Boothby Graffoe / Nick Pynn

Caitlin Rose

An Audience with Camille O'Sullivan

Caught a UTube clip of her performing Kirsty McCall's 'In These Shoes', checked out her back story, that of award winning Irish Architect, badly injured in car crash then singer of torch songs including Bowie, Cave, Waits and those from Germany's Wiemar cabaret scene, and thought interesting.
This gig popped up only metres away from the office at King's Cross in the Shaw Theatre, and tickets were quickly purchased.
The gig was a charity event to raise funds for the Roundhouse and started of with Camille giving the audience some of her background, then question and answer, and then a number of songs. She opened solo with Jacques Brel's Amsterdam which was jaw droppingly stunning and brilliant. One of those tingles up the back moments. She was then joined on stage by her pianist and they ran through more numbers including a dramatic Rock and Roll Suicide.

First rate singing voice, although completely self taught, full of emotional expression, but with humour too.

Will be seeing her again!

True Grit

Story telling at its best. Dont know why Jeff Bridges is getting all the plaudits, although he is good(again) for it is Hailee Steinfeld that really holds centre stage.
Just look at the poster, Matt Damon is on for about 15 to 20 minutes total, Josh Brolin 5 minutes tops but Hailee Steinfeld is on for 90% of the movie, where is she on the poster, she should be up for leading actress oscar, however she is down for best supporting actress.

8.5 / 10

Mama Roisin

If it wasn't for the poor stage lighting, The Bully on Oxford's Cowley Road would be a great little venue. (not enough and what there is is too RED dominated).
Anyway it is a cold Saturday night and what better way to warming up than to go and see Mama Roisin.
A young Swiss trio playing a mixture of Cajun, Zydeco music with the energy and rawness of a punk band. Line up of percussion (including extensive use of the washboard), guitar and banjo, and accordion, with Harmonica, a loud hailer and maracas adding to the sound.

Being Swiss, and suspect from a French speaking canton around Lake Geneva, they are particularly adept in getting over the French/English sound from Americas' deep south. It was also rather charming when between songs introductions were done in heavily French accented English which I am sure the women in the audience fully appreciated.
Shortish set, which we made our entrance during the first number (75minutes) galloped along at a pace with dancing mainly by the women down at the front. Joined half way through by two Oxford based friends, they slipped into some roaring Delta blues and even a surfing song.

But in someways the highlight was their last encore number where they unplugged themselves and got down into the audience and played walking around amongst the crowd, washboard, banjo and accordion. Extraordinarily excellent.

Here is a link to a Guardian article about them.

Watford 0 Brighton 1

Fielded a weakened side so what do you expect.

Did not go

Black Swan

Oscar winning performance from Portman although she overacted the self pleasuring scene as if she was a porn star. Probably the best central performance role for a woman in a long time, she must be in every shot.
Very decent film which builds to a climax in her performance in Swan Lake. The shots of the dancing are very well done although there is endless flutterings of arms, but the hand held camera on her shoulder got annoying.
But walked out afterwards with the glass only three quarters full.
8.25 / 10