Hallowe'en

The Straynotes have a busy schedule in the run-up to Christmas and have begun trawling their back catalogue for festive favourites. This, of course, is with a view to working a few seasonal numbers, or at least a suitable quote, into the December repertoire.Looking at the material prompted a discussion about whether or not pubs were 'havens from Christmas' - Christmas-free zones, if you like. I suppose 'each case on its merits' is the way to proceed and if the landlord is wearing a red nose and an antlered alice band then it probably means it's cool to Yule.

The last-festival-but-one, Hallowe'en, saw the duo version of the band playing in the brasserie at Dunston Hall. Somehow it just isn't the same without Paul and his bass. Even Andy's new friends (pictured) couldn't cheer him up. They're all called Ian, strangely enough. Hello, Ian!

(Hello Ian - Hallowe'en? Oh, never mind. Perhaps I'll find a better joke in a cracker.)

Straynotes still at large.

You'd be forgiven for thinking nothing has happened since the last post. In fact we had a play with Hugh Stanners which went very well. We rehearsed again tonight, as a four piece, with gigs at Olives (30th of April) and Wensum Lodge (14th May) in mind. These are followed by a klezmer wedding later in May. The rehearsal went better than I could have hoped. We already sound very good, if I say so myself, and things can only get better

In the meantime Andy and I have been strutting it as a duo at Dunston Hall, a large hotel just south of Norwich. It used to be the country pile of someone very wealthy but I'm afraid I have no idea who that was. i'll take a picture next time we're there in the daylight (at the end of May) and you'll see it in all its splendour. This picture shows a rather mellow Andy half way through his first, and only, glass of white wine and just before we started the third hour-long set of the evening.

On Sunday we'll be down to a duo again at the Sainsbury Centre. Paul is elsewhere for that one but Andy and I will be filling the place with music between 1pm and 3pm.