Nuda Veritas

Today I went with Kasia to Liverpool to see the Gustav Klimt exhibition at the Tate Liverpool. She is a big fan of his work so I thought it would be really excellent. As it turned out this review is pretty bang on the money. The exhibition covers all his different bodies of work rather than focussing on the later excellent pictures. The work with the displays of furniture were interesting but both Kasia and I would rather have seen more of his later paintings, Notablely absent was "The Kiss". Kaisa also missed another landscape painting of some beech trees.


I had never heard of Klimt before Kasia told me all about his work, on looking at the paintings I realised that I recognised some of the works. The most famous of his work are very pretty paintings mostly of women (later in his career he was accused of being a pornographer due to the provocative nature of his paintings). Like most art I have seen pictures do not really do justice to seeing the real article in front of your eyes, my favourite painting was the first one Kasia ever showed me, Nuda Veritas (naked truth). It was a work Klimt did as an answer to his critics the general gist is its better to please some than try and please everyone.

After seeing the Klimt bit we viewed the DLA piper exhibitions which has a range of works charting the last century, it was pretty good though I am still not convinced by the abstract works.
Once we finished in the Tate we took a wonder around Liverpool, first taking in the three graces then perusing the new shopping centre Liverpool One. I am really impressed by what they have done and are doing to the city, in another year or so when all the builders have finished its going to look really awesome. Already I think thanks to the fact there seems to have been an over-arching design I would have to admit, (though it pains me to do so) the city centre is looking a lot better Manchester's.
I drove Kasia back to York, we ate a pizza together share a few more moments then I came back to Manchester alone, its pretty hard seeing someone who lives so far away and who works opposing times to your own, but I really enjoyed our time together.

Let it be

Sunday night was the Liverpool Sound concert. Once Phil finally made an appearance we set off to Liverpool. I was feeling incredibly hungover but Paul McCartney was playing so I had a soak in the bath and some tea and pulled myself together.
Paul had this notion that there would be some sort of early birds area so wanted to arrive well ahead of time. It struck me a decent idea get there early, get a nice parking space, have something to eat together and queue up. Unfortunately I hit a problem. I bought Phil a ticket to the concert for his birthday present only he wasn't at home and his phone was switched off. I got stressed, but finally I booted my computer up to find that at 3.26 am he made friends with Andrea, I assumed this meant he was at her place. At about 12.30 he came online on messenger to tell me he would meet me at his house at 2. I arrived and waited getting more and more stressed chatting to several people on the phone. Finally at 3 Phil arrived and we left for Liverpool, as it turned out our timing was great. I managed to park right next to the stadium and get near the front of the queue. We even somehow beat Paul in though he had been in the queue an hour longer.
Our early arrival gifted us a forward position to watch the bands. The Zutons started around 6.30 they were really good. The sound was great. Kaiser Chiefs were next, I am not really a fan but they put on a really good performance, Ruby and I predict a riot were stand out. Unfortunately by this point I needed to visit the bathroom and Phil having been up all night needed to grab some caffeine.
Thanks to the toilet being right at the back we were unable to get back to Paul and Pippa, we found a place that had a reasonable view, which was good as Paul was superb, well not just superb, superlative.
He put on a great show mixing in his own, the Beatles and Wings numbers. I couldn't remember the full list but fortunately another blogger has it.

Hippy Hippy Shake
Jet
Drive My Car
Flaming Pie
Got to Get You Into My Life
Let Me Roll It with the Foxy Lady
My Love “This one’s for Linda”
C Moon
The Long and Winding Road
Dance Tonight
Blackbird
Calico Skies
In Liverpool
I'll Follow the Sun (with 4 endings)
Eleanor Rigby
Something (tribute to george) played first on ukelelee and electric for other half
Penny Lane (forgot the words off the bat and had a false start)
Band on the Run with David Grohl on guitar
Back in the U.S.S.R. with David Grohl joining Abe on drums
Live and Let Die with stage pyros and fireworks
Let It Be
Hey Jude

ENCORE
Yesterday
A Day In The Life then Give Peace A Chance ending
Lady Madonna
I Saw Her Standing There (with David Grohl joined Abe on the 2nd drum kit)
Dave Grohl came out and joined Paul to play Band on the Run, Back in the U.S.S.R. and I Saw Her Standing There. Then moved to the drums to a couple of songs, he also joined in the encore on Day in the life. I cant really adequately describe in words how good the atmosphere and the music was, hearing an entire stadium singing along to Hey Jude or being overwhelmed by the pyrotechnics on Live and Let die was all just awesome.
We caught up with Paul and Pippa as the crowd dispersed at the end, to the bangs of the fireworks over our heads. We were all buzzing, I boughta program and we said our goodbyes as Paul and Pippa headed for London and Phil and I to Manchester. We were both really awake so as to extend the evening I took a detour into Rusholme for a curry and a chat about the gig.