I hope nothing gets in the way of having a great time. I'm just coming out of a nasty bout of Covid that has cost me 2 gigs and a weekend in Lithuania  

I saw Gong 3 weeks ago though and they were great, even though Kavus was missing as his mother was sadly passing away.

I particularly look forward to hearing how Here & Now are, they're one of my all-time favourite bands. I even managed to drag them out of semi-retirement once to play a gig in my home town, and I managed to break even on it too!

I could have but didn't go 20 years ago (saw Gong loads around the 1990s and 2000s though, including lots of the reunions...South Bank etc etc) and have always regretted it.  Booked myself a nice little pad in Glasto and am really looking forward to it.  Fingers crossed no health b*****ks gets in the way...

Its an interesting question.

There are multiple enclaves within that community that encompasse the whole spectrum of values and lifestyles.  If you've witnessed an indordinate amount of right leaning Deadheads, you might have tapped into one of those enclaves due to a shared interest that has nothing to do with politics at all.

Example:  If you happened to have been a tape trader - MANY traders are boarding school alumni.  In the late 70s through the early '80s, trading became a big thing within the boarding school networks. They, in turn, introduced the Dead to their friends back home further building the enclave. Most of these folks did not become hippies, but retained their upper middle class Republican leaning identities.  

I sooo want to got to this but don't think I can. I went to the Melkweg Gathering 20 years ago and it was one of the best weekends of my life.

You won't regret it if you're going David.

Will do!  

Jules

A whole weekend of (mostly old school) Gong-related music in Glastonbury.

What's not to like (apart, arguably, from the price)?  Well, I'm looking forward to it.

https://www.planetgong.co.uk/gigs/gathering-2026.shtml

Maybe sit this one out, Jules?

I'm where you are  or were, Will. i love  6 wives and only have a couple of other albums -  The Piano Album itself is nice - revisits classic   Yes, Strawbs as simple piano tunes. I have been warned off  King Arthur before,   but may yet pick that up on CD , along with Journey.
I have seen RW  2ce in  concert with the English Rock Ensemble  and I have to say that both times  they were amazing.

Fairport last night at The Acapela, Pentyrch (the first of two nights at this venue). It was a great evening, with the boys being on top form. First things first, it was Simon's birthday and he was treated to a chorus of 'Happy Birthday to You' from the audience. The evening was mostly what you would expect, but there were one or two surprises   I haven't heard these songs in a while.

My favourite moments were Chris singing the lovely 'My Love is in America', which is one of my favourites of his songs, and Simon's rendition of 'Fotheringay'.

All in all, an enjoyable night that shows there's life in the old dogs yet.

Shelagh McDonald's tribute to Keith Christmas (via Ian A Anderson - and the Royal Mail)

Shelagh McDonald isn't online but very much wanted to share a tribute to Keith Christmas who left us last week. So she typed it out and asked me if I could post it. It finally turned up today, three days from Lanark by Royal Mail first class! [Keith & Shelagh's 1970 debut albums, produced by the late Sandy Robertson, were very much intertwined]

===

Yesterday was a sad day for music, but an infinitely sadder one for me. The news of Keith's passing, though not entirely unexpected, nevertheless stretches one's credulity to the limit. How could a man with so much soul, vitality and inexhaustible creativity be taken from us – it seemed impossible.
For anyone fortunate enough to have come within Keith's orbit would not have failed to recognised his lust for life which could fill an entire auditorium, let alone an intimate folk venue. There was so much more to him than mere musical craftsmanship. There are superb guitarists aplenty, but none in my experience who could ignite their live acoustic performances with so much
fire and drama. Or, as I call it “The Keith Christmas Experience”, which rewrote the performance script for folk venues up and down the country.
The last time I saw Keith he had, months previously, undergone major heart surgery. I remember moaning to him about feeling my age, to which his immediate response was, “It's all in your head Shelagh, we're surrounded by energy and it's there for the taking if you've a mind for it”. That was way back in 2013.
I'll miss his irrepressible optimism, his wisdom, his ability to listen and advise without passing judgement, his immense generosity of spirit. I will miss my truest friend, Keith Christmas.
So, let's honour Keith's life's work. Let's listen with new hearts and new ears to his legacy bestowed on us. Let's savour his startlingly insightful lyrics, his virtuoso finger picking, hear him sending up or shaking his fist to the heavens when something triggers his ire, and finally drink in his beautiful love songs, the mature, creative fruitage of a consummate artist.
Meanwhile I send my deepest sympathies to his lovely wife Sian and family.
Shelagh McDonald 10/10/26

1970 pic by Keith Morris, © The Keith Morris Archive

I picked up the Rick Wakeman 5 Classic albums set at the market yesterday, for not very much (together with a Jon Lord solo album). I only had the 6 Wives of Henry VIII before, and had heard Journey to the Centre of the Earth when he played it at Cropredy a couple of years ago, but was otherwise buying fairly blind.  I listened to Journey... first. That was OK.

Then The Myths & Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Oh. My. Word! Was it really as bad as it seemed on first listen? Logic says I should listen again to find out. Emotion says I shouldn't ever let anything like that near my ears again!  I mean, there are a few good tunes in there, amongst the dross, but the rest seemed like a bunch of ideas thrown together with no quality control applied.  What do others think? Should I try again, or just let it lie...?

This morning I have moved on to No Earthly Connection to see if that is any better.