Magnum & Neonfly - Leamington Spa

Seeing Magnum is like catching up with an old friend over a pint of beer. Someone you feel completely at ease with and you know exactly what to expect and it never disappoints. If it is possible they are actually getting better with age and the release of their 19th album 'Escape from the Shadow Garden' is no exception. However before Magnum it was good to see Neonfly once again having seen them supporting Sonata Arctica previously. This time The London-based five-piece delivered an extended set and looked look like they’ve been doing this for years! Frontman Willy Norton has a touch of the theatricals about him and doesn't waste any opportunity to leave the stage and be at one with the crowd, in fact he did it twice. They got a good reception and seem destined for better things which is why it was such a shame to hear that the following night they had their van broken into and all their gear stolen. To their credit they vowed to continue the tour with borrowed instruments.

 Neonfly Setlist

•  Ship with no Sails 
• The Enemy
• A Gift to Remember
• Better Angels
• The Revenant
• The Ornament
• Spitting Blood
• Heart of the Sun
• Morning Star 
• Outro

The Assembly in Leamington is fast becoming my venue of choice , especially as I discovered a Weatherspoons pub just around the corner that came in very handy afterwards. Formed in 1972, Magnum have undergone several changes in personnel over the years, however the core of vocalist Bob Catley and guitarist/songwriter Tony Clarkin remain today. Bob is 66 now but the voice is still going as strong as ever even if he is starting to look a little frail. As I expected and hoped the set kicked off with 'Live ‘Til You Die' from the new album. In fact pretty much all of my favourites featured including, The Spirit , Kingdom of Madness, Vigilante , Les Morts Dansant, Sacred Hour and How Far Jerusalem. The first part was loaded with new stuff and the odd track or two from the previous album 'On the 13th Day'. The rest was a really good mixture from across their history with only one or two favourites missing from tonight’s set, including On A Storyteller’s and 'Just Like an Arrow but the crowd care not. As the veteran rockers prepare to leave the stage, Catley holds up his bottled water to cheers and rapturous applause. Now time to find that Weatherspoons pub and maybe a burger to finish the night off?

Magnum Setlist 

•  Live'til You Die
• Black Skies 
• Freedom Day
• Dance of the Black Tattoo
• Blood Red Laughter
• Unwritten Sacrifice
• How Far Jerusalem
• Les Morts Dansant
• Falling For the Big Plan
• The Spirit
• All My Bridges
• All England's Eyes
• Vigilante
• Kingdom of Madness

Encore

• Sacred Hour
• Too Many Clowns

Bournemouth - Westbourne Arcade

Westbourne has become a fashionable area of Bournemouth, but it is the Victorian covered shopping arcade that I really like. Built in 1884 by Henry Joy, who lived in Seamoor House it is full of interesting shops as well as The 'Bournemouth Colosseum' a classic 19 seat cinema including a Royal Box, it is the smallest in the UK. The most dramatic incident in the Arcade’s history occurred during World War 2, when a bomb landed in nearby R L Stevenson Avenue. The explosion destroyed virtually all the glass in the Arcade roof, although the main structure fortunately suffered little damage. Certain other original features remain, however, including the fantastic and charming gargoyles at the heads of drainpipes, said to represent water gods.

Bournemouth 2014 - Robert Louis Stevenson

Back in Bournemouth again and sunny blue skies and a sea view from our hotel.

Lots of walking along the promenade as far as Boscombe and then further into Southbourne.

It was almost by accident that we stumbled upon 'Skerryvore' once the site of the home of that wonderful author Robert Louis Stevenson. Stevenson settled in a Bournemouth villa called 'Skerryvore'in 1885. It was here that the Scottish writer wrote the classic 'Kidnapped', the 'boys' adventure'. He also went on before the year was out to create his chilling psychological thriller 'Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde'? Stevenson named the villa Skerryvore after the lighthouse put up by his family's engineering firm off the west coast of Scotland. His landlocked Skerryvore is perched at the edge of a chalky ravine, or chine, not far from the English Channel.

Blood Brothers - Northampton Derngate

Another trip to Theatre, this time the Derngate for Willy Russell's 'Blood Brothers'. For almost 30 years now the musical has been playing to audiences in the West End and Broadway and has gained itself the title of 'The Standing Ovation Musical'. There is a lot of humour in the performance particularly in the first half where the seperated twins 'Micky' and 'Eddie' are growing up on different sides of the tracks. Maybe one of the reasons for its enduring popularity is it is still as valid today as when first written. It is a social statement about poverty, the class system and the welfare state. Throughout the acting and singing was excellent and the audience completely believed in the characters with a lot of warmth. A big mention should go to Tracy Spencer who really shone in the role of the multi child producing 'Mrs Johnstone'. The saga develops into a powerful and tragic ending which I had unfortunately been pre-warned about. Nevertheless it was an excellent production and i'm glad I finally got to see it at last.

A Tale of Two Cites - Royal Theatre Northampton

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way. Perhaps one of the most famous opening paragraphs of any book? New artistic director at the Royal and Derngate Northampton, James Dacre has got off to a flying start wwith this his firts performance. Mike Poulton’s adaptation of A Tale of Two Cities hurtles through Dickens’ 1859 masterpiece in little more than two hours. Even by his standards – he’s the man responsible for the RSC’s lean, mean Wolf Hall – that’s a lot of hacking. But while you may mourn the absence of the narratorial voice, you don’t feel short-changed. Mike Britton’s fast changing set swiftly shifts from London to a revolutionary Paris. I was really impressed with the court room scenes which contained an essence of the classic Dickens humour. This is a classic without doubt, yet rarely performed on stage. Dickens wanted Tale Of Two Cities to be his cautionary tale of the dangers of political unrest and upheaval and Poulton has done an excellent job of distilling the key elements of this enormous story without losing any of its impetus. In addition to the main cast, Dacre makes use of the Royal and Derngate Community Ensemble to convey a sense of unrest and mob behaviour, packing the relatively small, but tall stage with a jeering, volatile crowd. Joshua Silver, as the young aristocrat Charles Darnay, and Oliver Dimsdale, as Carton, both give charismatic, engaging performances. A really enjoyable night out.

Snakecharmer - The Stables, Wavendon

Snakecharmer are made up by former Whitesnake men Mickey Moody and Neil Murray and joined by ex Wishbone Ash guitarist Laurie Wisefield, Ozzy Osborne keyboard player Adam Wakeman (son of Rick), Thunder and Magnum drummer Harry James and Heartland vocalist Chris Ousey. With that line up you can't fail to be disappointed!

The soundcheck at The Stables, but we nearly didn't make it. What should have been a comfortable half hour journey actually took two hours. New we shouldn't have gone down the motorway as an accident near Newport Pagnell brought traffic to a standstill. The result being we missed the opening band , who they were I still dont know? It is always the case at The Stables that photography is banned. I didn't see one other person with a camera or phone which is highly unusual at a Rock concert. In fact they do have their very own covert band of female bouncers, oh yes. They are cunningly disguised as usherettes and Ice cream sellers but put one foot out of line and they pounce. Undaunted I was happy to let Marina take the ones used in this blog.

Lead Vocals Chris Ousey

Lead Guitar Micky Moody

However this is no usual Rock crowd, I think anyone under fifty would be in the minority. Although a smashing venue it doesn't really lend itself to an all seated Rock event. My theory is that the ageing male Rock fans are only allowed out on a Sunday evening if they take along their wife. I have heard some go as far to call them the 'Gin and Tonic set'.... Lots of pullovers and slacks in evidence, I even saw one chap wearing a Coldplay T shirt! Walking around bold as brass. Snakecharmer are not a Whitesnake tribute band, but with two Whitesnake legends on board they are going to cover Whitesnake but do remain a band in their own right. The set kicks off with "Guilty As Charged," one of the album's stand-out songs and follow up with another in the shape of "A Little Rock n Roll," before launching into 'Ready An' Willing' and we are off. Further Whitesnake tracks include; Walking in the Shadow of Love, Slow and Easy, Here I go again and the brilliant 'Fool for your Loving' encore.

The entire gig is superbly played as you would expect, with Moody and Wisefield trading off each other well, James showing his class being the kit and Wakeman holding the thing together, particularly with his fine Hammond Organ. Murray by contrast is content to stand in the shadows letting his more extrovert colleagues take the limelight.

Wonderful to meet Neil Murray and Micky Moody afterwards. Managed to get my book 'Playing with Trumpets' signed at long last by Micky.

Signed Setlist

Santa comes to College

It seemed a very simple and straightforward suggestion back in early November to have a 'Secret Santa; for Christmas. The idea being that we would all draw a name out of a hat and spend a maximum of £5 on buying that person an anonymous gift.

Then someone had the bright idea that I should dress up as Father Christmas............

I suppose it would have been rude to refuse and run the risk of being called a Humbug !

So, last day of term and the reindeer's safely parked up and armed with my bulging sack of presents I arrived at Tresham College.

Thankfully I had my trusty Fairy and Elf to help give out the presents to all the boys and girls who have worked hard this year.

Everything went really well and I think a lot of fun was had by all and everybody got a present!