Allow me to introduce you to the English at play:

mad as hatters.

This is outside the Ashmolean Museum. Inside a duo I hadn't heard of before was playing: Josh Newman and Mitch Keely. Turned out it was two of Moonaroon who I seem to have heard playing in different combinations every three hours or so all weekend. Their exuberance at playing music together was contagious.

This afternoon I went to hear Fay Hield. A gorgeous clear voice, with the bonus of Sam Sweeney on fiddle. I liked her very much more than I was expecting to from having listened to recordings. She connected her song, Swirling Eddies, to the experience of women who 'choose' not to follow their calling (in this song, putting on their selkie skin and returning to the sea) because of the stronger (mostly) attachment to their children. I could feel the wistful frisson in the room as she said this. It took about two minutes to subside. An extraordinary experience.

My four hours of stewarding this evening was for two bands I didn't enjoy. I'm glad I helped the Weekend happen but I think that next year I might just pick the gigs I want to go to and not be so virtuous.