Sunday Walks

January in Connemara....

Snow Patrol

I also had the opportunity this week to see Snow Patrol at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast. A group of friends and I had standing tickets for the show and opted to remain back a little from the stage, which was beneficial for us because we were able to get the full experience of the stage production. 

Snow Patrol are a great band live, putting a lot of heart into each song and Gary Lightbody has such a huge stage presence, engaging with the crowd throughout the concert, and all this was only increased by the fact that they were playing in their hometown. You could feel the appreciation the band have for all their fans and the crowd was only too happy to reciprocate, even taking over the singing duties once or twice, ‘Chasing Cars’ rang out around the arena like a National Anthem at a football match final.

The production itself was amazing, with great lighting and edgy camera work projecting the crowd and the band’s faces on screens at the back of the stage.

It all added to a great concert and an overall great performance that ended with a promise being made between the fans and Mr. Lightbody that with whatever opportunity came our way, we would ‘Just Say Yes’. Not even the fight that broke out beside us could dampen our mood. It is most definitely not the last Snow Patrol concert for me. 

Movie Review: The Artist

 

I finally got to see The Artist last week and it was really worth the wait. Looking at the Michael Bay movies of today you would never expect a French, silent, black and white movie to become such a huge hit all around the world. However, once you see it, you understand why it’s a favorite to win the top award this February.

When it first begins, you can feel the uneasiness of the audience as they try to focus their attention on a movie unlike any others found in cinemas today, but that’s when the magic begins. The story itself is so charming and the actors (including the wonderful dog Uggie) are so fantastic that you quickly forget that there’s no colour or dialogue, instead becoming completely immersed in the story of George and Peppy. The audience provide the dialogue themselves, laughing and gasping at just the right moments. Credit also needs to be given to Ludovic Bource for his perfectly suited music that adds so much life to each scene. You really come out of the cinema humming and tap-dancing!

The Artist is such a refreshing movie, and definitely one of the best I’ve seen in quite some time. Michel Hazanavicius and his movie deserve all the praise it has been receiving, and more.