My decade: cultural highlights

Fabulously pompous headline. I thought I’d indulge myself. Being a bloke, reading the Guardian and wanting to show off my esteemed cultural taste, here’s a few stand-out moments for me from the last ten years:

• Band and song of the decade: I think Elbow have to take the plaudits here. Having the nicest bloke in pop music – Guy Garvey – helps, but it’s the standout quality of the songwriting that stands out. And that warm, melancholic voice of the aforementioned Garvey, which makes you want to hug him. For my money he also wrote my favourite song of the decade: Mirrorball
• Film of the decade: Plenty of films made me excited, made me think and made me laugh. For my money, however, the ones that really moved me were the animation ones. And not the highly lauded grown up ones such as Persepolis and Waltz With Bashir: no, the kids ones. Most recently Up but further back in the decade other Pixar classics Toy Story 2 and Monsters Inc. However, one that moved and amazed in equal measure was Japanese work Spirited Away. An extraordinary work of imagination.
• Theatre of the decade: The theatre is a bit of a lottery. Especially with some of the experimental stuff my wife and have submitted ourselves to. But sometimes you hit the jackpot. Two occasions stand out. The Punchdrunk company do some amazing work and the standout production for me was Faust. Set in a disused Wapping warehouse, you donned a mask were then guided by one of the cast to the top floor then set free to wander around. It’s dark, eerie and scary. Actors then emerge and you follow scenes as they evolve in rooms. The plot plays out on different floors until the denouement in the basement. All encompassing. The second production I’d quickly highlight confirms to me that theatre in London is in great shape. Nine hours of experimental mime, music and dialogue at the Barbican anyone? Well that’s what we got last year and I have to say I was eager for more of Lipsynch by Robert Lepage’s company.
• Books: It was the decade of miserablit (is that a new word?). In America you had big hitters Cormac McCarthy and Philip Roth pumping them out for fun. I’d highlight one from the African continent, namely Disgrace by JM Coetzee. The man can write. Two other writers to quickly highlight: husband and wife team Richard Holmes and Rose Tremain. The latter continues to write superbly entertaining and engaging historical fiction, as well as most recently a contemporary novel, The Road Home. The former wrote for me my standout book of the year, The Age of Wonder, and is fuelling a greater interest in me in science.
• Exhibition of the decade: Impressive contemporary work from individuals such as Grayson Perry, Conrad Shawcross (amazing work in Holborn subway), Peter Doig and lots of others I can’t be bothered to dig around and try and remember. However the memory is still fresh of wandering through the rooms at Tate Britain in front of the work of Hogarth.
• TV of the decade: Although the US dominated the best television of the past decade – Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Wire, early 24 etc. – I’d highlight a homegrown work (which the American remade into a film – somewhat pointless). State of Play had a great cast, a great plot and great dialogue. It had me completely hooked.
• Gig of the decade: These days I prefer to sit down to listen. So in that spirit it would have to be Brad Mehldau playing at Wigmore Hall. His version of River Man by Nick Drake was quite remarkable.

So there it is. By tomorrow I’ll probably thinks of load of ther stuff that excited me. But I’ve done it now. Happy New Year, and decade.

Related posts:

1. Decade in review I have particular reason to review the past decade, given...
2. Benn’s cultural challenge ...
3. Benn’s cultural challenge ...
4. Benn’s cultural challenge ...
5. Think review part 1 – experience and highlights ...