Back when life was calm

I booked a birthday treat for Secondborn - Baaba Maal at the Festival Hall in London - which just happened to be today. Firstborn was already at mine so Secondborn came round for a leisurely brunch while I tried to forget boxes. We agreed to set off for London early and make time for a jaunt on the new Elizabeth Line as well as a bite to eat. Just as well: a van had caught fire on the motorway and our bus spent 90 minutes creeping the first 18 miles on packed backroads.

We abandoned our jaunt, got excellent quick service at a pizza place near the Hall and were in good time for the gig. What a fest! Talking drums all round the hall welcomed the iridescent band to the stage. They joined in the drumming then the man himself came on in the first of many splendid outfits.

I've seen Baaba Maal in the Festival Hall before and thought it was a bit too sedate a venue for music that demands dance, but this time our seats were just in front of a wide gangway so there was plenty of room for us to dance and for others to join us there.

Excellent evening.

Only two pictures to choose from because I saw that the focusing light on my camera was annoying people so I stopped taking photos.