Music – Hello Curns

Festival diaries 2026, day three

A hot final day at the festival brought disappointment from Suzanne Vega, unexpected joy from Level 42, and new discoveries away from the main stage

A large crowd faces the Isle of Wight Festival main stage at dusk during The Cure's headline performance. The stage is filled with dramatic white haze and beams of light. The two flanking LED screens display close-ups of a red electric guitar being played, alongside text referencing the band. Trees are visible on the horizon against a pale evening sky. A pink inflatable flamingo can be seen rising above the crowd on the left.

A country band performs on the Last Chance Saloon stage inside a marquee tent at the Isle of Wight Festival. A large wooden sign reading "Last Chance Saloon" with a mounted skull hangs prominently above the stage. The band includes a male vocalist in a black cowboy hat and embroidered western shirt, a female vocalist in a white dress and cowboy hat, a guitarist in a checked shirt, and a further guitarist on the left. The audience in the foreground is densely packed, with many wearing cowboy and wide-brimmed hats. Warm amber stage lights illuminate the scene against an early evening sky visible through the open sides of the tent.

A festival stage bathed in deep purple lighting, with a large LED screen displaying "Rose Gray" in bold white block lettering over a backdrop of a blurred fast-moving road. Stage lights beam outward in vivid purple rays above the screen. A gathering crowd stands in the foreground facing the stage, with guitars on stands visible to the right awaiting the performance.

Level 42 perform on a large outdoor festival stage, with the band's name displayed on the LED backdrop in multicoloured neon-style lettering outlined in rainbow hues. Several band members dressed in black are spread across the stage — a bassist prominent at the front, with horn players, a drummer behind a large kit with gold cymbals, and other musicians visible. Camera operators are positioned at the front and side of the stage. A warm orange light glows from stage left.

A wide shot of the Sky-sponsored Isle of Wight Festival main stage during Suzanne Vega's performance on a sunny afternoon. A central LED screen displays her name in bold red lettering. A side screen shows a close-up of Suzanne performing, wearing a black top hat, black sleeveless top, and gold layered necklaces whilst playing an acoustic guitar. The large crowd in the foreground wear hats and summer clothing, many holding up phones to capture the moment. The festival's colourful branded canopy is visible above the stage.

Fugo Kid performs on a large outdoor festival stage. A guitarist in a pale blue oversized shirt and denim shorts plays a light blue electric guitar on the left, whilst the drummer in a white cap sits behind a black kit at the centre rear. Two spare electric guitars on stands are visible to the right of the stage. The band's name is displayed in loose, hand-drawn pink lettering on the large dark backdrop screen. The crowd below is visible in the foreground.

This morning was almost a carbon copy of yesterday, although our seat on the open-top bus was considerably less breezy, and the choice we had for breakfast, “French toast”, was not as good as yesterday’s fare: no match for hash browns in flavour or portion. Corinne Atkins delivered another country-music morning, including some well-known songs and a Carrie Underwood cover that got me singing along, before we started the main-stage walk.

As with Wet Leg, Fugo Kid is a Platform One alumnus, and he was opening the main stage today. Wonderful to see more local talent on the main stage. I hope his hip-hop-infused music takes him places. There was definitely a group of supportive locals at the front, and it was nice to see a festival like this supporting local talent.

Next up, I’d expected Suzanne Vega to be one of my highlights. I love her music, and she was brilliant at the Royal Albert Hall last year. But, as with Alison Moyet last year, I think she packed her set with the wrong songs, in spite of opening with Marlene on the Wall. And then, in the end, she ended with Luka because she ran out of time for the song the crowd really wanted, Tom’s Diner. There was very obvious disappointment and confusion in the crowd as she left the stage. Obviously, I don’t know how they ended up in that position, but I would have hoped an artist of her stature and experience would have understood how to programme and time a festival set. I assume something that wasn’t obvious had gone wrong. Shame, but we did not let it get us down.

If that was the biggest disappointment of my 2026 festival, next up was, perhaps, the biggest surprise. Level 42 arrived on stage and commenced a forty-five-minute jazz, funk and pop set that was almost without a gap, and precisely to time. The Sun Goes Down (Living It Up) and Lessons in Love were highlights, and once again, they received local support, with the King brothers being originally islanders. I’ll be looking to see when they’re next playing nearby because it was a joyous set. What better way to spend an afternoon dancing, or trying to, in the sunshine?

Next, David Gray opened his set with Babylon, which caught the crowd’s interest from the very start. He surprised us with a Depeche Mode cover, Just Can’t Get Enough, before Sail Away. A solid, chilled set that was well appreciated in the blazing Sunday sun at Seaclose Park, but didn’t allow us to continue our Level 42-inspired grooving. Perhaps we needed to relax a bit as it was turning into a blazing hot afternoon.

By now, we were cooking and sought shade down by the River Stage, where, after a refreshing half-hour sitting down with a cold 7-Up, we watched Fever Dream Kills. Up front, a singer named Stars Walker was all tough vibes during the tunes and a softie when telling us the stories. Apparently, it was only the band’s 10th-ever gig, and the genuine excitement emanating from the stage was a bit infectious. Their cover of Spice Up Your Life is definitely another highlight, but shouldn’t overshadow their own powerful original compositions. Another new band found to follow.

That, to me, is perhaps one of the most important points of the festival. While all the headliners we’ve seen over the years have been good, the magic is in the other acts — some I’ve heard of, some I haven’t. We keep telling ourselves that one year, we will intentionally skip most of the main stage and spend time with all the other talent across the site. Maybe next year?

Next, to the Big Top. At the point we arrived, empty and technically in the shade, the heat was building. We were there for Rose Gray, another new British artist, part house music, part indie vibes. When it started, I was expecting more performance art than pure pop songstress. A story with a clothes rack full of outfits looked like it was about to unfold; there was a costume and shoe change, but then the idea fizzled out. That bit was bizarre. She is developing a following, many of whom were at the front singing along. I think it was a shame there weren’t more people to see it. Club To Your Arms is another track I discovered at my festival, but by the time it finished, I was glad to be out of the heat under the Big Top, where there was no breeze, and into the glare of the late-afternoon sun, where there was some air movement.

We were back at the country music venue for the Charnwood Country Collective, who did a set of country tunes that got a lot of us singing along, and again, a big turnout for the line dancers. We found a table and had dinner from Oink BBQ and allowed ourselves to relax for a while before the pilgrimage back to the main stage for The Cure, who were the last-night headliners.

We found a decent spot where we could see the band, hear the music and have a little bit of space away from the front. There seemed to be fewer people than had been around for Friday’s closing. It seems a number of people had headed out after The Kooks had finished their set. We hung around for about an hour, with Pictures of You being the only song vaguely recognised. The Cure were more my brother’s type of band when we were younger, and he is off to see them in Dublin shortly. It didn’t quite have the energy I wanted at that point in the evening, but I am glad I got to see a bit.

As we headed out, we stopped off at Hipshaker Lounge, where a Guilty Pleasures-style disco was just getting underway, and that was much more of an upbeat way to end our festival. As with every time we’ve been here, the bus back to Ryde is easy to get and runs frequently, even late at night.

I think this was my favourite year at the festival. Early-bird tickets for 2027 go on sale next week, and we’re already considering purchasing them. There’s something about music, familiar or not, even music I wouldn’t normally listen to, that’s captivating live. I wish I could do more of it.

Festival diaries 2026, day two

A breezy second day at Seaclose Park brought Scottish singalongs, polished pop nostalgia, a country detour, and the sensible decision to watch Calvin Harris from Ryde with a sandwich.

KT Tunstall and her band perform on a large outdoor festival stage. KT, wearing a denim jacket and holding an acoustic guitar, stands at a microphone to the right of centre. A guitarist stands to her left, with a drummer in a blue top seated behind a white kit at the centre rear, and a second guitarist on the far right. A vast LED screen behind them displays "KT Tunstall" in bold lettering. The crowd in the foreground holds up phones to capture the moment.

Singer Anastasia performs on an outdoor festival stage, dressed in a black sequinned fringed jacket, black trousers and rose-tinted sunglasses, with layered necklaces and long blonde hair. She holds a microphone in one hand. A keyboard player wearing a black cap stands at a Korg Kronos synthesiser to her right. The backdrop features a graffiti-style brick wall design.

A black-and-white photograph of five men standing in a line on a large festival stage, acknowledging the crowd. Two members raise their arms, one wearing a black sports jersey with the number 90. The audience in the foreground has hands raised, some forming heart shapes. A large LED screen with an abstract scratched pattern forms the backdrop.

A four-piece band performs inside a marquee tent decorated as the Last Chance Saloon, with a rustic wooden sign bearing that name visible on the left. Three guitarists and a female vocalist in an orange-patterned dress and a wide-brimmed hat are spread across the stage, along with a drummer visible at the rear. A sound engineer is visible to the right. String lights and colourful stage lighting illuminate the canvas ceiling above.

We were rested, just about, by the time we were on board the open-top shuttle bus that whisked us to Seaclose Park for day two. The breeze was quite extreme, but I quite liked it. PY less so. My festival hat was tied under my chin to make sure I arrived at the field with it still in my possession. We were much earlier today, and the bus was not even half full. Our original intention had been to see a Frank Sinatra tribute. We ended up stopping off at The Last Chance Saloon, where there were picnic tables in the morning sun, with Andrew Jones performing a mix of his own music and country classics. When coupled with the excellent coffee we found and the hash browns with maple syrup and bacon bits for breakfast, it was the perfect way to start the day: relaxed, comfortable, and with a great soundtrack. I almost didn’t want the walk to the main stage.

But to the main stage we did go, and I am very glad we did. When there was a quick snippet of Wellerman, I immediately knew who we were watching: Nathan Evans and the Saint PHNX Band. The mix of traditional Scottish folk music and modern rock and pop was a fantastic way to start the day, with the crowd jumping along. It seems important that the early main-stage acts start to pull people forward, and this performance did so. And it wouldn’t be the only time throughout the day that No Scotland No Party was sung out by a Scottish performer to a small but loud group of Scots.

In fact, next up was KT Tunstall, who did her own shout with No Scotland No Party just before she introduced a surprise guest, Jack Savoretti, with whom she performed Tempting Fate. I think the crowd was surprised and excited to see a guest. It says a lot about modern news that, within a few minutes of them finishing the song, there was already a headline: “Surprise as special guest joins KT Tunstall on stage at Isle of Wight Festival.” I really enjoyed Look at Me Now, which she wrote, but it didn’t make the cut for The Devil Wears Prada 2. It was a rock-inspired act to keep the crowd bouncing.

Next, an artist who achieved multi-platinum international superstardom in the 2000s and is one of only a few performers who can go by a single name, and everybody knows who they are: Anastacia. On the way to the hits I remember (I was holding out for Left Outside Alone, and I was not disappointed), we got a cover of Guns N’ Roses’ Sweet Child o’ Mine, which was definitely a crowd-pleaser. If I’d heard it before, I’d forgotten 2001’s Paid My Dues, but I just added it to my playlist. It seems an appropriate song for a performer who has survived the music industry for as long as Anastacia has.

We stayed with the main stage, although PY ran off to find me a beer between sets, for boy band Five, or should I write 5ive? Formed in the late 90s, they were down to four in 2001 when Sean left. When he came back after The Big Reunion TV show, J didn’t. In 2014, Abz left, leaving three of them for about ten years. But another TV show, Boybands Forever (reminder to self: watch this), reunited them, and they’re now on a world tour. What’s best about this history is that by now they have worked out that a setlist full of hits works, and it was a highly choreographed fifty minutes of nostalgic 90s pop hits: Slam Dunk (Da Funk), If Ya Gettin’ Down, Keep On Movin’, We Will Rock You, Let’s Dance. It might not be cool, but it was unexpectedly polished, and sometimes pop bangers are what you need.

The nostalgia fest continued when Rick Astley arrived on the main stage. Although he opened with one of his own 80s pop hits, “Together Forever,” he played a less pop-hit-heavy set, which really showed that he has a great voice. He told a story before performing a cover of Roy Orbison’s Oh, Pretty Woman, in which he claims he was asked to sing for the movie Pretty Woman, but he turned it down, thinking nobody would go and see it. Obviously, a lot of us were waiting for Never Gonna Give You Up, which came at the end of the set, but I don’t think anybody was expecting the cover of RAYE’s Where Is My Husband!, which came early on and was superb. I like it when it’s full of surprises. The set was very varied, full of good songs and a smattering of Rick’s personality.

We started walking back to look for some food. But after Rick, the changeover showed the worst of the Isle of Wight Festival, as getting away from the main stage is a crush of crowds shuffling for twenty minutes. By the time we reached the food stalls, the queues were enormous. We had the option to watch Rita Ora from the back of the field or get food. We took the first option for the opening few numbers, but quite quickly headed to a quieter area for a Greek gyro, a sit-down and some decisions to make about what would be next. From the back, Rita, not sure she can go by one name alone, sounded slick and polished.

Calvin Harris was the day’s headliner, but although I imagine it would be a crowd-pleasing set of huge hits, it would predominantly be a DJ set, and I am lacking the stamina to be in a dance music mosh pit. So we decided to head in the opposite direction and returned to The Last Chance Saloon, via Berlingo Flick’s folk set in The Intoxicated Tearooms. In the country venue, Chasing Twisters were performing a set of country hits, which was a perfect way to end the day, although I wasn’t tempted to join the line-dancing rows in front of the stage.

A little earlier than last night, back in Ryde, we allowed ourselves to stop off for a sandwich and catch some of Calvin Harris’ set on the television. All amazing hits and an impressive light show before an enormous crowd. Maybe we were the only ones who headed out. But he was just pressing ‘play’, wasn’t he?

Festival diaries 2026, day one

The first proper day of a festival is always a mixture of excitement and logistics. Will there be a queue?

Singer-songwriter Alessi Rose performs on a large outdoor festival stage, dressed in a short white lace dress with white ankle socks. She stands centre stage holding a microphone, with a vivid backdrop screen displaying psychedelic stained-glass-style artwork featuring abstract figures in purple, teal and red tones. A drum kit bearing the initials "AR" in ornate script is visible behind her, along with a guitarist partially visible on the left.

A long-haired male performer in a white ruffled shirt, black waistcoat and trousers holds a microphone and a red cloth on a purple-lit stage. Behind him, a drummer plays in the background, and a large screen displays the text "Real Dead Ringer – The Meat Loaf Show" alongside gothic artwork featuring a dramatic red sky and a snarling wolf.

While Thursday night might officially be the festival kick-off for those on the campsites, for us, Friday afternoon is the starting point. This year, it seemed a little later than previously, and we had a goal of catching 90s Northern Irish rockers, Ash, on the main stage just after 4 p.m.

We’ve always been very lucky with the shuttle bus to the festival site, rarely having to wait long in either direction. This afternoon, just after 3 p.m., the queue was snaking across the bus station, and we definitely wouldn’t make the first bus, so we got two of the handful of remaining seats on the next one. With the sunshine, I was glad I had a hat. There was a queue of traffic on the climb out of Wootton Bridge, which I feared would mean a crawl to the festival entrance, but we pretty much reached the speed you’d expect for a slightly old, borrowed-from-the-mainland bus full of festival-goers and a surprising amount of luggage.

Once again, I was impressed by the organisation on the way in: a quick bag search, a wristband connected, and the twenty-minute walk from the entrance to the main stage began. As always, the flags were fluttering, welcoming us. Almost immediately, we noticed a new venue, The Last Chance Saloon, opposite the Electro Love tent. Country and folk music are definitely growing in popularity.

First stop: a tap to top up empty water bottles; second stop: a photo with the festival sign; third stop: the bar for a pint, making sure we used the PayPal debit card to secure the 20% off food and drink. Over the weekend, I imagine the savings will add up. There was a big turnout for Ash. I didn’t think I was familiar with their work, but, surprisingly, I discovered Shining Light and Girl From Mars, which burst that theory. Also, a cover of Jump in the Line seems to be one of their live performance standards and was perfect for getting the crowd singing along. It’s a strange cover and seemed a little out of context initially, but by the end, I was singing along with everybody else.

We stayed around for Alessi Rose, a Derby-born English pop songstress who seems to be on the up-and-coming list. It was a great pop set, and I thought she balanced the idea that a lot of the crowd wouldn’t know who she was very well. She’s got a lot of youthful energy and managed to build a connection with the crowd. First Original Thought is already on my playlist.

The trek back to Electro Love is long, but sometimes necessary. A couple of years ago, we caught ‘Real Dead Ringer’, a Meat Loaf tribute act, and they were fantastic, so we were determined not to miss them this year. It was a very energetic performance, which must have been hard work in the tent. Another set of all the biggest hits, including Dead Ringer, Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad, Dead Ringer for Love, and I’d Do Anything for Love, was over too quickly, although it was nice to escape the heat of the tent and wander back to the main stage.

Before the walk, a pit stop for dinner from a Mexican food truck. The caramelised aubergine burrito I had was flavour-packed and delicious. I am just glad I picked up a fork, because it would have been impossible to eat otherwise. My festival seat, really a mushroom-shaped stool, has been a real bonus, allowing me to rest and keep my feet from hurting too much. And I don’t need to try to sit on the floor.

Wet Leg were already on stage by the time we’d walked back. They are considered a local band, as some band members have lived on the island and are products of the local Platform One College of Music. I knew none of the songs until Chaise Longue was performed. We managed to get a decent position about halfway back in the standing area, but they used a lot of stage smoke, so I ended up watching the screens just to see the band. Obviously, there was a lot of support from the crowd, which created a great atmosphere.

As that was finishing, we made an exit to the ‘This Feeling’ tent to see Finn Forster, another up-and-coming British performer. The set was really good. He’s a confident performer, and it was well worth the little detour to a stage we don’t often visit.

Then it was the Friday headliner and BRIT Award winner, Lewis Capaldi. There was quite a crowd, and we watched from quite a way back in a little bit of space we’d carved out near the bar. The crowd was definitely up for a show, and by his own admission, there were a lot of ballads, but nobody was bothered. After about half an hour, though, we decided that it would look even better on Sky Arts later and opted for the bus.

Beverley Knight: Storytelling Soul

Beverley Knight was Born To Perform

Beverley Knight performing on stage at a concert in Blackpool as part of her Born To Perform Tour. She stands centre stage wearing a black leather outfit with fishnet tights and heeled boots, holding a microphone. Behind her, a full band is visible, including keyboard, guitar, and drum players, beneath dramatic red stage lighting and a swagged curtain backdrop. — Beverley Knight owns the stage on her Born To Perform Tour.

I must have said it somewhere before: when I go to a gig, I like to hear the stories behind the songs or the recordings. It doesn’t matter if the setlist is simply a sequence of songs the artists thought would sound great, or if it’s a list where the songs become a story. Beverley Knight’s show at Blackpool Opera House tonight was very much the latter. I loved the energy of the evening, and judging by the audience, who were on their feet by the end, we weren’t alone.

The evening kicked off early. Around 5pm, we arrived at the Blackpool Opera House and were given a lanyard and a goodie bag. About thirty minutes later, a small group of us got to go into the theatre for the ‘soundcheck’—an extra experience you can add to your ticket. There were probably about forty of us. It wasn’t the actual soundcheck, but Beverley performed a couple of songs and answered questions from fans. People asked things like who she’d like to collaborate with, and someone even said hello who went to her school in Wolverhampton. It was great to hear some stripped-back songs and have a chat before we left for a drink and then came back for the main show.

The first half of the show was all about her journey in soul music. She opened with “Were You There” as a tribute to Sam Cooke, who has been a huge inspiration for her. That gave the start a real gospel vibe before she moved into her own story; singing in church, showing early talent in British soul, and going through the highs and lows of a long career. It was a great way to set the mood for the rest of the night.

Songs like “Flavour of the Old School,” “Made It Back,” and “Shoulda Woulda Coulda” tell the story of her early days. But BK’s career hasn’t always been a smooth ride. Some of her early records received a lot of praise from critics but didn’t get as much attention as they deserved. Later on, around the time of Affirmation, she found more success, but it also meant facing new pressures and making some compromises to reach a larger audience.

Every song shared a piece of her story, but the most personal moment came later in the first set. “No One Ever Loves in Vain” was especially moving. Knight sang it as a tribute to her friend Tyrone Jamison, who died from AIDS. That would be touching on any night, but on Saturday, 6 June, with Blackpool Pride happening nearby, it felt even more powerful. The song about memory, friendship, grief, and defiance really connected with the audience, who showed their support with cheers from all around the hall.

Of course, she performed some Prince covers. “Raspberry Beret” and “I Feel for You” made it clear how much Prince has influenced her and showed how she fits into the bigger soul and pop world. One of the highlights was hearing her talk about the songs, especially her memories of meeting and playing with Prince at his famous post-concert shows at Indigo O2.

It’s not common for a gig, but after the support act (the fantastic Gabriella Cilmi), the Born To Perform tour had two sets with a break in between. The second half focused on her theatre career, starting with “Memory” from Cats, which was a powerful way to kick things off. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a version so amazing and strong. After that, she performed songs from the shows that have shaped this part of her career: The Bodyguard with “Queen of the Night,” Sister Act with “Take Me to Heaven,” The Drifters Girl with “Harlem Child,” Memphis with “Love Will Stand,” and Sylvia with “March, Women, March.” It really showed how her voice has moved from soul music into musical theatre without losing any of its power. If the first half was about Beverley Knight, the soul artist, the second half was about Beverley Knight, the storyteller.

When she got to “I Am What I Am” and the final “fire” medley, the whole room felt like a party. The ending was full of energy and generosity, and the encore brought the night to a close with everyone back on their feet. “Soul Survivor” feels like the show’s message: a story of persistence, talent, and survival. After that, Gabriella Cilmi came back on stage to sing “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright” with Knight.

It was the perfect way to end the night. After a show that took us through gospel, British soul, loss, pride, theatre, and celebration, everyone left feeling warm and hopeful. This journey through BK’s career was more than just a greatest-hits show; it told her life story through songs and stories, with a voice that can fill a room with joy. Netflix should make this into a music documentary; it’s such an uplifting story.

Beveley Knight, Born To Perform Tour tickets are still on sale for dates across the UK.

Festival Diaries 2025: Day Three

A lively festival day featuring Björn Again, Ella Eyre’s surprise exit, Midge Ure’s powerful set, and more memorable performances.

Bjorn Again performs on stage at the 2025 Isle of Wight Festival, with two female performers in white outfits singing into microphones. The stage backdrop features colourful retro-style graphics and the Isle of Wight Festival branding with Sky sponsorship visible. In the foreground, audience members can be seen with their hands raised and mobile phones recording the performance. A photographer is positioned in the pit area capturing the show, whilst stage rigging and lighting equipment frame the scene. The vibrant stage design creates an energetic atmosphere typical of the ABBA tribute act's performances. — Bjorn Again

Texas performs on the main stage at the 2025 Isle of Wight Festival, with a large crowd of festival-goers gathered in front of the stage. The stage features the band's name "TEXAS" displayed prominently in white letters on a red background, with the Isle of Wight Festival branding and Sky sponsorship visible on the curved stage canopy above. Large video screens on either side of the stage show close-up footage of the performance, whilst professional lighting rigs illuminate the scene. The diverse audience, wearing a mix of summer clothing and festival attire, fills the field in front of the main stage under an overcast sky — Bjorn Again

Didn’t sleep well. The flat downstairs had music going in the early hours. Still, we were up reasonably early and on the bus back to the festival, where we managed to get our hands on a bacon roll and a coffee before things got going. The queue was moving, but the bacon wasn’t cooking quickly enough for demand. It’s my view that there are remarkably few bacon roll vendors for a festival.

First up on the Main Stage was Björn Again, doing a 40-minute ABBA tribute set: a total crowd-pleaser – big energy, lots of singalongs, and the kind of opening that sets the tone nicely for a Sunday. Then came Ella Eyre. I didn’t know her music beforehand, but the set was packed with great pop tunes. She kept saying the crowd would need to help her out, which, at first, I thought was just the usual festival banter – but part-way through, she ran off stage, leaving 15 minutes of her slot unplayed. She later posted an emotional apology on social media. I thought her vocals sounded great while she was on, so it came as a bit of a surprise to hear that her voice had gone.

Alison Moyet followed, opening with Nobody’s Diary – written when she was still a teenager with Yazoo. The rest of the set was a mix of lesser-known tracks, at least to me, but her voice was powerful throughout. Sadly, I think she lost the crowd a little bit with the less well-known tunes.

Like lots of people, we rushed across to The Big Top for Midge Ure. Scheduling him so close to Alison Moyet – but on a different stage – didn’t make a lot of sense. By the time we arrived, it was full, so we stood outside and watched the screen. Worth it, though. A brilliant set. Vienna was in there, obviously, but also Fade to Grey (which he co-wrote for Visage), which was a real highlight.

When we made it back to the Main Stage, Olly Murs was already well into his set, dedicating Dear Darlin’ to Caroline Flack. From our position at the back, the screens were essentially dots, but the energy still carried.

We stayed in the same spot for Texas, but the wind had picked up and the sound wasn’t really carrying. We were in a patch of crowd mostly made up of large seated groups, treating it more like a garden party with background music. That, and the wind, meant we couldn’t hear much of Sharleen Spiteri’s chat between songs – a shame, as I usually enjoy on-stage banter from the artists.

We looked at the rest of the line-up and decided nothing else was enough to keep us from the return trip, so we hopped on the bus back, picked up fish and chips, and watched Jess Glynne’s set on the telly. Much better sound, full picture, and no one setting up a picnic in front of us. Just a shame Sky Arts aren’t showing Justin Timberlake’s headline set – but still, can’t really complain.

Another festival all wrapped up.

Festival Diaries 2025: Day Two

Packed stages, and standout sets from Busted, Paul Heaton, and The Queenbees defined Day Two.

Mae Muller performs on stage at the 2025 Isle of Wight Festival, singing into a microphone while wearing a dark crop top and light-coloured shorts. Behind her, a guitarist in a grey shirt plays a mint green electric guitar. The stage backdrop features large silver lettering spelling "MAEMU" (part of the artist's name), and stage rigging and equipment are visible on the left side of the frame. The performance captures a dynamic moment during the live set at the festival.

The Queenbees perform on stage at the 2025 Isle of Wight Festival, featuring four female performers in matching black and yellow outfits. The stage backdrop displays a vibrant, psychedelic carnival-style design with swirling patterns, stars, and colourful artwork. The performers are positioned across the stage with microphones, backed by a full drum kit and Marshall amplifiers.

Paul Heaton performs on stage at the 2025 Isle of Wight Festival with his band. The stage backdrop features a bold red design with "WELCOME TO HEATONGRAD" displayed in large yellow letters, alongside a portrait of a man wearing glasses in a halftone print style. The full band setup includes drums, guitars, and brass instruments, with multiple musicians positioned across the stage.

Day Two started off with a bit of a curveball, finding ourselves at the Sky Lounge just as an unexpected light rain shower decided to make an appearance. We had a seat but no shelter. I had a beer, and PY did not have the cocktail he wanted from the bar menu.

Once it cleared, we made our way to the Main Stage for Mae Muller. This was her first festival in two years – she seemed very excited by that. She dedicated her new single to all the “overthinkers” in the audience, and of course, she wrapped up with her Eurovision hit.

Next up, we headed towards the River Stage, ready to catch The Deckchairs. There had been so many social media whispers about a special guest, and it turned out to be the man who organises the whole festival – a nice surprise, though maybe not as explosive as some of the rumours suggested!

From there, it was off to The Big Top to see Matilda Mann: genuinely good. After that, we tried our luck at the This Feeling tent for Masi Masi, but it was just a bit too indie-rock loud for PY. We attempted to navigate the crowds towards Razorlight, but it was absolutely packed, so we ended up finding a tree to shelter under for a bit, this time avoiding the sun.

Back to The Big Top for Arthur Hill, who I’d never heard of, but he sounded good. He already has a massive following. I think he’s big on TikTok, because he managed to fill that tent. We ducked out just before the end to grab a front-row spot for The Queenbees back at the River Stage. They were brilliant, doing new interpretations of classic covers with some really tight harmonies.

Then it was the familiar weaving through the masses to catch Busted on the Main Stage – a fun blast from the past with all their hits. As that crowd started to thin out, we pushed forward for Paul Heaton ft. Rianne Downey, who put on an excellent set, all classics. Paul even joked about “Welcome to Heatongrad”, probably not making the Sky Arts coverage, which got a laugh.

The crush walking away from the Main Stage after that was just horrendous. I still don’t understand why security doesn’t do more to stop people from just sitting down in the middle of the pathways – it makes it impossible to move.

We eventually decided we needed a break and grabbed some Greek food from one of the vans. By the time we’d finished eating, fatigue had set in, and the allure of our bus home was stronger than the walk back to the Main Stage. Same routine as yesterday: Sainsbury’s for tomorrow’s lunch supplies, and then straight back to the flat.

I’ve never been happier to take my shoes off.

Festival Diaries 2025: Day One

First day at Isle of Wight Festival: sunshine, standout sets, sock wrestling, paella, and a late-night tea wind-down.

A large Ferris wheel silhouetted against a golden sunset sky at the 2025 Isle of Wight Festival. The wheel's passenger gondolas are clearly visible around its circumference, with the sun positioned dramatically behind and to the right of the structure. Festival-goers can be seen gathered at the base of the ride, whilst trees and other festival infrastructure create a dark silhouette against the warm, orange-tinted evening sky. The atmospheric lighting captures the classic festival atmosphere during the golden hour.

A large crowd of festival-goers watches Amy McDonald perform on the main stage at the 2025 Isle of Wight Festival. The stage features vibrant pink and blue lighting effects with "ISLE OF WIGHT FESTIVAL" prominently displayed across the top, along with Sky branding. The performer can be seen on stage with an acoustic guitar, backed by colourful visual displays. The audience, wearing a mix of caps, hats, and summer clothing, fills the foreground of the image, creating the typical atmosphere of a major music festival performance.

A performer in a red sequined outfit and sunglasses plays a keytar on stage at the 2025 Isle of Wight Festival. A red triangular banner reading "SOPHIE GREY - LIVE IN UNITED KINGDOM" is visible in the background, along with stage lighting, Marshall amplifiers, and drum kit. The artist is captured mid-performance in what appears to be an energetic live music moment at the festival.

Another year, another Isle of Wight Festival! Today—well, the early afternoon—kicked off with a familiar pilgrimage: a quick pit stop at Sainsbury’s for the obligatory meal deal (mainly for the chilled water, as it was already feeling quite warm outside). Then it was onto the shuttle heading towards Seaclose Park. All sorts of different people, costumes, and an inflatable jungle scene. That was the mood express to the Festival Bus Station.

As with last year, entry was a breeze; they’ve really got it cracked (at least, if you come by bus). Wristband secured, signifying the ability to roam all weekend, we got searched for alcohol, and then the trek began. The long walk towards the main stages, with the flags fluttering in the breeze, feels familiar and, therefore, welcoming. We took the walk and pretty much decided to stick to the Main Stage end of the park today.

First order of the day was a beer. Though the ‘snake queue’ system at the bar felt a bit much for that time of day, there was but a handful of us. While I was waiting, the barman spotted some blood on my thumb. No idea where I’d cut myself, but he was brilliant and went off to grab an antiseptic wipe and a plaster; not sure if some health and safety protocol was broken, but he was great. It throbbed a bit for half an hour—nothing too serious, thankfully.

It turns out that the real gem of the day was the first act we saw: The Lottery Winners—funny and energetic. They knew how to connect with the crowd, managing to be both emotional and utterly engaging. After their brilliance, we decided to wander and got caught in a few unexpected minutes of light rain. We ducked under cover for a short time before we ended up watching a round of ‘sock wrestling’ on one of the alternative stages. Do they have that at Glastonbury?

Then, a more sedate beer by the river before we caught Sophie Grey on the River Stage. She had this fantastic 80s electro sound that felt current. I thought, “She’d be brilliant at a party!”—really good fun, but maybe not the response she’d have been looking for.

Next, it was Amy Macdonald on the main stage. I thought I’d know more of her songs, but still, she put on a solid performance. Her earpieces were a nice touch, featuring the Scottish flag. Apparently, it’s been 18 years since she last graced the IOW stage, which she declared a “once in a generation” event! We opted to stay a bit further back from the main stage, standing in the sun, until The Corrs came on. They certainly got the crowd moving, and while their set was upbeat, it didn’t quite grab me until their very last piece of Irish music. General consensus over the weekend, however, was that they were brilliant. So, what do I know?

Dinner was calling, so we braved the growing crowd, weaving our way through the packed seating area to The Octopus’s Garden. Paella time! Chicken and chorizo for me, seafood for PY. It was exactly as you’d imagine from a big pan on a festival site.

Finally, Sting took to the stage. We were quite a way back by this point, and my feet were past fighting for a better view. He played a lot of his old hits, which was nice, but it wasn’t exactly a set of ‘party bangers’ to get everyone dancing wildly. So, we made the executive decision to head for the bus. My preferred walking pace was definitely slower than the one we ended up adopting! A quick wait and then the ride back to Ryde. A necessary stop back at Sainsbury’s on Union Street for tomorrow’s lunch supplies.

Now, it’s the best part: back at the flat, sprawled on the sofa with a cup of tea, watching Faithless close out day one of the festival on the telly. Much more comfortable than still being out there.

Let’s see what tomorrow brings!

Mine is the last voice you will ever hear

Childhood fears and “Two Tribes” song defined a memorable summer

Cover of Frankie Goes to Hollywood's twelve-inch version of Two Tribes — Two Tribes 12″

When I was a child, and once I understood what an atomic bomb was, the nuclear attack public information films were some of the scariest things I saw. Fortunately, we didn’t have any way to see them often unless they were shown on television, and I don’t think anybody scheduled them in children’s programming.

Add the ‘Don’t Die of Ignorance’ films from the middle of the 80s, and you have the perfect recipe for a frightening decade. I was only just a teenager. They were scary to watch in the moment, and then I played Wham! and forgot about taking a door off its hinges and hiding under it with the curtains closed.

I’m nearing completion of Trevor Horn’s book, Adventures in Modern Recording, an insight into the life of a music producer who created some of the biggest hits of the 1980s. In particular, I just finished the chapter on Frankie Goes to Hollywood: Relax and Two Tribes. In the book, Trevor discusses the Annihilation twelve-inch mix of Two Tribes. I looked it up and played it on the train on the way home yesterday, and it brought back many memories.

Back in the early summer of 1984, my family was preparing to move from Lancashire to Shropshire. Those were my last weeks at school with a group of friends, some of whom I wouldn’t hear from again until Friends Reunited connected us twenty years later. Two Tribes was the UK’s number-one single for what seemed like most of the summer.

I am trying to remember who in my friendship group had a radio cassette player, but I can’t recall it now. The machine they brought into school may have been called a ‘boom box’ at the time, or that name might have come later. My memory tells me it was a big machine. It was the kind you’d imagine New Yorkers had on their shoulders while they strutted around The Bronx or wherever. We didn’t strut, we were 13. Somebody had a cassette version that featured both the single mix and, what I think was, the Annihilation Mix of Frankie’s Two Tribes. It was being played—on the radio and by others with their cassette machines—everywhere, especially on the school grounds at Standish High School.

A group of us sat in the sunshine on the grassy bank behind one of the school buildings, listening to Two Tribes repeatedly. We might have taken our lunches out there. As I write, I can’t recall lunch at that school for some reason, but I remember sitting on the grass with music blaring quite clearly. We played Two Tribes loud so the air raid siren was audible across the school grounds. We liked the song, but we also thought playing it again and again was rebellious. Of course, nobody would believe it was an actual air-raid warning, would they?

When you hear the air attack warning
You and your family must take cover

Looking back, what’s most surprising is that nobody ever asked us to turn it down or off. They let us do it every break time for days. We even did it when most of the school had bunked off to the Radio One roadshow. It was my last week at the school. I thought I should be there to say goodbye. Looking back, I wonder why I didn’t go and watch Simon Bates & Janice Long. Who would have noticed I was absent? I wasn’t coming back next term.

At the time, I was also presenting a top 30 music show on the local hospital radio station. It’s only now that I wonder what patients must have thought about a child playing a song—albeit an anti-war song—with an air-raid siren as its introduction. Many patients would have lived through the real thing. What was I doing reminding them of the horrors of war while they were in a hospital bed? I thought it was a good song and played it more than I should have.

But when I played it yesterday, I kept my headphones on and didn’t subject the other passengers to that sound.

Weeknotes #63: A musical weekend

Airport time change, events, food quest, rail chaos, family celebration, musical, Bananarama.

Week commencing Monday, 1 April 2024

Bananarama on stage at The Palladium — Bananarama at The Palladium

Quantified Self

This week: Stand 6/7; Exercise 3/7 and Move 3/7. (57%). Total steps: 64,405

Life

Last week’s notes were written in a departure lounge. This week’s in my lounge. Mine does not operate a one-out, one-in policy.
Never arrive at an airport at the precise moment the clocks go forward. The loss of an hour on the way home was unnerving.
I was a day out of sequence. Last Sunday was Esther’s birthday lunch and a Beatles night at The Crazy Coqs.
The quest for a ‘hot cross Bunettone’ (Panettone meets a hot cross bun in a spiced Italian cake) took us to Wimbledon. We are still looking for one.
There was nothing but rail chaos on Tuesday at Euston. We ended up taking the longer route from Marylebone, but it wasn’t much fun arriving over two hours late. The return train on Thursday was swift and efficient.
Mum and Dad’s Diamond Wedding lunch was great, and I made a short speech that got laughs in the right places. I’m glad I prepared something; nobody was expecting it. The card from the King and Queen had pride of place. I’m so happy that it worked out.
Related, I didn’t need the loaded fries in the bar in the evening. They were delicious.
Back at work on Friday. I don’t think people realised I’d be back before Monday. It gave me some time to go through everything that happened while we were away. The project I’m working on deployed our software, and everything ran smoothly.
Frank has a collection of dresses from divas across the years—think Judy, Dusty, Julie, and Agnetha (with a dash of Ethel Merman and Karen Carpenter thrown in)—which he is forced to give to a museum so that he can marry Alan. That’s the plot of Frank’s Closet, a musical we saw on Friday night. It was fun.
Saturday at The Palladium: Bananarama. The show ran continually for the allotted time, so Karen and Sarah did not chat. That’s sad, as they can be funny, and some stories from their 40 years in the business would have been interesting.
Related, there’s never enough time for all the hits, but the show was built around their greatest hits album, and I am not sure why they skipped some big numbers to play covers that are not part of their catalogue: Atomic, Lost in Music, and You Spin Me Round.
For the second week running, we went to The Crazy Coqs presents. Tonight, the songs of Disney and Pixar were performed. Eleanor Hudson also performed a medley of the big tunes from Frozen dressed as Elsa. I don’t think I have seen a costume at one of these nights previously.

Media

All of Us Strangers: It takes some time to work out the timeline of the characters and that they are being presented at different points along that line. And I am still trying to figure out what to make of the ending. I’ve been thinking about it since Thursday.
Radio Geek Out with three episodes of Crunch and roll: Dirk Anthony, Dave Kelly and Ben Jones. All wonderful but Ben’s story about leaving Absolute Radio and the subsequent dark times is really interesting to hear. People on the radio are not always upbeat.

57 days until you know what

When the clocks go back it means another – and much more fun – annual tradition: Christmas songs.

The clocks have gone back. The mornings are now a little lighter and the commute home is a little darker. I wrote all about this last year in It’s Not (All) About The Farmers.

The days are getting shorter which means Christmas is getting closer. We’re already starting to see festive articles being published; if you are looking for the 10 of the best Christmas cards or 10 Best Women’s Christmas Jumpers then there’s already an article for you.

But I’m not reading about those. When the clocks go back it means another – and much more fun – annual tradition: Christmas songs. As I said last year, “If you love Christmas songs and have never read the Fizzy Pop festive blog then you should go and do it right now”. And, as last year, if you’re on Apple Music I am going to try and keep updating the Apple Playlist of the musical selections made.

Every day is like survival

The post marking 20 years is a lovely example of blogging 15 years ago. Short and to the point, with nothing superfluous. Let’s examine it:

I’m riding a wave of nostalgia at the moment, aren’t I? My last piece was about something written sixteen years ago. Today, I sail in a much more modern boat and I’m looking back at a newer post from just fifteen years ago. The only trouble is, that post itself referenced an event 20 years earlier. Wow, it was 35 years ago, Culture Club was number one with Karma Chameleon.

I’m sure lots of people write about that feeling of time speeding up. You know, the whole “it only feels like yesterday” view. It’s true, but if you weren’t there then you won’t care. Trust me kids, it may seem important to you now, but nobody born this morning will much care about the British rappers Dave ft. Fredo’s Funky Friday except as a footnote telling them it was number one the day they were born. What do you mean, you don’t care either. Kids of today, huh.

But I digress. The post marking 20 years is a lovely example of blogging 15 years ago. Short and to the point, with nothing superfluous. Let’s examine it:

It’s twenty years since Culture Club’s Karma Chameleon was the UK’s number one selling single (full list).

We’ve already hit a problem. The ‘full list’ link I originally used is no longer accessible. Thankfully, it’s on the wayback machine so I’ve updated it in the original. The list in the version I linked to stops in 2003 when Blu Cantrell feat. Sean Paul reigned with ‘Breathe’. The current version of this page from the Official Charts site is surrounded by a monstrous noise of cookie alerts and advertising. But, it is up to date with the aforementioned Funky Friday as the latest UK chart topper.

I really remember the video set in Mississippi (but I don’t imagine it was actually filmed there).

Back in 2003 could I have looked up that the video was filmed at Desborough Island in Weybridge? Wikipedia tells me that – so maybe I could have done. Anyway, it’s not that far away from where I live. One day I should plan a visit but I promise not to reenact the video for you. I can’t believe anybody fell for it being Mississippi. However, it was the 80s and music videos were all new. And I was 13 and would have believed anything.

I suspect it would be very dated now …

Well, in the intervening years, a little thing called YouTube arrived which means I can now watch the original video and confirm it’s datedness or not. And I can embed it in the post itself for you to make up your mind. The pace of change, huh? You get to see how much like a cloudy day in England it appears to be. That’s the British weather for you.

all together now, “Every day is like survival, You’re my lover, not my rival …”

Back when Karma Chameleon was top of the charts, did anybody know the ‘You’re my lover’ was a reference to Jon Moss? I know a 13 year old that certainly didn’t. I wonder if I would have reacted differently had I known?

It’s Not (All) About The Farmers

The clocks changed. Here comes festive fun.

The clocks went back last night. Thanks to the marvels of jet lag I missed it and saw no benefit to the extra hour in bed. I’ll spend the rest of the week trying to determine which devices don’t automatically reset themselves and I’ll find my kitchen clock out by an hour until next weekend. Then, when I realise, I’ll struggle to synchronise the clocks on the top and bottom ovens. Admittedly, nothing compared to the 379 clocks that need to be adjusted at Windsor Castle. I wonder who adjusts HM’s bedside alarm clock? Truly, first world problems.

Timezones are fascinating. I’ve spent my life trying to remember if it’s during the ‘spring forward’ phase or the ‘fall back’ time that we don’t adjust the clocks at the same time as my colleagues across the Atlantic. I never remember. But, I think it’s now. I do know that all of our meetings are messed up for a week now and nobody is in the right place at the right time.

I feel that, for as long as I can remember, it’s been assumed that we in Britain change the time because of farmers or school children. Lighter mornings mean fewer accidents, or something like that. It always sounded plausible but I am not sure I was convinced. Today, the Telegraph notes that, back in the early 1900s, William Willett “wanted to stop Brits from wasting valuable daylight hours” by staying in bed in the summer months and introduced the concepts of daylight savings time. So, really, it’s all about combatting laziness (or, to put it another way, our health and well-being). What I never knew was that the concept of British Double Summer Time, helpfully, BDST, was introduced to help save fuel during the post 1940 war years. by making Britain work on a 2-hour offset against GMT. It seems we are always tinkering with time.

Do You Hear What I Hear?

With the nights drawing in and the world donning a Halloween mask, my thoughts turn to Christmas. Although I have not seen that many Christmas treats in the supermarkets yet, I did spend some of yesterday in the local B&Q DIY superstore looking at Christmas lights. As the Most Wonderful Time of Year is rapidly approaching, it’s time for me to start hunting out the Yuletide musical delights uncovered at My Festive Fizzy Pop. It’s a bit of a guilty pleasure. With just 57 days until Christmas, it’s time to start building this year’s playlist of new Christmas music and My Festive Fizzy Pop is the perfect place to start. If you love Christmas songs and have never read the Fizzy Pop festive blog then you should go and do it right now.

I am unashamedly a fan of Christmas tunes. I do, however, limit my consumption to only the newly released songs in November. Come 1st December, however, the Christmas back catalogue will be playing for the majority of my listening hours. Look at my Last.FM stats for 2015 and 2016 and you’ll see the December spikes. Most of these tracks are songs from the my ever-growing festive archive. The most limited version of the archive (which contains the material I will actually listen to) is running at almost 48 hours of total listening time. Better start now.

The year I am sharing the 2017 new Christmas music collection (which is, mainly, new versions of the old songs) via Apple Music. I think you find it here: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/playlist/my-festive-fizzy-pop-2017/idpl.u-d89AZtMG155g

And let me be the first to wish you a very Merry …. (maybe not).

#SOLS

Sermon of the last Sunday is my weak attempt to make sure I a am not thawing the hosting fees for this site away by ensuring there is some new content every month (yes, I’ve turned all modern media and refer to this a content). The #SOLS tag helpful links to the others (although I must remember to go and tag the missing one).

Anything You Can Do

The latest advertisement from Mercedes is one best-timed and well-pitched pieces of advertising I have seen for a long time.

I haven’t written much here for a while. I don’t really know why but I haven’t gone away – perhaps I am just spending all my time moving my Windows Media library across to iTunes. Yes, I gave up and switched to an iPod Nano. And, after all those trials and tribulations with other music players, I am very happy. I even bought the Nike+ kit so that I can track how far I have run at the gym. Seriously, I’ve tried many of the music players and they just don’t have the ease of use and integration that the iTunes has. It’s the seamless interaction that makes it all work so well.

Still, that’s not why I picked up the keyboard today. Earlier I watched the European Formula One Grand Prix; and boy what a race that was. But I don’t really want to talk about the race itself (I am sure you can read all about it here) but I did want to talk about one of the best pieces of advertising that I have seen a long while.

Even if you are not a petrolhead follower of Formula One – and especially if you are British – you can’t have failed to have read some piece about the Championship scrap between Lewis Hamilton and his McLaren team-mate Fernando Alonso.

The latest advertisement from Mercedes (which is of course the team they both drive for) plays on this rivalry beautifully. Anything you can do, I can do better:

I just think the whole thing is really well pitched and they seem to have had some fun making it.

But What Was The Year?

No matter how many times my media player tells me JoBoxers (and their classic, Boxerbeat) is from the 2005 compilation (Teenage Kicks) I know it’s a true pop treasure from 1983 (top ten in February no less).

Oh! how I despair at all those compilation CDs that are gracing my CD collection. Over the years I have collected a fair few. I think it’s something to do with being a pop fan. True pop is a three and a half minute tune mimed to some falling glitter snow surrounded by Pans People and introduced by The Hairy Cornflake. To that end, the long player was never really on my turntables as a child. Thus, my musical memories are really quite happily contained across a collection of compilations. This is all well and good until you come to rip them all so that you can add your youth to your mp3 player. For, lo, compilation cds neither sit well on mp3 machines nor do they rip well. The artist may be in the title box while the artist is just listed as ‘various’. I can live with that (I lie, I can correct that) but I can’t stand that the dates are incorrect. No matter how many times my media player tells me JoBoxers (and their classic, Boxerbeat) is from the 2005 compilation (Teenage Kicks) I know it’s a true pop treasure from 1983 (top ten in February no less). Thus, I must spend my evenings correcting each cd as it gets ripped. My life will be over before this project is complete. My sanity will be gone sooner. But my mp3 player will know hits of 1978 are very different from those of 2002.

Get JoBokers, Essential Boxerbeat, featuring the single Boxerbeat, on mp3 at Amazon. You can live those teenage years again, scratch-free. It’s one of the hits of 1983!

Memories Of The Walkman

I was a avid singles collector at the time and the little Walkman unit wasn’t ever going to play vinyl 45s. So, at this point in my life I became a compilation tape wizard.

When I was younger my Sony Walkman was one of my favourite things. Today, you would probably think of it as a first generation device but I think this was 1982 and it was a WM-4 (or the like). There’s a picture of it on this page. My brother and I were at an age where we wanted to listen to our own music all the time so I suspect my parents thought it would be a good idea to get us one each so we could listen to our music in the car while they had Radio 2 on. And it stopped the arguments.

I was a avid singles collector at the time and the little Walkman unit wasn’t ever going to play vinyl 45s. So, at this point in my life I became a compilation tape wizard. I would spend hours putting tapes of my records together to listen to in the car. There would be the odd album track from one of my parent’s records but most of the tracks were from those singles of mine.

I would spend hours listening, rewinding, forwarding and listening again to my soundtrack to the 80s. If it had been number one in the charts during that period then it would have been on those tapes.

And so to – what I thought was going to be – the point of this little wander down memory lane. During that time in the early 80s I used to carry a small stock of batteries around. If the Walkman stopped working I just replaced the battery (although I did learn over the years not to use the rewind functions a great deal as they drastically reduced battery life). My cheesy 80s pop was always with me.

Fast forward to 2005. This afternoon I was heading to the gym and thought I’d take my new century Walkman-equivalent with me only to find the battery was drained. Except this time I can’t just swap out the batteries – I have to charge it. So I wasn’t able to walk with my music.

And they call it progress.

On a side note, my parent’s loft probably still houses the Walkman – the cassette part gave up years ago but the radio still works and the stereo sound from it is still one of the best I’ve ever heard. Those 80s hits singles are all stored in boxes in the same loft space but the compilation tapes have long since gone. It would be amusing to try and recreate one of them through the wonders of digital music but I shan’t be setting myself that kind of goal.

Spooky side note. When I wrote the words above I had no idea that the entries on this day in 2004 and 2003 were both – in some way – music related. I wonder was it is about today?