the night i didn't see Twisted Wheel

FAC251

The across the road three floor space for all retro appreciatives opened a couple of weeks back, long enough for paint to dry on all things done on the cheap for the drinking of beer and the watching of Twisted Wheel Friday last.

Packed to the bar space, a cross section of clubbers that spanned twenty five years of skin constitution, life experience and trends breathed the same air, soaked the same lighting, nodded, poked and cheered as the band played on.


It was with some trepidation that I stepped into this mini club nestled in the middle of the city night -

form a queue please, form a queue, keep the stairways clear.



The stairways snake away to three floors (not counting the lost persons trading office in the basement).

The crowning floor houses hunched lines of rotating spotlights filed along the ceiling apex, promoting a 'hemmed in' feel. Not that it matters too much, when the sports event of the evening is getting a drink before the next smiley person.

Down a floor and there's the dual sex toilet bank for deposits; complete with rough trade finish. (Having a number one was a bit like chinese water toilet torture), a landing area lost to passing refugees from other floors; the occasional suited guy keeping eye over proceedings like some indiestylesecretservice.

The middle room houses a dancefloor finding its way to the bar, mounted behind which are three ottoman sized screens providing a roll call of stars - Patti Smith, Ian Curtis et al - though not perhaps so surprisingly, any hint of SPM...

Going down again and the band space - Twisted Wheel wus well gud, not that i could see them, hugged into a brick corner, making way for the fat black bag carrying bar staff chucking out the refuse.

And lo... All was sated as the night unfolded back out onto the street and into the taxi driven night.

nice one, sorted, ting...

customise

Interesting word - will look it up while I listen to The Stone Roses. This being a change to the regular dose of Radiohead, which incidentally has been my staple musical diet for about two years now whilst forging the development of creative stuff from the scratch of mi ass moment to stage completion...

Been a busy week this one, and looking over my shoulder i can afford a smile - my exhibition is up and running and i have been able to think words again instead of images!

This week has been full of other events - Monday's Muslim Writers session about the essence of the creative was illuminating in terms of dispelling myths about the muse and other such elusives when we set about creating. Very useful session in that, when the creative airway is blocked, there's a surgical tool in the shape of thought process which allows you to breathe and therefore create. It's simple really, I smile now as I type - if you create (which we all do in some shape or form), then simple acceptance and ownership of this thought allows invisible passage through Checkpoints diligently guarded by the sentinels of idleness and passive magistrates of thought prison.

'Begging you' has just flooded my earphones and I think of the other events of the week - Un Propehete - Great film - within the content of this gritty-slick thrust of French realism, delivered into the visual cortex from the slow opening glimpses of malevolence and their accompanying auditory cousins, there are for my mind some noticeable homages - e.g. The razorblade in the mouth in front of the prison mirror scene, presents lineage to both Taxi Driver and La Haine - for me this 'update' is also a stark reminder that attitudes flux within the Crucible of socio-political shenanegans within which we all find ourselves shuffling around.

Anyway - before i go off on one about 'wherediditallgowrongandwheredidthatmoralthinggoto', I will instead mention Thursday's reading at the Albert Poets

http://www.ninaboyd.com/albert.html

I read in the hushed backpubroom with poets more established than myself, and it was a humbling experience and one which I was able to glean some creative thought from as I listened to and absorbed their words, rhythms and content -

And to Saturday - Facilitated a three hour session at Touchstones Gallery, and was encouraged by the diverse talent of the range of children who dropped in during the Family Fun Day at the Gallery.

stay tuned..

oh and before i forget -

customise - customize |ˈkəstəˌmīz|
verb [ trans. ] (often be customized)
modify (something) to suit a particular individual or task : the suit can be customized for every skydiving need.

Indeed it can ...