Signs of growing up: The Proms

As I approach the marking of my 27th year on this planet I’ve decided to take a look at the signs of growing up I keep noticing as the days steam past me.

I’m going to start with a post about one of the most iconic of British events, a centre piece of the BBC musical calender - an event that covers the summer and is on almost every part of the BBCs output. I’m talking about The Proms.

I love music, I grew up surrounded by music, I’ve always loved music. I don’t care what kind of music it is, what genre style or speed that’s playing - I can appreciate all music as long as its either (or both of) 1) a great song and/or 2) brilliantly performed.

Most of the time I tend to listen to indie/alternative stuff with a bit of punk/funk thrown in for good measure. In fact I present my own weekly music show that primarily plays those genres.

But that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate a haunting piece of opera or an inspirational and rousing work by one of the classical greats.

I don’t know nearly as much about classical music - in terms of facts, figures and information - as I do about modern stuff but that doesn’t stop me enjoying it.

And that is the point of this post.

As I’ve got older my appreciation of the classical and alternative (in a ‘different’ sense) has increased year by year.

As I write this post I’m listening to ‘The First Night of the Proms‘ on BBC Radio 3 and I’m loving it - I can’t watch it on television as my wife is catching up on the dozen or so soaps she has on Sky+.

Image via Wikipedia

If I’m right - and it IS possible I’m not - then I’m currently listening to Messiaen La Nativité du Seigneur - Dieu parmi nous - I have NO idea what that actually means but it sounds good.

This is probably the first time I’ve ever actually listened to BBC Radio 3 for anything other than a childish attempt to piss of my wife but this is so much more fulfilling than watching constant re-runs of Top Gear on Dave (or on the BBC TG site).

I still love watching constant re-runs of Top Gear, I still love watching cartoons, I still enjoy kids TV, Simpsons, Family Guy and the BRILLIANT Lab Rats (about time we finally had a decent surreal, stupid studio comedy on TV).

But, as I grow up I find I also have time for The Proms and Radio 3 in my life as well.

I’m going to be keeping an eye on the equally surreal Jon Jacob’s Proms Videos over the next few months as he’s a funny guy and I’m relying on him making my first (from a distance) proms experience a little more accessible.


Maybe next year I’ll actually go to one - after all I’m always in the UK for the last two weeks of July. I wanted to take my daughter to the Doctor Who Prom but by the time I realised it was on - it had already sold out.

So, as a Proms virgin - what should I be listening out for, watching on TV, catching up with on demand this year?

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