Sheffield Sunday

 
  A lazy day is in order today, I think.

Apart from ironing the kids' school uniform and the customary drill of swimming lessons, that is.

And I suppose I'll have to cook some dinner later...

That's OK.

It's been a good weekend.

We took the kids out for a curry for tea on Friday. It took some perseverance but they finally all like something at our local Indian restaurant. This is useful, because it is situated at the end of our road, and OH and I do love our curries!

Littlest likes to run ahead and ask for a table, she is quite a favourite with one of the waiters who always shakes her hand and calls her "my friend".

On Saturday, I had my hair cut and coloured, always a joy.

I popped into a vintage fair at the Town Hall and might have made a small purchase or two...

And the man and I went out for the evening too!

Velvet jacket, cardigan, necklace, bangles and sequin beret - charity shopped

T-shirt and gloves - retail

Vintage carpet bag - flea market

Royal Worcester bone china brooch - car boot

1970s velvet maxi skirt and faux fur collar - awesome gifts from my awesome friend Sarah

Boots - Ebay

We went to see guitar maestro, folk-rock hero and all-round uncategorisable musical genius, Richard Thompson.

It's the fourth time I have seen him play live, the first being when I was a student in 1984.

How can that possibly be nearly 30 years ago?

If I were to draw a Venn diagram representing people at the Girls Aloud gig on Monday and those seeing Richard Thompson last night, I suggest the overlap would be very small.

Singular, in fact.

Me.

As we sat in our seats prior to the start, OH said he had seen someone he knew from work.

"Which one is he?" I asked.

"He's over there, " said OH, pointing, "he's balding with grey hair."

This was a description which fitted the majority of the men in the audience, so it didn't narrow things down much...

Hey, we're all getting older. 

If my darling hairdresser didn't work her magic on me, I'd be grey too, though not balding, thankfully.

Anyway, the gig was great. I loved it, along with all the other ageing audience members.

 I go through phases of posting Youtube clips, have you noticed?

I do tend to watch the videos other bloggers post, though they may not always be to my taste, and it does take time. But I like to hear new music and it's interesting to find out what my blog friends are into.

If you fancy watching, here is RT on cynical, angry, rocking form with Dad's Gonna Kill Me (2007) and showing his softer, wistful and more lyrical acoustic side on Salford Sunday (2013).

With a career spanning 45 years and 40 albums, there is a lot of music from which to select examples!

Hope you have had good weekends where you are! 

I'll be linking up over at Patti's Visible Monday as usual.

  xxx

 
   

         

Girls' night out

How old were you when you went to your first gig? 

I grew up in a small rural town where the last bus home from the nearest live music venue was about 8pm, far too early to facilitate independent travel after a gig.

Hence I didn't see a live band* until I went to university at age 18.

My eldest daughter had her first experience of live music last night, when I took her to see Girls Aloud at the Sheffield Arena as an early birthday present (she's 11 next month.)

I have to admit I really enjoyed it!

Girls Aloud may have begun life 10 years ago as a manufactured girl band put together from a TV talent show, but they have made some cracking pop music, and their live show is well-produced and entertaining.

Did we dance?

Oh yes we did!

Eldest didn't seem too embarrassed to be seen with me, though that may change...

She now understands some of the unwritten laws of seeing live music.

The doors never open on time; the band always come on late; and they rarely play for as long as you would like them to (unless they are Bruce Springsteen). 

It was really endearing to see her getting her coat on, ready to leave when the band left the stage, not realising that they would be returning for the inevitable encore. 

But then if it's your first concert, you don't know these things!

Girls Aloud in 2002, the year Eldest was born.

And now.

My own Girl Aloud, 2002 and now.

(She wants you to know she's in her school uniform, not dressed for the concert, OK? She looked cooool.)

We are both a little ragged around the edges and baggy under the eyes after a late bedtime on a school night!

1960s Tricosa maxi skirt - antiques and collectables centre

Cardigan, vest, bangles, necklaces, faux fur, leather bag and hat - charity shopped

Boots - Ebay

Scarf - blog swap gift from Sophie

It's great to be able to do stuff like this with my kids. 

My mum would no more have taken me to a gig than flown to the moon (not a criticism of her, no one's mum took their kids to gigs at age 11 in the mid 1970s, at least no one I knew).

I'm not sure whether Girls Aloud have had much success outside Europe, but if you like a bit of girlie pop, here are both their first and most recent singles.

The Sound of the Underground is my favourite, but Eldest insisted on Something New as well.

There's symbolism in there somewhere.

* The Q-Tips, if anyone remembers them.

What was your first gig?

    xxxx