Two nights out and an afternoon's recording

I've had two nights out on the trot- unheard of for me!
First one was Wednesday, a real gem of a Songbird. I can't remember the names of the performers so I'll review that later or tomorrow as I've got a couple of nice photos. (now I can- Alexander Robinson, sound layerer and processor with cello and acoustic guitar and billions of pedals in chains on the carpet in front of him; Petronella the belly-dancer; and Country Dad, a band that can only be described as a trad jazz experimental band with songs!)
Then last night I went to see Shimmy Rivers and and Canal at a pub down Rosebery Avenue called the Wilmington Arms. They were brilliant- as close to seeing a proper punk band in the seventies as you could get, but also genuinely manic. The funny little guy who turned up late on his bike wearing a tie the last time had a lime green sort of Teddy-mouse suit on and was bouncing around like a toddler on a trampoline thrashing his guitar like nobody's business. Other side of the stage, Mu had a white teddy hat on with ears; Jane was concentrating on her clarinet playing (she plays like a proper player now, albeit a punk one), Ben stood belting his drums like a demented Test Departmento and Rod opened his mouth to huger cavernous extremes to yell than I'd ever seem before. Although it was mad, they have a sort of poise which is difficult to describe. I suppose it's when a band has gelled or something; they just seem to know what they're doing even when they don't. Go and see them, they are brilliant and often when bands get this good they break up!

Jane is going to bring her harmonium round on Bank Holiday Monday and we are going to play Bank Holiday music, which we will make up specially. I like that idea.

Oh yes- I went and played guitar for Rowen Bridler earlier in the day, over to White City. Her songs are very beautiful and mysterious and it took me ages to get into the groove as the song I was playing on has a fantastic drummer on it. I hope I did OK- I did enjoy it, and I am sure that playing guitar for two hours solid is a really good thing to do. By coincidence we had identical hairstyles. And just as I met her at Notting Hill tube, Tessa Pollitt walked up, with her shopping.
Things are going well for the Slits at the moment, but she was concerned as she's looking after a friend's hamster and its cage was broken so she had to glue it together again. Bless.

Above: Teddy-mouse gets laid back after his own fashion, and Petronella spins through the darkness