Stuff that has been done recently :-
Jethro Tull at the Hexagon (Wednesday)
They may be gloriously uncool and far too old to rock and roll, but that has never stopped me in the past. Also, going to see a group with your parents and going first to the coffee bar instead of a proper bar is also rather uncool, although far preferable to going with your son/daughter to the latest boy band (S-Club Blue 5ive). But Jethro Tull were never “cool” and thank god for that.
This was Acoustic Tull but still was fairly electric as well as usually eclectic. Mandolins and voilins electrically amplified instead of electric guitars. Ian Anderson’s voice has long gone; it had long gone ten years ago as well, this does not stop the band being musically excellent and very funny as well.
Playing 6-string and acoustic violins, Anna Phoebe joined to provide an interesting female addition to usual sound. However, I was particularly impressed by John O’Hara on the piano and James Duncan on drums and percussion (the drumming on one of the songs has to be seen to be believed.
Best moment was a (mostly) instrumental version of Aqualung. I hadn’t realised there wasn’t a flute in the song, so the addition made for an excellent new version.
Personally, whilst they never quite excite me as much as seeing one of my favourite (modern?) groups live, it is always an enjoyable experience, and if you like folky instrumental and different music try them out live once.
Doctor Who (Saturday)
Excellent. Liked the New Rose (well that is what Ryan calls her and if you can get a new Doctor …) and I think David Tennant was much better without the best mates with Rose routine.
Hoo Farm (Sunday)
A long day. We visited Gina’s sister in Telford and her three children. We spent the day at Hoo Farm; 6 hours in total. Add in the 5 hour round trip from Reading to Telford and you get an Official Long Day. We needed to get there quite early to help feed the lambs (the children hold the bottle of milk and the lamb tries to both drink the milk and wrench the bottle of the child’s hand with as much force as possible).
Other attractions were the lambing (not a patch on Rushall Farm but then Hoo Farm is more an activity farm than a real farm), the fairy wood, the Pony Ride and the Galloping Goats. Gaby was now walking and it was an interesting experience coping with three moving children out and about. There didn’t seem to be too much at the farm that the children would like, yet we managed to spend 6 hours at the farm without the children complaining (except for when we wanted to leave and they didn’t).
Ha! I finally get around to watching Dr Who, after being badgered to do so
It was pretty good; I was surprised. Stupid question: since he’s a Time Lord and can therefore do the recycle oxygen thing, why was he coughing a lot and having difficulty breathing as the oxygen ran out?
Well you see, New Doctor Who takes what it wants from the old series and ignores all the old baggage that gets in the way of a good story. Fans can always fill in the gap.
On the other hand, we was able to walk and carry and fix something (without the sonic handwave device) whilst all the humans had collapsed, so he was able to survive longer with his Respiratory Bypass System (and sadly I didn’t have to look that up)
Of course you didn’t have to look it up. You’re my local Dr Who expert
“I think David Tennant was much better without the best mates with Rose routine”
Definetly agreed. A very good episode - thoroughly enjoyed in our bit of Poole !