the manchester blog awards 2009
As anticipated it was an easy evening for me since I didn't expect to win and indeed didn't win. That said the whole affair was a bit subdued in some curious sort of way.
To begin at the beginning, as usual my crew, my entourage and my posse let me down again, but then they pull this kind of shit on an almost weekly basis. They used the fairly thin excuses that they were working, in another country, didn't know about the event, or didn't care. I'd knock them off the christmas list if I hadn't already done the shopping online. I would have been there all on my own if it hadn't been for the very charming guys Gethin and (I think) Steve Pete (sorry if I got that wrong) from Young. They did the brand identity and online for the Blog Awards. They're also really nice, they came to sit at my table because the place was full. They were very supportive despite not knowing me, having never read the blog, having no vested interest in any of the categories, and me being my usual surly rude self. They've also done the Cube interior rebrand, and some work on Rainy City Stories which I think goes live soon, among other projects, so you've almost certainly seen their work around.
Band on The Wall looks really good now. The last time I was in there before this it felt like you were going to stick to everything or catch something off any given surface, or that the balcony might collapse any minute. I'm pleased to say the venue looks and feels great, and has some decently sized and relatively civilised toilets. The table I'd chosen was unfortunately hidden behind several pillar so I could hardly see the stage, but that's my fault. Oh, the drinks prices were reasonable too, certainly a lot cheaper than some establishments that I won't name (hello Night & Day).
If I have a criticism of the event itself it's one out of the hands of the organisers, it's that many of the readers (and the person from Creative Tourist, whose name I didn't note down) were bloody woeful at using the microphones provided. There were two of them, they both worked fine, the sound was good, but somehow people managed to bollix it up. Generally by speaking quietly and/or at a distance from the microphone. It meant that for people at the back and on the balcony half the proceedings were inaudible. Unfortunately I only caught a fragment of what Richard Vivmeister Hirst of I Thought I Told You To Wait In The Car read out - although to be fair to him he hadn't been told he could adjust one mic or use the other. Also hard to hear were the aforementioned person from Creative Tourist who announced Best Arts and Culture Blog and from whom barely a word was audible. She abandoned the short mic, but then stood back and to the side of the tall mic. Jenn Ashworth slipped into quiet mode from time to time too.
Points for being clear right to the back go to Maria (?) who hosted, Kate Feld of Manchizzle (and originator of it all) who did some co-hosting, and Dave Hartley and companions who gave probably the performance of the evening.
So the runners up were and winners were:
Best City and Neighbourhood Blog
Runner up - The Manchester Zedders
Winner - Lost In Manchester - which I really must add to the blogroll
Best Personal Blog
Runner up - Cynical Ben
Winner - My Shitty Twenties - the first of two, congratulations.
Best Arts and Culture Blog (I don't think a runner up was mentioned)
Winner - Run Paint Run Run
Amendment 21:40 ish - Evidently I didn't hear (see elsewhere). The runner up was The Manchester Hermit.
Best Writing on a Blog
Runner up - Jointly Dave Hartley's Weblog = I Thought I Told You To Wait In The Car - sadly no mention for Big City, Little Girl, which I thought was also in contention.
Winner - of course, My Shitty Twenties - no surprise, but welcome anyway.
Best New Blog
Runner up - Songs From Under The Floorboards
Winner - Words & Fixtures
and overall Blog of the Year (no runner up)
Winner - Lost In Manchester - no arguments there - given the winners it was this or My Shitty Twenties
I had a good time, although I left early without saying goodbye to anyone, as usual. I come and go like a stiff English pacifist ninja. As I'm so fond of saying but never doing, normal service will be resumed shortly.
Update 10:25-ish
Okay, to finish properly what I started yesterday.
One of the striking things was how much more physically prepossessing all the shortlisted candidates, male and female, were than I expected. I hadn't exactly thought there'd be a bunch of hunched and scaly troglodytes, but even so. We geeks scrub up a lot better than you'd think.
I mentioned Dave Hartley's performance. He had assistants and visual aids in the reading of his story, which went down especially well. Playing the parts of Earth and Pluto he had a couple of friends in loving rendered papier-mache helmets depicting the two planets. Or planet and maybe-a-planet. Plus a smaller ball on a stick for the moon. All three actually managed to use the microphones and be heard. They had the best visual presence of the night and were about the most audible of the readers.
I really should stop banging on about that but hey, Kate, if you want me to give next year's hopefuls a tutorial on actually being heard I'll be happy to oblige. My Shitty Twenties, whose proper name I can't remember, read well and could be heard. It was a well judged piece and demonstrated the qualities that made her such a deserving winner. Richard Vivmeister Hirst writes very well, and it was a well chosen piece, but I could barely hear him. He may have been visually compelling in performance but as I was behind a pillar and haven't quite mastered my X-ray vision I couldn't see. I know Katherine Woodfine of Follow The Yellow Brick Road read but I really can't remember anything about it, hence my silence on the matter. Don't remember if she was good or bad, or what she read. I'm going to assume she was audible and interesting though.
I suppose I should have stayed later to meet people, but it's not much fun when you're out on your own and pretty much social-phobic. Congratulations to all the winners, runners up, and others, and well done to those who actually read. There may be another post later today, but tomorrow it's my birthday (40) and I'm off to Cardiff until Sunday, so no new posts until Monday at the earliest I think. See you.
One of the striking things was how much more physically prepossessing all the shortlisted candidates, male and female, were than I expected. I hadn't exactly thought there'd be a bunch of hunched and scaly troglodytes, but even so. We geeks scrub up a lot better than you'd think.
I mentioned Dave Hartley's performance. He had assistants and visual aids in the reading of his story, which went down especially well. Playing the parts of Earth and Pluto he had a couple of friends in loving rendered papier-mache helmets depicting the two planets. Or planet and maybe-a-planet. Plus a smaller ball on a stick for the moon. All three actually managed to use the microphones and be heard. They had the best visual presence of the night and were about the most audible of the readers.
I really should stop banging on about that but hey, Kate, if you want me to give next year's hopefuls a tutorial on actually being heard I'll be happy to oblige. My Shitty Twenties, whose proper name I can't remember, read well and could be heard. It was a well judged piece and demonstrated the qualities that made her such a deserving winner. Richard Vivmeister Hirst writes very well, and it was a well chosen piece, but I could barely hear him. He may have been visually compelling in performance but as I was behind a pillar and haven't quite mastered my X-ray vision I couldn't see. I know Katherine Woodfine of Follow The Yellow Brick Road read but I really can't remember anything about it, hence my silence on the matter. Don't remember if she was good or bad, or what she read. I'm going to assume she was audible and interesting though.
I suppose I should have stayed later to meet people, but it's not much fun when you're out on your own and pretty much social-phobic. Congratulations to all the winners, runners up, and others, and well done to those who actually read. There may be another post later today, but tomorrow it's my birthday (40) and I'm off to Cardiff until Sunday, so no new posts until Monday at the earliest I think. See you.
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