Cracked as an August field

Its a Friday evening in the middle of summer, so what could be better than a cold beer and some great live music? I've got the can of beer in the fridge with my name on it, but sadly no live bands in the ice box.

You know that feeling? Well here's the next best thing, a special treat for fans of The Mighty Redox, a clip from last summer, Phil's birthday, when the Redox took to the Klub Kakofanney stage. The line up for this set consisted of Sue on vocals, Phil on guitar and flute, Sandro on bass, and that man Sam again on drums. Sam had been borrowed from the Peerless Pirates for the night because the band's regular drummer, Rick, had suffered a hand injury.

The bonus track on the end of that clip is from last December. It was filmed at our Klub Kakofanney New Year's Eve party, when Rick was back behind the drumkit. Sue was not on hand that night to boss the stage but there was no shortage of volunteers to help out Phil with the vocals. If I've got this right, the chorus line up consisted of Felipe, Chesna, Martin, Jules, Mark, and Cornelia, and of course all of you who were dancing in front of the stage off-camera. You make the difference.

Cracked as August field

Today has been so hot and humid that maybe it is just as well there is no gig this evening. The Wheatsheaf stage gets warm even on a cold night in November but when its a packed house on a night like this, the band members wilt under the lights, and the drummers end up positively squelchy. Still they give it everything. Do you have a song that reminds you of hot weather? When its hot enough to crack the pavement, I always find I myself singing "Mississippi Summer". This is a song by folk music legends June Tabor and The Oyster Band, and is the opening track of their 1990 album, Freedom and Rain. I actually bought that album twice, once on casette, and then again on CD, and if it was possible to wear out a CD I'd have bought it a third time by now. That's how good it is.

I couldn't leave you without a dose of trivia. Folk rock superstar June Tabor grew up in Warwick and was a student in Oxford at St Hughs College. Her first gig was in the mid-60s in The Fox And Vivian in Leamington Spa, and her first TV appearance was on University Challenge when Bamber Gascoigne was in glorious black and white.

What a scorcher, keep hydrated

Anyway, this weekend is set to be a scorcher. If you do go out in the sun, have fun, but please don't skimp on the sunscreen, keep yourself hydrated, and remember your social distancing. Take care everyone, stay safe, and one day we'll get back to clinking glasses again.

7th August 2020
The Lockdown Letters
Klub Kakofanney