Damon Albarn's View From A Bridge

For Aja Monet, poetry is everything: a way of paying attention, making meaning and inviting other people to see the world differently. She talks about finding her voice as a young poet in New York, the friend who helped her believe in her own talent, and a complicated relationship with her brother that eventually came full circle. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Reflecting on the thin line between imagination and reality, Damon Albarn considers a canal that has been part of his life for decades. He recalls childhood obsessions, strange encounters and experiences he still can’t quite explain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Growing up in Derry during the Troubles, Richard Moore was blinded by a rubber bullet fired by a British soldier when he was just ten years old. Decades later, he met the man who shot him — and found that he felt no anger towards him. On the Peace Bridge in Derry, Richard reflects on forgiveness, reconciliation, and how learning to live with what happened to you can help you see the world differently. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Growing up gay in Perth, Australia, Troye Sivan spent much of his childhood trying to hide the parts of himself that made him different. Then one teacher made a small gesture that changed how he saw himself — recognising his talent, giving him a stage and showing him that he could be celebrated for taking his own path. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On London Bridge, Rosca Onya remembers Jack Merritt, the friend and mentor who was killed in the 2019 terror attack. He tells the story of their unlikely friendship, the programme that helped him rebuild his life after prison, and the devastating loss of a community built around the belief that everyone deserves a second chance. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David is a historian who has travelled all over the world and made a life studying Vietnam. At Hanoi’s Ngoc Son Temple in Hanoi, he talks about the stories places hold, the strange and wonderful things we encounter when we travel alone, and why there’s something worth seeing everywhere — if you know where to look. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bilndboy is stood on a bridge over the Shannon in Limerick. It's raining. This is the centre of his world. It's a world that blindboy takes the time to explain to us in a way only he can. The starlings flying above; the Japanese knotweed growing below; the river and the rain. Everything is connected. And everything is there to be read.Pre order the AVFAB Book here - ⁠Waterstones⁠⁠Amason Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Helen has been driving trains for 18 years. Talking to us looking over a canal in London, she lets us into her world: solitude, pigeons, meals cooked in her cab and the inevitable leaves on the line all play a part in her day to day. She's found a job that suits the way her brain works, almost perfectly. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Content Warning: This episode contains descriptions of sexual assault. When Lillian was 18 she was the victim of a sexual assault which changed the course of her life. 10 years later, while standing on Trinity Bridge in Manchester town centre, she reflects on her teenage decision of waiving her anonymity and going public with her story. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While on a trip to Perth, Western Australia we came across Robert, who generously let us into his world, telling us about his experiences with the supernatural, and some of the deep intricacies of his family and personal life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.