off his feet and cuffed “Don’t even think about coming near me with them things” I say as Robin came towards me with cuffs in his hands,

“It’s precaution” He stated,

“And so’s this arrow that’s about to go through your skull” I threatened as I aimed at him,

“Keep a close eye on her” Nightwing ordered as he left the room, I retracted the bow string and relaxed as Nightwing came back with a glass of water,

“Coming from the future must have been thirst work. Would you like a drink?” He offered, Bart accepted

“Such a Dick Grayson move” I smirked,

“You know?” He asked

“Yep. Dick Grayson, aka Nightwing, Tim Drake, aka Robin, Garfield Logan, aka Beast-boy, and Wally West, aka Kid-flash” I say,

“And you are?” Wally asked as he came over to me,

“(Y/N) (L/N), also known as the Canary Arrow. Then we’ve got Bartholomew Allen the second-”

“Bart Allen!” He yelled cutting me off, I narrowed my eyes at him,

“Grandson of Bartholomew Allen the first, aka the Flash” I introduced before the system announced someone was coming into the base, so Bart phased out of his cuffs and took off running, he was closely followed by Garfield and Wally chasing him, I sat down and twirled an arrow around in my hand as I watched Dick track Bart, “He’s heading to Central City to meet Barry” I state gaining both of their attention,

“Haven’t you got someone you want to meet? Parents?” Dick asked,

“My parents are dead to me” I scoffed,

“Oh…” He trailed off,

“Aren’t you going to tell Bruce or any other Justice League members of this conundrum?” I asked.

“We can handle this ourselves” Kaldur said as he entered the room,

“Hey Waterboy’s joined the party” I mocked,

“It’s Aqua-lad” He stated

“Oh, I know. I just like to piss off; the Justice League, Young Justice, Teen Titans, Outlaws” I point out,

“And you’re still alive?” Tim asked,

“No I’m a figment of your imaginations, of course I’m still alive because none of you bums can catch me in the future” I bragged, Dick sighed

“We may have to get Batman involved with this one” He said mentioning me, I stopped twirling the arrow and put it away before standing up,

“Shall we go?” I asked

“Robin you stay here. I’ll drop her off at the Cave” Dick ordered as he led me towards the Zeta tube, we went through and arrived in the Bat-cave,

“Nightwing” Alfred greeted,

“She knows Alfred. This is the Canary Arrow, (Y/N) (L/N), she’s from the future” Dick introduced me as he put me inside the holding cell, “Could you keep an eye on her until Bruce comes back?” Dick asked,

“Of course” He answered as Dick went back through the Zeta tube,

“He doesn’t trust me, does he?” I asked,

“Not in the slightest. But I wouldn’t blame him since you’re not giving him your real name” He answered, I dropped my bow and arrows on the bed,

“I don’t know what you’re talking about Alfred. I’ve given him my name” I say,

“Canary Arrow? That makes me think that you’re a protégé of the Black Canary and the Green Arrow. Miss Queen” He said, I glared at him before kicking the door open, 

“I’m not a Queen. Not anymore” I growled as I stood in front of him, “You tell a soul who I am, you’ll end up with arrows as eyes. Understood?” I threatened,

“Your secret is safe with me” he said seeming un-phased by my threat,

“You’re not scared” I say tilting my head,

“I haven’t been scared of death for a while” He stated, I hummed and went back into the cell,

“You can go back to your duties Alfred, I won’t leave” I sighed as I sat on the bed, static filled my ear making me raise an eyebrow

“Red...too many…No!” Admin’s voice rang through my com, my eyes widened

“Admin? Red? Can you hear me?” I asked,

“Canary? I thought you went to the past?” Lian asked,

“I am. The com’s still working, what’s going on?” I reply,

“Press the button on your com, you’ll see what I’m seeing” Admin said, I did so, and my eyes widened at the scene, they were being swarmed by the attackers,

“Surrender or die!” Someone ordered as Titan was brought forward,

“Haven’t you heard who we are? We’re Misfits, we fight until death” Titan said as he broke free of their grip and fought against them, his nape was slice revealing his natural form inside,

“Arron…” I whispered,

“I’m sorry Canary. Thanks for giving me a family” He said before his throat was sliced,

“No!” Lian yelled as she fired multiple of bomb arrows at the attackers,

“Lian pull back! That’s an order!” I yelled as she was getting surrounded, “Admin, get her out of there!” I ordered as her bow was kicked from her hands and she was restrained and brought in front of the leader, Admin was quick to move as he took down most of the attackers but stopped dead in his tracks and looked down to see a dagger in his chest,

“Admin!” Lian screamed,

“I’m sorry, Canary” He whispered,

“No, you did your best Alexandro. I couldn’t be prouder. Until we meet again amigo” I smiled, he looked up towards Lian who had a pistol aimed at her head,

“You’ll die like the rest of your pathetic friends” The leader growled,

“I’ll see you soon, Canary” She smiled before the trigger was pulled and she dropped to the floor, I pulled the com out of my ear and smashed it, I stood up and punched the cell wall while letting out a frustrated scream, which amplified to a canary cry shattering the glass,

“Dick informed me that we had a guest, I didn’t expect them to be a meta though, a strong one at that” Bruce said making me turn around to see him and Alfred stood there,

“I didn’t hear you come in” I say picking my arrows and bow up,

“You were talking to someone” He stated,

“My team from the future. My com was still hooked up to them and well…yeah” I sighed,

“It’s fine. Are you alright?” Bruce asked, I nodded

“Other than feeling a little pissed off, yeah” I say as I followed him to the computer,

“So, your name’s (Y/N) (L/N)?” He questioned, I sighed

“No, it’s (Y/N) Queen, daughter of Oliver Queen and Dinah Lance, but go by (Y/N) (L/N) since I disowned them” I explained, he nodded

“(Y/N) (L/N), it is. And you go by Canary Arrow” He said as he filled out a file on the computer,

“Correct” I comment,

“You have a Canary cry, any other superpowers or abilities?” He asked,

“Self-healing abilities” I answered, he raised an eyebrow, so I took a bat-rang off him and cut the palm of my hand, only for it to heal up moments later.

“One less person I have to stitch up” Alfred commented making me chuckle before a signal popped up on screen,

“The Outlaws? I don’t have time for these” Bruce growled,

“I can deal with them” I state, the two of them turned to me “You’re busy, I can deal with them, don’t worry, I won’t kill them. It could mess up the future if I do” I say,

“Alfred guide her through the com, I need to get back to the Justice League” Bruce ordered as he handed me a com, I placed it in my ear and headed over to the motorcycle,

“Send me the co-ordinates” I say before setting off out, I arrived at the location and heard the gunshots and explosions inside,

“Are they there still, Miss?” Alfred asked,

“Yeah, they are, and making a lot of noise. Y’know, you don’t have to call me ‘Miss’, Canary’s just fine Alfred” I say as I scaled the building,

“If you wish, I’ll call you that” He replied, I sat on the edge of the building as the Outlaws were finishing up, they all gathered in the middle and began conversating,

“Well, I must say, I’m impressed” I called down still hiding in the shadows, they all went into defensive mode making me chuckle.

“Show yourself!” Red Hood yelled,

“Not yet. Now, who’ve we got here; Princess Koriand'r of Tamaran, aka Starfire, Roy Harper aka Speedy-”

“It’s Arsenal!” He yelled cutting me off, I restrained myself from laughing,

“God, I’ve missed pissing you off” I smirked as I jumped off of the roof, “And finally, Jason Todd, aka Red Hood” I say,

“How do you know us?!” Jason yelled,

“I’m an acquaintance from the future” I explained as I stalked them still in the shadows,

“Star, light them up” Jason ordered and seconds later Kori was shooting her beams into every shadowy place to the eye, I fired an arrow at her and covered her body, minus her head, in ice

“You, my flaming friend need to chill out” I say as I came out of the shadows,

“She’s hot” Roy commented making me cringe,

“Please don’t say that. You’re Lian’s dad” I say which earned him aiming at me,

“How do you know of her?!” He questioned, I sighed resting a hand on my hip,

“Do you not listen? I’m from the future, your daughter; Lian Harper, was the closest person I had to a friend” I say, he shot the arrow that narrowly missed my face, I glared at him as I felt the cut heal, his face dropped

“Please tell me that someone else saw that” He pleaded.

“No, I did too” Jason said,

“Who are you?” Kori asked,

“Canary Arrow” I introduced as I shattered the ice covering her body,

“Canary! Do you copy?!” Bruce yelled in my ear,

“Ow. Was they any need to yell?!” I snap,

“You weren’t answering, plus Impulse told your parents about you” He said,

“Allen did what?!” I growled as I made my way back towards the bike,

“Hey! Where are you going?!” Jason yelled,

“To kick my cousins ass. I’ll find you again to chat” I answered as I drove back to the Cave, I got in and was greeted by the Justice league, “Where is he?” I growled as I walked towards them,

“(Y/N), I’m sorry. Y’know how I talk and I don’t shut up-” Bart was cut off by me punching him,

“You’re about to die here Allen, say your goodbyes” I growled,

“(Y/N) please” he begged as he used his speed to avoid my attacks, I growled and tripped him up with my bow and held it against his throat,

“(Y/N), that’s enough” Oliver ordered as he placed a hand on my shoulder,

“Oliver, bad idea” Barry said before I knocked him on to his knees and strangled him with my bow,

“Ollie” Dinah said he cover his ears as she used her canary cry towards me, I retaliated with my own canary cry, the other members held their ears groaning in pain as they fell to their knees, eventually my cry over-powered hers and she fell to the floor, I stopped and kicked Oliver to the ground beside her,

“(Y/N), they’re your parents!” Bart exclaimed as he scrambled to his feet,

“No they’re not!” I snapped turning to him,

“I see she has your cry and style” Oliver groaned,

“And your fighting style” Dinah replied as they all got to their feet,

“Trust me, I can do more than shoot an arrow” I scoffed,

“Show me” She demanded,

“How old’s Connor?” I asked,

“Three” She answered,

“I’m not fighting you” I state,

“Why? Scared?” She taunted, I rolled my eyes

“Because you’re four months pregnant with myself” I answered, her eyes widened

“But I haven’t-”

“You never did experience morning sickness or the mood-swings or me kicking your insides” I explained cutting her off,

“I…” She trailed off,

“What happened to you for you to hate your parents?” Clark asked, I glared at him

“I trusted them, and they left me to die!” I yelled, all their expressions dropped,

“I thought you didn’t like them because you weren’t their favourite” Bart whispered,

“That was me sugar-coating it for you” I replied before making my way out of the cave.

***

I was sat on a ledge of the church tower, I felt someone approaching me making me aim my bow at them,

“Oh, it’s you” I say to Bruce as I relaxed, he sat next to me,

“Do you want to talk about it?” He asked,

“About what? How I almost killed my family?” I questioned,

“Your death” he answered, I remained silent as I stared out across Gotham,

“Don’t you have criminals to put away?” I scoffed,

“Yes but I need to make sure that you’re alright as well” He replied,

“Why?” I sighed,

“Because you need guidance” He said, I rolled my eyes

“And you’re the one to give it to me?” I say raising an eyebrow,

“Possibly. If you need a place to stay you’re al-”

“Always welcomed to the Manor. I know, you’ve told me before, Uncle Bruce” I finished off,

“I have?” he asked,

“Future you has” I answered standing up, he gave a small smile,

“I’m going to do patrol then I’ll be home, if you decide to come” He announced before jumping off, I sighed and jumped off myself, I walked across rooftops looking through windows of apartments seeing what a typical family looked like, however I stopped when I noticed Roy, Jason and Kori passed out on the couch while a young Lian played in another room, I smiled slightly before jumping over to the ledge outside the room Lian was playing in, I knocked on it gaining her attention, she came over to it with caution and opened it,

“Hello” She said,

“Hello Lian” I smiled,

“How do you know my name?” She asked.

“It’s not safe to tell you that while I’m out here, may I come in?” I asked, she thought about before moving out of the way allowing me to climbing inside, I closed the window and turned to her removing my mask, “My name is (Y/N) (L/N) and I know your name because I come from the future” I introduced, her eyes widened

“Really?” She said, I nodded “What am I like?” She asked as she sat me down on her bed and sat cross-legged in front of me,

“You kick ass” I answered, she smiled brightly at me before I heard the front door open making me raise an eyebrow “Who else knows about this apartment?” I whispered as I stood up,

“Just me, Dad, Uncle Jay and Aunt Kori” She answered, I put my mask on and prepared an arrow,

“Do me a favour and open your door on the count of 3, okay?” I asked, she nodded and prepared herself, “1. 2. 3” I say, she pulled open the door and scouted the front room finding no one, I hummed as I put the arrow away, “Lian. Pack some essentials” I ordered,

“Okay” She replied, I did another sweep over the room and heard beeping, I flipped the couch and found a bomb, my eyes widened as it only had ten seconds left, I ran back into Lian’s room picking her and her bag and jumping out of the window, a second later the bomb exploded, I landed on my back on top of a car with Lian shaking on top of me,

“You okay?” I asked, she slowly nodded as I sat up groaning, “Come on, I know somewhere safe” I say as I got off the car and held her hand,

“Where’s Daddy?” She asked as we made our way down the street,

“Your Dad’s been kidnapped, along with your Uncle Jay and Aunt Kori” I replied, we arrived at one of Jason’s many safe-houses, I pick-locked my way in and locked it behind us,

“Where are we?” Lian asked as I turned on the lights,

“One of Jason’s safe-houses” I answered removing my mask, bow and arrows, “B? You there?” I asked as I held a finger against my com, it was quiet for a few moments,

“(Y/N), are you okay?” Bruce answered, I sighed in relief,

“Yeah, I’m fine. Listen, I need you to come to my current location ASAP. I’ve got a small friend, I need you to look after while I get her Dad back” I say smiling at Lian as she put on a red cape,

“Who do you need Batman or Bruce?” He asked,

“Either, I don’t think it’s going to matter” I answered, “Batman it is then” He replied, I cut off with him and turned to Lian, “Hey Lian” I say crouching down to her level,

“What’s up?” She asked,

“Batman’s going to come over to keep you company while I go get your Dad” I say,

“(Y/N)” Bruce said, I stood up and faced him

“I’m glad you came. This is my friend, Lian” I introduced, he nodded

“It’s nice to meet you, Lian” He said,

“I’m going now. I’ll be back soon” I say as I picked up my mask, put it on and headed out, I made my way straight into Black Mask’s territory, and was immediately swarmed by his henchmen, I raised an eyebrow

“You lost little bird?” Mask said as he came out of the shadows

“I don’t get lost” I say folding my arms,

“Then you should know that no vigilantes are allowed in my part of town” He stated,

“I don’t follow rules either, especially when you almost blow me up” I growled, he chuckled

“Ah, you’re a friend of them. Take her” Mask ordered, and I was hit over the head with something, before I was cuffed and thrown over someone’s shoulder,

“I hope you know I’m going to kick your ass” I say, the henchmen grunted before I was thrown on the floor of a room and locked in, “Knulla dig! Jag lovar dig att du kommer att vara död när jag kommer ut härifrån! (Fuck you! I promise you will be dead when I get out of here!)” I yelled as I stood up,

“What did you just say?” Roy asked making me turn to see him, Kori and Jason chained to the wall,

“Oh, hey guys” I say,

“What are you doing here?” Kori asked,

“I told Lian that I was coming to save you. You’re welcome that I dropped by the apartment when I did otherwise Lian would have blown up with it” I explained, their jaws dropped

“And how do you exactly plan to ‘save us’?” Jason questioned,

“Watch and learn” I smirked as I went over to the door, “Hey, what’s your name?” I asked, knowing that they were two guards outside,

“Johnny” One of them answered,

“Shut up” The other growled,

“Well, Johnny is your mother proud of your occupation?” I questioned,

“I said shut up!” The other snapped, I chuckled

“Oh come on. I’m bored, and I need to be entertained” I whined,

“I’ll come and give you entertainment if you don’t shut up!” He yelled,

“Ooo, what kind?” I asked as I backed away from the door,

“You really want to find out?” He asked,

“Please” I dragged out before the door slammed open revealing Johnny and the other guard, “Perfect” I smirked as they came to attack me, I avoided one of them, wrapped my legs around the other’s neck and used the cuffs to strangle the other, they both went limp and dropped to the floor, “Now, where are the keys?” I hummed as I searched their bodies, I got them and unlocked the chains on the other three,

“Thanks” Kori smiled, I nodded.

“And of course, they don’t have the keys to these cuffs” I sighed,

“Here” Jason said as he unlocked them, the cuffs dropped to the floor, I gave a nod of appreciation before leading them out of the building, we were about to leave when we were blocked in by henchmen with AK47s, I sighed rolling my eyes

“Have a plan for this cupcake?” One of the henchmen asked, I raised an eyebrow

“I’ve had bazooka’s aimed at me sweetheart, your AK’s aren’t going to scare me” I scoffed, they all laughed “Cover your ears” I whispered to Jason, Roy and Kori, they did and I used my Canary cry and the henchmen dropped to their knees groaning and eventually going unconscious, I stopped and smirked as the three of them uncovered their ears,

“You’re Di-”

“Finish that statement and your head will no longer be attached to your shoulders. Now let’s go” I growled cutting Roy off, I lead them through the streets and to Jason’s safe house,

“How did you-Never mind” Jason said as we went inside to find Lian aiming my bow at Bruce who had an apple on top of his head, I took my bow off her,

“You were aiming in between his eyes” I state as she stared up at me,

“You told me you were aiming at the apple” Bruce said before I shot the apple from his head as he went to grabbed it,

“Thanks for keeping an eye on her, you’re more than welcome to leave” I say, he nodded

“Will you be coming?” He asked,

“I’ll think about it” I say giving a small smile before he left, I sighed removing my mask,

“Can you teach me?” Lian asked, I raised an eyebrow 

“Maybe later” I say ruffling her hair before making my way over to the arrow with the apple in the wall and pulled it out, I cleaned my arrow off before putting it away,

“So, who are your parents?” Kori asked as she came up next to me,

“Does it matter?” I asked,

“Well to say that we don’t know your name, yes” Jason said,

“My name’s (Y/N) Q-(L/N)” I answered,

“You hesitated” Kori commented,

“Honestly guys! She has a canary cry, just like her mother! She also dress like her! She shoots arrows like her father!” Roy yelled, I glared at him,

“Correction; I prefer shooting arrows, I’m mastered in most weapons” I state,

“What are you on about?” Kori asked,

“Her last name is Queen! She’s the daughter of Green Arrow and Black Canary!” Roy yelled, I grabbed his collar and pulled him closer,

“I’m not a Queen” I growled as I glared at him,

“You are! What’s so bad about being one?” He asked, I pushed him away

“Because I died, and no one searched for me. Not even you, Uncle Roy” I growled,

“Wait a minute, Uncle?” Jason asked, I sighed and put my mask on before leaving,

“Why are you following me?” I asked as I stopped in my tracks and faced Jason,

“I…” He trailed off rubbing the back of his neck,

“Well, if you’re not going to answer me, I’m going” I say turning away from him,

“Wait! I was wondering if I can get your number?” He asked stopping me in my tracks,

“You want my number?” I questioned,

“Yeah…It’s fine if you-” I cut him off by taking his hand and writing my number on it,

“See you around Jason” I whispered before leaving him.

[desertislandcloud]

Scottish alternative music legend Chris Connelly and vocalist Monica Queen have announced their collaboration for a new album 'The Birthday Poems', a fictionalized account of the romance between Scottish personalities Stella Cartwright and George Mackay Brown and their friendship with Stanley Roger Green.

'Tae The Poets' is the first song to be revealed from this album, to be released on June 15 via Jnana Records. While Stella’s voice is sung by the incomparable Monica Queen throughout the album, this first taster features vocals by Connelly. The clever video for this song was filmed on location at Chicago’s GMan Tavern and created by Derick Smith, who also handles photography and Matt Walker.

“A very shy George would visit the Rose Street bars of Edinburgh and nurse a pint, hoping to meet his poetic heroes. When invited to join the throng one night by Sydney Goodsir Smith, George, cripplingly shy, did not accept the offer. It would take a little time, and a few more pints of McEwan’s Heavy, before George became a part of the group himself,” explains Chris Connelly.

Named for the poems that George would write for Stella every birthday until she died, 'The Birthday Poems' is a song cycle based on the relationship between celebrated Scottish poet and author George Mackay Brown and his muse Stella Cartwright. It also addresses the platonic relationship between Stella and the Edinburgh born poet Stanley Roger Green, spanning three decades (from the mid 1950s until Stella’s tragic and untimely death in 1985).

With 2021 being the 100th birthday of Orkney-born poet George Mackay Brown, this album represents a sometimes overlooked but very important part of Scottish culture.

Stella started going out with Mackay Brown, with whom she had a deep relationship that turned into a friendship that endured from the 50’s until her death in the ’80’s. It was not always a happy one - neither of the pair were particularly happy, and their love of whisky did not help.

"While she had relationships with many of the poets who would haunt the bars of Edinburgh's Rose Street during the ’50s and ‘early ’60s, her love of literature, art and culture was insatiable, she was never given credit or encouraged in her own art and expression. I hope that this album illuminates the beautiful treasure that she was, and how hugely significant she is to Scottish literature of a certain era. As a child and younger man in Edinburgh, I walked the same streets, drank in the same bars and walked the same hills. I was also lucky enough to be close friends with Stanley Roger Green’s children, who, highly creative in their own ways, greatly informed and inspired my life," says Chris Connelly.

This album was produced by 30-year Connelly collaborator Chris Bruce, a long-time musical partner and band member of Meshell Ndegeocello, who has also worked with Seal, Aaron Neville, Bob Dylan, The Waterboys, My Brightest Diamond, Cheryl Crow and Sam Phillips, amongst others. This album also features strings by Dave Eggar and sax by Levon Henry, as well as contributions by Blake Collins and Phil Faconti.

While Monica Queen ronted early 90s band Thrum and released a couple of mellow, introspective albums under her own name with her partner John Smillie, she has gained a reputation as Glasgow's guest vocalist of choice. Her formidable voice is now widely familiar thanks to her vocal turn on Belle & Sebastian's much-loved 'Lazy Line Painter Jane'.

For Chris Connelly, art only moves forward. For almost forty years, he has completed creative pieces ranging from the triumphant to the tragic, from the humble to the hilarious - each time promptly moving on to seek his next inspiration.

Since his nascent beginnings with FiniTribe in his native Edinburgh, Connelly has in excess of twenty solo releases, impressing with their beauty, diversity, earnest intent and wit. He is also a frequent and keen collaborator with other musicians, building on long-established projects with Ministry, The Revolting Cocks and Pigface by evolving and contributing to newer collectives such as Cocksure and The Joy Thieves.

As an explorer of art as a broader endeavour has also issued four books, encompassing the realms of poetry, autobiography, and fictional narrative. For Connelly and Queen alike, 'The Birthday Poems' project feels like the beginning in such an exciting way.

Chris Connelly https://chrisconnelly.com https://www.facebook.com/ChrisConnellyOfficial https://twitter.com/Connelly_Chris https://www.instagram.com/connellyofficial https://soundcloud.com/chrisconnellyofficial Monica Queen https://twitter.com/MonicaQueen4 https://www.facebook.com/MonicaQueenandThrum

[trevorbailey61]

Rhiannon Giddens

Town Hall, Birmingham

Sunday 19th November 2017

Kaia Kater peers nervously out at the audience. Two songs into her short support set and she pulls the banjo that provides her only accompaniment close to her, she feels she needs a barrier between her and the nearly full hall of people who have arrived early to hear her. It has been going well so far, a period of study in the Carolinas has helped this Canadian to become well versed in the American roots music and the precision of her playing is enhanced by the depth and quality of her voice, reminiscent in tone to Gillan Welch. The audience quickly warm to her and the songs have generated an enthusiastic response but she now feels that she has to face that awkward challenge over which so many artists from North America stumble; she has to mention the place she is visiting. She has obviously been warned and each syllable is formed slowly, carefully, deliberately; “Birm……ing….” then the final one, make or break time, they will either accept you as one of their own or the rest of the set will be spent winning them back - “ham”, with the emphasis on the “a” - damn - rehearsed to the point of tedium but it still wouldn’t come out right. She gazes at the faces in front of her; “was that right?”, silence, she didn’t have to ask, she knew it wasn’t. She makes another attempt, slower, the sounds being formed even more deliberately but this only served to make that final vowel even more prominent. With the confidence that she had shown so far starting to look increasingly fragile, she seeks reassurance and asks again “was that right?” It wasn’t but we like her and the word “yes” is heard from different parts of the hall. She smiles, the challenge may not have been met but we were all happy to move on.

It is not just about phonetics, there is also the other Birmingham, the metropolis that forms the largest urban area in the state of Alabama, the place with the exaggerated vowel. Founded in the early 19th century, the shared name is no coincidence. Planned as a centre of industry, its founders wrapped up their vision by using the name of one of Britain’s and possibly even Europe’s first industrial centres, home to the furnaces and foundries that had built an empire. Despite this shared name and heritage, however, there is little that connects the two cities to the extent that when Birmingham England was looking to twin with a US city, its namesake was possibly never even considered. Clearly status was important and a provincial backwater would never be considered the equal to a major British city but there was also the problem that the American city along with the state in which is is situated often appears to embody all the worst aspects of the Deep South. Attempts to break down segregation following the war saw rising levels of Klan activity and the racially motivated bombing of the homes of black families in an attempt to force them out of areas of the city. The most callous and shocking of these was the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in 1963 which led to the death of four girls but despite those responsible being known to the police, none were prosecuted until over a decade later. This was because support for the Klan and its activities was to be found throughout the state legislature up to the Governor, George Wallace, who through the 60s and 70s made Alabama his own fiefdom. Ironically he first ran for office as an opponent of the Klan but after losing heavily, he adopted a hard-line segregationist stance which allowed him to remain in office until 1979. In the years that have followed, it is easy to think that little has changed; Trump carried the state comfortably and the current race to be the state Senator could be won by a man facing multiple accusations of predatory sexual behaviour, assault and harassment of women, some of whom were as young as 14 when the incidents occurred. That he is completely unfit for office should be beyond question but whilst being gay or seeking an abortion will result in hellfire and damnation, using a shopping mall to prey on young girls is something bible belt Christians find easy to forgive.

All this plays to the stereotype of the bigoted, white supremacism of the the south, a place proud of statues of slave owners and rebel generals where cars carry bumper stickers of the confederate flag, the people mocked by Neil Young in the song “Southern Man”. It is part of the story but not the whole one. The greater the suppression, the more determined the attempts to resist and some of the most significant events in the Civil Rights Movement were to take place in the state. It was in Alabama that Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white passenger and also where the Selma to Montgomery marches took place to demand equal voting rights. Whilst politics and structures suppressed their voice, music provided a means through which black people could make themselves heard and tell their stories; the creativity of the southern states being expressed through blues, jazz, gospel, soul and rock ’n’ roll. One of the most distinctive of these voices was that of Odetta, a singer of extraordinary range and power born in Birmingham in 1930 who was often referred to as "The Voice of the Civil Rights Movement”. There were many remarkable things about Odetta, one of which was her operatic training, something she received whilst she was also working as a cleaner at the college she attended. Realising that her opportunities were limited, she found her training was better suited to the folk scene; in the words of Martin Luther King, she was “the Queen of American Folk” and in the film “No Direction Home”, Dylan cites her as one of his key influences. Admired as she was, however, there were few who were willing to take on the same songs and invite comparisons between their voice and hers, there would only ever be one winner.

At about the midpoint of her set, Rhiannon Giddens explains the inspiration Odetta has provided for her own music. Giddens also received a classical training, at the Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio although she was able to take advantage of this without having to also scrub the floors, before finding that she was better able to express herself through folk. Giddens mentions this as she introduces her interpretation of the song “Waterboy”, a traditional folk song that Odetta frequently included in her live shows and the one she is seen performing in “No Direction Home”. It is quite simply stunning. With the accompaniment limited to a series of thuds on the bass drum and sharply strummed chords, the emphasis is very much on Giddens voice and she is able to unleash the fearsome power that the song demands. To a person, the audience sit in silence, mesmerised by the Giddens absolute mastery of the song, the silence held for a moment at the end before the richly deserved ovation. Inviting comparisons with some of the greatest American voices is something that Giddens is not daunted by, the set also includes an Aretha Franklin song, “Do Right Woman, Do Right Man” and as an encore she honours Sister Rosetta Tharpe with joyous interpretations of  “Lonesome Road” and “Up Above My Head”.

“Waterboy” was undoubtedly included as a spectacular tour de force but its subject shows that there is way more there than empty technique. Built around a cry for water from a gang of labouring men working as slaves on the plantations or possibly in a chain gang, its desperation shows how power is maintained through the deprivation of even the most basic human needs. “History in my teacher”, Giddens explains and through traditional songs and her own writing she shows an impeccable grasp of how people hold onto their dignity and spirit in the face of barbaric oppression as well as how they find the strength to fight against it. The harrowing “At The Purchases Option” is based on advert from the 1830s announcing the sale of a “smart healthy negro wench” who had a child of about nine months. When even the youngest children could be sold, the child was advertised as being at the purchases option. Whilst there is no escaping the pain, the song is a fierce cry of defiance, “you can take my body but not my soul”; she may have been abused and humiliated but there is still something there that they are unable to touch, regardless of the cruelty. “We Could Fly” is a tender song about a mother explaining to her daughter how she uses her imagination to escape the drudgery and degradation of her life and see a better future.  The traditional “Pretty Saro” is sung completely a cappella whilst the song “Better Get It Right the First Time” takes a more contemporary theme in addressing a gangland killing and also features a burst of rap.

For someone who is such a charismatic and engaging performer, Giddens has seemed surprisingly reluctant to front her own band. Her recordings have often been as part of a group, whether with her her sister, who provided occasional backing vocals, in the band the Carolina Chocolate Drops, where she first worked with guitarist Hubby Jenkins, or as part of the “New Basement Tapes” that added music to lyrics Dylan had abandoned in the late 60s. Her most recent visits to the UK have been part of the transatlantic sessions that also included those who form her backing band. This, however, is her first solo tour and she seems genuinely surprised that she has sold out a venue the size of the Town Hall. Her set, however, still includes excursions into the roots music covered in the sessions featuring some bluegrass banjo and a cajun waltz. The light jazz swing of “The Love We Almost Had” lightens the tone a little and shows that she can also deal with personal themes in the challenges of trying to share your life with another. The set concludes with a rousing interpretation of the civil rights anthem, “Freedom Highway”, the song written by Pops Staples for the Selma to Montgomery marches. The themes covered in have been drawn together in one last moment of defiance.

The subject matter may sound as if this was a worthy but solemn show, stories it may be important to know but hardly the stuff of great entertainment. The civil rights battles of the 50s and 60s should be part of the past but with white supremacism once again on the rise and receiving official endorsement it is important that the stories in these songs are kept alive. What lifts it, however, is Giddens impeccable musical instincts and the contagious sense of joy that she can bring to even the darkest songs. In some way, Giddens may be a custodian and curator of the rich heritage of black folk music from the deep south but she is also a mesmerising and gifted performer who is able to bring this to life. Her voice stands comparison with the greatest and there were several moments where she used it to spine tingling effect. Alongside this is an instinct for arrangement that the band had were able to rise to. It may have taken her a while to step out to the front but now she has, it seems unlikely that she will settle for the anonymity of the collective and her next visit may well be to a venue larger than the Town Hall. It was therefore a privilege to see her at this moment, the intimacy of a small venue but on the verge of something special. She sang, “We Can Fly”, perhaps she is about to.