Friday 3 October 2008

Ye Thocht Ah'd Bin Murdered....

....but luckily I survived!

I'm pleased to say that I took Melanie's advice and hoovered like my life depended on it and boy was she right! I just passed inspection by the skin o' ma teeth! I'd like to report that I've been "off air" canoodeling and making up for a whole weeks separation from my paramour, but (sadly) that's only the half of it! There's been a few other goings-on that have kept me away from the keyboard: Principally, the Plumber (and his Mate) have been wreaking havoc on our household, ripping up floorboards and knocking huge holes in the wall to fit a new combi-boiler and four new radiators (Part II of our energy-saving strategy). Bloody hell what a mess! It's been like downtown Bagdad before the 'surge'. It might be OK for them to spend their working days like demolition contractors but we have to work like the devil to recover our household into some semblance of order after they have gone (laughing with wads of money in their hands!). But as the dust settles we can see that it has indeed been worth it (although it might take me another fortnight to work out how this new heating programmer works!)

We did get one nights relief from heating contractors when we went out to an excellent concert with Mick West Trio at East Kilbride Arts Centre. Singing traditional folk music they brought a new perspective to old and new Scottish tunes. Mick has an amazingly rich voice and a brilliant sense of the romantic in his renditions of songs by Robert Burns. A lovely night which I can only support and applaud with these mediocre pencil sketches in a small sketchbook:

The man himself: a big lad with a big, beautiful, rich voice.



Mick with one of his accompanyists, Steve Laurence, on the five-string guitar, who also played Bazooka. Top-class playing!

Then there was Frank McLoughlan on guitar and the Scottish Sma' Pipes:
These guys were great, but beforehand there were some other 'folkies' doing their thing to get us in the mood:

A good night out. There is nothing (to my mind) to beat live music from top-class performers.


6 comments:

vivien said...

great sketches


.... and ah yes Rabbie Burns - I remember him well, having gone to school for a few years at Forres Academy.

Lines from Tam O'Shanter are still recalled and I'm glad you cleaned up well and your wife didn't have to 'nurse her wrath to keep it warm' as Tam's wife did, sitting by the fire :>D

daviddrawsandpaints said...

Was oor Rabbie at Forres Academy at the same time as you Vivien? Didnae think ye were auld enough!

When she walked in the door, Vivien, "My luv was like a red, red rose" and "Monie a cantie day..we had wi' ane anither"! [from John Anderson My Jo] and "As bees flee hame wi' lades o'treasure, The minutes wing'd their way wi' pleasure" [from Tam]
Glad to have her home and relieved she didnae batter me stupid for leaving a mess!
Glad you like the sketches :o)

M.A. Wakeley said...

I love the sketches too...
you've answered my previous note about the hoovering!

harry bell said...

I love the sketches, but you must have really thought you were in downtown Baghdad if someone brought a bazooka into the arts centre! I hope it was really a bazouki :D

Brian McGurgan said...

Great sketches, David, and I'm sure it was a pleasant evening all around. I love Irish and Scottish folk music (I've got all of the Silly Wizard recordings, I think) and have been known to torment Kyoko on occasion with my tin whistles and Irish flute (bought at Waltons in Dublin). Your sketches capture the ambience of a session nicely. We went out for a chamber music recital this past Friday and I almost brought my sketchbook along - now you make me wish I had!

daviddrawsandpaints said...

Sorry Harry - it was definitely a bazooka. I didn't draw him playing it so there is no evidence to support my claim, but he was blawin' doon wan end and threatenin' the audience with the ither!
Well, if that's not quite true, he was certainly making a blast with his playing!
Good to meet you and glad to get your comment. I was just testing to see if my readers were awake and you passed the test:o)

Thanks Marianna. I suppose I really should talk about doing the vacuuming but I can never spell it right and anyway I was brought up calling it "the hoovering". I have even got to be quite good at it. Right, who said - "Better than painting!"? Hmph!

Ah, You're a whistler Brian! Bring it with you when we meet in Belfast and I'll bring my mandolin and, if you practice either "Harvest Home","Tripping Up the Stairs", or "Waterloo Hornpipe" we'll be able to have a wee session to accompany our moleskines!
I'm not kidding - don't let me down!
I always take a sketchbook to music recitals and the theatre. You have all these 'models' moving about in front of you it's a good opportunity to practice your observational skills at top speed. You have seen the brilliant drawings Steph has done in her Moleskine entry in my book!
Hope you enjoy your concert AND bring sketches back to show us :o)