Bushed

(...Terrible pun courtesy of middleman, cheers for that.)

Beck's birthday, and I'd been lucky enough to bag a couple of tickets for one of Kate Bush's gigs at the Apollo, so we'd booked a room (actually more of a very well-appointed closet) at the Hammersmith Best Western (and a couple of days off work) to make a midweek weekend of it. In fact, we almost wrote the day off early by hitting the Express Menu at Sophie's in Covent Garden a bit hard. Still, we rallied well and managed to get the energy together for the tube journey over to Tower Hill to see the poppy installation commemorating the First World War. It's an impressive sight indeed , moving and thought-provoking in its size and in the way it's continuing to spread organically around the moat to surround the Tower itself. It was good to see the crowds that it's attracting as well, particularly a number of school parties. We explored Hammersmith itself a bit later on before the gig and had a very pleasant stroll along the river to sit outside a nice pub by the Bridge. The show itself was fantastic; epic and theatrical - and I don't think I've ever been in a more expectant and emotional crowd. Despite the length, the timing was perfect, pulling you into the spread of the longer pieces as it unfurled. And, given that these are her first gigs in 30-odd years (which in itself seems unbelievable, somehow), it's amazing what a consumate performer she is, the crowd in the proverbial palm of her hand and that voice, if anything, better than ever. Great stuff - and, yes, I was knackered afterwards and very pleased the hotel was just round the corner...