The title pretty much describes me at the moment, it’s a quarter to midnight and I’ve just come home from taking my 12yo son to his first ever gig/comedy thang. We went to see, the completely wonderful, Bill Bailey on his Qualmpeddler tour in Llandudno*. We listened to the Blade Runner soundtrack in the car, ate chips on the front, threw stones into the sea and laughed our posteriors off. I’d seen Bill Bailey three times before and he is never less than brilliant, particularly when he plays death metal and talks about owls, but it was so great seeing my son enjoy the whole experience so much too.
Driving home in the dark with him fast asleep next to me watching the lights on the shore dwindle and fade in the rearview I felt good.
187 Down still.
*if you ain’t been it is a beautiful Victorian seaside resort in North wales, about 49 miles away from here; go, it has a certain old world charm all of its own. Here it is, taken at 8.30pm tonight. See?
Nothing better than sharing such events with the kids. Jethro Tull was the first such shared concert event with my son (the eldest) — wonderful. First with my daughter (the baby) was Black Eyed Peas — her choice not mine (don’t judge) — and seeing how excited and happy she was and being able to share it was glorious. Kudos Dad!
Gracias. So much of parenting is pressure, uncertainty and guilt its nice to savour the good times.
Lovely little piece. Did you ever catch Bill’s documentary on Prog Rock? It was an oddity, as I recall, with the countdown based on sales thus giving Rush elevated status.
Thank you. I did see it but he was more like a presenter on it than if it was his own programme. He’s such a talented musician too.
Sounds like a fantastic evening.
It was idyllic.
… and Bill Bailey is one of the best!
Just hilarious and such a ridiculously talented musician too. Talent doesn’t get doled out fairly.
That’s 8:30pm? Not even almost sunset? My 8:30 is beautiful sun setting on the mountains as it barely peeks through the smoke from faraway forest fires. Your 8:30? It’s latitudinal craziness that makes me yearn for the days when the earth was flat … ah, denial of science feels good.
Sorry that was a complete typo, it should be 7:30. Oops.
I believed it at 8:30. I was also remembering coming out of a pub at 10 ish north of London in late June. It seemed crazy then. Maybe it was.
Sounds like a post to me Orange: The Lost Years …