Archive for September, 2011|Monthly archive page
The Autumn has arrived
Leave a commentSo, now we know why the British Government was so keen to intervene in Libya. Fools like myself believed for once that the reasons were truly humanitarian; i.e. to avert a massacre in Benghazi. But no. The British had used Gaddafi’s facilities for rendition – a consequence of that warming of relations between our nations (see http://tinyurl.com/3b8cakb). On seeing the tide flowing against Gaddafi and towards the ‘rebels’, how might we (the British) make friends quickly? Let us help the ‘rebels’ led by Gaddafi’s former Justice Minister, Mustafa Abdul Jalil. They will control the country and we continue to have a strategic interest in the region, not least the oil. So much for a people’s revolution.
Certainly a massacre in Benghazi was averted. But how many people died in the subsequent fighting in and around Tripoli?
Austra
The Kranhalle, Munich, last night hosted Austra – synth with a voice to complement. Kate Stelmanis heads up the band – playing as a sextet – that simply fill the space and more. The show revolves around their album, ‘Feel it Break’. Songs such as ‘Lose It’ and ‘Beat and the Pulse’ are anthemic in their presentation. It is fair to say that it is difficult to distinguish some of the songs, but these are early days for the band, and frankly they would have been 
mesmerising even if they had sung only one song all night. Kate Stelmanis’ voice is extraordinary. Originally trained as an opera singer, the voice booms, coming to rest only when it hits one’s pelvis. The two backing vocalists are, to some extent, superfluous; but maybe it is easy to say that because they were there. Also on stage, curiously for a synth band, a drummer (Maya Postepski) and a bassist (Dorian Wolf). The keyboard player (and for a short while, saxophonist) dresses exclusively in shorts and vests, from what I can see. That notwithstanding, he looks a shade like Ron Mael.
Be informed 