Culture Diary w/c 17-12-12

Monday – Natalie McCool Dust & Coal single pre-release

Taken from her forthcoming debut album, Dust & Coal is a further example of the sophisticated and multi-layered pop we’ve come to expect as a matter of course from Widnes songsmith Natalie McCool. It serves at once to provide anticipation for the 2013 release of that long-player and a shimmering, aural slice of winter.

Die Hard 8.30pm @ FACT

Thanks to FACT’s Culture Shock strand, if you wanted to, you could watch at least one Christmas film every day this week. Starting today with Die Hard (well, it is set around a Christmas party), you can take your pick from National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, and Scrooged (both Tuesday); Elf and Home Alone would make for a nice double-bill come Wednesday, but don’t get used to it as you just have the one option on Thursday. Fortunately it’s a goodie, in Joe Dante’s classic dark fairytale, Gremlins (pictured). As the big day edges closer, the films take on a more traditional feel, with the remainder of the week bringing us The Muppet Christmas Carol, Santa Claus: The Movie and the enduring classic, White Christmas. Yippee ki-yay, motherfuc*ers!

Tuesday – Talk Tuesdays: Dougal McKenzie 1pm @ the Walker FREE

It’s often useful to be given context by an artist about their work. With the John Moores Painting Prize showing until January, this Tuesday sees exhibiting artist Dougal McKenzie speak about his entry, Otl’s Gift (The Honeymoon of the Mechanical Bride).

Wednesday – Mick Head and The Red Elastic Band 7.30pm @ Leaf £10

Driving force of Shack and The Pale Fountains, Mick Head has been described by the NME as “a lost genius…among the most gifted British songwriters of his generation”, an opinion with no greater credence than in his home town. But, his is a story full of ups and downs; it’s almost a year to the day that he was taken to hospital following an abortive show at Brink. Hopes are high that this time will be different.

Thursday – Jazz it Up! 1.05pm @ Liverpool Philharmonic Hall £6

Expect greats such as Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra to be represented in Jazz it Up!, a celebration of ‘cool yuletide songs’ at the Liverpool Philharmonic this week. Taking in seasonal classics such as Winter Wonderland, Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, The Perfect Year and Let It Snow, the concert features musicians from the RLPO, including Nigel Dufty on double bass.

Friday – Camp and Furnace’s Winter Picnic @ 7pm £20

Certain points in the last 12 months had Liverpool concerned about its venues, with closures and restrictions on live music seemingly coming one after the other for a time. Amid all of that doom and gloom, we saw the arrival of Camp and Furnace, a space one would have had difficulty imagining in Liverpool had it not happened. Celebrate it this Friday with “Fake snow [and] … winter warmers of spiced sticky sausages in chestnut and onion gravy, butternut squash and chilli soup and smoked bacon and garlic roasted potatoes” , all accompanied by music curated by Everisland for their Christmas bash.

Saturday – Twisted Christmas 9pm @ Liverpool Playhouse Studio £5

One of the highlights of this year was seeing the Playhouse studio put to such good use (with The Match Box a real standout in the theatre calendar). That same intimate space is occupied this Friday and Saturday by black comedy Twisted Christmas, which we’re advised is ‘strictly for adults only’.

Sunday – A Loose & Moosey Christmas Knees Up 8pm @ The Caledonia

Every other Sunday, the Caledonia is a home from home for the Loose Moose String Band, ‘a gang of goodtime music loving fools from Liverpool’. Their mix of Bluegrass, Old Time, Honky Tonk, Western Swing and Rock and Roll goes down a treat; this Sunday should be no different, no doubt with added festive merriment.

Posted on 17/12/2012 by thedoublenegative