Going it alone - Ben Marwood (and more) at JT Soar

JT Soar is a strange, secretive venue. Once a wholesale greengrocers, it still keeps its old frontage but, a bit like a speakeasy dive from America's prohibition years, hides something very different behind that exterior. There's no hard liquor on sale, though; it's strictly bring-your-own. The space is bare, there are few chairs but after all you've come to listen to musicians so does that matter? Not really, or at least not till I get cramp in the middle of the night!

Ben Marwood

I've been there quite a lot in this last year - to see Sean McGowan just before he got signed to a recording label, for my daughter's EP launch, and numerous other occasions  - so when I found out George Gadd (yep, seen him there too) was promoting a gig with three singer/songwriters, ALL of whom I wanted to see live, I got OH to give up his running and go out on a Friday night instead. 

She Makes War

The music aspect of the evening was great - George himself first to warm up the crowd, followed by Helen Chambers, She Makes War, and Ben Marwood. I loved all of them, and would go see any of them again but, sorry Ben and Helen, She Makes War (aka Laura Kidd) was the 'find' of the night. I've been following her on social media for a while, hearing new songs via her newsletter, but it was somehow only live that I thought I MUST hear more of her, so I bought a CD. 

Disarm - She Makes War

George Gadd immortalised on stickers

Something I hadn't expected from the evening, though, was to be taken aback by my daughter's absence. We've been to to gigs without her before, when she was away at uni, busy with something else, or on holiday. Lots in little pub venues, As December Falls at Rescue Rooms, Frank Turner at Rock City ... but I only realised on the night that every time I'd been to JT Soar my daughter had been performing there, and frequently promoting the event (meaning I'd spend part of my time taking money on the door!). Now of course she's off living her own life and us old parents have either got to stay home or  pretend we're really hip and know all about the contemporary folk scene, and bluff it out. Well, I'm not staying home!

 It definitely made things a little sad and weird to be there without her, and it really felt like I was stepping outside my comfort zone. It wasn't something I intended adding to my #60NewThings list, but turns out it is - going it alone with no daughter-shaped safety net. Thank you, George, for not thinking we'd strayed into the wrong place, and were really looking for some cheap fruit and veg :)

Birthday week

We all like birthdays, don't we? Cake and presents, and cake, and possibly more cake. But I never quite think a single day of celebration is enough, especially when it's a huge round-number birthday as mine is this year. So I've managed (yet again) again to drag things out over a week or so.



To start, we packed the car with adults and baby grandson, and headed north to youngest daughter's flat for the first of my birthday lunches.  There's an odd mix of beverages on offer when everyone's gathered together but the cake looked more traditional - and tasted delicious.

On my actual birthday the rain came down, so elder daughter came round (with baby) and prepared 'high tea' for lunch - three sorts of delicate, crust-free finger sandwiches (including smoked salmon), with scones and cake to follow.  The only thing we lacked was a fancy cake stand to serve things on, and maybe some pretty china tea-cups would have looked better than mugs, but neither would have improved the taste :0














Next day, to prove its total disregard for the calendar, the sun came out. Although we had 'chores' to do, I managed to sneak a few hours outside at Allestree park on the edge of Derby. It's mainly laid to golf course but the walk around the lake is attractive, especially with blue sky reflecting in the water.

Still not finished with this birthday ... Friday evening saw us at Nottingham's JT Soar listening to George Gadd, Helen Chamber, She Makes War, and Ben Marwood.

Then at the weekend, my youngest daughter came home, and we had another day out - this time to Chatsworth.
















It's been a lovely week, and I think I've done quite well with my celebrating, but maybe now it's time to get back to normal ...