On Thursday Lynda and I drove over to Crewe for another evening of great music. This time it was The Reasoning supported by Mermaid Kiss. Mermaid Kiss kicked the evening off with a short but very good set. They played for just over half an hour and went down very well with the Limelight crowd. Highlight for me had to be the superb Siren Song - by far my favourite Mermaid Kiss song.
Jamie Field - Mermaid Kiss.
Evelyn Downing, Wendy Marks - Mermaid Kiss.
Colin Henney, Richard Northwood - Mermaid Kiss.
The Reasoning took to the stage at just before 10:00PM and played for almost two hours, including an encore. The set list was made up of much of the new Dark Angel album plus a number of older tracks from Awakening. The whole set was superb but Call Me God, Dark Angel and Breaking The 4th Wall deserve special mention. The final track of the night was Awakening and a huge cheer from the crowd greeted it - the vocals of Dylan Thompson and Rachel Cohen were amazing.
In a couple of hours time I’ll be setting off for Bilston to see The Reasoning play their final gig on this leg of the tour. Yet another trip to the fuel station, yet more miles covered, yet another late night - but it’s all more than worth it!
All of a sudden, 2008 has kicked into action for me. I’ve been to my first gig of the year - The Reasoning, at The Limelight Club, Crewe - I’ve been on my first birding trip of the year - Martin Mere in Lancashire, yesterday - and tonight I’m off to see The Reasoning again, this time at The Robin in Bilston. A little too much travelling in just four days but that’s the way it’s worked out!
The Reasoning.
The Reasoning gig on Thursday was without doubt the best I’ve seen them play so far. The set they played was made up of seven tracks off the Awakening album, another five “new” tracks plus a little bit of Billy Jean, by Michael Jackson, thrown in halfway through Chasing Rainbows. If you think that sounds a strange cover to do then you are probably right, but it worked great. The final encore track was an amazing cover of Deep Purple's Stormbringer.
The Reasoning - Billy Jean/Chasing Rainbows
The support band on Thursday was Mr So & So, a band I’d never seen or heard before. At the time, I didn’t really take to them but, looking back, I think that was more down to the fact that I’d had a terrible journey to the gig - lots of traffic, heavy rain and standing water on the roads - rather than their music. I’ve played some of their stuff again, a time or two since, and am starting to enjoy it. If nothing else, they got me in the right mood for The Reasoning!
Mr So & So.
Yesterday saw Lynda and I on our first birding trip of the year; we went to Martin Mere WWT reserve with the Derby RSPB Group. We should have been going to Slimbridge WWT but, due to the heavy rain and flooding in that part of the country, a change of venue was forced upon us. For me, this was by far the best choice - I love Martin Mere in winter!
The sight, and sound, of the thousands of geese and swans that over-winter around this reserve is one of the best wildlife spectacles this country has to offer, in my opinion. Add to that the chance of seeing owls, harriers and other birds of prey and you have the perfect day out. Just to make it even better; the rain didn’t arrive until we were back on the coach and about to set off for home.
Whooper Swans feeding near one of the hides.
Birds seen during the day included Whooper Swan, Pink-footed Goose, Barnacle Goose, Wigeon (Lynda’s favourite), Pintail, Hen Harrier (my favourite), Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Kestrel, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Red-legged Partridge, Water Rail, Barn Owl, Little Owl, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Grey Wagtail and Brambling. In total, we saw 57 species.
Two Peregrine. (photo taken through my birding 'scope. These birds were a long way off!)
Lynda and I also took some time out to walk around the captive collection so that we could feed the Hawaiian Geese or Nene as they are known. These friendly little geese are always happy to come and take feed from your hand and will often come running to meet you as you approach.
Lynda with a Nene!
So, that’s the past few days. All that is left of the weekend is a trip down to Bilston to see The Reasoning again later this evening.
16 January 2008
Just a quick fly-by posting...
The home workout sessions have started okay (that means I've actually been doing them) and I feel as though the move away from gym sessions has kick started my enthusiasm again.
Today saw a break in the weather - no rain all day - so I was able to use the mountain bike to get to work again. I'm not a fair weather biker but the amount of rain we've had over the past few days was just too much for me! The route I took to work this morning meant that I avoided the flooded underpass that saw me waterlog my shoes on Saturday - I didn't fancy facing the now much deeper water!
Tomorrow evening, I'm off to Crewe straight after work to see The Reasoning play. It's only a matter of a few weeks since the last gig I went to but it feels like months. I'm so looking forward to this gig!
I've said before that I'm not a big fan of mid-week gigs but the venue tomorrow - The Limelight Club - is a good one and The Reasoning are one of my favourite bands. Getting home in the early hours of Friday morning, and then having to get up for work, is a small price to pay I suppose!
Jamie Field - Mermaid Kiss.
Colin Henney, Richard Northwood - Mermaid Kiss.
