Cultural Awareness in Aberdeen

[Graeme]

Err... I think I did read it. Waiting for obvious action I think. Shift did come to mind though. You flag wave, maybe that's what's needed.

[RF Scott]

places like the Kef and the Lemon Tree for more interesting music

really?

(mesage too short)

[Jim Stax]

Err... I think I did read it. Waiting for obvious action I think. Shift did come to mind though. You flag wave' date=' maybe that's what's needed.[/quote']

Okay but it doesn't have the council logo on it okay!!! That's what I meant! IMP flags! There's a merchandising idea! Flags, scarfs and that spinning clacker things for all your quiet gigs. hehehehe

[eat your parents]

really?

(mesage too short)

Haha, you're such a bitch Richard. If I didn't hate them so much I'd award you a scene point.

I do think though that the Lemon Tree is good, and does offer some interesting events on at lunch times.

[chilli]

I'm with Jim and Graeme - some empirical evidence is required.....

to follow when i don't have a gig to get going tonight

[Marillionboy]

Theatrically Aberdeen is very poorly served. But I do think the "safe and conservative" comment is fair in some respects: the theatrical profesion has always regarded the city oin this way, and always actors loathe opening a play in Aberdeen as the audience reactions tend to be very muted.

Trying to set up a theatrical event is usually an uphill and fruitless task. Musically thingsa re a lot better, but it's a chicken and egg thing: Aberdeen is underrepresented in the arts and equally it offers little opportunities in them. That was the very reason I left in the first place. The Arts Centre is a great place but The Lemon Tree always left me cold, its a horrible place to stage gigs, a carpeted cafe with no atmosphere: the theatre upstairs is a little better.

[leftboy]

the audience reactions tend to be very muted.

This is also true musically. Seeing Radiohead in the AECC in 2003, so many people were standing, arms crossed, clasping their beer stoically. Only singing along to "High and dry" and "Creep". Even the moshing in aberdeen is muted, but when you get thrown out so easily for it, this is no wonder!! They even used to throw people out for it in Mudd, when it was accepted.

[Graeme]

Yeah go on Mr Chilli... Explain yourself!!!!!!

Jim

I think we've silenced him!

[chilli]

I think we've silenced him!

oh yeh,

creativity stasrts weith the stomach, lets take restaurants in Aberdeen are the pigs-swill averageness & covservativeness in other words a complete lack of creativity. I love going out for a special meal but when we can do better@ home whats the point. How many vegetarian restaurants does Aberdeen have NIL a fucking disgrace. How many SUSHI bars? NIL How many cutting edge noodle bars NIL. The only glimmer of hope are a few regional italian's that have sprung up.

Lets take cutting edge music events, Aberdeen is the only main city without a cutting edge leftfield music festivals Dundee, Glasgow, Edinburgh & Stirling all have their events. Not even a glimmer of one, why, the so called prime movers haven't even started talking about one. Why, because Aberdeen apart from a knowing clique is hybernating.

Yes SHIFT fills a void, but I was disappointed about the lack of heads building on SHIFT 1.

Whilst I acknowledge that the Lemon Tree puts on some fantastic theatre & dance upstairs, has there been anything as good as NDT 2 & Michael Clark playing His Majesty's far too many years ago. Why shit turn outs, why, yeh you've guessed it. Even when

Terror & Magnificance made its world premier the HM was only 1/2 full.

Yet a venue puts on utter cheese shite like e.g MYLO & it sells out, why, yes youve guessed it.................. Aberdeen audiences are in general happier pigging out on the bland easy pap.

Architecture aberdeen has scot sutherlands, where are the cutting edge 20th century

buildings in aberdeen. the centre of aberdeen is a fucking disgrace. The city godfathers

have let profit related developers shove up any old buildings, to complement the grand pre 20th century buildings.

The Art School, Aberdeen should have a massive buzz of graduates pooled in the city, but the graduates seem to move on. The art gallery is a grand building, but jesus the collections. Give me the Yorkshire Sulpture Park anytime.

Aberdeen has two Universities, yet very little intelectual dialogue within the Arts, apart from maybe WORD. Why does this happen because of the usual

rant over, come on i'm waiting

[Graeme]

Let's flit.

[chilli]

Let's flit.

Nah, rant over

lets fight back...........

[Guest pop-notmyface]

It was put to me recently by a learned aquaintance that there is only a shallow and narrowminded level of understanding' date=' particularly in respect of art, literature, and music.

Is it as bad as that? How could I enlighten my friend that it is not?[/quote']

he is right, aberdeen is a pretty shallow and boring place.

[Stripey]

oh yeh' date='

creativity stasrts weith the stomach, lets take restaurants in Aberdeen are the pigs-swill averageness & covservativeness in other words a complete lack of creativity. I love going out for a special meal but when we can do better@ home whats the point. How many vegetarian restaurants does Aberdeen have NIL a fucking disgrace. How many SUSHI bars? NIL How many cutting edge noodle bars NIL. The only glimmer of hope are a few regional italian's that have sprung up.

[/quote']

Absolutely! Where are the patisseries, for example? It's a sad state of affairs when the best you can get in a local baker is a piece of shortbread with some bland cooking chocolate on it or a stodgy sausage roll that smells like a pensioners house full of stale catfood. I really wish aberdeen had late night coffeeshops, that did decent coffee and nice cakes etc, but I suppose that is impossible in a city where no civilised adult would venture into the town centre after 7pm on a weekend due to the hordes of pissed up cretins that take over the streets.

Lets take cutting edge music events, Aberdeen is the only main city without a cutting edge leftfield music festivals Dundee, Glasgow, Edinburgh & Stirling all have their events. Not even a glimmer of one, why, the so called prime movers haven't even started talking about one. Why, because Aberdeen apart from a knowing clique is hybernating.

Yes SHIFT fills a void, but I was disappointed about the lack of heads building on SHIFT 1.

Whilst I acknowledge that the Lemon Tree puts on some fantastic theatre & dance upstairs, has there been anything as good as NDT 2 & Michael Clark playing His Majesty's far too many years ago. Why shit turn outs, why, yeh you've guessed it. Even when

Terror & Magnificance made its world premier the HM was only 1/2 full.

Yet a venue puts on utter cheese shite like e.g MYLO & it sells out, why, yes youve guessed it.................. Aberdeen audiences are in general happier pigging out on the bland easy pap.

Architecture aberdeen has scot sutherlands, where are the cutting edge 20th century

buildings in aberdeen. the centre of aberdeen is a fucking disgrace. The city godfathers

have let profit related developers shove up any old buildings, to complement the grand pre 20th century buildings.

The Art School, Aberdeen should have a massive buzz of graduates pooled in the city, but the graduates seem to move on. The art gallery is a grand building, but jesus the collections. Give me the Yorkshire Sulpture Park anytime.

Aberdeen has two Universities, yet very little intelectual dialogue within the Arts, apart from maybe WORD. Why does this happen because of the usual

rant over, come on i'm waiting

I completely agree that most of the population of aberdeen is undiscerning and one of the things I hate about people up here is the safety in numbers mentality, the complete unwillingness to take risks, and the attitude that "im right because I say so" coming from completely ignorant people who haven't seen enough of the world and aren't educated enough to have any opinions or ideas which justify that arrogance.

All the architecture here is hideous, a prime example is the newly built RGU building designed by norman foster - it looks like a fucking building site when you see it from the A90 as you drive into aberdeen. Union street is a shambles, george street is decrepit, and the seafront is an absolute fucking disgrace.

Aberdeen has one of the most corrupt councils in the UK (i will find a link to this) and it really shows.

The capital city of IRAN has a better and more modern integrated public transport system than Aberdeen.

I feel like poland probably has nicer cities than aberdeen, walking through the city on a saturday night and observing all the inebriated fuckwits, empty shops and litter just makes me feel fucking ashamed of the place, and ashamed to be here.

It's no wonder anyone with any talent or vision who might have gone through one of the uni's here LEAVES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

[Marillionboy]

I agree pretty much (especially regarding the council!) but I do genuinely love Aberdeen. Having said that it's easy for me to say that as I live 75% of my time in London these days. I had to leave if I was gonna achieve any of the ambitions I had in life. I gave up trying to bring them to me, I eventually had to pack my bags and go to them.

On the plus side at least for good or bad we're individual, we're probably the only city centre left that isn't pedestrianised.

[Jim Stax]

Oh dear!

Loved the message Mike. But I am now going to pack in my ace job as there is noooooo point anymore! NAH!!!

Being that I am surrounded, more often than not these days, with forward thinking creative and energetic folks that do because they just do and want to make a difference, even if it's only for themselves, I very seldom get a chance to get all pissed off about this city. I still manage though, especially when the lovely people I know who work their god given asses off for only several people turn up to a gig, art show, or culturally interesting talk on whatever! That said I love art and music, good food and a challenge so I will continue with my positive (most of the time) attitude.

Not bad for a guy who owned a pub, dedicated to all of the above, that largely got ignored!

Some guy once said to a farmer in a film "if you build it they will come" In all honetsy not strictly true unles you are a baseball playing ghost, but hell we have to try, no?

Jim

PS

Pedestrianise union street and we lose the possibility of some pissed up aggressive twats getting crunched at the weekend by a big car!

[Marillionboy]

Which was the pub dedicated to such things?

[Jim Stax]

Which was the pub dedicated to such things?

Cheeeeesh!

Dr Drake's!!!!

You may have unwittingly just reiterated my point........

[Marillionboy]

Absolutely no offence meant mate, I was not unfamiliar with Drakes, just wasn't sure from your post what you were referring to!

[Jim Stax]

Absolutely no offence meant mate' date=' I was not unfamiliar with Drakes, just wasn't sure from your post what you were referring to![/quote']

No offence taken. I thought it was perfect comedy timing myself

[Guest davetherave]

oh yeh' date='

creativity stasrts weith the stomach, NIL a fucking disgrace. How many SUSHI bars? NIL How many cutting edge noodle bars NIL.

Spot on about the Sushi bars and decent restaraunts, imagine a sushi bar music venue, playing ambient electronica, beer on tap at your table whilst you get a shiatsu neck massage from extremely polite staff and trippy visuals projected on the walls.

No I didnt imagine this, I had one of the best nights of my life at just such a place, shame I had to go all the way to Kyoto, Japan to experience it!!

As much as I like Aberdeen (its been one of my favourite places to live), like many others I'm getting itchy feet to find somewhere with a bit more to offer.

Dave

[url']www.dave33.btinternet.co.uk

[Marillionboy]

Aberdeen is a city you drain but then tend to get dangerously stuck in because it is so easy to get familiar and cosy there. Food wise, yep, its a bit rubbish (especially on a Sunday, where the hell can you eat!) and its also rubbish for breakfasts, but The Star of Bengal is one of my fave Indians as its actually good food and done out nice, not like some faux Raj 70s parlour.