You Should Listen To This: Cabin Pressure

I’ve been saving this one till they started repeating it on BBC Radio 4. This series is something i've been obsessed with for the last few years, and not since My Childhood love of Doctor Who have I been so enthralled by a programme. You should listen to Cabin Pressure. 

Produced for the BBC by Pozzitive, Cabin pressure is the story of a tiny charter airline staffed by four people with one plane. It follows their (literal) ups and downs as they fly everyone from a full orchestra to an abandoned cricket team. 

I first discovered it by accident a few years ago. The BBC Radio iPlayer app was fairly new at the time and it curates all of the programmes in to categories as well as stations. I often go through the comedy section to see what their is and the name pop up many times along with the image of Benedict Cumberbatch in a captains uniform. I must have just taken a punt on an episode one day and the rest as they say is… spending the next few months listning back to all the episodes I’d missed in order and falling head over ears for the world of MJN air. The friendliest sitcom on radio. 


The lynchpin behind it all is the writer, John Finnemore. An immense talent, responsible for a number of brilliant programmes on Radio 4. He also plays the part of Arthur, the loveable but dim server. Writing a sitcom can be challenging and demands good characters, the central four blend together seamlessly, they are real in a bizarre world, making you care about their wants and happy about their successes. 

The depth of it’s warmth is matched by the depths of it’s characters.

“A list of actors that wouldn’t be out of place in a play at The National."

Yes that is Sherlock playing Martin Creiff! They were originally worried when Benedict was propelled to stardom Sherlock as a groups (school's or murder’s) of young fans began to fill the audience at the recordings. It was thought that they’d come to see him and not really react (laugh) at this Radio 4 comedy but they needn't have worried as the the equation of Finemore's writing and a stellar cast makes it near impossible for anyone not to find this charmingly hilarious. 

kkbook.deviantart.com

The Sherlock and Cumberbatch fandoms have a reputation (a good one) for not doing things by halves and in the most creative way. The show was already popular but it skyrocketed (pun intended) in a way that Radio 4 sitcoms don’t usually do. Fan art, Cosplay and even a European convention called Euro Airdot Con*

*The name ‘Airdot’ is a reference to the first ever episode where Carolyn and Martin are having a discussion about who’s in charge. Him (the captain) or her (The airline owner) 

CAROLYN: Martin, you’re a berk.
MARTIN: I’m not a berk, Carolyn; I’m an airline captain.
CAROLYN: Wrong on both counts. You’re a colossal berk; and you’re not an airline captain.
(Martin sighs.): I don’t have an airline. I have one jet. You cannot put one jet in a line. If MJN is anything, it is an airdot. 

:::Some things you’ll want to know before you start listning :::

Every episode is named after the location featured and all 4 series include every letter of the alphabet.

Series 1 Abu Dhabi Boston Cremona Douz Edinburgh Fitton

Series 2 Helsinki Gdansk Ipswich Johannesburg Kuala Lumpur Limerick Molokai - Christmas Special

Series 3  Qikiqtarjuarq Paris Newcastle Ottery St. Mary Rotterdam St. Petersburg

Series 4 Timbuktu Uskerty Vaduz Wokingham Xinzhou Yverdon-les-Bains Zurich (2 parter)

The Traveling Lemon It began as a game played in an episode entitled Qikiqtarjuaq. It became a wonderful fan tribute and way to raise money for charity. 

@cabin_pressure The Travelling Lemon, The Brandenburg Gate Berlin, Germany pic.twitter.com/1dDwYJCu

— Silke Reddevil (@SilkeReddevil) August 26, 2012

@cabin_pressure here's my photo for #TheTravellingLemon Pulkovo airport, Saint-Petersburg (Pulkovo 1 terminal actually) pic.twitter.com/AehiDJEw

— Alexandrina (@surdusabsurdus) June 17, 2012

The crew play a number of games to pass the time:

• Brians Of Britan

Name as many famous people with the name Brian from the UK as you can. 

• People Who ought to have been enemies. 

Ruby Was +John Wayne / Donna Summer+ Anna Wintour

• People Who Aren’t Evil but who have evil Sounding Names

Davina McCall, Russell Crowe, Calista Flockhart 

• Books that sound better without the final letter

Three Men in a Boa, How to be Goo, Of Mice and Me

• Through Customs Rhymes 

I came through Customs and all I had to declare was some … (he pauses momentarily) … jelly from New Delhi, a tunic from Munich, some maracas from Caracas and some … cattle from Seattle.

• Rhyming Journeys 

Vienna to Siena /Poole to Goole/ Aruba to Cuba

It has a fan site with every episode fully transcribed

LISTEN TO THE FIRST EPISODE HERE 
LISTEN TO THE SECOND EPISODE HERE

Thanks for reading (If you did) you can follow me on Twitter and Instagram. If you're looking for another blog, this guy is good. I also have a proper website here. 

Special thanks needs to got to www.cabinpressurefans.co.uk a brilliant resource for fans and indeed anything you want to know about cabin pressure.  

BBC Radio Scotland Music Extra

In Scotland on the 23rd to the 30th November this year there was a new station on the DAB Dial. 

MUSIC| We've launched! BBC Radio Scotland Music Extra is a go and we will be broadcasting for the next 8 days. #RSXtra pic.twitter.com/kSo3rwXBz0

— BBC Radio Scotland (@BBCRadioScot) November 23, 2016

Radio Scotland Music Extra was a pop up music service from BBC Radio Scotland, broadcasting for 8 days, showcasing new and not so new Scottish Musical talent. It’s always difficult to judge the numerical success of a station that's only around for a short period of time.
In these kind of cases, a good measure is the bounce back reaction, the most of which has been positive!

Here  are some of my own personal highlights:

Jules and The Blue Garnets 

Had an amazing day@ #RSXtra @BBCRadioScot playing tracks from the new EP #InTheEarlyHours lovely ppl,great studio,incredible day #livemusic pic.twitter.com/Tl0A2bq27P

— Jules&TheBlueGarnets (@blue_garnets) November 23, 2016

Ricky Ross Meets Mavis Staples

Mavis Staples

The Vault With Garry Innes 

@artificialphotography

Stuart Cosgrove

"Because of this station, Music Extra, we’re only beginning now to scratch the surface of our own popular culture. This should be something that runs and runs and runs."

You Should Listen To This: Stephen Nolan US Election Debate, Live from Indiana

I think you should listen to this:
US Election: Live Debate from Indiana Stephen Nolan

It's getting ever closer to the US elections 2016 or as it's more commonly known

I've often cited Stephen Nolan as one of my favourite broadcasters. (I would also recommend his mid morning show on Radio Ulster) he has a unique way of dealing with loud callers angrily planting their opinion flag, politics the way it is in Northern Ireland he's used to people with solid opinions. The other thing I like about him is the amount of compassion and understanding he shows to vulnerable contributors trying to tell their story.

One of the busiest people in tv and radio, he presents an evening show on BBC Radio 5 live (Thur-Sun) A recent addition of this show was live from a bar in Terre Haute, Indiana.

2nd @bbc5live special from Terre Haute starts 930pm .American audience have q's & I'll try to keep control . Well, just a little control ! pic.twitter.com/4dBWZTTGd1

— Stephen Nolan (@StephenNolan) October 15, 2016

 It's an incredible listen, I happened to come across it while it was live and have since digested the whole thing. The nature of debate and discussion around this vote, the anger, confusion, vitriol and passion of the last 3 months is amplified in this programme. Nolan is on tremendous form, commanding the discussion, at times having no choice but to shout to be heard. He manages to raise his voice in a commanding non aggressive way while also showing respect to the speakers.

'It's my show sir....Don't make me stand up' - Stephen Nolan 

With all the coverage and other debates flying around, he asks factual and honest questions and doesn't let them get off without answering them. One of my highlights is when he goes to a young voter who describes this as his 'second election' and gets his thoughts. The young man is quiet and doesn't sound to confident, but Nolan pushes him slightly and ends up getting an honest and interesting question from him. Hes a presenter who understands and uses the power of silence, and isn't afraid to pause before asking a question, making the listener lean in slightly. 

— Stephen Nolan (@StephenNolan) October 15, 2016

I Think You Should Listen To This

If you need something to listen to on a lazy Sunday I recommend Dead Ringers.

Dead Ringers is a weekly topical impressionist sketch show on BBC Radio 4.  It's always delivered comically but it's been particularly on point with the variety of news in the last few weeks.

Highlights include:

A sassy John Humphries.

Kirsty Wark's mamma

And DIANE ABBOT?

All of the above will make sense when you listen.

======Listen to it here======

The thing that makes Dead Ringers is the magnified personalities that still sound real. It also does that thing which radio is so good at. It allows the sketches to take place in bizarre and far flung places. (Such as putting Jeremy Corbyn on the moon.) Which wouldn't be as funny or believable on TV

Not no negate how good the TV version is.

Here's a great clip featuring a youthful John Finnemore :

BBC Music Awards 2015

It's already February...it’s taken ages for me to get round to doing this.

As all of this blog stuff goes...

These are a few videos from my week working at the BBC Music Awards 2015.

I wanted to have a lot more but I was...:

1. Actually working and being quite busy.
2. Running out of space on my phone on occasion.
3. Finishing work at a silly time and forgetting/passing out.

(A few videos are filmed in portrait. I'll claim this as a stylistic choice despite it actually just being me forgetting how to hold a phone.)

DAY 1- The Traveller Meets the Trip

It's fun being offered wine at 12:15 in the afternoon

I began the week on a Tuesday and managed to get on the first train travelling down south after the chaos and floods caused by Storm Desmond.

DAY 2- Rehearsal Day

Sorry Zoella and it totally is a ladies cardigan.

After meeting up with the team in the hotel bar, the next morning’s rehearsal began. We had a lot to get done, so finding a spare moment wasn’t easy.

DAY 3- SHOW DAY

Ok, it’s only a video of One Direction performing from stage side, but still...

I'm putting myself to shame by not actually having any more proper vlogging videos left.

The day began at around 6AM for me. I had a relaxed breakfast to myself before heading to site. We had a dress rehearsal before the full show, unlike the 2014 awards, it was being recorded for UK audiences to be shown later that day on BBC 1.  However the event was also being beamed live around the world so the nerves were very much with us. Tapping on our shoulder every now and again.

This year I was looking after the BBC Concert Orchestra, a rather daunting prospect despite my previous experience of looking after large groups of musicians. I envisioned myself lugging around bags, briefcases and bassoons as well as chasing countless musicians to get them to stage in time for performance. This was not the case.

They’re a professional orchestra, of course they were easy to work with and a good laugh as well.

Oddly, my jacket had the pleasure of going down the red carpet twice while I only went once. It travelled with One Direction but not me to begin with, then Little Mix; I was in it that time.

The show appeared to go without any major issues, other than Rod Stewart jumping out of his skin! Not due to Celtic losing to Aberdeen, but the pyrotechnics - surely an emergency flare isn’t out of the ordinary when you’re Sailing…

No? Suit yourself.

Once it was over we put the stars in cars and dismantle the dressing rooms, followed by a quick team photo.

Then it was off to the bar for the after party!

The next day we had booked the early train back. Not sure whether this was a wise choice or not, but we made good use of the empty train carriage provided to us.

Sunderland Air Show

My most recent escapade was a trip with the BBC Experience to Sunderland as part of the SunderlandAir Show  (Not 'Sutherland which i kept on accentually saying when people asked where it was. Nor was it Durham as my family insisted thats 'basically where I was going' )

"The Voice" Chair is a popular attraction at the experience. (Had to get a selfie) 

I had never worked with on this project before so I was quite excited and had a great time!
The day started just before ten and people never really stopped coming through the doors till we closed them.
The Sunderlandonians we very welcoming, with one local remarking "you're too close to the equator for a ginger" after they witnessed me wincing in the midday sun.

I was taken aback however by the resemblance one of my co-workers had to one of my good friends.. to the point were I was a little freaked out at just how spitting the image was.

Highlights:

• Seeing Spitfires and other military aircraft in action.
• Traveling and working with Sunana is always a hoot! (laugh a minute on the train) 
• Getting a hug from Elmo
• Getting offered free carrier-bags by a woman on the Newcastle metro (presumably because she knows we pay for them in Scotland.)

@chrisq_1 @Metro_Manners random yet thoughtful I suppose :D

— Costel's Emo Specs (@vitosauras) July 25, 2015

Lowlights:

• Getting lost from the hotel to site and having to awkwardly ask the Radio Newcastle team for directions. 
• Nearly having my hotdog blown out my hand by a mix of strong sea wind and jet engine blasts.
• Trying to get a taxi to the station was difficult in gridlock traffic.

It was a fun trip and a great day, if you get a chance give the BBC Experience a visit.