Love, Poetry and Revolution - Wednesday 24th July 2024

The last three weeks have been fun-filled, starting with the Idler festival, a family holiday in Phuket, a week for Q and I in Bangkok, culminating in a day at the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford. Phew!

As I start writing this I have yet to think about how I'll cover all this, it may even require two posts, we crammed so much in.

Q and I attended the Idler festival, starting with an overnight stay in a small hotel in Hampstead, before meeting up with our Idler friends on Friday.  Unexpectedly, we had an impromptu evening meal with son #2 and his Costa Rican gf.  This was excellent and a chance for Q and S to spend time together again. In a few days, we'll be off to Thailand together.

After the meal, we bumped into some of our Idler friends who'd popped into the pub for a drink.

Friday evening was the start of the festival proper, and it was great to meet up with Idler friends as well as hear a discussion between Rowan Williams (ex Archbishop of Canterbury), Jesse Armstrong (writer of TV series 'Succession') marshalled by Tom H, sort of.  Their discussion topic was 'The Seven Deadly Sins', a fascinating subject.  Rowan Williams is a down-to-earth guy, he even told a joke involving fallen women.

Murray Lachlan Young (MLY), another highlight of Friday evening, entertained, amused and challenged, especially when he switched to folk-song mode. 

British Summer weather was in full drowning mode for most of the evening, though luckily we were tented, and only when the wind blew the waves in did we get wet.

Saturday's festival begins at lunchtime, offering the opportunity to cram more in (or should I say 'Moor'?) Kicking off proceedings was actor/comedian/writer, Ben Moor (sorry!) It's always good to start the day with laughter, and his one-man show delivered.

My Saturday highlight was Charlie Higson, author and Fast Show actor. Q alleges I was in full fan-boy mode, culminating in me asking him a question about his time in the band The Higsons.  Afterwards, we both got a signed copy of his short novel, 'On His Majesty's Secret Service' and Q took a photo of me with him.

Further highlights included a hilarious conversation between Nina Stibbe and Rowan Pelling, poems from Salena Godden and more poetry (?) from comedian Tim Key.

The weather was still more oceanic than summery, but we were still tented, so fine.

For the second year running, we had to leave early on Sunday, this time to go home and prepare ourselves and my sons for the long flights to Phuket on Monday night.  

Two people stand out from Sunday's programme, 'MP' Rosie Holt, explaining why she had a sudden conversion from the Conservatives to the Labour Party in the early hours of Friday 5th July. Hilarious stuff.  

The other guest who had a big impact on Sunday was actor Dominic West of 'The Wire' and 'The Crown' fame, to name but two.  His discussion with Tom was humourous and when he talked about 'The Wire' and how it took off was fun. Oddly, many of my female Idler friends wanted to talk to him and be photographed with him. 

There was so much more to the festival, and I can't cover everything. Memories can just exist in the brain, they don't have to be photographed or written about to exist.

And so endeth another Idler festival. Until next year, I hope.  (July is a busy time for me/us.)

Thailand and RIAT tomorrow? Perhaps.

The Screaming Blue Messiahs /  'Sweet Water Pools'  / 'Bikini Red'

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