SOUNDTRACK: FRANK TURNER-Tiny Desk Concert #287 (July 13, 2013).
NPR introduced me to Frank Turner and I’m pretty delighted that they did. I really enjoyed his set at the Newport Folk Festival. And here’s another live recording (a Tiny Desk Concert).
In this brief set, Frank and mandolin player Matt Nasir (he’s only been playing it for 6 months) blast through 3 of his rockingest folk songs. “Recovery,” “The Way I Tend to Be,” (with a very funny lead story) and a rousing mandolin solo-filled and a (reluctant) NPR audience singalong. of the great “Photosynthesis.” I imagine it was quite loud in their offices that day.
Turner is fantastic live—he’s personable and funny and even more so in this intimate setting. It’s a wonderful set.
[READ: August 23, 2013] The Van
This is the final book in the “Barrytown Trilogy” (except for the new one coming out next year). Whereas The Snapper was tied to The Commitments by virtue of it being the same family, The Van is tied to The Snapper because it follows the same guy—Jimmy Rabbitte Sr.
It’s 1990 (a few years after The Snapper because the baby from that book is now talking and mobile) and like many older people in Ireland, Jimmy Sr. has been laid off. The first third of the book looks at life on the dole in Ireland—skimpy Christmas presents and getting handouts from your son. And yet there’s always money for a pint or two—so Jimmy still gets to hang out with his mates at the pub a few nights a week. He also goes out with the baby from time to time and occupies himself in various ways (pitch n putt). There’s a lot of humor and silliness in this section–especially within the family when the twin girls start getting older and even cheekier. And the focal point is the World Cup—because Ireland is actually going to be in it this year—Italia ’90!
And the Jimmy’s mate Bimbo gets laid off. And that’s where the titular van comes in (over 100 pages into the story). Bimbo is crushed to be laid off, but Jimmy is a little pleased. He’s not happy that Bimbo is laid off, but he is happy that he has someone to waste the day with. They go golfing together (and win a prize or two) and they do their best trying to stay happy. But they’ve noticed that the fish and chips van that used to be parked outside of the bar is no longer there. It’s a sad state of affairs when you’re drunk and hungry at midnight and can’t get a fish n chips.
And that’s when their friend Bertie (who can get anything for anyone) comes through on Bimbo’s half serious question–could Bertie get him a chipper van? Bertie finds one—an unholy filthy mess of a thing with no engine. And Bimbo uses his redundancy money, £800, to buy the mess. Jimmy is appalled until Bimbo starts talking about the two of them being partners—working together to makes some money and sell chips to their drunken mates and—even better—to the punters who are enjoying the World Cup! And suddenly it seems like a real idea. (more…)
I Just Read About That... 