The Artist – Jonathan Greenbank

The great Frank Cottrell Boyce, who lives just around the corner, recently admitted that he’s “definitely the biggest and most hyperbolic exaggerator in the entire vast universe” and those of you who know me well might also apply the same description to the present author, especially when it comes to films and TV.

Recently, thanks to a golden age of onscreen entertainment (and a more relaxed marking routine!) there have been several opportunities for me to claim I’d seen ‘the best thing in ages’ and so the first part of this bi-monthly blogging features a few of them.

The first big new arrival was the new series of Black Mirror on Netflix / Streamberry. There were elements of Charlie Kaufman’s Adaptation, The Truman Show, An American Werewolf in London and Avatar across the more enjoyable episodes, but the real standout was probably the Red Mirror film Demon 79 in which a member of Boney M inspires a murderous shoeseller in the 1970s in a homage to the horror movies of the time. I’d recommend watching in instalments, as I did, because it’s all pretty intense and takes time to digest (but also because WW doesn’t really like it that much!)

One thing we did enjoy together was the entertaining, quirky Poker Face in which Natasha Lyonne solves crimes using her innate ability to tell when people are lying. Each episode (one of which introduced me to the titular term) sees her in a new job, across myriad parts of America, during which she becomes embroiled in a murder mystery which she then unravels. Slightly more straightforward, meanwhile, were the Messi Destiny documentary, which features a deep insight into the successful World Cup campaign of last Advent, and a revisit of the Rocky films as I went back to my childhood and the joy those classic slugfests brought the younger me.

Then there was Glastonbury – a weekend the younger me would have loved to attend – with seminal sets by old favourites the Courteeners, the somewhat divisive Arctic Monkeys, and the brilliant Rick Astley and Blossoms doing Smiths classics which whetted the appetite for an upcoming concert and reminded me of one of the greatest music videos of all time (and it’s filmed in Morecambe!)

We actually attended our own music festivals last month, too: a perfect performance by B and her choir in church (after which this wonderful photo was taken as we surprised her with our attendance) the excellent Africa Oye in Sefton Park, but left that as the mood changed a little. As we’re still on the theme of music in Liverpool, we discovered we’d stumbled upon the filming of the new Taylor Swift video; I also listened to the brilliant Stanley Tucci episode of Desert Island Discs (cheers for the heads up, Colin) and enjoyed the TV resurrection of Popmaster… meanwhile, on a Radio 2 theme, I got a shoutout on Zoe Ball‘s breakfast show due to a daily dose of 7.33 tracks we play daily.

We even found time to frequent the cinema for the first time in eighteen months; I really wanted to see Barbie (which the girls LOVED) but opted for Elemental, the new Pixar offering. I didn’t know much about it before wandering in but was pleasantly surprised by the beautiful graphics, the sometimes quite adult themes, the humour, the romance and the underlying messages about inter racial relationships (which is West Side Story-esque, given the clear similarities with NYC) and also climate change which are obviously very on trend. Even the dangers of cruise liners in cities resonated with our upcoming adventures.

I’m not ashamed to admit that I cried twice: firstly during the opening short, Carl’s Date, which revisits the characters of Up, several years on. Then, at the lovely climax in the main feature when – spoiler alert – Fire and Water find they CAN mix after all… and it nearly happened when what must have been the first ever use of Bugged Out classic Zombie Nation was used in an animation, triggering memories of two lifetimes ago!

Away from the world of music and television – well, linked actually – the more eagle-eyed of you will have noticed that Mr Man got his glasses and adjusted superbly. His team winning the summer league called for a celebration – a team photoshoot akin to those his heroes will soon be doing, plus a sponsored walk, followed by an awards ceremony at which we got to meet Kevin Sheedy who was a true gent again (our paths had crossed a few years ago at the hospital when we were both going through stuff, and he remembered) and we celebrated what progress the boys have made in such a short space of time.

Meanwhile, Little Miss was proudly named Sports Captain for her house at school, after which she was rewarded with a game of ten pin bowling!

Zig-zagging from music back to books, the spoken word and TV: another influential hero returned.

It was around this time that I found more fame at last when asked to appear on a podcast. The focus was individuality – the benefits of being different, having the confidence to stand out, and my socks and tie combinations featured heavily. Talking of being individuals, I also read a great book by Jay Rayner about last suppers and started an insightful and fascinating biography of my all-time food hero, Anthony Bourdain, whose final series we’re still enjoying as an encore.

Now, for the football!

The end of the season feels like only yesterday, yet the new one is upon us: new kits, fantasy football team names to ponder and a plethora of pre-season friendlies, including a proud moment at Marine against Blackpool, and more non-league entertainment with me finally finishing Welcome To Wrexham in preparation for the new series coming out in September. Paul Mullin is another new inspiration, and we wish him well after his recent injury. And again I was asked to share my views – and pride, once more – on a podcast for the Falcon Blues.

Yes, it looks like I had an itchy ear (my nervous tic) and I’d had a couple of drinks to settle the nerves, but this was another unique and enjoyable experience I’d like to do again.

Back to music, and Morrissey.

Lots has been said and written about the man – not just by me – and I’ll be (our) Frank and say I don’t really care – I go for the music and the performance, and this concert was up there with one of the best, with old and new classics alike. The great man was on great form and, even if the evening was short, it was very sweet and I came away thinking that if that would be my last time seeing him, our affair ended on a high. Politics and personality aside, the love and devotion so many have for him remains a constant, even if some were a little too (Roy’s) keen to get on stage that night.

Talking of greatness, we come to the end. Well, nearly.

By far the best thing we’ve watched (twice this year, if you include the first series) is The Bear. It was great that my t-shirt on the last day of term garnered so many comments by people clearly onside with the fact it’s the (channelling my inner Frank again) greatest TV show around, this time going up a notch with the incredible cameos (watch to find out whom!) the character development, the soundtrack and the Wes Anderson vibes with the cinematography. Cousin Richie (played perfectly by Ebon Moss-Bachrach, with whom I’ve begun conversing online) is my favourite, and his Forks episode was probably the standout of the series, although the Copenhagen-set Honeydew and the epic rollercoaster of a Christmas, Fishes, ran it close.

Then came the epic self-titled finale, after watching ten episodes on eight consecutive evenings, and they saved the best ’til last with an incredibly frantic and cathartic finale with an amazing performance by Jeremy Allen White. The irony of a recent real life story of being locked in a walk in (and my own fear of such an event when I was a KP) wasn’t lost on me, as well as rekindling a love of REM… as the Guardian critic, Lucy Mangan, wrote last year: “The Bear is aptly named. To watch it is to experience something between a huge, enveloping hug and a huge, eviscerating attack.”

And finally… this started out as an art project for my MA, nearly fifteen years ago. I’m happy to say that, after years of being busy making other plans, this summer has already offered the chance to go back to my roots and start making art again.

Watch this space…

We begin with an innocent image with serious connotations.

Football played on the mind for most of the last couple of months, and not just for negative reasons. The analogy of the photo I was sent of the Everton bouncy castle, after an afternoon spent playing on it, now down and deflated, was an apparent precursor of what was to come, as many pointed out.

I spent a large amount of time worrying about what seemed to be the (thankfully avoided) inevitable, of course, but also enjoyed the resurgence of Wrexham and its people and I’m really loved the Disney + documentary I’m slowly watching. Similarly with Napoli, winning the Scudetto at a canter, and their T-shirts emblazoned with the title of this piece underlining the intertwinement of fans and the team, even Marine had a positive end to the season with a win in the Liverpool Senior Cup, another shining example of club and community in harmony.

It wasn’t all about the football, though, rediscovering our love of all things Bourdain via newly rereleased episodes of No Reservations and Parts Unknown, including the seminal Obama in Hanoi episode, and new music by The National which is hauntingly beautiful as ever. One song in particular resonated as huge changes took place.

Not nineteen years, forever, etc.

To take our minds off it all, we went to see the Champions. E has taken a major liking to Man City in recent months, in particular Grealish, Harland and Foden, so it was a joy to go and see them in the flesh – literally, as we saw them coming off the team coach so close to us – and a disappointing result was tempered by the impressive performance and goals we witnessed. I was especially proud as the little guy assuaged the half and half scarf and wanted the Everton kit instead… a little perilous a decision, I thought, but I was more than happy to oblige, especially what with the impending doom.

That afternoon, Napoli won the league in style and the celebrations were a sight to behold. Even from a distance; I shudder to think of what the city must have been like that weekend, or indeed this one when the trophy is lifted. Honourable mentions go to the most exciting striker in Europe this season, and Kvara ( whom I realised looks exactly like Ringo Starr in the video for ‘It don’t come easy’ via a recent episode of TOTP2) and the musical references didn’t stop when Liverpool held Eurovision the same weekend.

This, of course, had followed the Coronation celebrations, when our street party allowed me the chance to wear the Napoli colours whilst downing Pimms & Lemonade on the equivalent of the Shankhill Road and remaining in oblivion to the impending dangers we were facing. Meanwhile, channelling our inner Ukrainian, we ventured into town to embrace the musical extravaganza taking place in our city, and we were even interviewed by from Strictly about the whole event.

It was really nice to feel a part of the event, and the next weekend we watched with baited breath whilst my Italian pick finished fourth and the city looked simply glorious.

Talking of which, viewing choices this month focused mainly on the simply brilliant Colin from Accounts, a lovely little story all about a dog and an odd couple and I won’t say any more than that other than to urge you to watch it.

The final feel good story of the early summer came on a Sunday afternoon when I really should have been concentrating on other things but an excellent brunch (replete with a sublime Bloody Mary) at Crosby Wine Bar & Bistro, then a sunny afternoon at Burbo Bank with the crazy kites, meant that staying up was the only thing on my mind for an hour at least and while I paced the living room kicking every ball, I was mightily relieved when the final whistle (finally) blew. We even saw the prodigal son Anthony Gordon driving back into Liverpool a day or two later, presumably coming home to celebrate with his family…

Anyway, we end on another positive and another day out; one last dance in the other city of culture, getting dressed up for the occasion.

I’ve written before about our epic meals at Six by Nico and a very kind colleague had bought WW a voucher last year but, what with the Liverpool branch closing before we had chance to attend for a third time, we were elated to find out the Manchester branch would welcome us with not one but two menu choices over half term.

Disaster struck when trains trikes were confirmed, but we were determined to enjoy the myriad celebrations, so altered arrangements and made it over to Cottonopolis just in time for the booking.

Having opted for one of each menu on offer – enticingly entitled ‘Imagination’ & ‘The Chippie’ this time – the difficult decision as to which one should be gluten free was finally made and both sets of courses was simply fantastic. Standout elements from both included a colour-changing cocktail, smoked potato (served theatrically with a smoking cloche) the coley, and what we’d been waiting for the most, the deep fried Mars bar with an Irn Bru sorbet that has to be tasted to be believed.

Drinks at Petit Paris, a cool new cheese & wine deli further down King Street, and a saunter around the Northern Quarter where I spotted several of these open love letters to the city, as well as one of our favourite people off Gogglebox, all tinged with a little sadness that the genius guitarist Andy Rourke recently passed away, before leaving the city (and City) behind and coming home for teatime.

There is a light in your eyes and it never goes out.

Half term, then, ends in glorious sunshine; Napoli finally hold the trophy aloft and everything is underlined by those t-shirt messages.

(*It means I will be with you, and you don’t have to give up)

“Life is a rollercoaster, you’ve just got to ride it” sang Ronan Keating; after the past month or so, I concur completely.

From a starstruck Elijah meeting Leighton Baines around the corner at the end of February, to the said icon being on our train into train and sauntering past as I swooned at his style at the start of April, it’s been a funny new weeks.

Things started off largely positive: The Mandalorian returned in style; I attended a conference at a very classy venue, with beautiful views of that non-existent stadium that will never appear… whilst Sir Ian McKellen was just down the road; we met a group of film makers creating a music video and I was asked to email one of them a photo I’d seen; meanwhile, dejection and ecstasy in equal measures on the professional front and on the playing field as E’s team lost a semi final and a quarter final in a tournament on penalties.

We celebrated an important birthday and, of course, Mothers’ Day, and eagerly anticipated a surprise Morrissey gig which was hinted at with the most serendipitous t-shirt.

I’ve written enough about Moz over the years and don’t agree with much of what he has said in recent times, but – as will be alluded to later – some things are more important than money or misgivings, so don’t feel the need to justify my excitement at what will probably be a last hurrah in his presence. I just hope he doesn’t cancel again, or walk off in a huff…

Finally, we also sat down to watch the multi-Oscar winning Everything Everywhere, All At Once. Never has a film’s title been more appropriate. I tried to describe it to some friends as Michel Gondry meets the Matrix, and ultimately it’s about being a parent. I’d urge anyone and everyone to watch it, and to read the explanation on the BBC site first. It’s simply beautiful, as a restaurant critic once described a local eatery: bonkers but brilliant. It also evokes those of us of a certain age’s childhoods, with the renaissance of the brilliant Ke Huy Quan from The Goonies and Indiana Jones.

Not quite as good, but still enjoyable fare, was the Luther movie and the fourth series The Bay which I love because it’s set in Morecambe and it mentions familiar places, shows them too, and let loose on the world the little known fact that Busta Rhymes spent his childhood in the resort. We even took a little day trip there over Easter to spot the locations and murals it champions. Oh, and we also loved the finals of Great British Menu, with some amazing dishes inspired by illustrators and storytellers and served in innovative ways.

Illness lingered, bringing some worrying times, but the mood was lifted with another glorious day spent at Comic Con.

This was heavy… but I was in heaven.

Much has been written in the news recently about the astronomical amounts charged by the Star Wars cast at their celebration event in London – and, as an avid devotee, I’d still be tempted but in these times couldn’t justify spending four hundred and fifty pounds to meet or stand next to a non-plussed actor – even the recent more general Sci-Fi and popular culture event in Liverpool cost a lot of money but was worth every penny when I got to be near Matthew Modine (for free) or see my daughter be lovingly addressed, then embraced, by the daughter of Casper Van Dien whom she’d adored in Stranger Things. I think you can see the beaming smile as she got to meet one of her heroes, and the kindness shown.

All of human life is at these conventions, and I marvel at the creativity / bravery of some of those who dress up. We both did it first time around, in November (I was Matthew Modine’s character then, always the bridesmaid!) but this time Betsy was Chrissy and I was more toned down but still in my element getting photographed with the weird and wonderful and noticing major film & TV stars around us. I’d recommend the event to anyone with even a remote interest in what we watch, as it’s a great day out for all. Just save up.

Talking of exciting, excellent albeit expensive things, we celebrated eleven years of marriage over the holidays. It reminded me of our parents, whose golden anniversaries we celebrate later in the year, and also my grandparents, who were unknowingly made famous by this postcard featuring them which my cousin coincidentally found and kindly shared recently.

Every year, we celebrate the event with posh meals out as a couple. it’s a special occasion, so we make the effort, make the most of it and then don’t go out for weeks. It’s always more than a meal, and we’ve been very lucky over the years to visit: the Hotel Negresco in Nice, with its carousel themed La Rotonde, for our first (Lisa was expecting); L’Enclume and Northcote in my homeland for high-end tasting menus in elegant surroundings; in Cottonopolis, Manchester House, Adam Reid at the French for great GBM gourmet and Pep Guardiola’s Tast for creative Catalan haute cuisine; then, closer to home, the fantastic foodie haunts Wreckfish and Barnacle… it’s fair to say our anniversary meal is arguably the culinary highlight of the year.

This year was to be no different, especially after the first quarter of 2023, but this time with even more to celebrate. It was somewhere I’d been itching to try but we started early with a variety of aperitifs at new(ish) venues The Vines, Alberts Schloss, Bouchon, Black Barrel (we don’t get out much) and even stumbled across a film set on Dale Street before arriving at Hawksmoor.

I wrote about our first visit to its Mancunian sister for my fortieth and so knew we wouldn’t be disappointed this time. everything about the evening made it more memorable: the cool, understated decor; the fascinating signage and design, which we’ve now got on our family salon display; the modern, moody colours of the walls; the attentive service what with the explanations of the different steak options and the gluten free choices; the delightful drinks, including the best, cleanest martini I’ve ever tasted; and then the steak itself.

Simply perfect.

I recently read the fascinating story of where the saying ‘Beef and Liberty’ came from, and this whole experience felt like freedom from the real world for a couple of hours. Superlatives can’t describe how everything tasted. Some may baulk at the prices but you’re paying for quality in every bite and there’s a reason why the Hawksmoor family were recently voted the second best steakhouse in the world, and this was it. The excellent Ben – who feels like an old friend now he’s served us on two such occasions – even brought us a little digestif to celebrate, and all was right in the world.

Go!

The end of the two week hiatus is nigh, and the rest of the holiday was spent finishing the equally moody, enjoyable, meatily intense The Bear which makes me really want to wear a t-shirt with YES, CHEF on it. And visit Chicago!

We also had a look around the Shakespeare North Playhouse, toured the serene Taylor Park, paid a visit back to the Bus Yard in the sunshine, made some salt cod chichetti in advance of our next big outgoing, went to a Northern Soul-themed bowling alley, and got creative…

All in all, a nice end – to an era.