Rather than lyrics, I though I’d highlight a few bands I got to hear at Greenbelt over the weekend.
Röyksopp: Played on the main stage, and I loved it… high energy, lots of fun. I’ve definitely been getting into electronica a bit more lately! I enjoyed the woman dressed as an owl… purely for entertainments sake… and the lighting for the show was great. So maybe I enjoyed it for the visuals as much as the music…!
The Invisible: I’d never heard of these guys before, but their debut album has been nominated for a Mercury prize.
Foy Vance: It’s always a pleasure to see Foy play, and even more so to have him be the last thing I see at Greenbelt.
Agents of Future: These guys lead worship at the service on Sunday morning. I’ve gotta be honest and say that I don’t think it worked – I love the music and loved the arrangements, but it wasn’t ideal for leading communal musical worship, pretty hard to sing along to. BUT I would really love to hear more of their stuff, so check them out.
Duke Special: Greenbelt was the first time I’ve actually seen Duke play live, and despite missing the start of it (while I was off at another session) I really enjoyed what I did see.
I spent a couple of days at the start of the week in London, having lots of meetings to kick off my new job. By the way – I love my job! I’m doing online PR stuff now, in the same office as before, and I’m so excited about the level of freedom I’m being given to try new stuff.
London is easily one of my favourite cities in the world. Every time I go back, I have this increasing desire to live there for a period of time. I’m sure I’ve talked so often on here about my love for big cities: I adore the hustle and bustle, the interaction, the stimulation of it all.
I spent the weekend hanging out with my friend Caroline in Oxford. We’re so different, and yet get on well. Another reminder of how diverse the world is and yet how beautiful it is. Caroline had this whole little list of stuff she thought I’d love… genuinely one of the sweetest, most thoughtful people I’ve meet in a long time. I fear she may be a little disappointed when she visits Glasgow next month – I’m not as good with planning things in advance! But hey, she likes me for me – even when it is last minute, blow-with-the-wind me! We saw a couple of great exhibitions at the Museum of Modern Art, including Mapplethorpe’s Polaroid exhibit, and ate a lot of great food. Our mutual friend Cat also popped over and joined us on Sunday… love celebrating friendships over food!
I’m here in Oxford for the weekend, catching up with a few good friends and generally lazing around. Yesterday I took the train down to London, a journey I’ve done many times before, then caught a train out to Oxford. Despite the amount of time I’ve spent on trains in the past year particularly, I have never had as amusing a journey as I did yesterday…
Boarding in Glasgow, I sat down in my reserved seat next to a nice little ol’ granny. Turns out, she didn’t ease off once! She ganched away to myself and the man opposite us, told us all about what she was doing, how long she’s been retired, etc. She kept giving off to herself, apologising, ‘oh I better let you get back to your homework!’ (I was trying to read a report before some meetings on Monday). She was the most ADD granny I’ve ever met! She jumped between her novel, her puzzle book, staring out the window, and then… this topped it all off for me… her CASSETTE Walkman! Bless her soul, she fumbled around trying to rewind her cassette with a pencil rather than putting it in the Walkman. She cant have actually listened to much music with all the chopping and changing she did.
After switching trains in London, I settled down for the last hour of the journey out to Oxford… to be joined by a couple of rather drunk fellows! All a bit of a laugh… the guy beside me asked tons of questions, then wanted to read my book with me.
Friday was my last day as a Christian Aid gapper… and I’m a little sad to see it come to an end.
It has been a whirlwind of a year, and feels like only yesterday I was sat on the roof of the office in London, starting to get to know some of these other gappers I’d be working alongside. I remember Adam with the pegs on his nose. I remember Anita wearing a flag as a cape. I remember Granda Gapper Robert’s enthusiasm.
Then there was the DRC. Two weeks was nowhere near long enough, but what a glimpse we got of the country. A land of great contrast. Of potential. Generous people who welcomed us with open arms. Stunning scenery. Inspiring partners. And Congo wasn’t just about the partners… it was about the gappers. Sitting under the stars talking until late. The game show to end all game shows. Enjoying a beer over a game of Mafia.
A year ago today, I stepped foot onto African soil for the first time. I arrived in Uganda early morning, and I still remember it as if it was yesterday. As we flew in to land in Entebbe, I remember the lush green trees and the brooding clouds. I remember the heat and stickyness as soon as I stepped off the plane. I remember getting into the terminal, waiting for customs, when the heavens opened and there was a torrential downpour. Ten minutes later it was as clear as could be again.
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