It all started on a Thursday night when Dearest and I attended a solo acoustic concert by Steve Earle. Alt dot country or what? With an hour to spare before kickoff we found ourselves in the Briton’s Protection pub. The Jennings was inspiring. Dearest stuck to vodka and diet coke. As I waited at the bar a familiar figure approached. “I know him” I thought. A few minutes later I had placed him. It was Guy Garvey of Mercury prizewinning Elbow fame. I shook him by the hand and thanked him for the music (sorry!)
Now I love Elbow and I think all the albums they have produced have been superb. What I wouldn’t have expected though is just how humble and pleased Mr Garvey was. We chatted for about 5 minutes as we waited at the bar – he was on Guinness with a single malt chaser – and, as I left, he shook me warmly by the hand and thanked me for the kind words. They were just that: kind words, not the witty, incisive and intelligent words that pour out of him like water from a running tap. They’re in the studio this week recording the follow up to Seldom Seen Kid.
As we were near the Bridgewater Hall he asked If I was off to see Mr Earle and we had a chat about him. “It’s a solo acoustic tour “ I said. “It may well be” he replied, “but he’s still got the mother of all tour buses parked up ‘round the back. “
Steve Earle was pretty impressive – a few too many Townes Van Sandt numbers for my liking, but he was promoting his album of Townes’ songs so I guess that’s what should be expected. I never quite got Van Sandt. All his songs sound pretty samey too me and, given the musical similarity, I don’t hear much profundity in the lyrics. Could just be me though. The Bridgewater hall isn’t the greatest place for a rock gig I’ve been told but it was pretty good for one man and a guitar or mandolin and a great appetizer for our flight to Skiathos the day after.
After enjoying the delights of the VIP lounge at Manchester airport – free drinks, snacks and wifi – we spent as cramped three and a half hours on one of Monarch airways delightful Boeing 757s Once on board we were informed there were a few seats with extra legroom for an additional charge of £25. Nobody took up the offer. Ten minutes later the same same steward announced she was sorry but she’d got the price wrong, it should’ve been £15. At least she had the decency to blush when the entire aircraft burst into sarcastic laughter. “Give it ten minutes and it’ll be a fiver” some wag shouted. It didn’t become a fiver, but still nobody took up the offer.
As we waited for our baggage at Skiathos’s miniscule airport it started to rain. It carried on raining for the next two days. And I’m not talking airy fairy showers here: I’m talking incessant and by-the-bucketload. The entrance to our apartments was via a small track – after day one it was via a plank over a fast-moving rivulet. Still at least myself and Dearest are nimble enough and in command of our faculties enough to take on such a challenge: we were told that the week before that the rivulet was that deep and forceful one couple had had to arrange alternate accommodation until the raging torrent had subsided.
Sunday and Monday were fine and gloriously sunny. Monday evening we dined beneath the stars and marvelled at the flashes that lit up the night sky. By midnight we were experiencing a fabulous thunderstorm. Lightning flashes and claps of thunder to quicken to pulse and to momentarily imprint the surrounding woods onto the retinas. It was fabulous. A one-off. Something to be experienced properly. There was only one thing for it. We stripped off and stood wild and naked as the warm rain flooded over us. It was elemental. It was strange . That deeply ingrained Victorian Englishness we all carry told us it was naughty and Chatterleyish, but just to stand on that drenched grass and feel the water run down our bodies and important little places was wonderful. If you ever get the chance don’t pass up on it, grab it while you can . Live a little - you won’t regret it.
Even watching Dolphins in the wild a few days later paled into insignificance compared with the nakedness, but even so, dolphins in the wild are not to be sniffed at. They have this ability to cheer everybody up, I don’t know what it is but, once again there is a connection between the human and the natural world. You look at those dolphins and think “look at them surviving without the need for technology, clothing, transport........”
Sunday saw us watching Manchester United v Manchester City in a local outdoor bar with me and Dearest (City), a random bloke from our site (he’s not from Manchester – United), another random bloke not from our site (also not from Manchester – United) and a token Evertonian (from Liverpool).
I’ve got over my initial disgust at the amount added time given – I do think that, overall, the best team won – just. Even so it left a nasty taste and soured what was one of the great Manchester derbies. City should’ve done what I was always told when I played: play to the whistle!
And so back to work tomorrow.............
Old friends.
Off Skiathos Town
It's a hard life #6
It's a hard life #5
Chairs
Patatiri, Alonissis
Scopelos
What is this life if full of care, We have no time to
Plane spotting Skiathos Town.
Duck!
This fella looked happy enough with his view!
Skiathos Town
Night ferry, Skiathos Town.
Back home to Autumn.
