Sometimes being a musician is, at times, not easy (you’d never have guessed!) Since the pandemic I admit to feeling more than a bit wierded out about some just ordinary things, there is still a strange atmosphere ‘out there’ at times don’t you think? Perhaps undoing the process of the pandemic, ie, staying in so long, is taking a little time to, well, undo.
Sometimes things come along which make me feel so lucky. Last Friday, 28 May 2022, Gerry & I were asked to join Tom Robinson and his band at Shepherds Bush Empire for his 70th birthday celebration concert, postponed from two years ago because of you know what. Over the years at BBC6 Music Tom Robinson has given so much support to so many new bands and up-coming artists as well as long established independent musicians and self-releasers so it was an absolute pleasure to be asked to join in. We got to play a couple of songs and also to join in on a couple of TRB’s songs (Mighty Sword of Justice and Power In The Darkness) and one of TV Smith’s (The Thin Green Line). I have to admit, until recently I hadn’t really known TV Smith’s work but what a great writer, songsmith and performer he is-proper punk legend. I also got to meet Emily Barker and Lukas Drinkwater whom I’ve seen all over the socialmediasphere for some time so it was fabulous to finally meet and hear them both in real life. Ian McNab played a small solo set too and was brilliant and not forgetting the inimitable Lee Forsyth-Griffiths who plays in the TRB band and is a beautifully soulful singer and songwriter himself.
For all the difficulties in music right now there are some occasions where people are just so kind, generous and well….nice, that one feels such gratitude for music, for those in it who are kind and supportive and for what it can do to spread warmth and power. Thank you, Lisa x
Pictures courtesy of Mark Dyed.
