February

The second one of these monthly round ups - I have not got bored of doing them as yet…though give it time. I always regard February as the true start to the year. January feels like a shutdown and nothing much really happens. Due to varying factors, this has certainly been the case in 2010. It’s been yet another month that has been blighted with snow.

Well as things start up again the he first weekend of the month saw the first gig of the year. I managed to get to see Miles Hunt and Erica Nockalls of the Wonder Stuff, doing one of their acoustic sets at the Liverpool Philharmonic’s intimate Rosewald Suite. The gig was a well-travelled path for the audience but Hunt was in good form both with his songs and ever engaging reflections that Hunt dwells upon in-between the songs. I have lost count at the amount of times I have seen him play in his numerous guises down the years and look forward to future gigs.

Music wise it has been a slack month really, nothing new has really caught my ear. I have not listened to anything interesting apart from catching up with a couple of the free Uncut cds from the last few editions. Uncut magazine and its accompanying cds are normally good at throwing up new bands to check out.

One album that I have been listening to of late has been the Florence and the Machine album, I know that the album had been getting a bit of a mention in the papers with Florence becoming something of a ubiquitous figure, something that’s not always good. I have to say the album is good and lives up to the hype and yes she does have a touch of the Kate Bush about her - which is no bad thing. The songs which have appeared on adverts bear up to closer scrutiny but I have to say my favourite song on the album is Drumming Song. I picked up a free remix from RCD RBL, a decent website that offers daily free legit downloads.

With the bad weather returning, trips to the cinema have been the order of the day. Despite putting it off and thinking it could not live up to the hype I finally got around to watching Avatar. Though the plot is fairly flimsy, apparently a carbon copy of Pocahontas, watching it in the cinema in all its 3D glory was certainly something that made the film for me. The clips of future features in 3D looked good too. This month I also went to see Invictus and An Education, though not as visually as enticing as Avatar, they are highly recommended films based on true stories.

I suppose the main highlight of the month, in an ever so geeky way was finally getting hold of an iPhone. After a period of limbo with Vodafone, my contract finally ran out. As someone who had previously taken the easy option of upgrading to the latest Sony Erricson model. Thankfully Apple's exclusivity deal with 02 had ended and I could stick with more reliable Vodafone network.

So what is so good about the iPhone? Well, it's a camera, which has a reasonable spec - better camera phones do exist. The phone is pretty good with some nice features too; the chance to browse emails is also good too. It also enables you to play music too. It feels like the future - well it did until the day of its arrival Apple launched its much heralded tablet computer, which looks good though the iPad I’m afraid that’s for another year.

The iPhone has a head start over other devices given its iTunes store, which offers a number of free and paid for applications. The interests that I have reflect the choices of applications that I planned to download. First up was the Everton app and the Echo and the Bunnymen app.

When you first pick up the box that the iPhone comes in, it is hard not to be overcome by a feeling of ‘is that it?’ Given the economy of space that Apple use with its packaging - all the elements - cables, headphones and instructions. It is bundled together pretty well Once you open up and load your iPhone then these disappointments dissipate.

The one gripe that is common in the reviews that I have read previously is that the battery life is not that great and if you use it constantly then you are lucky to get more than a day out of the device. This I have found so true. That aside, I have to say I like my new toy and have enjoyed the month familiarising myself with its many features.

24 Hours in the City

Today’s events could have been anywhere. Our mission to encapsulate the plan of the day was shrouded in a fog of grey cloud that meant it virtually impossible to see the skyline and the coast of the morning light.

It was a long day that encompassed all that Liverpool has to offer football, commerce, music and family are things that all can relate to. Given the nature of Sky and their demands as a broadcaster all points on the day were set up, lunchtime with the family watching the game reflecting on yet another derby defeat for Everton.
Then shopping in the afternoon at the wonderful Liverpool 1, the novelty has not worn off for me yet about this place. Numerous coffees consumed, and for the first time for me Sushi, though of the vegetarian kind.

In the evening still in the heartbeat of the city, a quick drink at the Everyman and then it was off to see Miles Hunt doing his stuff , not in the main auditorium but in the Rosewald Suite of the Philharmonic hall. He gets better every time I see him.

Tentatively heading for our mode our transport with thoughts of returning home after the day’s events, at a time when thoughts should be turning to bed, I still find time to pop in briefly for my cousin’s 30th birthday. Finally an hour and half into the new day, I make it into bed. It was a long day but an enjoyable one all the same.

The events took place on Saturday 6th February 2010