Monthly Archives: July 2017

Pink Floyd and the Proms

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Rosemary and I ventured into London on Chiltern Railways to go to the Proms.  We travelled from Bicester with bargain prepaid tickets.  Downside was that we arrived in London a little later than ideal and had to travel back home a little later than needed.  The trials of cheap tickets.  Rosemary also for the first time used her debit card to enter and exit the tube, while Steve used Android Pay on his mobile phone.  Not sure what would have happened if the power had run out between entering and exiting the underground.

We did arrive in time to go to the V&A, bought tickets for the Pink Floyd exhibition, alas there was almost an hour wait before we could enter, leaving us with only 90 minutes to view the exhibition.  We could have done with an extra 30 minutes to view comfortably, and I could imagine sitting on the floor in the exit hall for much longer listening to Pink Floyd.  If you have not been, then I suggest you hurry up, it closes on the 1st October.

We then walked to the Royal Albert Hall and met with Valerie and Norman in the Vivaldi restaurant for supper before the Prom.  Simon had booked the table and hoped to be along for desert, but he had been let out of rehearsals early and was able to order the main course with us.  The service was smooth and quick, I suppose it has to be because most people eating there would not want to miss the start of the performance they had booked.

The Prom was very good (much to the surprise of my rock tastes) – Korngold’s “The Sea Hawk Overture” (you could hear Errol buckling his swash throughout), the specially commissioned “Sirens” from Hillborg and finishing with Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Scheherade”. Simon sang in Sirens, which was highly innovative, the choir whispered, whistled, and clicked their fingers as well as sung. A brilliant treat and our thanks to Simon.

Fforest Fields and Croft Castle

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We decided to visit Fforest Fields again, after our March trip had been curtailed by the rain. Monday we set off in sunshine and arrived at Fforest Fields in sunshine.  Yes, it was warm even enough for people to swim in the lake and take out canoes.  It was also warm enough for Dragonflies and the hundreds of Azure Damselfly sitting in the reeds.  Despite the swimmers, and dog in the lake, there were Coots, Moorhens and Ducks with their broods swimming at the other end.

Soon Van the Van was parked, and after a struggle, the pod was inflated and attached.  I have issues with positioning the pod, this time it was far too close to the van.  I should have driven off and driven back a foot further away from the pod and re-attached. Dinner sorted, we were happy campers sitting out in the evening sun watching the House Martins & Swallows.

Tuesday morning we decided on an epic walk to the Seven Stars in the River Wye valley.  Unfortunately the campsite had run out of copies of their map, added to which they were not sure if the pub was open because there was a rumour that the actual licensee, had walked out the day before.  We decided to set off, we walked up the hill and on the path leading across the ridge.  Mixture of bracken, rough grass and (what R calls) winberries. Nothing could possibly go wrong, but, of course, it did. We alas went the wrong side of a marker, came across a fortress of a farm, where the only way through was down a terribly steep hill to the road with no guarantee of access.  We decided to give up and retrace our steps.  I took a detour and did find the gate which would have taken us on the correct course.  We did not continue to the pub, it would have been closed by the time we reached it, anyway.  The walk back was tiring, it was hot, we had done more than eight miles and had not taken water with us, expecting to find a pub at the end. Water bottles have been added to Van the Van‘s inventory.

Back at the campsite we bought a few bottles of, what proved to be very good, Welsh lager & beer.  There were now a hundred copies of the map to the Seven Stars, and we were also informed that Will (one son) had gone out to paint a big arrow at the place where we had gone wrong.

Wednesday we decided on a short walk to the local Hundred House pun for lunch.  The walk took us through the enchanted wood.  The chickens and turkeys were still at the house where we exit to path onto the road. (Interestingly the turkeys had disappeared when we retraced our route after lunch.  Rosemary suspected a turkey burger stall at the Royal Welsh Show next week.) We arrived at the pub before twelve, bought some beer and order our lunch.  Outside where a couple of riders and their horses.  They were doing a circular trip from Hay-on-Wye.  They left after one horse destroyed a wind vane and shat outside the garden gate.  The two horses and their riders were replaced with another six horses who I think were part of the same group as the other two riders.

After an enjoyable and good value lunch we walked back, but this time going by way of Telephone Mast Hill.

Thursday was spent lazing around the campsite examining the ponds in greater detail and watching the Final Cut of Blade Runner on DVD, and the making of Blade Runner.  The making of Blade Runner DVD was more than three hours long!  Before we started anything, we took down the pod in the dry, tomorrow our leaving day was forecast to be wet.

Friday the predicted rain had arrived and we packed away and left.  The further east we drove, the drier it became.  We stopped off at a National Trust house called Croft Castle.  Croft Castle was one of many old homes that were nearly destroyed in the ’50s, and saved by the National Trust.  Some of the home is still lived in by the Croft family.  This house stands in a 1500 acre estate, and has numerous walks.  I chose the one which took me to the highest point where there is an Iron age fort.  This walk took me through various landscapes of grass, mixed woodland and bracken.  Well worth the walk, and the rain just about held off. Lunch and tea were at the National Trust cafe.

 

TRNSMT at Glasgow Green

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There was no T in the Park this year (T is for Tennents the main sponsor).  Something to do with Ospreys who nest near to the arena making it difficult to use the space.  Restrictions including no fireworks.  Instead there was a three-day festival in Glasgow on Glasgow Green, which is very near to the city centre.  No camping of course, instead hotel accommodation, which of course doubled in price as soon as the festival was announced.

I travelled to Glasgow on the Thursday by Virgin Rail, first class with my Senior Railcard.  Nice and quiet in first class, fed and amply watered with wine.  I arrived in the evening, checked into my Lenny Henry hotel, and then went out for a rather nice meal at an Italian restaurant.

Friday

TRNSMT Festival at Glasgow GreenFriday was the first day of the music festival. Fifteen-minute walk to the west entry of the arena.  Despite the warnings of large crowds, long queues and long waits, entry was in a couple of minutes.  Armed police in evidence at the gate, we were all patted down.  Drugs sniffer dogs were the next obstacle.  Inside the arena there were lots of uniformed police and quite a few coppers in disguise.

There were four music venues, three very small and one large main stage.  I spent most of my time at the main stage, except when refilling with food and drink.  There I typically sat at the old peoples’ tables near to the Jacks Rocks stage, eating and chatting.  Usual fare of cider, lager and wine and a very nice Thai food outlet with a reasonably warm green curry.

I watched Rag N Bone Man, London Grammar and Radiohead.  Radiohead were the headliners and played all the favourites.  They though did not interact with the crowd one bit, and for those not near to the stage there was no way to see them.  The stage screens did not have close shots of the artists, but instead a psychedelic screen show.   This had also been complained about by other critics after their Glastonbury show.  The music was good though.

Leaving the event was fast, and I was soon back at the hotel.

I didn’t dress properly for the weather, it did not rain, was cloudy but cool.  The hotel had confused me, I had been wearing my thick long-sleeved Fat Face top and was sweating profusely. The weather forecast said no rain, so I stripped down to a short-sleeved T shirt.  It didn’t rain, but by the end of the day I was a trifle cold.  It was good to get back into a warm bed.  One issue with the venue is they hold you hostage for the day at their inflated drink and food prices.  You cannot leave and come back in.  No re-entry.

Saturday

TRNSMT Festival at Glasgow GreenSaturday, it was a lovely cloudless day, though not warm.   Plenty of sunscreen was called for. This time I did wear my long-sleeved top.  Today I saw Stormzy, a rap singer who had rapturous applause at Glastonbury.  He worked so well with the crowd, putting Radiohead’s performance to shame.  Was well worth watching.  I saw some of Kooks, and  George Ezra.  I have been disappointed in some live shows with George, where the mixing is totally wrong.  You go to hear his voice, not the band.  TRNSMT got the mixing about right.   I missed Catfish and the Bottlemen, but returned for the Kasabian show.  Again, an excellent performance.

Saturday had been a sell-out, and the crowds were huge.  The bars had huge queues even before getting into the normal bar queue.  The toilets were similarly congested. The patriarchy rules OK and the men had no queuing, The urinals are large plastic tanks with four peeing positions around the tank.  You stand facing each other, peeing into plastic urinals over the tank and talking to each other.  These loos though are totally open to public view and are placed around the site.  So it was odd seeing men in view from the waist up talking to each other and peeing into urinals. Odd on two counts, including the talking bit when at a urinal.

Saturday ended well. I was elated and tired when I was back at the hotel.  Straight to bed

Sunday

TRNSMT Festival at Glasgow GreenToday rain had been predicted, and yes there was rain.  Not hard.  It had cleared up by the time I had left the hotel.  I took my poncho which I did put on when the light drizzle returned.  Not too bad, not enough to spoil the event.  Later in the evening it dried up so I could remove the poncho for the final gig where I wanted to get to the mosh pit.  (A newspaper described the rain as torrential, fake news.)

Crowds were far less today, at my first drink there were no queues and I spent some time chatting with the bar worker from Sierra Leone.  She said how most of the drinkers were OK, but there were some abusive and racist people in the queues on Saturday.

Watched the Blossoms from Manchester who played and looked very much like a hippy 70s band.  Very refreshing.  Next up for me was a band called Two Door Cinema Club from Northern Ireland.  Again, a good live session with plenty of interaction with the crowd. 

Now we had The 1975 from Manchester, a band I have already seen at T in the Park.  The lead singer Matty, (son of Denise Welch and Tim Healy).  Matty plays smoking a cigarette (I was told he pays the venue to do so), also looking as if he is high on drugs.  His disposition and eye-shadowed look reminded me very much of Richie from the Manic Street Preachers.  Now I understand why, when I read WikiPedia and found the name  ‘The 1975’ was inspired by scribblings found on the back page of a poetry book by Jack Kerouac that stated “1 June, The 1975”. The Manics were Kerouac fans.  It was a superior performance, and they now they have a couple of albums out.

Finally, Biffy Clyro, who I had missed in Reading thinking they were some girly band.  Oh how wrong I was, full-on Rock Music.  I went down close to the front to watch them.  Great rock and roll and great interaction with the crowd.  Finished off with a short and explosive firework display.

Back at the hotel had a celebratory drink in the hotel bar, including a dram of Talisker.

Monday

Took the Virgin Train back to London.  Was wondering why I went to London and did not go to Milton Keynes.  When I got home and checked prices for discounted tickets, it became evident that it was cheaper to go from London and not from Milton Keynes.  Why?

Ludgershall Bike Night

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Monday was Ludgershall Bike Night.  We arrived after shortly after seven with friends and parked (our car) on the verge.  There were still a few bikes arriving when we arrived.  Our friends, who used to be bikers, were amazed at the number and variety of bikes, from modern to vintage.  My pictures are mainly of Harleys, because I wanted to email some pictures to another friend, Jon.

There were various stands there, including the Oxfordshire BMW owners club, fish and chip vans, burger vans, a bar and hog roast.  The event is short because most bikers like to leave in day light.