Alive and kicking...

Playlist
Various – Tracks for Celebratory 10CD Set
Ornette Coleman – Beauty is a Rare Thing
Sandro Ivo Bartoli – Fugitives
The Fireman – Electric Arguments
Brian Eno – Apollo
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Soundingfall
Simple Minds – Various

Up reasonably early and, having previously noted that some of the tracks for the proposed celebratory 10 CD set were not up to scratch, I went about replacing no fewer than 38 of them...

Then, at 10:30, out with Anne to the outskirts of town from where I caught a bus to the centre (soundtracked by the far out sounds of Mr Ornette Coleman) – noting what a mess they’ve made of Princes Street...

Bummed around for 40 minutes or so, having arranged to meet with Dr Prog at the library...

In doing so, I discovered at Ripping records that Dar Williams is in town on 21 November – so I of course immediately secured tickets...

This is my schedule in mid November:-

19 Yes - Edinburgh
21 Dar Williams - Edinburgh
22 Gong/Steve Hillage - Edinburgh
25 Alice Cooper – Glasgow

Pretty good for someone who doesn’t enjoy live music – or rather fellow live music audients and their cretinous behaviour..

The Exec Producer will accompany me to Dar and Alice, the other two are solo outings...

So, met Dr Prog and we both borrowed from the library – I partook of Paul McCartney’s last, Eno’s moon expedition soundtracks, and classics by Culture and Robert Wyatt...

Fine wraps followed by coffee and wee bit of cake each sustained, before we took a stroll down to Avalanche on the Royal Mile where the Doc splashed out on a few classical discs but missed a piano recital from Sandro Ivo Bartoli of pieces by Casella, Grainger and Pabst, which your correspondent nabbed for £1.99...

I left the doc outside the Fruitmarket Gallery looking for a suitable pub for a quiet drink and some cricket watching - that's him waiting to cross at the lights...



Made my way back home and prepared for this evening’s entertainment whilst listening to some of the new acquisitions...

Off out at five and back into town to Pancho Villa’s on the Royal Mile for some excellent Mexican cuisine in the company of three colleagues and their partners before walking up towards the castle and meeting up with a fourth (“The Man”) and his partner...

We at the offices of “The Man” do work for Simple Minds and so, tonight, we were on the guest list (this was the Exec Producer and my’s fourth SM concert in recent years)...

After a couple of drinks (allowing us to miss support act The Silencers) we got soaked during the five minute walk to the venue and by the then misdirection of various stewards as we tried to gain entry to the VIP area...

Thankfully this was a covered box - the gig itself was excellent - shortened of course re the 10:30 curfew – but I have to say they do put on a rather good show...



Probably over 100 at the aftershow so not too exclusive...

We walked up the esplanade into the castle itself past various flaming torches...



...and enjoyed spectacular views of the city...



Of the band, only singer Jim Kerr was a no-show – but he’s on telly from London first thing tomorrow so I suppose he had an excuse...

Surprisingly though, no music and a paying bar – I even saw the promoter forking out for a glass of Red Wine...

Still, didn’t pay for the gig and, unlike those who did, we didn’t get thoroughly soaked during the first half of the gig, so these are not complaints, merely comments - just letting you know the celeb world isn't always what it’s all cracked up to be...

Around 1am we walked back down the Royal Mile to the car of our transport buddies and were tucked up in bed by 1:40...

A good day...

Highlight of the Day : The Minds were good but I think it was being up the back of the bus watching the Saturday morning go by whilst listening to Ornette Coleman to be honest...