Spectacular Weekend

I do feel lucky to live where I live. Up here on the North West Coast this weekend we had a two day air show which included a spectacular pass by a vulcan bomber and two superlative displays by the Red Arrows. Add to that a flypast by world war two spitfires and a lancaster, a helicopter display team, parachutists dropping in etc. it was a busy couple of days.



But the highlight was a trip into Liverpool on Saturday evening. At the Pier Head, on the banks of The Mersey, stand proud the buildings that make up the UNESCO World Heritage Site that is the Liverpool Waterfront. The Port of Liverpool Building was opened in 1907 and The Cunard Building (yes the former home of the Cruise Line) was unveiled in the middle of the First World War. But possibly the most well known of The Three Graces is The Royal Liver Building. This week it has celebrated it's centenary in spectacular style , alongside the opening of the new Museum of Liverpool, which charts the social and historical story of the city.

Over three nights there has been a free concert in front of the Liver Building. On Saturday, when we visited, it was The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Carl Davis, playing classical arrangements of Beatles tunes. The soloist was, poignantly, Norwegian trumpeter Tine Thing Helseth. She has headed home to play in a tribute concert in Oslo tonight.

Mini me 1 is a real classical music over. I have no idea where she gets it from. I appreciate some classical music. I have my favourites but also think some pieces are a little, shall we say, self-indulgent. My 7 year old though, has Classic FM as her preset on the radio in her bedroom (she listens mainly to her Big time Rush CD at the moment but Classic FM is there just in case) and she went to see the RLPO perform some space themed music (including Star Wars and Holst) at The Philharmonic Hall earlier in the year. Mini me 2 likes music that makes him dance. Pure and simple, he will move his body in time with almost anything, but prefers an upbeat tempo.So all in all, a classical take on contemporary legends as night fell was just the ticket.

After an encore of Land of Hope and Glory and a reprise of Hey Jude, the highlight of the night began. The Macula are a company that maps buildings and produces a lighting projection onto the building with astounding effects. They had previously helped Prague Cathedral celebrate a significant anniversary. This was to be their UK debut.

The 10 minute display took us on a journey through almost a millenium of events. Liverpool Castle, the links with the cotton and slave trades, the introduction of passenger trains, the Ttitanic's links with Liverpool, the music and the Capital of Culture year were all referenced in the 10 minute display.

My words cannot describe the art that was produced. Every sense was needed to take in the full effects.even The Macula's own video below doesn't do justice to the vision that was created.

The video is only ten and a half minutes long. I promise you will be glad you watched it, and perhaps a little envious of those of us who were able to see it in it's full glory.

Luminous Flux from the macula on Vimeo.