'A man writes because he is tormented, because he doubts.'

I watched Andrei Tarkovsky's 'Stalker' for the first time this evening and allowed myself to soak up the succession of beautiful images and not be too concerned just yet about meaning. Tarkovsky erects signposts towards possible meanings but allows the viewer to make his or her own way there or, indeed, to wander off the intended path - it doesn't seem to matter. The 'science versus art' debate emerges from dialogue between the characters 'Professor' and 'Writer', but the film's central thesis is more concerned with the search for meaning and hope in this perplexing life of ours, and the extent to which our philosophical and moral view of the world affects - or more importantly perhaps, motivates - that search. Understanding every nuance and visual reference of this film is not easy on a single viewing, but is it that important given its sublime visual and poetic beauty? I think not....

Bi Kidude

If I look like this when I'm 100 I'll be well pleased.

Lau, Colston Hall, 4 December

A fine concert last night from the fab threesome, on a night which featured the Bootleg Beatles in another part of the Colston Hall complex. The first half of the gig mainly featured tunes from 'Arc Light' but ended with some reassuringly familiar favourites from 'Lightweights and Gentlemen.' I love the epic quality Lau bring to their material - beautifully-sustained crescendos and rip-roaring climaxes are interspersed with quiet introspective interludes - positively Brucknerian in concept but extremely danceable in execution! The audience responded intuitively to their playing by dancing, whooping and hollering - we could almost have been in Shetland!

Lau are unique - they are sophisticated but also have a 'common touch' which never allows the music to become overly cerebral. Between numbers they are bloody funny as well. Only a certain band from Liverpool, celebrated elsewhere in the building last night, come close to ticking all those boxes!

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