Goldie's Fab Four
My cultural (and other highlights) of the week
Empire of Light
Sam Mendes’ movie was slated by the critics, and rated by the public - with a weedy 45% approval rating by the former, and a sturdy 74% from the latter. I’m siding with the paying punters on this one. Set in a faded cinema in a rundown seaside town at the turn of the 80s, Mendes offers a powerful tribute to the power of the movies, while touching on racism, Thatcherism, and imperial decline. Olivia Colman, Micheal Ward, Toby Jones and Colin Firth all turn in worthy performances and while the movie’s languid pace won’t suit everybody, Empire Of Light is a noble attempt to create an English ‘Cinema Paradiso’. It also has great soundtrack (loads of Two Tone, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell) and, for those of us who were around at the time, heaps of nostalgia. (Remember Chewits anyone?)
Tamu Cafe (606 Bearwood Road, B66 4BW)
I love Bearwood, and I found myself there twice last week - once for a yomp around the green oasis of Warley Woods, and then for a meeting with Paul Lamont, publisher of the indispensible Outside Left blog. Paul took me to Tamu and I loved it - a soulful, independent cafe with a good range of brunch options including flatbreads, pancakes and sweetcorn fritters. I went for the spicy beans with fries, and I’d recommend them.
Madman In The Rain by Dot Dash
3. Drummer Danny Ingram tells a great story about meeting Joe Strummer backstage on a Clash US tour in 1979, and being ordered to form a band by the legendary punk frontman. Danny duly obliged and the result was a highly regarded early DC hardcore noisemongers Youth Brigade. These days Danny has found more tuneful partners, and ‘Madman In The Rain’ is the seventh album by Dot Dash - a band whose name is inspired by a Wire song. You can spot the Anglophile references in their sound, too, with nods to the Housemartins and The Jam amongst others, but like any decent outfit, they make something unique from their collective influences. If you like energetic powerpop with a tinge of melancholy, you’ll love this.
Second City - Birmingham and The Forging Of The Modern City by Richard Vinen
Been reading this doorstopper history of Brum since Christmas.
Got any recommendations? Email goldbergradio@gmail.com