Queen- A night at the concert

I have said it before, and I will say it again: in my opinion, Queen is the greatest band of all time. THE GREATEST! I absolutely love them, and I don't do this with other bands or singers, but with Queen, I actually worship them. Freddie Mercury is my voice idol, who is immortalised in my mind with one of his famous quotes: "I won't be a rock star. I will be a legend," ringing so true. And even though he is sadly deceased, he will forever be with us, which was demonstrated last night. Last night was the best night of my life and I doubt that anything will ever compare, because: I SAW QUEEN LAST NIGHT!!!!! I am still living in a bit of disbelief, because it truly was the most incredible experience ever! Words can't properly describe or recapture how epic this concert was.

The concert was to start at 8pm and my friend and I went inside the arena as soon as the doors opened at 7pm and I swear that we were the two most excited people out of the whole audience. Once those doors opened, it was like the gateways of heaven had opened to us and we couldn't contain our excitement, that we had to jump up and down and shake out some of the energy that was building up otherwise, I swear I would have burst. I don't understand how no one else was like that: everyone else were just sitting as if they were waiting for a train, whereas, that hour we sat waiting for the concert to start was one of the most excruciating hours of my life. We were both counting down the minutes and my nails were digging into my palm because I was clenching my fists so hard. This is when the Rocky Horror Picture Show's line "quivering in anticipation" was so true; I couldn't sit still and I couldn't wait for the band to come on stage.

Only two of the original band members were there, (Brian May and Roger Taylor, with John Deacon no longer performing) and featuring Adam Lambert. Now, I have to be honest that when I first heard that someone was going to be singing Freddie Mercury's part, I was like "no one can replace him!" and I was really skeptical about Adam Lambert, but then I watched him in concert and I do stand by with my belief that no one can replace Freddie, however, I can think of no one better to perform with Queen than Adam Lambert. He didn't try to replace my voice idol, he remained himself and he was incredible- so I loved him for being genuine and complementing Queen to perfection.

The night's set list was faultless- oh my gosh! I really can't describe the amazingness of the performance. I wish I could go into detail about every single piece, but no matter what I say, it just can't do it justice, but I will mention one of the songs that stood out most for me, and that was 'Love of my life.' Back in Queen's golden age, 'Love of my life' was sung by Freddie Mercury and Brian May, piano and guitar, and now it has become the song that is sung in memory of Freddie. Brian was strumming on the guitar, while the audience sang the first verse, then him joining in during the second verse. The final verse, a projection of Freddie came up with him singing, joining in with the entire arena; it was so emotional, and I was not the only one to tear up during this beautiful song, for not only were we singing for Freddie and showing that he is forever in our hearts, but because it actually dawned on me that I was actually singing with Queen and that is the most amazing thing ever! Queen is much loved and I am really so lucky to have had the opportunity to be there and I don't hesitate in saying that this was the best moment of my life.

And the concert finished with an explosive encore of "We will rock you" and "We are the champions"- by this stage, everyone was standing up and singing at the top of their lungs and clapping along. Truly amazing! 

Fire in my Heart

Simple Plan is one of my favourite bands, not because their songs are brilliant musically- in fact, their pop/punk sound is (not exactly simplistic), but it certainly isn't anything compared to any of the great bands like Queen or The Beatles- however, their songs are upbeat and are able to make the listener feel something inside when they are listening. Their angry songs/ fed up songs are perfect to listen to when you are angry/ fed up, and in their more pop-y songs your mood all of a sudden is lifted. And as they are one of my favourite bands, it is always upsetting when I mention them and most of my friends' reaction are "who?" Don't they remember hearing Simple Plan playing all the time when they were younger? Or was that just me?

Anyhow, last year they released a new album, and I was ecstatic and bought it the day it was released. This album wasn't as superior as some of their previous albums, however they have matured in sound and topic, moving a bit further away from their original punk sound that was in their first album 'No Pads, No Helmets... Just Balls,' and complaining about not being taken seriously or fighting with parents. This new album, 'Get Your Heart On- The Second Coming!' still has the wonderful pop sound of the early 2000's that they adopted early on in their career and it is so nice to be able to hear that sound again eleven years after they first made their appearance in 2003.

'Fire in my Heart' is certainly pop-y and it makes you want to get up and jump around and smile and sing with friends. A lot of the songs on this album have that feel to it. So if you are feeling down, or tired, or need some motivation to do your homework (like me), then this song is a perfect choice in bringing back your energy. It is such a cute song!

The Inbetweeners

I am a massive procrastinator,  and over the past couple of days I have discovered and finished the entire series of 'The Inbetweeners.' This is a British sitcom that is filled with crude humour (and sometimes that is the best humour, especially when you are avoiding doing homework) featuring a group of guys in high school who would be considered the "losers." Each episode goes for around 25 minutes, so it is easy to just watch an episode one after the other and not notice that a few hours has gone past and your homework is still left untouched, but by that stage, you are too tired to do it and are ready just to go to bed.

'The Inbetweeners' is narrated by one of the primary characters, Will, who is the straight-laced, mature and to be honest, really weird boy who was forced to go to a normal state school after having gone to a private school. He is a snob and appears to be intelligent, and immediately is classified as a loser at his new school, but luckily makes friends with three other guys who are equally unique and an "inbetweener." There is Simon, who is hopelessly in love with Carli (one of his family friends and fellow class mate) and is probably the most caring and somewhat cynical of the group. Then there's the extremely immature and most crude, Jay. He and Simon are the most believable characters, as their motivations and comments seem to be the most sincere in terms of what some teenagers talk about. Jay in particular is an interesting character as he constantly tells outlandish lies about his love life all because he is insecure and teased constantly by his father. Then there is Neil, the slow and easy going, gullible character, who believes everything Jay says, and is probably too trusting for his own good. So these four guys are completely different, however the chemistry between them is so natural and great fun to watch.

Even though the actors are in their late twenties, they take on the role of teenagers with ease, and as a result, the series is successful and has been made into two movies (which I haven't seen yet, but will soon). The storylines' are about their simple day to day lives, showing their incredible bad luck with girls, with teachers and with other peers at school, but the bad luck they encounter is 100% believable, unlike so many other tv shows. It is so often that a tv show would make something happen and it is so outrageous that you know it wouldn't happen in real life, but in this sitcom, the things that occur to the four friends could really happen to anyone.

From page to screen: "The Spectacular Now"

At the beginning of the year I went to the cinema and saw 'The Spectacular Now,' which I thoroughly enjoyed watching, as it was realistic, not glamourised and was a cute story that depicted a short chapter of someone's life. I didn't know it was based on a book until a was browsing through a book store and saw it on the shelf. I was pleasantly surprised by this and decided to buy it, as I knew how much I liked the movie and was interested to read what the book was like.

'The Spectacular Now' is written by Tim Tharp, who has written other books, which I'm interested in reading as well, because I really thought this a delightful read. It isn't a long novel, and is easy reading; it is short and sweet, which sometimes is the best sort of books. The protagonist, Sutter Keely is a charming and loveable character, who you wouldn't mind to have as a friend. He is the "master of the party" but also "a midnight philosopher," who meets this girl, Aimee, who finds him passed out on someone's front lawn. She is the "social disaster" who allows everyone to walk over her, and Sutter sees it as his mission to help her get confidence to stand up for what she wants, meanwhile, a sweet relationship forms. However, the story isn't exclusively about that, but also about Sutter's outlook of the world, of living in the "spectacular now"and seeing the beauty in everything. I loved reading about what he thought, because it was so honest and refreshing; he allowed for things to seem magical in a place where many imperfections were found- living with the "miraculous."

 I do recommend this book, as it is a light read, that does cover domestic problems, yet is able make you smile and acknowledge a way of looking at life- making you think about how to look at life, for better and for worse. And the ending of the novel, which differed from the movie, is that the novel was left open, as if to show that the story does still continue even after the book has ended, which sometimes annoys me, but for this case, I thought Tim Tharp's ending was appropriate. Meanwhile, I think the ending of the film suited the story too, leaving it more rounded, which I think is better when it comes to movies.

Miles Teller played an excellent Sutter, managing to take on the beguiling role with ease, with Shailene Woodley as a believable Aimee. One of my favourite aspects of the film was how realistic and genuine everything seemed. For example, there was no evidence of makeup, which allowed the audience to see all the imperfections of an actor, which contributed to the vulnerability of each character and the rawness of emotions expressed.

Also, even though in a summary, it sounds like a stereotypical storyline, 'The Spectacular Now' is anything but. When watching the movie, I had no idea where the story was heading, and I remember distinctly at one point I gasped in surprise and  having to cover my mouth with my hand to suppress my shock. When reading the book, I already knew what was happening, however, I enjoyed reading it without thinking "that's not how they did it in the movie" or picturing the actors in my head, which can sometimes happen when you watch the film before reading the book. Instead, it was a separate experience that I loved so much and accepted as the book in it's own right.

Piano Man

All songs hold memories, and some songs are more special than others. Everyone has those songs that bring them back to another time and place each time you hear it. When emotions come flooding back, or a memory becomes so vivid, it's like you are reliving it all over again, and it may be beautiful or bitter sweet or even sad, but either way, you are addicted to going back to the past just for a little while as the song is playing.  And being in a nostalgic mood today, I decided to write about one of my 'memory lane' songs, which is the wonderful classic, "Piano Man" by Billy Joel.

Ironically, the lyrics themselves speak of nostalgia and the surrender to escape from the realities for some time, which is felt in the music. The story is so sad, about Billy Joel's experience as a piano man and the people who came to hear him play, which makes the song even sadder, because it is about real people and real circumstances; of living with unfulfilled aspirations and trying to cope in a world that has disillusioned them from their dreams. But despite all that, it is a song that is fantastic to sing along too.

The music begins with the solo piano, which then is joined by the harmonica, which in my opinion, heightens the sense of nostalgia. Billy Joel has written incredible songs, with other classics like 'New York State of Mind' and 'Just the way you are,' but 'Piano Man' still remains one of his most famous. It was released in late 1973, and to this day is one of his most loved songs, with all generations having heard it. I'm not going to go into my own memories with it, but I hope you enjoy 'Piano Man,' because it really is one of those songs that everyone should listen to, and you never know, you may create your own memories with it.

The escapist

Everyone is different. And that is the most amazing thing about the world: we are all unique, with an infinite amount of hopes and dreams. It is truly remarkable how contrasting everyone and everything is. But instead of going on about all those myriad types of people out there (as it would take a considerably long time), I'm going to talk about being 'the escapist.'

 I'm going to be really boring and define what 'escapism' is according to my dictionary (English teachers everywhere are probably weeping right now). Escapism is: "the tendency to seek distraction and relief from unpleasant realities, especially seeking entertainment or engaging in fantasy." Indeed, escape can be found in books, television, in writing, but also can be found in music, as well as other recreational activities such as running or dancing- anything, pretty much, that involves taking your mind off things.  But as I said before, everyone is different, so a means of escape ranges.

But let's talk about the completely artificial and utterly amazing experience of dancing in a club. I understand it is not everyone's cup of tea, but personally, I absolutely love going to a club or that sort of atmosphere, with the flashing coloured lights, sometimes a smoke machine, loud music that is like a heartbeat (I don't like the music that they play in clubs, but it just suits the place) and you just dance and forget about everything. It is as if nothing exists at all, and you're just getting lost in the dancing: it's when you feel so alive.

That may just be me, but one of my favourite things to do is listening to music and just dancing around (which I have to admit, I do all the time at home). It always makes me smile and even if something in my life has gone a bit effed-up and off track, it lets me just escape for a while and not worry about anything.

Another thing I absolutely love to do is just stare up at the sky (both day and night skies). The sky is like looking into infinity; it is endless and is always changing and it is always so beautiful- even on the dreariest of days. And because it goes "towards infinity and beyond" (yes, I did just quote Buzz from 'Toy Story') you can just let your mind wonder to the boundless possibilities and ideas that are in your mind and there are no walls or barriers blocking you in your dreamings. I also love how symbolic the sky is, as it is forever changing, but it is also the one constant thing in the world; something that every single person has in common. And I find that a spectacular thought.

So, as you have probably gathered, I am seriously a massive escapist, but that's fine.

Blood Promise

I know I've already written a review about 'Vampire Academy' ("From Page to Screen") by Richelle Mead, however, I have continued reading the series and have finished the fourth book, 'Blood Promise.' I enjoyed it so much, that I think it deserves a post just dedicated to it.
The 'Vampire Academy' books are a fantastic series for anyone who loves urban fantasy romance, and I am loving this series so much. I realise that I can't give any of the plot away for 'Blood Promise,' because if you haven't read the series, the entire plot of the fourth book would be a complete spoiler for what the first three books are leading towards. You may think: then why I am even bothering to write a review about it, and the reason is that I think it deserves to be praised.

How the third book, 'Shadow Kiss,' ended, I couldn't wait to read the next instalment and I was not disappointed with how the story continued; the fourth book is my absolute favourite in this series so far. I love the style of writing, through the point of view of the headstrong and incandescent Rose, who now is on a personal mission that keeps you enthralled and unable to put the book down. Your heart races when dangers arise, it breaks when _____ and it swells in the beautiful flashbacks that consisted of moments during the time taken place in the previous books, but weren't a part of them. 'Blood Promise' is set differently than it's predecessors, which I thought allowed for a more flexible and engaging plot to develop.

As I said, I don't want to give anything away, so if you haven't read the series, I encourage it, because you have the fourth book to look forward to- and there are two more books I have left in the series, and I am really looking forward to when I get my hands on a copy. I really want to know what happens next!

rating: 9/10

Take Shelter

Most people I've spoken to have not heard of the band 'Years & Years,' and to be honest, I didn't know about them until about a month ago, and I have absolutely fallen in love with their song

  "Take Shelter"

The music video came out last week, and I have lost count how many people I've shown it to. Because this song has been in my head, so everywhere I go, I have a little party going on and because I don't really care what passes-by think of me, I just break into dance. For example, once a week I volunteer at a stall and one of the other volunteers and I simultaneously started dancing to the songs that were playing in our head. And you know what- we had a pretty amazing time. 

British band 'Years & Years' formed in 2010, with Olly Alexander as lead singer, but they are relatively new, with their debut single "Traps" coming out last year. The 'Take Shelter- EP' is being released on the 19th of August, and I'm so excited about buying it, because this song is truly incredible and despite it being constantly stuck in my head, I'm not sick of it one bit. I love this song so much!

Fun fact: Olly Alexander is also an actor and is starring in the new movie "God Help the Girl,"which I'm really wanting to see. It is a musical drama film, also starring Hannah Murray, who plays Cassie in 'Skins,' so it's another reason why I'm really looking forward to it. 

A Clockwork Orange

As requested, I attempted to read 'A Clockwork Orange' by Anthony Burgess, and it was a very different type of reading experience. I found it really hard to follow with the 'nadsat' colloquial language of the protagonist Alex, which meant that I had to quite often re-read sentences and phrases in an attempt to understand what was being said. It is written in the first person, which I always love, as it allows for the voice of a particular character to be heard, and for the reader to see how one person views their world and their role within it, and 'A Clockwork Orange' is certainly no exception from that, with the unique voice and use of language to demonstrate the status, background and values of Alex.



Originally, I thought I would read the book and then watch the film and write a "from page to screen," but I have to admit, I'm a bit afraid to watch the film. I'm not a fan of scary, graphic violence, and as the book holds many of that, I don't think I would be able to sit through such a terrifying and probably disturbing movie. However, I completely understand why 'A Clockwork Orange' is famous, because not only the language and style of writing is one of a kind, the novel is fantastic case of morality and ethics, asking great philosophical questions, which can lead to great discussion and debate. It is one of those books that English teachers (also philosophy teachers) would absolutely love to teach, as the context of this dystopian world is truly an interesting study. The underlying question that Anthony Burgess addresses in 'A Clockwork Orange' is: whether it is better to have free will but do bad things, or do good things, but because you are conditioned to do so, which, through the teenage delinquent, Alex, he responds that it is better to be bad but free, which I'm not altogether sure if that is Burgess's personal view or not, but, as I mentioned, this book and this question allows readers to explore where they stand in that continual debate.




Unfortunately though, since I was struggling with the writing style, I didn't complete reading the entire novel. I feel utterly horrible about that, but it really is a quite challenging read, and now that uni has started again, I'm back to the overwhelming overload of study and readings, so perhaps one day in the future I may have a second take on reading this classic. But for now, I apologise for not completing the book, however, hopefully I was able to write a decent review based on the amount I did read.

Sometimes it's the parent's fault

I have a terrible problem of being a procrastinator, but sometimes it isn't my fault. That is right: sometimes it isn't my fault that I don't do homework when I had the intention of getting stuff done and being a "good student," because sometimes it is actually my parent's fault. Take this evening for example:

 It was just mum and I at home and I was planning to start research for one of my subjects that I actually have no clue about. But my mum asked me if I could help prepare dinner, so I was like "sure." And as it was just the two of us, we thought we could eat in front of the television and continue watching the series we started the other day. And despite us having already finished eating, we kept on watching a few episodes and the only reason we stopped is because we finished the series. 

Me: "okay, I'm going to study now."

Mum: "it's your turn to wash the dishes."

So I wash the dishes and then this happens...

Mum: "our program just came on tv. Do you want to keep me company?"

And like a good daughter, I can't just leave my mum alone on the couch, so I sacrifice the time I should be studying and spend it with her instead. And haven't we been told all our lives to respect and obey your parents? So by watching tv with mum means I'm actually behaving responsibly, right? 

So, even though our program finished, we proceed to go on youtube... and that is the eternity trap right there! 

Now, youtube is one of the best things and worst things to ever be invented; you lose track of time watching some of the funniest and the most pointless videos. Mum and I think: "we'll just watch a couple of videos," but after that couple, we keep on clicking on new videos that they suggest in that column thing and next thing you know, it's too late to study effectively. 

Oh no! I guess I'll have to do all that work tomorrow, but for the record: it was not my fault this time- sometimes it's the parent's. 

Dream a little dream of me

I have just spent my entire afternoon and evening studying and doing homework and I worked out I've spent seven hours doing that. I'm so exhausted and I'm just about to collapse in a heap and sleep, so if I'm not making any sense at all, it is due to the manic workload I've just done. And unfortunately if anyone were to ask me what I was studying, I would reply: "I have absolutely no clue."

Anyway, I haven't forgotten that today is Monday (well, actually, I did, but I've remembered now) so today's song is 'Dream a little dream of me' which is an old song, but an absolute classic. It has a beautiful tune and the sweetest lyrics imaginable. The other night, a group of my friends and I went to a jazz bar, which was a fun experience. Unfortunately there wasn't a singer (I'm a big fan of lyrics), but the musicians were incredibly talented and the atmosphere was quite inspiring, with the dimmed lighting, the captivated audience and the passionate notes being played, filling the room with colours. The reason why I bring this up, is that, 'Dream a little dream of me' was written in the era where jazz was in it's height, and also, I'm exhausted, so it makes sense to me to link the two together.

Written by Fabian Andre and Wilbur Schwandt, it was first recorded in 1931, but since then, it has been adopted by many other artists as a choice of cover, one of the most famous would be 'The Mamas and the Papas' version from 1968, sung by the gifted Mama Cass Elliot. Her voice is so pure and holds no imperfections; it is smooth and really suits the song, as if it was written for her to sing. She actually said: "I tried to sing it like it was 1943 and somebody had just come in and said, 'Here's a new song.' I tried to sing it as if it were the first time." It the perfect cover to a perfect song:

Lips Touch Three Times

'Lips Touch Three Times:'This is a compilation of three short urban fantasy stories (hence the “Three times” part of the title) written by Laini Taylor.

Each story opens and concludes with a series of illustrations by Jim Di Bartolo, which makes these short stories appear like modern teenage fairytales, which I loved.

As it is the middle of winter at the moment, and it is bitterly cold, these dark (and don’t mind the pun) grim pictures add another dimension to the story and the mindset in which we are to read them.



Goblin Fruit- The first of the tales is about a girl, Kizzy, who’s family believes in the supernatural, including goblins. Goblin’s thrive with humanities “need” and “want,” and Kizzy needs and wants, therefore, making her the next target. Laini Taylor wields incredible use of language, which captivates a reader, as it is words are delicious and aesthetic. One of my favourite passages was when Kizzy “wanted:”
“With a deep, visceral ache, she wished her true form might prove to be a sleek and shining one… something glittering, something startling, something dangerous…”

Spicy little curses such as these- This takes you to the exotic India in the early 1900’s. And the story itself can definitely be classified as a ‘fairytale’ styled fable, where a girl at birth is cursed with a voice that is so beautiful, but to anyone who hears it, will die. It involves a demon, an ambassador of Hell and a romance. It is short, but has the essence of a good bedtime story.

Hatchling- “She loved the life she lived with her mother. It was beautiful. It was, she sometimes thought, a sweet emulation of the fairytales they cherished in their lovely, gold-edged books.” This particular tale is more complicated, more disturbing, and entering  more of a fantasy genre than the urban fantasy, with the focal point surrounding the mythical creatures, the Druj: immortal, able to shift into animals, and the Queen has children as pets. It is a creative legend created by Laini Taylor.

“Like a magpie, I am a scavenger of shiny things: fairy tales, dead languages, weird folk beliefs, fascinating religions, and more.” Laini Taylor

6.5/10