This time we were singing in the Chancellor's Bar, by invitation of the Student Union's 'Know Yourself' stress-busting initiative. Rather hard to find - I ended up navigating us to the Varsity Bar instead, perhaps out of habit!
I think the choir went down rather well, considering our audence of discerning students - not everyone talked loudly over our singing, and some even clapped along to 'Sloop John B'. Abba's 'The Name of the Game', although a difficult one to learn, always goes down well as everyone knows it. The African songs were well received but the Finnish 'Reindeer Calling Song' got some strange reactions! After the gig there was the chance to relax with some (cheap!) beer - I passed on the Itchen Valley Treacle Stout and went for the keg Hoegaarden instead, delicious. There was also a very good blues band on afterwards as well, maybe we'll recruit the singer into the choir!
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Wittering On
Went to West Wittering recently with my friends Simon, Jane and Patrick, as well as Rosa the Dog (Five Go Down To The Beach?). Of course we could not go all the way down to Wittering without a pub stop along the way - so we dropped into the Horse and Groom at East Ashling. As soon as we entered the pub the smell of the food started driving me crazy, so we decided to stop for a meal - I had the Shoulder of Lamb which, though on the expensive side, was both substantial and delicious - well worth the money. Everyone was pleased with their meal and Rosa got to have my lamb bone! Rosa was unhappy in the car, and a neighbour kept phoning up the pub and complaining. However the pub were very understanding and allowed Rosa in to the bar area, where she calmed down considerably. The Dark Star Hophead was excellent but Pat had given up booze for Lent - so of course Simon and I extolled the virtues of the beer at length!!
West Wittering beach was nearly empty, apart for a few couples with dogs. There were lots of interesting shells and stuff - I was disconcerted to find that I've forgotten most of my seashore biology, will have to get my copy of Seashore Life out again. Simon was skimming stones (mostly) impressively with Rosa chasing after them, we lost Jane amidst the dunes but were all reunited eventually. Simon and Jane had brought some real coffee in a big flask, also chocolate and biscuits, then we piled into the car to head off home.
The stop on the way back was the Fox Goes Free at Charlton. The beer was not so good, being a bit on the cold side. The house bitter is brewed by Arundel and so it's a bit on the malty and sweet side but still a good session pint.
Then a rush back for choir gig at the Student Union, University of Surrey!
West Wittering beach was nearly empty, apart for a few couples with dogs. There were lots of interesting shells and stuff - I was disconcerted to find that I've forgotten most of my seashore biology, will have to get my copy of Seashore Life out again. Simon was skimming stones (mostly) impressively with Rosa chasing after them, we lost Jane amidst the dunes but were all reunited eventually. Simon and Jane had brought some real coffee in a big flask, also chocolate and biscuits, then we piled into the car to head off home.
The stop on the way back was the Fox Goes Free at Charlton. The beer was not so good, being a bit on the cold side. The house bitter is brewed by Arundel and so it's a bit on the malty and sweet side but still a good session pint.
Then a rush back for choir gig at the Student Union, University of Surrey!
Bellowhead at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
Hi all
Have decided to keep the blog up, despite some personal problems recently, especially as it annoys a certain ugly slapper!
Went to the Royal Opera House on my own. Bill Badger insisted on giving me a street map despite the fact that I know Covent Garden like the back of my hand (as any serious shopper would)! There was a bit of a scare as a stupid American woman kept asking a young couple when they thought the next terror attack was going to be and shouting "Wake up London". Eventually the man got annoyed and threw her rucksack off the train, forcing her to get off. Then the train was delayed as security people went over to talk to her.
I tried to give my spare ticket to the Box Office but they wouldn't take it, which was rather annoying as the girl sitting next to me had also had to come on her own, as her friend could not get a ticket on the door. What a waste! The girl introduced herself as Asha, and we soon got friendly enough to get a front spot together and swap dance moves! She was a great dancer and a lovely person to talk to, we swapped myspace details and I hope to see her again at a festival somewhere.
Bellowhead were excellent, danced to almost every tune, my favourites being Haul Away Joe and the intriguingly named Rochdale Coconut Dance! The Floral Hall is a beautiful Victorian white-painted iron andglass structure similar to the great greenhouses at Kew. Apparently the acoustics in the Floral Hall weren't that brilliant but from my front spot the band sounded fine.
Kate-from-Choir's husband very kindly gave me a lift home as far as Woking, and I caught a train to Farnborough within 10 minutes.
Good music, good company, fast dancing - just what the doctor ordered!
Have decided to keep the blog up, despite some personal problems recently, especially as it annoys a certain ugly slapper!
Went to the Royal Opera House on my own. Bill Badger insisted on giving me a street map despite the fact that I know Covent Garden like the back of my hand (as any serious shopper would)! There was a bit of a scare as a stupid American woman kept asking a young couple when they thought the next terror attack was going to be and shouting "Wake up London". Eventually the man got annoyed and threw her rucksack off the train, forcing her to get off. Then the train was delayed as security people went over to talk to her.
I tried to give my spare ticket to the Box Office but they wouldn't take it, which was rather annoying as the girl sitting next to me had also had to come on her own, as her friend could not get a ticket on the door. What a waste! The girl introduced herself as Asha, and we soon got friendly enough to get a front spot together and swap dance moves! She was a great dancer and a lovely person to talk to, we swapped myspace details and I hope to see her again at a festival somewhere.
Bellowhead were excellent, danced to almost every tune, my favourites being Haul Away Joe and the intriguingly named Rochdale Coconut Dance! The Floral Hall is a beautiful Victorian white-painted iron andglass structure similar to the great greenhouses at Kew. Apparently the acoustics in the Floral Hall weren't that brilliant but from my front spot the band sounded fine.
Kate-from-Choir's husband very kindly gave me a lift home as far as Woking, and I caught a train to Farnborough within 10 minutes.
Good music, good company, fast dancing - just what the doctor ordered!
Monday, February 12, 2007
Wey Famous!
Searching for something else entirely, I found that this blog has been quoted by the River Wey and Navigations Society! Wait till I tell Patrick!!!
Take a lookie, it's quite a way down on the right hand side, under Wey Snippets - Wey Tradition.
http://www.weyriver.co.uk/theriver/places_7_guildford.htm
Take a lookie, it's quite a way down on the right hand side, under Wey Snippets - Wey Tradition.
http://www.weyriver.co.uk/theriver/places_7_guildford.htm
Ron Trueman-Border at Cricketers, Yateley
Not my favourite pub, the Cricketers serves Greene King beer brands - the IPA and Olde Trip were acceptable. We found a table easily, although we didn't want to be right in Ron's field of view, he has been known to get rather irritated with his audience!!
Ron only plays his own stuff, so for instance he hates pubgoer's requests as they tend to be for covers. Fortunately he didn't get many - apart from me, who requested one of his own songs, 'Peter Green' which is one of the most outstanding folk-blues songs written. Nobody apart from me and Bill Badger was really listening to the more downbeat stuff which was a bit of a shame, but the funloving pub crowd did dance to the more uptempo, swing-type numbers. Ron also played Bill's favourite, the more lighthearted (!) 'Covered In Blood' murder ballad. Maybe Ron liked us though, as we kept singing along to the choruses as invited, and we seemed to be the only people there who had specifically come to see him.
I hope Ron builds up a following amongst the pub crowd, I'm sure there's many out there who will appreciate his irascible wit, strong humanity, and wonderful songs.
Ron only plays his own stuff, so for instance he hates pubgoer's requests as they tend to be for covers. Fortunately he didn't get many - apart from me, who requested one of his own songs, 'Peter Green' which is one of the most outstanding folk-blues songs written. Nobody apart from me and Bill Badger was really listening to the more downbeat stuff which was a bit of a shame, but the funloving pub crowd did dance to the more uptempo, swing-type numbers. Ron also played Bill's favourite, the more lighthearted (!) 'Covered In Blood' murder ballad. Maybe Ron liked us though, as we kept singing along to the choruses as invited, and we seemed to be the only people there who had specifically come to see him.
I hope Ron builds up a following amongst the pub crowd, I'm sure there's many out there who will appreciate his irascible wit, strong humanity, and wonderful songs.
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