The Spice of Life is an open mic night!

Last week, I went to an open mic night for the first time and it was surprisingly amazing: this might be one of the best ways to discover new talents and new music!

Eight pm, a bar called “The Spice of Life” near Leicester Square. It is a Monday night but the streets are packed with people. Entering that quite common-looking pub, the fun is just a door and a staircase away.

Downstairs, it feels like I’m on a movie set: the atmosphere is the one of an underground bar during prohibition. Small tables shared by small groups, a bar with a small counter, soft lights, candles and a small stage, just a couple of meters away from the front row tables.

The first to take the stage and face their audience is a duo called “Sally”: they’re the union between a flamenco guitar player and vocal harmonies. The first song was not a big hit but the second one, an impressive and original reprise of “Imagine” by Lennon, left us all gob smacked.

Jaz came second: his energy and humour left their mark. While playing the piano like a manic, he got us all interacting and singing with him. He sang “She broke my heart” and we went “Awww”; he chanted “She was engaged” and we replied “Boooh”. Quite a good sing-along if you ask me.

Then came Sarah, from the band “Paper Aeroplanes”, dressed in a long black skirt and a funny sweater showing a monkey wearing tasty pink glasses. I might not be very objective because I love their music dearly. I discovered them recently and would advise you to check them out: they’re insanely good!

She sang 4 songs including “Circus” and “Little Letters” and an exclusive-never-played-before-song. My favourite, thought, has to be “Fable” because the lyrics caught me off guard and brought many sweet thoughts back to my head. Hiding behind a guitar that seems way to big for her and looking quite frail, Sarah gave an excellent performance despite the stress (it was her first open mic nigh too!).

I stayed a bit longer to listen to a band made of four young guys. They didn’t have a band name and I apologise for not remembering their names. They were really good and I’m pretty sure these guys will meet success very soon. Thank God, I’ll recognize their faces and will be able to correct my paper…Their vocals and music were great and left me wanting more.

I have to say that this open mic night was a thrilling experience! It has to be done at least once. This is such a great idea for a date… And if you love music, I truly believe that this is the new way to discover good music!

Miss DiversiT

“Southcliffe”, the new Channel 4 drama that will wrench your guts

Yesterday evening saw the airing of the first episode of “Southcliffe”, a new TV drama by Channel 4 that will leave you on the edge of your seat, with a weird feeling inside your belly.

Written by the talented and award-winning Tony Grisoni (who worked on the “Red Riding” series a few years ago), the action takes place in a small fictional country town where a gunman spreads panic and blood on his mad journey across Southcliffe.

The four-part mini-series shows what chain of events led to these bloody shootings and how the town reacts to what happened, as the inhabitants wake up from what feels like a nightmare.

Not without reminding about the shootings in Cumbria in 2010, “Southcliffe” explores the wide range of feelings that led and resulted from the gunman’s actions through the eyes of a journalist, originally from the town.

This TV drama is served by many well-known and talented British actors: Rory Kinnear (Black Mirror) is the journalist, Sean Harris (Prometheus) plays Stephen, Joe Dempsie (Skins, Games of Thrones) plays Chris, while the next episodes should see the apparition of Kaya Scodelario (Skins, Wuthering Heights).

Nerves wrenching, gloomy and terrifying, “Southcliffe” is what I would call great British television! It has a great intensity, while being well executed and sadly realistic. I read on Twitter last night, shortly after the end of the first episode, a comment of a man saying that he needed to watch videos of kittens and puppies before going to bed. I cannot help but agree with him: “Southcliffe” is definitely not for the faint hearts. Still, it is so good it hurts! 

The last episode is to be aired next Sunday, at 9pm…It is going to be a long week, guys!

Miss DiversiT

Percy Jackson in the Bermuda Triangle…oops, sorry, “Sea of Monsters”

For this second instalment of the Percy Jackson saga, the trio formed by Percy, Grover and Annabeth are going on a quest to find a magic golden fleece. They are accompanied by Tyson, a clumsy but friendly Cyclops…nothing exceptional here!

If you liked the first Percy Jackson, you will like this one probably just as much. It is equally intense, scary and there are loads of creatures, colossuses and oracles to satisfy your monster hunger. Set in what we, humans, call the Bermuda Triangle, this episode sees Percy and his friends go on a quest to find the golden fleece, only magical instrument to save the dying tree that protects their home: Half-Blood Camp.

The highlights of this film are probably the creatures: the bright, colourful and lovable Sea Horse is every little girl’s dream (or will be!); the vicious bull robots were really impressive and dangerous; the Oracle was really frightening, both physically and verbally. On the downside, you would think that, after creating so many monsters, it would be easy peasy to make perfect believable Cyclops…Well, apparently not!

Being a huge fan of Harry Potter, I have to say that the trio that Percy forms with his friends rings a bell and that similitude can be annoying because too obvious at times: Percy is Harry: a threatening prophecy puts some extra pressure on his shoulders; Grover is Ron: funny and laid back but always there when you need him while Annabeth is Hermione: clever, know-it-all and the feminine asset of the group.

Overall, the storyline is good, despite a crazy rhythm that will ask all your concentration if you do not want to miss the plot and the evolution of the story. The action and the sense of humour are there (while in a disaffected leisure park, Percy and Annabeth sing “It’s a Small World”, funny reference to Disney).

The ending is definitely hinting that a third film is to come in the near future so, brace yourself and get ready: this is not the last time you hear about Percy Jackson!

I will leave you with a funny detail: the director of this film is called Thor Freudenthal! Tell us about prophecies and predestination…

Miss DiversiT

“Dream Out Loud” A documentary about how to make your dreams come true

Three weeks ago, the Olympia was welcoming the International Make Up-Artist Trade Show, also known as IMATS, and on the big opening night was the premiere of a very touching documentary called “Dream Out Loud”.

Directed by Juliet Landau and Deverill Weekes, this short film tells the success story of Kazuhiro Tsuji, a talented and widely recognized-among-his-pairs make-up artist. To borrow Weekes’ words “This film is about excellence and about the story between two men who connected through an art form.”

Kazuhiro started his life in Japan and, as a kid, was living in a fish market. It all started when he saw an article about the make-up artist Dick Smith and that triggered his interest for professional make-up techniques. He started by practicing on his own face and, later, on his fellow students friends’ faces.

The film then goes a bit deeper in Kazu’s art and talent by revealing the struggles he faced on the set of “Looper”. The challenge was to make Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis look alike, the first playing a younger version of the second in the movie. Kazuhiro worked on a lot of details to create similarities between their faces. Gordon-Levitt said that his own mother had troubles recognizing him. “At the end of the shooting, I was more used to that new face than my own!”

Other than his incredible talent, Kazu has an eye for detail and is a perfectionist, always in search of the little subtle thing that will make a difference.

Kazu says that he connected to Smith and that they understand each other through their art. He also confesses that he is never 100% sure about his work and how well it is executed. It is hard for him to gain self-confidence.

At the end of the screening, after 20 fascinating and touching minutes cradled by the music of

Subterraneans, Dewerill came back on the stage and Kazu warmly thanked him. He added that, if he agreed to that project, it is because he wanted to share that it is important to know what you want to do with your life and to go for it.

This film was amazingly sweet and very true. It shows that if you hold on to your dreams, they can actually come true. A good reminder that you should never give up.

Miss DiversiT

Make-up, fake eyelashes and movies: Welcome to the IMATS

Yesterday evening, I got the chance to go to the IMATS (International Make-Up Artist Trade Show). The reason why I'm quickly writing this article before going to work (oh, the joy of working on weekends!) is because I thought it was fantastic and so interesting that you shouldn't miss it! As a cinema fanatic, I've been in awe at what these artists can do and create.

This is the 12th edition of the show and it is held in the Olympia exhibition centre in Kensington. It will last all of today until tomorrow 5pm.

What you will see is impressive body paintings, amazing make-up techniques and the make-up museum, which is a small exhibition of art and make-up made for cinema and television. 

If you're interested in becoming a make-up artist, you'll find lots of professionals ready to advice you and chat with you about the options you have. You'll get to hear Oscar winning artists (Joel Harlow, who worked on "Star Trek" and "Pirates of the Caribbean" and Mark Coulier, who worked on "World War Z" and "Iron Lady") but also to professionals working in West End theatres.

There is also a competition for make-up students, which is cleverly called "Battle of Brushes": one competition is about beauty and has the elements for theme, while the other one is about character and evolves around "Oz".

This show is annually held all over the world: Los Angeles, New York, London, Vancouver, Sydney and Toronto and it's produced by "Make-Up Artist" Magazine.

You'll find out that there is more to make-up than trying to make yourself look good in the bathroom every morning: it's about films, television, theatre and much more! 

All the information you need: http://www.imats.net/london/london_index.php

Miss DiversiT

Skavoovie, chink-ka or skat skat skat, they all bring us down to SKA

Last Saturday, the 15th of June, I went to a concert in Camden. Nothing fancy so far, as you can go to gigs in Camden every single weekend. But, this time, I came out of my comfort zone and experienced a genre of music than I know quite poorly: Ska!

If you’re a novice, you might first wonder “What’s that name?!” Well, the name and the music have quite a blurry history. There are different stories about where the name “ska” is coming from but it all seems to evolve around Ernest Ranglin (Jamaican guitarist and composer) and Byron Lee (Jamaican musician, record producer and entrepreneur). Ranglin says that the term was invented by musicians, referring to the scratching guitar strum that sounds like “skat, skat, skat”. Ernest also made a distinction between R&B and Ska saying that the first is “ka-chink” while the second is “chink-ka”.

Another theory claims that it could come from the expression “Skavoovie” used by Cluett Johnson (Jamaican double bassist, leader of the band “Clue J & his Blues Blasters”) to greet his friends. Byron Lee is claimed to have introduced the name “ska” to name a rhythm that musicians were calling “Staya Staya”. In the end, “ska” seems to be coming from the sound that a guitar or a piano makes.

Originally from Jamaica, Ska was born in the fifties and was a foretaste of rocksteady and reggae. It is easily recognisable because of its walking bass line accentuated with an upbeat rythm. In a word, it swings!

The band that was playing Saturday is named “The Intensified”. The atmosphere was friendly and the band happily chatted to the audience. It was a very intimate yet professional concert. The band was relaxed and gave a great performance that got the whole room to dance and wiggle. The sax player was truly amazing and had an impressive touch that raised the sound of his instrument to another level! The compositions were original and the trumpet player even composed a song moments before the concert.

A bit later, they welcomed Dave Barker on stage. Famous ska and rocksteady singer, he interpreted his biggest hits, “Double Barrel” and “Monkey Spanner”. Dave and his warm voice got the whole audience dancing and cheering.

For more than an hour, the band and Dave made their fans travelled back to the past and to the seventies and gave us a hint of summer and sunshine (much needed in this depressing weather!). In a few words: a fantastic gig in the heart of Camden.

Just a bit of advice: don’t miss “The Intensified” next time they’re in concert!

Miss DiversiT

A bit of art and antiques can’t be bad

Last Thursday, I went to the International Art and Antiques Fair at the Olympia. “How did you end up there?” you might ask. Well, a friend of a friend had a stand so I got an invitation and decided to make the most of it: spend a nice time with a friend, have a pizza, have a courtesy glass of wine, looking at antique pieces of art pretending not to be poor and immerge myself in a new world (also, take it as an opportunity to write an article!).

Being the 41^st edition, the fair is a well-known event that gathers all the amateurs of fine furniture and of arts and objects ranging from prehistoric fossils to the newest pieces of contemporary art.  It also welcomes newbies like my friend and I: they organise conferences, talks and tours, all held by experts and specialists but they also provide a personal shopper that will help you buy your first antiques (only if you want to, of course).

Just wandering around the stands was amazing. The variety and the wide range of items is incredible: jewellery, antique furniture, 20^th century furniture, fine arts and prints, silver, art deco, lighting, carpets and textiles, ceramics, glass, etc. The prices vary between £100 to £1million. Many glamorous celebrities have attended the past fairs (and maybe this one, but I’m not aware of it): Oprah Winfrey, Dustin Hoffman, Jemima Khan, Mick Jagger and Eddie “Les Mis” Redmayne.

Let me give you 5 fun facts from this 41^st edition:

-       It sells the most “out of this world” item: a lunar meteorite

-       Number of diamonds exposed: over 1 million!

-       The further distance travelled by an exhibitor: 5980 miles (South Africa – London)

-       Age of the Olympia Exhibition Centre: 126; it was opened in December 1886

-       To help think of a royal christening present, here’s a good idea exposed at the fair: a Cartier nappy pin.

My friend’s friend, Esther Fitzgerald, was exposing and selling what you call “rare textiles” coming from all around the world. She’s been conserving, exhibiting, researching and photographing textiles for about 30 years. Her collections have been placed in many famous museums such as the Metropolitan Museum in New York, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the National Museum of Tokyo and the Chicago Art Institute. She has a great knowledge and will happily tell you all she knows about those fabrics from another age.

To be honest, this was a fun evening: my friend and I looked around and decided to pretend that we could afford anything. We saw majestic pieces of furniture, sparkling silver items, fantastic real-life paintings, magnificent sculptures and jewellery that made us drool in envy. We also got given 10 tips for investing in art and antiques. Want to hear about it?

1. Always buy from a dealer that’s member of either the BADA (British Antique Dealer’s Association) or the LAPADA (Association of Art and Antiques Dealers).
2. Buy an item that doesn’t look like it’s been repaired or had some of its key parts replaced.
3. Check the authenticity of the piece you’d like to buy.
4. Have an eye for something quirky and original.
5. Furniture is a great investment, although you can also go for scientific instruments and weapons.
6. If you invest in silver, make sure it’s in perfect condition and keep it that way.
7. Pottery and porcelain from the 19^th century is a good investment as well.
8. Vanessa Curry, art advisor, says that it’s always good to buy paintings made by the close circle of friends of a famous painter. With time, their notoriety increases.
9. Lalique is a safe investment: make sure the piece is pre-war (meaning it’s been designed by André Lalique himself) and that it hasn’t been over-polished or damaged (that will decrease its value).
10. Invest in glass: from the 18^th century until right before the World War 2.

There you go!

Sadly, the fair is closing its doors tonight.

But it’s back again in November for its winter edition. It will be held at the Olympia, from the 4^th until the 10^th of the month. Be sure to come and have a look around, it is a lot of fun and you will see marvellous items you’d never have expected to see.

Miss DiversiT