Nine Feet Underground

Things get serious. We have a day of packing and other house-move-related activities ahead of us. After breakfast, the tasks began...but before I'd got much done, the phone rang and it was son #1 with some good news from his university. We're both really pleased for him and it's a great start to the day.  Back to work... I'm in the process of testing all the radiators and bleeding those that need it, whilst also helping Q suck the air out of vacuum bags of bedding etc. Having completed a load of tasks off today's list we settled down to get some computer-based admin done, including booking COVID booster jabs for tomorrow.  Time for lunch. Whilst eating lunch things became very busy : Q had to go on a Zoom call with her new employer; the handyman arrived to fix a couple of things; and, Nick Cave also arrived.  (In the form of 'Faith, Hope and Carnage')  Things settled down again and I decided to go and meditate, something I've missed for the past few days...

" And in the twisting of two straight lines  Not much changes" This album, 'Yawn', and its piano and voice child, 'Yawny Yawn', have been the backdrop for much of this year and this song is one I've often returned to.

After June's relative gig madness, the months of July and August were gig-free, partly due to my European travels, so it was good to be back at South Street Arts Centre in the last days of September. Better still it was to see the man behind of one of my top 5 album's of 2018, Bill Ryder-Jones. Support act was Lucy Gaffney, ably assisted by her brother, Thom, on guitar and occasional backing vocals. As far as I can tell Lucy has no material released under her own name (she and her brother have recorded together under the band name MMODE) though during the set she mentioned she was working on an EP with James Skelly of The Coral. (Note: The image above is not mine and comes from Lucy's FB page) It was a good set and a great warm-up for Bill: there were songs that struck a chord and Lucy's voice has a strength and depth that brought life to the songs. It will be interesting to see what the recorded songs are like and whether she records with a band or jus...