It never ceases to amaze me how huge this festival really is. When you see the whole scale of the site on tv it is absolutely massive, it's like someone has built another town. I admire the organisers as to bring all that together takes an amazing amount of time and commitment. I mean look at the line up, it's about as big as the countryside it consumes, something for everyone. 

I have never been to Glastonbury but one year I would love to, obviously it won't be next year as the festival takes it's rest year in 2018 but it is on my bucket list. Saying that I think the tv coverage is really good and you get a good view, I can always go and throw a few plastic bottles around my living room and not flush the toilet a few times for a realistic effect but there is nothing like experiencing it for real.

So what did we think of the line up? Pretty good I reckon. Great reactions to the secret set from The Killers, Biffy Clyro, and headliner Ed Sheeran. My favourite of the weekend had to be the mighty Foo Fighters. Dave Grohl just knows how to work a crowd and Taylor Hawkins taking over the cover of 'Under Pressure' was brilliant. I love their energy and I think they would have gone on all night if it was possible. 

I do love it when it comes around to the Sunday afternoon 'Legends' spot. Now this I would love to be there for. Barry Gibb this year, just the ultimate legend. What a guy, he is just so lovely and I am guaranteed that I will know most of the songs. All the classics and yes I had a 70's disco boogie around my living room, how could you not? Loved the moment he got given a gold jacket and actually put it on. I think his brothers were looking down on him, he must think about them all the time, bittersweet experience for him but he spun that glitter ball and owned that spot. 

Another legend I really enjoyed seeing was Nile Rodgers and Chic. They were just so amazing, you forget the classics these bands have produced. I was blown away, proper songs by proper musicians. Class act. They remind me a lot of my school days as 'Le Freak' was a regular disco tune. Good memories and Good Times (see what I did there). All these Legends look really good as well. They look in better health than some of the newbies. There must be a magic formula. It's the funk and disco, keeps us 'Staying Alive....oh I need to stop this now. 

Great job from all the acts organisers, staff and the weather was even good too. All wrapped up and the site can be handed back to the farm for a while. Here's to the return in 2019 and I wonder who will be headlining then........we'll just have to wait and see.


Thanks for joining me on Music Monday I will return tomorrow for a bit of Teapot Tuesday. 

Take care for now........

It's been a busy term so far at Rock Choir. We have been learning new songs such as Walk the Moon's 'Shut Up and Dance, Spandau Ballet's 'True' and just about to go into the second week of learning 'King of Wishful Thinking by 'Go West'. I do love the first week of learning a new song and I've mentioned it before when writing about Rock Choir but it just amuses me when we must all be thinking 'never gonna get this' or 'this is a difficult one' but later on, further down the line and after listening to it on a continuous loop over numerous bowls of coco pops, three piles of ironing and washing the dishes for an eternity I have my eureka moment. That moment when it actually goes into my brain and I start to feel a bit more confident.

Good job really as then we go out there, in public and perform these songs, in front of real people. You don't have to take part in the performances with Rock Choir, it is completely up to the individual. It does give you a buzz though, and after all the learning and rehearsing it is nice to see that all rewarded by seeing an audience happy with the result too.

We had the pleasure of taking part in a flash mob in the centre of Derby. Love these events as you can never quite plan how it is going to go but have a rough idea. The randomness is what makes the flash mob though and I like a bit of organised chaos. Didn't seem chaotic though, I think we rocked Derby quite well with 'Shut up and Dance'. I really hadn't heard this song before we Rock Choir but I love it, it's so energetic and a great one to perform, very much a happy dance and singsong. Slightly got into the wrong position as had to take a casual walk over to get with the other guys and gals, it was either that or a big leap over a wall but I would have fell flat on my face and snagged my uniform trousers so thought better of it. The rain stayed away but the slight dodgy looking weather did give us the chance to cover up in a rain mack, it's all very secretive stuff you know, helps if you have had experience working with MI5. 

Our next performance was at Wrenstock. I know!!! We are a festival choir too. and look a that stage wooo hooo! This was an event to celebrate 50 years of Wren Park School in Mickleover, Derby so congratulations to them. It was very snug up there on that stage so very little dance moves. I didn't fancy falling off a lorry stage, some say entertaining but no I didn't sign up for 'stunt rockie'. A beautiful evening, very warm weather we are experiencing in the UK right now, which was just perfect for the organisers and the lovely people who had supported this anniversary. A great performance which I personally enjoyed a lot. Just love it and we have a giggle or two as well.

Come and join us, you can take advantage of a free taster session and there are many classes dotted all around the country so there's really no excuse. If you would like more information pop along to the website at 
www.rockchoir.com and find your local session. 

For now I'm looking forward to my session tomorrow, carrying on with 'King of Wishful Thinking' and we are recapping 'With a Little Help from My Friends', very fitting as it was Sir Paul McCartney's birthday over the weekend. 

I will catch you back here for Teapot Tuesday tomorrow.

Take care for now............

Well after binge watching and catching up to the present Season 5 and becoming somewhat of a Nashville addict I went to see them live, on stage, in the same room as Scarlett, Will, Deacon, Avery and Gunnar. In real life we are talking about the lovely and hugely talented Clare Bowen, Chris Carmack, Charles Esten, Jonathan Jackson and Sam Palladio and what a show they put on.

It was my first time in the Barclaycard Arena in Birmingham and nice it was too. We made an afternoon of it, had some food and before the main show we popped to see a friend of ours perform on the Firestone Stage. Angels with Dirty Faces graced the small but nicely formed stage and provided some good country music in preparation and to get us all in the mood. They are worth catching live if you get the chance and for more information you can visit their website at www.angelswithdirtyfaces.uk

So we got seated and from 7..30pm to way past 10pm we were treated to an amazing show. Classic songs from the tv series and new original songs from the individual musicians themselves. They all sounded so good and had the audience in the palm of their musical hands with a rendition of David Bowie's 'Heroes' and finishing the night with the emotional 'A Life That's Good' from the show. The audience sang it out loud and waved their smartphone torches, it looked magical. I just loved it. 

I think Country music gets a bit misunderstood here in the UK, it's a genre of music that has so many layers and sounds that if you have a listen to it and find a layer that suits you. It maybe a little on the pop side, classic, blues or rock influenced, it's all there if you try it. With Nashville the show you get treated to entertaining drama, a bit of a laugh, love, heartache and they touch on some of life's situations so there's something for everyone. I dare you to watch and not get hooked, you will have to keep watching and before you know it, dancing in the aisles of a mega big arena somewhere in the UK.

We all had a break in the middle of the proceedings. My goodness if you were desperate for the toilet you had no chance, the queues went on forever. Not for the weak bladdered amongst us. The second half was as good as the first and those guys were so energetic, even popping down into the crowd to get some Nashie love. That's what we're called, us addicts, I am a loud and proud Nashie, I't's quite cute. I'm sure I've been called worst things in my life.

We took our dancing feet and warm, clapped out hands away with us, well couldn't leave them behind could we? I didn't want to leave, could have carried on all night. If you're going to see the tour, you really are in for a treat, it's amazing. The guys have just played three sell out nights at The Royal Albert Hall which must have been such an experience, I feel after the first night at Birmingham I could have gone back every night and gone VIP! Can you imagine? Sue from the Brew let loose with all those beautiful people? Selfie heaven. 

I would just like to say well done and thanks to the staff at the arena, so friendly, helpful and they did great security checks with everyone on the way in. In fact I nearly went around again for another check, nothing like having your body checked out. It doesn't happen very often, I need to get out more!!

You need to watch Nashville, that's all I will say, none of this 'well try it and see' just go for it and enjoy it. There are not many programmes you can watch that can back it all up with a tour as well.

Thanks for reading, I will catch you back here tomorrow for Teapot Tuesday.

When I sat down to watch the concert last night I wondered if I would know anyone or know the songs as I don't always keep up to date with the modern day tunes. I try to keep up the kids today, I''ll be honest I didn't know too much about Ariana Grande before the terrible event which happened at Manchester Arena. I had heard her name but hadn't really listened to her in a big way. 

She is a lovely young woman, apart from being a great singer and yes having some top tunes, she is a very true, brave young lady and she certainly knows how to put on great show. It must have been so hard for her that night, she lost people close to her too. An audience become like family and they are the people who put musicians where they are, on that big stage because if no one bought the downloads (records in my day) and no one saved their pennies and purchased the concert tickets there would be no pop stars. I think we got the message that these 22 people who lost their lives, all the people injured, in fact everyone that goes to see her and follows her, they mean the world to her. Ariana is only young herself at the age of 23 so she took all that love into her young heart and put on the greatest show for everyone.

The 'One Love' concert was broadcast live to over 50 countries worldwide and would raise money for all the victims affected by the bombing on the 22nd May 2017. It was a very emotional few hours, I had to get the tissues  out as I just blubbed through a lot of it. Saying that though it wasn't a sad solemn evening, quite the opposite with upbeat songs and a celebration of life and a defiance of hatred and fear. We stood together with Manchester and had fun, it took us away for a while away from the horror of recent events, even as recent as the day before with yet another attack in London.

The show started, not with song but with silence, a moment to think about those innocent people who lost their lives, a lovely tribute from Marcus Mumford. Take That were on next which is a good job they were on early as they had to hot foot it to their own gig later on in Birmingham so well done to them. Robbie Williams followed and singing 'Angels' was emotional for him I think but he got through. The music just carried on with Pharrell Williams, Miley Cyrus, Niall Horan Little Mix, Black Eyed Peas, Katy Perry, Justin Bieber Coldplay and even a surprise performance by Liam Gallagher. We were all hoping for peace to have entered the Gallagher brother's lives and for Noel to make an appearance too but no it didn't happen but the Manchester lad was there and gave a great performance.

It was an emotional moment when Ariana Grande made her appearance on stage, the first since the attack in Manchester and she had the full support of Manchester and the world really. She did good and I love that she wasn't just the main headliner at the end of the night, she appeared early on and kept popping up, like the perfect host to a perfect party. I sobbed when she joined the Parrs Wood High School Choir for their version of 'My Everything'. The choir includes children who were there on that awful night  and they just sing this song so beautifully. They were invited along when Ariana saw them online and I'm so glad they were there, very touching and very emotional. 

Ariana was joined by all her friends on stage to sing 'One Last Time' which would have been the last song those people would have heard before losing their lives and recently topped the itunes chart by public demand. She closed the show with a lovely rendition of 'Over the Rainbow' which I think was very fitting and again got me sobbing into my tissues. It really was a great night and it was all very well organised in something like 13 days. If there was chaos it certainly didn't show, so many acts packed into three hours is a massive achievement. So welcome back to Ariana Grande and congratulations on bringing happiness and joy to us for a while and for helping to raise so much money for those families. People were able to return and find their peace, yes we cried but what was also so great to see were the smiles on all those young peoples faces. Very reassuring that we can come together and we can stare terror in the eyes and say 'NO' we are not going there because there is a bigger force, something more powerful and that is 'Love'.

I hope you enjoyed it too, thanks for reading and I will be back tomorrow for Teapot Tuesday.

Take care everyone.........