So many events are captured on video these days and immediately viewable on You Tube or elsewhere. Most events I attend there’s someone with a camera, and SKV Communications is doing a good trade capturing events on video for clients to use on websites and for other marcomms material.
So it feels like a refreshing change to be at events which live in the memory only – in fact, maybe it feels a more valuable experience for being live, personal and not available for posterity.
Stephen Bayley‘s talk at the BDP studio for the first pro-Manchester lecture was a rare pleasure, because he has total command of his subject and also because he knows a bit about the human theatre of giving a talk.
The check suit, the flowery shirt and horizontal striped tie did rather hint that this man could be interesting. Not a lecture, more of a performance. He ripped each finished page of notes from his book, then crumpled and dropped them on the floor behind his lectern. Class.
I dare say many people would have gone online to check out his heartfelt, learned views about the British loss of traditional skills and why politicians are responsible. But they can’t. No one filmed it, and I for one am glad I was in the 70 or so people in the room to hear why ‘Design is more important than politics.’
Then I was at the opening of a very unusual art show – Night and Day, the splendid exhibition by Jan Chlebik of photos of Manchester music venues past and present, organised and with text by Phil Griffin. It’s on Piccadilly rail station platform 12, which means it must have the highest footfall of any art show outside the Tate in London.
About 50 brave souls donned woolly hats to gather to wish the protagonists well, and to forgo the wee dram which is the traditional salutation to an art launch (drink is banned on the platforms). Griffin bellowed a few words at his guests, during which the station tannoy announced an arriving train, which disgorged bemused commuters into the art throng. A priceless moment.
I will value it more for having a picture in my head, than on a video. I did, however, take a photo. Hats off to Network Rail, by the way, this project makes them no money and logistically is probably a pain, so here’s to them/it.
There’s no website for it – just 22 photos of places in which you’ve probably spent some of the most exciting and memorable times of your life. So you’ll have just have to get yourself down there. It’s free. You don’t even have to buy a platform ticket.
Earlier that same day, at the launch of Innovation Manchester Boardroom, veteran sooth-sayer Dave Haslam was telling me why he was not videoing his one-to-one chats with music figures he admires – Mark E Smith and Dexy’s Kevin Rowland are first up.
The events are fast selling out, he says, and if people can’t get in and then can’t see it later, that drives up the value of being there.
He’s right. It may be that a digital record will be immortal and forever inhabit the Internet. But being at an event boasting super art and stimulating people can give you a buzz which a video would only spoil the memory of.
Tags: Band on the Wall, BDP, Dave Haslam, Jan Chlebik, Phil Griffin, SKV Communications, Stephen Bayley
