As I said on fb & twitter: THEY TOLD US THEY WOULD ROCK US - AND THEY DID. I’m so thoroughly impressed by this show, I have no words. The combination of somewhat remade songs (IN ENGLISH!!!) interwoven with a great storyline (in Norwegian - which is understandable enough), excellent actors/singers and dancers, a completely amazing band (with the lead guitarist playing on an exact replica of Brian May’s Red Special!!!) and that mindblowingly eargasm-inducing Queen sound made the whole show truly immaculate. This show started on a high and kept it going until the very end.
The set was also wonderful, with its mixture of a TV screen in the back showing 3D images and “webcam” footage juxtaposed the “real-life” happenings on stage, producing a tantalizing and thought-provoking effect, especially alongside the performance of the so-called “Gaga girls” (not really intended as a reference to Lady Gaga, but is an excellent one nonetheless!). Makes you really want to make sure that Rock’n’Roll will live forever. Which it totally should. The increase and progress of synthetic music is well and good, but we should never ever forget the roots of this - the genuine music, made with genuine instruments and not a computer. Music made with real live instruments is what is true music.
The humor of the show and the references to popular culture was nothing short of adorable, especially when the Bohemians unwittingly chose names that were originally for the opposite sex; e.g. Britney Spears was portrayed by a male. Furthermore, Jan Erik Karlsen (Norwegian Pop Idol and X Factor judge) was also represented by a long-haired blond male actor, which was rather amusing, to say the least.
Another positive feature of the show is that it touches on so many emotions, not only amusement. It touches upon irritation, frustration and hope for the future of what one might call “raw” music; again touching upon the dichotomy of using synthetic instruments versus the real ones. The poignant moments when the actors/singers pay tribute to the musicians who died too young and flew “too close to the sun” was tearjerkingly beautiful, especially as the screen showed images of Buddy Holly, Michael Jackson, John Lennon, Elvis Presley and Jimi Hendrix. The song ended of course with an extra large image of Freddie Mercury gracing the screen which made the song even more touching. As me and E agreed on, it showed a lot better how it is to miss someone you never knew in real life. A strange feeling, yet also somewhat good. I can’t explain why, really. Freddie’s and Queen’s music will, however, live on in our hearts forever. There is little doubt that Freddie would have been proud of what Brian May, Roger Taylor and Ben Elton have done with Queen’s music. I am certain Freddie watches over every show, smiling.
No superlatives can adequately describe how IMMACULATE a show this was. If you haven’t watched it yet, make sure you do! Chill factor from start to finish!
It's close to half ten in the evening and I suddenly feel this strange urge to write. You know those times when you suddenly get a boost of creativity where your fingers kinda itch to write something? Well, regardless of whether or not you can relate to this, this is one of those times.
This weekend wasn't that exciting, except from yesterday (Sunday) when I met up with a couple of my closest - I dare say two of my very best - friends. One of them had just celebrated the third (?) part of her 30th birthday celebration and we'd all decided to spend the next day together to really just have a girls' day, afternoon and evening in, talking about anything and everything from most serious of topics to the silliest and stitch-inducing ones. What's so great about these people is how similar they are to me. Well, of course there are differences between us in e.g. our viewpoints on certain things, interests and such, but as my other friend commented - to which I concur - is that the three of us share a common denominator. I would also take the liberty of expanding that by saying that we communicate within the same frequency. My second friend (in whose apartment we were) used also a music analogy which was also rather fitting, namely that we were each of us one specific key, but in combining each key we created a harmony.
Now ain't that just dandy? (And I do not mean this in any sarcastic sense whatsoever!)
There are extremely few people with whom I can feel completely at ease with. Most of the time there is always some kind of barrier between myself and the addressee; either created by myself, by the addressee, or by both. This is always what makes things awkward in meeting up. However, these few people, these few individuals who really get to see me as I really am (besides my parents and close relatives, obv.), are those who I truly appreciate. Those people with whom you can go crazy and act like a complete lunatic (according to other people's minds...) without having any scruples at all about what they may say come tomorrow and consequently just vent your troubles to whenever you wish. Those people with whom you can daydream for eons and not getting any bewildered looks from when you've finished your remark - but who expand and elaborate on what has just been said. Now that's what I call friendship. Besides close family and relatives, the people who see me as me can be counted on one hand.
The thing is with friends like these is that you don't need any kind of fancy gadgets to have a great time. You don't have to dress to impress, if you like. The only thing you need are eyes, ears and (equally as important) a mouth to jabber on about whatever. And of course a brain to process it all with, but now I'm just splitting hairs, really. That's all.
(Too bad I had that cold, though. I still do. Oh well, it'll pass in due time.)
'Cause it's all about harmony. One thing is that life is just one huge balancing act between what is good and what is bad. Neutrality between the two extremes is all good, but what keeps you going is all the good times. Those times when you make good music and when life is worth the effort. When the seesaw tips over to the right side making you sit high above ground and looking over other people's heads (or at least you felt you did when you were a kid). Now that is fun. That is part of the drive you have to keep going.
This post has no thematic coherence whatsoever... Again, I just really wanted to jot down a few things that has made me rather happy lately and has sort of given the monotony of life just a bit of oomph. It's all just in the small things in life; or rather, the seemingly small things in life which ultimately come to mean so much to you in the end.
First of all, HAPPY NEW YEAR to you all! Wishing all the best for 2011 for my followers as well as those who just happen to stop by at random.
Now, enough with the formalities, already.
It was about time I changed the layout of my blog. The pink background suddenly became a little too daunting, to be honest. However, I'm still sticking to the tree theme. Might change it from time to time according to my mood and/or the season. Anyway, this one was white, clean and relaxing. Me like.
Apparently this should be the time wherein I make a review of 2010, so here goes:
2010 for me was a time with major revelations about myself, matters concerning my loved ones, the future and other people of my acquaintance. I'm tempted to go as far as to say that 2010 was one huge epiphany, really, but that would perhaps draw it a little too far. One huge milestone was that of me finally reaching my long-standing goal of becoming a teacher. The dream that I'd had ever since I was a child suddenly became a reality to me. The wait, as it were, was over. That in itself was a rather strange realization. Mind you, I think there is a part of me that still can't really believe that I've reached that level already. Nonetheless, it's right there on my diploma and grade transcript. It's just the same feeling I had when I completed my last exams for Senior High. A strange sensation that it was all over and that I'd done all that was required of me and that I was to head off to some (not-too-distant) shore to hopefully reach new goals. Now that I've reached them - well, almost all of them - it's almost like some kind of emptiness there. There's nothing major left to strive towards, in a sense. Sure, I do have my exams for my master's and my master's thesis, but to me that isn't entirely the same. I belong to a profession now. I am a qualified teacher. And there is no other word in my vocabulary that can describe the sensation I still feel inside other than just the mere monosyllabic adjective "strange". Because that's exactly what it is.
Throughout that process I also learnt the importance of just not giving a d*** about certain things. Heh, actually a lot of things. Neuroticism, sulking and over-analyzing is not necessarily beneficial in all cases. Being an ambitious perfectionist is an advantage, though it should not be taken to extreme lengths, or else the consequences might turn out worse than expected. Just leave it and let nature take its own course. Or if you don't want certain things to happen, then don't make an effort to make them happen just because other people want them to. You are the protagonist in your own life, so act only in ways that you can justify for yourself (and for the Man Upstairs, if you are inclined to turn to Him from time to time).
Speaking of the Man Upstairs, I believe I've also grown somewhat more reflected in my approach to Him. I've grown more accustomed to letting Him speak to me through silence and meditation, but as with riding a bike, this takes a bit of time to learn properly. Let's just say that the handlebars are still wobbling. Nonetheless, over the years I've grown fond of meditation in its different forms.
I also realized that progress is a benefit, but that it shouldn't bear the entire weight at the cost of ignoring the past and one's roots. This partially touches on what I wrote two paragraphs above, but also on other aspects of life. Denying one's roots means denying part of one's self. After all, the past contributes in defining you as a person, whether you like it or not. How one can pluck up the courage to do that at the snap of a finger is beyond me. Obviously this can be defended in certain cases, but in other cases this would require a great deal of thought. As regards the cases I have in mind, how one can do that as if it were just a matter of changing clothes - or just a whim - is to me a rather strange approach. Sometimes I feel rather old when I say these things... Guess I probably am an old soul...
Nonetheless, some things just cannot be changed. I will probably remain a scatterbrain for the rest of my life (sorry, people...), but I'm working as hard as I can on softening the blow, as it were. Which perhaps might account for my seemingly perpetual neuroticism. :)
Furthermore, there are some things that I don't want to change either, like my idea of having fun and being positive, random and geeky (or with a slightly concealed, yet still blatantly condescending air, "being childish"). Call me naive if you will, but I don't want to mope around all the time like so many people seem to do nowadays. When I look at several people my age (and older) in shops or in the streets it sometimes makes me wonder if this is how people define being an adult; the more you sulk, the more mature you are and the more accredited you should be because of it. A long time ago I learnt one of life's biggest lessons the hard way. This is already a well-established cliché, but I'll say it anyway: Live each day as if it were your last. Don't waste every inhale and exhale, every blink, every moment with complaining about life. Turn it around into something positive. Sometimes it may not seem as if fate has dealt you a good card in life - and ok, so you won't get that royal flush - but that gives you no reason to continue being negative and/or look down on anyone else just because you have a certain inclination towards a half-empty cup! Count your blessings and you'll discover that you're richer than you'd originally thought. If you still find reason to complain, shut up. There's more than enough negative energy in this world and there's no need to feed the fire any further.
Still, be sure to not forget those who clearly need you. Stay with people who require your aid, either by your physical presence with them, or through other means. After all the natural disasters that last year brought with it, this is a clear sign that we're extremely co-dependent. Remaining family members of deceased loved ones still need support, prayers and aid. People suffering from illness, be it temporary or long-term, likewise.
Hokai. That's enough vagueness from me. In other words, 2010 has been quite a year, really. I reckon it has been a year filled with experiences, both good and bad. Still, the idea of starting off yet another year, clean and crisp, yet to be filled with new experiences and new ways of making amends, is comforting. Most likely, it is probably so for most people. As for those who see no end to it, you are still in our hearts and minds. In correspondence with the co-dependent nature of people, we will continue to fight with you for a better everyday life.
So, in the hope of a better 2011, I sign off with one of my all-time favorite songs and all-time favorite music vids by one of my all-time favorite musicians. I need not introduce him.
