Adrian Ainsworth
@adrianspecs.bsky.social
Mostly music, art, film & photography. Likes writing about all of these: formerly on the ‘Specs’ blog, now part of the ArtMuseLondon team.
🖼️🤔👓 After seeing @openspacer.bsky.social’s brilliant ‘Tao of Glass’ at Soho Place, I called it “a riveting tapestry of music, mystery & memory’. More enthusiasm is now available in my write-up for ArtMuseLondon here…
Echo chamber: ‘Tao of Glass’, Soho Place, London, UK
‘Tao of Glass’ is somewhere between play and performance art, a mix of memoir, meditation and music. It’s a show only actor-director Phelim McDermott could create, and probably only now. It brings …
artmuselondon.com
Good challenge. A few I didn’t see in the thread… Roxy Music: For Your Pleasure, Stranded, Country Life. Elvis Costello & Attractions: Armed Forces, Get Happy!, Trust; w/o Attractions: Spike, Mighty Like a Rose, Brutal Youth (ish). Richard Thompson: You? Me? Us?, Mock Tudor, The Old Kit Bag.
Mia Murphy 🏳️⚧️@miamurphy.com · 4d agoWhat's the best three album run from a band? (the correct answer is Moving Pictures, Signals, and Grace Under Pressure by Rush, but I'm excited to learn second place)
🖼️🤔👓 After seeing @openspacer.bsky.social’s brilliant ‘Tao of Glass’ at Soho Place, I called it “a riveting tapestry of music, mystery & memory’. More enthusiasm is now available in my write-up for ArtMuseLondon here…
Echo chamber: ‘Tao of Glass’, Soho Place, London, UK
‘Tao of Glass’ is somewhere between play and performance art, a mix of memoir, meditation and music. It’s a show only actor-director Phelim McDermott could create, and probably only now. It brings …
artmuselondon.com
📷 Asked to do a photo session for my friend Andy recently: very pleased with the results. (As is he, fortunately!)
Pair of Specs, at large. I’m trying out my new air-conditioning hat.
‘Tao of Glass’ at Soho Place is a riveting tapestry of music, mystery & memory: Phelim McDermott is wit, raconteur, visionary & sage all rolled into one, making this universal, generous body of work deeply personal. I loved it.
Applause photos from last night’s excellent Prom: first Poulenc, then the colossal forces amassed for the Adams. 👏👏👏
Pair of Specs on day-long cultural mission. Agenda: ✅ Escher at Somerset House ✅ Hepworth at Courtauld Gallery ✅ 🍕 ✅ Poulenc / Adams at the Proms Looking forward!
Magnificent Prom by Sinfonia of London tonight: applause at interval after the Walton Cello Concerto, then for the ensemble after an inspirational performance of Respighi’s Roman Trilogy. 👏👏👏
First of four Proms this year. Love the Sinfonia of London’s Respighi disc so very excited for this!
🖼️🤔👓 The Marilyn Monroe exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery achieves something remarkable, looking at the iconic star’s career through a new lens. More enthusiasm in my write-up for ArtMuseLondon here…. artmuselondon.com/2026/07/19/s...
Still life: ‘Marilyn Monroe: a Portrait’, National Portrait Gallery, London
I confess: initially I was in two minds about even attending this exhibition. The hook, for the record, is that 2026 marks Marilyn Monroe’s centenary year. Even so, i was a little sceptical about w…
artmuselondon.com
We’ve made it to the 9.30am screening, so it’s not just you having a tough time, Odysseus.
I think this is my first trip to a sports event in some 40 years! At the London Stadium for the athletics - looking forward!
Pair of Specs for sale in the RBO shop. Here for ‘I puritani’ - treat seats!
Action-packed day ahead! ✅ Morning: scouting some locations for a portrait photoshoot this coming week. ✅ Afternoon & evening: acoustic & electric gigs from the wonderful Stipe at the Half Moon Putney. Looking forward!
‘In the Belly of the Beast’ is quietly devastating, building wit, insight, compassion & tragedy across these beautiful cantatas by Élisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre. Performances of depth & subtlety from @carolynsampson.bsky.social & Mariana Rodrigues, with @dunedinconsort.bsky.social. Wonderful.
Today, some ‘hotly’ anticipated music, namely: ✅ @africanseries.bsky.social @wigmore-hall.org.uk morning & evening concerts, & in between: ✅ ‘In the Belly of the Beast’ @spitsmusic.bsky.social featuring @carolynsampson.bsky.social Mariana Rodrigues & @dunedinconsort.bsky.social Looking forward!
Looks like I picked the wrong evening to have Colman’s mustard with my dinner…
Well, this is exciting. And it may even have cooled down a bit by then!
🖼️🤔👓 A musical tour (de force!) from Xuefei Yang & Ning Feng @wigmore-hall.org.uk last Sunday. More enthusiasm in my write-up for ArtMuseLondon here… artmuselondon.com/2026/06/23/s...
Sound design: Xuefei Yang & Ning Feng, Wigmore Hall, London, UK
Always grateful for a chance to hear guitarist Xuefei Yang play live, I was especially keen to catch this fascinating programme developed in collaboration with violinist Ning Feng. As part of Wigmo…
artmuselondon.com
Always good to get the elder Specs out on a jaunt. 👓👓👓👓 Much fun to be had at ‘High Society’ & only took several weeks to get out of the Barbican!
Latest book purchases. The first two entries in my apparent ‘E.W. authors only’ project…
Splendid time at Elvis Costello’s ‘early songs’ gig last night. The RAH sound was behaving & we got lucky with a set full of unexpected favourites (‘Watch Your Step’! ‘Opportunity’!). Stirring stuff.
Shamefully tardy posting this but had a terrific time at #OHPFanciulla last night: one of my favourite operas & everything clicked from the first swing of the saloon doors. Soloists, chorus & orchestra all on🔥. I still tense up during the poker game. Thank you @operahollandpark.bsky.social!
🖼️🤔👓 As part of @wigmore-hall.org.uk’s 125th anniversary festival, @carolynsampson.bsky.social @josephmiddleton.bsky.social gave a recital of songs dating back to 1901. A sensitive performance, full of warmth & joy. More enthusiasm in my write-up here… artmuselondon.com/2026/06/05/m...
Musical moment: Carolyn Sampson & Joseph Middleton, ‘1901’, Wigmore Hall, London, UK
2026 marks Wigmore Hall’s 125th anniversary, and the venue has been celebrating its birth year in style, with a fortnight-long festival of over 20 concerts. This jewel among them took us back to wh…
artmuselondon.com
An hour of pure pleasure from @carolynsampson.bsky.social @josephmiddleton.bsky.social in this superbly programmed & dazzlingly performed recital, taking us back to 1901, @wigmore-hall.org.uk’s birth-year. Find it on BBC Sounds (search for 'Wigmore Hall 125' for this & other gigs in the series).
A new recital from @carolynsampson.bsky.social @josephmiddleton.bsky.social is always a red-letter day: every song here dates back to 1901, when @wigmore-hall.org.uk opened. So, a gratuitous day off for me, heading into town, then via the 'record shop route' to the venue. Looking forward!
Well done to my barber, who has once again successfully located my face.
