Astra's actionfigures in Action

There was a new modern Winnetou three-parter on German TV over Christmas and it has brought back my love for Western film melodies. When I was a teenager I had a huge love for the Wild West. If you like famous Western film melodies, please check this playlist. It's a record that was done in Czechoslovakia in 1975 and I used to play it countless times. Such things were so rare in East Germany and I really adored it.

Listening to it right now, after all this time I still was able to sing every note and knew exactly which song would be next. Wonderful melodies played by a huge orchestra.

These are the songs:

- The Big Country (Another Day, Another Sunset)
- How The West Was Won
- Once Upon A Time In The West (Harmonica)
- For A Few Dollars More
- Mackenna's Gold
- The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
- The Magnificent Seven
- High Noon (Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling)
- The Fastest Guitar Alive (Rollin' On)
- The Alamo (The Green Leaves Of Summer)
- Der Schatz im Silbersee
- North To Alaska



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vawVKiyoKo4&list=PL6F980F364F7147A3

I love this version of Franz Lehár's song "Niemand liebt dich so wie ich" (Nobody loves you like I do). Manfred Krug brought the Jazz to the GDR. This video is from the year I was born and he left four years later so I don't have that many memories of him and this is more the generation of my parents, but I can totally see why he blew everyone away at the time. What a voice! He also played in a lot of movies and TV series. One of those old-fashioned all-rounders.

Good-bye Manne!

Little side note: Our Berlin office actually resided in his former villa. I was there once.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSSpC3kubM0

(Just for comparison, this is what the song usually sounds like. It's from an operetta: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFhTvNksCq4 )

Two video clips for your enjoyment. They're both very short but worth watching!

The first is an impression from yesterday evening, German song "Der Mond ist aufgegangen" (The moon has risen). I was not standing with the group that was playing here, so we heard it from further away, and we were quietly singing along. Simply beautiful. But imagine, when my group was playing (sometimes the melody would also jump around between the different groups) I was standing right behind them, so close to the music. I've never been that close before. Often, when there is a marching band, you stand at the street, and they walk, and soon it's over.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HptwXecwqbE



The second clip is from today's Concluding Worship Service, in the stadium. The song is the theme song of the festival, called "Luft nach oben" (Room for improvement, a playing of the words with Luft/air here which you need for blowing). Must have sounded beautiful, amongst all those people in the stadium. I watched it in TV, they showed elderly people, young people, children even. A woman had her baby lying in the grass in front of her.

They all had come from all over Germany and apparently even other countries as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCyOu58Z15w

I have no idea how to translate that so I won't even try. It's a church event, this weekend over 22,000 people who play trombone, trumpet, horn or tuba are in Dresden, and there is music everywhere in the city. I am just back home from all of them playing together at the river Elbe. I've never been so close, and hearing these brass instruments so loud was awesome! They played on both sides of the river and in the end there were fireworks.
‪#‎DEPT2016‬

( More pictures under the cut )

The white spots are the lighted up notes:

Just home from seeing "La Cage Aux Folles" - sadly not with John Barrowman, which I still regret missing (I only had found out in September 2009 that he was actually singing so that was a bit late for it) but with Uwe Kröger as Albin and Dieter Landuris as Georges, who both also were very good. It was a bit weird hearing the songs in German but it worked. I can't decide which earworm I am having right now, it's a mix between "Song on the Sand" and "La Cage Aux Folles"
We laughed a lot, there were even homages to Dinner for One and Elizabeth, and lots of great guys in great costumes. Also the same guys just in speedos for a scene outside which also was very much appreciated by the audience
„wink“-Emoticon

For the finale even the uptight parents of Anne donned feather boas and dresses which was a nice idea. And of course all of them wearing simple white at the end - stunning.

There is a video you can watch. Here's the link: https://www.facebook.com/staatsoperette.dresden/videos/vb.115777418502502/1032220490191519/?type=2&theater

A fun meme, snagged from elrhiarhodan and sandy79
I cheated though by having more than one song per answer, as I couldn’t decide


Rules: Using only the song titles from one artist, cleverly answer these 11 questions

The artist I’m selecting: John Barrowman

What is your gender: Man I Feel Like A Woman

Describe yourself: I Am What I Am, The Kid Inside, I’m so excited, Hair

How do you feel: Feeling Good, Being Alive

If you could go anywhere, where would it be: I Happen To Like New York, Hollywood, Loch Lomond, Amarillo, Chicago, Sunset Boulevard, Viva Las Vegas, Weekend In New England

Favourite mode of transportation: High Flying Adored

Your best friend: Mandy, Danny Boy, Laura, Maria, Sandy, Have You Met Miss Jones?

Favourite time of the day: Night And Day, In The Still Of The Night, On Such A Night As This

If your life was a TV show, what would it be called: Anything Goes

What is life to you: It’s De-lovely, Come What May, That’s Life

Relationship status: Live Alone And Like It, What Is This Thing Called Love?

Your fear: Don’t Fence Me In, Please Remember Me
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To get you into the right mood: This video was recommended to us by John Barrowman. Apparently he went to college together with the singer.

It says this is her real-life spouse and child. It's just cute, and a nice little twist there as well. And the song isn't bad either. Very jazzy. Love it!

Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pasgHh4gBOI

Any a cappella fans among us? Last week I visited another Maybebop concert and while browsing youtube I just found this concert they did in America in the Kennedy center in Washington last year, after receiving an Grammy for their craft.

I am always amazed how only four guys with their mouths and no instruments at all can do such wonderful songs. They certainly know how to sing. So if you have some 50 minutes available, here is it. It starts with a German song, but they also translated some of their original songs to English (which is difficult I guess, the lyrics often are very funny and have a twist to them), as well as singing English covers. The medley at the end is a retrospect of the famous songs of the year 2013, they do that every year.

With their own songs, there is usually much more choreographed dancing and show as well.

The small guy with the glasses is the one that writes all the songs, and he is a genius. At German concerts, there is a part where the audience shouts some random words and he makes an improvised song out of them right there on stage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQvsgOW1tf0



And, just because I can, here is the John Barrowman connection: He did a concert in the same venue back in 2002, long before he became famous with Doctor Who. The first part can be watched here, the other links are at the side:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3CslL2OdRI
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WATCH THIS! A wonderful film about breakdancers dancing in the most beautiful places in Saxony. They had never climbed a rock before but went up and danced up there. Then they went down a mine and danced there.
There's some famous places in Dresden of course and many, many others. Watch! It's nice to be reminded once in a while in what a beautiful place I live.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=we7dsMHIx4Q

My shiny new locations tag gets an outing ;) Today I finally sat down and checked out "Galavant". Why is someone like I, who has not even an remote interest in medieval times, watching a show like this? Well, as usual, it has to do with John Barrowman. Some months ago someone said on Twitter that he would be great in that show, and he replied that he actually auditioned for it but they didn't want him.

Huh. Was the first I heard about this at all. We then tried to imagine whom he may have played, someone suggested King Richard. Having seen the guy in action now I think that would have not worked. He's perfect. Also, let's face it, John would never be able to grow the required beard ;) But maybe he could still come in next season for a guest part. Who knows.

So, today I watched the first six episodes straight away (they are only 20 minutes each) and had the greatest fun ever. Catchy theme song going straight to your head (Gaaaa-laaa-vaaaant!), great songs and dance numbers - no wonder, the music was done by Alan Menken, who did my favorite Disney movie "Beauty and the Beast". I digged (digged? dugged? dug?) the monks and their Barbershop routine! A cappella FTW!

I know I talked about this with someone before - was it you, sgamadison? Back then I assumed that John and his "movie idol looks" would have not fit in with all those medieval men with bad teeth and rugged faces - I see now how wrong I was ;) Good looking people all around ♥ Leading the way Galavant himself of course. Nice voices, really funny modern and (for medieval times anyway) unique dialogues - love King Richard and Gareth! I was chuckling all the time. And in general I simply adore the English accent. And where do they keep finding those locations?

Oh, and lots of familiar faces ;) Vinnie Jones already had been a fan favorite in "Arrow". Ben Presley was in "What we did on our holidays" although I don't remember him at the moment. There also was John Stamos, whom I haven't seen since "Full House". Some insiders may know Luke Youngblood from some Harry Potter movies. The pirate king was well known as well - Hugh Bonneville from "Downton Abbey". And Sophie McShera who plays Daisy on the same show. And that's just the ones from the top of my head. Edit: Hey, and episode 3 finally has a Doctor Who face - I knew I only had to keep looking long enough. Michael Brandon.

But let's come to why we are actually here: Locations! So I watched the first episode, and two minutes in, seeing this:



I shouted: That's Wells! Recognized it right away, and I have the picture to prove I was there. See?



And as soon as this unique cross-bow comes into view, you definitely know it's Wells Cathedral. The "Doctor Who" episode "Lazarus" was shot there as well - apparently only three weeks before I was there back in November 2006. But I wasn't a fan yet at the time.



So, who else is having fun with "Galavant"? And if you haven't known about it yet - maybe I can also be that person infecting you for a change. Why should it always be the other way around (yes, I am looking at you, elisi ;)