You Should Be Dancin', Yeah

Sometimes you see some things that just make you smile. Simple, unsophisticated, heartwarming things that just make you feel good about being alive. Last week while going back to work after lunch, I walked by the local school in the afternoon sunshine, and saw the schoolkids dancing round a maypole. There was something so wholesome and quintessentially English about it - no technology, nothing fancy, just something old-fashioned that the kids had learned. And what's more, they seemed to be loving it, as were all the parents watching.

It put me in a good mood for the rest of the day.

Last Night, The Streets Were Ours

It all started in February. My friend asked me if I wanted to go and see Richard Hawley. I said yes – I’d heard of him, but I didn’t think I would really like it, but I’m pretty easily led and it’s a night out. Plus I had made a New Year’s resolution to get to lots of gigs this year. So, I’m sitting in the venue, waiting for him to come on, thinking to myself “this is going to be dull dull dull, but at least I’ve got a seat”. He walked on with his band, uttered the now-immortal words “Let’s ballad” and I was sold. It was my gig revelation of the year, possibly ever. The man blew me away. I am notoriously bad at describing music, unless it can be summed up in one word, like “punk” or “rock” or “rap”, so I doubt I will offer any major insights here. The word mellifluous should have been coined to describe this man’s voice and you can hear every word – a rare feat and I would be hard pushed to say that about almost any other band or singer that I have seen, no matter how much I love them. When you are wholly unfamiliar with someone’s music, it is pretty amazing when you are able to hear and understand all of the words. The music is a wonderful mix of the old-fashioned yet with a modern perspective. Or at least, that is how it seems to me. It’s nothing like anything else I like.

So, suffice to say, I loved it. Fast forward a few months to last night, when I went to see him at the Albert Hall (christened the Albert Hawley for the evening). I’m not sure how you go one better than being blown away, but whatever it was, I experienced it. The most amazing gig I have ever been at. The venue itself was awesome (in all senses of the word) and he did it justice. From the first song, Hotel Room, with the accompanying glitter ball, to the wall of sound that was the final encore “The Ocean”, the night was just magical, in a shiver-down-the-spine way. We got special guests in the form of Jarvis Cocker, Tony Christie and Richard’s mum, we got a defective amp (which led to a fabulous pared-down version of Ricky Nelson’s “Lonesome Town” and we got the special dry wit of the man himself. I’m still coming down from the experience and words can’t really do it justice.

Imagine had I said no when asked by my friend back in February…. Well, it doesn’t bear thinking about really. Incidentally, she’s now been responsible for 2 other gig revelations this year – Elbow and the Guillemots, but none compare to Richard Hawley. What has she got in store for me next…

MONDAY 26th MAY 2008

PS When my parents were visiting recently, I played them some Richard Hawley, as I thought they'd probably like him. They did. So, when I heard he was playing in Perth, which is near where they live, I told them they should go. My mum couldn't, but my dad did, last Thursday! It's probably the only time he will ever go to a gig that I have recommended, but he went and he loved it. Now, if only I could get him to go and see Forgetting Sarah Marshall...