Liverpool has finally arrived July 19, 2008
Posted by townsend51 in 2008, Liverpool, architecture, capital of culture, tall ships, tate liverpool.add a comment
But at the start of 2008, that vision was in jeopardy. The whole city was a building site, with all of the inconveniences of dug up roads, and pounding pneumatic drills. What’s more, edgy new buildings seemed to leer from behind scaffolding and rain sheets. And since these buildings were so large, they would undoubtedly have a massive impact on the iconic skyline and waterfront.
Reports of infighting amongst senior organisers only made matters worse. And Ringo Starr’s backhanded comments about the city (1), which preyed on its fraught past, did nothing to excite people about its bright future.
I was beginning to think that Liverpool would never pull it off. But today I was proved spectacularly wrong. Shiny new buildings have reinvigorated the skyline, and opened up some fantastic new public areas. The sweeping Echo Arena is magnificent, and is sure to become an icon in its own right. The shopping developments are also far from mundane, with a gravity defying bridge reaching out from one John Lewis’ store. The Albert Dock was absolutely heaving, with coach loads of people arriving to see the Tall Boats arrayed in full mast, and the Gustav Klimt exhibition at the Tate Liverpool, which was undoubtedly a coup for the city’s art establishment. And the organisation was also top notch; stopping people being barrelled into the Mersey by the bustling crowds. You may think that I’m exaggerating the number of people who were there, but I’m not. The crowds easily rivalled those seen at Oxford Circus during the weekend, with “up to a million people expected to converge on the Mersey for the four-day maritime extravaganza” (2).
It was strange to arrive in Liverpool, and to see all of this new stuff which had suddenly materialised. At last it was possible to see the grand vision. The new Liverpool has finally arrived along with the ships which pay tribute to its illustrious maritime history.
2. http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/capital-of-culture/tall-ships/2008/07/18/tall-ships-it-s-great-to-be-back-home-100252-21362964/
UK video game industry May 3, 2008
Posted by townsend51 in Liverpool, UK, animation, creative economy, economy, gaming, programming, video game.add a comment
I’ve been looking into the game development scene in the UK, and found some welcome results. I’d always believed that game developers were largely based in London, with the exception of Rockstar and a few others. In reality, there is a much more even spread. Sure, the companies tend to nucleate around hubs, but as far as the distribution of these goes, its all very positive. For instance, I’ve always had aspirations of working in Liverpool when I graduate, because I’ve always liked the place, and its very close to home. I’m sure other people will have found themselves in a similar position, and even though I’ve lived in London for the last couple of years, I have little intention of staying here indefinitely.
This isn’t just confined to the games sector either; there are also opportunities for other digital creatives. These companies didn’t spring up overnight, so why do they keep such a low profile? I would have been interested to know about the employment prospects when I was a young whipper snapper, who through the tyrannies of the world, came to believe that computer games were bad.
During my brief foray into this area, I’ve encountered some useful on line resources (see the bottom of the post).
- Advice for budding animators (Independent Newspaper)
- Info for animators (Prospects)
- Bizarre Creations Fantastic Liverpool based developer (Project Gotham Racing, Geometry Wars)
- List of game developers (only large ones – doesn’t include subsidiaries):
- Skillset (perhaps the greatest asset for a budding game programmer or artist)
Liver bird April 22, 2008
Posted by townsend51 in Liverpool, graphic.add a comment
This is a Liver bird – Liverpool’s feathery mascot. Its uncertain whether such a bird exists outside of Liverpudlians’ fevered imaginations, but its said to have a mystical sway over the well-being of the city.
Cool List November 15, 2007
Posted by townsend51 in CERN, Camden, Cool List, Imperial College London, Japan, Liverpool, Roundhouse.add a comment
OK, I’m not hugely into cool lists, but sometimes stuff is just indelibly cool, and as such deserves to go on a list.
I’ll strike off some really cool places:
Liverpool: Yes, surely the coolest city in Britain, brimming with culture and like many others on this list has a colourful past. Tate Liverpool is the best of the Tate family, easily outshining its larger Modernist brother, mostly through its ability to put on smaller shows, often relating to Liverpool itself, and as such it acts as an indispensible meter for the artistic verve currently thriving in and around the docks.
Roundhouse, Camden, London: The best venue in the world. Easily. Truly monumental stuff. It gets the best acts in what feels like an intimate venue. Expect to stand, but that’s part of the experience. And the rest of Camden is pretty cool too, but nothing comes closer to inhabiting the spirit of creation as this iconic venue, where youngsters create in the same space as established artists. Saved from the brink at the turn of the century, the Roundhouse came back bigger and badder, without sacrificing any of its soul.
Imperial College London: this is a strange one, and I can only claim to be incredibly biased, since its where I study. But that doesn’t stop it being cool. I love it when a place embodies an idea, and has a sense of mystique. Well believe it or not, but science and technology universities have this by the bucket load. Every morning I feel stimulated just walking into the place. (ICL)
CERN, Geneva: another science-y one. I was desperate to visit CERN during my trip around Europe. Arriving on the bus it looked like the kind of place we could’ve happily pitched our tent up in with its scarcity of buildings, and relative remoteness amongst the greenery of outer Geneva. But it all happens below ground, where particles are collided at massive energies to recreate conditions shortly after the Big Bang. CERN is a showcase for international collaboration, and is a feat of scientific and technical virtuosity, seeming like a science frontiers town, on the brink of greater understanding. It was a near religious experience, knowing there was all that power just out of sight, set against the dizzying backdrop of the Jura Mountains.
Tokyo, Japan: I’ve never been to Japan, but no cool list could be complete without it. If there is one place most alive in my imagination then this is it. Maybe its manga, pokemon, robots, fast cars, samurai, or a combination of these which is so potent, but Japan just seems to do things differently, and as such is definitely cool.
Well there are five. I’m sure I could think of many more, not least of which would be Slovenia, Glasgow, the entirity of Wales……the list is endless, but I think that’s the point, there are so many cool places out there.
