Why London Is Still the Cultural Centre of My World

by | Oct 30, 2013 | Uncategorized

I had a wonderful ten days in the States, where I split my time between New York, Martha’s Vineyard and Boston, the three focal points of my American life. I do appreciate each of those places for different reasons and in different ways, but within two days of my return to London, I’m shown once again why London is and always will be the cultural centre of my world. 

Frank Zappa

Last night, I went to the final concert of the Southbank Centre’s year-long festival, The Rest is Noise. Over the course of the year, they celebrated the great, ground-breaking musical events and compositions of the 20th Century. Last night, in the Royal Festival Hall. there was a – perhaps – once in a lifetime performance of Frank Zappa’s 200 Motels. The stage was absolutely crammed with instrumentalists and singers, every instrument you can think of from harp to accordian to synthesizer, drums sets, electric guitars, not to mention the combined forces of two orchestras,  The BBC Concert Orchestra and the Southbank Sinfonia. When I found out that this was happening, I knew I had to be there if at all possible. And I wasn’t disappointed. As the Southbank Centre explained:

     One of the music events of the year Frank Zappa’s legendary 1971 work 200 Motels is performed live in concert for the first ever time in the UK.

This colossal piece, one of the most ambitious that Zappa ever wrote, is performed by the full forces of the BBC Concert Orchestra, Southbank Sinfonia, London Voices and a large cast of rock musicians, singers and actors.
Banned from live performance at the time of its composition, and a cult classic on film and on record ever since, 200 Motels can finally be heard on stage in its full glory.
To think that this piece had been banned is absurd, despite the ridiculous lyrics including the heart-warming “Penis Dimensions.” Even with the finale full of choir members proudly waving colourfully-lit dildos in the air, it was all pretty tame by today’s standards. But the music, the sound, the sheer spectacle of it was nothing short of amazing. Afterwards we wondered where else on earth this could have been performed. Maybe somewhere, but probably not like this. Did I say it was amazing? Well, it was.
And what will tonight bring? Something completely different. Tonight I will be going to the Science Museum for one of their Science Museum Lates evenings, where they keep their doors open and invite guests to interact with their exhibits in new and creative ways. A poet-friend, Kelley Swain, has helped put this space-themed evening together. As she explains in her blog here, several poets, including Simon Barraclough who will be reading from his new book, Neptune Blue, will explore space and science through verse, while also giving the audience a chance to view such wondrous items as an orrery, an artifical limb, and a canonic jar. This will also be the debut event of an anthology of science-inspired poetry edited by Swain called Pocket Horizon.

thanks to Swain’s blog:
P.S:Poetry & Science


So I’m bouncing from one end of the cultural spectrum to the other, and I’m also pleased to note that I personally know people involved in each event, either in the performing or organising. Where else in the world can I find, and be even a bit connected to, such a range of talent and creativity? New York? Boston? Maybe. But I am certainly privileged to have found it here in London.