three cane whale at st george’s (again)…

Hannah and I went to a Three Cane Whale concert at St George’s last night. My blog tells me that it’s more than 10 years since I first attended one of their gigs (and I’ve seen them/Paul Bradley perform perhaps a dozen times since then).
I first came across their music when I was working at the pop-up shop at The Architecture Centre in November/December 2013 (one of their songs was on our regular playlist).
They really are an extraordinary, ridiculously-talented group of musicians (and very nice blokes too); they often like to associate their music with ‘Place’ and have recorded a number of their pieces ‘on location’ – in barns, old chapels, on hillsides and even next to main roads!
The three musicians (Alex Vann, Pete Judge and Paul Bradley) play an incredible, eclectic range of instruments. Last night’s concert was absolutely beautiful (no surprises there) and focused on music from their sixth album, “Hibernacula”.
In a broken world, it was just so lovely to know that beauty, joy and peace still exist. Hannah and I both felt we needed this!
Photo: From our seats in the gallery at last night’s concert.
PS: 3CW always seem able to have rather wonderful ‘support acts’ and last night was no exception… last night Boss Morris were excellent! 

the songs of joni michell at st george’s…

Joni Mitchell has been my musical idol for over 66 years.
I love her music with a passion and many of the songs take me back to my early college days… but, sadly, I’ve never seen her perform ‘live’ (one of my biggest regrets) – and, clearly, that’s not going to change.
Last November, she celebrated her 80^th birthday and there was a sell-out concert (curated by Lail Arad) given in her honour at London’s Roundhouse… and this led to demands for further shows/UK tour.
Last night’s concert at St George’s was one of the resulting gigs.
Ru first spotted the concert blurb a few months ago and so it was agreed that it would be lovely for our Bristol-based daughters, Ru+Hannah, plus Moira and me to get together for an evening’s musical celebration (they’re lovely like that! xx).

We didn’t know any of the female-dominated line-up (apparently all celebrated singer-songwriters in their own right - Jesca Hoop, Lail Arad, Olivia Chaney, Rachael Dadd and Julia Turner) and so it could have been a very disappointing evening… but, fortunately, it wasn’t. It’s obviously nowhere near the same as seeing Mitchell perform the songs herself, but the evening proved to be an excellent celebration of her iconic music (and St George’s was full).
Lots of musical memories were duly evoked and, fortunately from my perspective, most of my ‘absolute favourite songs’ were performed.
Soft man that I am, I was close to tears when they sang ‘Both Sides Now’ to conclude the show.
A lovely evening.
Photo: Final song performed by all the artists plus members of a local choir.

john martyn project…

I can’t quite believe that British singer-songwriter John Martyn died as long ago as 2009. I first came across him shortly after we came to Bristol in 2003 – thanks to the recommendation from my great mate Si Smith. I got to know his music pretty well - although, sadly, I never got to attend one of his concerts.
So, last night’s gig at St George’s felt both appropriate and important (for me) – even though it obviously couldn’t be a substitute for the man himself – and it was spectacularly good.
This special project was started in 2018 when six musicians (Blythe Pepino, Kit Hawes, Pete Josef, Sam Brookes, John Blakeley and Jon Short) came together to celebrate the music of John Martyn at the Camden Jazz Café. The sell-out show inspired the group to take the project on tour around the UK and mainland Europe… as well as bringing Martyn’s music back to the festival circuit.
Last night’s show was also a sell-out… and rightly so. Each of the band members were wonderful in their own right (and I loved that Blythe Pepino sang some songs from her armchair!). They performed altogether, but often just two or three would join up for particular songs (Martyn’s music ‘catalogue’ of 23/24 albums meant there was lots to choose from!).
Fittingly, for their encore, the six of them stood together at the front of the stage and sang the Martyn classic ‘Over The Hill’ – and the entire audience joined in (beautifully!). Quite a wonderful end to a brilliant evening.
Photos: Some quick photographs from the evening (apologies that I managed to decapitate a couple of band members!).

mahler: symphony no.1 at st george’s…

I went along to St George’s again last night to see/hear the Bristol Metropolitan Orchestra tackle Mahler’s Symphony no.1 (I love Mahler!). My great mate Ed was one of the seven(!?) horn players featured in this full orchestral rendition. 
There’s something very impressive about witnessing a large orchestra (70+ performers?) in full voice… and last night was a bit special.
The two other works performed last night were: Cécile Chaminade’s ‘Callirhoë Suite’ and the world première of ‘Selene's Awakening’ featuring Sophie Stockham on solo saxophone.
All in all, a really magical evening.
Photo: orchestra view from my seat (needless to say, I didn’t quite manage to fit everyone in!)…

karine polwart and kitty macfarlane at st george’s…

I went along to St George’s last night (along with good friend Maria) to see Karine Polwart and Kitty Macfarlane in concert. I first saw KP at Greenbelt in 2005 and I love her music and her insights, but had never previously come across KM (apart from knowing she’s from Somerset).
It proved to be an exceptional evening.
They shared the stage for the entire evening – joining in the harmonies and choruses of each other’s songs and shared stories. The St George’s blurb previewed the evening like this:
“Karine Polwart and Kitty Macfarlane write with an eco-eye, drawing from the same deep well of greater-than-human life as inspiration for many of their songs. Karine wonders if the annual migration of pink-footed geese from Iceland to her neighbouring peatbog in south-east Scotland can teach us humans about cooperation, whilst Kitty marvels at the epic oceanic journey of the eel. And where Kitty finds human connection in those gathered to witness a starling murmuration on the Somerset Levels, Karine explores the notion of resilience by celebrating the tiny, tenacious sea-pink”.
Their musical styles and voices are quite similar and the evening felt as if they had been working together for years – whereas the basis was actually a case of each of them loving and being familiar with each other’s music.
It was a full house at St George’s and the audience was also in very good voice – encouraged and led by KP… there was a lovely, positive atmosphere in the concert hall and, strangely perhaps, on the way home, I found myself thinking: “if only the world could be filled with people and beliefs like these, wouldn’t it be a wonderful place”!
Following the last Karine Polwart concert I attended a couple of years ago, I wrote this:
“Powerful, intelligent, thought-provoking, political, tender, poignant music at its very best. She’s an eloquent poet (and she’s frequently funny too). She’s a person who reminds you that small voices are important. She’s an inspiration.
At this time when so many of us are disenchanted by politics and what’s happening in the world, last night was a wonderful reminder that there ARE decent, inspiring people who demand to be heard. 
May it be so”.
My views haven’t changed.
Photo: from last night’s concert.
PS: As ever with concerts at St George’s, I always end up bumping into old friends from the past (and present). Last night was no exception: Sharon, Angela (and her daughter), Catherine, Big Jeff, Andy, Jonty (plus Maria)… 

o’hooley+tidow at st george’s…

Rosa and I went along to St George’s last night to see O’Hooley+Tidow (I think it was the third time I’d seen them). Sadly, Heidi Tidow was ill and was unable to take part and so Belinda O’Hooley performed alone… which was a great shame, because the combination of their voices and characters is crucial to who they are and what they can give to audiences.
But, hey, Belinda and St George’s beloved Steinway piano is a brilliant combination and she didn’t let the audience down!
She was absolutely excellent!
O’Hooley+Tidow were booked to perform at St George’s as part of this year’s Bristol Folk Festival and I suppose ‘folk’ music is the appropriate classification… and yet they’re much more than ‘folk singers/musicians’. Indeed, there were times last night that I felt that O’Hooley and her exquisite piano playing reminded me of a ‘female Rufus Wainwright’ in the breadth and depth of her songs.
Anyway, although we all missed Heidi Tidow’s presence, Belinda O’Hooley went down a storm last night… and the audience loved her (and Rosa was also duly impressed!).
Photo: From last night’s performance (including when she sang unaccompanied and ‘un-miked’… and the audience watched/listened ‘spellbound’… stunning!).

metropolitan orchestra at st george’s (again)…

My week of culture continued last night when I went along to St George’s, Bristol again – this time to see/hear Bristol’s impressive Metropolitan Orchestra. My great friend Ed plays the horn… he’s third from the left in the back-but-one row in the photograph (click on the image to enlarge).
Always lovely to hear a full orchestra in good ‘voice’… SO impressive.
Of course, with an orchestra of some 60 players, they can almost guarantee that each player will bring along a couple of guests… which, in turn, more or less ensures of full house (which it was).
Last night’s programme included: Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4 (not my favourite Tchaikovsky symphony, but hey); Mozart’s Flute Concerto; Smetana’s Vltava (The Moldau);
and Dani Howard’s Argentum.
A really lovely evening.
Photo: the orchestra from my ‘usual’ seat in the gallery. 

three cane whale at st george’s (again)…

Last night, I went to the Three Cane Whale concert at St George’s, Bristol. I think I’ve seen them/Paul Bradley perhaps ten times over the past 10 years. They really are an extraordinary, ridiculously-talented group of musicians (and very nice blokes too).
They often like to associate their music with ‘Place’ and have recorded a number of their pieces ‘on location’ – in barns, old chapels, on hillsides and even next to main roads (A303 being one example!).
The three musicians (Alex Vann, Pete Judge and Paul Bradley) play an incredible, eclectic range of instruments – last night, I counted thirteen of them!!
I first came across the band in December 2013 when I was part of a pop-up Christmas shop at The Architecture Centre here in Bristol… heard their (beautiful) song “Sluice” and listed it in my top music of the year blog reflections. Within a matter of minutes of posting my list, my lovely friend Mark Louden had posted the following message: “So glad you like Three Cane Whale. My dear old friend Paul Bradley is one of the three. You should listen to the amazing Bristol Kitchen Radio podcast which he and his fabulous wife Ellen Hughes do from their house in Redlands. Always featured an improvised song or two from Paul”.
Mark, his wife Ellen, Moira and I were part of our ‘Foundation’ church community at the time. Last night’s concert was the first Three Cane Whale concert I’ve attended since Mark’s sad death a couple of years ago. I duly raised my glass to them last night. Special memories, special man. I chatted briefly to Paul at the end of the concert and he pointed out that his and Mark’s friendship went back to 1979.
Last night’s concert – in the perfect venue - was quite exceptional… brilliant, beautiful, intricate, uplifting and joyful.
Photo: from last night’s concert.
PS: This YouTube clip gives a flavour of their music.
PPS: Last night’s support band, ‘Firelight Trio’, were also excellent… my one criticism was that they went on for perhaps two songs too long! 

ellie gowers at st george’s…

I went along to St George’s again last night for a concert by folk-singer, song-writer Ellie Gowers. Living so close to St George’s, it’s great to be able wander out from our apartment and, within 5 minutes, be at this lovely concert venue.
Actually, I felt something of a fraud to be attending the concert… I’d never previously come across Gowers, but was initially attracted for three reasons(!): a) the gig tickets were only £10, b) it was being held in the Glass Studio (I’d not previously been to a concert there), and c) watching a couple of videos on Gowers’ website called to mind the voice of an English Joni Mitchell/Judy Collins (I know!).
In the event, it was an absolutely beautiful concert (in front of an audience of some 70 people?)… I was hugely impressed. Gowers – from Warwick, but who studied Music at Bristol for 3 years – is an incredibly gifted musician. A wonderful, pure voice. She plays the guitar quite beautifully… and she can write some rather wonderful songs (and perform other people’s songs probably far better than they can).
She sang for some 75 minutes and she was very, very good.
A really lovely evening.
PS: Check out her website/videos here: https://elliegowersmusic.com/
Photo: Pics from last night’s Glass Studio. 

ricky ross at st george’s again…

Last night my good friend Maria and I attended a wonderful concert at St George’s given by Ricky Ross. It’s been five years since I went to his last concert at this lovely venue.
Previously, I recall blogging that “when I grow up, I want to be a singer/songwriter and play a grand piano… just like Ricky Ross”. Well, I feel exactly the same way(!)… nothing changes (except that I’ve got older)!
He performed his songs, unaccompanied, for nearly an hour and a half – just him and St George’s wonderful grand piano (and a couple of songs on guitar) plus him reading extracts from his book “Walking Back Home”. Obviously(!), I queued with perhaps another 70 people at the end of the concert and obtained my autographed copy and exchanged a few words with him (this morning, he’s probably telling all his friends that he actually shook my hand!).
The concert was simply brilliant.
I just love the sound of a single voice and a piano together. I’ve been listening to a lot of Ross’s music again over recent weeks (his “Short Stories, Volume 1” and “Short Stories Volume 2” formed the basis of the concert) and, for me, Ross certainly has a way of capturing profound, evocative, sad, uplifting, powerful emotions in his words and music.
It was a truly uplifting evening and a thankful reminder that there ARE some positives in the world, despite all the other depressing stuff.
Photos from the concert. 

chineka! with evelyn glennie…

For the second time this week, I attended a concert at St George’s (I know!).
Last night’s concert featured the Chineke! Orchestra alongside (for the first work in the programme) the amazing percussionist Evelyn Glennie… and was also attended by lovely friends Linda, Ian, Sarah, Dave, Mary and Tom (among others!).
The Chineka! Foundation is a pretty remarkable organisation that was created in 2015 by double-bass player Chi-chi Nwanoka (who also featured in last night’s concert) to provide outstanding career opportunities to established and up-and-coming Black and ethnically diverse classical musicians in the UK and Europe. The Chineke! Orchestra is its ‘flagship ensemble’… and the musicians are hugely talented (and young!)… and very impressive.The evening featured four pieces of work from composers Jill Jarman (“Across the Divide” – concerto for double bass and percussion), Dvořák (“Serenade for Strings”), James B Wilson (“Free-man”) and Fela Sowande (“African Suite”).

Although I’ve always felt a little uneasy by Glennie’s somewhat over-dramatic style of performance (just my personal view, obviously), she’s undoubtedly an amazing, mesmerising musician. She featured in just the Jill Jarman piece at the beginning of the programme last night – in which she played SIX instruments!
For me, the highlight of the evening was Sowande’s “African Suite”, written in 1955. Joyful and uplifting.
There’s something about listening to an orchestra in ‘full voice’ (some 30 hugely-gifted musicians). I loved the orchestra’s energy and enthusiasm (and youthfulness!).
A brilliant evening.
Photo: Chineke! Orchestra with Evelyn Glennie, from last night’s performance. 

steeleye span…

I went along to St George’s last night to see the Folk Revival band Steeleye Span. They were established in late 1969, when London-born bass player Ashley Hutchings departed Fairport Convention (another of my favourites) - the band he had co-founded in 1967. The marvellous Maddy Prior is the only surviving member of the original band.
They’re currently on their 50^th Anniversary Tour (somewhat disrupted/delayed by Covid – some people had bought tickets for this concert 3 years ago!) so, as you might imagine, the vast majority of the enthusiastic audience were ‘seniors’ like me (understatement)! The band still makes a great sound.
Maddy Prior can STILL sing wonderfully well (albeit her voice is somewhat deeper these days) and the very impressive singer/violinist, Jessie May Smart, was able to fill in on those old high notes (eg ‘Gaudette’)!
It proved to be a brilliant evening – hugely enjoyable.
Photo: on stage at St George’s last night. 

three cane whale at st george’s…

Last night, I went to the Three Cane Whale concert at St George’s, Bristol. I think this was something like the seventh time I’ve seen them perform (but who’s counting?). They’re an extraordinary, ridiculously-talented group of musicians (Alex Vann, Pete Judge and Paul Bradley) … last night, they played some 14 different musical instruments between them!
After missing out on their regular pre-Christmas concert at St George’s last year, due to the pandemic, it was lovely to have them ‘back’ last night. A lot of their music is associated with ‘place’; they’ve recorded a number of their pieces ‘on location’ – in barns and old chapels… but also on hillsides – which seemed to fit in perfectly with many people’s pandemic experiences and the need to reconnect with nature.
It proved to be a wonderful, mesmerising, uplifting evening in a perfect venue… joyous, intricate, poignant and magical music. 
An occasion to gladden the hearts and to remind us about some of the ‘good stuff’ out there in these difficult times of continuing uncertainty, political sleaze, selfishness, greed, climate crisis and the increasing gap between the haves and the have-nots.
PS: The support ‘band’ was pretty amazing too! ‘Eleven Magpies’ – a perfect foil to the ‘main act’!
Photo: ‘Three Cane Whale’ plus ‘Eleven Magpies’ at last night’s concert. 

karine polwart in concert…

I went to see Karine Polwart in concert at St George’s tonight – my first concert for nearly two years. I first saw her at Greenbelt in 2005 and, apparently (according to my blog – which, essentially, I only keep as a memory-jogger!), have now seen her seven times.
It proved to be another wonderful evening. The last time I saw her was in 2018 and at that time I wrote: “Powerful, intelligent, thought-provoking, political, tender, poignant music at its very best. She’s an eloquent poet (and she’s frequently funny too). She’s a person who reminds you that small voices are important. She’s an inspiration.
At this time when so many of us are disenchanted by politics and what’s happening in the world, last night was a wonderful reminder that there ARE decent, inspiring people who demand to be heard.  
May it be so”.
I absolutely love her music and have come to realise over the years that, for me, Polwart is probably second only to Joni Mitchell in my list of favourite singer/songwriters. The evening was a mixture of new and old songs… and I found the older, familiar ones, in particular, very poignant (memory-joggers) and I even found myself feeling quite emotional at times (but, hey, that’s probably just me in my old age!).
The audience clearly loved her and, hopefully, she’ll be back in Bristol again very soon.
PS: The only negative aspect of the evening was that Iris wasn’t able to attend (it would have been her first ‘real’ concert); she’d had her first Covid jab the day before and spent today feeling on the verge of being physically sick and therefore, very reluctantly, decided she couldn’t leave home. Hopefully, we’ll be able to sort out another concert in the foreseeable future.
I was particularly sad about Iris missing the concert because I sense that Polwart – having studied politics and philosophy at university and being a strong advocate for women, the environment, climate change and the like – represents a potential role model for Iris… and we all need good role models in life!
Photo: Karine Polwart in concert tonight at St George’s. 

o’hooley+tidow at st george’s (again)…

Ruth and 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. This was the third time I’d seen them over the past seven years and, once again, I came away feeling very impressed.

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. Over the past year or so, they’ve attracted additional admirers after their song “Gentleman Jack” (written in 2012 about 19th Century diarist, writer, traveller, mountaineer, rural gentlewoman, and industrialist Anne Lister) was featured in the BBC drama series of the same name. O’Hooley is a highly-talented musician (piano and accordion), whilst Tidow ‘limits herself’ to foot percussion and kazoo!

They both come across as rather lovely people - compassionate, sincere, down-to-earth and very amusing.

Another lovely evening… in an excellent concert venue.

Photo: O’Hooley+Tidow at last night’s concert (as you can see, we were in the gallery!)

three cane whale at st george's (again)...

Last night, I went to the Three Cane Whale concert at St George’s, Bristol. It must be perhaps the sixth time I’ve seen them perform and they really are an extraordinary, ridiculously-talented group of musicians (and very nice blokes too).
Their music is difficult to categorise (well, for a non-music person like me)… Bristol 24/7 described them thus: ‘their delicate acoustic constructions combine ancient folk and contemporary classical ideas to weave an entirely original new musical tradition‘… which seems to sum it up perfectly. They often like to associate their music with ‘Place’ and have recorded a number of their pieces ‘on location’ – in barns, old chapels, on hillsides and even next to main roads (A303 being one example!).
The three musicians (Alex Vann, Pete Judge and Paul Bradley) play an incredible, eclectic range of instruments, including: mandolin, bowed psaltery, bouzouki, zither, banjo, dulcimer, trumpet, cornet, dulcitone, harmonium, lyre, glockenspiel, tenor horn, acoustic guitar and miniature harp(!).
It proved to be a wonderful, magical, uplifting evening in a perfect venue… and believe me, at the present time (with Brexit, General Elections and Trump in full swing), it was something I – and probably quite a few others in the audience - desperately needed.
PS: The support ‘band’ were pretty amazing too! Methera (on their FB page, Three Cane Whale describe them as a ‘contemporary traditional’ string quartet)(fiddle, fiddle, viola and cello). Talented and joyful!
Photo: Three Cane Whale ‘in action’ last night.

bristol metropolitan orchestra at st george’s (again)

I went along to St George’s, Bristol last night to see/hear the Bristol Metropolitan Orchestra perform a programme of three pieces: Elgar’s ‘Cello Concerto’; Stravinsky’s ‘The Firebird Suite’ and Louise Farrenc’s ‘Overture in E minor, Op 23’.

This was the third time I’d heard the BMO perform (conductor: Michael Cobb). None of the orchestra’s players is a professional musician (they have diverse working backgrounds – including anaesthetists, paediatric nurses, engineers and IT developers), but the quality of their playing is consistently excellent.

Last night’s programme was ideal for my taste: I was very familiar with ‘Firebird’ (or, at least, so I thought… but, during the course of the evening, realised that there were quite large chunks that I’d forgotten!); I knew nothing about the little known (to me) female composer Farrenc – but am always ‘up’ for listening to something new (I wasn’t disappointed); and the Cello Concerto is one of my very favourite pieces of classical music.

The soloist for the Elgar piece was British cellist Ariana Kashefi (I think she’s just 29 years old). I’d never heard of her before last night, but my good friend Ed Kay (himself a member of BMO) had known her for more than 10 years and assured me (with a glint in his eye) that she was ‘very, very good’.
And so it proved… but for ‘very, very good’ read ‘absolutely amazing’!

Kashefi was simply outstanding. Within the first 10 seconds, you just KNEW that you were in for a huge treat! I’m no connoisseur, but she seemed to have ‘everything’ in terms of musical gifts. Her performance was electrifying – commanding (and yet incredibly sensitive); arrogant (and yet completely captivating and self-contained); and all done with wonderful, natural musical technique and skill.

Kashefi’s performance was utterly mesmerising.
This may sound ridiculous (who me?), but the Elgar piece actually brought tears to my eyes. It was so, SO beautiful. It made me recall that the last time I had seen/listened to the ‘Cello Concerto’ played ‘live’ had been when I’d attended a special concert at St Hilda’s College, Oxford (I designed some student apartments for the College in Stockmore Street, Oxford during my time working for The Oxford Architects Partnership). That was some 45 years ago(!) and, strange as it may seem, it made me wonder if I would ever again witness hearing/seeing the piece performed ‘live’ again in my lifetime.
Anyway, the evening was a bit special and the BMO are definitely worth following (their next concert will be Sunday 22 March at St George’s – featuring works by Beethoven and Liszt).
PS: The world-famous cellist Jacqueline Du Pré was an Honorary Fellow at St Hilda’s College. She was forced to stop performing in 1973, due to Multiple Sclerosis, and died in 1987, aged 42. The Jacqueline Du Pré Music Building was subsequently built in Oxford and opened in 1995 (St Hilda’s had been one of the joint fundraisers).
PPS: As an encore, Ariana Kashefi performed a short piece entitled “Song of the Birds” - a traditional Catalan Christmas song and lullaby. The song was made famous outside Catalonia by Pablo Casals' instrumental version on the cello. After his exile in 1939, he would begin each of his concerts by playing this song. Kashefi played it superbly… and I cried again (I know!). This YouTube recording doesn’t quite do it justice (IMHO), but it’ll give you a sense of Kashefi’s musical ability.

the unthanks at st george’s…

Ruth and I went along to St George’s last night to hear the Unthank sisters (Rachel and Becky) plus Niopha Keegan perform their amazing, unaccompanied harmonies. Just three voices on stage, singing to a packed audience.
My goodness, they’re good!
Stunning, haunting voices and beautiful, evocative songs (if you don’t know these Tyneside treasures, you might have come across their song ‘Magpie’ which accompanied the excellent television series, ‘Detectorists’?).
I can’t quite believe that the last time I’d seen them perform was in 2011 at Greenbelt!
The evening was an absolute treat – listening to music that gives you goosebumps!
Photo: The Unthanks (from our seats in the gallery).
PS: The one downside/disappointment to the evening was the sound system (fortunately, it didn’t affect the music, only the spoken introductions). We were sitting in the side gallery – right up at the very front – and it became clear (or unclear!), trying to listen to the spoken words of the pre-interval performers that, the voices were unintelligible (our friends sitting just a few seats away from us, plus our neighbouring audience members, clearly experienced the same thing) and I duly pointed this out to one of the (very helpful) stewards during the interval (and she absolutely agreed with me and advised the sound technicians accordingly!). It seemed that the best they could offer was for us to take up alternative seats (amongst the few unclaimed seats at the back corner of the gallery) if things didn’t improve – which they didn’t. In the end, we opted to remain where we were (with the excellent views over the stage) despite missing all the spoken introductions and jokes. I’d sat in a similar location a number of times (eg. to see Stacey Kent last October) and had never previously experienced any problems. St George’s is rightly noted for its brilliant acoustics and so this took the edge off what otherwise was a wonderful evening.

bristol metropolitan orchestra at st george’s…

Last night, thanks to the suggestion and generosity of my very good friend Edward Kay, I went along to St George’s to hear/see the Bristol Metropolitan Orchestra perform.
Ed plays the French Horn in the orchestra (but he’s also a highly-acclaimed conductor, composer, teacher and accompanist). Of course, St George’s is a brilliant concert venue – superb acoustics and general ambiance – and it was quite intoxicating to hear a large orchestra in full voice, as it were.
Last night’s programme included Aaron Copland’s ‘Fanfare for the Common Man’; Joan Tower’s ‘Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman’; Benjamin Britten’s Violin Concerto (featuring the excellent Ben Baker as soloist) and finishing with Sibelius’s Symphony no.2 – which I thought was superb.
It was the first time I’d heard the BMO perform (conductor: Michael Cobb) and, I can assure you, they are a bit special! I’ve certainly made a note of their next concert (Saturday 13 July, Clifton Cathedral when they play Ethyl Smyth’s ‘The Wreckers’ and, wonderfully as far as I’m concerned, Mahler’s 5^th Symphony).
A really lovely, enjoyable and stimulating evening.

karine polwart at st george’s (again)…

I went along to St George’s Bristol last night to hear Karine Polwart perform (alongside her talented guitarist brother Steven and accordionist/percussionist Inge). I think this was the seventh time I’ve been to one of her concerts (although, ridiculously, the last time was 5 years ago) and, as you might imagine, I’m a huge fan!
My goodness, she IS utterly brilliant!
She started her performance by blending two of her beautiful songs together (both making powerful statements about the 45^th President of the US): “I Burn But I Am Not Consumed” and “Cover Your Eyes”. I already knew both songs but, nevertheless, they still made me want to stand up and link arms with everyone else at the concert (and in the UK… and in the world!!) and say “These are OUR songs – they speak for us!”.
Listen and weep.
It proved to be another stunning evening – powerful, intelligent, thought-provoking, political, tender, poignant music at its very best. She’s an eloquent poet (and she’s frequently funny too). She’s a person who reminds you that small voices are important. She’s an inspiration.
At this time when so many of us are disenchanted by politics and what’s happening in the world, last night was a wonderful reminder that there ARE decent, inspiring people who demand to be heard.  
May it be so.
PS: It was lovely that quite a few friends were also at the gig (including Catherine, Tracey, Sarah, Judith, Charlie, Richard, Dave and Nick)… all people with impeccable tastes in music, obviously!
Photo: Catherine and I sat in the front row(!) and this is a rather hurried ‘snap’ at the end of the concert (strictly speaking, photography isn’t allowed)(oops, sorry)…