The week's fun starts with John's arrival en route from Yorkshire to Vietnam and after catching up as it's been a while over a couple of drinks and something to eat we cycle up to the Windmill. After bumping into and chatting to one of our friends kids, my how he's grown!, we go in to see Pretty Concrete who are on stage. They are an energetic band who rove around genres mainly as I remember thoughtful punk (see Members) through to post punk syncopation (see Raincoats, but maybe that's cos they have a violinist) through to a jerky hard vibe (see Alternative TV). Excellent musicians and great tunes well worth checking out. Next up are Leftover(s) although not sure why they have the bracketed s. They are pretty good south London (having said they probably from Newcastle or somewhere) 2020's indie although maybe not fair to them as we go outside to see Simon and Jules for a while during the set. Out back in the garden we chat to a group who turn out to be most of Pretty Concrete and the violinist is the bass player from Mary in the Junkyard who we saw at Wide Awake and were mightily impressed with. We all have a photo for posterity. Last up are the hotly anticipated Neuro Placid who we've seen a couple of times before here and have been mightily impressed with. Tonight Neuro hasn't got a backing band but tonight he's (with no band I assume Neuro is the front person) got backing tracks and a fellow rapper to keep him on his toes and to be the foil to the energetic smirking smiling sneering jumping about that is Neuro himself. It's a great set with great tunes, great lyrics delivered with vigour and with an entertainment level well worth the entrance price if not seriously undervalued. A great evening all in all and we cycle off home in the mild summer air. Will definitely catch Neuro again.
Thursday sees John leave in the morning and Sarah arrive in the afternoon. Also down from Yorkshire but no en route anywhere but here for the Ashes. After the traditional drinks and food Sarah and I go out into Balham to meet her sort of nephew and his girlfriend and sister who are all very friendly, funny and interesting especially as the girls went to school where my mum grew up and are le Tour fancy dress regulars. Debbie's working overnight. Friday Sarah and I make our picnic and then our way to Lords for the 3rd day of the 2nd Ashes test. We get there with a bit of time and find Roy's plaque on the Father Time wall. It's a frustrating day seeing England's long tail dismissed cheaply and the Australians take a dominant afternoon before we're rained off at 5 pm. It's a fun day though with an enjoyable chat and picnic and afterwards we eat Vietnamese in Balham after a cocktail or two. Will definitely be seeing these two teams soon as we are both going to the Friday at Headingley. More on that in my Yorkshire blog in a week or so.....
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| Lords |
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| Pretty Concrete |
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| The Prettys |
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| Leftover(s) |
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| A Leftover |
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| Me John and Debbie |
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| Us with some of the band and various mates |
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| Neuro Placid |
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| Neuro and friend |
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