Event review: Professor Brian Cox Live at First Direct Arena, Leeds

I'm not so sure if I have a man crush on Professor Brian Cox, not the same man crush as I have on George Clooney or am simply mesmerised by the complexity of what he knows, either way when his tour was announced I knew that I had to go.
Professor Brian CoxProfessor Brian Cox
Professor Brian Cox

Now I wouldn’t normally attend a lecture at 8pm on a Sunday evening, I could barely manage those at 2pm on a Wednesday afternoon through most of my college days, but I was an art student so it’s presumably accepted but there’s just something about learning about the cosmos that is just truly fascinating.

There are just so many questions one could ask like, Why is the Moon called The Moon when other Moons have really cool names? or if you spoke to yourself in space could you hear what you were saying or would you hear it because you already knew what you were going to say? Apart from the fact I really need to get out more I knew that if anything, tonight I was going to learn some proper facts, pub quizingly awesome facts.

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Eight o’clock sharp and the lights dim, observationary quotes appear on a very large screen along with pictures of the Earth. It’s literally only been one minute and three seconds and this has been the best show I’ve ever been too.

As soon as the house lights go up, Prof Cox is centre stage and looking quite dapper in a very nice jacket. I’m under no assumption that I’m going to learn or understand or even remember anything that I hear tonight but it’s going to sound awesome.

My one aim was to make this review something of a learning tool for you, the reader. That aim was obliterated about three minutes in when my jaw dropped and I sat hypnotised for the next two and a half hours but completely immersed with the knowledge that was pouring out of the professor’s mouth.

In summary, the first half was discussing the origins and complexities of our universe and where we fit in the magnitude of other planets, galaxies, stars and other floaty things. Einstein, theory of relativity, something about pythagorus, rainbows, light, the most amazing pictures of space and the odd comedic interruption from Robin Ince, co-support on the tour.

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As the second half commences we go truly deeper into the establishment of the universe and the many theories of the big bang. With 13.8 billion years of history behind us, Prof Cox could narrate every single day of that past with such passion that would make David Attenborough feel inferior. One truly fascinating section is the picture he puts on screen actually showing the creation of the universe, a photo of galaxies and light some 13.2 billion light years away. Imagine, that that picture is of something that took 13.2 billion years to get to where it was viewed from. That kind of thing can really keep you awake at night.

Along with a neatly put together Q&A of predominantly younger audience questions, the show was full of quirky moments, riveting experiences and some truly, truly abominably amazing information.

If at all you get the opportunity to view this spectacular show, I heartily recommend it and if anything you’re going to be a right fountain of knowledge at the next pub quiz.