the day of a band and a boat in Bristol....

When it comes to music, I know what I like, and there's so many bands and artists whose work I love to watch or listen to. That's across most genres  - with the exception of garage and cheesy pop. I hate both ... oh and ABBA. I really abhor ABBA...always have and always will.

But there's one band I've been adoring for a number of years...The Black Seeds .I've mentioned them on the blog before, here  http://thinkingofthedays.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/summer-sundae-days.html

and they're from New Zealand. Last year I managed to see them play live , and made a promise to myself that I would definitely see them again somehow.
But when I interviewed lead vocalist Barnaby Weir last year,he didn't think that they would be back in Europe this year.

Well I'm pleased to say he was wrong...and that's why I found myself hotfooting down the M5 for a quick 300 mile trip to see them. On a boat in Bristol. And I'm so pleased I did...because although I enjoyed their festival appearance...it was like foreplay. Seeing them in a hot,crowded room, at night ,giving their all, was the main event.....

What a magical , hot July evening....sipping a few ice cold beers on the top deck of the Thekla with Frankie, managing to catch the last few rays of the sun, admiring the views as we did so...

Even the ladies loo had a porthole view....

And then, down into the bowels of the boat, to a surprisingly large room for the Black Seeds...

So why do I like this band so much?

Well, the Black Seeds know what it's like to engage an audience.  Infectiously catchy reggae, funk and soul rhythms get the party start right from  "Sometimes Enough." There's an energy, a synergy about the band members too - vocals from Barnaby Weir and Daniel Weetman are so strong, whether singing solo or together.

Add some incredibly good guitar work, the nattiest drums and percussion, the sound is already so full, but when the sax and trumpet come in...I'm in heaven.

I'm not the only one. This is a band you can't stand still and watch....from the opening numbers, bottoms in the audience are twitching in time to the music. By "So true" an all time favourite of mine, people are dancing where they stand...unable to take their eyes off the band.

There's such a good atmosphere....Barnaby chatting in between songs....all eighteen of them. You can't say you don't get good value at a Black Seeds gig.....the set lasts very nearly two hours. Yet the band still leave us wanting more....and as people stream off the boat....the newbies who haven't them live before are vowing to return when the Black Seeds come back to Europe.

 

That's good news says Daniel....it makes their three week pilgrimage here worthwhile.  With eight hungry mouths of band members and their families to feed, the trip has to pay its way. There are cds and tickets to sell...a fan base to be built....and good times to be had, with the lads on tour and away from day jobs baking, gardening, and lots more besides.

Next year, why don't you join the party? Make it your new Year resolution to come and see a Black Seeds gig...a far pleasurable option than losing weight, giving up drinking or something even more unpleasant.

You'll be so glad you did...Frankie certainly did, even though she played it cool after the show...as Daniel nicked my trusty old Marantz. Luckily, I'd already done the interview.....

In the meantime, I leave you with this - a lovely version of  "Cool me down" from the Black Seeds playing at Lowlands Festival last year....

 

seedy and snowy days

The holiday at home continues....the snow that was promised over the weekend arrived yesterday...

and there was more last night and this morning.

The weather is in a capricious mood today. One minute snow is falling with a sideways swipe, there's a biting wind. Five minutes later the sun is out...making everywhere look fresh and clean....

and then rewind....the snow is back.

All the gardening both at home and on the allotment I'd planned has had to take a back seat.  With so much to be done, it's frustrating.

I can still sow seeds though. Broad beans and Alderman  peas were already sown a few weeks back and are tucked up in the cold frame and plastic greenhouse outside.

But there's lots more to sow....these I got from Seedy Sunday at the beginning of the month.


An annual event, it's held in a nearby village....we all take a few packets of seed....and you get vouchers for each packet to swap with what else is there. It's very busy, with lots of jostling to get close to the seeds on offer..there's lots of people talking plants, the composting gurus from leicestershire County Council are there along with my favourite stallholders, volunteers from the Heritage Seed Library.

They're so knowledgeable, so enthusiastic ..I could talk to them for ages...but in the end come away with two lots of peas.

Peas are in the top three of my favourite crops to grow. Eyewateringly expensive to buy in the shops when fresh, I just love their sweetness, and crunchiness when eaten raw.

Clarke's Beltony Blue - which is a wrinkled heirloom variety of pea and was donated by Mrs Anderson. It was grown on her great grandfather’s farm in Co. Tyrone since at least 1850 (but possibly as far back as 1815). Apparently it's tall, with beautiful pale pink and rich maroon flowers followed by purple pods .Can't wait to see these grow.

As for the purple flowering russian peas ....they were brought back from Russia by a lady called Valerie Fordham -they're tall with pink and purple flowers.

I'm also growing again this year peas I've been saving each year for a while...they're yellow mange tout peas, ...yes, yellow mange tout! They're described as being incredibly rare...I got them from the Real Seed Company about four years ago...and with the exception of last year, they've done me proud.


There's some interesting varieties of beans I'm going to sow this year too.
I've bought some of Sarah Raven's organic Speedy Dwarf French beans ..which I've not grown before , but only take sixty days to mature.

From Seedy Sunday , I managed to get some of Mr fearn's Purple Flowering climbing beans..
I got these just for the name really, but have since found out that “They grow very well in a cold greenhouse – avoid hot sun or outside growing". That's from the donor Bernard Fearne who's been growing them since the war. ...but unfortunately I haven't got a cold greenhouse . I'll give them a whirl though....

But perhaps I'll do better with the "Sarah's Old fashioned black". I couldn't resist trying these too as although they come from Vancouver Island, BC, Canada, it's said that these beans seem to thrive in the British climate.

My seed stash this year seems to be larger than usual....so lots more sowing to do..but I'm also planning to visit the Edible Garden Show at Stoneleigh this weekend,  the only national event dedicated to growing your own fruit, vegetables and home produce.  Will I see you there?
http://www.theediblegardenshow.co.uk/


So the stash will no doubt get bigger....as Oscar Wilde wrote "I can avoid everything except temptation." And with so many exhibitors there, I know I won't come home empty handed.

Today's track is from New Zealanders The Black Seeds.....I kept humming this song as I wrote about Sarah's Old fashioned Black seeds...

I love this band, especially after seeing them last year here... http://thinkingofthedays.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/summer-sundae-days.html

This song is called fire...recorded live in Denver...

 

Summer Sundae days......

It's still festival season here in the UK...every weekend there is a music festival somewhere... a chance to relive your youth, listen to some great music and chill out with friends. Oh and dodge the rain.....it's been that kind of summer.

Over the years I've been to many, but there's one particular festival in August that I go to without fail. It's called Summer Sundae and it's held in the grounds of the rather lovely DeMontfort Hall here in Leicester.

The whole weekend passes in a smiley faced blur of contentment.




The concert hall   holds 2,400, there's a big outdoor stage too plus two stages in marquees and an outdoor bandstand. Over the years, artists such as Joan Baez, Steve Earle, Bon Iver, Macey Gray, Keane, Seasick Steve, Mumford and Sons, Noah and the Whale to name but a few have played at the festival. Summer Sundae also showcases the wealth of local talented bands and acts here in Leicestershire such as By the Rivers, Mahalia, Park Bench Society, Charlee Drew, Kyte, and many others..

This year, a different headliner for each day...Friday it was Katy B, Saturday ..Ocean Colour Scene
and Public Image for Sunday.There were a hundred and three other acts...reggae, ska, folk, rock, electronica, indie, you name it, we heard it.

Bands flew in from all over the world...Willie Mason and the Bower Birds from the USA, Dan Mangan from Canada, and the band to travel the furthest were the wonderful Black Seeds from New Zealand.

There's a lovely feel to the festival....it's very popular with families., with lots of activities for children. This year's hits were a safari and Monsieur Mouse's Puppet Theatre and there's also lots of oddities to get caught up in and watch including this lepoard....

Nichola Wood is a sand sculptor.....it's amazing what she can do with five tons of sand!

What I love about Summer Sundae is that it's a festival in a city, on a site that's not too big, where you don't have to trudge miles from stage to stage, where there's always somewhere to hide from the rain and there's flushing toilets too. Now that's what I call heaven at a festival!

And I love the way the atmosphere changes as night falls.....the little ones are tucked up in tents or at home..and everything changes. And after the stages have closed, there's always a silent disco or the comedy tent for even more entertainment.

That's not to say that I just sit around on the grass watching my favourite bands by day, or party all night....

I may snatch a moment doing just that(well 60 minutes actuually on Sunday out of a thirteen and a half hour day).....but primarily I'm there to work. And it was a busy three days ...

....the sun shone...in fact it was very hot.....and I was there to record a documentary on the festival, and broadcast live.. Not to just feature the bands...but rather the whole feel of the festival ,with stories from the back room staff, and the audience too.


Simon Fowler from Ocean Colour Scene and me with my ancient...but trusted Marantz!

If you'd like to listen,  you can do until next Monday morning

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00xpry5

What's your favourite music festival?

The track for today? It's from the Black Seeds.....I first heard their music in Australia four years ago...and I finally saw them at Summer Sundae! Lovely guys...and you can hear their music on the documentary too. This is "So True"...one of my favourites...and I was standing just behind the person who filmed this....