There are certain moments when you're in the presence of very special people but don't realise just how amazing they really are.
One such instance earlier this year was at the Worldwide Awards when a special friend of Karen P helped me get access to the VIP area, who's name was Andreya.
Me being me had no idea it was Andreya Triana who at the time I hadn't heard much of her music, though I was familiar with the stunning Flying Lotus duet she had done in 2007.
Rather than compliment her on her music, I resorted to jokes about her resemblance to Sabra Williams who used to present ITV's early 90s summer Saturday morning show "Ghost Train".
The facial expression in the photo I had with her below may say it all.
But tonight I will be seeing Andreya again, only this time she's on stage performing a special show at the Union Chapel, unveiling new tunes from her forthcoming second album out on Ninja Tune later in the year. There's one tune in particular I have become obsessed with, the stunning "Song For A Friend" which is something genuinely special, and ideal for anyone who's in an uncertain position.
Triana is known for selling out venues, and tonight looks set to be rather packed.
However unlike the Eric Lau gig a couple of months ago, I am sure that there will be more space to spread out.
Another screening of "The Room" was in order of entertainment
last night, a movie now famed for being the worst of it's art form.
But whilst "The Room" has now evolved into a worldwide
cult phenomenon, and maybe a bigger audience participation
movie than "The Rocky Horror Picture Show", there are many
other films that are so bad, that they don't even have any
redeeming features for comedic effect.
In fact the only emotion they can produce is that of anger, or phsycological
disturbance, and many films that fall into this category are
extended animation features.
Many of them seem to last far longer than the actual length.
Here's four such animated atrocities, as reviewed by online critics
who are able to provide far funnier observations than I can.
The Return Of Jafar (1994) - Reviewed by Coded Lock
There's many a video blog showing disdain for Disney's first straight-to-video sequel, though I've decided to go with The Code Monkey's analysis of a film my younger brother made me sit through not long
after we purchased our first VHS recorder.
I'm not going to go into too much detail as it's covered above,
but it's notable for the shambolic animation, the absence of
Robin Williams as the Genie, and worst of all, Iago being given
not one, but two songs.
Though if you don't like Gilbert Gottfried's squawking voice
for the parrot, then you're not going to enjoy the identical-voiced
rants of the next reviewer...
Felix The Cat - The Movie (1988)- Reviewed by The Nostalgia Critic
I'venever been as obsessed with films as I am with music and
broadcasting, and that maybe because the more downbeat parts
of a film when the action slows down turned me off at an early age.
Though when viewing the above video you realise that such water-cooler moments are vital, otherwise the film ends up being a loud, manic
tour-de-force that has you wanting to smash the television screen, or lunging towards the cinema screen in a rage.
There's far too much going on,with what seems like a new plotline
introduced every minute, and meaningless songs that add very little
to what's going on.
Essentially, nothing in this film makes any sense whatsoever.
Pinocchio and The Emperor Of The Night (1987) Reviewed by
Jackie Marquez
If there's a logical reason Disney started to produce sequels
to its established animated features (other than capitalizing) then
it was to prevent any other animation house from making their own
animated sequels that are even worse.
None more so than Filmation (He-Man, She-Ra) and their rather
disturbing sequel to the tale of a puppet without strings.
Again I won't go into too much detail, than what's already mentioned
in the video itself, but the scene with the evil puppet master is more
than just a bit sinister.
But in Filmation's defence, their interpretation of Pinocchio isn't
the worst I was tortured with at an early age.
That dishonour goes to Saban, whose animated update of a
1972 Japanese adaptation of Pinocchio, caused a fair bit of disturbance
towards me as a five year old.
It lead to me drawing a picture of "Real Pinocchio" which was
the Disney equivalent, though not in human form, and "Wooden
Pinocchio" which was the Saban caricature.
It didn't help that the series itself was very melancholy, and
had an annoying theme tune that my younger brother would often repeat, and always got the letters spelt wrong.
He's now training to become a doctor...
Tom and Jerry - The Movie (1992) Reviewed by The Nostalgia Critic
This doesn't make me angry at all.
It has me feeling distraught at how two well known characters
are taken out of context and placed in an over-the-top movie
with unmemorable songs and a sickly storyline.
Tom and Jerry being able to talk is just the starting point of
what may be one of the worst movies ever to be projected onto
a cinema screen.
It's as if Turner Pictures forked out a rejected pitch for an animated
movie and re-tooled it for Tom & Jerry to be the starring points.
Nostalgia Critic gives it a more than justified dissection.
My last week or so has had so much happening, I haven't been able to get any rest.
Or maybe it's because I have been drinking too many energy drinks prompting me to place myself in crazy scenarios, such as waking up from a dream that I am stranded in Southend of all places.
Is it really that bad a location to be stuck in?
Well taking into account two of the nicest people I know working in radio hail from there, it can't be that bad.
Anyway I'm straying slightly, though most of my outings this week have transported me to London with last night involving a reunion with journalism student Natasha who has travelled from Portugual to visit London for a few days. There weren't too many of us who met up at the Endinboro Castle, but it was a nice pub and within walking distance of St Pancras station. I'm back in London on Monday, this time for a "Tweet Up" with those who are crazy enough to listen to my show on a Sunday, including Stephen the "Soulful Scotsman", Hushy who hails from Edinburgh, and Tunde a woman from London.
The last two I have never met before so this should be really interesting. I'm staying put in Canterbury this weekend, but that doesn't mean I won't be busy.
This lunchtime I'm standing in for James Waters at CSR once again as part of a mixed up weekend schedule.
Owing to a special final-day-of-the-Premiership special of the sports show this Sunday, the "Three Students" show normally on before me is on today instead of Sunday.
Graham Hukins who owns the airwaves between 2 and 4 before them on a Sunday is having his show split over the weekend in two hour long slots today and Sunday.
My normal Blam Jam show is still in placetomorrow evening, although I'm taking a week off next Sunday due to the Margate soul "Spring Affair" event.
It's good pacing mind, as when I return in two weeks it will be the 150th edition of Blam Jam and tomorrow evening I will be revealing exactly what will be involved. More importantly tonight is the inaugaral Kic Awards at the Gulbenkian Theatre celebrating the best in student media from the University of Kent and Canterbury as a whole.
Not only will CSR people be there, but important industry figures from the BBC, Absolute Radio, Channel 4 and the Independent newspaper, so this really is a big deal.
More importantly, it allows me to avoid tonight's Eurovision Song Contest.
Anxiety is a substitute for creativity if the way my thought patterns process is anything to go by.
Instead of thinking up ways of how to go about a possible broadcast related idea, I spend too much time worrying about the things that would go wrong in a realistic situation, interchanging with the things that could go right in my ideal "utopia" situation.
In an attempt to get away from such thoughts I have planned out what appears to be a rather busy month of outings which sort of starts off tomorrow when Ted Dibiase are playing at the Lady Luck in Canterbury.
It may not be 100 percent releiver but it's a start.
Thankfully there are a lot of London visits lined up over May starting off with a Gregory Porter gig in East London next Thursday, and ending on the 31st with Andreya Triana at the Union Chapel in Islington.
I met Andreya at the Worldwide Awards back in January and she was really lovely to me, so it will be great to see her singing live.
Closer to home there's a mini soul weekender taking place in Margate on the Whitsun Bank Holiday weekend at the end of the month, so even if things get too much to handle I will be amongst some amazing people.
A lot can happen in a month, so I'd best let things flow steadily.
