Shirley Baker is only now being recognised as one of the most important female photographers and social documenters of the last century. The haunting and compelling 2007 documentary of Joy Division, directed by Grant Gee, opens with a montage of images of Manchester in the 70s. It depicts a time of sweeping changes after the post-war streets were systematically cleared…
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“I’ve never seen so many weak bladders,” said my partner, as yet another silhouette shuffled out, blocking the screen during Northern Soul, the film by Elaine Constantine. “It’s because everyone here is ‘of a certain age’ ”, I replied. Indeed, about 90 per cent of the audience did look as if they could remember Northern Soul,…
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Over the summer of 2014, London’s Southbank Centre held a Festival of Love, exhibiting pieces of hippy iconography which remained dotted around the complex long after the event. They created a suitably fitting portal to one particular event: an evening of psychedelic films at the BFI called Flower Children in the Blinding Light: the 60s…
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Space Oddity, David Bowie’s enduring, sad and wonderful song, immortalised on video by astronaut Commander Chris Hadfield, is to be removed from the internet tonight. There is every chance it will re-emerge here and there, but it may be difficult to find – at present, who knows. There was an agreement with David Bowie that it…
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The Second Breath will be happening for one day in May, bringing together clubbing culture, circus skills, a mystery tour and climate change stories. The Second Breath is a walking mystery tour of Leeds, with dazzling circus acts and daring stunts, projections, stories and psychedelic dance music. The soundtrack was especially written for the performances by local DJ, KWAH and the projections are by…
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There is a certain poignancy to the death this week of the great folk hero Pete Seeger, the singer and songwriter of protest songs who helped define the folk music landscape of the last century. There are several of his compositions that I remember from my childhood and they feel like traditional songs passed down through…
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