Gigs and their venues

A busy day getting various threads up and started.
So this is a new one.
Watford Town Hall is where I attended my first gig and during that year (aged 17) started going to more and more. The Town Hall is just a large municipal hall with an elevated stage and a small balcony of no architectural note. I'm sure the acoustics were poor but with the heavy amplification that did not seem to matter
The first was Pentangle supported by Steeleye Span, although I cannot find the date. Thinking back on that gig now, both groups were full of folk royalty and still going strong now. sat in the balcony I recall.

Second was the third ever gig by Emerson Lake and Palmer (Thursday 24th September 1970), having missed Emerson in his Nice days. It was his cavorting with his Hammond and the weird sounds he obtained out of it, and of course a very precious and early Moog synthesizer.

The third was King Crimson, (Thursday 15th July 1971) and quite stunning I recall. Jamie Muir the percussionist wheeling a long metal chain link 'rope' above his head and just skimming the line of cymbals he had around his kit. Then of course there was Robert Fripp on guitar.

NP 'Heard Then Stirring' by Fleet Foxes from Fleet Foxes

Rarity - Mia Doi Todd

Song by Lucinda...again from Little Honey about a unknown (until the song came out) singer songwriter called Mia Doi Todd. I have plunged in and bought (but waiting for delivery) of a second hand edition as its not available yet in the UK.
This article is an interview Lucinda gave about Mia

Rarity

You are a rarity
Your eyes say wisdom
Your skin says fraility
Your mouth says listen

Your voice a cello
Your words speak volumes
In and out, around flow
Like Leonard Cohen's

Since you were invented
Since you came along
No one's even attempted
To come close to the beauty of your song

No hits on the radio
No one knows who you are
No big deal with a video
So you're never gonna be a star

You won't be attending
Meetings with presidents
Of companies pretending
To protect their investments

While they suck the gristle
Off the bones of your art
Unfaithful and fickle
Seductive and smart

They'll say you're a rarity
And sleep in your bed
And strangle your purity
And leave you for dead

They'll call you little honey
And write you a check
Seduce you with money
And fuck your respect

For offering a small glimpse
Through your secret door
Of your intellect and brilliance
You deserve so much more

'Cause you, you're a rarity
Your eyes say wisdom
Your skin says frailty
Your mouth says listen

NP 'Rarity' by Lucinda Williams from Little Honey

Countdown to Lucinda (4)

Well 12 hours (I imagine) to go now. At home with the day off and will saunter up to London depending on the weather. Booked into the Kensington Hilton overnight which is about half a mile from the Shepherds Bush Empire so no worries about getting home late and getting up next morning early to only return back to Oxford.
However, I found out yesterday she is playing Leamington Spa on Wednesday night so there may be a mad dash to see her again. I will have to see if the boys from the hairdressers are interested, if they have not got tickets for tonight.
She is all closing out the Cambridge Folk Festival on Sunday night, which given where her music is now, it so far from Folk music it is somewhat surprising, but anyway she should send them away rocking.

NP 'Blackhawk' by Emmylou Harris from Wrecking Ball

Grumpy Old Men. (2.1) (Ploughing)

Caught this pair as I was crossing the Euston Road one lunchtime going to the Post Office which is off to the right. When they crossed the road side by side, and again I kid you not, they took up the whole crossing. This was at a busy lunchtime. I whipped out the camera, held it low (bum height) and pressed the power button off!!!. Fortunately for me they headed off in the same direction but I was never to capture them again side by side, without fear of being caught as a stalker.
The downside of this subject rant is that we might have to go the same route having to buy a new set of luggage and now doubt will go down the wheely route.

Day in the life of a jobbing Architect. (2)

Is that you are hard up. Everybody thinks we are so well paid, but believe you me, we are not. I have ducked out and gone over to the contractors side so pay is better, but against our knowledge base and experience, its a pittance.
So here we are on a Sunday afternoon, sitting at the laptop, drawing. A PJ (private job), an interesting little puzzle, and not the option presented to clients that I would have gone for, but then its their money.
And an Architect is not an Architect until he pays and builds (or has built) his own house. Money where your mouth is and all that. We have. (the better half is an Architect too)
NP 'My Old School' by Steely Dan from Countdown to Ecstasy

Countdown to Lucinda (3)

Tomorrow!!!!!
NP 'Essence' by Lucinda Williams for Live @ The Fillmore

A win at Lords

Well it did really happen so by 12:45 on the last day we beat the Aussies.
Trying to follow it a work on the computer did not prove too difficult but the punch to the air when the final wicket fell I think was noticed. Oh well, wins like that do not come around that often.

And I dreamed I saw the bombers

'And I dreamed I saw the bombers
Riding shotgun in the sky'

Well not plural, just singular, walking in a country lane towards Swinbrook Church, heard the roar of a jet, and there just above the horizon heading towards Oxford (could even say Woodstock) was a black B52. In and out of the low cloud and was gone, only to reappear a minute or two later a little further to the north but only fleetingly.
It had been displaying at the Air Tattoo at Fairford some 10(ish) miles to the south, so it was not surprising that it was around.
Why were we at Swinbrook,? to visit the graves of the Mitford sisters at St Mary's Church, with Diana, Unity and Nancy's gavestones set next to each other. Unity was a good friend of Hitlers, so a bomber in the sky had a degree of appropriateness about it.

Cloudbusting (2)

From the window of the train on the way home. Location around Goring about 6.30pm

Grumpy Old Men. (2) (Ploughing)

Ploughing is a term I have given to the pulling of 2 wheeled suitcases behind you so taking up acres of space of footpath, or in this case, the St Pancras concourse. Travelling each day through three London main line terminals, Paddington, St Pancras and King's Cross (with the feed from Euston also adding to it) I see a lot of it.
So much so that you are literally falling over them. You get cut up by them as they trail behind their totally oblivious drivers. They run over your feet. They stop dead right in front of you which is awkward enough, but when you get somebody with 2, then watch out because they are coming through and the footpath is theirs!
So when you get a couple of them together, you might as well be on the praires of the mid-west at harvest time. Just look at the space these two are taking up and this is just after they did a 360 degree turn because they were going the wrong way. Just managed to get the camera out before I was sythed down and then get this quick shot in as they passed.

A new word: Sybarite

Sybarite: General term for describing one fond of pleasure and luxury.
I found it in the BBC's online test match coverage....

'Nibble away good people, nibble away, you've all earned lunches of Sybarite proportions. If you're still hungry for a sizeable morsel of cricket goodness, former.....'

Cloudbusting No1

King's Cross today, 13.30

Countdown to Lucinda (2)

Two weeks to go, this very evening. The boys at St Clements hair were wondering about going...is it sold out? Hard to say but Carling Academy hardly seem to be advertising it in their regular postings.
The thought occurred to me as to who will do the male duet with her on 'Jailhouse Tears' Elvis Costello did it on Little Honey, but at the Empire? I suppose it who is in town, Last time we saw her Springsteen did a number with her, but then he was in town....she might not do it.

Cables, cables, cables

Just had a clear out off all the accumulated cables from probably the last 15 years of being computerised at home. It all went to reclaim but soooo much and still there's some left over which I am still undecided about.
When will it ever end?

Anyway, off to get my hair cut.
NP Slowdown Sundown by Stevie Winwood from Arc of the Diver

Swine flu ???

Looks a possibility, 24 hrs later still in bed but just the same as normal flu.

Swine flu ???

Has Swine Flu hit our household?
Youngest not looking too good.

NP David Byrne (without the Heads)

Countdown to Lucinda

July 27th Shepherds Bush Empire, Lucinda Williams
Last time we saw her, some eighteen months ago and at the very same venue, we were up in the balcony, but learnt our lesson for we are down in the stalls. Best part of it is that there are no seats so can get close up and see her perform.
13 days to go.

NP 'First Born' Kate McGarrigle from Dancer with Bruised Knees

Day in the life of a jobbing Architect. (1)

Having to decide whether or not the project design team have done the work they should have completed as part of a previous stage.
Answer: Lots of holes.
Now how did that song go?...........'and no ones future to decide'

NP: 'Are you down'? Lucinda Williams from Live at the Fillmore

Grumpy Old Men. (1) (Smoking)

At the moment I am working at the project office for the huge redevelopment that is transforming King's Cross Station.To get to and from the tube I have to pass through the magnificently refurbished St Pancreas Station. All well and good if you keep within the station confines as smoking is now prohibited, but as soon as you emerge outside its smoke fume city.Everywhere, gathered around the entrances are clusters of poor sods indulging in their habit whilst breathing out on all us other mortals their exhaled smoke.It does not end there, as once you get to the office you run the gauntlet of the office smokers getting relief outside. The adjacent site office has a designated smokers area outside, which because of their location doubles up as a bike shed Talk about returning to childhood. So in the lift you get and that too reeks of smoke.Absolutely disgusting
So is there a solution? In my books there is, ban all smoking, get rid of the dreadful weed once and for all, for who does it benefit? just shareholders of the tobacco manufacturers, for everybody else, we just have to suffer from health risks which increases from exposure to the smoking habit. Who the **** thought this was a good idea?
If they were still around today they would be one of the first in my firing line.
More about my ideal firing to come!

NP 'Willing' Little Feat from Sailing Shoes

We are all writers now

My attention to this was bought courtesy of Norm's blog today, and precisely articulates what I am now in fact doing.
Link

Free man in Paris

The way I see it, he said
You just cant win it...
Everybody's in it for their own gain
You can't please them all
There's always somebody calling you down
I do my best
and I do good business
There's a lot of people asking for my time
They're trying to get ahead
They're trying to be a good friend of mine

I was a free man in Paris
I felt unfettered and alive
There was nobody calling me up for favours
And no ones future to decide
You know I'd go back there tomorrow
But for the work I've taken on
Stoking the star maker machinery
Behind the popular song

I deal in dreamers
And telephone screamers
Lately I wonder what I do it for
If l had my way
I'd just walk through those doors
And wander
Down the Champs Elysees
Going cafe to cabaret
Thinking how I'll feel when I find
That very good friend of mine

I was a free man in Paris
I felt unfettered and alive
Nobody was calling me up for favours
No ones future to decide
You know I'd go back there tomorrow
But for the work I've taken on
Stoking the star maker machinery
Behind the popular song.

Well it says it all....unfetted and alive...no ones future to decide. Sounds the opposite of being at work

Sunday night's Top Gear

Well Top Gear's over, not the greatest one I must say but Michael McIntyre as the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car was rather funny and there was one stupendous camera shot, car, motorcyclist in the air on a big jump with a Herc in the background coming into land...impressive.

A starter for.............................

A free man in Oxford?....well hardly think so, but its an alteration of a song from one of my favourites....Joni Mitchell.
I'm no academic.
Well its now 7:43, Federer has won Wimbledon in a quite almighty dual with Roddick and Top Gear is about to start.
This is so much better than Twitter.

I mentioned earlier on Twitter that we had seen Al Perkins on Friday night, small village hall at Dinton, just outside Aylesbury, the promoter lived next door in a thatched cottage, and here with a audience of 100+, we witnessed a tour de force of guitar playing from one of the legends of the instrument. Gibson now make a special edition named after him. He played just four guitars....acoustic, electric, slide and pedal steel, though genres including rock, heavy rock, blues, country, folk, bluegrass, you name it he did it. Brilliant
See his wikipedia entry
Who needs to go to big stadiums to see over inflated egos, with blow up props when you can see, hear and feel great artists so close up.
The promoter was Empty Rooms Promotions and worth following.
Anyway, Clarkson awaits.