It's Martyn Bennett Night, tonight!
The Martyn Bennett tribute evening was held in a different venue and had a later start time Cocker. As the FC gig finished at 10pm, some folks took the opportunity to attend both events.
The Martyn Bennett Night - and I'm sorry I wasn't able to attend the peformance of some of his classical compositions that afternoon - was great. In parts.
The mixture of backing track and live playing was just right, I thought, and weighted towards the dance/trance aspect of things (and to be able to dance to "Harry's In Heaven" as live-ly as is possible was truly wonderful). So some of the finesse. the more delicate arrangements, was lost, but the night was geared towards a celebratory rowdiness of melody.
Some superb playing, and a high level of musicianship, and passion for the music.
After the main band, a combination of bagpipers and a samba band, which was pretty fab.
And then. The stiltwalkers - fabulously costumed - and the body-painted dreadlocked er "dancers".
Much unchoreographed writhing.
Now, I'm the first one to dance like a fool, but oh (insert grimacing smiley) we were embarrassed by them.
And there was the irrational, unavoidable sense of half expecting the boy himself. Let's raise a glass to him.
