Burns Night - The Swan in Forest Row

 I had a booking for the Swan in Forest row to accompany a dinner. The manager of the swan had moved over from Wisborough Green and had asked for me back. It did involve a long drive over, but I knew who I was dealing with, so settled on a bit more money.

I drove over and parked down the road (the pub car park was full) and popped in to meet up with Matt who showed me to his pokey office for tuning up. It was under the stairs and only just large enough to get the pipes up but not move around.

When the time came around, I started in the bar area and moved into the dinning room. - the usual start tunes.

Then once most people were seated then I played the presentation tunes whilst one of the servers showed off the haggis.

I came back for some more tunes after their deserts, before retreating to the pub for the "have a go session". A couple of people, then up to the dinning room for a couple more - by now I could play the chanter whilst they blew ,,,  got a even better response.

back in the bar for a few mor tunes after the last few "tryers". I was dominated by a drunk bloke who was talking about a party evening but just passed over my details, and an inflated price - we will see if anything comes of it.

Burns Night - Ifold residents social

 Last year I had offered to play for the social club in Ifold, unfortunately it was too late to change their plans, however they remembered for this year. I chose to walk down to the hall (in the dark!) - I had full #1 dress on for this occasion so not very reflective!

It was a usual Burns night performance ....  arrive early enough to tune up, then I went outside to walk in and surprise those who were not in on the secret.  

I played around the tables then settled into the end of the room. Next was the usual greeting for the haggis, and again marching around the tables, before ending up at the head for the presentation and stabbing.

I played again for the desert course - just a couple of tunes, then at the end (again just a couple), before my usual "come and try" options. I had a couple of people try, and had to block off the drones so they could get a sound out of them. 

A couple of long whiskeys and a walk home.

Burns Night, Ifield Beavers

 I was invited to give a talk/ demonstration of the pipes to the Beavers (young Scouts group) in Ifield (Crawley). Finding the place was the biggest challenge, with all the parking problems around the area!

I went along with a number of Practice chanters and the pipes to give them a short chat and a chance to blow things.

A quick chat, followed by a demo of the chanter sound, before putting it all together for a demo of the sound. I gave them an opportunity to blow down the PCs before a second tune for them. Next they had an opportunity to try some "veggie" haggis, and a Q&A session before a final tune.

I kept each session very short so they did not get distracted by other things.

Remembrance Day, Cuckfield

The band is a shadow of its former self, everyone is getting older and the politics have chased others away, so with the drummers lookign for a LD and playing with Hampshire, there was only five pipers to play this year.

We declined Crawley as it would involve a long march that we could not collectively manage, so ended up at Cuckfield bookending an event in the church.

I arrived early and parked in the main car park - in the longer term bays, and walked down to Iain's house for a tune up.

Around to the church to play for the arrivals (My Land & Highland Cathedral), before moving to the war memorial in the graveyard. A long run through to the 2 mins silence, then they transitioned into the church.

Jim & I waited outside. After the end of the service we played beside the south door (Scotland the Brave & Amazing Grace) before moving once more to outside the hall for the final tune (I See Mull).

Then off to the pub for a tea.

Cara Dillon, Worthing Pavilion Theatre

Earlier in the year I had bought tickets to see Cara Dillon on her latest tour ... back in Worthing, but on the pier this time. As I had bought them early we were in the second row near the middle - so very good seats. Also luckily the people in front were not that large so it was easy to see around them

A calm start and an indication that this would be pared back.

There was lots of chat in-between songs to introduce and also explain the tunes - this time they were to poems written in "lock-down" 

I think this was the set list - I will check later in the year

• The Water is Wide
• Giving
• Carrageen Moss
• Black Is the Color (of My True Love's Hair)
• Apron Strings
• Coming Home
• Clear the Path
• The Well
• White Sheets
• Daughter
• Inishowen
• Mysteries
• The Hill of Thieves

Encore

• The Parting Glass

Steve Hackett, Portsmouth Guildhall

Sue and I went to a new venue to see Steve Hackett ... the guildhall in Portsmouth. The tickets also came with a parking voucher for the nearest multiparking, however we had to wait until 6pm to get in.

We tried to have dinner at Loomies, but the kitchen had closed just before we got there (an hour before the café closing time - need to remember for the future). We then went to the Caffeine & machine pub opposite - the food was limited but OK and expensive for what it was.

We arrived in Portsmouth still too early, but there was queues back up to the M27, so no panic. Then, to waste time, we went down to the seafront at Southsea, and back that allowed us to enter the parking.

Around to the guildhall square and wait for the doors to open.  After a while we went in and discovered a pop music museum which allowed us to waste the remaining time to door open.

Once we could get in we found our seats and did some serious people watching as the crowd moved in.

The show started at 8pm and was in two sections - first a Hackett solo hits section followed by a break. After the break into the Genesis Lamb lies down on Broadway revisit section, and finally an encore.

Apart from the seat being a little uncomfortable after several hours we had reasonable viewing of the stage. The lightshow was spectacular with lots of lights, and the sound was also good, with the exception of the bass pedals which reverberated a lot on the bottom notes.

Solo Set:

• People of the Smoke
• Circo Inferno
• These Passing Clouds
• The Devil's Cathedral
• Every Day
• A Tower Struck Down
• Bass Solo
• Camino Royale
• Shadow of the Hierophant

The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (and surprises!):

• The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (Genesis song)
• Fly on a Windshield (Genesis song)
• Broadway Melody of 1974 (Genesis song)
• Hairless Heart (Genesis song)
• Carpet Crawlers (Genesis song)
• The Chamber of 32 Doors (Genesis song)
• Lilywhite Lilith (Genesis song)
• The Lamia (Genesis song)
• it (Genesis song)
• Dancing With the Moonlit Knight (Genesis song)
• The Cinema Show (Genesis song)
• Aisle of Plenty (Genesis song

Encore:

• Firth of Fifth (Genesis song)
• Drum Solo
• Los Endos (Genesis song)

Katie & Lloyd's Wedding

Performing at Katie's wedding - they wanted me to  play the welcome music before the ceremony. I started when they asked me, and played for around 20 mins

•  Kilworth Hills
• Classic tunes
• Skye boat song
• Scotland the Brave.

then as they weren't ready I paused for another 20 mins then played around once again, but only got to one tune before the bridal party arrived.