Film with Live Music: The Moonwalkers

Tonight, the last of three musical nights with CT, I was at the Albert Hall for The Moonwalkers, with a score performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and two specially created films about space exploration, the titular film narrated and co-written by Tom Hanks. My ticket was emailed to me this afternoon, with a dire warning that if I tried to change it, my account would be cancelled!

I wouldn't eat in the Albert Hall as a rule - it's really overpriced. Neither is it near any reasonable eateries - so I decided to eat in The Sun Wharf. Which was full! probably the after-work crowd. So I ended up in Popeye's - which might not have alcohol, but has really great chicken.

And then began something of a nightmare journey - the Jubilee Line was packed, as ever, and I couldn't squeeze onto the first two trains. I might have gotten onto the third, but for a couple of queue-jumpers. I got on the fourth. One of the up escalators wasn't working at Westminster, so I had to take the stairs, and then we had constant warnings that there were severe delays on both lines I could have taken from there, because of earlier signal failures. Mind you, the trains were frequent enough - again, I couldn't get on the first two, but was luckier this time and got on the third, which was much less crowded - probably because it was going to Kensington Olympia, which wouldn't have suited many long-distance commuters. 

Got to the Albert Hall in good time, and got a glass of Sauvignon Blanc - which you can take in, in plastic. Never mind that it's their premium - it was absolutely gorgeous, and well worth the £18.50. I got another at the interval between the films. My ticket had me right in the back row - but the view was fine, and as long as I wasn't standing I was happy!

Oh, the first film was divine - Deep Field, it aims to give us a sense of the sheer vastness of the universe: and as the camera zooms through the outer reaches, the music swoops and soars. Weirdly though, we were invited to download the app using a supplied QR code so that we could participate when invited by a sign from the conductor.. and indeed, we could see when that was probably supposed to happen, when the image on screen devolved into photographs of hundreds of people.. but the invitation never came! which is a shame, considering that, playing it now at home, I get a slowly moving starfield with, again, a musical backdrop, which would have gone quite well with the film! Never mind - this was a sublime experience, and on its own worth the price of admission.

After the interval, we got The Moonwalkers, and Tom Hanks' narration, and it was lovely to hear the excitement in his voice as he described watching the first moon landing at the age of 13, and how he followed the Apollo program afterwards. What was also lovely was the interviews with members of the Artemis program (Artemis being the sister of Apollo, in Greek mythology), with them talking about what inspired them. Again, we got soaring music, a bit less successful here as it drowned out the narration somewhat. But the whole thing was inspirational, and I'm very glad I saw it. And, of course, my journey home was a lot easier, and I was early enough to do a shop.

Tomorrow, I'm back being sociable, for the first of 19 days straight, with London Fun at Leicester Square Theatre, for Rosie Holt: The Illegal Aliens Have Landed! Eating beforehand, of course, at Bella Italia Cranbourn Street. 

And then I'm on holiday for the rest of the month! And thus begin 24 straight days of Meetup, and 11 straight days of horror.. On Thursday.. I fly to Dublin for the Bram Stoker Festival (starts on Friday)! Again, part of the London Museums A-Z (LoMAZ) Dracula shenanigans. Flying to/from Gatwick with Ryanair - I don't know where I got the impression I was coming back with Easyjet! I'm flying a day early and returning a day late, to make sure I don't miss anything - and am hosting a group there. I'm meeting up with an old, Dublin-based friend and her fiancé that evening. We decided to have dinner in the Good World Chinese restaurant, which was always a favourite of ours. Now, when I was booking this, it had to be by phone or internet form - it was noisy where I was, so I filled out the form. Never did get a response, so I finally rang them - no record of the booking, of course, but we're now booked. Anyway, I'm staying in Staycity aparthotel in the Liberties.

The festival kicks off on Friday - and one of the group, Alice, flagged a series of events, including a free guided walk - Life, Disease and Death at Collins Barracks, which I might go on. Seems it used to be part of the festival, but not any more. Rough plans to meet my sometime companion for lunch - she's on the trip as well. Do you know, as we were browsing the schedule, events were selling out in front of us! So the only thing I managed to get booked in the festival that day is a live horror podcast called Petrified, showing in the Project Arts Centre. Eating at Smokin' Bones afterwards - and with people in the group arriving at different times, I only have Alice for that, at time of writing. How bad! I started out with bar seating, but when I amended the booking to two people, I got standard seating.. much better.. plus, she discovered a Wowcher for that!

On Saturday morning, again as part of the festival, there's supposed to be a treasure hunt in the National Library. Tickets are free, and were supposed to be available from midday last Wednesday - but when I checked, I discovered they weren't available because of industrial action, and indeed, they have to check whether the event is still happening!

That evening, a couple of us are going to a play that's running throughout the festival - Stitch is billed as an homage to Frankenstein, and claims to explore our capacity to be both monster and maker. Playing at Smock Alley Theatre - some of us are eating at Lundy Foot's afterwards, which is right beside it, and wouldn't give us a booking after 8pm! which is when the play finishes. So we're rushing right there.

On Sunday, we were talking about starting with brunch/lunch in Doyle's - another internet form, another non-reply. But behold and lo, I hadn't noticed that they don't open that early there on Sundays! Shelley, who's also coming, found us an alternative, and we're now brunching/lunching in Cafe 1920 at the Fleet Hotel. Anyway, it's convenient to Trinity College, where we're headed to a couple of talks that afternoon, in the Graduate Memorial Building - to which, I must say, they provided excellent directions! First up is Dacre Stoker, a relative of Bram, with a talk called Stoker on Stoker.

Later, there's a talk on Stoker on the Runway: The Gothic in Contemporary Fashion.

And that evening, again at Shelley's suggestion, a few of us are dining at Fallon & Byrne. All these eateries are new to me, BTW!

For those of us left, there's a Macnas parade ("Fiáin", which means "wild") on Monday. We might head out of the city a bit on one of these days, for some sightseeing..

I fly back next Tuesday, and am rushing off, with The Hideout, to the Prince Charles Hallowe'en Quiz that night. Victory House bar beforehand, as usual.

On the 28th, well, Clare from LoMAZ flagged a different storytelling group to me - so I'm hosting a trip to see the Bloomsbury Folklore Club talk about vampires and the undead, downstairs at Waterstone's Bloomsbury. Tickets from Eventbrite. And there's a bar down there too!

On the 29th, the Prince Charles (PCC) is doing a vampire day! So I said I'd take the day off for that.. and with the first two days of the week off as well, why, I said I might as well take the whole week off! so I am. This vampire day has a variety of vampire films.. I'm starting with From Dusk till Dawn, because I've never seen it - stars Harvey Keitel, George Clooney, Juliette Lewis, Tarantino (would you believe), who also co-wrote it, and Salma Hayek.. it's about a couple of criminals who hole up in a truck stop that turns out to be populated by vampires! With Salma Hayek's character name of Santanico Pandemonium, I have to wonder whether she isn't one of them.. 

Then I'm seeing Sinners, because I just love it. Afterwards, I should just have time to eat in Bella Italia..

Before I join The Hideout for The Lost Boys, about a town full of vampires (Kiefer Sutherland is one of them), and which I've also never seen! Back to Victory House again beforehand, of course.

On the 30th, second day in a row with them, back with The Hideout for Crawlers.. the latest spider horror! Details TBC.

And on Hallowe'en itself.. I have two Meetups! First up is Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpies, with a walk around Sensational Soho!

And that evening - I couldn't resist Hallowe'en at the Museum! Happening at the Natural History Museum, with a vampire theme - they have a vampire wedding, a vampire council, vampire bands.. and I am so dressing up for it. I'm hosting with The Hideout (making it my third Hideout day in a row of four - and the first time I'll have hosted for them), and also with LoMAZ - fewer on the LoMAZ side. As of now. Well, tickets are £65..

On the 1st, back with Museums, Art & Culture Socials for the Korean exhibition at the British Museum. Pub social afterwards, location TBD.

I can't stay long though - back that evening with The Hideout for the director's cut of Ken Russell's The Devils, at the PCC! Couldn't resist, I love this debauched vision (even censored) of the possessions at Loudun, where a hysterical group of young nuns gave testimony that the magician responsible was one Fr. Urbain Grandier (Oliver Reed) - the fact that he'd gone up against the powerful Cardinal Richelieu probably didn't help. Also stars Vanessa Redgrave. Meeting in Victory House beforehand, as usual.

Next, two days of Up in the Cheap Seats - on the 2nd, at Dogstar, at Hampstead Theatre.

And on the 3rd, Five Days in the Sun at Sadler's Wells. Eating at The Wilmington beforehand.

On the 4th.. wow, I cannot believe I didn't think of this! I'd seen this talk on The History of the Female Vampire advertised so often.. but I guess I was more relaxed yesterday, and finally realised it was happening on the very day I was looking for something to do. Eventbrite again, and happening in The Blues Kitchen Brixton again, which is an excellent venue! So, I advertised it on LoMAZ, and am having dinner there beforehand, of course - and, of course, they always have £6 cocktails (and mocktails) on Tuesdays and Wednesdays..

On the 5th, back, for the first time in over a year, with the World Music Meetup! It's their 15th anniversary, and the concert is with Erroll Linton with Brixton Blues, happening in St. Mary's Church Rotherhithe. Bookable with TunedIn London, as usual. Unfortunately, it's a Thursday, so I'm in the office.. if I get the bus, I'll be passing my house, and can pop in and drop my laptop en route! Grabbing food could be tricky - there's never anything in Rotherhithe..

On the 6th.. the start of nine full days of LoMAZ-related stuff.. heading off on our final adventure with Lomaz's Dracula peeps! This is the big one - we're off to Transylvania! Specifically, Cluj-Napoca - there was talk of heading to Bucharest, which is easier for flights - but following my trip there last year, I know that's too far for the daytrip they want to do to Bran Castle. Oh, you can do daytrips from Bucharest to Bran - but it's mostly driving, and you'd miss out on Sighisoara. And you really don't want to miss out on that, believe me. So I put my foot down about Cluj.. and when we started getting great reports about it, others got behind it, and now that's where we're staying! The great thing is, there are direct flights from Stansted to Cluj, with Ryanair.. 

Now, the outbound flight is at (ahem) 5.55am.. Lordy, I literally have to take the very first Stansted Express of the day. And I think JW is the only other one to sign up for this torture.. although he says he'll sleep in the airport, as is his wont. Will probably Uber from the airport, I'll have a big bag. I'm staying in Ultra Central Apartments (who just today finally took payment), booked through Booking.com - checked earlier, and can't check in until 3pm! Ouch.. four hours after we arrive.. well, I'll either hang around in the airport, or in a cafe in town, I suppose. Because I ain't going sightseeing with a case! although I could ask about early check-in, closer to time. Most of the others are on a flight a couple of hours after ours..

On the 7th, we're talking about doing a walking tour of the town - Get Your Guide offers the cheaper ones. But it's a private tour, the cost per person depends on how many have signed up, and I'm currently trying to find out how many are interested, and which of the six available times they'd prefer! I suppose it'll be me booking, and chasing people for money afterwards. There's also a wine tasting I'm interested in, but it needs a minimum of two people, so I'm trying to persuade people from the group to join me that day..

On the 8th is our Dracula tour, to Sighisoara and Bran Castle. This, mercifully, is already booked, and we're just joining an existing tour, with George Tourism, so no chasing people for decisions. Ickily early start, but at least close to where I'm staying. This is the bit I've done before, so I'm busily answering any questions the others have.. as long as I don't give too much away..! ;-)

Most people are heading back on the 9th - there'll still be one person left besides me, so we'll have to decide what we want to do!

Now, with flights back to Stansted only on Fridays and Sundays.. and our main tour on Sunday.. I decided to stay till Friday 13th (!). The next couple of days, I booked Get Your Guide tours.. on the 10th, a Communist Era Walking Tour of Cluj..

And on the 11th, a trip out of town.. has to be done.. I booked the Maramures Adventure: Tradition, Folk Art & Scenic Beauty.

I'm flying back on Friday 13th - how appropriate..

And on the 14th.. back with LoMAZ to see the Hunterian Museum. And we're dressing Steampunk for the occasion, meeting at the Princess Louise beforehand and gathering at Be At One afterwards. And do you think I have the time to be thinking about an outfit?! I had one day to make the basic choices, bought some stuff, dug out some more stuff, and have yet to find the time to put it together..!

Finally (assuming I'm still alive), back at Conway Hall with CT on the 15th. An instrumental classical concert. I am not going back to that Pizza Express though, after the last time!