Wille and the Bandits at Acapela on Wednesday, first time since they played Cropredy 10 years ago. Definitely worth going to see, tons of energy and the new proggy keyboard player was right up my street  

As Cornish lads fond of a bit of surfing, they're rightly concerned about sewage disposal into the sea and have written a song about it: https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=8b59G7Uoq-w&si=kH1SsbszFW6Ophnx

And yet it was (just over) a year ago!

Seems about 5 minutes since you were going to the last Exeter 5-piece gig!

Sound of the Sirens were very good last Friday - I hadn't seen them since Cropredy (8 years ago now, I think?), but they are just as good, if not better.

Blackbeard's Tea Party a week before were a little more disappointing, I felt.  The very poor turnout probably didn't help, but I felt it took a while for them to get into the groove - I was struggling to pull the tunes out of the noise and energy, but when they did break through, they were fine.

Bob Fox on Sunday evening at Launceston Folk Club, before Fairport next Thursday in Exeter

It has been far too long since I last listened to this - but it has to be in my all-time top... twenty, maybe... albums: 10,000 Maniacs In My Tribe.  And it's all down to RT - Don't Cry was played on the before gig tape when I went to see him at a pub in the middle of Nottingham in 1987 (the first time I'd seen him live).  It came on, I turned to my friend and asked 'what's this?' and the next day was straight out to buy a copy of the album.  The same day was when I picked up Step Outside by The Oyster Band, so all in all it was a very important couple of days musically!

I'm looking forward to seeing the chaps next Thursday down the road in Exeter, and will be bringing three others with me - one local friend who is a Cropredy semi-regular but hasn't seen them outside Cropredy for many many years, a friend of his who I think may never have seen Fairport before, despite enjoying their music, and an American friend of mine who just happens to be visiting then, and is a real Fairport virgin, but I think will enjoy them.

We'll be there. not been to this venue before, although I think I may have sat my accountancy exams there in the 70's!! Is there a decent pub nearby and whats the parking like? As its friday evening, probably set out early and avoid the motorway.

A bit too far for us, hope you have a good time, David.

In fact we're not going to be able to see Fairport until August. Whilst I understand that costs are escalating for everyone, including Fairport, that also includes us. £37 per seat for our local gig in Swansea is just not on the cards for us.

I hear that most, if not all, the gigs on this tour are selling out, so I don't feel bad about not going, especially given the cost of MOT-related repairs on our car yesterday and our campervan in the very near future.

So, have fun, everyone, see you on a field.

Last minute decision to head across to Manchester tonight.  I'm staying at the Ancoats Travelodge.

Anybody around and fancy a pre- or post- meetup?

Drop me a line at davidmjs at gmail dot com if you fancy it.