Louis Philippe and the Night Mail

I got tickets for this gig ages ago, not knowing that James was going to die in the interim. It felt weird to go out to such a socially effervescent event so soon after his funeral, which was a definite 'the end' ceremony for us all. 

However, if any music was going to be cathartic, Louis Philippe's lovely, fluid and ethereal music would be the music I'd choose. It felt like I was walking into the Water Rats as a different person, still in a catatonic state, but seeing Jessica and Peter and chatting to them both was a real ice-breaker. We talked about art for a while, and meanwhile someone tried to show my companion their ticket, since they were standing by the door.

It was also nice to see Jane and Dave again on the door. Life has been going on, which is really comforting. Inside, it was very crowded but remarkably not too hot. 

Honestly, there's no other music like this on the planet. I started recording it, because although I have some CDs, the delicacy of sound simply isn't captured in the recording studio. There seem to be wisps of cloud emanating from the stage- not from the obligatory smoke machine, but the auditory version. It's a combination of all of the sounds of the instruments, plus the sound of Louis', voice blended into a supernatural wave of warmth and curious song trajectories.

'What made him write that, after that and after that?', I wondered again and again. I slipped to the front so I could dance. Mandy and Vic saw the gap in the crowd and slipped in too, though I had to move quite soon because I was standing behind Tall Man, the one who goes to every gig and is in front of me. Who is he? I'll never find out.

A woman violinist joined the stage for some songs; a guitarist from XTC was augmenting the sound last night. If I was a proper reviewer, I'd know their names (and I might put them in later). But there was Robert Rotifer on guitar, Ian Button on drums and Andy Lewis on bass, giving it their all without breaking a sweat; these are such complex songs and the band played perfectly, supporting the high tenor voice of Louis as he spun poetry and melody into his gorgeous songs.

I closed my eyes and floated away. Just perfect.