Stranded is a good album, as are Siren and Manifesto (I would probably go 1: Siren; 2: Stranded; 3) Manifesto. But FYP has always been a goto album for me
Off Topic The Review Thread
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Stranded is number one for me, and Brian Eno agrees apparently, even though it was made after he left.
Not me. Don’t have strong opinions on royalty but all seems a bit voyeuristic.
I am expected to watch Line of Duty, which I was bored with 3 seasons ago. Ridiculous jargon and completely humourless, not that I expect jokes, but it would be slightly more bearable if the characters occasionally had a giggle over something or other.
I still enjoy Line of Duty, even if it did get a bit ridiculous a coupe of series back.
The Crown is like a fascinating history lesson, with as much focus on political machinations as there is on family intrigue. The stuff about Churchill's performance regarding the Great Smog of 1952 was eerily reminiscent of Johnson and Covid.
It’s not history though is it, it’s a fictionalised version of events. I don’t really care, but haven’t they had to put out disclaimers to the effect that lots of stuff in it is made up? It has got a good cast though. Hadn’t Churchill had a series of massive strokes around then?
I nodded off during Line of Duty last night. Age, a long day driving and most of a bottle of Cotes du Rhône were to blame.
I would have thought that the political stuff is pretty much accurate as it's largely a matter of record. I guess it's some of the family stuff that's made up.
**** BST Hyde Park which was meant to be happening in July has been cancelled. Taken the strategic decision to accept the offer of keeping the tickets for 2022, when hopefully Nile Rodgers and Duran Duran will all be as hale and healthy as I plan to be.
Next one is the Specials in September. Fingers crossed. Hopefully many more opportunities to see live music before then though.
Next one is the Specials in September. Fingers crossed. Hopefully many more opportunities to see live music before then though.
Been a nightmare with cancellations, postponements and trying to keep up with new dates. Specials is definitely one to look forward to.
The first two albums, with Eno’s influence, are superb. For your Pleasure is definitely in my all-time top 10 albums.
Poor old Hugh C Smith
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Agree with Strolls...Poor old Hugh C Smith
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... ****ing hilarious.
Starts in an hour
Means I have to put up with five gold rings though
TELEVISION
BILL BAILEY HOSTS THE NEW TVNZ SHOW PATRIOT BRAINS (PHOTO / TVNZ)
Review: Bill Bailey’s talents are wasted, but Patriot Brains still brings the laughs
Stewart Sowman-Lund | Live Updates Editor
Review
After a nationwide tour, British comedian Bill Bailey is now fronting a new show for TVNZ. Stewart Sowman-Lund tunes in.
It’s been hard to avoid British comic Bill Bailey over the last few weeks. He’s been on tour seemingly everywhere seemingly forever, wrapping up a 17-date series of shows in Auckland on Monday. Since leaving managed isolation back in February, he’s been on The Project, traded dance moves with Jeremy Wells on Seven Sharp, yarned to John Campbell on Breakfast, and had his stand-up specials shown weekly on Duke.
Basically, it’s been impossible to ignore the fact that – after so many months with our borders shut – a big name comedian has been relishing the chance to visit our shores (he was allowed in under the same rules that permitted celebs like RuPaul and The Wiggles to enter the country).
Now, as posters in every bus stop will tell you, the long-haired Brit is staying on our screens for even longer as host of the new TVNZ comedy panel show Patriot Brains, which premieres tonight.
And it’s… absolutely fine.
There’s not a lot to be said about the format of the show itself: it’s pitched as a way of resolving the trans-Tasman rivalry, with comedians from New Zealand and Australia battling it out each week answering questions about their home countries, which should be familiar enough to fans of shows like 7 Days. The launch of the programme this week is so perfect it has me questioning whether the newly announced travel bubble is some sort of TVNZ sponsored content.
Appearing on the first episode are locals Mel Bracewell, Guy Montgomery and Madeleine Sami versus Aussies Rhys Nicholson, Mel Buttle and Tom Ballard. Everyone gets their time to shine and the panels are well balanced. Montgomery is the highlight from team New Zealand while Nicholson is, as always, on top form. We’ll be seeing a lot of him on our screens this year as he’s set to join the judging panel on TVNZ’s RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under.
While the (meaningless) point system fell in favour of one team at the end, I found both sides equally matched for punchlines.
MEL BUTTLE, BILL BAILEY AND MEL BRACEWELL (PHOTO / TVNZ)
The main problem I have with the show is that it fails to make the most of having Bill Bailey as host. Getting Bailey, one of the biggest names in comedy, onboard could only have happened in this bizarre post-Covid world and yet in the role of host he is under-utilised.
I’m a massive fan of Bailey’s stand-up and he’s always a memorable performer on British panel shows like 8 out of 10 Cats Does Countdown or Qi. But on Patriot Brains, his quirky humour gets somewhat drowned out by the fact he’s simply hosting the show rather than appearing on the panel. Reading a teleprompter and sitting behind an oversized desk feels too restrictive for the often energetic comic. His inability to bound around the stage or grab a guitar at whim is to the show’s detriment.
Much of Bailey’s comedy relies on observations, and he does come alive during the moments where he can comment on elements of New Zealand like landmarks or foods. His description of Colby cheese is a stand-out (“it tasted like the inside of a Tupperware box that cheese had been in at some point”), as is his anecdote about witnessing Skytower bungy jumpers. A running gag about Bailey looking like a “camp Satan” is also a brief reprieve from the confines of the script. But for most of the 45-minute runtime, Bailey is forced to stick to material presumably written by someone else.
Bailey’s comedy is also, usually, musical. On Patriot Brains, there are limited chances for him to display his incredible talents. There is a piano tucked into the desk but it gets used only twice in the first episode and it felt forced. At least Bailey kept his trademark pipe, which was a nice touch. He’s previously said that the prop makes him “look intelligent”.
It may sound like I’m being overly critical, but Bailey and the panel of local comics are still funny. The show rips through its runtime and the fast pace means there are a lot of jokes packed in.
But when you’ve somehow managed to snag a massive star to headline your local panel show, what’s the point of forcing him to stick to the script?
Means I have to put up with five gold rings though
TELEVISION
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BILL BAILEY HOSTS THE NEW TVNZ SHOW PATRIOT BRAINS (PHOTO / TVNZ)
Review: Bill Bailey’s talents are wasted, but Patriot Brains still brings the laughs
Stewart Sowman-Lund | Live Updates Editor
Review
After a nationwide tour, British comedian Bill Bailey is now fronting a new show for TVNZ. Stewart Sowman-Lund tunes in.
It’s been hard to avoid British comic Bill Bailey over the last few weeks. He’s been on tour seemingly everywhere seemingly forever, wrapping up a 17-date series of shows in Auckland on Monday. Since leaving managed isolation back in February, he’s been on The Project, traded dance moves with Jeremy Wells on Seven Sharp, yarned to John Campbell on Breakfast, and had his stand-up specials shown weekly on Duke.
Basically, it’s been impossible to ignore the fact that – after so many months with our borders shut – a big name comedian has been relishing the chance to visit our shores (he was allowed in under the same rules that permitted celebs like RuPaul and The Wiggles to enter the country).
Now, as posters in every bus stop will tell you, the long-haired Brit is staying on our screens for even longer as host of the new TVNZ comedy panel show Patriot Brains, which premieres tonight.
And it’s… absolutely fine.
There’s not a lot to be said about the format of the show itself: it’s pitched as a way of resolving the trans-Tasman rivalry, with comedians from New Zealand and Australia battling it out each week answering questions about their home countries, which should be familiar enough to fans of shows like 7 Days. The launch of the programme this week is so perfect it has me questioning whether the newly announced travel bubble is some sort of TVNZ sponsored content.
Appearing on the first episode are locals Mel Bracewell, Guy Montgomery and Madeleine Sami versus Aussies Rhys Nicholson, Mel Buttle and Tom Ballard. Everyone gets their time to shine and the panels are well balanced. Montgomery is the highlight from team New Zealand while Nicholson is, as always, on top form. We’ll be seeing a lot of him on our screens this year as he’s set to join the judging panel on TVNZ’s RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under.
While the (meaningless) point system fell in favour of one team at the end, I found both sides equally matched for punchlines.
You must log in or register to see images
MEL BUTTLE, BILL BAILEY AND MEL BRACEWELL (PHOTO / TVNZ)
The main problem I have with the show is that it fails to make the most of having Bill Bailey as host. Getting Bailey, one of the biggest names in comedy, onboard could only have happened in this bizarre post-Covid world and yet in the role of host he is under-utilised.
I’m a massive fan of Bailey’s stand-up and he’s always a memorable performer on British panel shows like 8 out of 10 Cats Does Countdown or Qi. But on Patriot Brains, his quirky humour gets somewhat drowned out by the fact he’s simply hosting the show rather than appearing on the panel. Reading a teleprompter and sitting behind an oversized desk feels too restrictive for the often energetic comic. His inability to bound around the stage or grab a guitar at whim is to the show’s detriment.
You must log in or register to see images
Much of Bailey’s comedy relies on observations, and he does come alive during the moments where he can comment on elements of New Zealand like landmarks or foods. His description of Colby cheese is a stand-out (“it tasted like the inside of a Tupperware box that cheese had been in at some point”), as is his anecdote about witnessing Skytower bungy jumpers. A running gag about Bailey looking like a “camp Satan” is also a brief reprieve from the confines of the script. But for most of the 45-minute runtime, Bailey is forced to stick to material presumably written by someone else.
Bailey’s comedy is also, usually, musical. On Patriot Brains, there are limited chances for him to display his incredible talents. There is a piano tucked into the desk but it gets used only twice in the first episode and it felt forced. At least Bailey kept his trademark pipe, which was a nice touch. He’s previously said that the prop makes him “look intelligent”.
It may sound like I’m being overly critical, but Bailey and the panel of local comics are still funny. The show rips through its runtime and the fast pace means there are a lot of jokes packed in.
But when you’ve somehow managed to snag a massive star to headline your local panel show, what’s the point of forcing him to stick to the script?
Press ganged into watching something called ‘I can see your voice’ on the telly by wife and daughter. The format is totally mystifying and it’s hosted by Paddy McGuiness who is on telly three times a day apparently.
Against all the odds it’s very entertaining, though I don’t think I’ll need to see more than one or two.
Against all the odds it’s very entertaining, though I don’t think I’ll need to see more than one or two.
When I was indisposed a while back and resorting to daytime TV, I came across a show on Dave called 'American Pickers'. It basically follows two fellas travelling around the US exploring people's barns and garages with a view to buying up stuff they can re-sell or add to their own collections - mainly old bicycles, motorbikes and advertising signs. They are incredibly knowledgeable about this stuff and meet some amazing people. I'm now hooked on this show.
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Last couple of nights on BBC Scotland, program about tourism in Scotland over the last 50 years. Very tongue-in-cheek and self deprecating, it was quite an entertaining watch. Recommended if you've got some time to spare....
Greetings from Scotland, Series 1: Episode 1: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000v0w2 via @bbciplayer
Documentary taking a humorous look at the early days of tourism in Scotland, from the Speyside St Moritz to cultural Clydeside.
In 1969, the Scottish tourist board turned professional, becoming a government-funded body whose remit was to promote Scotland as a tourist destination. With that came the responsibility of deciding what actually was good about Scotland. Tourism was seen as a route to keeping jobs in the Highlands, as well as a chance to create jobs at a time of rapid de-industrialisation. However, as early tourist board staff recall, it wasn’t as easy as simply laying out the welcome mat, with many of Scotland’s hotels not being up to the standards required....
Greetings from Scotland, Series 1: Episode 1: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000v0w2 via @bbciplayer
Documentary taking a humorous look at the early days of tourism in Scotland, from the Speyside St Moritz to cultural Clydeside.
In 1969, the Scottish tourist board turned professional, becoming a government-funded body whose remit was to promote Scotland as a tourist destination. With that came the responsibility of deciding what actually was good about Scotland. Tourism was seen as a route to keeping jobs in the Highlands, as well as a chance to create jobs at a time of rapid de-industrialisation. However, as early tourist board staff recall, it wasn’t as easy as simply laying out the welcome mat, with many of Scotland’s hotels not being up to the standards required....
I don't have Netflix but this might make me get it
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what else is on there