All about the music

It was the Year 13 music group's performance this evening.  It's essentially a live exam - the students have had to work as a team to put the whole performance together, from choice of songs, through rehearsals, down to the final performance tonight.  Some really wonderful arrangements of well known songs from across at least 4 decades.  Superb performance of The Chain (Fleetwood Mac), along with songs by Oasis, Vance Joy, Outkast, The Clash and many others.  This was James on stage performing with one of the groups who were belting out 'Chelsea Dagger' which got lots of people up and dancing.  Part of the assessment criteria is about audience engagement - getting them singing along, dancing etc.  I think they smashed it.

James always asks me what my favourite song is, everytime they do a performance, and I can never pick just one, because the group of students on his course are supremely talented and an absolute joy to watch.  To illustrate, 3 students from the group have secured places at The Royal Northern College of Music.  I will genuinely miss these performances when he finishes college in the summer.  However, I do have to say that Chelsea Dagger was ace (and not just because he was playing AND singing backing - singing, I am so proud!) but because it was foot stompingly good.  One of my other favourites was A thing called love (The Darkness) which was made all the better for the fact that the musicians donned the most ridiculous wigs for their performance - see the extras).

Continuing on the theme of music, late last night, I booked tickets for James and I to travel to Florence for 5 days in April, to watch Bob Dylan in concert on James' 18th birthday.  All in, it has cost less than it would do to hire a venue and throw a party for him and, truthfully, I would rather spend the money on something that is going to form a truly amazing memory for both of us.  Hey, that's what credit cards are for, right?