jazzy_dave | Entries tagged with festivals

It has been another great day here in town. More festival events taking place across the literary world. After the wonderful Jnnifer Lucy Allan talking about her new book on Clay, today I attended a poetry evening.

This was held at the Guidhall.

The poet that enthused me most was Maggie Harris , the others were Rosie Johnston and Michael Bartholomew Biggs. I bought Maggie's current set of poems.

Maggie Harris, originally comes from Guyana.

May be an image of text that says 'Jase I Sing tothe to the Greenhearts Maggie Harris Sing Greenhearis confronts the unnavigated wild with heart and panache. John MeCullough'

May be an image of text that says 'Jase I Sing tothe to the Greenhearts Maggie Harris Sing Greenhearis confronts the unnavigated wild with heart and panache. John MeCullough'

I shall be reading that over the next few days with glee.

This morning, I was listening to music at home, from around nine through to at least one in the afternoon. Mostly vinyl, such as ones by Marianne Faithfull, Cymande and The Wailing Souls, plus the album (on CD) by 75 Dollar Guitar called I Was Real.

Lunch was sausage casserole with butternut squash cubed and peas.
Dinner when I arrived home this evening was a bowl of garlic mushrooms with a touch of soaya sauce.

May be an image of shiitake mushrooms

Well, I might pop into town on Sunday, but my next event day is a week away. Monday I will be heading to Brighton for a short visit to see my brother.

Today was the first day of the yearly Faversham Literary Festival. The event I was interested in seing was a discussion with Jennifer Lucy Allan and her new book on clay.

The talk on went very well. I learned a lot about the history of clay and how artesans use it. She talked about herow introduction into clay modelling and the use of a kiln. She highlights some less well known or infamous feminine moulders of clay. After the talk I got her to sign the previous book she wrote, which is all about foghorns.

I am just beginning to read this one, despite having it for a good long while.

This is a talk about her previous book on foghorns that I mentioned above.

Unsound Talk: An Interrupted History of The Foghorn (Jennifer Lucy Allan &Kevin Martin aka The Bug)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uz5QWmb5WLw

Watch on YouTube

She is also a writer, a journalist and broadcaster. She has written for the Guardian, Quercus and of course my favourite music magazine, The Wire, as well as being presenter on BBC Radio 3 Late Junction. Her musical focus in on experimental music and th

Sending my best wishes to all LJ friends for a wonderful Christmas and 2022.

Envoi mes meilleurs vœux à tous les amis LJ pour un merveilleux Noël et 2022.

Het verzenden van mijn beste wensen aan alle LJ vrienden voor een geweldige kerst en 2022.

Sende mine bedste ønsker til alle LJ venner for en dejlig jul og 2022.

Senden meine besten Wünsche an alle LJ Freunde ein wunderschönes Weihnachtsfest und 2022.

Envío mis mejores deseos a todos los amigos LJ para una Navidad maravillosa y 2022.

Lähettäminen toivotan kaikki LJ ystäviä ihana joulun ja 2022.

Отправка мои наилучшие пожелания всем друзьям LJ для прекрасного и Рождество 2022.

Also, thank you to all who sent cards. Too many to name - and also not Ljers - but some notable ones are and in no particular order -

coming42,

grondfic,

poliphilo,

qwentoozla,

in_the_bottle, and

thespian15. And to the latter - keep of the gliiter next time lol!!

If I have missed any names - apologies now - mia culpa and all that.

Let's all hope that 2022 will be better than the last two.

If you still have Xmas decorations and cards still up, including Xmas trees - you can still have them up during these forlorn pandemic times. The reason is simple, Christmas is actually 40 days long until Candlemas.

Candlemas is known as the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus Christ, the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the Feast of the Holy Encounter is a Christian Holy Day commemorating the presentation of Jesus at the Temple. It falls on February 2, which is traditionally the 40th day of and the conclusion of the Christmas–Epiphany season.

Today I swung around a number of venues on the last day of the Faversham Literary Festival which started Thursday. One had already sold out but I still managed to go to two events. the first one at the Alexander Centre was a discussion with Peter Fiennes and Sara Wheeler who both have books out at the moment, Footnotes and Mud and Stars by Sara.

Mud and Stars: Travels in Russia with Pushkin and Other Geniuses of the Golden Age

Mud and Stars: Travels in Russia with Pushkin and Other Geniuses of the Golden Age

This was a very fascinating hour.

Peter Fiennes and Sara Wheeler.

Half an hour later I went around to the Arden Theatre to see Daniel Rachel talking about his latest book on Cool Britannia.

Don't Look Back In Anger: The rise and fall of Cool Britannia, told by those who were there

Don't Look Back In Anger: The rise and fall of Cool Britannia, told by those who were there

Another fascinating cultural look at the nineties.

The host was Andy Miller. The pic is of Daniel using my Nikon camera.

After all that I neede a drink so I went to my local for this refreshing craft beer.

This is the third year of the festival. It was a good one.

A nice sunny day so far and a little warmer than yesterday. I just pottered around listening to music and reading. Did not bother going into town, the last day of the weekend Hop festival in town. It gets way too crowded with drunkards from out of town not wanting to be part of the pagan festival. Mind you, I do miss the Morris Men and their dances.

Today, I am checking out what visits are available, and looking pretty thin at the moment. I am certain that this damn whole Brexit shenanigans and the prorogation of Parliament have a lot to do with this uncertainty. Time will tell and I know that React have yet to list their September visits, and ProInsight always have plenty if you like leisure centres and fitness clubs.

Meanwhile, I am listening to the solo album Mark Holiis made in 1998. This was recorded seven years after the last Talk Talk album. It is a very individual and singular piece of art. He threw off the shackles of a pop existence to create the bleakest, yet most lyrical orchestral rock this side of Scott Walker. Oh, and I do love the solo work of Scott as well. Will probably play some Scott later on and Nick Drake, since it has been a while since I listened to Five Leaves Left.

Last night I watched a DVD I had for a while from one of my covert shops. Stephen Fry as Oscar Wilde in the movie biopic "Wilde". A wonderful performance.A sad end to a brilliant playwright, socialite and poet.

Time for some lunch or a snack.

It was a sunny lovely day and most welcomed after a few days of nondescript whiteness. I popped into town to post off a couple of sales I made online, and buy some provisions. Thankfully, the money for the visit to Canterbury Tales came into my account today.

I also popped into the local library and picked up a leaflet for the forthcoming Faversham Literary Festival coming up in February (21-24 Feb). One of the highlights is Viv Albertine, ex-member of the punk group The Slits, who wrote her autobio "Clothes Music Boys" which I have in my book collection and yet to read. Jo Brand is the other highlight.
I will definitely see Viv though.

After a couple of non days the weather bounced back to the weather we had over the weekend. Not as hot but it did reach 25 degrees C whilst i was in Faversham and taking a couple of hours of sunbathing. I then went over to Canterbury and Whitstable where i am now. Another covert food and drink shop. Drinking a Green Devil IPA as i write.

This weekend in Faversham is the annual Hop Festival. If the weather stays fine and the forecast is a good one then it will be a great weekend. I might even be there! Silly peole will be wearing hops in their hair - see second pic!

Somewhat warmer today but overcast again,so still not as warm as i would like.

It was my sister-in-laws 65th birthday yesterday.

I was thinking that i might have a few days in Sussex in May,and since GC and myself been emailing each other today then this sounds more likely. May is the annual Brighton Festival, and one of my fave artists , Shirley Collins, is doing a live set - yep at 81 she is still the folk music diva of Sussex.

Think i should play that new CD of hers again. Here is a live version of a couple of tracks from it.

Shirley Collins - May Carol / Southover (Live)

I have some shampoo and conditioner to test,write a review and take a pic of the review for one of my research companies today.

After my visit ti do the lunch i ended up in Faversham Not realising that it was the Hop Festival. The town was busy,there was live bands and musicians in the streets and lots of stalls, including one where you could sample many Kent brewed ciders. I think it was the cider that got me almost kegless.

That stall had some really great tasting ciders.

There was morris dancers and food stalls.
The weather that started sunny had gob=ne overcast when i arrived in the town but luckily it did not rain too much - just minor spits occasionally.

I also had a couple of cheap ales,Rockin' Robin and Hopdaemon.

So here are the rest of the pics under the cut.

( More photos here )

It was a fun day all round.

Brighton's annual may festival of the arts is coming to an end soon. There was this spectacular light show at the Pavilion on Tuesday.

Spectacular light show at Royal Pavilion

14-18 NOW and Brighton Festival light up Brighton Pavilion for Dr Blighty. (Photograph: Tabatha Fireman /getty)

14-18 NOW and Brighton Festival light up Brighton Pavilion for Dr Blighty. (Photograph: Tabatha Fireman /getty)

14-18 NOW and Brighton Festival light up Brighton Pavilion for Dr Blighty. Dr Blighty is a major outdoor event in the Royal Pavilion Garden inspired by the story of the thousands of Indian soldiers who were treated in the temporary military hospital housed in Brighton Pavilion. Photo by tabatha Fireman / getty Images for 14-18 NOW

http://brightonandhoveindependent.co.uk/spectacular-light-show-royal-pavilion/

http://brightonfestival.org/news/dr_blighty_projections/

The guest director of the festival this year is the esteemed Laurie Anderson.

Renowned for her inventive use of technology - from her 1981 hit O Superman to her appointment as NASA’s first artist-in-residence - Laurie Anderson is one of America’s most daring creative pioneers. Her eclectic, multidisciplinary career has spanned the worlds of art, theatre and experimental music and has seen her create works as a writer, director, visual artist and vocalist. Most recently Anderson has garnered acclaim for her first feature film in almost 30 years - Heart of a Dog - which reflects on the deaths of her husband Lou Reed, her mother, her beloved dog, and such diverse subjects as family memories, surveillance and Buddhist teachings.

Apart from having a nice long walk down to Seaford beach, i spent most of the day from midday onward in GC's back garden topping up my suntan. It has been a glorious sunny day and i made the most of it.

I forgot to mention that when i caught the bus on the cost road to Hastings the other day, as i went upstairs on the double decker bus i saw Lesley, our mutual lunch club friend. She was going to Eastbourne library to do the last day of some library exit surveys.

The next lunch club will be on Thursday October 8th followed by the Eastbourne beer festival at the Winter Gardens on the Saturday. Looking forward to both events.

Whilst i was in Faversham today getting some pipe tobacco i heard some music as i walked to the newsagent. it was a celebration day of Magna Carta. The musical troupe were playing medieval music from the period.

I also took a short video of the music, and then some idiot barged in to the back of me, hence the shaky ending.

Today was the beginning of the Wetherspoons International Beer festival. Today i tried a pint of the Sixpoint Bklyn Bitter (5.5 % ABV). A lovely full taste and definitely another winner from the stable that has delivered the excellent Bengali Tiger ale,

The others i want to try are -

from Oregon , 10 Barrel Brewing OG IPA
from Seattle, Elysian Brewing Night Owl Pumpkin Ale
from North Carolina, Wicked Weed Brewery Freak Of Nature
from Liege Belgium, Abbaye Du Val-Dieu Abbaye Blonde

I shall be looking out for these on my travels.

Halfway on the trip now. Just had a stonking large Sunday chicken roast at The Opera House pub in Tunbridge Wells. Washed down with a pint of Long Man Brewery American Pale Ale (4.0 %ABV) and a Portobello Road Gin and Tonic. All paid for by one of my shopping companies!

My bro emailed a photo of me from the beer festival yesterday and which i have downloaded here.

At the time he must have took it (surreptitiously) we were watching the Morris Men. Yep, i need a hair cut soon.

Just missed one bus so my next connecting bus is just after three so in the Bedford pub with a glass of Tonbridge Rustic Kentish Ale (4.0 % ,ABV).

Current Location: T Wells library

Great day at the Eastbourne Beer Festival with my brother. The food, a delicious Cornish pastie was just the ticket, and the music by Wakin' Snakes was just brilliant, especially if you like bluegrass and folk music.

Had a bit of a long kip when i got back to Seaford and woke up just in time to watch Dr. Who.

In this first post i shall list the beers and tomorrow i will post the pics of the Morris men.

Meanwhile a lovely photo of a Harveys Brewery dray horse.

P1000279

Here is my brother

coming42 trying to decide what to drink next, and looking rather intellectual.

P1000280

Here is that blugrass band getting everybody's feet tapping.

P1000288

So these are the ales that i drunk -

Ascot Ales Anastasia Imperial (8.0 % ABV)
Abbeydale Black Mass (7.0 % ABV)
Boggarts Rum Porter (4.6 % ABV)
Pig and Porter Red Spider Rye (5.5 % ABV)
Phoenix Wobbly Bob (6.0 % ABV)
Rectory Brewery Rectors Revenge (5.0 % ABV)
Orkney Skull Splitter (8.5 % ABV)
Lochness Darkness (5.2 % ABV)
Lochness Hoppy Ness (%.0 % ABV)

( Ahem,naughty joke )

We also end up with a festival glass to keep

Off to bed now.

This ...

Wetherspoons are doing another beer festival from mid October. Yay!

A short trip over to Faversham today to get some items from a supermarket and to visit the last day of the Faversham Hop Festival. I had a conversation with one of the guys who serving at the micro pub and found out that it was only open for the festival, then closing down for eight weeks to be fitted out, and then re-open again as a proper micro pub. I look forward to its re-opening.

I tried a few beers and ciders, particularly Core Hardcore Cider (7.5 % ABV) and Gadds No.5 ale (4.4 % ABV).

P1000221

Apart from cider the company do apple juice as well.

P1000224

Inside the micro pub.

I also took more pictures under the cut.

( Pics here )

I bought a book on the life of philosopher Rudolf Steiner from a charity shop stall for ten pence -

Despite some threatening clouds it turned out to be quite a sunny day.

Yesterday went over to Chailey with Mike and Rosalind to see Graeme and Annie and go to the beer festival at the Horns Lodge. We arrived early afternoon. Mike had brought two packs of four of a range of badger beers. We drunk them before walking down to the pub for the festival.

It was a lovely sunny day so we decided to drink the Badger ales out in the garden with another friend which we call English Graham.

Annie and Graeme in the garden

Horn's Lodge pub

The pub is right on the main road and is a fair walk from Graeme’s place.
At the pub we bought ten half pint tickets, in which each ticket is worth £1.45, or £2,90 for a pint.

We soon worked out that if you use your souvenir pint glass you get a really decent half that is way above the half pint line. Anyway these are the beers that I drunk -

Box Stream Funnel Blower (4.5% ABV)
Salopian Oracle (4.0 % ABV)
Leeds Midnight Bell (4.* % ABV)
Burton Bridge Golden Flame (4.5 % ABV)
Elland Andromeda (5.) % ABV)
Thornbridge Kipling (5.2 % ABV)
Dark Star Revelation (5.7 % ABV)
RCH Collaboration (6.0 % ABV)

We also had a lovely Thai red Curry dish each.

Annie's daughter (on the left) and her friends.

Mike checking his email or tweets. Graeme in thoughtful mode.

We slept at Graeme and Annie’s place overnight. Had a wonderful quiet sleep and after coffee we left to get some food at a farm shop and had brunch at my brother’s place.

Took loads of pictures with the camera. Here are some more.