Recently in Culture Category

I've met Carlos Acosta, the Cuban dance star currently working in England, so I know he's not an overly modest man. Lovely guy, great dancer, but not exactly modest. So when he popped up on the box at the weekend during the Jacksonfest saying that the former resident of Neverland was a much better dancer than him, I took him at his word.

Of course, like anyone with a passing interest in modern music, I didn't need to be told of Michael Jackson's genius. But I'd rather taken the video productions and the choreography for granted.

For BBC Director-General Mark Thompson, the death of Michael Jackson must have felt like manna from heaven. I'm guessing that Thompson was girding his loins for a merry-go-round of media interviews on Friday, following the release of his expenses claims, and those of his senior colleagues, but fate had other plans and the news agenda set off on a very different direction.

I've had a good look at the claim forms, helpfully posted on the BBC website, for reasons I'll come on to. While some of the expenses seem rather petty (23p for parking? I'd love to know where that car park is), some rather unorthodox (spending best part of £500 on meeting expenses with future colleagues BEFORE he started work at the BBC?) - and others must be the result of some seriously robust negotiations over his contract (paying his annual congestion charge, presumably just so he could drive to work), the majority of the published expenses are pretty damn boring to my mind. Which is exactly why they've been released.

Here's all the proof you need in this link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwAtyyUlM6A&feature=related

Quite by accident, that's the Langley grey hair and checked shirt captured on a random YouTube video on Saturday at the London Uke Fest world record - 851 players plus various non-combatants crammed into Dorchester Square to set a new record for the most ukuleles played at one time - and raise cash for various charities.

Daughter and her two daughters can also be glimpsed (the very blonde head is ten-year-old Jessica). I think the girls set a new record of their own - eating the most complimentary cookies from the jars scattered throughout the rather classy hotel we stayed at just over the road.

We all had to have a number and have our picture taken and then we had to be counted in to the square for the strum-in - it took ages! But, of course, uke players are hugely sociable types and we had a chance to hear the legendary Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, who had their registration numbers to take part in the record as well.

Hester Goodman did her usual brilliant take on Teenage Dirtbag and George Hinchlife did a splendid Steve Vai lead guitar imitation on the smallest uke in the world, as well as the inimitable Yorkshire folk song/modern jazz hybrid version of Wuthering Heights. Ace, by gum.

Dreadful acoustics, one of the worst sound systems I've ever encountered, but nevertheless a great day out. One of our fellow recordbreakers was, like me, an old geezer guitar player from a neighbouring street who didn't know what was happening until he saw hordes of people turning up.

He and wife promptly nipped over to the gig, bought cheap instruments (£20 gets you a perefectly serviceable uke) and had a couple of hours to learn the three-chord song we performed - Sloop John B, of Beach Boys and Kingston Trio fame. While we were filing in past the Guinness World Record adjudicators, he and fellow geezers spent much time discussing obscure versions of Bob Dylan covers. I made my excuses and left.

Kids in Hawaiin fancy dress enjoyed paddling in ornamental ponds near the stage, the MC had his blue suede winklepickers half-inched and some of the support bands were not actually fit to audition for the auditions for Britain's Got Talent. And going to the portable loos was like a ride on a fairground cakewalk.

But overall a genial, laidback and hugely satisfying afternoon. Loads of videos etc on YouTube. One young woman had flown in from Chicago to take part.

We were able to stroll over to the Whitechapel Gallery after the record to check out the tapestry version of Picasso's Guernica and Sunday morning saw us strolling through vile and newly-salubrious parts of the East End to reach the V&A's Museum of Childhood at Bethnal Green - highly recommended.

And so, tired but happy, we were able to enjoy the joys of Sunday engineering work on British rail as we made our leisurely way back to the Midlands. It would have been quicker on the Sloop John B.

Electro, Indie, Extreme Metal, Step Punk, Funk, Dark Stuff and Experimental, Brumcast is the sound of the Birmingham Underground ! Brumcast 123 'Bad Girl, Bad Trip' is now ready for listening and FREE download. Go to http://brumcast.podOmatic.com for download & audio stream links. Download it free and direct from here
Here's this show's playlist :-
1. The Concept:MK - This Town (4:20)
2. Lets - Renegade (1:34)
3. Ignoramus - Army Of Me Remix (2:23)
4. The Arcane Parade - Footnotes (2:57)
5. Oscar - dumb (2:39)
6. Sunset Cinema Club - Failure (4:50)
7. Lost Scenes - Ghosts (4:25)
8. Scarlet Harlots - Benefits (2:18)
9. Bastu - transgression (3:21)
10. Duller in Colour - Hold Your Rifles Head High (3:51)
11. Ultio - Guilty Until Proven Innocent (3:15)
12. Birmingham Bertie - Put it on your expenses (0:54)
13. Kid Gloves - Small town syndrome (2:10)
14. Nations Waiting - Amba Thug (2:24)
15. Chairmaker - MRI (3:55)
16. Toyko Disco - Tech (4:19)
17. The Conscripts - Scenery (3:10)
18. Chamber - ccmc (demo) (3:41)
19. Walters Ego - Neap Aether (3:52)
20. Betty & The Id - Bad Girl, Bad Trip (2:37)
21. The Destroyers - Out of Babel (4:09)
22. Sekotis - Creatures in your head (6:47)
Enjoy!
Little Chris

Brumcast RSS feed for itunes etc - http://brumcast.podOmatic.com/rss2.xml
Brumcast on Twitter http://twitter.com/brumcast

How's about this for audience participation? This brilliant family snap of our Rebecca was taken during Saturday's Puppet Extravaganza at Newhampton Arts Centre, just round the corner from the home of the legendary Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The brilliant sunshine was actually outshone by a whole array of superb performers and excellent attractions - workshops, exhibitions and simply fabulous shows. It was a day that ended with a face-ache - it was only when we piled into the Mondeo to head home that we realised we had been grinning and smiling all day!

As Festival Director and ace puppet man Clive Chandler put it over a lifesaving can of Coke - it's great but knackering!

Yes, I have a problem. But I didn't let it spoil a great holiday weekend.

We made sure we got to the Ikon to see the Thomas Bewick show - now over. The only art exhibition we've been to where we were handed magnifying glasses to look at the work - superb wood engravings by a master who lived from 1753 to 1828. My picture shows the image which is mentioned as frightening Jane Eyre, of Satan's fork pinning down the swag bag of a fleeing thief.

I've been along to two wonderful art events over the last week, one you'll have to rush to catch -- the other is handily distilled into newspaper form.

Echoes from the Edge is an installation that uses film, sound, physical objects you can touch and even smells to evoke people's memories of Digbeth and Highgate. Friction Arts have been collaborating with US artist, Shannon Flattery, to create an interactive exhibition reflecting the voices, thoughts and histories of the residents and workers as the area undergoes it's most significant changes for forty years.

Photo by Nicky Getgood on Flickr

Local Digbeth blogger Nicky Getgood has been effusive with her praise, and I found much to make me agree. The interactive sets are immersive and the audio memories that you find along the trail will bring Birmingham to life. It's really spectacular and on until the 30th May, Thursday to Sundays.

My second art experience also took place in Digbeth, but in the rather more alcoholic atmosphere of the Anchor pub. It was the launch of the new issue of The Eccentric City bills itself as "the World's first dedicated eccentric newspaper" - and I'm sure it is, whatever oddness the Daily Mail et al get up to. It's the work of artist and "eccentric archaeologist" Harry Palmer who edits contributions from around the World, he says it "serves to review, preview, present and promote the nuances of personal and creative pursuits, interests and fascinations".

Showcasing the underground talent of the Midlands this show brings you Ska by 'Tempting Rosie', Ambient from 'Herd', Electro from 'The Baps' and 'Eurovision Reject', Big Beat from 'Squashed Cob', Punk from 'Vincent and the Onepotts', angry indie from 'The Benwahs' and much more besides....Download it free and direct by right clicking and save as here or visit the archive page here
Here's this show's playlist :-
1. Tempting Rosie - Fagin (4:10)
2. The Giveaway - Wrong When Your Right (3:22)
3. Chairmaker - softly (4:15)
4. Rhesus - Narcolepsy Baby (3:59)
5. The Benwahs - I don't give a.... (2:54)
6. Miss Halliwell - Amblecote (2:41)
7. Squashed Cob - No Way I'm Letting Go (4:43)
8. Vincent and the Onepotts - Scene ( It's such a Drag) (2:33)
9. The Baps - Passed T (NCR Remix) (4:10)
10. Mr Bones and the Dreamers - The Towers (3:24)
11. Beyond Redemption - I Am The Voiceless (3:38)
12. The Lampoons - Silhouette (3:57)
13. Rebel City Radio - Rise Above (2:50)
14. Motion Figures - Play Safe (5:07)
15. Herd - Tangent 14 (1:53)
16. Herd - Tangent 15 (1:54)
17. Cathode Ray Catastrophe - A slow night underneath the trains (3:19)
18. Eurovision Reject - Snowtrack (2:52)
19. Hans Gruber - Miserable Subtraction (4:47)
20. Skewwhiff - Skewwhiff (2:50)
21. Red Lite Run - Flags (3:57)
22. The Robot Disaster - Guitars Are Over Rated (2:55)
Enjoy!
Little Chris
Brumcast RSS feed for itunes etc - http://brumcast.podOmatic.com/rss2.xml
Brumcast on Twitter http://twitter.com/brumcast
Brumcast on myspace http://www.myspace.com/brumcastbirmingham

It may surprise you to know that I lead a double life. By day, I'm a consultant on marketing & fundraising issues to cultural organisations, but by night I'm a volunteer charity trustee. It's a privileged position as it gives me insights to situations as poacher and gamekeeper simultaneously, as many of my clients are registered charities. This is a very tough time to be working in the charity sector, particularly when involved in income generation, as the recession - or for some the fear of the impact of recession created by media reporting - bites.

Fundraising charities broadly receive their income from one of four sources: public sector support, trusts & foundations, companies, and individuals. Although Arts Council England has set up a specific fund to help arts companies through the recession, some other funders - local authorities, regional development agencies, etc. - have found themselves with dramatically-reduced resources and so have been forced to cut services and sector's support of charities has been cut back (or in many cases simply removed) and trusts and foundations have found their endowments somewhat shrunken in the face of Icelandic banking disasters and world economic turmoil. Fundraisers are now hoping that individuals will feel compelled to support projects close to their hearts - but wait, aren't these the very same individuals who are losing, or worried about losing, their jobs right now? That's right, it's the humble taxpayer who foots the bill. However, we are known as a supportive and generous nation when it comes to charity; as the phrase goes, charity begins at home and recent history seems to bear this out.

Jeremy Kyle nearly made me fall off a treadmill at the gym. Not just me, either. The legendary June (who parks in the same spot on the overflow car park every day, and waits for the same treadmill to become free every day and gets off and stretches her quads - that's thighs to most of us - precisely 20 minutes into her fast walking routine) stumbled as well.

It wasn't Kyle so much as the full screen caption that flashed up on one of the three giant plasma screens we all watch as we jog, walk, sprint and stagger on Lifestyle's finest pieces of equipment. It read: I paid for my girlfriend's new breasts, but did she repay me by cheating?