Liverpool ahoy!

Last Autumn I visited Liverpool as a guest of Pete from the Big I Am who had kindly arranged for us to a couple of venues including that ancient pub The Pilgrim from which wayfarers set of for the New World. Patrick from France and his artist girlfriend Christiane came too, and we had a wonderful time. I remember a particular bowl of meat stew in the local tea room was enjoyed, and Pete cooked us a lovely chicken dish as well. Here's a pic from when we went to Birkdale Sands. That's an Anthony Gormley in the sea.

In Notts

What a delicious evening that was in good ol' Notts. I know it well, having been to many a British silent film festival there in days of yore.

The Orange Tree turned out to be a rather salubrious venue serving iced vanilla latte - superbo.

I got to play first, and sung my one song that I could think of with a Nottingham reference, 'Lady Chatterley's Dream', for my hero D.H. Lawrence did indeed hail from Nottingham. There's something so amusing about opening a song in a room full of folk with the line 'Put your hard skinned hands on my breasts'.

Then it was the turn of my favourite duo, The Big I Am. Pete and Colin also did the backing for Daniel Carson from New York, who sung a lovely song for his wife about how it didn't stop raining on their first romantic weekend. I was thrilled with the tone and quality of their sound, and really admired the way Colin can pull sheer beauty out of his guitar. The bloke who was sitting next to me said, 'The boys can play'. I felt delightfully smug, for they are my friends.

I love the rain like Daniel and his wife, but it's awfully sunny and boiling hot here in London. I just went to try and sleep in the afternoon, but it wasn't very successful. I dribbled over the duvet cover.

Thanks to Nick Butcher from Folkwit for organising a lovely event.

Folkwit in Nottingham

A wonderful time at the Folkwit night with Daniel Carson all the way from New York, and Pete and Colin of The Big I Am from Liverpool.

Here we are on the big comfy leather sofas at the Orange Tree. We were a bit of a mutual appreciation society.

Thanks to Nick Butcher from Folkwit for organising a great night.

Folkwit Festival

I'm off to Nottingham to play in the Folkwit Festival tomorrow.

I'm playing at The Orange Tree in the evening with The Big I Am, my ukulele friends from Liverpool - I love this band.

http://www.myspace.com/folkwit