But it did help cover for Neil's inability to sing it. Lowlight of an otherwise enjoyable set.

Jules

Neil Young at Glastonbury on the  old steam radio yesyerday evening.

Quite enjoyable. But the crowd singing  along  with 'The Needle and the Damage Done' was incongruous at least.

Gerry Colvin did something similar at NFFF last year in a smaller tented venue that I enjoyed. His catch phrase has stayed with me "I don't believe in God but I do miss him."

I think one of the very first was at the Sir George Robey pub in Finsbury Park on 28/10/85, where even then you prayed that your car would be where you left it after the gig, when they played for nearly 2 cassettes!!!

This format can work, a couple of years ago I saw Steve Turner do a similar gig at the Sidmouth Festival. Absolutely brilliant. Steve talked about how he got started in music and how the music scene evolved over time. Different parts of his career were illustrated by relevant songs and finished with his lastest album. For me it was so much much richer experience than just listening to a regular gig. It does depend on having a good story teller in the hot seat of course.

The 2025 New Forest Folk Festival has sold out for the first time ever, this week.

Earlybird cutprice tickets for 2026, along with the lineup, will be available from Wednesday 2nd July.

Josh Tillman aka Father John Misty at The Glasshouse. Brilliant, musically, showcasing his new album, Mahashmashana and some more classic numbers, too….Sadly,it was too loud, for me, in such a small venue (Sage One)  to the point that I could barely hear!

That said, a packed venue and many people were clearly having the best time, especially those in the ‘mosh pit’ with whom he engaged through eye contact and gestures…whereas he admitted ( in the encore) his preference not to do a repetitive spiel, a few words would have been welcome here and there to engage the rest of the crowd, but the music did the talking for most.

When he did a few songs more acoustically, it was a dream come true to hear his voice live. I shall listen to my LPs again, to hear the beautiful songs properly.

The support act, Loren Kramar, was brilliant…just him and a guitarist, quite a unique stage presence and a most beautiful voice.

Kerilee May of the original Eclection.

The Eighteenth Day of May - Self-titled

20 years since this, along with Espers and (slightly later) The Owl Service and Sproatly Smith, got me into listening to (and searching for) new music again, having more or less ignored/disdained it for more than a decade  

One good thing about the internet is that it makes deep dives into music possible  

The new album by Eilidh Shaw and Ross Martin titled Stay Here All Night.

I'd actually sent off for a cd copy of their last album but it never turned up. I then got an email from Eilidh asking if I'd received it as she couldn't remember posting it to me. Turned out she's been stressed out doing visa-related paperwork and forgot about my order.

Anyway, she offered me downloads of the old album and the new release so I went for their new one and very good it is too. The only slightly annoying thing is that I'm only getting the name of the tracks showing in File Explorer and when I go into Windows Properties it isn't letting me add in any other details like artist and album name. Anyone know how I get round that?

It's ok, I've sorted it. I converted the files from wav to mp3 and Windows is now letting me edit the properties. Never a dull moment with Windows!