Friday 11 June 2010

Almost a day off today. I managed to fit in a trip to the bank, doing some accounts from the tour, and taking my bag to the cobblers to get it re-sewn, but spent the first part of the day in Girvan, the first time I've been there for 20 years and more. It was sad to see the swimming pool boarded up (shut 2009) and the beach pavilion now just an ugly block of brick, and the helter skelter that was there when I was a kid is long gone - but there were some welcome surprises, like a really great gelateria in amongst the boarded-up shops.

Tonight I went along to join the 30 or so people crammed into a sweaty Oxfam record shop on Byres Road to hear Trembling Bells. It was really my kind of gig: 5 minutes' bike ride away, free, and finished by 7.30. They were great too - I left with a copy of the new LP under my arm. 

Alex Neilson is of course a devotee of Shirley Collins, and I'm very excited indeed to be sharing a stage with her and Kate Bott in a couple of weeks' time.

If anyone can get me a copy of this poster, I'd like one ...