Hello... you might want to skip my rambling below, and head straight to the haikus, which are below the rather beautiful photo of Paul...
... It's normally my daughter Iona (above) who blogs about musicians and the like (http://iona-frances.blogspot.com/), but her infectious enthusiam, and constant reciting of snippets of Maximo Park lyrics over the last few years has rubbed off onto me, and I now feel a bit like a teenager myself... which is quite nice, I have to say!
I'm so pleased that this year she has finally managed to not only get to see Maximo Park last month, but she was also able to go to a really special intimate gig last night by Paul Smith, doing some gorgeous songs from his new album 'Margins'. After the year we've had, she so deserved something nice to happen - and I can't help thinking that maybe her dad has been watching over her and somehow played a part in making this happen... or is that me just getting wistful and sentimental? ... Anyway - I digress...
Last night was absolutely magical - the audience was spellbound and you could probably hear a pin drop in the silence as we stood listening intently, not wanting to miss a moment. It was so special, I feel a bit guilty for including a photo in this blog - it almost feels like a betrayal - but it would seem such a shame for it just to be hidden away in my computer, for my eyes only...
I really wanted to capture the feelings and moments of last night, and sometimes a picture is enough, but sometimes words are needed too. If you were a subscriber to my old blog, you'll know how much I like haikus. I love how they capture a moment in 3 short lines... so I thought it would be nice to summarise the gig in a few separate haikus... So, here's what I came up with - below the photo...
He seemed uncertain
Even a little bit shy.
He melted my heart.
~~~
His elegant hands
Gently caressed guitar strings
Exposing his soul
~~~
His glossy black curls
Tumbled from under his hat
With gypsy-like charm
~~~
Intense and sincere
His voice full of emotion
We listened as one
~~~
Words full of beauty
Revealing fragility
And a tender heart
~~~
His Margins CD (or vinyl) and dreamlike book 'Thinking in Pictures' are availabe now.
If you're local to Tyne and Wear, they are available in RPM in Newcastle, where this lovely experience occurred... Thank you Paul and RPM, and also Rachel Lancaster, who played guitar :-)
