Ward Thomas and The Shires - pure delight

Bush Hall is an old dance hall. I'm sure it's had many great nights in its 110-year history, but it can't have had many as fun and filled with vocal talent as last Monday night (10 November).

The Shires and then headliners Ward Thomas gave us more than two hours of delightful melodies and wonderful harmonies in their own UK country style.

Solo singer Jess Roberts firstly gave us 20 minutes of songs, backed by Ward Thomas's guitarist Dan Gordon. She did a fine job and was a worthy starter for the evening.

The Shires - Crissie Rhodes and Ben Earle, backed by a three-piece band - are a fairly new act, but could well be destined for bigger things. I had not seen them in action before, but was impressed  by their songs and harmonies and they were a definite hit for this audience. I'll be searching their album out on its release in January.

Headliners for this evening were Ward Thomas - the singing twin sisters Catherine and Lizzy Ward Thomas, from Hampshire - which must by definition be the heart of English country music! Since I discovered these two at Guilfest in July, I have been smitten by their music. Hearing it on CD is one thing, but live it is so much better! Good singers in their own right, the real magic kicks in when they sing together with exquisite harmonies on soaring melodies. It gives you a tingling sensation. I love all their songs, but was particularly delighted to hear 'Wasted Words' live for the first time. Current single 'Way Back When' and 'Push For The Stride' are real crowd pleasers, and the poignant 'From Where I Stand' could almost bring a tear to the eye. A cover off Taylor Swift's 'Shake It Off' was lively and the girls did a cracking job. Their fun demeanour and on-stage charisma helps bring a smile to the faces of all those in the audience. It is pure joy.

I cannot tire of these two, and the evening was always going to be too short!

The Shires joined Ward Thomas on stage for a joint encore of The Striking Matches' 'I Ain't Leavin' Without Your Love' - great fun and a perfect round-off for the evening.

This tour of The Shires and Ward Thomas is tagged #homegrowntour and stretches from London to Belfast, and Bristol to Glasgow. There are points in between - but there are simply not enough! Demand for these two acts will grow and grow. Do yourself a favour and get along to see them as soon as you can.

Roll on the next one!

Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red

I went to London to see the ceramic poppies around the Tower of London on Monday 10 November. What a fantastic display to mark Remembrance 100 years after the First World War began (technically, 96 years after WWI ended).

Stretching around all sides of the Tower walls, each one of the 888,246 ceramic poppies represent a British or Colonial military death in World War One.

It is a moving display, conceived by artist Paul Cummins and set by stage designer Tom Piper, and four million people are expected to have viewed it by the time it is taken down later in November. Deadlines have been extended more than once because of the display's popularity.

Marvellous.

Mad school-run parking is frankly stupid

Last week it was (almost) a pleasure to be out and about in your car. Getting to and from work by car must have been a joy.

This week, however, the madness has returned. The school half-term is over. The school run is back.

So between 8.30 and 9.15 and 2.45 and 3.15, make sure you're not a road anywhere near a school! Because you won't be able to move. In their desperation to park as near as possible to the school gates to avoid junior getting wet hair, they park in ways that can be best described as "stupid".

I've just been out to post a letter (on foot). There's a school not far from the end of our cul-de-sac. I don't mind them parking on our road, but NOT right on the corner at the junction with a busier road! I had a polite word with a mother who had parked in that way and was significantly adding to the chaos. "Oh," she said, "I tried further down, but there was no room."

"Well," I replied, "if you could avoid parking on the corner, it wold help. Look at the chaos you're causing."

On I went to post my letter, and then came back. As I did so, I was hailed by a woman from a car, waiting at traffic light. "I'm glad you had a go at her," she said (obviously referring to my 'polite' word with the bad parker), "she always parks there!" And off she drove as the lights turned green.

So my bad parking friend does it every day, does she?

I might have to have another look tomorrow!