two bad gigs and one good one

What have I been doing for the past month. Reading a lot, cooking in my new kitchen and going to gigs.

The first disappointing gig was the Nico tribute thing at the Festival Hall. John Cale curated it and there were some interesting things going on, but no idea who was who as they came on stage in a rather disorganised fashion. A couple of beautiful, evocative numbers, but mostly mediocre. John Cale had been on the radio the day before saying it would be -I think he used the word difficult - as Nico herself was a difficult person. It wasn't difficult at all - maybe that would have been preferable...mediocre in parts. I wonder what she would have thought? We had a fun evening though as we went with Di and Paul, and had a quick drink in The Hole in The Wall afterwards, before getting the last train home that night.

Disappointing gig number two. was at my old stomping ground, the Half Moon in Putney. Again with Di and this time with Alan and Patricia. The support man was great - sadly I can't remember his name, so that made the gig for me - plus of course being out with friends, but the main act - Jacqui mcShee's Pentangle was disappointing. A few of us had gone to see the original members of Pentangle do a 25th anniversary gig at the Festival Hall in the Summer and it was beautiful. This was different - Jacqui, too self effacing, straining at notes - the band , well they were very good, but it felt like they were playing in their own style and seperately to Jacqui. The band were reminiscent of Weather Report not that that's a bad thing -just didn't work for me, in conjunction with Jacqui's style. Good bits were when Jacqui and the band first came on with the support guy still playing, and they all slotted in to what he was doing as they built their own stuff up - that was perfect. Also some of the second half was good, where Jacqui did a few folk songs I hadn't heard before Can't believe a Guardian journalist who described this set up as 'the English Grateful Dead'  I don't think so.

On to the good gig. Last Saturday Phil and I went with Rebec to the Half Moon again to see John Otway. Hadn't seen him since the 80s, and then in the King's Head, Fulham - another old haunt. This time there was another good build up, a band with Loyd Grossman off the telly. They were good - lively american punk - all band members thoroughly enjoying themselves -Mr Loyd not at all starry, just part of a hard working band. Very good - lucky with support bands at the Half Moon. This time the main act was fantastic - John Otway; witty, energetic and musical the whole evening made me feel full of life. Shame to have to wait 25 mins for the train home though...

Settled in

The Autumn's really begun. My favourite weather. Crisp sunny mornings -  Fresh air in the park in the mornings. Fresh starts. 

A weekend of fun coming up. Lunch with Ali la Peche on FridayParty on Saturday, Jacqui McShee gig at the Half Moon Putney with Phil, Di, Patricia and Alan on Sunday...all good at home, an optimistic time. One violin lesson with Pete Cooper lined up, as far away as November. What will I wear at our party? who will come? will there be enough of everything? Noooo! there's a scottish dancing night at church the same night, how can that happen?

Finished reading Dracula last week - what an excellent, cleverly written book. Am in the mood to write. Have got into dancing again, three times a week at the moment, having no discernable improving effect on my figure. More soon

Folk Day at the Proms

Phil and I went to Folk Day at the Proms on Sunday. First we went to Kensington Gardens, and saw Bellowhead play a few numbers. They were on excellent form - lots of tunes to dance to - madly in the midday-ish sun. Then we were wandering over to another tent and saw Pete Cooper playing for a mini ceilidh, so we had a little dance in there, too...nice to see Pete and Sue, but a very long time since we've had a lesson. Soon it will be Whitby, and the folk week so we'll see Pete and Sue a lot more then.

Anyway, we went to look at the Serpentine gallery, and the striking outdoor structure before going to the Albert Hall and the free folk prom. It was amazing, in particular the four piece Musicasz, who then had a play off with the orchestra, joined by Folkestra. can't be more specific as we didn't have a programme.

Then there was a break, and we went to meet Di, Alan, Bernadette, Yasmin and Jim to go into the main evening prom. Phil and I managed to get tickets for the Ceilidh, but the others didn't. So the folk prom -  Bella Hardy, pretty and talented, the last two songs she played were the best. Martin Simpson - seemed to be playing/singing cover versions ! There was a song 'when a knight won his spurs...' that I'm sure we used to sing in assembly at primary school, also a version of Matty Groves - brilliant dark folk soap oper, a song about wishes, very beautiful, but I think was a Pete Seeger song. Thing is, loads of folk music is new interpretations of old stuff, sometimes works, sometimes doesn't. Magical guitar playing. Perfect. 

Then....Bellowhead. This is the best I've seen them play, and that's saying something - I guess it helps that there was room to dance, unlike in Lewes - they really were exciting to watch, dance and listen to - all quite momentous being in the Albert Hall. To cap it all there was a Ceilidh - cleverly organised - rousing dance tunes, some played and danced at breakneck speed- a good warm up to Folk Week indeed. So Bellowhead, when are you playing at the Southbank again?

Book Group 2

Anytime now, book group 2 in Brentford will begin. When we moved to our current house and things began to be really sorted out, Di and I were talking about the book group she goes to. I wanted to join. Alas, there was no room and feelings of rejection/dejection ensued. Bit by bit I discover others who there wasn't room for either, half a dozen or so yummy mummies and we will form book group 2. We can't begin quite yet, as there is nowhere to sit at our house. How will we do it? will we take it in turns hosting? I think the idea will be to take it in turns to choose books, talk about them for a bit, drink wine and gossip. It will be great. So, watch this space, and the space on the new blog when it's ready.

Bellowhead

Well, as Bellowhead won't come to us, we must go to Bellowhead.

As Bellowhead don't (doesn't?) seem to be playing in London for the foreseeable future, we have decided to treat ourselved to a weekend away in Lewes, which is the nearest place I can get my fix anytime soon...We're going to stay at the Pelham House Hotel, as the receptionist, Lizzie was by far and away the friendliest of any B & B or hotel people we spoke to, some of which answered the phone with a weary and grumpy 'yes' or 'hello'. Feel slightly ill about spending so much to go and see a gig, but then remember it will be an excellent and much needed break as well. We might get to see Sam, Fiona and co, who relocated to Lewes from Hove about three years ago IF she gets in touch.
What to wear though....last time, having heard that people at Bellowhead gigs really dress up in Burlesque and other outrageous stuff, myself and the select yummy mummies and daddies really went for it when we saw them at the Festival Hall. Although it was packed there, we were definitely among the few dressed up for the occasion, I was sporting a medieval style green dress and feather mask, Di wore a basque and a kind of hitched up skirt, the others, variations on the theme. I thought we looked fabulous. So, this time requires some serious planning...or should I wear the usual jeans and sludge colour tops?

Are Bellowhead the new Fairport?

Yes, yes I say. Recommended to me by Geraldine Stephenson at Whitby, when I was bemoaning the absence of a big complex sound at Whitby, or in folk generally that could match Fairport or say Pentangle. Something fresh and enthusing, not tired and cheesy. Tired and cheesy....this summons up for me how Fairport became. Saw them in their 90s incarnation at the Waterman's. Absolutely nothing of the creativity and vigour of the music that they produced on Liege and Lief or Full House. A depressing experience, one which I have no wish to repeat.

Anyway, came back from Whitby and downloaded Bellowhead's Burlesque. Loved it immediately, especially the instrumentals - very similar to the gutsiness and musicianship of Fairport's jigs and reels. Some of the singing was a bit irritating to begin with, but the vocals have grown on me. Anyway a couple of months after discovering Bellowhead, they hosted the Festival Hall Christmas party - it was brilliant, very exciting....quite a few of the Brentford yummy mummies and a daddy or two were in our group. Di got it together. I hope Bellowhead do another gig there soon though, apparently they are the 'band in residence' or something at the South Bank Centre. I've also listened to quite a bit of Spiers and Boden on their own. Also exciting - lovely songs, mostly arrangements of traditional ones, but made to feel quite modern. More please...sadly no evidence of more gigs at the Southbank centre or anywhere else in London for a while. What's going on?

I'm Waiting for my Bill

So far so good. Day by day there are further improvements to the house. A door for the shower, and not just any door, but a clear glass door! The hob was plumbed in today, and Jake cooked us our first home-cooked meal, which as delicious.
The bill is looming though. All other expenses are on hold until we pay the final builders' bill! Not sure how much it will be yet, the three we've paid so far have been calculated by bizarre means known only to architects and genius madmen. Plans on hold are....the garden, now a solidified mud wasteland, needs urgent attention. A holiday with the relatives in Greece would be nice, a new mac would be nice, too. Can't think of the other odds and ends we vaguely promised ourselves when the building work was done, maybe a few days in Ireland.
Oh yes, driving lessons. I knew some of the plans were a bit more sensible! I am trying to learn to drive, although I've put things off since we moved back home. It is very daunting, and expensive, and, as I've begun to ask myself, what's the point when the oil's going to run out in ten-fifteen years time? The only real motivation's been that our yearly trip to Whitby would be so much easier by car. In fact, it's just the second leg of the journey that's a problem. We've tried every permutation by public transport, and when you're laden down with fiddles, guitars, fishing rods as well as a few clothes, none of the options are easy. At the moment, the family vote is for the Coastliner bus from York, so I guess that's what we'll do this summer.
Saw Di today which was nice, she popped in to see the developments and have a chat, which helped us in our settling back in phase.