So my attempt to get back into the weekly blogging thing died a bit of a death. But I do have a small excuse in that I was playing in a show last week. So I was doing my normal 9-5 office work, then off to Rotherham every night for The King and I and not getting home till nearly 11:00 at night. Which constitutes 15 hour days and I think gives me a legitimate excuse…….doesn’t it? 

The King and I is dull. Fact. It’s too long, with no show stopping numbers of note, which meant that the 15 or so of us in the pit had to make our own entertainment. So between yawns, we ate minstrels and haribo, pulled faces at each other, mouthed along with the stupid lines and generally made each other laugh. Which made the tediousness of the actual show seem not so bad. 

I’m doing another one in a couple of weeks. Anything Goes at the Montgomery Theatre in Sheffield. This is my little brother’s first show as MD for this company and the first time I’ve ever played under his direction so it’s going to be a bit weird but I’m looking forward to it. Even more so because I LOVE the show. Cole Porters music is amazing and the story line is enjoyable too. I think there are still tickets available if anyone reads this and fancies coming…..? 

Another project that I’m working towards at the moment is a website for my String Quartet. I bought a book quite some time ago and have been slowly learning HTML and CSS and creating a little site to advertise our services. At the moment I am just waiting for a friend of mine with a very snazzy camera to come along to our next gig and take some photos to put on there, and then it should be up and running – watch this space for theusherquartet.co.uk!! 

I have finally got around to buying the first Raconteurs album and I’m glad I did – a great band playing good rock/ blues music. And Jack White is a very underestimated guitarist in my opinion. His solos seem to hit that special balance between structure, and improvisation. A very difficult thing to master – reminds me a bit of Neil Young when he’s in a guitar shredding mood (listen to Change Your Mind from Sleeps With Angels….). Oooo – I can feel a top 5 guitarists coming on……..

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