Scratchings

Late at the Library

scienceandpies

On Friday last (Halloween no less) we went up to St. Pancras in London’s glittering, erm, north-of-the-middle-end for the opening event of the Taking Liberties exhibition and season at the British Library. We didn’t actually manage to get around the exhibition, but seeing the BL entry lobby being used as a live music venue was much fun.

The eveing was compared by poet Lemn Sissay, who, when he wasn’t just reading out loud the descriptions of the performers from the bumf we’d all been given on entry to the library, was likable and amusing (his ride home sounded a bit more eventful than our’s though).

Actually it’s worth noting that upon entry to an event based around “the struggle for Britain’s freedoms and rights” we had to undergo a rather more stringent version of the BL’s usual bag searches. Is that ironic? I don’t even know anymore.

First up some proper north London champagne socialists sang songs of revolution and revolt, including a song against the third runway at Heathrow and a rendition of the Internationale that made it sound like “Onward Christian Soldiers” being sung at the local mother’s union.

This was then followed by the heavily pregnant folky fiddlist and singer Eliza Carthy and melodeon player Saul Rose. These guys rocked. You’ve got to love the resurgence in folk these days, though the large group of 18 year olds who had come down for the next act weren’t impressed until Eliza mentioned she was from Whitby. Apparently so was one of the 18 year olds.

Next was the main even for many: Dan Le Sac Vs. Scroobious Pip. These two guys, man, they’re just super. Literate and intelligent yet able to rock some right dirty beats. Apparently they are ambassadors for the National Year of Reading (which was this year apparently), and they made sure they undertook their ambassadorial duties by telling us all to use libraries more (whilst we were all stood in the mother of all libraries). We all sang along to the “just a band” bit of “thou shalt always kill”, and by “we all” I mean us Scratchings people, the 18 year olds and Matthew Kelly. Yep, Matthew Kelly was in the house. My accomplice seemed to think that he was there for the next act, but I’m sure he was there for the SacVsPip.

That next act was two people from the Levellers, which made plenty people happy (including the accomplice) but failed to get me excited. They sang some old songs and were a bit gloaty about the state the economy… which was just a bit dickish if you ask me.

Finally, just as we had to leave, Roger Robinson and Shout (as seen as shadows below) came on. I’m a bit sad that we didn’t manage to see them, as they seemed to be totally ace, and their drummer was one of the best I’ve seen in ages (and look a bit like Nichelle Nichols to boot).