Encore The Specials
I was lucky enough to receive a copy of the new Specials album Encore a few months back, and was proud to do the first newspaper review of it.
Since then, the band have released two singles/video tracks off the album, and the general sense of opinion is a positive one, albeit with no Jerry Dammers, Neville Staple, Brad or Roddy on this album.
‘Vote For Me’ and ‘The 10 Commandments’ (featuring activist Saffiyah Khan) are the two leader tracks, and pretty much set out the album’s interesting story ark perfectly.
Both tracks have been accompanied with their own superb videos, a unique animated cut and paste style, created by Dean Eastment – a long time friend to the museum and the creator of our own unique film (more about that in the coming weeks).
His other clients include Madness, The Beach Boys and Robbie Williams, so The Specials are in good company.
Also good to see the Specials performing live on the One Show, and hitting the national press with coverage in Mojo and on the cover of Big Issue.
On the live front, there has been a rumpus on the lack of a Specials Coventry gig.
Half the secret is out now and there will be a Coventry gig.
The next bit is where it will be. I will say no more.
Come fly with me
Last summer, Heathrow Airport emailed us and told us we were going to be part of their Visit Britain campaign.
Each area of the UK is represented on a large frame, basically a huge display unit set up to encourage selfies.
There are nine of these displays dotted around the airport, but there are only four attractions per area displayed.
So we are happy and surprised that we are in the West Midlands display, the only Coventry attraction in there.
Apparently Heathrow has 78 million visitors per year, so we hope it encourages our visitors.
The West Midlands frame is in Terminal 3 arrivals close to Café Nero. here is the full list:
North East: Alnwick Castle, Newcastle Quayside, MIMA Gallery, Durham
Wales: Gower, Smallest House in Britain, Snowdonia, Pembrokeshire Coast
Yorkshire and the Humber: Harewood House, Queens Arcade, The Shambles, The North York Moors National Park
London: National Portrait Gallery, London Eye, Covent Garden, Buckingham Palace
Scotland: Edinburgh, Glasgow, St Andrews, Glen Coe
East Midlands: Chatsworth House, Ye old Trip to Jerusalem, Heights of Abraham, Leicester Cathedral
East of England: Cambridge Punting, Colchester, Broads National Park, Elm Hill
South East: Royal Pavilion, White Cliffs of Dover, Whitstable Oyster Festival, Canterbury Cathedral
West Midlands: Birmingham Bull Ring, Coventry Music Museum, Jewellery Quarter, Wolverhampton Art Gallery
