Saturday, October 11, 2025

graham nash at bristol beacon…

Nostalgia rules!
I went along to the Bristol Beacon last night to see/hear Graham Nash (plus Peter Asher – of ‘Peter+Gordon’ fame if you’re as old as me!). As you will probably know, Nash was an integral part of the 1960’s group (we didn’t call them ‘bands’ in those days!) The Hollies. Although I was never a massive Hollies’ fan, I did enjoy their music.
As far as I’m concerned, Nash truly came into his own when he joined musicians David Crosby (ex-Byrds) and Stephen Stills (ex-Buffalo Springfield) to form the ‘folk rock supergroup’(!) Crosby Stills+Nash in 1968 (later to become Crosby, Stills, Nash+Young when joined by Neil Young in 1970, I think).
As a bonus(?) for me, who regards Joni Mitchell as my all-time ultimate musical hero, Nash+Mitchell had a “famous and influential relationship in the Laurel Canyon music scene from 1968 to 1970. While they were deeply in love and inseparable, the intense and tumultuous relationship ultimately ended with Mitchell leaving Nash” (according to Wikipedia). Their time together inspired significant music, including the wonderful Mitchell's Blue album (featuring ‘My Old Man’ and ‘River’) and Nash's evocative ‘Our House’. 
So, for me, last night was all about musical memories from a very special time in my own life after leaving home/starting university (I could remember the words of most of the songs, of course!).
It proved to be a rather wonderful evening, Nash (accompanied by three excellent, high-quality musicians) ran through his impressive repertoire of songs – I’d forgotten that he’d actually written so many of my favourite songs.
Yes, there was part of me (approaching 77) going to see/hear a musician (approaching 84!) in his ‘twilight years’(??) playing for 90 minutes plus that found last night’s concert both sad and wonderfully ridiculous… an evening of old songs and ‘rosy-coloured’ recollections. I suspect, that over the next few days, I’ll be adding even more ‘old songs’ to my various playlists of very ageing tunes!
Nash was in very good form (and voice). A memorable evening.
I really enjoyed the concert and found it quite cathartic, uplifting and even quite emotional at times.
Living in the past… while I can still remember it.
Photos: from my seat at the concert.
Footnote: At the start of the evening, Peter Asher talked and played songs (accompanied by two other musicians) from his own musical career – including fascinating insights into his time working with James Taylor and Carole King. Gordon Waller died in 2009. Unlike Nash, Asher’s ageing voice isn’t what it was, but hey!

Friday, October 10, 2025

o’hooley+tidow at st george’s…

After 15 years of performing together, eight studio albums, four BBC Folk Award nominations and hundreds of venues and festivals across the UK and Europe, O’Hooley+Tidow have “decided to say farewell for now in order to explore other adventures that are beckoning” (among these: Heidi returning to university).
I went along to St George’s last night to see/hear Belinda O’Hooley and Heidi Tidow perform their eclectic mix of thought-provoking songs and intricate harmonies (I think it was the fifth time I’d seen them perform over the past twelve years or so). Once again, I came away feeling very impressed… but, given that this was effectively their ‘Farewell Tour’, also sad that they won’t be returning - at least for the time being.
They’ve established themselves as gifted singer-songwriters and they frequently write about difficult, painful subjects such as racism, animal cruelty, poverty, vulnerability and child abuse with remarkable, understated clarity. They both sing beautifully (gifted pianist Belinda clearly always enjoys returning to St George’s Steinway piano!) and come across as rather lovely people - compassionate, sincere and down-to-earth (and very funny!).
Another really lovely evening… in one of my favourite concert venues.
Photo from my seat at last night’s concert.

Saturday, October 04, 2025

your starter for ten…

Moira and I went along to the Bristol Old Vic last night for the first time in ages (with Moira’s hearing deficiency – and mine, to a lesser extent - the last few occasions we’ve been to the Old Vic have proved somewhat frustrating). Last night’s show, based on the long-running ‘University Challenge’ television programme (and set in 1986), was a musical… and also benefitted from having sub-titles (I know!)… AND, as a bonus, had the wonderful Mel Giedroyc playing one of the characters (and she’s excellent).
The show, a musical adaptation of David Nicholls' novel, follows one of the students, Brian Jackson (Adam Bregman), as he navigates university life in Bristol and the outside possibility of him participating in the UC game show (something his late Dad – a huge fan of the programme – would certainly have encouraged). Woven into all this is his early infatuation with ‘posh-girl’ Alice (Emily Lane) and his association with sarcastic, up-front Glaswegian protester Rebecca (Eubha Akilade).
It’s hugely-impressive show - full of energy, fast-moving, finely-timed choreography and beautiful, powerful singing. Lots of humour; lots of amusing references to all those zealous ‘societies’ one is inevitably confronted with in Freshers’ Week… and pathos too. All the cast were excellent – but with absolutely stand-out performances from Bregman and Akilade.
It all provided wonderful evening’s entertainment, which lifted the spirits in these depressing times.